Can You Tell A Kit Car From The Real Thing?

AUTO

By: Robin Tyler

7 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons via Charlie from United Kingdom

About This Quiz

Throughout the last century, vehicle designers have hit upon masterpieces that have captured the attention of the motoring public. More often than not, auto manufacturers only have a limited run of these vehicles, as in the case of one of Chevrolet's most-loved models where an upgraded sports version only saw six ever built.

It's not always performance that we love in vehicles like this. It's often how they look that have us wanting one in our own collection. If you can find an original, however, it's not going to please your bank manager, let's just say that.

And that is where replica or kit cars come in. Kit cars are not new, with the first already assembled before the turn of the 20th century. Things really took off in the 1950s, however, with more and more options becoming available, and things just grew from there.

So in this quiz, we will test your knowledge to see whether you can identify a kit or replica car from an original. And believe you me when I say that some make it very difficult to tell the difference. One image is all you get, and you can guess if it's the real deal or a replica or kit version.

Good luck!

The original was a racing car that won the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race. Which car is pictured?

Taking inspiration from the Aston Martin DBR1, Mills Extreme introduced the Replicar, a kit version using mostly donor parts from a Mazda MX-5. The original DBR1 was a winner at Le Mans in the 1950s and won 9 out of the 18 races it entered during its lifetime.

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The Eagle RV was a kit car which was based on the Jeep. Which is shown in this image?

The Eagle RV is a kit car built to resemble a Jeep. Made of fiberglass, it was mostly constructed from parts from Ford Cortinas. Of course the original Jeep was first used by the Allied Forces during World War II.

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The Stendetto, a copy of the F40 made by Eagle, was built on the chassis of a Pontiac. Is it a kit car or the original in this image?

The Eagle Stendetto is a Ferrari F40 lookalike built on the chassis of a Pontiac. Of course, the Ferrari F40 needs no introduction and is considered one of the finest Ferrari's ever built.

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Can you tell the difference between the Lotus Seven and the Locost, a kit car based on it?

Based on the popular Lotus Seven, the Locost kit car first originated in the 1990s and can be built up from a variety of donor vehicles. The original Lotus Seven, a two-seat roadster, was produced between 1957 and 1973.

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Based on the MG TF, the TG Sport 1955 was built about 50 years later. Which car is pictured?

Based on the MG TF , the TG Sports 1955 is a kit car first built in 2003 in New Zealand. It uses a Mazda MX5 as the donor car. The original TF was produced by MG between 1953 and 1955 and was a two-seat roadster.

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Is this a real 911 or a Covin, a replica kit produced between 1984 and 2000?

Produced for a 16-year period between 1984 and 2000, the Covin was a replica of the world famous Porsche 911, which of course did not need any introduction. In fact, the 911 is possibly the most famous Porsche of them all.

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A real Ford GT40 or a replica kit from Custoca? You decide!

Without a doubt, the Ford GT 40 is one of the most influential race cars ever to feature at Le Mans. It dominated in the mid- to late '60s, winning the race four times in a row. The Taifun, by Custoca, was a replica kit of the GT40 first introduced in 1971.

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The Dax Californian is a replica kit of the Porche 356. Which is shown in this image?

Made with Beetle components, the Dax Californian is a replica kit of a Porsche 356. It was first released in 1985. The original 356 was produced from 1948 to 1965. Today, it is a highly prized classic car.

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The Daytona Sportscar, a replica kit car, is an homage to the Shelby Daytona. Which is shown in this image?

Produced in Australia, the Daytona Sportscar, sometimes called the Daytona Coupe, is a replica kit car modeled on the famous Shelby Daytona, from Carroll Shelby. It remains in production today after it was first released in 2001. The original Shelby Daytona was first released in 1964. Only six were ever built.

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Which is shown in this image, the original Corvette Grand Sport or the kit replica?

A true beauty, the 1963 Corvette Grand Sport was a lightweight version of the road car. Only five were ever built and they are found in private collections around the world. The Superperformance replica is truly something to behold.

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Can you tell if the car in the image is a Mini or the Domino replica?

The original Mini certainly needs no introduction. Immediately recognizable, it was first produced in the late 1950s and built until the early 1990s. The Domino kit car is a Mini replica, first introduced in the mid-1980s. It comes in a range of options including the classic design, convertible and as a pickup.

