kit car crisis (again)
Discussion
just sat and re-watched the series again this afternoon. remember reading the original thread ages ago, anyone know what eventually happened to the car (dominator) after the final screened episode?
did it ever race and how did it do if so?
the guy was very enthusiastic (Mark) if a little rushed and underprepared, and the car obviously needed masses of modifications to make it work with his engine/box/reverse configuration.
then on the final episode the chassis broke away due to the stress/backlash from the drivetrain. without getting into any arguements etc did the guy ever sort it and make it work?
series was quite interesting as a whole, not untypical of the issues a kit builder faces (other than craning a trailer into the garden and craning it and the car out into the street while the neighbours watched on (minus phone lines!) :-)
did it ever race and how did it do if so?
the guy was very enthusiastic (Mark) if a little rushed and underprepared, and the car obviously needed masses of modifications to make it work with his engine/box/reverse configuration.
then on the final episode the chassis broke away due to the stress/backlash from the drivetrain. without getting into any arguements etc did the guy ever sort it and make it work?
series was quite interesting as a whole, not untypical of the issues a kit builder faces (other than craning a trailer into the garden and craning it and the car out into the street while the neighbours watched on (minus phone lines!) :-)
I purchased the bodywork and fitted it a MKGT1 along with a few other useful parts, I remember the chassis was laid on it's side rusting and bare in his garden when I collected it so for sure it never turned a wheel again.
eta, don't think it would have took to much work to refit the drive unit properly and get it up and running, the guy lost all interest and confidence in it though, from what I saw there was next to nothing holding it in, a weekend would/could have sorted it.
eta, don't think it would have took to much work to refit the drive unit properly and get it up and running, the guy lost all interest and confidence in it though, from what I saw there was next to nothing holding it in, a weekend would/could have sorted it.
Edited by Jon Ison on Saturday 19th May 18:28
Jon Ison said:
I purchased the bodywork and fitted it a MKGT1 along with a few other useful parts, I remember the chassis was laid on it's side rusting and bare in his garden when I collected it so for sure it never turned a wheel again.
eta, don't think it would have took to much work to refit the drive unit properly and get it up and running, the guy lost all interest and confidence in it though, from what I saw there was next to nothing holding it in, a weekend would/could have sorted it.
thats quite a shame then, i thought similarly, the chassis needed beefing up but was fixable for sure. eta, don't think it would have took to much work to refit the drive unit properly and get it up and running, the guy lost all interest and confidence in it though, from what I saw there was next to nothing holding it in, a weekend would/could have sorted it.
Edited by Jon Ison on Saturday 19th May 18:28
all that hard work down the pan.
its interesting in some ways as it highlighted some of the pitfalls of building a kit, namely choosing the right chassis for the engine etc, and planning ahead to some extent, like when he was having the exhausts made up in situ and access was blocked due to the seats and dash being fitted, the exhaust being one of the last jobs to be made up.
one of the things also was the actual rush to get it all done, he imposed his own too tight deadline to get racing, and then rushed the car which ultimately contributed to the disapointment (obvious) on the test day when the chassis rail broke. there was no real pressure to do it in that time period, and he could have had a few test days at his leisure. there is nothing quite as scary as the first fire up and then the first test drive!
2ky said:
Is this the same guy that built the car in his garden and needed a crane to get it out (lifting if over the house!)?
(Also the guy that thourght it was ok to turn the car over with no oil to see what it sounds like?!!!!)
that was it, the neighbours had to have the phone lines disconnected, and a 100tonne crane hired for the day blocking the street off. unusual approach but he at least got it built in there. (Also the guy that thourght it was ok to turn the car over with no oil to see what it sounds like?!!!!)
Hi All
The welding was a no way up to the standard required for even a garden gate ( Marks' I mean), did you see when he had it at the race shop, one guy stood to see how much travel he had in the suspension and the top weld just pulled away, just think if he had been at 150 mph and it let go, that would have put a lump in his pants.
Mark had all the experience there to help him but no one picked up the lack of welding skills and where the chassis should have been re structured for the gearbox, On the whole its a good programme to watch just to hi light the pitfalls and how not to do things in a rush.
Alan
The welding was a no way up to the standard required for even a garden gate ( Marks' I mean), did you see when he had it at the race shop, one guy stood to see how much travel he had in the suspension and the top weld just pulled away, just think if he had been at 150 mph and it let go, that would have put a lump in his pants.
Mark had all the experience there to help him but no one picked up the lack of welding skills and where the chassis should have been re structured for the gearbox, On the whole its a good programme to watch just to hi light the pitfalls and how not to do things in a rush.
Alan
Just found this Post by Paul Leggott from 2009, I wonder what he means by the last statement??
dominatorF1 said:
I was the guy who just sold the TS400 project. One of the problems for the kit car industry is that it is nearly impossible to build a kit at an attractive price and make a profit, I ran Dominator sports cars for 3 years and wasn't able to draw a penny wages. The basic dominator kit sold for 3. 5k but should have been around 6k to make a profit.
Incidently the chassis of the dominator didn't fail as is described. it was the mounting points for the diff unit, this unit was completly unsuitable for the vehicles design and this was put to the builder most vigurously several times. I have produced several TS400s with Busa engines and had no problems what so ever with the chassis. as for the suspension bracket it is amazing what lengths someone will go to with a grinder when their bottle has gone.
Incidently the chassis of the dominator didn't fail as is described. it was the mounting points for the diff unit, this unit was completly unsuitable for the vehicles design and this was put to the builder most vigurously several times. I have produced several TS400s with Busa engines and had no problems what so ever with the chassis. as for the suspension bracket it is amazing what lengths someone will go to with a grinder when their bottle has gone.
Edited by Paulbav on Sunday 20th May 20:21
Jon Ison said:
I purchased the bodywork and fitted it a MKGT1 along with a few other useful parts, I remember the chassis was laid on it's side rusting and bare in his garden when I collected it so for sure it never turned a wheel again.
]
You may be getting a call from the true owner of that body.]
This post on locust builders is from the kit car manufacturer.
Sounds like he was completely shafted.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid...
Sounds like he was completely shafted.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid...
Blib said:
You may be getting a call from the true owner of that body.
Not sure but I think if you buy something from someone that doesn't have the right to sell it, even if you didn't know it, ownership still resides with the true owner.What then happens if the buyer sells it on without knowing?
At the end he was asking where the parts and chassis was, wasn't there a guy on here a few months ago who had bought the parts and chassis?
Sure I saw some pics of it IIRC with the chassis leaning up against a fence in a sad state of repair.
Sure I saw some pics of it IIRC with the chassis leaning up against a fence in a sad state of repair.
Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Monday 2nd July 22:19
Westy Pre-Lit said:
At the end he was asking where the parts and chassis was, wasn't there a guy on here a few months ago who had bought the parts and chassis?
Sure I saw some pics of it IIRC with the chassis leaning up against a fence in a sad state of repair.
2nd post down...Sure I saw some pics of it IIRC with the chassis leaning up against a fence in a sad state of repair.
Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Monday 2nd July 22:19
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