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The answer to much of this is that people buy into the hype. The GT500 would still be awesome to me as a SVT Cobra and I might have gotten it a little cheaper if it didn't have Carroll's name on it.

I don't watch any racing like drag racing or Nascar, so I don't know much of how great some of these others you speak of are. Perhaps it is just like singers, it doesn't matter how good or bad some singers lives are (ie: in/out of jail, or doing drugs) people still buy into the hype and buy their records.

We all buy into life, so whatever someone else is getting into, we want a part of it. Part of the RETRO comeback I think is that the american companies are scared of losing sales to the foreign companies so in effect they are saying "remember when?"

It would be nice to have some small company make unique cars such as the Rufstang collectables, but the government and ecologist have so over regulated car manufacturing that it is not affordable.

I think what SAI and other companies (like Roush) is are doing is great, but I don't beleive it makes a car a legend like it use to. And unforunately it is getting to the point that only the rich and the famous can afford anything from them.

 

 

Hey SCGT500 - Did I forget to mention that I'm a living legend. :hysterical2::hysterical2::hysterical2::hysterical2:

 

HSURB

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As much as I loved my '68 which was an 390 R-code, not a 427 or 428, but had suspension/handling upgrades and was I think todays cars are far superior. I love them both, but I don't think there's any comparison all things considered, imo. Still I wish I had my old one :sigh: warts and all <lol>

 

I do think the SS is destined for 'greatness.' The old GT500s weren't the fastest cars on the road but they were cool!!! ...and gutsy ...and badazz. But, full race-prep aside, they didn't handle anywhere near as well the new cars -- night and day diff, imo (and I love the old ones).

 

Who knows, with the CO2 limits coming along and the attendant production volume limits that I think is somewhat inherent in any hi-po ride these days, I think the SS may well go down in history as one of the truly special redux rides.

 

For my money, I'd want go with the TVS, suspension/handling/baking mods, JLT CAI, exhaust, custom tune -- a roll-my-own SS, so to speak -- because, for me, the performance and handling is what would matter, not the SS label (tho I do love that hood ;-), but I can also understand many folks feelig that $28K for the SS is money well spent for a variety of reasons, whether to have the 'real-deal' from SAI, for the enjoyment of having a competant and special car and even for potential future value -- not necessarily as an 'investment' per se, but because it will always be a low-production bad azz car and that will always be desireable -- especially as a niche-build with a SA build plate.

 

Just my .02 ;-)

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Along those lines, I read last year in a new-car buyihng survey that 48% of buyers just go to a local dealer and pick 'an affordable car that looks nice' -- end of decision process. At first that number seemed way too high, but we are likely not good judges of typical consumers <lol>

 

So, basically, everyone here on SU has given far more thought to the polish they use than half the American public gives to the whole car-buying decision process <yikes!>

 

The remaining 52% fell across a whole bunch of categories ranging from 'I liked the color' to 'recommended by a friend' to 'did extensive comparission shopping of price/features.' I don't recall all the catgories but I didn't notice any enthusiast category like: 'are you kidding -- a 500HP Shelby is the ONLY choice!!!' so possibly enthusiasts don't even fit typical consumer buying patterns ...or market research floks know we aren't sway to marketing BS as much as the general public? -- dunno.

 

So, as a legend myself... :doh::hysterical2:

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I think your having trouble answering the question because it's not multiple choice. :hysterical: Come'on you can write an essay as to what defines a car as a Legend.

 

Oooo, hitting below the belt -- 10 yards, but ...followed by a smiley -- penalty declined.

 

---

 

Seriously tho, that's a tough question, Coldy. Just thinking out loud, it would seem a legendary car distinguishes itself from the crowd in a sustained, meanigful and unambiguous way that trascends a generation (takes time to eval that!)

 

The old Shelbys weren't the fastest cars in their day ('64 T-Bolt Fairlane is near 2 sec faster!) but they were fast, looked awesome, and sounded divine ...and had an aura of exclusivity (maybe because a lot fewer folks could afford them then and the aftermarket was virtually non-existant?) and were viewed as Carroll Shelby's creations ...and they were a ball to drive (especially the earlier ones ;-) But, more than enything, imo, they had an aura that would live on even if every one rusted into the earth. That's the intangible 'transcending' part.

