Ten Tribute Cars for Carefree Driving that You Could Own

Tribute cars are an ideal way to drive and share pieces of automotive history without worrying about wear and tear or spending mass amounts of cash on an original. Tribute vehicles also provide the option to own what would otherwise be an extremely low-production car, one-off build, or even a concept car or movie car that was destroyed after use.

No one seems to know when the first tribute car was made, but when people want something bad enough, innovative folks tend to take the wheel and build their own. The first tribute vehicle was likely built in the 1800s, back in the horseless carriage days, by an aspiring mechanic who couldn’t afford to purchase one outright.

As a niche in the custom car realm, tribute cars are open to interpretation depending on the person who builds it. We gathered a list of ten eye-catching tribute cars listed for sale on Hemmings Marketplace. From tribute cars modeled after iconic race cars, movie cars, and models made to resemble limited edition runs, there is something here for everyone. Band roadies, we even have you covered with a Grateful Dead tribute van.

1962 Ford Cortina Lotus Tribute

1962 Ford Cortina Lotus Cortina Tribute

Colin Chapman can be described as England’s Carroll Shelby, known for turning economy cars into high-performance race cars under his Lotus company name. His successful venture typically included the addition of power paired with dropping weight for optimum power-to-weight ratio. This Ford Cortina, complete with the Lotus paint scheme and badges, was built as an example of Chapman’s work, paying tribute to his efforts to homologate the two-door salon for racing competition.

1966 Ford Mustang GT350 Tribute

1966 Ford Mustang GT350 Tribute

This race-inspired 1966 Ford Mustang is a tribute to the Shelby Mustang GT350R. According to the Hemmings classified ad, the street-legal race car lookalike retains its original roof, quarters, trunk drop offs and more, while a Shelby front nose, scoops, and hood complete the look. The pony car is powered by a new 347-cid Stroker crate engine backed by a five-speed manual transmission. The 1960s-style sponsor decals are removable for a more traditional look.

1979 Porsche 935 Apple Racecar Tribute

1979 Porsche 935 Apple Racecar Tribute

The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976 as the race car version of the 930 Turbo and quickly proved to be successful worldwide with 150 race wins, plus earning Porsche four consecutive FIA World Titles from 1976 to 1979.

Steve Jobs, best known for co-founding the technology giant Apple Inc., had his eyes on the 215 mph Le Mans winning 935. Sometime in 1980, Jobs met American race car driver Bob Garretson. Jobs became Garretson’s main sponsor of his team ran by Barbour Racing, and the rainbow Apple-themed livery was born. This car is a tribute to that time in motorsports history.

1970 AMC Hornet SC/360

1970 AMC Hornet SC/360

The AMC Hornet SC/360 was released in 1971 as one of the greatest low-volume muscle cars of the era. A 1970 model was used as a test model, so this tribute listed on Hemmings Marketplace isn’t too far off.

AMC engineers chose the 360 cubic-inch V8, which fit snugly in the engine bay without modification. The automaker initially planned to build 10,000 examples, but due to rising costs and tightening EPA emissions standards, only 784 examples rolled out of the AMC factory.

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Tribute

1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Tribute

This 1964 Ford Fairlane was build to resemble the original Thunderbolt race car that Len Richter Piloted to the AHRA Championship in 1964. The car was also featured in the movie ”The 1320.” According to the ad, this muscle car underwent a multi-year rotisserie restoration and is powered by a 1967 FE 427 cubic-inch Ford side-oiler engine mated to a four-speed Ford close-ratio toploader transmission. Click this link for the long list of details.

1967 Chevrolet G20 ¾-ton Grateful Dead Tribute Van

1967 Chevrolet G20 u00be-ton Grateful Dead Tribute Van

According to the classified ad, this rolling conversation piece has traveled to at least 15 Grateful Dead shows. Originally built in General Motors’ Pontiac, Michigan factory, this second-generation van was redecorated from stock about 12 years ago. The current psychedelic images were added over the original patina, inside and out. Check out the ad for more photos.

1964 Dodge 330 Super Stock Tribute

1964 Dodge 330 Super Stock Tribute

This 1964 Dodge 330 was modified to be a super stock tribute car. It’s equipped with a 472 cubic-inch racing Hemi paired with an automatic transmission. The interior features weigh savings modifications such as radio delete, heater delete, back seat delete. The seller states the muscle car has a laser straight body and all the chrome has been redone and glass replaced. Get more details here.

1972 Chevrolet Chevelle “Heavy Chevy”

1972 Chevrolet Chevelle u201cHeavy Chevyu201d

The “Heavy Chevy” Chevelle was offered by Chevrolet in mid-1971 and again in 1972, with 6,727 sold in 1971 and another 9,508 in 1972. It was billed as being “heavy on looks and light on price,” and was aimed at younger customers looking for a performance car at an economy car price. The muscle car was loaded with graphics from the factory and equipped with V8 power, a domed hood, hood pins, and a blacked-out front end treatment. Read more about the Heavy Chevy at this link, or check out the tribute car currently listed for sale.

1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Eleanor

1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Eleanor

A tribute car compilation article wouldn’t be complete without the ever-popular Eleanor Mustang. This GT500 Eleanor tribute build began life as a rare 1968 Ford Mustang GT S-Code fastback. It is powered by a Smeding Performance 427 Cobra crate engine that churns out 540 horsepower and 540 foot-pounds of torque.

1969 Mini Cooper “Italian Job Tribute”

1969 Mini Cooper “Italian Job Tribute”

This 1969 Mini Cooper is a movie car tribute resembling the red and white striped Mini that appeared in the iconic chase scene in the Italian Job. This right-hand-drive Mini features a 1275cc four-cylinder engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission. It reportedly runs well and is ready to hit the streets.