The Volo Auto Museum is in the process of restoring the Ferrari Daytona Spyder replica used during the first two seasons of Miami Vice. The vehicle, which was reportedly used and abused by the star, Don Johnson, was left out to pasture and is now undergoing a full restoration to bring it back to its former glory.
The replica of the Spyder was built off a 1980 Corvette C3 and spawned countless copycats and subsequent lawsuits from Ferrari. After the first two years of filming the series, Ferrari decided to give up two Testarossas in an effort to stem the tide of replicas flooding the market.
Some of us can think back to a few key moments in our childhood that began our automotive obsession, for this writer, the Daytona Spyder was one of them.
We'll keep you posted on the progress and follow up on its impending debut at the museum this December.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
scott godes @ Oct 26th 2006 6:02PM
Ferarri gave them real Testarossas to use? I thought that the show used replica Testarossas, too.
Car chops & Discussion @ Oct 26th 2006 6:05PM
haha that's awesome
I would love to work on that restoration.
http://www.carchops.com
Jason @ Oct 26th 2006 6:36PM
Why aren't they busy restoring Castillo's Diplomat?
Kevin White @ Oct 26th 2006 6:46PM
"Some of us can think back to a few key moments in our childhood that began our automotive obsession..."
Yup, and one of them for me was another C3, my dad's modified 454.
I wish them luck on that resto.
Big Al @ Oct 26th 2006 6:46PM
I know what what you mean, Damon. I have never been able to shake the image of that car driving top down on a balmy night with the street lights reflecting off its glistening paint.
I can't even begin to count the number of hours I have spent washing and detailing my dark colored cars, just so I can go out and do my best Don Johnson imitation.
Ahhh, good times, good times.
Stoneman @ Oct 26th 2006 6:50PM
wow, that brings back memories. I honestly thought that car was a pretty neat sports car. I never knew it was a custom built car. But back then, what the hell did I know anyway. Even today, sometimes.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
Car Restoration @ Oct 26th 2006 7:23PM
All you need is the theme song blaring on the stereo and long stretch of coastline.
Andrew @ Oct 26th 2006 10:21PM
My favorite was the Testarossa. I had PJs with a glow-in-the dark Testarossa on them. That was the first Ferrari I loved.
nono @ Oct 27th 2006 2:08AM
The Testasrossas were the real deal but they still continued to use replicas for jumps and crash scenes...
Damon Lavrinc @ Oct 27th 2006 2:28AM
Upon further research, I found out that the Testarossas were real, but had the Ferrari V12 yanked and replaced by a Chevy V8. Something about 'ease of maintenance' and cost.
Accordsforall @ Oct 27th 2006 8:59AM
I cant believe this car was left out to pasture. As much money as both of Don Johnsons' cars fetched on Barrett Jackson.. his Cuda and his Testarossa (both fetched about 200k each).. there is tremendous money to be "made" in the resto of this car..
*waxing the memory *And yes.. I can see some balmy late August night, and that fantastic Daytona.. glistening in white.. as they take some corner at about 90, no other cars in sight, the clean concrete bouncing the light back up to the street lights. Crockett and Tubbs just sittin back, slippin through the highway. With the fantastic background of the show's music...
I.. dont know whats more.. beautiful.. the georgous Testarossa or the Daytona Spyder in white slipping around the various marinas, around the fantasticly shaped ribbons of concrete highway.
They both.. bring me back.
The music was fantastic, the cars were fantastic and how it was all put together.. was uber-fantastic.
Anthem @ Oct 27th 2006 9:17AM
Aaaah, those were the days...
Crockett's Daytona Spyder, The Bandit's Trans Am, Mark Hamill's snivelly little character's Corvette in Corvette Summer and, of course, Bo & Luke's 1969 Dodge Charger Hemi.
Somehow, these days, seeing Marky Mark cut corners in a Cooper just doesn't seem to cut it. Though, I must say, watching Jason Statham (The Transporter) slice & dice his way through the narrow streets of Nice in the BMW 750 did give me a semi.
Dave Pitt @ Oct 27th 2006 5:37PM
FYI, the Daytona was Black, not white as stated in comment #11.
When they first changed to Testarossa it was white.
Luscious @ Oct 28th 2006 2:34PM
I would never have known that it wasn't a real Ferrari, but looking at the picture at the top, I see the distinct lines of the C3.
At least the white Testarossa would have been a little more difficult to replicate, and it did look rather awesome amongst the sea of other red Ferraris at the time.
Miami Vice was my favourite show - the cops, the cars, the clothes, the music... brings back all the good memories!!!