Anyone familiar with the Miglia 50s??

[S6OOH]

Thanks all - nice to see a little lively debate, I shall keep looking!

[headrush]

Steffan - interesting...

So, presumably, you would think that something like an alloy Cobra replica body would be better served having a single donor modern underpinning (chassis, engine and interior) rather than using something akin to what was available for the period the exterior of the car is purporting to be from? That the driving experience/characteristics which are part of the spirit of such a car should, essentially, be disregarded?

Or would you argue that, for example, a cobra is a classic and that the fact it's essentially dangerous in certain conditions is all part of it's mystique, but that, because the Sammio Ribble is an evocation of cars of the era rather than a specific car, then the vintage driving experience is irrelevant and actually undesirable?

Genuinely interested btw

Could it be an age thing? Maybe it's down to "young" Steffan actually relishing the challenge of trying to get those Spitfires round the track, overcoming/mastering the short comings vs "older" Steffan prefering comfort and safety. I know I was certainly more fearless in terms of driving when I was younger (some things I got away with bring me out in a cold sweat now!) I used to love my Renault Gordini Turbo but it would probably terrify me these days...the whole flying without a safety net feeling alive thing

Edited by headrush on Thursday 9th April 15:37

Edited by headrush on Thursday 9th April 15:38

[Steffan]

headrush said:

Steffan - interesting...

So, presumably, you would think that something like an alloy Cobra replica body would be better served having a single donor modern underpinning (chassis, engine and interior) rather than using something akin to what was available for the period the exterior of the car is purporting to be from? That the driving experience/characteristics which are part of the spirit of such a car should, essentially, be disregarded?

Or would you argue that, for example, a cobra is a classic and that the fact it's essentially dangerous in certain conditions is all part of it's mystique, but that, because the Sammio Ribble is an evocation of cars of the era rather than a specific car, then the vintage driving experience is irrelevant and actually undesirable?

Genuinely interested btw

Could it be an age thing? Maybe it's down to "young" Steffan actually relishing the challenge of trying to get those Spitfires round the track, overcoming/mastering the short comings vs "older" Steffan prefering comfort and safety. I know I was certainly more fearless in terms of driving when I was younger (some things I got away with bring me out in a cold sweat now!) I used to love my Renault Gordini Turbo but it would probably terrify me these days...the whole flying without a safety net feeling alive thing

Edited by headrush on Thursday 9th April 15:37

Edited by headrush on Thursday 9th April 15:38

I have no wish to proscribe anything upon the activities of enthusiasts seeking advice on building kit cars In any way. The OP asked for opinions on these forums and oir comments on the probable advantages and disadvantages of building a replica kit car in a particular style and how individuals regarded the likely outcomes. In response to that, I suggested that, with my experience has certainly been that building a one donor model kit car, where much of the original car can be reused in constructing the car itself, is massively easier than building a kit car that requires parts from a series of vehicles. For that reason I believe that kit cars which are based on several different vehicles are very likely to be more complex and difficult to build and therefore can all too easily become more costly and much more time consumming in the build process. Hence my advice.

The primary advantages to my mind of using the complete subframe assemblies and suspension units from the MX5 in the Replicar build processes, using this as an example, are fundamental and by using matched components from the original manufacturing processes by the original manufacturer there is an absolute certainty that there will be no difficulty in fitting the mechanical components to the vehicle. My concern is to gain the advantage of such a relatively simple build process.

On the subject of your questions concerning the Cobra builds I have never suggested on here, that such a car could be produced using MX5 components. I would not consider this at all practical. The MX5 was never designed to utilise such power and is far too small to be used successfully in such a build.

I hope my experience gained from building many, many, kit cars and the thousands of hours I have happily spent in building kit cars over the years has made me particularly aware of the downsides that can all too easily arise in kit builds, and make building a kit car a very lengthy and frustrating process. My experience as an Accountant has made me very aware of how easily the costs of a build can multiply and how beneficial the inherent advantages contained within well designed and constructed one donor packages can be in holding down the costs. It is so easy for the costs of the project to run away and for control to be lost. I do think one donor car build can have real advantages.

The overall costs of regulating kit cars has risen significantky in recent years. The days of the Ron Champion cars that I built and loved and the Robin Hoods of old, and the Locusts/Locosts and so on for really very little money, have long gone, primarily as SVA and IVA came in. My belief is that with a one donor build a very decent kit car can be built in as little time in the build as possible, and can provide huge fun in a relatively short build period at a relatively sensible costs.

On the question of my age being a consideration, since I am still building and running my kit cars quite happily and still running decent times and occasionally overcooking the corners, always a problem of mine, being too keen to get in front, I leave that to others to judge.

[headrush]

Appreciate you answering Steffan - I do agree with some of what you say and excellent to hear you're still overcooking it out on the track - top man!

You've championed the idea of single donor builds which the Sammio/Ribble most certainly is, so I guess the crux of it's abhorence to you is the choice of single donor - essentially right concept, wrong source?

The point I was trying to make (unsuccessfully) was I personally don't think you can disregard the relevance of the type/characteristics of that single donor in terms of what the final car is trying to achieve purely on the basis that cars have got better so the most modern donor you can get must be the best choice.

It's modern pastiche vs something that, through all it's traits - aesthetic, mechanical and physical driving experience - could very easily be from the period.

The fact that both the MEV(new) and Ribble(old) exist giving a choice I see as a positive thing, but neither one is necesarily better than the other until you impose your own personal requirements/priorities on them.

[edit] And as if to prove your point, I just looked through this months Complete Kit Car and read that someone sold their genuine AC cobra specifically to build a Dax instead...go figure!!

Edited by headrush on Friday 10th April 13:58

[qdos]

headrush said:

The fact that both the MEV(new) and Ribble(old) exist giving a choice I see as a positive thing, but neither one is necesarily better than the other until you impose your own personal requirements/priorities on them.

[edit] And as if to prove your point, I just looked through this months Complete Kit Car and read that someone sold their genuine AC cobra specifically to build a Dax instead...go figure!!

Edited by headrush on Friday 10th April 13:58

And that is the beauty of kit cars.... You can build what you want how you want (within reason and the law) Long may it last. I see cars which I love and cars which I hate, and I know that to their owners they are just what they wanted and they are their cars and not something off the shelf. Whatever your viewpoint on individual machines you have to appreciate and give credit to this. We're all fighting the tedious production line