Should I buy a carterham style kit car for £5K or less?
Discussion
Ever since a sly and evil friend leant me his Exige S1 for a week (it was my birthday) I have been dialled in to the idea of getting something even more extreme to keep me smiling. Used to be a biker (up to 1995) and the buzz of this car has got me right back into the whole idea of basic and fast 4 wheeled motoring.
Firstly manufacturer choice: It seems to me that Westfield are worth a look, as are Tiger and MK.
Engine choice: Just cant get my head around bike engined cars - tried a Dax Rush a couple of years back running a Fireblade lump and it was too hectic for my money. Prefer a 2 - 2.2 Pinto/K series or better. I need to have 4-5 second 0-60 and 10-12 to 100 - this may seem strange but I drive a Revo'd S3 and have been lucky enough to pilot some other genuinely quick cars/bikes so am a little spoilt as a result. In other words just the whole basic motoring experience will not be enough on its own.
Superficial considerations: Cant decide if I would be happy to don a helmet or not.....if the car was right then yes I guess I would. Having said that I would use the car for my commute as often as conditions allow (25 miles a day) so some level of practicality would be a bonus - another reason for wanting to avoid a bike engine.
Other points: Apart from the obvious power issues its: handling, handling and handling. Also I am not a spanner monkey so would appreciate any advice on decent garages/mechanics in the Berkshire area for this type of car?
This money is going to be burning a hole in my pocket come Feb so any feedback greatly appreciated.
Firstly manufacturer choice: It seems to me that Westfield are worth a look, as are Tiger and MK.
Engine choice: Just cant get my head around bike engined cars - tried a Dax Rush a couple of years back running a Fireblade lump and it was too hectic for my money. Prefer a 2 - 2.2 Pinto/K series or better. I need to have 4-5 second 0-60 and 10-12 to 100 - this may seem strange but I drive a Revo'd S3 and have been lucky enough to pilot some other genuinely quick cars/bikes so am a little spoilt as a result. In other words just the whole basic motoring experience will not be enough on its own.
Superficial considerations: Cant decide if I would be happy to don a helmet or not.....if the car was right then yes I guess I would. Having said that I would use the car for my commute as often as conditions allow (25 miles a day) so some level of practicality would be a bonus - another reason for wanting to avoid a bike engine.
Other points: Apart from the obvious power issues its: handling, handling and handling. Also I am not a spanner monkey so would appreciate any advice on decent garages/mechanics in the Berkshire area for this type of car?
This money is going to be burning a hole in my pocket come Feb so any feedback greatly appreciated.
not easy to find as they are rare cars but you see em sometimes. look for a Midtech Spyder. It was designed by Lee Noble who has since done the ultima and Noble 12 etc. It handles like nothing else. My dad had one and we could pass exiges at will around bends. it handles seriously well. it was really unbelievable. They run Pintos or other 2 litre 4s. Dads was vulcan tuned with twin webbers and a few other bits and put out about 150bhp. The things was rapid. O-60 was 5 and the hundred around 10.5 and would do a claimed 150 (we only saw 140 before deciding we had risked licences enough)!! A nice midtech is worth about 5 grand now. You really wouldnt regret buying one. midengined, looks the nuts, exclusive and will blow your mates car into the dust!!
I might be slightly biased but if you can find one have a drive and im sure you will understand.
I might be slightly biased but if you can find one have a drive and im sure you will understand.
ferg said:
midengined, looks the nuts, exclusive and will blow your mates car into the dust!!
Er..........
No, that's a fair description, Ferg...sort of knobbly and mis-shaped, and about as attractive as something you'd find dangling between a Great Dane's back legs?
As kingb says, you don't come across them that often...there's a reason why, though, and it's nothing to do with the handling or performance!
>> Edited by Sam_68 on Friday 30th December 19:21
I did the 5k Westfield thing. Madness, so peeps keep telling me, as I have it as my daily drive, a 35mile per day commute, and no roof. Tis great fun, and a chance to get open topped motoring to keep me from getting back on a bike.
I would recommend thinking hard about things, and take advice from the wise PHs here (not me!) who if I had listened to might have saved me some time/money. Having said that, I am loving my 2.1 l Pinto, although sometimes the 4 speed box is a pain, and I have only tried to change up to 5th twice in 4 months.
If you are around the Maidenhead area the owners club meet every month on the A4 towards Twyford, worth a visit.
>> Edited by Fer on Saturday 31st December 17:27
I would recommend thinking hard about things, and take advice from the wise PHs here (not me!) who if I had listened to might have saved me some time/money. Having said that, I am loving my 2.1 l Pinto, although sometimes the 4 speed box is a pain, and I have only tried to change up to 5th twice in 4 months.
If you are around the Maidenhead area the owners club meet every month on the A4 towards Twyford, worth a visit.