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You decide if this image shows a real Ford GT40 or a Fiberfab Avenger GT replica kit. So which is it?

The original Ford GT 40 is one of the most influential race cars ever to feature at Le Mans. It dominated in the mid- to late '60s, winning the race four times in a row. The Avenger GT was a GT40 replica kit produced by Fiberfab in the 1960s. By the late '60s, it had a V8 engine and was renamed the Valkyrie.

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A real Lambo Countach or the Charger 1 replica kit from Embeesea. You decide!

Built by Embeesea in the United Kingdom, the Charger 1 was styled on the Lamborghini Countach which of course is one of the most recognisable supercars ever produced. Around 150 kits of this vehicle were produced by the company in the 1970s. In 1984, the name of the kit changed to Saratoga after DJ Cars took over production.

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The Fiberfab Sherpa is a Land Rover-like replica kit. Which is shown in the image?

The Fiberfab Sherpa was a produced by Fiberfab Germany and is similar in looks to that classic offroad vehicle, the Land Rover. Land Rovers were first produced in 1957, a design of Maurice Wilks.

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This is a tricky one: original Ford GT40 or replica?

When Superperfomance builds a kit replica, they do an incredible job. In fact, their kit version of the GT40 is undergoing scrutiny to see if it is liable to race in historic races as a GT40! The original Ford GT 40 is one of the most influential race cars ever to feature at Le Mans. It dominated in the mid- to late '60s, winning the race four times in a row.

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Does this image show a Fraser Clubman replica kit car or an original Lotus Seven?

Based on the Lotus Seven, the Fraser Clubman was is a replica kit car produced in New Zealand. The original Lotus Seven, a two-seat roadster, was produced between 1957 and 1973.

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An original 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air or a replica kit called the Chevy by Frese Motor Cars? Which is it?

The 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is one of the most famous cars produced in the '50s, noted for its pointy tail fins and chrome ... lots of chrome. Frese made an excellent replica, called the Chevy in the mid - 2000s. Sadly, they are no longer around.

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The MG TF is a true beauty and the Gentry is a kit replica of it. Can you tell which appears in this image?

Based on the MG TF, the Gentry is a kit car first built in 1970s in the United Kingdom and is still made today. The original TF was produced by MG between 1953 and 1955 and was a two-seat roadster.

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Built from Mini parts, the Cox GTM was inspired by the Ferrari Dino. Which is shown in the image?

Inspired by the Ferrari Dino, the Cox GTM was first built in the late 1960s from Mini parts. The Ferrari Dino, the inspiration for the GTM, was produced by Ferrari between 1968 and 1986.

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The Healey 100 is a much-loved British sports car. But is this one the original?

The Austin Healey 100, a sports car in the classic British mold, was produced from 1953 to 1956. Over 14,000 were produced. The Hult Healey was produced in Sweden in the '80s and '90s and was made of mostly Volvo parts.

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Is the vehicle in the image a JRZ replica kit styled on a Morgan Three-Wheeler or the original itself?

Inspired by the Morgan Three-Wheels of the 1930s, the JZR was first manufactured in 1990 and production continues today. JZRs are powered by a range of motorcycle engines.

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In this image, is the vehicle a McBurnie Ferrari Daytona Spyder replica or the real deal?

McBurnie Coachcraft is perhaps most famous for supplying the Ferrari Daytona Spyder replica used in "Miami Vice" until Ferrari took legal action.

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A real Porsche 550 Spyder or a replica kit by Thunder Ranch. You decide!

The Porsche 550 Spyder, of which only 90 were ever built, is perhaps most famous as the car in which actor James Dean lost his life in 1955. The Thunder Ranch 550 Spyder replica kit is simply a stunning copy.

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Is the vehicle in the image a Mini Mk1 or a Wildgoose, a replica motorhome?

Based on the legendary Mini, the Mini Wildgoose is, let's say, a traveling home. Using much of the Mini Mk 1 components, it was first produced in the 1960s.

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The Puma ranch is a vehicle "inspired" by the Jeep Wrangler. It this one in the image or is it an original Jeep Wrangler?

