Do you know what Massey Ferguson tractors, World War II Lancaster bombers, and Volkswagen Beetles have in common? Their parts have become some of the most iconic race cars ever. In the mid-1980s, Jimmy Price started making replicas via Hi-Tech and entered the American market in the mid-90s through Superformance, a US distributor he founded.
Talking about
it, Prince says, "No one was doing a perfect car." The search for
parts of the last car manufactured in the 1960s included a lot of reading, visits to the British cobra maker AC Cars,
and a long-suspended supplier.
In 1995, the
company shipped 35 cobras. By 2000, it shipped 450 units annually. The number
of staff rose from 20 to 650. The late global recession led to reduced orders
and layoffs. Today, the company's workforce has returned to about 300. It is
focused on manufacturing the Cobra, the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport,
GT40, Shelby Daytona Coupe, and many others.
Price says that
his company doesn't technically manufacture cars. Rather, it creates a bespoke
classic body and chassis with the original manufacturer's approved seal. Also
known as "rollers" or "turnkey minuses," they have everything
you expect from a car, except for the engine and transmission.
The US is the
largest market for Hi-Tech, where cars without these make up a "collection
of parts" from a legal point of view, making importing easier. After they
are imported and sold by the dealer, the customer ensures the engine and
transmission are installed by a third party or himself.
Hi-Tech has a 200,000-square-foot
workshop in Gqeberha. Unlike their Racing Four Bears, the replica models are
equipped with air conditioning and comfortable seats. The company is also
working on practical aspects that racing cars might have omitted, like ensuring
that door seals work.
The Buyers
Several cars
that tech supplies to Superformance and Shelby Legendary Cars as rollers are
impossible to own as originals.
Price stated
that orders are increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated, "At
the moment, it's booked here for a year. It's the first time (it happened) in
the last 15 years."
The New Bill
A bill has been
enacted to revolutionize this replica industry in the US. The Low Volume Vehicle
Manufacturing (LVM) law was made in March. It allows replica car companies to
produce up to 325 finished vehicles annually.
Thanks to that, Superformance
will be able to install engines and transmissions. It would also sell
ready-to-drive cars through traditional dealerships.
According to
LVM, the vehicles need to meet certain emission standards. It is why Superformance
is planning to create an electric version of every car.
Passing the
Authority
Hi-Tech now has
new people in charge. Price has passed the company to his sons, who are overseeing
the workshop. Price says he couldn't sit at home after 30 years in the industry
but has relaxed his duties and will continue to do that in the future. It would
be interesting to see how his sons take things forward.
Sources:
https://theworldnews.net/us-news/the-south-african-company-building-beloved-american-supercars
https://theworldnews.net/us-news/the-south-african-company-building-beloved-american-supercars
https://www.iqstock.news/n/south-african-company-building-beloved-american-supercars-4012185/