[Excaliber]

The reference to "donor parts" points for the most part to the FFR marketing strategy. Buy a kit and a wrecked/used Mustang for many of the required parts. As it turns out, that was an excellent marketing strategy, FFR has sold and is selling a BUNCH of cars. MOST, by the way, have long since abandoned the basic premise of donor parts, it's new parts these days. The same reasoning applies to most other manufacturers as well, very few are utilizing donor parts these days. Not that there is anything wrong with donor "road tested" parts, the concept still remains a solid strategy. So what's the difference between an FFR and a Superformance? The person who built the car. In the case off FFR, that could be most anyone, good, bad or somewhere in between. In the case of Superformance it's a factory deal, like a McDonalds hamburger, it's pretty much the same car all over the world. Good, bad or whatever. The issues with the secret sauce are known, the recipe is revised, the product line improved, the burger is flipped and sold.

But you still have to add the key ingredients, motor, trans, etc. Plenty of room for someone to screw that up. Depending on WHO finishes it, it may not be any more reliable or ride better or be nicer than a well built "donor" FFR. The motor could be identical, same for the fuel pump, distributor, alternator, starter and many other common "parts". Reliability is all about who finished the car and how, regardless of the make. You could screw up a Shelby, or a Kirkham or an ERA just as easily.

So what you get with a Superformance is a well documented, issues known (good and bad) body and frame. It's a good start, but there are plenty of reports of the bugs that often need to be worked out on ANY replica, BDR, ERA, Kirkham, Shelby, SPF, you buy the car, you take your chances. These cars aren't like Ford's or Chevies or whatever, not even close when it comes to reliability. But they dang sure cost a bunch more AND break down. The hobby is what it is.

Your idea seems to be that a new part is better than a used part. Maybe, maybe not. I've seen plenty of new parts that were no better or even worse than a good "road tested" part. With one you get a gaurentee and spend more money for it, then spend time going back to get it replaced. Or pull the engine and ship it back to the builder (you pay the frieght) and wait ALL SUMMER while they work out the bugs. Meanwhile that guy with the donor FFR motor? He's got a big smile and enjoying the summer miles with his road tested parts working good!