:scratchchin:ANY VOLVO BASED / ADAPTABLE KITS OUT THERE?

[THIABU]

I would like to make use of my 855 T5 as a basis for an occasional (weekend) fast road/circuit car.
Mechanically excellent (always serviced at HLM / Volvo Tuning), but now too thirsty for my 140 mile daily commute. 2nd hand sale value would not cover the last service bill(!), so I'd like to re-invent it somehow.........a KIT

Does anyone know of a kit car that uses 850/855 mechanicals as a donor basis? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Steve_D]

Starting with the donor then finding a kit will rarely work out as you have to really believe in what you are building if you are going to stay the course of building said kit.

You best bet is to just strip out all extra weight and fit some track type wheels and tyres.

Steve

[funwithrevs]

Given that you could probably sell the car and buy an ideal kit donor for the same money, I would have to invert the question to "what sort of kit do you actually want"?

It costs a lot of money to build a dream car in which case you won't want to end up spending 20K and then think "wish I had put a proper V6/V8 in it". On the other end of the spectrum, you don't want to spend money on custom exhausts and adapter plates and end up with a Locost thinking "I could have had much the same car for half the cost".

Still, I think with kits the question really has to start with "what is your dream".

[THIABU]

Thanks guys for your views - understood and appreciate the input. As you can obviously tell, I have no experience in kit building! (although I am not completely clueless, having restored and modified a Triumph Vitesse from the ground upwards).

To be clear, I am interested in making use of the existing power unit as I enjoy the performance (despite the very heavy body and front wheel drive) and the characteristics of the power delivery. I was looking for a light weight kit that I could transplant that into - I understand that the gearbox will need to be exchanged for a RWD / AWD unit that mates to the T5 block, these however (I am lead to believe) are compatible with various earlier Volvo models.

I am not looking to build an aesthetic masterpiece, nor a dream car - just a light weight RWD/AWD fast road car. I was hoping that an 'off the shelf' kit might be available (Lo-cost 7 or some such) or even a production car that would be able to be adapted to take said mechanicals. Or (preferably) to find other PHers who have done something similar and would share their experience....I wait in hope....

Thanks again for the input, Jon.

[Ferg]

No offence, but you ought to go and see www.locostbuilders.co.uk .

They put crazy engines in things over there!!!




This, for example:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid...

Edited by Ferg on Tuesday 22 April 17:44

[THIABU]

Ferg - way to go!! Now that's exactly what I was craving - thank you sooo much
Any other views, comments still welcome!