The car is being born: Kozmo, kit-car from PL (very long)
Discussion
ugg10 said:
Looking good, interesting choice of engine, more common on mainland Europe. If you are looking to market this in the uk then I think you will need to offer a simple plug and play installation as there is not much of an aftermarket scene for fiat/Alfa engines compared to ford/Opel (Vauxhall). The 1.4t engine is nice, 170hp possible but in uk the ford 1.6 ecoboost is probable better supported and may be worth looking at this as a standard install.
thank you for your advice. It's kit car so it will be able to put any engine ;-)
Some updates regarding Kozmo.
Finally I have first body and forms for next ones. Now time for some pictures from work in progress.
It was a hard work, as it looks like I took a wrong method of creating a bodywork model. I made it using styrofoam covered by plaster and spackling paste. This combination is brittle, so everything was falling apart. The solution is to add some bandage or wire mesh to plaster that it will be easier to separate.
This garbage is a final effect of work:
But finally we’ve made it and we have first form ready.
And first product:
Then it was time to split body and cut it to forms:
And now we have a totally naked frame. A view which I haven’t seen for last 8 years:
From sides it was easier to remove plaster:
In meantime I was preparing front wing:
Final body parts, before polishing:
First fits:
Now it was time to weld mounting points:
Some shots from body mounting:
Now we have body over frame ;-)
Time to check doors:
We had to prepare the doors again.
External sheating:
I’m proud that frameless windows are working and all locks from Fiat Seicento are also fine.
First time outside:
Then it was time for first run. After 8 years engine didn’t want to start, but we manage to fix it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz8LwgfGWo0
On next day we’ve add windows and did some detailing for first photo session:
Ciechomski Photography (wheels from Abarth 500)
Link to photos:
Kozmo w obiektywie Ciechomski Photography
Time for some driving ;-)
Suspension without anti roll bars and a little bit too soft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E2DFWw-Cyg
My smile tells everything ;-)
https://youtu.be/2dJ_-O3QMdg
And next day – away from STW to FlyPerfomance (wheels from Alfa Mito):
Now we are adding TJet engine and are making some fixes for frame.
And we are going to have our own stand on Stoneleigh expo – meet us at stand 164 in hall 2.
Finally I have first body and forms for next ones. Now time for some pictures from work in progress.
It was a hard work, as it looks like I took a wrong method of creating a bodywork model. I made it using styrofoam covered by plaster and spackling paste. This combination is brittle, so everything was falling apart. The solution is to add some bandage or wire mesh to plaster that it will be easier to separate.
This garbage is a final effect of work:
But finally we’ve made it and we have first form ready.
And first product:
Then it was time to split body and cut it to forms:
And now we have a totally naked frame. A view which I haven’t seen for last 8 years:
From sides it was easier to remove plaster:
In meantime I was preparing front wing:
Final body parts, before polishing:
First fits:
Now it was time to weld mounting points:
Some shots from body mounting:
Now we have body over frame ;-)
Time to check doors:
We had to prepare the doors again.
External sheating:
I’m proud that frameless windows are working and all locks from Fiat Seicento are also fine.
First time outside:
Then it was time for first run. After 8 years engine didn’t want to start, but we manage to fix it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz8LwgfGWo0
On next day we’ve add windows and did some detailing for first photo session:
Ciechomski Photography (wheels from Abarth 500)
Link to photos:
Kozmo w obiektywie Ciechomski Photography
Time for some driving ;-)
Suspension without anti roll bars and a little bit too soft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E2DFWw-Cyg
My smile tells everything ;-)
https://youtu.be/2dJ_-O3QMdg
And next day – away from STW to FlyPerfomance (wheels from Alfa Mito):
Now we are adding TJet engine and are making some fixes for frame.
And we are going to have our own stand on Stoneleigh expo – meet us at stand 164 in hall 2.
Edited by TomcatT4 on Tuesday 21st March 21:33
Helo!
I came back from National Kitcar Show and I finally rested.
We were working hard for last 2 months. And for last two and a half week we were working for a dozen or so hours per day. Including Saturdays and Sundays.