>> Edited by Fer on Saturday 31st December 17:27
yeah thats my dads car. well it was my dads car, oddly he sold it just before i took my test. he never gave a reason!! where did you find that pic or did you take it yourself. looks like it was taken at brooklands. personally i like overall look. looks nice from the back too
>> Edited by kingb on Sunday 1st January 18:31
>> Edited by kingb on Sunday 1st January 18:31
Fer said:
I did the 5k Westfield thing. Madness, so peeps keep telling me, as I have it as my daily drive, a 35mile per day commute, and no roof. Tis great fun, and a chance to get open topped motoring to keep me from getting back on a bike.
I would recommend thinking hard about things, and take advice from the wise PHs here (not me!) who if I had listened to might have saved me some time/money. Having said that, I am loving my 2.1 l Pinto, although sometimes the 4 speed box is a pain, and I have only tried to change up to 5th twice in 4 months.
If you are around the Maidenhead area the owners club meet every month on the A4 towards Twyford, worth a visit.
>> Edited by Fer on Saturday 31st December 17:27
how easy is it to find a 5k westfield?
Hey - I haven't seen my Midtec for a while!
Yep, guilty. That's my build. Had a great time building it and reckon I did a fair job on her. Mind you, the silver stipes weren't mine, not the blue belts and the roll bar has been modified to accept them. My old seats must have worn out along time ago!
Back in the days, I used to take it to beetle bashes and bug jams and no-one knew what the hell it was!
On the third Noble now..............black Ultima starting Jan 21st.
Cheers for that trip down memory lane.
Pete
PS And even now I can't work out if I like the shape or not.......probably not - but it was diffent alright - and that's what it's all about!
Yep, guilty. That's my build. Had a great time building it and reckon I did a fair job on her. Mind you, the silver stipes weren't mine, not the blue belts and the roll bar has been modified to accept them. My old seats must have worn out along time ago!
Back in the days, I used to take it to beetle bashes and bug jams and no-one knew what the hell it was!
On the third Noble now..............black Ultima starting Jan 21st.
Cheers for that trip down memory lane.
Pete
PS And even now I can't work out if I like the shape or not.......probably not - but it was diffent alright - and that's what it's all about!
luckyp said:
Hey - I haven't seen my Midtec for a while!
Yep, guilty. That's my build. Had a great time building it and reckon I did a fair job on her. Mind you, the silver stipes weren't mine, not the blue belts and the roll bar has been modified to accept them. My old seats must have worn out along time ago!
Back in the days, I used to take it to beetle bashes and bug jams and no-one knew what the hell it was!
On the third Noble now..............black Ultima starting Jan 21st.
Cheers for that trip down memory lane.
Pete
PS And even now I can't work out if I like the shape or not.......probably not - but it was diffent alright - and that's what it's all about!
Good work with the build.
when we got it it wasnt in great condition. We got it from a dealer and he told us a woman had had it before and had basicly run it into the ground. We striped the suspension and replaced the shocks. Sorted the tappets (something we did a few times). The end piece of the exhaust had rusted through so we had a new one made up. Seats wear worn out so replaced them and decided to replace the interior whist we were at it. At the same time we did the mods to the roll bar as we decided it really needed proper harnesses. We then had the stripe put on as we thought it looked nice and helped the car get noticed at junctions (its so snall people didnt see it easily)
Really miss that little thiing. wierd that it was sold just before i learnt to drive.
>> Edited by kingb on Tuesday 3rd January 21:51
>> Edited by kingb on Tuesday 3rd January 21:52
Glad you got to enjoy it. Trust your Dad for getting rid of it before you got around to driving it!
Yeah - that was my second silencer in as many years and the tailpipe was a week point.
I sold it to the lady in about 1995/6 and she used it as a daily commute so it must have gained a lot of miles in the last 10 years!
It cost me about £8K to build and I sold it for £5.5K.
Where did it end up?
Pete
Yeah - that was my second silencer in as many years and the tailpipe was a week point.
I sold it to the lady in about 1995/6 and she used it as a daily commute so it must have gained a lot of miles in the last 10 years!
It cost me about £8K to build and I sold it for £5.5K.
Where did it end up?
Pete
we bought it from uxbridge cars for £4100 and the guy there had bought it from the woman you sold it to. it went to a guy who had owned a dutton but sold it and then missed "wind in your hair" driving so payed us £4800 and took it away. it went on the thursday and i passed the following monday. Dads excuse, he had phoned the insurance company and i could be insured for only a small fee and apparently it was too much for a novice.
The tail pipe was a bastard to get hold of. i think rolls royce made us it in the end. a nice stainless one!
The tail pipe was a bastard to get hold of. i think rolls royce made us it in the end. a nice stainless one!
He-he! Thanks Ferg. I see the carbon effect dash (woven fibre glass sprayed with graphite car paint, resined and rubbed back down flat!!) has faded nicely in the sun! Dials were nice though!
Bring on that Ultima!
OK yes - I did put that thin silver strip accross the wing - to hide a prety nasty flash line that I couldn't get rid of.
Pete
Bring on that Ultima!
OK yes - I did put that thin silver strip accross the wing - to hide a prety nasty flash line that I couldn't get rid of.
Pete
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