Robin Hood Kit car buying advice
Discussion
Hi Guys
As the summer is on its way god willing, I am thinking about getting a cheap entry level toy.
I have found a Robin Hood Series 3 with an 2L Pinto lump.
I was woundering if you kind chaps could give me some advise on what to look out for?
As well as running costs, i.e how the road tax would be and Insurance, Bearing in mind in am 20 years old.
Cheers
Steve
As the summer is on its way god willing, I am thinking about getting a cheap entry level toy.
I have found a Robin Hood Series 3 with an 2L Pinto lump.
I was woundering if you kind chaps could give me some advise on what to look out for?
As well as running costs, i.e how the road tax would be and Insurance, Bearing in mind in am 20 years old.
Cheers
Steve
My advice don't touch them with a barge pole ! Save your money
Only got to look around on e-bay, kit car mags and the like to see how many part built ones there are around for sale, most people give up half way through the project out of sheer frustration.
Robin Hood went bust a few years ago, not sure whether anyone took them over in the end.
Look at Tigers, MK's Formula 27's Locost etc, much better enginered cars
Only got to look around on e-bay, kit car mags and the like to see how many part built ones there are around for sale, most people give up half way through the project out of sheer frustration.
Robin Hood went bust a few years ago, not sure whether anyone took them over in the end.
Look at Tigers, MK's Formula 27's Locost etc, much better enginered cars
Thry are still trading..''On September 25, 2006 the assets of Robin Hood Engineering was bought by Great British Sports Cars Ltd''
http://www.greatbritishsportscars.com
http://www.greatbritishsportscars.com
sv123 said:
Hi Guys
As the summer is on its way god willing, I am thinking about getting a cheap entry level toy.
I have found a Robin Hood Series 3 with an 2L Pinto lump.
I was woundering if you kind chaps could give me some advise on what to look out for?
As well as running costs, i.e how the road tax would be and Insurance, Bearing in mind in am 20 years old.
Cheers
Steve
The insurance will be super cheap - few hundred quid, road tax is the normal ~£200 a year. Robin Hoods are ok, just get a later 2B tube framed one. I found the folded metal monocoque ones a bit nasty. As the summer is on its way god willing, I am thinking about getting a cheap entry level toy.
I have found a Robin Hood Series 3 with an 2L Pinto lump.
I was woundering if you kind chaps could give me some advise on what to look out for?
As well as running costs, i.e how the road tax would be and Insurance, Bearing in mind in am 20 years old.
Cheers
Steve
They might not be up to Caterham standards but they are 15% of the cost. If you've never driven anything similar before you'll be astonished anyway. Look over your potential purchase for bodges; because they're at the cheap end of the spectrum many builders cut corners to save the pennies. If it doesn't look and feel well built walk away.
DON'T !!! They are utter crap. A mate has one and it really is rubbish to drive, passenger or be seen anywhere near. The quality is also woeful and he's probably spent more time putting right the original build. Tis all noise and no go and I'd much rather have something else - like swine flu.
sv123 said:
Thanks for the great advice much appreciated.
I think I will stay clear of the RH.
I have found a nice locust in my price range.
How much do they weight? I guess they all are different but any rough idea.
cheers
Depends entirely on the running gear. Under 500kg for the very light ones, 800kg+ for the ones with an entire Sierra/Jag back end or similar. I think I will stay clear of the RH.
I have found a nice locust in my price range.
How much do they weight? I guess they all are different but any rough idea.
cheers
Locost or Locust? Locust are the plywood bodied, ladder framed ones. I've never driven one but I'm sure someone else will give you an informed opinion.
MoonMonkey said:
DON'T !!! They are utter crap. A mate has one and it really is rubbish to drive, passenger or be seen anywhere near. The quality is also woeful and he's probably spent more time putting right the original build. Tis all noise and no go and I'd much rather have something else - like swine flu.
seconded, I helped build one, it weighs a ton, the front suspension parts are old angle iron, the stuff we used to build barbed wire fences out of in the RAF, the instructions were vague, and the quality v poor
sv123 said:
That looks like a nice car, were you the winning bidder?everybody who is against a robin hasnt driven one personally (or has driven a bad assembled one):
recently i bought a robin hood exmo (with sierra independant suspension all around) for a friend and drove it home 700miles.
i´m owning a sylva, drove certain other sylvas, fisher furys, a ginetta, certain "older" westfields (live and irs ones) and i was amazed about the handling an road behaviour of the robin. its crispy but still comfortable, no rattles, no banging noises even on bumpy roads. driveable with 2 fingers. steering force totally low, but good response.
sure its heavy (but maybe thats the reason its not nervous on high speeds?), it has a wide track at front and rear, the passenger compartment has lots of space. what do you want more?
i think the best price-performance ratio and perfect for a kitcar-beginner.