After mounting of fresh body panels (so after last post here), the car was send to FlyPerfomance for frame modification and TJet mount.
We had to cut some parts of the frame at the rear. By design, rear part of a frame is on screws, that it can be disassembled for engine dismount.
In meantime we were trying to fit Fiat Seicento dashboard.
Then fitting TJet started:
And I’ve get some souvenirs from Mitasu Oil Trójmiasto
Here is how new frame with engine mount looks like. New mounting for rear wishbone and finally added anti-roll bar.
And final MacPerson struts mounting point. With Camper Plates now.
And sweet exhaust from
Magnaflow.pl.
Rear part nearly finished.
Now it’s time for some modifications over front frame. I had to cut off a huge part and build it again to fit heater from Fiat Seicento, that it will fit with dashboard. And steering gear was moved to new, better position. With a lack of time, there is no photos after mods.
New custom fuel tank.
Frame of mounting points for dashboard.
Some Fiat parts for fitting and choosing best options from italcar24.pl.
I had to leave FlyPerfomance before end of a project. But thanks to some help from Warsaw friends I was able to finish most of mechanical parts and welding.
Then Kozmo went back do STW, where we have to dissemble it.
Front lights mounting.
I had a lot of strange adventures during work over Kozmo. Problems with the saw in a steel warehouse, bad deliveries and even some small crash with my Citroen. Not my fault, I was hit in a back by Mercedes Sprinter driver. I was even was about to change Kozmo name to Murphy, as everything that could gone wrong, went wrong.
We had to do last minute sanding. It was done by Piaskowanie Radzymin. Huge thx.
Here is how frame looks like after sanding and painting.
New colour for rims.
Final paint - "Rosso Schumacher"– from Fiat.
First mounting for Kozmo took one day. Final mounting took nearly a week.
Dashboard flocked thanks to: FlockArt
Day before a trip to UK.
And here is my miracle-worker, expert – Kamil. Currently working in STW. The biggest acknowledgements to him. Without him, Kozmo would not be finished.
Photo before leaving to UK.
Unfortunately car was not totally finished.
There was not enough time for:
- Regulation of front bonnet
- Regulation of windows
- Air duct on bonnet
- Flat bottom and rear diffusor
- Nice vent covers
- Covers for front light
- Front suspension fine tune
- Nice wiring
- Engine tune
- And a lot of small details
Some may say, that the best solution was to postpone a trip and go for Kit-car show on next year. But we will never surrender!
Going to Wroclaw for one of my brothers and our dad. Way to UK was quite ok. But we’ve cathed a huge dalay – 7 hours. But despite huge tiredness we finally managed to start our trip…
Tension started to drop around 30 miles before end of our trip. Probably because we started to meet other kit cars.
And we’ve reached our destination (5 hours later, that we’ve planned)
We’ve unpacked Kozmo, washed it and meet Ian Stent from complete KIT CAR, who was waiting for us for last 3 hours. We had some professional photo session. I manage to take some shots by my mobile.
Then we’ve made our stand. And then we went to a hotel to catch some sleep.
I was so excited, that I’ve manage to get a Kozmo to this show, that I forgot to have a look for other cars. Just my dad and my brother took some shots.
Time to come back.
It took several weeks, to recover after this trip. Visitors like a project. They said it look beautiful, its complete and has a potential. But it’s not finished, so no one is going to buy it. The most important is that I manage to complete my dream. Dream of very sick 10 year old boy – to build a car from scratches and show them on biggest kit car show on the world. I was so proud, when some guys from UK, Holland or Germany arrived and were saying that the follow me on FB and admire my project. Looks like I have a lot of fans all over a world J
Now time to go back to daily basics and afters hour work on Kozmo. It still needs a lot of small details. I don’t have a time pressure now, and I’m low on budget. I hope that over next 2 months you will see Kozmo on track for first tests.
I came back from National Kitcar Show and I finally rested.
We were working hard for last 2 months. And for last two and a half week we were working for a dozen or so hours per day. Including Saturdays and Sundays.
