BMW Z3 with Ferrari 250 SWB kit

BMW Z3 with Ferrari 250 SWB kit

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OwenK

3,472 posts

194 months

Thursday 14th April 2016
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Looks a million dollars. Just lovely. Definitely having a poke around at Stoneleigh.

pingu393

7,716 posts

204 months

Friday 15th April 2016
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smash said:
Yes indeed the donor must be convertible for either convertible or coupe.

Yes it's national kit car show - both my car and the grey coupe are being displayed on the Kit Car Magazine stand.
Do you know the stand number? I'm planning to go on Monday, but I don't think that I'll have time to view the whole area and I don't want to miss you.

smash

2,062 posts

227 months

Friday 15th April 2016
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Sorry, no. It'll be in the hall though so shouldn't be hard to find

tricky360

389 posts

184 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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http://youtu.be/FjIGKt3eQV0
Or this is an alternative

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Sunday 24th April 2016
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tricky360 said:
http://youtu.be/FjIGKt3eQV0
Or this is an alternative
Stealthy wipers

pingu393

7,716 posts

204 months

Monday 25th April 2016
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tricky360 said:
http://youtu.be/FjIGKt3eQV0
Or this is an alternative
Not too shabby smile.

Personally, I'm not keen on using distinctive parts from other cars (like the MG rear lights), but I'm sure there are alternatives I could use instead.

e21Mark

16,205 posts

172 months

Monday 25th April 2016
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MG rear lights spoil the overall look for me.

pingu393

7,716 posts

204 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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I saw the cars at the Kit Car Show yesterday.

As far as build quality was concerned, the best was the 2fifty Cal (http://www.dnaautomotive.com/2fifty.html), but I still don't like the MG rear lights.

The best looking was a blue Tribute coupe (http://www.tributeautomotive.co.uk/250swb.html).

Nubodi seem to be builders of Tribute kits, but I may be wrong (http://nubodi.moonfruit.com/diy-kits/4584202927).

The Tribute kit seems to still have some teething problems to sort out, especially the A pillar on the coupe. It was originally part of the roof and rear section, like in this image...


but the A pillar moulding was breaking in transport. It is now a separate section and the join to the roof section needs to done very carefully and takes great skill to do seemlessly. The Nubodi example had been hurried.


The main thing that I took away with me was that kit cars look good (or even great) from 6 feet away, but don't bear up to close inspection. I think that I was expecting too much and would be constantly disappointed in the fit and finish. If my donor was a ropey Z3 that was mechanically tickety-boo, I could live with a great looking 250 tribute and would be happy to constantly fettle the car and could live with its foibles.

V8RX7

26,763 posts

262 months

Tuesday 3rd May 2016
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pingu393 said:
The main thing that I took away with me was that kit cars look good (or even great) from 6 feet away, but don't bear up to close inspection.

I think that I was expecting too much and would be constantly disappointed in the fit and finish.
I noticed how poorly many were finished - even the more expensive builds eg Countach replicas

The problem is that one bodyshop will quote say £2k to fit and paint and another will charge £5k and no one wants the pay the higher price.

My Dad employs a body / paint man and even his work varies massively - generally if he thinks the car is worthy of a great finish (eg Old Jag XK) it gets a flawless finish but when he then works on what he deems a lesser car it shows in his work.


smash

2,062 posts

227 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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pingu393 said:
I saw the cars at the Kit Car Show yesterday.

As far as build quality was concerned, the best was the 2fifty Cal (http://www.dnaautomotive.com/2fifty.html), but I still don't like the MG rear lights.

The best looking was a blue Tribute coupe (http://www.tributeautomotive.co.uk/250swb.html).

Nubodi seem to be builders of Tribute kits, but I may be wrong (http://nubodi.moonfruit.com/diy-kits/4584202927).

The Tribute kit seems to still have some teething problems to sort out, especially the A pillar on the coupe. It was originally part of the roof and rear section, like in this image...


but the A pillar moulding was breaking in transport. It is now a separate section and the join to the roof section needs to done very carefully and takes great skill to do seemlessly. The Nubodi example had been hurried.


The main thing that I took away with me was that kit cars look good (or even great) from 6 feet away, but don't bear up to close inspection. I think that I was expecting too much and would be constantly disappointed in the fit and finish. If my donor was a ropey Z3 that was mechanically tickety-boo, I could live with a great looking 250 tribute and would be happy to constantly fettle the car and could live with its foibles.
My car was there but outside as I was picking it up - tbh, the lights in the hall did the cars no favours. they made my bumpers look pewter.

Not sure where you get the impression the grey Nubodi Koupe car was hurried? It was given full build time - well documented on the forums - and is actually the front cover car for this Months Kit Car magazine (it will be interesting to see how honestly they write it up as the owner of Nubodi is part of the editorial team). They did hurry mine however because they (not me) wanted it at the show and unfortunately the paint's been poorly finished for a second time but that's another story...

