Porsche in an Odd Environment

[Tool Pants]

I have see older replicas registered as 1950s Porsches. The DMV guy sees Porsche badges on it and registers it as a Porsche.

That has all changed in California. Now kit cars are registered as special construction. There is a lottery and I think only 2,500 can be registered a year. Some people first register them in another state and then bring them to California.

Or, something like that. My Boxster/Beck friend says it is a real pain.

[Topless]

I have always loved the lines of a 550. I considered a Beck Spyder briefly before buying the Boxter. Crash safety, resale and DMV hassles were the deal breakers for me. I think it was the right choice in my case.

[Tool Pants]

Found my pictures from a spider meat I went to 5 years ago.

#1.

[Tool Pants]

#2........

[Ronzi]

That's the kind of registration I would expect for a reproduction 550, but certainly not "1955 Porsche 550".
I cannot imagine that Porsche would authorize ANYONE to use the name Porsche on ANY car not built by them. For pete's sake you can't even put "Porsche" on a t-shirt with them climbing all over you with cease-and-desist letters. Even the Ruf 911s and the Dauer 962s are not officially Porsches.

[yellowboxster01]

Originally Posted by Ronzi

Even the Ruf 911s are not officially Porsches.

true, Ruf cars get Ruf VIN numbers. Porsche sends Ruf a certain amount of cars a year. A Porsche with Ruf vin numbers is worth a whole lot more too.

I got the full explanation of what sets apart a Ruf from someone who just bought Ruf parts and threw them on the car. You can actually call Ruf and ask them prior to buying one if it is real. They have all the cars they've ever built on record. Wayne at Ruf Dallas said they have calls monthly asking if a particular car is a Ruf, 9 times out of 10 it's not.