they wont be right i can see it now,one of the body lines will be half a thousands of an inch out, lets amend the rules so they cant get into any club or show or nationals?????????????????

Well Frank,

My head say's you are probably spot on...

but my heart hopes you are wrong.

Has anyone bothered to do a search of the '57 Belair repro bodies?
http://www.1957chevybody.com/body_options.html

Think of the market that is available to this sort of company in the States. Now compare it to the market that Monaro repro bodies could ever have in Australia. (For that matter, any body style market, Ford, Holden, Valiant etc.) With a bare steel body, where do you source all the other components from? There are many companies in the States offering reproduction everything to complete full restos.
We are so far behind in Australia simply due to our relatively small population. If I was wanting to build anything that rumours are flying around about new repro shells, I would look for a good original body to start with while I am still able to do the work. If you are prepared to wait, you'll be a very old man building a very old reproduction car.
Can't see it happening, the figures do not stack up.

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Complete Body -- $34,500 (comes without convertible top bows, which are an additional $3,295)
The steel body only option includes a heavy gauge (USA Made) spot welded metal shell. This includes all fenders, quarters, braces, pans, (NOTE: the convertible top bow assembly is not included) -- essentially every sheet metal part that is required to create a 1957 Chevy convertible. This option does include an original 1957 Chevy factory cowl. This option does not include the chassis. CARS Inc has all restoration parts needed to complete this restoration job.

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Body on a Chasis -- Price depends on chassis option selected
This second option is the rolling steel body (exactly as above) with the addition of a chassis. It includes chassis (with or without suspension components - depending on the desire of the purchaser). With this option, all of the hard welding and body-frame marriage work is done. It eliminates having to invest extra money for extra welding and specialized tools including lifts that will only be used once or twice, or even having to send the car out to have it professionally done. Again, the convertible rolling chassis also comes with an original cowl. The only thing that's left to fill in is the rest of the interior and exterior of the car - details such as picking the engine, transmission, interior and exterior trim, the interior options and related parts. This option is perfect for home restorer. The chassis is available as an original chassis or an upgraded Art Morrison or Roadster Shop chassis. CARS Inc has all restoration parts needed to complete this restoration job.

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Turn-Key Chevy -- Starting at $180,000 -- with a build time of 16 weeks.
If driving away in a brand new 1957 Bel Air convertible is your choice, this is the option for you. it is just like getting a brand new car straight from the dealership - except it does not look like a "bubble" and has all the cool styling of the 1957 Chevy. With this option, the buyer doesn't have to know anything about classic cars or car part installation. All the hard work is done - such as welding and fitting the sheet metal body and mounting it to the frame - as well as installing all engine, interior, and exterior components. Again, an original 1957 Chevy cowl is used with this option as well. The Art Morrison or Roadster Shop chassis would be most commonly used for this option (for drivability and performance reasons), but for the purist an original 1957 Chevy frame (with X-frame) is also available.. The only thing that is left to do with this option is to turn on the car, sit back, have fun and enjoy driving a car that will certainly be the envy of the neighborhood - no matter where that neighborhood is located.

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Utility8

If the price was reasonable they would be daily drivers for some and racers for others, it would be what it looks like a modern classic retro if you like, a lot would have modern mechanicals put in and enjoyed for the `old school` appearence but not old school drivability, I would think a lesser amount would be made into looking like a stock original.

never gunna happen, so we dunn gotta worry bout squat

"Reputations are made and broken as soon as you enter or leave my shed.."

agress with 80569k oh no its not a monaro but my car got the same rear beaver floor rear panels on it.
think of it this way some one buys a shell builds a really nice hk 327 correct number block etc saginaw box ten bolt diff correct color and interior, park it next to a so called genuine on whats the difference if its done correctly??? two small plates of aluminium with some numbers on them???
one way i look at it as least new new whell will have no repairs, think of an old hk wheel arches cut out then put back to standard , really if some of these guys seen there cars in bare metal they would be horrified at there $100,000.00 investment how many have had chassis number removed to a new shell, a firewall, removed to a new sheel, is it still really a genuine 81837?
pete.

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Originally posted by petaus
agress with 80569k oh no its not a monaro but my car got the same rear beaver floor rear panels on it.
think of it this way some one buys a shell builds a really nice hk 327 correct number block etc saginaw box ten bolt diff correct color and interior, park it next to a so called genuine on whats the difference if its done correctly??? two small plates of aluminium with some numbers on them???
one way i look at it as least new new whell will have no repairs, think of an old hk wheel arches cut out then put back to standard , really if some of these guys seen there cars in bare metal they would be horrified at there $100,000.00 investment how many have had chassis number removed to a new shell, a firewall, removed to a new sheel, is it still really a genuine 81837?
pete.

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This is exactly what i used to say to people ages ago and still do today.Sometimes the only original things on the car is the tags, block,roof,floor,diff,suspension,brakes and tailshaft.The rest has been outsourced from years of collecting bits from other cars.
In my opinion,they are genuine but not original cars.
The big money ones should be for un-restored originals in top nick like the Indy HG 350 on AMCS.
My neighbour had a HT 350 GTS from brand new and everything was there from new bar the servicible stuff.

i wanna be judge.

"Reputations are made and broken as soon as you enter or leave my shed.."

The judge is like an umpire in a game and conducts the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the parties of the case, assesses the credibility of the parties, and then issues a ruling on the matter at hand based on his or her interpretation of the law and his or her own personal judgement.

What the?

If it is old or rare - Cut it! http://www.ehlimo.com.au/

Was thinking about these shells pot being released as "replacement spare parts". Could i use one as a replacement part for the old hg sedan rusting to pieces on one of my mates farms?

its not a piece of rust its an aussie icon!