After mounting of fresh body panels (so after last post here), the car was send to FlyPerfomance for frame modification and TJet mount.
We had to cut some parts of the frame at the rear. By design, rear part of a frame is on screws, that it can be disassembled for engine dismount.
In meantime we were trying to fit Fiat Seicento dashboard.
Then fitting TJet started:
And I’ve get some souvenirs from Mitasu Oil Trójmiasto
Here is how new frame with engine mount looks like. New mounting for rear wishbone and finally added anti-roll bar.
And final MacPerson struts mounting point. With Camper Plates now.
And sweet exhaust from
Magnaflow.pl.
Rear part nearly finished.
Now it’s time for some modifications over front frame. I had to cut off a huge part and build it again to fit heater from Fiat Seicento, that it will fit with dashboard. And steering gear was moved to new, better position. With a lack of time, there is no photos after mods.
New custom fuel tank.
Frame of mounting points for dashboard.
Some Fiat parts for fitting and choosing best options from italcar24.pl.
I had to leave FlyPerfomance before end of a project. But thanks to some help from Warsaw friends I was able to finish most of mechanical parts and welding.
Then Kozmo went back do STW, where we have to dissemble it.
Front lights mounting.
I had a lot of strange adventures during work over Kozmo. Problems with the saw in a steel warehouse, bad deliveries and even some small crash with my Citroen. Not my fault, I was hit in a back by Mercedes Sprinter driver. I was even was about to change Kozmo name to Murphy, as everything that could gone wrong, went wrong.
We had to do last minute sanding. It was done by Piaskowanie Radzymin. Huge thx.
Here is how frame looks like after sanding and painting.
New colour for rims.
Final paint - "Rosso Schumacher"– from Fiat.
First mounting for Kozmo took one day. Final mounting took nearly a week.
Dashboard flocked thanks to: FlockArt
Day before a trip to UK.
And here is my miracle-worker, expert – Kamil. Currently working in STW. The biggest acknowledgements to him. Without him, Kozmo would not be finished.
Photo before leaving to UK.
Unfortunately car was not totally finished.
There was not enough time for:
- Regulation of front bonnet
- Regulation of windows
- Air duct on bonnet
- Flat bottom and rear diffusor
- Nice vent covers
- Covers for front light
- Front suspension fine tune
- Nice wiring
- Engine tune
- And a lot of small details
Some may say, that the best solution was to postpone a trip and go for Kit-car show on next year. But we will never surrender!
Going to Wroclaw for one of my brothers and our dad. Way to UK was quite ok. But we’ve cathed a huge dalay – 7 hours. But despite huge tiredness we finally managed to start our trip…
Tension started to drop around 30 miles before end of our trip. Probably because we started to meet other kit cars.
And we’ve reached our destination (5 hours later, that we’ve planned)
We’ve unpacked Kozmo, washed it and meet Ian Stent from complete KIT CAR, who was waiting for us for last 3 hours. We had some professional photo session. I manage to take some shots by my mobile.
Then we’ve made our stand. And then we went to a hotel to catch some sleep.
I was so excited, that I’ve manage to get a Kozmo to this show, that I forgot to have a look for other cars. Just my dad and my brother took some shots.
Time to come back.
It took several weeks, to recover after this trip. Visitors like a project. They said it look beautiful, its complete and has a potential. But it’s not finished, so no one is going to buy it. The most important is that I manage to complete my dream. Dream of very sick 10 year old boy – to build a car from scratches and show them on biggest kit car show on the world. I was so proud, when some guys from UK, Holland or Germany arrived and were saying that the follow me on FB and admire my project. Looks like I have a lot of fans all over a world J
Now time to go back to daily basics and afters hour work on Kozmo. It still needs a lot of small details. I don’t have a time pressure now, and I’m low on budget. I hope that over next 2 months you will see Kozmo on track for first tests.