The Jeep Wrangler certainly needs no introduction. As one of Jeep's most popular off-roaders, it is logical that someone would make a kit replica. And that comes in the form of the Puma Ranch, which is Jeep Wrangler "inspired."

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Which vehicle is shown in this image? An AC Cobra original or a Rexer R12 kit replica?

The Rexer R12 is a replica kit based on the legendary AC Cobra. It was first manufactured in 1991 and is powered by a Chevy 5.7-liter engine. The AC Cobra, a two-door roadster and the brainchild of Carroll Shelby, was first manufactured in 1962.

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A Ferrari Daytona or a replica from Robin Hood Motors?

Produced between 1985 and 1989, the Robin Hood Ferrari Daytona Replica or Hood Daytona was, as its name would suggest, a replica of the Daytona from Ferrari, a grand tourer produced from 1968 to 1973.

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A real Jeep or a Spartan Treka, "inspired" by Jeep?

Produced between 1991 and 1995, the Treka from Spartan is a kit car loosely based on a Jeep.

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Is this a famous Lamborghini Countach or a replica kit from RW called the Taurus?

Based on a VW Beetle, the Taurus is a replica kit of the Lamborghini Countach first produced in 1984. Around 32 were made.

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An RW Karma replica kit of a Ferrari Dino or the real deal from the Prancing Horse auto makers themselves?

First designed in 1982 by another company which became part of RW, the Karma was released in 1984 as a replica of the Ferrari Dino, which was manufactured by Ferrari between 1968 and 1986.

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The Brunton Stalker is a kit car copy of the legendary Lotus Seven two-seat roadster. Which is shown in this image?

Based on the Lotus Seven, the Brunton Stalker was first produced in 2001 and is a kit car based on the legendary Lotus Seven. The original Lotus Seven, a two-seat roadster, was produced between 1957 and 1973.

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Is it a classic Jeep or the Chieftain, a kit car from Burlington which resembles one. You decide!

The Chieftain, one of the many kit cars available from Burlington, is based on a Willys style Jeep. The original made its name during World War II and later quickly became a classic once commercial models became available.`

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The Shelby Cobra and the Superperformance MKIII are almost identical. Which is pictured?

Built under license from Shelby, the Superperformance MKIII is based on the Shelby Cobra 427. The original 427 was effectively the third mark of the Cobra and was built in cooperation with Ford. It was first introduced in 1965.

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Is this the Burlington Arrow, a kit car, or the MG TC, a classic from the 1940s?

The Arrow, a kit offering from Burlington is based on the MG TC and is a two-door roadster. The TC from MG was the first vehicle the company released following World War II.

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Is this an original Lotus Super 7 or the Superperformance S-1?

The Lotus Super 7 is regarded as one of the most fun two-seat, open-top sports cars ever produced. It was made between 1957 and 1972. The S-1 is a modern take on the Super 7 made by Superperformance.

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Which vehicle is shown in this image, an Austin Healey 100 or a Falcon Mk1 replica kit?

The Austin Healey 100, a sports car in the classic British mold, was produced from 1953 to 1956. Over 14,000 were produced. The Falcoln Mk 1 is a Healey-type car replica kit made by Falcon Shells. They produced this kit between 1956 and 1964.

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Which vehicle is shown in this image? A replica kit Mini GT or the original Mini Mk 1 released in the late 1950s?

From the mind of Ferris de Joux, the Mini GT was his version of the iconic British car and even used a number of parts, including the floor plan. It was lower, longer and wider than the original, however, and featured a fiberglass body.

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A classic '60s sports car in the Ford GT40 or a replica kit, the RPB Piraya?

Introduced in 1968, the RPB Piraya was based on the classic Ford GT40, which at that time was dominating the 24-hour race at Le Mans. Incredibly, it was made from a Beetle chassis.

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A replica kit car built from plywood or the original MG J2 Midget from the 1930s. Which appears in the image?

Inspired by the MG J2 Midget, the JC Midge is commonly referred to as a "pattern and plan" kit where many of the body panels are made from plywood, cut from patterns. It was first built in 1985.

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Is this an original Lotus XI or a Westfield XI kit car version of it?

Based on the Lotus XI, the Westfield was first produced in 1982 and is still built today. The Lotus XI is a sports car from the mid-1950s.

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