Where do I start?

[mclark]

I've just ordered my brochure and price list from Ultima and have looked at their website. How excited am I!!

I'm sure you've all been asked these a million times before but.......

I was going to buy the starter pack for £18k but what really are the best options to ugrade?

When I built my Dax de dion Cobra I bought everything new from them, is this the way to go with an Ultima or is it worth shopping around?

Any good places to pick up the gearbox and 5 or 6 speed?

Any other pointers appreciated as once the Cobra has gone I intend to place an order (6-8 weeks delivery :-O beats 6-8 months for a cobra).

Many thanks
Michael
www.daxcobra.com

[steve_D]

Michael
Welcome to the forum and Ultima ownership (almost).

If you can, buy all the bits you need to assemble the chassis at the same time it saves on delivery if nothing else.
The suspension bolts on in minutes so there is little point in getting it too early. It gets in the way while doing other jobs.


The ideal way to build is on a chassis dolly.


Whilst the price list looks expensive I have found it very hard to beat the ‘Package’ sure you can go and buy an oil cooler cheaper but the ‘package’ comes with every item you will need right down to the pop rivets. Everything is bagged, labelled, bubble wrapped and boxed.

I have 6 speed but you don’t need it with the torque available. The only advantage I have is that I could later have a taller top gear fitted to pop me over the 200mph. My engine doesn’t rev as high as GMAN’s. Again the factory has a line of them along the wall and they come with a warrantee.

You may have seen on other threads that going your own way with specification or engine type has an impact on resale. I think the only exception would be if the set-up was far more radical and highly engineered but this would likely take you into trackday/race rather than road.

How can you be as excited without having been for a fright, sorry, test drive with Ted?

Steve

[Cabby]

mclark said:

I've just ordered my brochure and price list from Ultima and have looked at their website. How excited am I!! I'm sure you've all been asked these a million times before but....... I was going to buy the starter pack for £18k but what really are the best options to ugrade? When I built my Dax de dion Cobra I bought everything new from them, is this the way to go with an Ultima or is it worth shopping around? Any good places to pick up the gearbox and 5 or 6 speed? Any other pointers appreciated as once the Cobra has gone I intend to place an order (6-8 weeks delivery :-O beats 6-8 months for a cobra). Many thanks Michael www.daxcobra.com

Michael - Try and stick as close to the factory spec/list as you can. When they quote a price for an item, say, fuel tanks, this realy does mean you get EVERYTHING you need to install the fuel tanks. Tanks, fittings, fuel fillers, hose even the rivets. So, some items may look pricey, but can turn out to be good value.

Try and meet up with a few builders/owners. Donny is soon, have a chat about different options and where it is safe to go your own route.

Best of luck

Paul.

[mclark]

Thanks for the replies, spoke to Ted today (I think)when I asked for the brochures and yes he offered a test drive

I hadn't planned to deviate from the parts list (engine will be 383cu) but wasn't sure about things like the following:

Roll bar or roll cage
std or intrax shocks
Luggage containers or not
std or AP brakes
One tank or two
Heater or Air con

Cheers

Michael
www.daxcobra.com

[steve_D]

Go for the RAC roll cage you will not need the FIA. This is not so much for rolling but more for diving under the backs/sides of lorrys.

Intrax

Luggage containers, Make your own if you want, folded and riveted. If you carpet the inside no one will know yours or my secret.

AP brakes. Stop from 100mph in 4.4 seconds. You know it make sense.

Two Tanks if you want to go further than the Essex border.

Air con. No windows to wind down.

Steve

[andygtt]

mclark said:

Roll bar or roll cage std or intrax shocks Luggage containers or not std or AP brakes One tank or two Heater or Air con

first two are options... last four are must haves IMHO.... DONT just fit one fuel tank, youll regret it.

[UltimaLVR]

If you order the Intrax dampers, can you delete the cost of the standard dampers?

[mclark]

I'll give them a call today as I did remove the cost of std brakes when I upgraded to AP ones.

Hopefully off to the factory on Friday for my test drive (scare!!).

Cobra hopefully sold so that'll give me a good starting point.

On that note, how much can you do without the body as I was hoping to leave the body order right to the last minute.

Cheers

Michael

[cliveg]

I did stages 1-10 and 14, luggage containers, clutch pipe, accel. cable, battery tray/clamp, footrest, aircon before starting on the body. I ordered stages 1-10 in June and they were delivered in September. I had the body delivered in April, with the luggage containers and wiring loom delivered at the same time as the body. If I was doing it again I would get the luggage containers and wiring loom 3-4 weeks before the body, although that depends on how quickly you get things done - not very in my case!

>> Edited by cliveg on Wednesday 25th August 11:48