replicas spyders built in Aluminium by New England Metalcrafters.

Hi all

Just heard of a magazine article published back in the late 80's about a run of replicas spyders built in Aluminium by a firm called New England Metalcrafters.

Does anyone know anything about these cars? What happened to them or the firm.


Any info would be good

Thanks

i have seen a couple of copies sold on ebay. one of the members here or at spyderclub got one of them if i recall.

Yup, someone here did get one and he scanned and e-mailed the article to me. If you e-mail me I would be happy to share. Let me know if there are any size limits on your e-mail account as there are many pages, probably will not be able to send them all at once.

doug.medema@bissell.com

check out http://www.pbase.com/tmpusfugit/image/70090850
and following photos A couple of the pages did not scan well, but for the greater part the photos and stories are there. The guy who was responsible for the build is still doing major restoration of high end sports cars, he is on the internet. He is not building more Spyder replicas. He is working out of NH

I have not found any of the cars he made, yet...
http://www.panel-craft.com/publicity.php

He didnt build a run of replicas,he rebodied original cars .He has rebuilt alot of rsk and 550 spyders original cars on original frames .he is not the type to use his skill to build replicars he is a car guy if i had his tools and talant id be building them.Juts guys that owned these cars and had Joe rebuild them never let any one know that they were rebuilt .Joe made EVERY part needed excempt the frames looooooooooooots of hours.LOTS.
He is still way up in NH working on a collectors car collection and taking on custom Exotic stuff when he can.He is a Car guy he is talented to the max.You would cry if you saw just the bucks he has built for 550s and rsks just in storage.

here is his web sight .

http://www.panel-craft.com/index.php

I believe you are very correct, he apparently was not building replicas but doing complete rebodies on old chassis. The article in Carrozzeria is not clear on that point, it speaks to his "recreations" but only in the sense of the bodies themselves.

I first became interested in his work after accidentially bumbling into his place in upper NH in 1993 I think. There was a pretty much complete 718 body in old racing paint sitting in the front, behind a big glass window. I thought I had found the holy grail out in the weeds of NH. Boy, was I surprised when I chased Joe down. Not only did he know the cars front to back but he was making a copy of the body in the shop. Like you say, even then he had some bucks to kill for....550's, 550a's, and maybe even a "D" Jag as I think back.

In any even, an absolutely great craftsman who continues work today...

Thanks for your help guys