Vehicle Description
When I watched Miami Vice on TV in the '80s, I always had trouble
understanding how a detective made enough money to afford a
Ferrari. Sonny Crockett was most certainly The Man, but between all
the money he already committed toward gallons of Brut aftershave
and off-the-rack pastel blazers, there couldn't have been much of
his salary left over. And then this little red beauty entered our
showroom, and it all made sense. A company called McBurnie
Coachwork (which later became Thunder Ranch) produced these Ferrari
replicas for years, and the producers at Miami Vice were smart
enough to use a slick black Daytona in their show for a couple
seasons (until they blew it up at the end of season, much like how
Ferrari blew up the replica business when they sued for trademark
infringement). For several years though, McBurnie produced their
version of a 250 GTO, a Velo Rossa, and cars like this red-hot
365GT/B Daytona Spyder Replica built out from a 1974 Chevrolet
Corvette. Not a lot of these were made, in all our years it's the
first we've ever seen, but they're incredibly cool and represent an
affordable way to get a taste (albeit a bit of an artificial taste)
of the vintage exotic. So, unless you have three million dollars to
spend on a real one, why not give this faithful replica a shot?
First, this isn't just some kit car. These replicas were produced
in the McBurnie factory in California, just like any 'real' car.
Second, this isn't one of those replicas built on a dinky Fiero or
Chevette chassis either, nor is it powered by some wheezing
four-cylinder. Instead, the high-grade fiberglass body was
stretched and massaged to fit onto a C3 Corvette chassis. At a
glance, it's a Daytona all the way - the unique front end and
quirky headlights look correct, the angle of the windshield seems
to be correct, the doors are cut right, and the rear end with those
funky taillights would easily have Don Johnson fooled. Of course,
upon closer examination it becomes clear this isn't Leonardo
Fioravanti's car. The body is four inches longer than a genuine
Daytona, which makes since as the 1974 Corvette is a bigger car,
the fit and finish of fiberglass will never look like Ferrari
sheetmetal, and quite simply if ever parked next to a real Spyder,
this 'Faux-rari' just won't compare on almost any level.
Thankfully, so few Daytona Spyders were actually made (122
factory-made cars is the historical estimate), so this roadster
will never really have to worry about being compared to the real
thing. And just because those badges didn't come from Scaglietti
doesn't mean this isn't a nice car and it certainly doesn't mean it
won't turn heads. The bright red paint may not be Rosso Chiaro but
it's very clean and shiny, the fiberglass has no real imperfections
to speak of, and the minimal amount of chrome and brightwork it has
looks pretty darn good, too. It's been driven a little bit, so
there's an imperfection or two (mostly found up front), but it's
obvious the car has been very well cared for and not long ago
underwent over $21k worth of body, paint, and interior work.
The interior is a mix of Corvette and Ferrari styling, and
100-percent 1970s racing-car cool. High-end Connolly leather on the
high-back C3 seats looks very upscale, split by a custom center
console covered in the same gorgeous tan material. Matching door
panels at the flanks are also draped in leather, and the floors are
lined with gorgeous Wilton Wool carpeting that's very plush. The
interior certainly plays the part of an expensive exotic, and
although the black dash has a bit more trouble hiding its C3 roots
it still looks great, especially with that full set of aftermarket
gauges ahead of the driver. A Grant GT steering wheel with a red
leather rim is just as sexy as it's supposed to be, and even though
the 8-ball topped chrome shifter manages an automatic, it still
looks very sporty. There aren't a lot of amenities, but you do get
power windows, power steering and brakes, seatbelts, and even a
heat/defrost unit (only the defroster works at the moment). The
trunk is relatively spacious for an exotic body style, and this
replica also comes with a set of T-Tops and a rear window, although
they admittedly could use a restoration.
Even though the exterior plays the part of a Ferrari, the moment
you raise the bonnet the charade is pretty much over. Again, that's
not exactly a bad thing, especially when you consider the
outrageous service bills and legendary undependability of vintage
Ferrari drivetrains. A rebuilt 350 V8 means this baby still have
plenty of blasting powder to work with, with new a parts list
including a fresh Holley 4-barrel carburetor and performance intake
on top, motor mounts, fuel pump, fuel lines and fuel tank all
leading the way. An MSD ignition and upgraded coil means the block
start with ease, while a new set of long-tube headers feed into
throaty dual exhaust below. Power steering and power 4-wheel disc
brakes give the car great road manners, as does the stock C3
suspension below, and the rebuilt TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission was recently rebuilt and features a torque convertor
that helps manage all the power. Sporty 5-spoke alloys look just
right and they're wrapped 245/50/16 front and 255/60/16 rear
BFGoodrich blackwall radials with plenty of tread left.
The Daytona Spyder is so rare and exclusive, that even the car's
replica is rare and exclusive. Furthermore, this is one of the
early McBurnie builds before Ferrari sued and ostensibly put an end
to this niche, meaning it's an extra piece of history. If you want
a taste of Italian exotic rarity but don't have Miami Vice druglord
money, call today!