never forget: even a caterham could be worse if it was built in a bad way.
recently i bought a robin hood exmo (with sierra independant suspension all around) for a friend and drove it home 700miles.
i´m owning a sylva, drove certain other sylvas, fisher furys, a ginetta, certain "older" westfields (live and irs ones) and i was amazed about the handling an road behaviour of the robin. its crispy but still comfortable, no rattles, no banging noises even on bumpy roads. driveable with 2 fingers. steering force totally low, but good response.
sure its heavy (but maybe thats the reason its not nervous on high speeds?), it has a wide track at front and rear, the passenger compartment has lots of space. what do you want more?
i think the best price-performance ratio and perfect for a kitcar-beginner.
never forget: even a caterham could be worse if it was built in a bad way.
Totaly Disagree with the last post, Robin Hood's are S@hite, you need a fully equipped workshop to get the thing built, most major components don't fit the chassis, everything needs to be re-worked.
Def not something you would want to take on as a first project, now that Land of Leather has gone bust getting seats to fit is going to be a problem.
Def not something you would want to take on as a first project, now that Land of Leather has gone bust getting seats to fit is going to be a problem.
Well to put it in perspective, my dad my bro and I are building a Robin Hood at the moment (2yrs, estimate finish early next year).
To get one finished in the kit form that comes from RH is astonishing.
However, what we have done is take the kit, throw most of it away, and have put a 2litre silver top in, all new (disc) brakes, fabricating everything ourselves and making the quality 100%. Really taking our time, if it took 1yr or 5yrs to build it did not matter - we'll be keeping it for a long time.
Essentially, there is a lot of engineering needed over and above the kit that comes. IT's not a caterham that bolts together. Therefore the quality of the car is not so dependent on the kit (though the early chassis were not great) but more so the quality of the builder.
We're proud of ours, it will be a superb car and no detail has been left to chance - everything has been painstakingly, and lovingly, thought through and carried out.
We have a partly built website at www.johnskitcar.com to explain what we're doing, how we're doing it etc (I stress it's only half built but there are many photos).
So, the rule of thumb; it's the builder, not the kit, that determines how good the car turns out. If you find a good one, you're in. But there are many part built cars for sale and that shows how much more of a task they are than bolting a caterham or westfield together with full factory support.
To get one finished in the kit form that comes from RH is astonishing.
However, what we have done is take the kit, throw most of it away, and have put a 2litre silver top in, all new (disc) brakes, fabricating everything ourselves and making the quality 100%. Really taking our time, if it took 1yr or 5yrs to build it did not matter - we'll be keeping it for a long time.
Essentially, there is a lot of engineering needed over and above the kit that comes. IT's not a caterham that bolts together. Therefore the quality of the car is not so dependent on the kit (though the early chassis were not great) but more so the quality of the builder.
We're proud of ours, it will be a superb car and no detail has been left to chance - everything has been painstakingly, and lovingly, thought through and carried out.
We have a partly built website at www.johnskitcar.com to explain what we're doing, how we're doing it etc (I stress it's only half built but there are many photos).
So, the rule of thumb; it's the builder, not the kit, that determines how good the car turns out. If you find a good one, you're in. But there are many part built cars for sale and that shows how much more of a task they are than bolting a caterham or westfield together with full factory support.
i cant comment on the new hoods, but i built an old stainless chassis one and it was awful, it was built by the book and had a 3 sheet failure list from the sva, nearly all of it was down to the design of it. The service from the company was crap and the bodywork wasnt the same each side, i was told by the factory "what should i expect, it was a home built kit car."
If you want to build something yourself then you may as well build a locost from the book rather than a part built OLD robin hood. If you are just looking to buy something that doesnt need much doing that you want a bit of fun in, then buy an MX5! The old robin hoods are heavy and slow, it completely defeats the object of having a Lotus 7 style car.
The post above mentions using full sierra independant suspension like its a good thing. Far from it, the suspension was crap compared to proper Locaterfield type car and weighs a ton. If it was better than your Silva to drive then get it set up properly.
As i said, i dont know about the new hoods, they certainly look a lot better and i dont havee any experience of them, maybe someone on here can comment on a new one?
If you want to build something yourself then you may as well build a locost from the book rather than a part built OLD robin hood. If you are just looking to buy something that doesnt need much doing that you want a bit of fun in, then buy an MX5! The old robin hoods are heavy and slow, it completely defeats the object of having a Lotus 7 style car.
The post above mentions using full sierra independant suspension like its a good thing. Far from it, the suspension was crap compared to proper Locaterfield type car and weighs a ton. If it was better than your Silva to drive then get it set up properly.
As i said, i dont know about the new hoods, they certainly look a lot better and i dont havee any experience of them, maybe someone on here can comment on a new one?
Edited by antnicuk on Thursday 7th May 17:20
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