The attraction of a replica or kit car build is obvious:  save thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars over the real-world model it’s based on. The Ferrari Daytona coupe and Spider is perhaps one of the most recognized kit cars out there, with a starring role in the 1980s television drama Miami Vice and making a regular appearance in car shows and retirement communities shortly after companies like California Custom Coach began producing them.  This particular car is an unfinished example being sold without an engine or transmission, and bidding is sitting at $8,100 with no reserve.

Before we go any further, I want you to notice something: take a look at that Mustang in the background. It’s obviously lowered quite a bit but it’s riding on OEM Porsche 911 wheels, a design affectionately known as the “Lobster Claw.” If that vehicle and this unfinished Daytona kit are any indication, the seller certainly isn’t scared of a project. The Daytona Spider has incredible proportions and while most kits fall short of ever truly replicating the original lines, this California Custom Coach edition does a better job than most. One of the first things I would do is source a set of 15” Cromodora alloy wheels to bring the look closer to the original configuration.

Another aspect of Daytona replicas that often doesn’t match the original is the seat upholstery pattern. Daytonas had this very specific pattern with the black stripes on the door panels and inserts on the seats, and oftentimes, kit cars don’t feature this critical detail. While it’s still never the same as the seats found in the real-deal Daytona, it at least looks closer to being factory correct at first glance. As you can see, this car is unfinished inside as well, with exposed wiring around the column and clearly some missing trim around the instrument cluster and center console. Other California kits I’ve seen show what looks like a very nice console with a Ferrari-style gated shifter, and there appears to be the battered remains of a console in the trunk.

The California kit cars were almost always based on a 70s-era Chevrolet Corvette, and the seller confirms the chassis is indeed from a 1970 Corvette. This also would typically be the source of any running gear on a kit car like this, with a standard-issue 350, and more than a few of these came with a 5-speed manual. I’m not sure if that transmission would also be GM-sourced, but regardless, the next owner of this Ferrari Daytona kit car will have a blank canvas to work with. Hopefully, a Daytona kit car like this will end up with a more exotic engine and transmission combo than a garden-variety 350, but the first priority will likely just be returning it to running, driving condition. Find the Daytona Spider kit car here on eBay where it’s offered with no reserve.