Kit Cars R' us

[matek]

Heya my mates now been taken by the idea of building a kit car and to be honest i wouldn't mind building one myself to use etc...

The thing is he has no prior knowledge of cars, engines, or building something of this scale. But everyone has try it sometime there always has to be a first, im just interested how long people have taken building theyre kits or refurbishing classics etc....

And obviously i know that whenever you budget for a project like this or anything of this scale then always goes over. i was just interested how much what people have experienced in previous builds or what theyve herd from others.

Thanks for looking.

[Matra et Alpine]

Lots

Start by picking a good kit.

First you need a clear garage - preferably 1 1/2 to build in.
Some have built on their driveways in Scotladn -- not advised

A decent set of tools and above all a decent kit. Some are exceptionally good others require you to fabricate some of it -- even the bits they'be already messed up.

So pick a good kit.

You need a buddy !!! Someone to help you when it gets tough. Preferably this isan experienced mechanic or somone who has built the kit you are intending.

Join the kit car club. The experience they will share will maek the job seem a lot easier.

Dont' understimate the time it takes to build. You also need to realise that if not experieenced then you amy well end up doing the same job three times before it's right. Even experienced builders can end up having to redo bits

Don't use donor parts without refurbing them. yes it costs money, but the refurb will find any potential problems ahead of the fianl test.

Pick a good kit Research fully so you know WHAT you are getting in to. Talk to guys who have built the one you intende BEFORE you buy. As you are very limited in experience pick an easy kit !!! AND MOST OF ALL talk to others who've built and hopefully find someone within travellign distance who can help and advise.

[Suka]

What he said...

[Vaigra]

I've been interested in this for a while now too...
Which kits would you recommend for beginners?

[BlueSubaruSTi]

Factory five makes some pretty good kits. Our gtm should be arriving in july.

[Mustang]

ay up suka ...

http://www.luegosportscars.com/cars/index.html

[matek]

How about buying a kit built or semi built off E-bay for under grand or two that way don't you save a lot of money on buying a kit from the manufacturers, or is that not a good idea as you won't know for 100% if the kit alright????

Don't know i think if theres a built kit why not take it apart and rebuild it that shouls provide a lot of knowledge of the car, and it might help you memorise where all the parts go

[h00t_h00t]

Kits aren't always 100% right from the manuacturer, at college they build a kit car every year, and this year the chassis hasn't been powder coated properly and is rusty underneath!

Don't buy Tiger kit cars.

[matek]

kk thanx for that

do you lot build a tiger every year?

[h00t_h00t]

Yeah, they chose it the first year because it was cheap and then every year after because they knew it could be built in a year.

EDIT- This year's was an exercise in wasteing a good engine, they got a 200hp pinto engine with two twin 45 webber carbs all the high compression forged internals you can think of donated for FREE.

If like them you get hold of an engine that revs to 9000rpm, when you take it to be SVA'd fit a rev limiter to 6500 and claim its a standard engine. You will then be able to pass the emissions test.

[Matra et Alpine]

How about buying a kit built or semi built off E-bay for under grand or two that way don't you save a lot of money on buying a kit from the manufacturers, or is that not a good idea as you won't know for 100% if the kit alright????

It's a GREAT way to buy a kit.
Will save you a fortune and most of them are because folks underestimate how long it actually would take them to build it. So 3 years in they get bored. It sits in the garage for another 2 and they try to recoup some of their money. ( Hence why making sure you KNOW how long it really takes to build is important BEFORE purchasing the kit, or in 5 years you'll be on here selling a part-built kit I know of some kits that changed hands 3 times before the last guy finally built it into a car !!!! )

BUT, factor in the time to strip it all down and check it out from the ground up -- unless it's already completed and passed SVA

Don't know i think if theres a built kit why not take it apart and rebuild it that shouls provide a lot of knowledge of the car, and it might help you memorise where all the parts go

More importantly, you have the piece of mind that the right bolts were used in the right places and to the right torque settings. That all the proper spacers, straps, etc are all in the right places I've seen some kits put together with stainless steell bolts -- "so they wont rust" - in place of HIGH TENSILE bolts. NOT clever

[Suka]

I would recommend buying "Kit Car" magazine, or "Which Kit Car" and searching through the classifieds in the back, you can always find a few surprises and several half built jobs.
As for an easy to build car, the 7 reps are most probably the easiest. I spent about 2 years looking at all the different 7 reps before i bought my Luego, so if anyone would like to know which ones to get then you are more than welcome to find me on MSN. [email protected] (just remove the turd ). Another good idea is to visit some shows and have a look round, manufacturers are always having special show deals, and if anyone is at the same show as me then we could meet up, i would be more than happy to show you some of the good stuff, what to look out for and what to avoid (mainly the Scottish Kit Car Club )

[matek]

yeah looked through seriously theyve go tmore ads than any other mag

but on a serious note did all the tigers u lot build have the chassis incorrectly covered or was that a one off.. because theres on going on ebay with a couple of days to go and it hovering around a grand

the only prob is it misfires at high speeds but tht could be easily fixed with either an engine rebuild or just replacement

[Suka]

There is probably a reason that it is around a grand. Most of the Tigers i have seen have all been fairly bad quality. The fibreglass in particular isn't too great, which is kind of strange because there ERA is a masterpiece! I know a guy just down the road from me and he is building a Tiger Cat, and nothing seems of great quality and it all seems a bit beefy and heavy compaired to everything else.

[matek]

As ebay auctions usually do it has jumped up to around 2 grand but it looks pretty mean.

As a part of building a car the final stages are vital eg. the testing and evaluating, so how was it? (hopefully fun making rings round your college playing firlds

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...e=STRK:MEWA:IT