Cheaper alternative to Ultima ?

[Burba]

Hi all!

In the long term, I am interested in building an Ultima GTR, but present space at home and commitments, stop me from doing so.

So in the spirit of things, I would still like to explore completing a build on something demanding less £££ and requiring hopefully a little less room, to confirm 100% that the Ultima is the one for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions for cheaper alternatives that deliver the 'Ultima' build and power etc, for a fraction of the price? Only solution I arrive at, is a standard Westfield...

All help appreciated!

[738 driver]

Westy V8 model...but ditch the Rover, fit an ls motor and be very brave!

[Gulf LS3]

Oh yeah

fit the 5.3 version.... as cheap as chips, 300bhp with no mods, that would be great in a Westie or a fury/phonenix.

[d3vine]

RCR Superlite - inboard shocks, aluminum chassis, modern Lemans prototype design.

[200Plus Club]

Gardner Douglas T70 with an ls engine. what is your actual budget?

[craig7l]

d3vine said:

RCR Superlite - inboard shocks, aluminum chassis, modern Lemans prototype design.

as the OP is in london i assume he will be making any car for the UK roads and UK IVA. I would say the first rcr slc product would be much more expensive and time consuming over an ultima kit for reaching towards the stringent IVA demands and uk road usability.
If not show me the first UK IVA SLC kit car and show me the price. budget at least a year ontop for development.
what would i know..apart from ordering a TK car and having to finish it off myself.

With regards to the OP question i dont think there is a cheaper alternative as the ultima is pretty much developed and sorted for what the car sells as.
There are cheaper kits i am sure but can they really be classed as alternative?

just a footnote: I would have thought that the ultima could have undergone some cosmetic and engineering enhancements over the recent years but i suppose it wouldnt be commercially viable for amortisation of payback and/or made the ultima more expensive?

Edited by craig7l on Tuesday 31st August 20:55

[Burba]

Answering the budget question, I'm hoping to purchase something for around £10k?

The idea is not to find a cheap alternative to the Ultima, it is to find a cheaper 'conceptual' alternative to the Ultima - ie. something that will let me dip my toe into the world, without committing several tens of £k ..

[craig7l]

if you can stretch the budget slightly and you didnt actually need a road car.. i would build a speads rs08 for trackdays and fun racing with a zx14 standard engine.

http://speadsracing.com/main/the-cars

Edited by craig7l on Tuesday 31st August 21:39

[Burba]

craig7l said:

if you can stretch the budget slightly and you didnt actually need a road car.. i would build a speads rs08 for trackdays and fun racing with a zx14 standard engine.

http://speadsracing.com/main/the-cars

interesting proposal - would be interested in more specs and how the build works in comparison to the larger outfits like Westfield and Ultima..

.. only downside would be that it appears to be a single seater and isn't covered?

ps. Not needing it for daily driving, though would want the flexibility to drive in any weather, at any time.

[Burba]

d3vine said:

RCR Superlite - inboard shocks, aluminum chassis, modern Lemans prototype design.

i actually adore the design of this... and makes me think if I just generally prefer the Lemans design?

Any more information on UK suppliers etc.

[craig7l]

Burba said:

craig7l said:

if you can stretch the budget slightly and you didnt actually need a road car.. i would build a speads rs08 for trackdays and fun racing with a zx14 standard engine.

http://speadsracing.com/main/the-cars

interesting proposal - would be interested in more specs and how the build works in comparison to the larger outfits like Westfield and Ultima..

.. only downside would be that it appears to be a single seater and isn't covered?

ps. Not needing it for daily driving, though would want the flexibility to drive in any weather, at any time.

then what about this

http://www.kellforms.com/retoga/sales.htm R1 engine and if it goes pumba theres a glut on ebay for £800

also you could have a go at making the first one uk road legal...? hehehehe

[Burba]

craig7l said:

then what about this

http://www.kellforms.com/retoga/sales.htm R1 engine and if it goes pumba theres a glut on ebay for £800

also you could have a go at making the first one uk road legal...? hehehehe

not keen on the dome shape and quite a way out of the budget!

[craig7l]

Burba said:

craig7l said:

then what about this

http://www.kellforms.com/retoga/sales.htm R1 engine and if it goes pumba theres a glut on ebay for £800

also you could have a go at making the first one uk road legal...? hehehehe

not keen on the dome shape and quite a way out of the budget!

heheheh and i thought they had it difficult on "A place in the sun home or away".....

well the last car i have to show you is the lynx LR1 :-)

http://www.lynxaelr1.co.uk/LR1/LR1-showroom.htm

[ezakimak]

Burba said:

Hi all!