It's the first time I'd seen the grey coupe in the flesh and have to say it was disappointing - they hadn't got the body particularly straight and very surprised to see the crack at the join on the A pillar. Looked like a case of grinding the GRP too thin. Also the gutter trims were all over the place.

Did you see the steel wheeled Teal coloured 250 coupe (sporting spinners) on the Tribute stand? Not a slavish replica but looked very period with much straighter body and better paint.

If you like the DNA it would be relatively easy to glass in original lights (although still basically the same shape as MGB). the car is based on the Ferris Bueller look 250 and I think they've 99% nailed it.



Did you notice the bumpers were actually grp with special chrome coating - I was actually very envious of them!

Personal favourite new project was the Muira shell bolted to a Boxster chassis - will only be turn key but knowing the guy behind it and his attention to detail (he built the quad turbo V12 Diablo replica there) I think it is very reasonably priced entering at £55k full turn key.


Edited by smash on Wednesday 4th May 14:36


Edited by smash on Wednesday 4th May 14:38


Edited by smash on Wednesday 4th May 14:59

V8RX7

26,763 posts

262 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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smash said:
Personal favourite new project was the Muira shell bolted to a Boxster chassis - will only be turn key but knowing the guy behind it and his attention to detail (he built the quad turbo V12 Diablo replica there) I think it is very reasonably priced entering at £55k full turn key.
I did see a Muira shell in primer was that it ?

I'm sure it will look great but I couldn't spend £55k on a pretty boxster.

As a decent 3.2 can be had for less than £10k that's at least £45k to convert eek

bobtail4x4

3,701 posts

108 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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BL did several versions of the rear lights, Im sure you could find a different type,

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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bobtail4x4 said:
BL did several versions of the rear lights, Im sure you could find a different type,
Isn't there also a Fiat design which is near identical and has been the cheap fix for some classic Maseratis? The ones used on the Gordon Keeble.

pingu393

7,716 posts

204 months

Wednesday 4th May 2016
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smash said:
Not sure where you get the impression the grey Nubodi Koupe car was hurried?
I didn't mean the whole car was hurried, just the A pillar join.

smash said:
Did you see the steel wheeled Teal coloured 250 coupe (sporting spinners) on the Tribute stand? Not a slavish replica but looked very period with much straighter body and better paint.
Of them all, that's the one I would have. The only thing I didn't like was the trim around the door frame didn't contour with the body. I really liked the wheels - very simple (and cheap) solution (BMW 5-series steelies according to the guy on the stand).

smash said:
If you like the DNA it would be relatively easy to glass in original lights (although still basically the same shape as MGB). the car is based on the Ferris Bueller look 250 and I think they've 99% nailed it.



Did you notice the bumpers were actually grp with special chrome coating - I was actually very envious of them!
They looked very good. I didn't get much time with the DNA, but I did notice how well they fitted.



I hope I won't need a respray for another five years, so I still have plenty of time to see if they can improve on build quality - and it gives me at least another four kit car shows to browse smile.

smash

2,062 posts

227 months

Thursday 5th May 2016
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V8RX7 said:
I did see a Muira shell in primer was that it ?

I'm sure it will look great but I couldn't spend £55k on a pretty boxster.

As a decent 3.2 can be had for less than £10k that's at least £45k to convert eek
The sum of classic car parts rarely equates to their retail value. Price up the parts required to complete a Miura exterior - original wheels, glass etc. you'll be shocked what it adds up to - you get what you pay for...

pingu393 said:
I hope I won't need a respray for another five years, so I still have plenty of time to see if they can improve on build quality - and it gives me at least another four kit car shows to browse smile.
Curious to know how you thought the DNA's quality could be improved?

I think what would actually satisfy you is this - but again you get what you pay for - I believe around 50k turn key...but just look at it

http://www.automirage.co.uk/GT_Project.html


V8RX7

26,763 posts

262 months

Thursday 5th May 2016
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smash said:
V8RX7 said:
I did see a Muira shell in primer was that it ?

I'm sure it will look great but I couldn't spend £55k on a pretty boxster.

As a decent 3.2 can be had for less than £10k that's at least £45k to convert eek
The sum of classic car parts rarely equates to their retail value. Price up the parts required to complete a Miura exterior - original wheels, glass etc.
Are you sure they are using original wheels and glass... that would severely restrict numbers.

smash

2,062 posts

227 months

Thursday 12th May 2016
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Sorry yeah the wheels are reproduction from Superformance. Glass I'm guessing is Pilkington Reproduction as I think they do a lot if the Countach stuff. Just going off what I was told but know parts with the F or L name attached to them tend to end up v. expensive.

There is always the Japanese Miura based on an MX5 (yes really) with a 302 V8 in its nose....(yes really!!). Their Toyota 2000GT rep is stunning the...

bobtail4x4

3,701 posts

108 months

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,369 posts

223 months

Thursday 19th May 2016
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sounds like a fair price for all that work, one day you can put a V8 in the front and off you go biggrin

pingu393

7,716 posts

204 months

Monday 23rd May 2016
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Just for comparison, there is a real one in Ferrari Nottingham. I can't find it on the stock list, but it is in the window.