Edited by TomcatT4 on Saturday 3rd June 11:39
Edited by TomcatT4 on Saturday 3rd June 13:28
Hello,
After a while – I had to rest after days of hard work in April – I went back to work. I corrected things I didn’t manage to prepare for the National Kit Car Show like:
– regulation of windows
– air duct on bonnet
– new seats and seatbelts
– bigger brakes (284x22 mm ventilated discs – front and rear)
And most important – after one little change made on a laptop with ECU soft – engine starts every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzGixDc0nlQ
https://www.facebook.com/kozmo.cars/videos/1452600...
And new great photos:
https://www.facebook.com/petroltown/posts/19437905...
https://www.facebook.com/ArturOwsianyfotografiamot...
As you know, Kozmo is financed by my own money which run out. I'm still looking for funds. So, I decided to try crowdfunding again:
http://wspieram.to/kozmo
This is a Polish croudfunding – You can use Google Translator ;-) 100 zlotys = 21,4 GBP
It will be great If you share this link wherever you can – friends, fb pages, portals, blogs, press etc.
After a while – I had to rest after days of hard work in April – I went back to work. I corrected things I didn’t manage to prepare for the National Kit Car Show like:
– regulation of windows
– air duct on bonnet
– new seats and seatbelts
– bigger brakes (284x22 mm ventilated discs – front and rear)
And most important – after one little change made on a laptop with ECU soft – engine starts every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzGixDc0nlQ
https://www.facebook.com/kozmo.cars/videos/1452600...
And new great photos:
https://www.facebook.com/petroltown/posts/19437905...
https://www.facebook.com/ArturOwsianyfotografiamot...
As you know, Kozmo is financed by my own money which run out. I'm still looking for funds. So, I decided to try crowdfunding again:
http://wspieram.to/kozmo
This is a Polish croudfunding – You can use Google Translator ;-) 100 zlotys = 21,4 GBP
It will be great If you share this link wherever you can – friends, fb pages, portals, blogs, press etc.
Edited by TomcatT4 on Sunday 20th August 12:33
Hello,
After a while... Last crowdfunding didn’t work well, probably because of holiday season. But I still make some progress. Mainly thanks to help of Polish Magnaflow distributor. With his help I was able to show Kozmo on one of Polish biggest car expos.
Finally I was able to tune my Fiat TJet 198A1000 stock engine. Here are some graphs.
So I was able to have first test session.
![](http://www.kozmo.pl/forum/tn_forum_2017-11-21_192719_dxo.jpg")
After a while... Last crowdfunding didn’t work well, probably because of holiday season. But I still make some progress. Mainly thanks to help of Polish Magnaflow distributor. With his help I was able to show Kozmo on one of Polish biggest car expos.
Finally I was able to tune my Fiat TJet 198A1000 stock engine. Here are some graphs.
So I was able to have first test session.
Edited by TomcatT4 on Friday 26th April 18:57
Edited by TomcatT4 on Friday 26th April 18:58
Finally first test ;-)
We just wanted to check integrity of the construction and how the temporary suspension is working. Looks like suspension is working quite well. Test driver (my brother Pawel Ferdek) was driving faster and faster.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel test session, as one of the engine mount was destroyed. I need to replace them with some performance polyurethane parts.
Because of that failure, we couldn’t check acceleration and top speed. Also we couldn’t make a fast lap, to compare performance with other cars on track.
Some quotes from test driver:
„Rear suspension is not too soft. On fast corners you can easily drive on third gear on the edge of tires grip. There will be more fun after adding LSD. Gear leaver is to long, should be shortened. Breaking is stable, I was expecting some locking in front wheels.
Everything working like in go kart, you can feel and hear everything – engine, gearbox, tires and acceleration. Very fast steering response. It still requires a lot of work, but the performance now is quite impressive”.
https://youtu.be/kMokHGGi4eE
onboards: (some additional comments: The bulkhead is loud because of bad mounting; I’ve forgot to mount pillar A covers; Gear digit is wrongly configured – the actual gear is not display correctly):
https://youtu.be/p01EaRXmEu8
https://youtu.be/RviCavpBD98
https://youtu.be/adV61ZocUOI
roof shots:
https://youtu.be/YJHqvqxuo2A
https://youtu.be/-CYUEj0E0Vc
https://youtu.be/TIZISWJx2r4
We just wanted to check integrity of the construction and how the temporary suspension is working. Looks like suspension is working quite well. Test driver (my brother Pawel Ferdek) was driving faster and faster.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel test session, as one of the engine mount was destroyed. I need to replace them with some performance polyurethane parts.
