QOTD: How Much Would You Pay for a Replica Movie Star Car?
Motor1 brings us a report of a replica 1975 Ford Gran Torino that has popped up on Bring a Trailer. It's a replica of the Gran Torinos that starred in the Starsky and Hutch TV show.
By replica, we mean that this car is a true-blue 1975 Gran Torino, but it's not one of the cars that were used in the show -- instead, it's been modded to look like one of the star cars. This one apparently has a 429 cubic-inch motor replacing the original. We'd detail the other features, but we already have a UCOTD today. The question I have, seeing as the current bid is at $10K with just under a week to go -- how much would you be willing to pay for a car that wasn't even used in filming a movie or show, but simply modified to look like one and/or have the same mechanical tune?
For me, I suppose it depends. There are a lot of DeLoreans out there that are made up to look like the Back to the Future car, and I suppose the cap I'd willing to pay for one would depend on how well the build is done. There are so many BTTF DeLoreans and Ecto-1s from Ghostbusters out there that scarcity wouldn't drive the price up. On the other hand, a well-done replica that's also rare -- well, one would think they'd demand high prices.
So, I ask you, what would you pay for a car that looked and drove like one from a TV show or movie, even if it was never actually parked on a set?
Sound off below.
[Image: Seller]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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In his short lived 2007-09 series Kingdom, Stephen Fry drove an Altis TE-21 drophead (convertible) coupe. A lovely looking, though unfortunately underpowered auto, and one of less than 400 manufactured.
Not many of the Grand Torinos survive from that era. I'd say the Starsky and Hutch replica is a bit more collectable than some of the others mentioned. I will admit that I wish I had the garage space for it and would give it a serious look. Does a polyester suit come packed in the trunk?
I would prefer the Lincoln that Snoop Dogg drove in the Starsky & Hutch movie to the Torino. According to social media, it was one of his own personal vehicles.
It seems for a while you did not see as much car placement in movies or maybe it wasn't as noticeable. Both the old and the new Magnums have the red Ferraris. the last remake of Hawaii 50 had Camaros and Chevy products unlike the original that had Mercuries. The Good Doctor had Lea's new car a red Mach E with that same white stripe of the Starsky and Hutch Torino. NCIS has Dodge Chargers as agents cars. I wonder if some of the manufacturers are going back to advertising their brands by providing them to tv shows. It will be interesting to see how many shows in the future start featuring more vehicles from a specific brand. Also wonder how many of today's youth care about the cars, trucks, suvs, and crossovers that are in today's shows and will that make any of them interested in vehicles. Cars were just as much the stars in movies and tv shows of the past as the actors. Broderick Crawford as Lt. Dan Matthews in his 55 Buick Century in HIghway Patrol and 77 Sunset Strip with its T-Birds, Ford Galaxies, and Kookies Bucket Hot Rod Model T Ford got the attention and interest of my 2 older brothers along with Peter Gunn's new Plymouth Fury convertibles and in reality a private eye would not be able to afford a brand new Plymouth Fury convertible every season and is that the best car to tail someone with. Peter Gunn also got knocked out almost every episode so he had a sore head. Always liked the Peter Gunn theme song written and performed by Henry Mancini.