FIA Continuation Series

1/30/2020

FIA Continuation Series

There is very little information about it, but not all classic cars you saw are really old. Some of them are more modern than your own car, sorry.

Being a continuation series, the new cars will receive a unique code and will be listed in the official brand registry. They will perfectly replicate both aesthetically and mechanically but are upgraded to contemporary standards, with HTP FIA-approval

Theses cars are acceptable for the FIA Historic Technical Passport (HTP) regulations that is a document that sets out the technical specification of the car for the homologation period requested and making them eligible for historic racing.
Prices are varied, they usually oscillate between € 100,000 and € 550,000 approximately

GT40 Continuation Series

1. AUTHORIZED MANUFACTURERS

It is the most common case, there are a number of authorized manufacturers, especially for the manufacture of Shelby cobras and GT40s.

For example, for the GT40 you can find brands like Superformance, Gelscoe motorsport and Holman. If you are looking for a Shelby FIA Continuation Series you will find automakers like Shelby (Original one), All Pro Cars, Kirkham Motorsports and Superformance

BTM Cheetah

Mongoose Corvette

Tolman Lotus

Tony Thompson Lotus Elite

2. USING A DAMAGE CHASSIS

Spray-Tec directly uses a totally damaged chassis and rebuilds the car on it, so the matching numbers remain the original. It can be considered as a recreation or as an amazing restoration work. They also recreate, under the same pretext, the Aston Martin DB4

Bob Norwood is offering a California Spyder rebody at a fraction of the original one's price, about 600k$. The chassis is shortened from the 2+2 configuration to SWB Ferrari length and, using three-dimensional digital scanning technology, is rebodied in alloy to the same dimensions as the original Ferrari California GT 250 Spyder. Each of the cars in this limited production retains the original 330 serial number and is a real Ferrari, not a replica.

Here you can see the full list of Ferrari replica automakers

Many original brands are building again classic cars under the original specifications according the requirements to be to be eligible as a FIA Continuation Series

3. ORIGINAL AUTOMAKERS

Bentley

Yes, you can call Bentley today to buy this car like any other current model

Jaguar

The same thing happens with Jaguar

Jaguar Classic is re-starting production of the iconic D‑type race car in Coventry, 62 years after the last example was built in 1956. Just 25 new examples of the D‑type will be meticulously hand-built at Jaguar. In 1955 Jaguar planned to build 100 D-types. With only 75 completed, Jaguar Classic is now fulfilling the company’s original ambition by creating 25 all-new, period-correct sports cars.
Jaguar also recreate six units of the Jaguar E-Type Lightweight. Here you can see a full list of Jaguar replica manufacturers

Other car brands like Lola, Crosslé, Chevron, Scarab and Lister keep manufacturing FIA Continuation Series in very limited series

Lola T70 Mk3B Continuation Series

Crosslé 9S

Scarab Continuation

Lister Jaguar Knobbly 60th anniversary edition

Chevron B16 Continuation

Chevron B8 Continuation

Chaparral 2E

For the reborn of Chaparral brand to revive their iconic 2E, Chaparral uses original body molds,original engineering drawings and they even employ some of the people from the original team

Having original plans it's very important to creates high added value cars, and much more important for the FIA Continuation Series. For example, Gelscoe Motorsport have the GT40 original drawings. Unseen for over 25 years and thought to have been destroyed when FAV closed it’s doors for the final time. The wooden drawing cabinet you see in this picture is the original FAV chest containing the only original and complete set of GT40 drawings in existence.

AC Cars Ltd (Malta)

The AC Ace 221 is based on the original body style that was developed for the Rudd Speed version of the Ace in 1960 in combination with chassis, suspension and body modifications that were developed by the AC engineering team for the installation of the then new 221 cu in. Ford V-8 engine including slight flaring of the fenders in order to accommodate wider wheels and tires on all four corners.

The Ace Bristol is a continuation of the famous 1954 AC Ace that dominated racing in the US and abroad throughout the late 1950’s. Today AC provides mounting configuration for both the Ford EcoBoost 2 L 4 cylinder and 2.7 L 6 cylinder engines. The shape of the original Ace Bristol is maintained however the dimensions of the passenger compartment are slightly increased to accommodate the 95% of typical drivers and passengers in today’s marketplace. The Ace has four wheel independent wishbone suspension, coil over shocks, modern disc brakes, differential, electronics and interior amenities.

AC was incorporated in Malta in 2002 until 2007. The AC MKIII went into series production in July 2012 after two years of intense prototyping and development but this car is not in current production.

Similar cases happen with some reborn or revival series. They are not intended to get the FIA HTP because they are not destined for racing series, but the essence it's the same. These following cars are documented in the official registers of their respective brands

Alvis cars were produced by the manufacturer Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd of Coventry, United Kingdom from 1919 to 1967. Nowadays, Alvis, is resuming production of the most emblematic Alvis models from the original works drawings and using remanufactured parts

In 1936 Atalanta’s innovative approach to sports car design produced arguably the most technically advanced British sports car of the era, but only 21 original cars were produced
The Atalanta ‘Revival’ car embraces the elegance and style of the 1930’s original, remaining true to the original Atalanta design principles, and where appropriate employs the use of modern materials and technology to ensure reliability, performance and safety.