The British Kit Car Industry . Research Paper
Discussion
Russ Bost said:
"I remember that years ago there was an association , but can't rememeber the name?"
Are you thinking of ACE - Association of Car Enthusiasts? http://www.the-ace.org.uk/ I carry a link on my website to theirs as I think all other manufacturers should. I'm not sure how large the organisation is, but it must surely be a starting point?
Re opening up kitcars to Europe, that is going to take some serious lobbying, !
True and agree with you, it will reakky take some serious lobbying but can't see a better solution if you want this industry to continue growing and expanding in the future.Are you thinking of ACE - Association of Car Enthusiasts? http://www.the-ace.org.uk/ I carry a link on my website to theirs as I think all other manufacturers should. I'm not sure how large the organisation is, but it must surely be a starting point?
Re opening up kitcars to Europe, that is going to take some serious lobbying, !
It's a choice, or you continue as is and we know where the industry stands now, or look to diversify into other markets, by muscling in this industry.
You can register an inported kitcar in Italy, but you can't register a new kit built in Italy.
What happens is that those that do build a kitcar, they then register it in Germany through TUV and that is expensive !, or in the UK, or in other European countries I'm not allowed to reveal...
The option is to go through European Type Approval, like Caterham and Westfield have done in the last few years and then you can sell turnkey kitcars, but that is an expensive option that only very few kitcar manufacturers can afford.
It wasn't ACE, but that does look like a very good association to work with.
Edited by fuoriserie on Wednesday 5th October 10:46
Stuart Mills said:
Potential sales to ladies has been dicussed on another thread. To bring this info on this page, here is a picture of my business partner Julie having built an Exocet and got it IVA's. I helped in some ares as it was her first car. Qdos has even sold a kit for school girls to build. 
I've always thought that involving more women to consider buying kitcars, would make for an interesting new niche, but we should research more their needs..In Italy, in mainstream cars, women want tall SUV...:, but I've also noticed that they really love retro roadsters ( Morgan plus4 or Panther Lima).
An interesting new niche to work on...
Edited by fuoriserie on Wednesday 5th October 12:21
I am going to the Exeter show on Sunday later this month at Westpoint always interested to put faces to names on PH will anyone be about.
I am in the market for another kit at the moment I fancy a Bike engined three wheeler but maybe you have something that could catch my fancy?
Be interesting to discuss the futures of Kit Cars in person too, anyone about the?
I am in the market for another kit at the moment I fancy a Bike engined three wheeler but maybe you have something that could catch my fancy?
Be interesting to discuss the futures of Kit Cars in person too, anyone about the?
To bring in new blood to the industry we need to market to them.
Companies generally will start out with young a vibrant staff and will market to young and vibrant people, ie their own market sector, as thats what they understand. The real knack is to understand the generations that you are not in including generation X, Y and Z and now includes the x-box generation ( it really is called that!)
Once you do the trend analysis and understand what they look for and desire, you can them market to them
PS Richard Oakes didnt design the atom it was student Nik smart, as part of his course at coventry, the person who ran the competition Simon Saunders was his lecturer, who also owns the Ariel motor company
Companies generally will start out with young a vibrant staff and will market to young and vibrant people, ie their own market sector, as thats what they understand. The real knack is to understand the generations that you are not in including generation X, Y and Z and now includes the x-box generation ( it really is called that!)
Once you do the trend analysis and understand what they look for and desire, you can them market to them
PS Richard Oakes didnt design the atom it was student Nik smart, as part of his course at coventry, the person who ran the competition Simon Saunders was his lecturer, who also owns the Ariel motor company
Been reading this thread and the Stafford Show one and thought I'd throw in my 2p's worth. Although not indicative of the whole UK scene this is my experience of the Kit car scene in my area.
8 or 9 years ago I owned a body conversion type car rather than a 'build from scratch' car and went to a couple of shows with it along with the local Kit Car Club. Apart from one younger fellow who made me feel most welcome the older members of the club didnt bother with me at all. There seemed to be a certain snobbery about my car not being a 'proper' kit car. There were 3 guys standing close to my car and I knew they were talking about it, but the only time they came near it was to have a quick glance under the bonnet when I was asked to open it for someone else. They quickly retreated back to talk about it after their brief nosey (still without breathing a word to me). Cant say I felt like I was part of the club at all (even though I was a new paid-up member).
As everyone was packing up, I was enjoying a chippy when 3 teenagers came over and started chatting to me about the car. They loved it (and the idea of how it was made!). It was lovely to see how excited they were about a car which only an hour earlier was dismissed by the established members.
I know that most people on here are true enthusiasts and would not be guity of this type of behaviour but surely this type of snobbery isnt just confined to here. I'm sure the club has evloved since this time and would not be guity of this now but that is my experience as I saw it.
