Honor the craft
10/22/2025
We are already used to seeing copies of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL or "recreations" of the Aston Martin DB5. But a new Toyota 2000 GT?
And yet the Tuksedo Studio in Bali is producing completely new Toyota 2000 GTs (picture above). They are built by hand, down to the last detail. And almost everything is done in-house.
But new 300 SL Gullwing, BMW 507, Aston Martin DB5 or Porsche 356 and Porsche 550 Spyder are also reproduced in the workshop in Indonesia. The reason for this was not the desire to counterfeit, but sheer necessity. Obviously, it is impossible to import classic cars to Indonesia. So the only way to own a Toyota 2000 GT there is to build it yourself.
One could imagine that a plastic body, an available chassis and a few 3D-printed parts would be enough. However, the Tuksedo Studio still practises traditional craftsmanship. The bodies of the 2000 GT are created on the "English wheel" and are elaborately welded together. Even the smallest parts, such as the door openers or instruments, are reproduced by hand. Construction plans, photos, design drawings and the like serve as the basis.
This is how the first Porsche 356 Speedster was created around 10 years ago, which started out as a hobby and then became a business. A replica 300 SL costs around USD 300,000, while a Toyota 2000 GT is available for USD 200,000. That's a lot of money in Indonesia, but not much compared to the originals. Compromises have to be made with the drivetrain, as engines are not reproduced, not even for registration reasons. The basis is always a donor vehicle, in the case of the Toyota 2000 GT a Crown. For a Porsche 356, a Beetle has to give up its life, while a BMW E36 was used for the Aston Martin DB5. However, the chassis is built from scratch, so in the case of the 300 SL it is a tubular frame like the original. It is understandable that the construction process can take two years and that only five cars are built per year in the Tuksedo studio .
Hagerty shows just how impressive all this is in a recently published video, which is a little long but reveals a lot about the work ethic of the self-trained craftsmen at Tuksedo Studio.
