[Rickd]

Dallas - I'd take a closer look at the ERA in California. #675. That car has an actual 427 sideoiler motor - I know a guy in Florida who had a couple of those - very rare motors - and he was selling them for $20 - $25k. The car also has the ERA custom rear end - check it out on their web site - it is a jewell - a piece of art. An aluminum housing that the differential is mounted in - with oversized outboard brakes. That car ALSO has a Richmond Gear heavy duty racing transmission. It is a super smooth transmission to drive, has really nice gear ratios and an Overdrive (5th gear) that is around a .73, which is not so exaggeratedly low as the .64 in many Tremec's. The Richmond gear is a more expensive tranny. This ERA is a very very well laid out car. You can always try and negotiate price a little as well - but this motor, rear end, and tranny combination is nothing but the best. That 427 should last forever - a ton of torque - and not 'forcing' big HP numbers and torque out of an overstroked small block. Reliability. The car has 2,500 miles on it - it isn't even broken in. That car would cost probably close to $75 - 80 K to duplicate. Also the ERA - in my opinion - does have THE most rigid chassis in the business. The 3" * 4" rectangular tube chassis - with the " X " cross member under the cockpit - is spectacular (most others use 2" * 4" rect tube or round tube). Add to that that the ERA is about the ONLY replica out there using chassis members that wrap up to shoulder height and around the passenger compartment. The door latches - they are mounted on a steel plate that is bolted to a steel chassis member. Most other 'replicas' mount the door latches (not the hinge) onto glass pads bonded to the body. You could pick up the ERA by the door latches. Details details. I recommend that you take a day and visit the factory in New Britain Ct. You will see the details that make it a superior machine. That car in California is a very special one - man I wouldn't let that one get away. My opinion, and hey, it's fun to look.