BMW Z3 with Ferrari 250 SWB kit

BMW Z3 with Ferrari 250 SWB kit

Author
Discussion

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,372 posts

223 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
biggrin

I think best is to use a Z3 with around plate damage? or how you say such, then its not so hard to use the Z3 base.

pingu393

7,719 posts

204 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
GTRene said:
biggrin

I think best is to use a Z3 with around plate damage? or how you say such, then its not so hard to use the Z3 base.
I hope I've translated for you (I know you are Dutch smile):

I think you mean it would be best to use a Z3 with front-end damage as the front of the car (bumper, bonnet and wings) is not needed.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,372 posts

223 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
yes, but also side damage, I believe you don't need much from the outside of the donor car.

you can also sell the original good 'shell' parts.

in Dutch I would say, plaatwerk, but that does not translate very well...
but say a with front/rear/wings etc damaged car could be a cheap donor, you don't need those outside parts I guess.

when you look at those parts>







but no idea how they fit all on the base car, bounding or screwing? would be nice to see the base car done from all unnecessary parts.

Edited by GTRene on Monday 4th May 19:51

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
Get one with all around panel damage ?

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,372 posts

223 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
saaby93 said:
Get one with all around panel damage ?
yes, thats what I meant.

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,372 posts

223 months

Monday 4th May 2015
quotequote all
hm seeing prices for complete ones starting from 1.700,-gbp you won't have to buy a damaged car, when you sell
the good parts from such 'cheap' Z3 you got one for free biggrin

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

of course M model prices are in a different category.

pingu393

7,719 posts

204 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
GTRene said:
hm seeing prices for complete ones starting from 1.700,-gbp you won't have to buy a damaged car, when you sell
the good parts from such 'cheap' Z3 you got one for free biggrin

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds?Category=us...

of course M model prices are in a different category.
I agree. Accident damaged Z3s are cheap. I wonder how much a finished 250 replica would be worth?

PAUL500

2,627 posts

245 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
pingu393 said:
I agree. Accident damaged Z3s are cheap. I wonder how much a finished 250 replica would be worth?
Less than it cost to build is the way with all these things, and you typically end up with a finished product that is worse than the original.

But its fun to do, which is why we do it :-)

Properly fettled and with a lot of time on the finishing touches it would make a great fairly cheap weekend toy, and there should be no ferrari badges in sight, it has nothing to do with one, its a BMW with a retro body.

I would swap out the grille for a Kidney style one, add some brightwork in places and do something with those windscreen pillars, they look to modern, and a decent retro interior.


Edited by PAUL500 on Tuesday 5th May 09:52

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Tuesday 5th May 2015
quotequote all
PAUL500 said:
Less than it cost to build is the way with all these things, and you typically end up with a finished product that is worse than the original.

But its fun to do, which is why we do it :-)

Properly fettled and with a lot of time on the finishing touches it would make a great fairly cheap weekend toy, and there should be no ferrari badges in sight, it has nothing to do with one, its a BMW with a retro body.

I would swap out the grille for a Kidney style one, add some brightwork in places and do something with those windscreen pillars, they look to modern, and a decent retro interior.


Edited by PAUL500 on Tuesday 5th May 09:52
Those would be sensible changes.

This sort of kit is actually the kind of thing I'd build for my daughters. Fun for me to do and gives them a boggo small car with all mod cons etc but just looking different and fun. As others have said, very many kits are based in cars which were fked when they rolled off the assembly line, let alone a decade later.

headrush

2,062 posts

227 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
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And they Tribute Automotive have already developed a unique convertible version.

Both cars were at Stoneleigh Kit Car show this weekend.

Tribute have invested a massive amount of man hours developing both kits - you can see how it goes together on the madaboutkitcars forums and all the problems they had to overcome to improve ease of construction

I'm struggling to think of a more pretty, IVA free rebody that can be built from around 10k up..

Both great looking, reliable modern tourers.





Edited by headrush on Wednesday 6th May 17:35

GTRene

Original Poster:

16,372 posts

223 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
not a fan of those type wheels though, but the cars/shape I like.

kiseca

9,339 posts

218 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
GTRene said:
not a fan of those type wheels though, but the cars/shape I like.
I agree, those wheels don't suit the car at all. I think the convertible looks better (and also presumably solves the problem of the rear window I didn't like on the Coupe)

headrush

2,062 posts

227 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
Wheels always subjective and easy to look past - I suspect Borranis were just a tad too expensive for a demonstrator fresh out the mold (and which has already sold btw).