 

Shelby Cobras, on the other hand, had an even more direct racing lineage to the legend that is Carroll Shelby (because he distinguished himslef from the crowd in a sustained and unambiguous way that transcends generations too?) who created those cars from scratch and, as a huge underdog, took on the big dogs and beat them at their own games (and was eventually backed by a big dog) -- in several venues/cars (Cobras and Ford GT/GT40) over a period of years. Tinkerer, hodrodder, builder, driver, manufacturer ...who never forgot where he came from.

 

Well, once agsain, looks like I haven't helped one bit here :hysterical: oh, well. ;)

 

;-)

 

<edit:>

Will the present variant of the breed hold up to this test? Dunno. Has awesome performance ...predigree ...some exclusivity (tho the aftermarket makes that a whole different ballgame today). WIll it be a legendary car? If it delivers in hand-to-hand combat and transcends a generation. I think it will prove itself in competition even with it's small displacement motor, but will it be transcendent in some way that our children will grow up to crave one to restore because of they are 'legends'? Who knows! The world is different and changing more rapidly every day. Will there be another generation that will have such an interest in performance cars until they have the wherewithall to buy such toys? Will legislation make it impossible to drive such toys? can the 'legendary' part of the equation develop and survive in museums as opposed to on the street?

 

That said, I think this car will fair well on the legendary scale <lol> Maybe not exactly for the same reasons, but for the same "desires" it stirs in enthusiasts -- which I think will always exist. E.g. will the Tessler Roadster become a legendary vehicle? I think it could, but not exactly for the same reasons as a '65 GT350.

 

Ok, so what wer my choices? D...none of the above!!! ...and I'm sticking to it :hysterical:

 

Dan

 

Ok, Bill, I bought ya some time ....now glue your answer on the top of the lid of a stock GT500 airbox and mail it with two proofs of purchase from any SA products to: Coldwaterhotrod, c/o editor, 15 West Pearl St, Coldwater, MI. :superhero:

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Car as a legend? I thought you meant a person as a legend.

 

Okay. That's not as tricky.

 

Sometimes a car becomes a legend from being used on TV shows, ie: Starsky and Hutch, Nightrider, etc. (I know nightrider was a bad example. :hysterical: )

 

Sometimes from what the car has accomplished. Like the Ferrari's and AC Cobra's in the 60's.

 

And then sometimes just for being an awesome looking car in a period of time. Example: The cars of the late 60's (Mustangs, Camaro's, Cuda's etc.) were great cars, but in the 70's cars SUCKED! so those cars became more desireable. And even in the 80's and 90's cars weren't that great looking so people restored those cars (also because they were the cars of their youth).

 

I beleive some of our cars today will do the same thing. Because cars are getting more of a 'necesssity' than a thing of 'pleasure'. The majority of people just see cars as a means of transportation, where some of us want our transportation to be our personal style (ie:650 modded HP :happy feet: )

 

Did I answer the question?

Good answer, but I must disagree on one point. I don't think "most" people buy their cars for basic transportation (BT). Look at all the Lexus SUVs, Mercedes two-seaters, Vettes, Mustangs, Mitsubishi Eclipse, any special edition of anything such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Monte Carlo, Eddie Bauer SUV, etc., Mini Cooper, Pontiac Solstice, Hummer...I could go on and on and on....none of these cars are BT in my book. I think a very large portion of people think of their car as a lot more than BT....the BT owners drive a Chevy Cobalt or Ford Escort/Fusion or Honda Civic, etc IMO.

 

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hitting below the belt followed by a smiley.

 

legendary distinguishes sustained, meanigful and unambiguous trascends fastest divine ...aura exclusivity virtually non-rusted into the earth.

 

Shelby Cobras, on the other hand, had a scratch. underdog took on the big dogs in several venues. Tinkerer never forgot where he came from.

 

hand-to-hand combat will be our children! The world is different and changing. legislation drive toys? develop and survive on the street?

 

it stirs reasons

 

Dan

I took some liberties with your words...and edited so that more people will understand what you said. :hysterical2:

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Whoa Dan, too many big words in there for me to follow. Did you just say in long terms what I just said? :hysterical:

I think I answered Coldy's question?

 

you certainly did, Snoopster!

 

yeah, I just stuck my .02 in... legend is a hard thing to quantify! I figure there'll be a lot of different answers depending on the individual -- but I suspect there will be some common thread in everyone's feelings on this.

 

...so, would that be...

A) can be a lot or things but you know it when you see it? (just kiddin' :))

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