Because of that failure, we couldn’t check acceleration and top speed. Also we couldn’t make a fast lap, to compare performance with other cars on track.
Some quotes from test driver:
„Rear suspension is not too soft. On fast corners you can easily drive on third gear on the edge of tires grip. There will be more fun after adding LSD. Gear leaver is to long, should be shortened. Breaking is stable, I was expecting some locking in front wheels.
Everything working like in go kart, you can feel and hear everything – engine, gearbox, tires and acceleration. Very fast steering response. It still requires a lot of work, but the performance now is quite impressive”.
https://youtu.be/kMokHGGi4eE
onboards: (some additional comments: The bulkhead is loud because of bad mounting; I’ve forgot to mount pillar A covers; Gear digit is wrongly configured – the actual gear is not display correctly):
https://youtu.be/p01EaRXmEu8
https://youtu.be/RviCavpBD98
https://youtu.be/adV61ZocUOI
roof shots:
https://youtu.be/YJHqvqxuo2A
https://youtu.be/-CYUEj0E0Vc
https://youtu.be/TIZISWJx2r4
dom9 said:
Looking great!
Thank you very much ;-)dom9 said:
What's the marketing/ future plan now?
Plans for near future:1 Finishing some details.
2 Car registry.
3 Tests, fixes, tests, fixes, tests... ;-)
According marketing plans. Before I’ll start selling kits for 7–8 k pounds, I need to find first two customers for prototypes.
In prototype #2 I will add all fixes that come to my mind during building first car
Prototype #3 will be a kit test. Checking if it is possible to build a car from my kit by the customer.
If prototype #3 will be ok, then car #4 will a be ready to sell as a kit. And this is what all of you are waiting for ;-)
Edited by TomcatT4 on Friday 15th December 11:14
Hello everyone after a very long break.
The project is not dead yet, although my own private funds are over again and the project is stuck. Unfortunately, at Stoneleigh in 2017, I brought the first prototype at a too unfinished state to make anyone seriously interested in it. In Poland I have no conditions to get an investor who would be able to build two more prototypes necessary to start the production of kits. I will be at this year's fair in Stoneleigh but without Kozmo, which is in Poland – lack of funds for transport to the UK and to go through the homologation process in UK. In Stoneleigh I will want to talk to several kit-car manufacturers and ask whether they would like to purchase this project from me. Maybe you will be able to give me some hints, which manufacturers are still well enough that they would afford to invest in Kozmo? If anyone would like to talk to me at the fair, I will be glad to give my British phone number through PM and we can arrange a meeting in Stoneleigh.
Meanwhile, the summary of year 2018.
In fact, the whole year 2018 are corrections, tests and completion of unfinished things. I will not elaborate on the details. I will only put some photos, videos and key information.
I will start with the fact that I was able to weigh the prototype of Kozmo. Unfortunately, it came out much heavier than I expected. But also by building this prototype I didn't focus on low weight. I will be able to slim down the next car by a good 60 kg using a much thinner body and using aluminum panels instead of steel, and a track version by up to 100 kg.
Last year I finished a few small things on the prototype such as openings in the body shell, missing lights or front light guards:
There was also a full exhaust with a silencer and catalyst prepared for the public road homologation procedure.
I've also added a few details like a washer tank, a horn, a new front hood fastening, towing loops and a few others.
In June, I went to UK in order to visit one of the stations conducting the IVA tests to consult what else I need to improve in my car. It turns out that I will have to make only 4 minor fixes:
1. To order and mount the same fuel tank as the current one, but certified by a British manufacturer;
2. To mount the standard steering wheel;
3. To change the door locks to the newer, two-stage ones.
4. To mount any speedometer reading the speed from a pulse generator – now the speedometer is GPS-based.
Before registering the car, I will also have to complete a few parts made from composite, such as: the panel below the windscreen under the front hood, the wheel arches, the flat floor with the aero diffuser on the back. I plan to make these elements in May or June of this year.