In the long term, I am interested in building an Ultima GTR, but present space at home and commitments, stop me from doing so.

So in the spirit of things, I would still like to explore completing a build on something demanding less £££ and requiring hopefully a little less room, to confirm 100% that the Ultima is the one for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions for cheaper alternatives that deliver the 'Ultima' build and power etc, for a fraction of the price? Only solution I arrive at, is a standard Westfield...

All help appreciated!

What do you want the car to achieve at the end of it?

what do you want to learn out of the build?

what skills do you have in relation to building/engineering/designing at present?

Im in a similar boat, however i still wanted to do something. so i have setled on designing and building a small motorcycle powered single seater for circuit work and hillclimb racing. its probably closed to the 600cc class that you have over there. IM doing this as part of a group build with race magazine in australia. car is called "the social climber". My budget is roughly $5000 Australian, which is probably 2500 pounds in the UK. So far ive spent $660AU, still need wheels/tyres/donor bike and diff.

if your not much of a welder you could probably cut the bits of steel up with a hacksaw and then pay someone to weld up a chassi for you. if you find someone that wants one as well, and you cut two lots fo steel you will probably get the labor for free.

[Burba]

craig7l said:

Burba said:

craig7l said:

then what about this

http://www.kellforms.com/retoga/sales.htm R1 engine and if it goes pumba theres a glut on ebay for £800

also you could have a go at making the first one uk road legal...? hehehehe

not keen on the dome shape and quite a way out of the budget!

heheheh and i thought they had it difficult on "A place in the sun home or away".....

well the last car i have to show you is the lynx LR1 :-)

http://www.lynxaelr1.co.uk/LR1/LR1-showroom.htm

Not bad at all!! Have any of these ever made it to being Road legal?

ps. How do you find these companies?!

[Burba]

ezakimak said:

What do you want the car to achieve at the end of it?

what do you want to learn out of the build?

what skills do you have in relation to building/engineering/designing at present?

Im in a similar boat, however i still wanted to do something. so i have setled on designing and building a small motorcycle powered single seater for circuit work and hillclimb racing. its probably closed to the 600cc class that you have over there. IM doing this as part of a group build with race magazine in australia. car is called "the social climber". My budget is roughly $5000 Australian, which is probably 2500 pounds in the UK. So far ive spent $660AU, still need wheels/tyres/donor bike and diff.

if your not much of a welder you could probably cut the bits of steel up with a hacksaw and then pay someone to weld up a chassi for you. if you find someone that wants one as well, and you cut two lots fo steel you will probably get the labor for free.

- What do you mean by achieve? Ideally, heavy road use, with the ability to handle its own on track/track days.
- Out of the build, I'd like to learn to be able to put something together and learn to diagnose the eventual faults! lol
- None of the above! Though am capable with tools

Interesting idea and proposition - do you have links/site to your work and development?

[V8Dom]

why dont you just buy an older sports or spider, Youve still got an Ultima but for slightly less money??

Dom

[GTRCLIVE]

craig7l said:

d3vine said:

RCR Superlite - inboard shocks, aluminum chassis, modern Lemans prototype design.

as the OP is in london i assume he will be making any car for the UK roads and UK IVA. I would say the first rcr slc product would be much more expensive and time consuming over an ultima kit for reaching towards the stringent IVA demands and uk road usability.
If not show me the first UK IVA SLC kit car and show me the price. budget at least a year ontop for development.
what would i know..apart from ordering a TK car and having to finish it off myself.

With regards to the OP question i dont think there is a cheaper alternative as the ultima is pretty much developed and sorted for what the car sells as.
There are cheaper kits i am sure but can they really be classed as alternative?

just a footnote: I would have thought that the ultima could have undergone some cosmetic and engineering enhancements over the recent years but i suppose it wouldnt be commercially viable for amortisation of payback and/or made the ultima more expensive?

Edited by craig7l on Tuesday 31st August 20:55

There a big difference between building a car your self and paying for some else to build it for you. Self build time is free.... and more fun but that's just me...

[GTRCLIVE]

How about the first FFR 33 Coupe in briton ??? $20,000usd for the kit minus wheels engine and box.. get a old LS1 Camero motor and trans and your there...even comes with trimmed seats and interia.

http://www.motorator.com/blog/hot-rods-customs/fac...

http://www.factoryfive.com/hotrodhome.html

Or even the GTM (which I cant stand but that's only my Opinion)

[TuxMan]

Westfield !!! thats how i started great little car and with a V8 in it