I ran across my old Daytona Spyder replica on Ebay, and it's not very far from me (in Pittsburgh, PA). I'd love to buy it back but I can't afford to buy another car right now.
I built this car in '85-86, and had some unique touches, which is how I identified it initially. Then I found an old registration card and the VIN matched. The dash is all custom, using the Fiat 124 glovebox knob to make the glovebox work (most replicas do not have a functional glovebox). The dash has a unique layout of gauges, including the one located below the instrument cluster on the right side. On the brushed aluminum, there are 3 warning lights arranged diagonally upwards, including the high beam indicator. The turn signal indicators, instead of being arrows or circles at the edges of the instrument cluster, are custom drilled circled of decreasing size as they go outwards. No other Daytona has this. The center of the dash has the Corvette heater/vent controls mounted vertically. The door panels and seats have been customized in the 30 years since I built it, and changed from black to tan, but the interior has the identifying marks still.
The top may be new, but the attachment at the body is still the same as the way I made it with three snaps per side. That was a decision made by myself and the top maker in order to make it work. Most don't attach this way.
It's lost the plastic headlight covers along the way, but it still has the hand recessed emblem that was designed to go under the plastic. It still has the offset rear prancing horse, though.
Compare this:
With the original way it was:
Look at those identifying marks that are there, the turn signal indicators, the gauge placement (that was unique to my car), the central ventilation location, the glovebox latch, etc.
Look at the McBurnie dash:
And this:
With it's original state:
I also used a '66 Datsun 411 license plate light (with Stanley of Japan markings) instead of the kit supplied cast unit. And used an offset prancing horse, 'cause I liekd it (never saw another Daytona with one there). And in the trunk, I had a custom offset gas tank with a deep section to put larger items, which nesessitated an offset latch mechanism instead of a central one (the other kit Daytonas used a flat floor). That offset deep sided floor and offset latch are still there:
It's also not a McBurnie car as stated in the ad as the McBurnie cars used Fiat/Alfa outside door handles, not the custom fabricated Daytona replica flappers I created and used, and usually square headlights.
Mine:
The car was, as I said, built in '85 to show off the fabrication and fiberglass skills of my shop, and used in a couple TV shows, including one of the last episodes of Max Headroom:
While there have been some customizations done over the years, like the tan seats and door panels that I wanted to do when I built it, it's held up great for being 30 years old and I'd love to be able to buy it back. I'm contacting the seller to give it's history and to maybe get the buyer to give me first rights of refusal if THEY decide to sell it.