8 or 9 years ago I owned a body conversion type car rather than a 'build from scratch' car and went to a couple of shows with it along with the local Kit Car Club. Apart from one younger fellow who made me feel most welcome the older members of the club didnt bother with me at all. There seemed to be a certain snobbery about my car not being a 'proper' kit car. There were 3 guys standing close to my car and I knew they were talking about it, but the only time they came near it was to have a quick glance under the bonnet when I was asked to open it for someone else. They quickly retreated back to talk about it after their brief nosey (still without breathing a word to me). Cant say I felt like I was part of the club at all (even though I was a new paid-up member).
As everyone was packing up, I was enjoying a chippy when 3 teenagers came over and started chatting to me about the car. They loved it (and the idea of how it was made!). It was lovely to see how excited they were about a car which only an hour earlier was dismissed by the established members.
I know that most people on here are true enthusiasts and would not be guity of this type of behaviour but surely this type of snobbery isnt just confined to here. I'm sure the club has evloved since this time and would not be guity of this now but that is my experience as I saw it.
rickbrown74 said:
Been reading this thread and the Stafford Show one and thought I'd throw in my 2p's worth. Although not indicative of the whole UK scene this is my experience of the Kit car scene in my area.
8 or 9 years ago I owned a body conversion type car rather than a 'build from scratch' car and went to a couple of shows with it along with the local Kit Car Club. Apart from one younger fellow who made me feel most welcome the older members of the club didnt bother with me at all. There seemed to be a certain snobbery about my car not being a 'proper' kit car. There were 3 guys standing close to my car and I knew they were talking about it, but the only time they came near it was to have a quick glance under the bonnet when I was asked to open it for someone else. They quickly retreated back to talk about it after their brief nosey (still without breathing a word to me). Cant say I felt like I was part of the club at all (even though I was a new paid-up member).
As everyone was packing up, I was enjoying a chippy when 3 teenagers came over and started chatting to me about the car. They loved it (and the idea of how it was made!). It was lovely to see how excited they were about a car which only an hour earlier was dismissed by the established members.
I know that most people on here are true enthusiasts and would not be guity of this type of behaviour but surely this type of snobbery isnt just confined to here. I'm sure the club has evloved since this time and would not be guity of this now but that is my experience as I saw it.
I agree with you that snobbery between kitcar enthusiasts should be avaoided, as it makes non sense at all and have seen it in the past, but now believe that things have changed considerably and that the younger generations are less conservative and more open minded with new kitcar concepts.8 or 9 years ago I owned a body conversion type car rather than a 'build from scratch' car and went to a couple of shows with it along with the local Kit Car Club. Apart from one younger fellow who made me feel most welcome the older members of the club didnt bother with me at all. There seemed to be a certain snobbery about my car not being a 'proper' kit car. There were 3 guys standing close to my car and I knew they were talking about it, but the only time they came near it was to have a quick glance under the bonnet when I was asked to open it for someone else. They quickly retreated back to talk about it after their brief nosey (still without breathing a word to me). Cant say I felt like I was part of the club at all (even though I was a new paid-up member).
As everyone was packing up, I was enjoying a chippy when 3 teenagers came over and started chatting to me about the car. They loved it (and the idea of how it was made!). It was lovely to see how excited they were about a car which only an hour earlier was dismissed by the established members.
I know that most people on here are true enthusiasts and would not be guity of this type of behaviour but surely this type of snobbery isnt just confined to here. I'm sure the club has evloved since this time and would not be guity of this now but that is my experience as I saw it.
Panel kits and body conversions in my opinion, will become more important in the kitcar industry and quite a few manufaturers will be looking into this niche.
Edited by fuoriserie on Thursday 6th October 10:19
Rick I've found this often in all kinds of completely different clubs and I'm sure most folk here can probably say the same too even if it's a Squash club or what ever, there's always a few who do the snobby thing.
I can tell you though I love seeing anyone who's enthusiastic at having a go at anything which is not off the shelf mass produced, but I do also like those who have the beat up old stuff too which is non designer label stuff. Even old 2CVs get the thumbs up from me if the folk have an enthusiasm for them then this is what shines out to me. I absolutely love the VW dressed up as a Ferrari thing too, why not? It cocks a snoot at the snobs yet also salutes the designers too in my books.
You make a very valid point in your posting and hopefully something that most folk will agree is really the loss to those with the snobby attitudes. Sure we all make a jibe at things now and then but on the whole I think generally we all take out hats off to anyone who has a go and wants to put their ideas out there in the real world rather than just talk about them.
I think that we're all going to have to start to join forces with lots of different types if we're going to succeed in taking things forward and on to better places.
I can tell you though I love seeing anyone who's enthusiastic at having a go at anything which is not off the shelf mass produced, but I do also like those who have the beat up old stuff too which is non designer label stuff. Even old 2CVs get the thumbs up from me if the folk have an enthusiasm for them then this is what shines out to me. I absolutely love the VW dressed up as a Ferrari thing too, why not? It cocks a snoot at the snobs yet also salutes the designers too in my books.
You make a very valid point in your posting and hopefully something that most folk will agree is really the loss to those with the snobby attitudes. Sure we all make a jibe at things now and then but on the whole I think generally we all take out hats off to anyone who has a go and wants to put their ideas out there in the real world rather than just talk about them.
