Kit cars

[wemorgan]

Are there any past or present kit car owners here?

I'm wondering whether it's time for a change. Something like this has caught my eye:

Kit Cars : SSC Stylus 1.8 Zetec

A modern engine in the front and a rear wheel drive light body is rather tempting for me.

Plan B would be to supercharge the MX5. But at the end of the day it will always be only a MX5, no matter how much money is thrown at it.

 

[Dieselman]

In my experience kit cars are always rather poor as they are not very well developed dynamically and then use regular car components.

If you want a really decent car either buy a mainstream manufacturers product or design one yourself.

 

[CKLclive]

Are there any past or present kit car owners here?

I'm wondering whether it's time for a change. Something like this has caught my eye:

Kit Cars : SSC Stylus 1.8 Zetec

A modern engine in the front and a rear wheel drive light body is rather tempting for me.

Plan B would be to supercharge the MX5. But at the end of the day it will always be only a MX5, no matter how much money is thrown at it.

And you wont get your money back

 

[wemorgan]

The Slyva range of kits seem to come out slightly better than most, though the rear live axle on most models is disappointing.

There's also a kit car based on the MX5, made by MEV, which weighs ~750kg

I'd like to design my own car body one day, a carbon fibre and aluminium mix would be good. I doubt I'd have the money to make it though. Dreams bigger than my budget.

 

[Mblinko]

On the contrary i had an AC Cobra replica, top quality fibreglass, chassis, interior, running gear and motor. Used it for 3 years, put a 6.3 litre chevy in it, used it for 18 months and sold it at a profit. Virtually all AC kits are excellent, and, some simply have outstanding build quality. Granted, not all kits are the same, though i think someone should stand up for them..... That'll be me then!!!!!

 

[Dieselman]

On the contrary i had an AC Cobra replica, top quality fibreglass, chassis, interior, running gear and motor. Used it for 3 years, put a 6.3 litre chevy in it, used it for 18 months and sold it at a profit. Virtually all AC kits are excellent, and, some simply have outstanding build quality. Granted, not all kits are the same, though i think someone should stand up for them..... That'll be me then!!!!!

Au-contraire, ALL Cobra kits are form before function and generally handle slightly worse than a Blancmange.

A work colleague built one..ladder chassis, no anti-roll bars, took it to Elvington and found it's limitations.

 

[Mblinko]

Au-contraire, ALL Cobra kits are form before function and generally handle slightly worse than a Blancmange.

A work colleague built one..ladder chassis, no anti-roll bars, took it to Elvington and found it's limitations.

Wow. Well I never, gosh, blimey crikey, we must all have been mistaken then. Have you built, owned/driven one? Have you heard of crendon, dax, ak, pilgrim to name but a few. All fine pieces of engineering, very well crafted kits, independent suspension ..... I think i'll stop now.

 

[flango]

On the contrary i had an AC Cobra replica, top quality fibreglass, chassis, interior, running gear and motor. Used it for 3 years, put a 6.3 litre chevy in it, used it for 18 months and sold it at a profit. Virtually all AC kits are excellent, and, some simply have outstanding build quality. Granted, not all kits are the same, though i think someone should stand up for them..... That'll be me then!!!!!

I agree one of my pals has a Chevy 454 in his cobra replica drives better than a lot of American Muscle including Dodge Viper and Charger, it's a handful but a very enjoyable handful

What about Ginetta they are basically kit cars and you can't get a finer track car

Not all kits are bad depend upon the engineering skills of the designer and builder, so I'll stand up for them too

 

[wemorgan]

What about Ginetta they are basically kit cars and you can't get a finer track car

There's this G27 on PH

PAUL STEPHENS - Specialist in Porsche : Ginetta G27

though from what I've read on another forum it has questionable history.

The lack of a soft top may make it too much of a track only toy though.

 

[flango]

There's this G27 on PH

PAUL STEPHENS - Specialist in Porsche : Ginetta G27

though from what I've read on another forum it has questionable history.

The lack of a soft top may make it too much of a track only toy though.

I've driven quite a few on track and they are good, not sure about a soft top but there are various hard tops available for them like THESE A better option than the Sylva IMHO

 

[Red C220]

Isn't there a member on here selling a stripped out CLK55?

Surely that's better than driving something that smells like a canoe factory.

 

[wemorgan]

Yes, I've met Jon several times. His CLK is very nice indeed.

It's just not quite what I'm looking for.

 

[Dieselman]

Wow. Well I never, gosh, blimey crikey, we must all have been mistaken then. Have you built, owned/driven one? Have you heard of crendon, dax, ak, pilgrim to name but a few. All fine pieces of engineering, very well crafted kits, independent suspension ..... I think i'll stop now.

Yes I have and not descriptive words I would use for them, Dax in particular are rated as carp.

 

[Red C220]

Here is your answer:-

Lotus : Lotus Esprit Turbo SE

It's still plastic, but it certainly handles.

 

[Dieselman]

Build your own triangulated spaceframe chassis and go from there.

Some people think that because a car has independent suspension it will handle well. Unfortunately they are only kidding themselves.

 

[flango]

Of course the best one of them all is the Caterham Particularly the superlight R500 0-60mph in 2.8 secs mapped correctly and you can be below 2.5 secs heaps of fun

 

[Dieselman]

Of course the best one of them all is the Caterham Particularly the superlight R500 0-60mph in 2.8 secs mapped correctly and you can be below 2.5 secs heaps of fun

The Caterham isn't exactly a normal build in your shed "kit car".

Bit slow isn't it at 0-60 in 2.5s...

 

[st4]

Of course the best one of them all is the Caterham Particularly the superlight R500 0-60mph in 2.8 secs mapped correctly and you can be below 2.5 secs heaps of fun

A friend of mine at work has a Caterham with a Rover V8 in it. Not conventional, but very nice!!!

 

[wemorgan]

Caterham's are sadly far too expensive for me. Though I think I could afford a Westfield with a Zetec engine. I'll admit those Lotus 7 style cars are the ultimate track toys. I just feel the same car with body panels over the wheels looks more elegant.....vanity before function, shame on me.

 

[Dieselman]

.....vanity before function, shame on me.

Get a Cobra replica then...