Go cruising just northeast of San Diego in sunny southern California and you just may come across the town of El Cajon. What's so interesting about El Cajon? It's the home of Thunder Ranch, which has created some of the most flat-out gorgeous kit cars in the world.
Tom McBurnie, owner of Thunder Ranch since it opened its doors in 1978, is a seasoned racecar driver who knows how to design and build truly spectacular kit sports cars.
In fact, soon after Thunder Ranch started manufacturing kit cars under his watchful eye, Tom built the Ferrari 365 Daytona replica that millions lusted after every week on the 1980s television show Miami Vice.
Probably one of the most eye-catching replicars that Thunder Ranch offers, though, is the 356 Speedster which was inspired by the magnificent 1954 Porsche. With a foundation of a new powder coated tubular frame to maximize chassis strength, the 356 Speedster is amazingly lightweight (1,535 pounds compared to the original's 1,800 pounds) and durable.
The 356 Speedster features a hand-laid fiberglass body with interwoven composite materials as well as a special blend of DPCD polyester resin. These bodies are built in-house at the Thunder Ranch facility.
One of the really cool features that Thunder Ranch designed for their exquisite Speedster is a proprietary full-functioning fan, shroud and alternator. This is an optional accessory, but comes highly recommended for its ability to help keep the engine cool and running fast. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that this accessory looks awesome on the car!
Thunder Ranch offers the 356 Speedster as well as the rest of its impressive stable of kit cars as either basic kits that you build yourself from the ground up or as turnkey cars. Either way, you'll end up with a killer sports car that will definitely turn heads as you fly down the highway.
If you opt to build it yourself, the price tag for a 356 Speedster basic kit is $9,995. The body and frame arrive at your door with the front and rear bumpers mounted, the doors hinged and latched, and the hood and engine covers hinged.
If a turnkey car is more to your liking, Thunder Ranch will build your 356 Speedster according to your personal specifications, including your choice of 1865cc or 2275cc SCAT manufactured engine. The starting price for a turnkey Speedster is $37,500.
One thing I really like about Thunder Ranch's kit cars is the fact that they guarantee in writing that every kit or turnkey-built car includes the highest quality materials and workmanship.
For more information, visit; http://www.thunderranch.com/