I think that we're all going to have to start to join forces with lots of different types if we're going to succeed in taking things forward and on to better places.
qdos said:
I think that we're all going to have to start to join forces with lots of different types if we're going to succeed in taking things forward and on to better places.
Amen to that!(Currently restoring an old Vdub and have had two classic minis so surely we can all get together somehow!!!)
Can't really see why so many people are so against "7" type cars, as an ex Westfield and Tiger builder I think they are great.
Yes, I appreciate they are a 1950's design, brought up to date, and you can't stick in the past forever, you have to innovate to survive etc, etc, but I still like them far more than some monstrosities that have emerged over the past twenty years.
Perhaps I'm just a Luddite, but the poster that said in the fifties/sixties kids were brought up on Lego, Meccano, Bayko, Minibrix etc had a point, these days many of the younger generation want it now, and are not prepared to spend twelve/eighteen months building their dream.
Yes, I appreciate they are a 1950's design, brought up to date, and you can't stick in the past forever, you have to innovate to survive etc, etc, but I still like them far more than some monstrosities that have emerged over the past twenty years.
Perhaps I'm just a Luddite, but the poster that said in the fifties/sixties kids were brought up on Lego, Meccano, Bayko, Minibrix etc had a point, these days many of the younger generation want it now, and are not prepared to spend twelve/eighteen months building their dream.
We were at the Mini Action day at Castle Combe the other weekend and had a great time. Needless to say we hammered most of the Minis passing all of them and lapping a few too in a Midas (shove Midas Castle Combe into google and you'll find a bit of some video of it on YouTube)
Absolutely no reasons at all that I can see why we can't all enjoy such days together and promote our mutual interests in things automotive.
Absolutely no reasons at all that I can see why we can't all enjoy such days together and promote our mutual interests in things automotive.
A fantastic place to present any kit car. We'd love to take on the big guns in the sprint with the Deronda. I'm sure we'd surprise a heck of a lot of folk and impress them with what can be done with a car you can build yourself! I know there's a few other kits could do it too. Just need to get the invitation.
[quote=Steffan]I am going to the Exeter show on Sunday later this month at Westpoint always interested to put faces to names on PH will anyone be about.quote]
I will be going to exeter in my new well new to me quantum mk1 currently restoring this one but intrested in building 1 after i finish the resto on the quantum. I don't now any people my age im 19 thats intrested in building a kit car so im the odd one out. But have always liked building things when i was younger weather it was k'nex, mecarno anything like that so a car ti build would suit me.
I think what the industry needs to do is expand on body conversions like the mev x5 for people who wants something that looks different and put something together but don't want to start at scratch and go through the expense of the sva.
I think mev has a great line up and suites all people and is a very affordable.
I think there needs to be more useable kits that you can use every day like the gtm libra style car. I bet a lot of people get put of building kits due to userability.
I will be going to exeter in my new well new to me quantum mk1 currently restoring this one but intrested in building 1 after i finish the resto on the quantum. I don't now any people my age im 19 thats intrested in building a kit car so im the odd one out. But have always liked building things when i was younger weather it was k'nex, mecarno anything like that so a car ti build would suit me.
I think what the industry needs to do is expand on body conversions like the mev x5 for people who wants something that looks different and put something together but don't want to start at scratch and go through the expense of the sva.
I think mev has a great line up and suites all people and is a very affordable.
I think there needs to be more useable kits that you can use every day like the gtm libra style car. I bet a lot of people get put of building kits due to userability.
I agree with everything you say.
Mills Experimental Vehicles are really pushing on and the MEVX5 is an excellent one donor car with all the advantages that brings.
I admire the efforts and energy.
It takes a lot of effort to push a firm on like this especially in a difficult market.
I will be there Sunday, hope the Quantum gives you what you are looking for in a Kit Car.
I agree the driveability is the biggest draw of Kit Cars.
Some creature comforts help as well or the driver can find himself without female company most of the time.
Mills Experimental Vehicles are really pushing on and the MEVX5 is an excellent one donor car with all the advantages that brings.
I admire the efforts and energy.
It takes a lot of effort to push a firm on like this especially in a difficult market.
I will be there Sunday, hope the Quantum gives you what you are looking for in a Kit Car.
I agree the driveability is the biggest draw of Kit Cars.
Some creature comforts help as well or the driver can find himself without female company most of the time.
just a comment guys.
if you are talking about sharing the scene with mainstream manufacturers which is a good idea,the same thing can be applied in these forums.
how come the several build threads here are not on the readers rides section?
build and tuning threads are normally there for non kit cars and i am pretty sure it has a bigger "footfall" than this subforum.
if you are talking about sharing the scene with mainstream manufacturers which is a good idea,the same thing can be applied in these forums.
how come the several build threads here are not on the readers rides section?
build and tuning threads are normally there for non kit cars and i am pretty sure it has a bigger "footfall" than this subforum.
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