Clone Cars And Tributes Explained: What You Should Know Before You Buy One – SlashGear

Clones and tributes, as the names imply, are not the “real deal” version of a car and can consist of changes ranging from modifying the badges to complete restorations that change everything about a vehicle to closely imitate the original. 

To illustrate, someone may take a stock, base model 1969 Dodge Charger powered by a Slant-6 engine, update the badges to say “R/T,” repaint it an aggressive era-correct shade of orange, and drop a 440 cubic inch V8 under the hood. The resulting car would be a “tribute” or “clone” of an authentic 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. It’s not the original, but it’s effectively the same thing. As long as the Vehicle Identification Number is not altered, and the seller is honest about the restoration, it’s perfectly legal to buy/sell it. It will likely be a good deal cheaper than a real R/T.

Suppose you, the buyer, are ok with reproduction parts and not having 100% original factory options in the car. In that case, absolutely no real gearhead will be mad at you for driving around a classic that had some care put into it. There are, however, important caveats to clones. If it’s a poorly done restoration, misrepresented in any way, or the owner lies about a car’s provenance, that’s a different story, and those cars should not be celebrated. As with all car purchases, ensure the seller is trustworthy, gather as much documentation as possible, and do as much research as possible.