Personally I like the whole resto mod look - it just needs to be bagged and on the deck and it'd be perfect! smile

kiseca

9,339 posts

218 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
Yep, wheels are subjective, and five nuts each away from being completely different.

wca

307 posts

165 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
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So the main complaints appear to be:
Wrong Wheels
Modern Interior
Trying to be a car that it is not

Here is one I prepared earlier.
Z3 Donor
Wire wheels not bolt-ons
Interior with (most) plastic removed
Not a copy of anything, just in the '50s style





Okay, the interior keeps the BMW dash and dials but I could justify the cost of ripping out and replacing the whole thing so just stripped out the plastic centre and behind the seats. Kept all the modern switches out of sight behind the fake toggle panel


I like it and am happy with it. If you want to slate it then feel free though, each to their own.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
Very nice! The workmanship that's gone into it is obvious, although I'd be very tempted to go the whole hog and do the dash.

FWIW I think a replica with a comedy badge would be great - enjoy that gorgeous shape (or a close approximation anyway) with a bit of humour. Don't the Volvo guys have a prancing moose badge?

derin100

5,214 posts

242 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
wca said:
So the main complaints appear to be:
Wrong Wheels
Modern Interior
Trying to be a car that it is not

Here is one I prepared earlier.
Z3 Donor
Wire wheels not bolt-ons
Interior with (most) plastic removed
Not a copy of anything, just in the '50s style





Okay, the interior keeps the BMW dash and dials but I could justify the cost of ripping out and replacing the whole thing so just stripped out the plastic centre and behind the seats. Kept all the modern switches out of sight behind the fake toggle panel


I like it and am happy with it. If you want to slate it then feel free though, each to their own.
I really admire your skill!

I had the idea to try do doing something similar with a Z4...kind of a retro-racer style. I come up with ideas in my head but don't really know how to go about getting them done.

For instance, how do you go about even getting new shaped body panels?



98elise

26,376 posts

160 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
headrush said:
And they Tribute Automotive have already developed a unique convertible version.

Both cars were at Stoneleigh Kit Car show this weekend.

Tribute have invested a massive amount of man hours developing both kits - you can see how it goes together on the madaboutkitcars forums and all the problems they had to overcome to improve ease of construction

I'm struggling to think of a more pretty, IVA free rebody that can be built from around 10k up..

Both great looking, reliable modern tourers.





Edited by headrush on Wednesday 6th May 17:35
I think they are very nice looking cars and would happliy have one BUT not with Ferrari badges. I would even say that putting BMW badges on it would be perfect as it shows what it is, a nice rebody of a reasonable sports car.


kiseca

9,339 posts

218 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
wca said:
So the main complaints appear to be:
Wrong Wheels
Modern Interior
Trying to be a car that it is not

Here is one I prepared earlier.
Z3 Donor
Wire wheels not bolt-ons
Interior with (most) plastic removed
Not a copy of anything, just in the '50s style





Okay, the interior keeps the BMW dash and dials but I could justify the cost of ripping out and replacing the whole thing so just stripped out the plastic centre and behind the seats. Kept all the modern switches out of sight behind the fake toggle panel


I like it and am happy with it. If you want to slate it then feel free though, each to their own.
That does look lovely!

wca

307 posts

165 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
I spent six months in bed injured so plenty of time to doodle. chose a Z3 as a cheap way of getting a decent engine with an automatic box - injury dictated that. Googled lots of fabricators and settled on Chris at Tribute Automotive because of the quality of his work and he wasn't based miles away.

Took the drawings and the donor and spent time explaining what I was aiming for but left Chris enough scope for his own touches.

Okay, it cost me more than the £1995 you now pay for the kit but it was done exactly as I wanted so was happy to pay.. Then spent ages doing all the finishing stuff like wheels, stripping interior, designing new interior. Again I went to a professional to get the trimming work done as I didn't want to invest in the leather working and carpeting equipment required. Pleased with the result.

Pleased with the positive reception here.

BTW I am also getting a modded 250SWB front end for swapping when I feel like it. Friday? Ferrari, Monday? Mine. Happy daze

Edited by wca on Sunday 10th May 19:32