Since the dawn of the industrial revolution and the need for innovation, engineers, designers, and artists have all faced a time when their life's work takes the form of a replica. Whether its sneakers, electronics, or vehicles, the market for creating replicas, or "bootleg" versions of the original, has left society divided.
On one hand, brand purists believe anything created outside the original factory or studio is an abomination. While on the other hand, replicas make certain goods more accessible to the masses; and more often than not, used for its intended purpose. Unlike the collectors that have a tendency to hoard merchandise, citing it as an "investment."
As we've witnessed over the past several years, YouTube channel B Is For Build falls under the latter category when it comes to the logos of their builds. In other words, using logical reasoning to persuade the masses into realizing replicas can be just as good, and possibly more fun, than their original counterparts.
Their latest project is no different. After acquiring the Bugatti Veyron replica featured (and crashed) in the 2014 movie, Need For Speed, Chris and the crew at B Is For Build intend to create an entirely different replica, this time in the form of a 1967 Ford Mustang GT Fastback.
The Replica Veyron From 'Need For Speed'
After acquiring the car "from a man in Atlanta," according to Chris, he begins to detail the car's interesting path to his workshop. Because, as most of us are well aware, movie stunt cars don't actually begin life as the cars they portray. This tube chassis and fiberglass body in particular, engineered and built by Racecar Replicas, is more widely known by their parent company, Superlite Cars.
After receiving permission from Bugatti, and actually receiving the 3D files Bugatti created for the Veyron, Racecar Replicas was able to build the black and orange hero car we know from the film. It is unknown just how many replicas they produced, but we do know this is quite possibly the only surviving example after the destruction of the others, at the request of Bugatti.
For those familiar with B Is For Build, viewers can probably already guess Chris' desire to build a Fastback. But for those new to their YouTube community, realize it involves a certain '67 Mustang Fastback from a certain movie where a car can disappear in one minute. But after dealing with the legal ramification of building a movie car replica, Chris had to abandon the build before resurrecting the idea through this Bugatti replica.
The Proof Is In The Pudding
It's no surprise the replica doesn't feature the legendary 8.0-ilter V16 engine the Veyron was built around. The car, however, does boast a brand new LS3 engine, mated to a Porsche transaxle that shifts the gears through the sequential gearbox.
Now you may be thinking, "Why would they take a Bugatti Replica, with a mid-engine, Chevy powerplant, and build a Ford Mustang?" We understand and appreciate your hesitation at the idea of a slammed Mustang powered by a Chevy engine, but as most of the car community is already aware, there isn't many powertrains better at taking a beating than the LS series. The chassis does in fact run and drive "pretty well," Chris states, thanks to its basic Chevy ECU system. Not to mention Chris' indifference to engine swap a car he just acquired.
With plans for autocross and circuit racing, Chris and the crew hope to debut this Frankenstein at LS Fest in Las Vegas, April 22, just a mere three weeks away.