Is there a Market for a Retro Kit Car ?
Discussion
I have recently purchased the Moulds/Rights etc to the McCOY , a classic Mini based Kit Car , I intend to produce an Inexpensive Hillclimb Car baed on this , and possibly a Road version in due course
My question really is what does anyone think of this , I am happy to hear constructive input , ideas anything that may help me to put this project out in the marketplace.
for anyone who is unsure , this is a McCOY [url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/WoqXBNHm[/url
My question really is what does anyone think of this , I am happy to hear constructive input , ideas anything that may help me to put this project out in the marketplace.
for anyone who is unsure , this is a McCOY [url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/WoqXBNHm[/urlSkyedriver said:
Is Arthur still around?
Yes he is , living in Cyprus , but not well i believe , been in touch with him via email.Thanks for all the other comments which will be taken on board , I have already been in talks with a company that will 'modernise' the looks to make them more appealing , but as with all things , it will cost, hence the thinking behind the Hillclimb part of the project , no need for IVA.
mistrale said:
Lots of companies out there offering replacement mini su frames with all sorts of engines - red tops, bike, Honda etc.
Heck, even contact Z cars and put the engine in the back again like the Clan original.....
Just don't expect to sell shed loads and retire to live comfortably of the proceeds!!!
PS I have always quite liked them - did you get the 'estate' moulds too?
I will have a word with Z Cars Heck, even contact Z cars and put the engine in the back again like the Clan original.....
Just don't expect to sell shed loads and retire to live comfortably of the proceeds!!!
PS I have always quite liked them - did you get the 'estate' moulds too?
I have looked at other Subs but i was trying to keep it affordable.and I have the 'estate' Moulds too
Frankthered said:
Agree with others - tidy up looks and give it a donor refresh and it could be worth a go!
Is this a GRP monocoque though? I believe it is and if so, it would be relatively expensive to produce - how cheap were you going to pitch it??
Also, with it being a coupe, you run into several issues when comparing to a Seven/Exo style car - roof, doors, glass & full bodywork all adding weight and adding to the complexity of the build. You will get more noise inside the car too!
I don't want to be the voice of doom because I think the kit car industry is seriously lacking in diversity at the moment, but I'm not sure why I'd buy a McCoy to hillclimb with, rather than a Seven of some description?
I do absolutely wish you the best of luck with the project though!
Thank you Is this a GRP monocoque though? I believe it is and if so, it would be relatively expensive to produce - how cheap were you going to pitch it??
Also, with it being a coupe, you run into several issues when comparing to a Seven/Exo style car - roof, doors, glass & full bodywork all adding weight and adding to the complexity of the build. You will get more noise inside the car too!
I don't want to be the voice of doom because I think the kit car industry is seriously lacking in diversity at the moment, but I'm not sure why I'd buy a McCoy to hillclimb with, rather than a Seven of some description?
I do absolutely wish you the best of luck with the project though!
Pat H said:
Is there a market for a retro kit car?
Possibly.
But there would surely be a market for replicas of classic kit cars.
Look at the desirability of the original Cox GTM or the Unipower GT.
Look at the prices commanded by early Ginettas. Or TVR Vixens/Tuscans/Granturas etc. They are all kit cars.
And I am certain that there is still a market for a Moke replica or a classic VW based Buggy, despite the fact that Minis and Beetles are often regarded as too valuable to chop up.
And the old GP Spyder was a splendid thing, which might even be possible without IVA?
Of course, the intellectual property and production rights will be an issue in many cases.
The trouble with the McCoy is that it has no classic cachet and that many people will regard it as an unhappy reinterpretation of a Clan Crusader.
And a quick Google suggests that moulds for the original Clan Crusader are still being used.
I quite like the McCoy, but there are lots of other things out there that would tempt me more. If I was hell bent on a front engined Mini coupe, then I would also be tempted by the Marcos or the Midas.
Out of interest, how many McCoys were originally sold?
According to the research I have done , approx 86 or so and 1 Estate Possibly.
But there would surely be a market for replicas of classic kit cars.
Look at the desirability of the original Cox GTM or the Unipower GT.
Look at the prices commanded by early Ginettas. Or TVR Vixens/Tuscans/Granturas etc. They are all kit cars.
And I am certain that there is still a market for a Moke replica or a classic VW based Buggy, despite the fact that Minis and Beetles are often regarded as too valuable to chop up.
And the old GP Spyder was a splendid thing, which might even be possible without IVA?
Of course, the intellectual property and production rights will be an issue in many cases.
The trouble with the McCoy is that it has no classic cachet and that many people will regard it as an unhappy reinterpretation of a Clan Crusader.
And a quick Google suggests that moulds for the original Clan Crusader are still being used.
I quite like the McCoy, but there are lots of other things out there that would tempt me more. If I was hell bent on a front engined Mini coupe, then I would also be tempted by the Marcos or the Midas.