Last year, during the tests it turned out that I needed to improve the cooling system and the intake. I replaced the radiator with a branded Nissens and swapped the one single fan with two of them. I increased the aperture on the intercooler, made an aerodynamic tunnel template at the intercooler and I wrapped the whole intake with thermal insulation. And above all I pulled the air inlet outward. Ultimately, the inlet in the form of a NACA duct will be mounted in the side pane window. The changes resulted in a decrease in the coolant temperature by 10 degrees C and a significant drop in the boost temperature by 40 degrees C.
We also tested various suspension geometry settings on the track. Unfortunately, we’ll still missing an LSD.
Some photos from tests on track:
And at the end of one of the videos on the track on which the car rode with only 3/4 power due to the excessively high intercooler temperature, before the intake modification:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC2si2RIFdg
The project is not dead yet, although my own private funds are over again and the project is stuck. Unfortunately, at Stoneleigh in 2017, I brought the first prototype at a too unfinished state to make anyone seriously interested in it. In Poland I have no conditions to get an investor who would be able to build two more prototypes necessary to start the production of kits. I will be at this year's fair in Stoneleigh but without Kozmo, which is in Poland – lack of funds for transport to the UK and to go through the homologation process in UK. In Stoneleigh I will want to talk to several kit-car manufacturers and ask whether they would like to purchase this project from me. Maybe you will be able to give me some hints, which manufacturers are still well enough that they would afford to invest in Kozmo? If anyone would like to talk to me at the fair, I will be glad to give my British phone number through PM and we can arrange a meeting in Stoneleigh.
Meanwhile, the summary of year 2018.
In fact, the whole year 2018 are corrections, tests and completion of unfinished things. I will not elaborate on the details. I will only put some photos, videos and key information.
I will start with the fact that I was able to weigh the prototype of Kozmo. Unfortunately, it came out much heavier than I expected. But also by building this prototype I didn't focus on low weight. I will be able to slim down the next car by a good 60 kg using a much thinner body and using aluminum panels instead of steel, and a track version by up to 100 kg.
Last year I finished a few small things on the prototype such as openings in the body shell, missing lights or front light guards:
There was also a full exhaust with a silencer and catalyst prepared for the public road homologation procedure.
I've also added a few details like a washer tank, a horn, a new front hood fastening, towing loops and a few others.
In June, I went to UK in order to visit one of the stations conducting the IVA tests to consult what else I need to improve in my car. It turns out that I will have to make only 4 minor fixes:
1. To order and mount the same fuel tank as the current one, but certified by a British manufacturer;
2. To mount the standard steering wheel;
3. To change the door locks to the newer, two-stage ones.
4. To mount any speedometer reading the speed from a pulse generator – now the speedometer is GPS-based.
Before registering the car, I will also have to complete a few parts made from composite, such as: the panel below the windscreen under the front hood, the wheel arches, the flat floor with the aero diffuser on the back. I plan to make these elements in May or June of this year.
Last year, during the tests it turned out that I needed to improve the cooling system and the intake. I replaced the radiator with a branded Nissens and swapped the one single fan with two of them. I increased the aperture on the intercooler, made an aerodynamic tunnel template at the intercooler and I wrapped the whole intake with thermal insulation. And above all I pulled the air inlet outward. Ultimately, the inlet in the form of a NACA duct will be mounted in the side pane window. The changes resulted in a decrease in the coolant temperature by 10 degrees C and a significant drop in the boost temperature by 40 degrees C.
We also tested various suspension geometry settings on the track. Unfortunately, we’ll still missing an LSD.
Some photos from tests on track:
And at the end of one of the videos on the track on which the car rode with only 3/4 power due to the excessively high intercooler temperature, before the intake modification:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC2si2RIFdg
Edited by TomcatT4 on Tuesday 30th April 10:45
Edited by TomcatT4 on Tuesday 30th April 10:52
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