Kit car industry and how to revive interest and sales
Discussion
I have always wanted to build my own car, but it needed to be “weather” proof and secure, look exotic, and be relatively affordable and easy to build, but the kitcar world seems to have lost its way. There’s too many companies doing the same thing, there’s nothing fresh.
Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
Dreamspeed said:
I have always wanted to build my own car, but it needed to be “weather” proof and secure, look exotic, and be relatively affordable and easy to build, but the kitcar world seems to have lost its way. There’s too many companies doing the same thing, there’s nothing fresh.
Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
This is what the industry needs more off. Easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not a copy or replica. I liked the line on the dash board, to many kit car seem to forget about the dash. When driving where do you look? At the dash! If its not special It brings the whole car down. GTM use to do this, but currently no one is.Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
The track day/bike engine cars must have limited appeal, so why are so many kit car aimed at this market. Is it an easy market to find and sell to, or just one that KC manufactures know.
Steffan said:
KDIcarmad said:
Pat H said:
Yep.
There are a couple of 4x4 kits that recycle rotten Discoverys on a modified original chassis.
Beetles and Triumphs are now emerging classics and are getting too valuable to chop up, but I suppose that old kits like the GP Spyder, the beach buggies and the Triumph based stuff like Spartans are more viable than they have been for decades.
Beetles and Triumphs emerging classics! Both the VW 1303 (never called a Beetle by VW) and Triumph Herald and its relate car are classic and have been so for many years. There are a couple of 4x4 kits that recycle rotten Discoverys on a modified original chassis.
Beetles and Triumphs are now emerging classics and are getting too valuable to chop up, but I suppose that old kits like the GP Spyder, the beach buggies and the Triumph based stuff like Spartans are more viable than they have been for decades.
I was amazed when just a year or so ago a new Herald based kit was offered. Any modern hatch will out handle them and has the power to leave them at lights. I see only one reason for using them as a donor, to get round IVA. I feel this is moving away from how to revive interest.
I was equally astounded that a Kit car project was offered based on a 50 year old Herald design last year.
It is ironic, and more than a little sad, that the kit car industry has developed from such humble beginnings and turned it's back on such compromised and obsolete solutions, only to see them enjoy a resurgence because they avoid IVA.
The whole thrust of SVA and now IVA is to make these sorts of vehicles safer. Yet a consequence of all the expense and red tape is to encourage builders to look back at designs that were pretty crap thirty years ago.
What sort of progress is that?
Look at two comparable kits. The Westfield Eleven and the GP Spyder. Both are (were?) attractive and competent replicas of 1950s racers. The GP Spyder (is such a thing available these days?) would be far more attractive than the Westfield, simply because it avoids IVA.
It is a crap state of affairs, but my last project was to rebuild a 1970s Caterham rather than build a new kit car simply because I couldn't be arsed with the expense and the hassle of IVA.
Kentmagpie said:
Awesome, how far u got???
I have a fully running proto-type. I’m in the process of having some Computer imagery done of a “finished” version, as many people find it difficult to look past the roughness of a prototype and don’t look close enough at the engineering. Stay tuned, I may have something I’m willing to show the public in a month or so!Dreamspeed said:
I have a fully running proto-type. I’m in the process of having some Computer imagery done of a “finished” version, as many people find it difficult to look past the roughness of a prototype and don’t look close enough at the engineering. Stay tuned, I may have something I’m willing to show the public in a month or so!
Good effort, keep us posted. It's good to see people like yourself pushing the boundaries and filling in the gaps of the kit car market. Unfortunately I'm one of the boring types whose happy to blast a 7 style BEC down the lanes or round a track on a nice sunny day. Your project sounds interesting :-) be good to see some pics if you'd let us ColinM50 said:
That is a fabulous looking car and IMHO exactly what the kit car industry should be offering. Sadly though it seems it's not actually a kitcar, it's "just" a concept car and since the MX5 chassis is stretched by 8 inces I think, it would need an IVA tect too. Having said all that I'd definitely buy one if a sensible price.
NOT a concept (why did you think it was?). It's by Mitsuoka, who've been doing weird things to mass market stuff for years, and even had their only original (iirc) design - the Orochi - tested on TG by James May.I wish wheelbase had only been stretched 8 inches, rather than the ~27" it actually is.... price ~£40k
Road test here: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrive...
Official site here: http://www.mitsuoka-himiko.com/
3rd anniversary special:
@Nikolai: at first I wondered if it was one of their pseudo-911's - and when I found the attached, I almost wished it was....
Did you pick the angle that stays closest to the original on purpose?....
Why is it the RX7 that gets picked on? It's gorgeous as is; can't recall such things being foisted on the Silvia, and lord knows it could do with livening up. Still, could be worse: might have been as bad as the one (Veilside?) from F&F Tokyo Drift...
Dreamspeed said:
I have a fully running proto-type. I’m in the process of having some Computer imagery done of a “finished” version, as many people find it difficult to look past the roughness of a prototype and don’t look close enough at the engineering. Stay tuned, I may have something I’m willing to show the public in a month or so!
Please start a thread when you have something you are happy to show - you are certainly describing a car that an awful lot of us would be interested in taking a closer look at.Kentmagpie said:
Dreamspeed said:
I have a fully running proto-type. I’m in the process of having some Computer imagery done of a “finished” version, as many people find it difficult to look past the roughness of a prototype and don’t look close enough at the engineering. Stay tuned, I may have something I’m willing to show the public in a month or so!
Good effort, keep us posted. It's good to see people like yourself pushing the boundaries and filling in the gaps of the kit car market. Unfortunately I'm one of the boring types whose happy to blast a 7 style BEC down the lanes or round a track on a nice sunny day. Your project sounds interesting :-) be good to see some pics if you'd let us There are a few interesting video that should be considered case history subjects in sportscar design and potentially also kitcar manufacturing one of them is:
The Lotus Elise Inside story:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-707292445...
Almost 6yrs ago I had proposed a thread on a Mazda Mx5 and Toyota Mr2 body design....it's interesting that we have taken this long to notice this trend..
,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I also believe that not everyone will be able to shift or switch from classic kitcar manufaturing to rebodies, but some are already doing it with very good results and others could consider moving into this new potential niche, with products that can appeal to those kitcar buyers that would need an everyday car and can afford only one car.
The Lotus Elise Inside story:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-707292445...
Almost 6yrs ago I had proposed a thread on a Mazda Mx5 and Toyota Mr2 body design....it's interesting that we have taken this long to notice this trend..
, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I also believe that not everyone will be able to shift or switch from classic kitcar manufaturing to rebodies, but some are already doing it with very good results and others could consider moving into this new potential niche, with products that can appeal to those kitcar buyers that would need an everyday car and can afford only one car.
Very very difficult to predict a potential market and then be brave enough to invest many thousands creating something that you hope people will be happy to pay enough for so you can make a profit.
I prefer to make a car I like personally and then offer it for sale.
Time will tell if the new MEV SUPERLIGHT X5 will light anyone's fire. To be launched at Stoneleigh.
Stuart,
Can I say first of all that I think you've done a fantastic job with your MX5 derived cars, I particularly love the idea of the rebody-especially the number of variants and mix and match possibility. The back end of your Superlight looks fabulous especially in paint in the frustratingly small picture above!
What I'd really like to see, and if anybody in this industry is the man to do it it's you, is:
1 Most importantly, a different headlight design. The rest of the car looks great and even has it's own styling traits like the contrasting exposed original door - but the elise derived lights, to me, look too "try hard", non enthusiasts may look on it as some kind of poor elise replica rather than the unique kit car it is. What about some classic style big single round lamps for example? It would fut well with your mix and match philosophy.
Also do you plan to offer a speedster rear like on the superlight that is compatible with the roof? I love the look but have no dry storage. Even if it was a pure tonneau and had a section that had to be removed to put the roof up, I feel that could work.
I look forward to seeing the car at Stoneleigh, keep up the good work!
Can I say first of all that I think you've done a fantastic job with your MX5 derived cars, I particularly love the idea of the rebody-especially the number of variants and mix and match possibility. The back end of your Superlight looks fabulous especially in paint in the frustratingly small picture above!
What I'd really like to see, and if anybody in this industry is the man to do it it's you, is:
1 Most importantly, a different headlight design. The rest of the car looks great and even has it's own styling traits like the contrasting exposed original door - but the elise derived lights, to me, look too "try hard", non enthusiasts may look on it as some kind of poor elise replica rather than the unique kit car it is. What about some classic style big single round lamps for example? It would fut well with your mix and match philosophy.
Also do you plan to offer a speedster rear like on the superlight that is compatible with the roof? I love the look but have no dry storage. Even if it was a pure tonneau and had a section that had to be removed to put the roof up, I feel that could work.
I look forward to seeing the car at Stoneleigh, keep up the good work!
Stuart Mills said:
Very very difficult to predict a potential market and then be brave enough to invest many thousands creating something that you hope people will be happy to pay enough for so you can make a profit.
I prefer to make a car I like personally and then offer it for sale.
Time will tell if the new MEV SUPERLIGHT X5 will light anyone's fire. To be launched at Stoneleigh.
fuoriserie said:
Almost 6yrs ago I had proposed a thread on a Mazda Mx5 and Toyota Mr2 body design....it's interesting that we have taken this long to notice this trend..,
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I also believe that not everyone will be able to shift or switch from classic kitcar manufaturing to rebodies, but some are already doing it with very good results and others could consider moving into this new potential niche, with products that can appeal to those kitcar buyers that would need an everyday car and can afford only one car.
Wow - remember that - we were ahead of the game on the Pantera concepty idea by 5 years!, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I also believe that not everyone will be able to shift or switch from classic kitcar manufaturing to rebodies, but some are already doing it with very good results and others could consider moving into this new potential niche, with products that can appeal to those kitcar buyers that would need an everyday car and can afford only one car.
Dreamspeed said:
I have always wanted to build my own car, but it needed to be “weather” proof and secure, look exotic, and be relatively affordable and easy to build, but the kitcar world seems to have lost its way. There’s too many companies doing the same thing, there’s nothing fresh.
Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
Sounds like a winner, BUT, I struggle to see how you can possibly offer a kit with those spec's for ~ £15k max (as most donor cars with either a V6 or a V8 in good enough nick are going to be roughly £4-5k at the cheapest). Looking at the kits at the cheaper end of the market, even the 7 style kits are £10-15k.Changing the body panels on an old MR2 or other, for fiberglass Lamborghini or Ferrari ones has never appealed to me. It may look like a Lamborghini, but it’s still an old Toyota underneath, and in some case’s you have to stretch the chassis to match the wheel base, which will require professional inspection at considerable cost. To me, if feels too much like a “cut ‘n’ shut” and I really wouldn’t feel safe driving it at high speeds. Also, in the true spirit of truly building your own car, this approach is closer to modifying an existing car. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone one who has completed such a car, in fact I have the upmost respect for you, it’s requires a lot of skill and effort, and the end results can be very convincing.
I think the IVA is something that can’t truly be avoided, and at around £1000 is quite a lot of money and takes a lot from an already tight budget, but having a bespoke chassis is really the only way forward. Don’t forget, if you modify an existing chassis, you still have to have the test done anyway, so you might as well go new, rather than chop up something old.
The Ultima’s and Gardner Douglass are great, but due to the components are very expensive to make and are closer to race cars than exotic supercars. If money were no object and I had a 10 car garage then I would have them, without question, but like many of us, I only have the budget for one car and at half their cost.
The track day/bike engine cars are great fun, but really only good for one thing, the track. I wanted something more.
I wanted something that I could pull up outside a fancy restaurant or formal dinner, not worry too much about rain or cold. Know it’s secure enough to prove theft difficult. Have climate control, power steering, electric windows with real curved glass, something that didn’t look too “Hand built”, something that would turn heads, something mid-engined, with an in-line V6 or V8. Something that had great mechanical parts, but which didn’t cost the earth to buy or replace. Something that didn’t have flat MDF covered in sticky back plastic for a dash board. Something where time had been spent avoiding any bad engineering where mechanical parts would wear too quickly or outriggers would rot. It needed to be easy to build, easy to work on and service, have more use than just the odd summer day, not be a copy or replica, but be a unique design and cost around £20,000 to build and have on the road.
I realised that there was nothing like this on the market, so I decided to build my own.
I wish you luck, I really do, but I reckon your OTR price is about £10k out for what you describe. I do hope you prove me wrong though.
OwenK said:
What I'd really like to see, and if anybody in this industry is the man to do it it's you, is:
1 Most importantly, a different headlight design. The rest of the car looks great and even has it's own styling traits like the contrasting exposed original door - but the elise derived lights, to me, look too "try hard", non enthusiasts may look on it as some kind of poor elise replica rather than the unique kit car it is. What about some classic style big single round lamps for example? It would fut well with your mix and match philosophy.
In the 'Stiggy Mills your next design' thread, I tried photoshopping the X5 to use the lights from a Micra, to get more of a classic round headlight look, but modern. I like it but looking at it now it makes it look like a mk1 Elise instead of a mk2 1 Most importantly, a different headlight design. The rest of the car looks great and even has it's own styling traits like the contrasting exposed original door - but the elise derived lights, to me, look too "try hard", non enthusiasts may look on it as some kind of poor elise replica rather than the unique kit car it is. What about some classic style big single round lamps for example? It would fut well with your mix and match philosophy.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Some other production car headlights might work, or a set of the small diameter round lights (at the risk of making it look like a TVR Tuscan!
).dom9 said:
Please start a thread when you have something you are happy to show - you are certainly describing a car that an awful lot of us would be interested in taking a closer look at.
Thanks, I hope so. Part of my philosophy or dream is to create a kitcar that, in its budget form, is acceptable to just build, but is also adaptable enough so other people can take it a stage further and add their own unique spin on.I really do not want just customers; I really want a good club of friends, all passionate about the car, each taking a slightly different route.
For example, my kit is based mostly on any Audi A4- A6. The prototype is currently running a normally aspirated 2.8 V6, but because the engine bay is modular, ANY engine can be fitted, if you have the means and the money.
If you like fords, put a ford V6 in the back, or Vauxhall or some fast Japanese metal, such as the V6 bi-turbo from the Nissan 300zx, or maybe the straight 6 2.6 turbo from the skyline. Maybe BMW power is more your thing. Or Lexus V8 4.0. If you search eBay there are literally thousands of big engine cars being sold for £1000 or less.
If you get the right donor, you can sell on the parts you don’t want, such as doors, bonnet, lights, leather interior, etc., keeping the engine/wiring loom and ECU that you do want for free. I know because I’ve done it, in fact I made a profit on my donor cars! So the engine/gearbox/brakes/ some suspension where all free! If anything breaks, I just bin it and buy a new donor.
I would like some people to change the styling, maybe modify the lights, or add vents or make their own spoiler. Because all the body work is NOT structural in any way, (the chassis can be driven alone) you’re not worried about compromising the strength of the car if you want to change it in a radical way, and if I like what you’ve done, I’ll be more than happy to offer it to other owners, as part of the kit, giving you full credit.
I would like to put up pictures of the prototype, but I know a lot of people will just put down negative comments, because they need to see something “shinny” so please be patient, I may have something soon.
rhinochopig said:
Sounds like a winner, BUT, I struggle to see how you can possibly offer a kit with those spec's for ~ £15k max (as most donor cars with either a V6 or a V8 in good enough nick are going to be roughly £4-5k at the cheapest). Looking at the kits at the cheaper end of the market, even the 7 style kits are £10-15k.
I wish you luck, I really do, but I reckon your OTR price is about £10k out for what you describe. I do hope you prove me wrong though.
You are right, this specification of kit car cannot be built for £10K, and you are also right the even “7” style kits cost £10-15K, in their basic form; factory cars even cost twice as much. But a TOTAL budget of say £20,000 is achievable if you follow a few basic rules.I wish you luck, I really do, but I reckon your OTR price is about £10k out for what you describe. I do hope you prove me wrong though.
Firstly there are “big” power cars up for sale, such as eBay, going for around £1000. Try it, do a search and see what you can get. Like I’ve mentioned elsewhere on this thread, most of the donor parts for my kit are free, if you sell on the parts you don’t need.
Secondly the body panels will be supplied in a gel-coat colour of your own choice (Basic colours) so there’s no need for a £3000 paint job.
All the glass/door locks/ electric windows/ door rubbers/ roof lining come from one donor car which can be bought for as little as £200; again selling on the parts you don’t want to get your money back, or make a profit (as I did)
Wheels can come from a BMW 3-series, like 18” MV1’s or MV2’s or M3 wheels, for as little as £300 with used tires. But big rubber can be fitted if you have the funds.
95% of the wiring comes from the original Audi donor car, heaters, clocks, dash, stalks, steering, air-con, climate control, stereo, speakers etc. which is all free, IVA compliant and gives the car a factory finished feel.
The lights (Pagani Zonda front/ Saleen S7 bi-turbo rear) can be sourced for a little over £250 and are IVA compliant.
Budget racing seats can be bought for as little as £100 on eBay, other items needed such as rivets, glues, tie-wraps, heat-shrink etc. sourced on the net for a few pounds.
I’m working on a “budget” 2.8 V6 kit, which should supply you with everything else you need, for about £17000, which includes fuel tanks, chassis, fiberglass body panels, adjustable coil over suspension, some coolant and other pipes, extended throttle cable, adjustable pedal set, suspension wishbones and some bracket’s etc.
I made over £1000 profit on my chosen donor cars, which covers the IVA test. So the Kit £17000, donor parts free, IVA covered, £3000 for miscellaneous parts and anything else I haven’t mentioned. Ok, I simplified it a little, but you get the idea.
I’m 5 years into this project, and most of this has been sorted. I’ll keep everyone posted!
Dreamspeed said:
rhinochopig said:
Sounds like a winner, BUT, I struggle to see how you can possibly offer a kit with those spec's for ~ £15k max (as most donor cars with either a V6 or a V8 in good enough nick are going to be roughly £4-5k at the cheapest). Looking at the kits at the cheaper end of the market, even the 7 style kits are £10-15k.
I wish you luck, I really do, but I reckon your OTR price is about £10k out for what you describe. I do hope you prove me wrong though.
You are right, this specification of kit car cannot be built for £10K, and you are also right the even “7” style kits cost £10-15K, in their basic form; factory cars even cost twice as much. But a TOTAL budget of say £20,000 is achievable if you follow a few basic rules.I wish you luck, I really do, but I reckon your OTR price is about £10k out for what you describe. I do hope you prove me wrong though.
Firstly there are “big” power cars up for sale, such as eBay, going for around £1000. Try it, do a search and see what you can get. Like I’ve mentioned elsewhere on this thread, most of the donor parts for my kit are free, if you sell on the parts you don’t need.
Secondly the body panels will be supplied in a gel-coat colour of your own choice (Basic colours) so there’s no need for a £3000 paint job.
All the glass/door locks/ electric windows/ door rubbers/ roof lining come from one donor car which can be bought for as little as £200; again selling on the parts you don’t want to get your money back, or make a profit (as I did)
Wheels can come from a BMW 3-series, like 18” MV1’s or MV2’s or M3 wheels, for as little as £300 with used tires. But big rubber can be fitted if you have the funds.
95% of the wiring comes from the original Audi donor car, heaters, clocks, dash, stalks, steering, air-con, climate control, stereo, speakers etc. which is all free, IVA compliant and gives the car a factory finished feel.
The lights (Pagani Zonda front/ Saleen S7 bi-turbo rear) can be sourced for a little over £250 and are IVA compliant.
Budget racing seats can be bought for as little as £100 on eBay, other items needed such as rivets, glues, tie-wraps, heat-shrink etc. sourced on the net for a few pounds.
I’m working on a “budget” 2.8 V6 kit, which should supply you with everything else you need, for about £17000, which includes fuel tanks, chassis, fiberglass body panels, adjustable coil over suspension, some coolant and other pipes, extended throttle cable, adjustable pedal set, suspension wishbones and some bracket’s etc.
I made over £1000 profit on my chosen donor cars, which covers the IVA test. So the Kit £17000, donor parts free, IVA covered, £3000 for miscellaneous parts and anything else I haven’t mentioned. Ok, I simplified it a little, but you get the idea.
I’m 5 years into this project, and most of this has been sorted. I’ll keep everyone posted!
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