Out of interest, how many McCoys were originally sold?
f1rob said:
Have you got the moulds for the "original" car in your pic ? It evolved into the Wynes McCoy with several add ons
I know Wynes tried hard to sell cars but didn't do very well
If you have the door moulds you might make some money as they are the same as the clan crusader and I know of 2 MaCoys that have been scrapped just for the doors
Glad you have been in contact with Arthur and he is still hanging in there,the grp layup is the most important part of the car
Well remember Arthur around Wymondham with the Yellow estate and Kieth lane in his Minus estate
Guy that made many of the grp shells is still round here as well
PM sentI know Wynes tried hard to sell cars but didn't do very well
If you have the door moulds you might make some money as they are the same as the clan crusader and I know of 2 MaCoys that have been scrapped just for the doors
Glad you have been in contact with Arthur and he is still hanging in there,the grp layup is the most important part of the car
Well remember Arthur around Wymondham with the Yellow estate and Kieth lane in his Minus estate
Guy that made many of the grp shells is still round here as well
Steffan said:
cymtriks said:
Sell the project on.
Honestly this kit has zero market potential.
The styling was never pretty and the last round of styling mods made it worse. The donors are extinct (almost).
Just look at the Ginetta G15, Cox GTM, The GP Spyder, the achingly pretty Beatie racing cars, the Sylva J15, then look at that McCoy kit and ask yourself... "why?".
There are a couple of stylists on here, Seansverge and fuoriserie, perhaps they could draw something along the lines of a G15 / Alpine A108 with space for rear mounted bike engine and (please) a removable roof panel.
Even then, and I'm genuinely sorry to tell you this, kits just don't sell like they used to. When kits were more popular people grew up thinking that you made stuff and then you maintained it. There were a lot of people about who did regular car maintenance. I actually have some old 50's magazines that describe how to make allsorts of things from hobby kilns to kitchen mixers (yes really, there was enough demand to actually publish plans for kitchen mixers to build in your shed). People were less interested in brands. Being technical was cool, the space race was happening, Concord was taking off and we were all going to holiday on space stations in the year 2000. A society like that could support a few kit car companies, it even allowed a few to grow and become TVR, Marcos and Lotus.
Today the world just isn't like that. Nearly everyone thinks that everything comes ready made, works perfectly and either you get someone else to fix it or you chuck it away. Eighty five percent of BMW customers do not know (and presumable even more don't care) that their cars are RWD. Think about all the millions of pounds of advertising behind that brand and think about that level of technical ignorance. Just last week someone walked into a custom cycle shop (I know a keen cyclist at work who knows the shop well)complaining that his 1200 plus quid bicycle was broken and demanded a replacement. It had a puncture. Being technical is not cool. A society like this does not value making things or understanding how things work and can only support a few kitcar makers. Add in the modern obsession with brands and even this reduced number of kits will struggle if they are not replicas of something that is a big brand.
So even a very pretty car along the lines that I described above would be chasing a handful of customers a year.
Much as I would like life to be different this post is an excellent, reasoned , assessment of the reality of such projects.. Honestly this kit has zero market potential.
The styling was never pretty and the last round of styling mods made it worse. The donors are extinct (almost).
Just look at the Ginetta G15, Cox GTM, The GP Spyder, the achingly pretty Beatie racing cars, the Sylva J15, then look at that McCoy kit and ask yourself... "why?".
There are a couple of stylists on here, Seansverge and fuoriserie, perhaps they could draw something along the lines of a G15 / Alpine A108 with space for rear mounted bike engine and (please) a removable roof panel.
Even then, and I'm genuinely sorry to tell you this, kits just don't sell like they used to. When kits were more popular people grew up thinking that you made stuff and then you maintained it. There were a lot of people about who did regular car maintenance. I actually have some old 50's magazines that describe how to make allsorts of things from hobby kilns to kitchen mixers (yes really, there was enough demand to actually publish plans for kitchen mixers to build in your shed). People were less interested in brands. Being technical was cool, the space race was happening, Concord was taking off and we were all going to holiday on space stations in the year 2000. A society like that could support a few kit car companies, it even allowed a few to grow and become TVR, Marcos and Lotus.
Today the world just isn't like that. Nearly everyone thinks that everything comes ready made, works perfectly and either you get someone else to fix it or you chuck it away. Eighty five percent of BMW customers do not know (and presumable even more don't care) that their cars are RWD. Think about all the millions of pounds of advertising behind that brand and think about that level of technical ignorance. Just last week someone walked into a custom cycle shop (I know a keen cyclist at work who knows the shop well)complaining that his 1200 plus quid bicycle was broken and demanded a replacement. It had a puncture. Being technical is not cool. A society like this does not value making things or understanding how things work and can only support a few kitcar makers. Add in the modern obsession with brands and even this reduced number of kits will struggle if they are not replicas of something that is a big brand.
So even a very pretty car along the lines that I described above would be chasing a handful of customers a year.
Excellent post. Times have changed and being very old I can remember, with great pleasure, those booming kit car markets of years ago. I wish the OP every success with hs venture. However I do agree with cymtricks that this is likely to be a very weak market. Kit cars, sadly are not the simple build they were pre IVA with all the on costs. Equally I think the interest in undertaking such lengthy projects has gone. Times change and much as I would like this not to be the case, I think it has.
and take all comments on board.DDg said:
Perfectly said Cymtricks. Nero, take it on the chin and move on. Don't think "I've spent this much, I must go on". It will cost you ££££'s and more importantly lost years to realise it was a mistake, otherwise. I've been there, albeit not with kit cars. Genuine best wishes.
Cheers Edited by DDg on Sunday 28th June 11:35
appreciate thisGassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff