First kit car

[jasmcauley]

Evening all


I've decided to bite the bullet and buy the 7style kit car I've wanted for quite some time.


Ideally between 5-7k


I'm undecided on bec or cec but ideally if I go car engine I want at least a zetec powered car.


Struggling to find many used ones online. Where is the best place to look

[singlecoil]

jasmcauley said:

Where is the best place to look

Anyone who is serious about selling will have it on eBay, I reckon. There's a kit cars classification.

[ugg10]

Pistonheads classified, ebay (classifieds unless you are brave and go in with your eyes open), car and classic.

At that price I'd be looking for a Striker if I could find one but it will more than likely have a 4AGE in the front rather than a Zetec. Great little engine modelled on the Lotus twink but with Japanese engineering and also a non interference engine IIRC, the 20v is a belter and come with ITBs as standard. .

The alternative is to buy a Xflow/pinto/CVH at the bottom end of your budget and use the other £2k to do an engine swap but beware you may also need to change the brakes to match the engine output, things can snowball.

Currently not the best time to buy, stock usually picks up around Easter, so only a month or so to wait.

One tip, check the V5 before you buy to make sure it is properly registered as a kit car and not still on the donor log book, search this forum as there are a couple of recent threads that will inform on this issue.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C476393 - here's a tempter for you, it will IMO (biased as I built a Fury) handle better than any seven (apart from a striker) at that price and is a bit more civilised. Looks a bit of a bargain assuming the work described has been done properly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sylva-Striker-Kit-Car-/1... - Striker on ebay auction, may be a possible for an engine swap. I'd look to see if a ST170 Zetec (designated a duratec ???) with a Chester Sportscars NoDiZ bike carb conversion on it, will bolt straight on to the gearbox.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GBS-Zero-Kit-car-Gulf-Co... - GBS Zero with zetec on auction, not the ultimate in 7 chassis performance but still reasonable.

Happy hunting

Edited by ugg10 on Thursday 13th March 22:30

Edited by ugg10 on Thursday 13th March 22:33

Edited by ugg10 on Thursday 13th March 22:49

[jasmcauley]

One tip, check the V5 before you buy to make sure it is properly registered as a kit car and not still on the donor log book, search this forum as there are a couple of recent threads that will inform on this issue.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C476393 - here's a tempter for you, it will IMO (biased as I built a Fury) handle better than any seven (apart from a striker) at that price and is a bit more civilised. Looks a bit of a bargain assuming the work described has been done properly.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sylva-Striker-Kit-Car-/1... - Striker on ebay auction, may be a possible for an engine swap. I'd look to see if a ST170 Zetec (designated a duratec ???) with a Chester Sportscars NoDiZ bike carb conversion on it, will bolt straight on to the gearbox.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GBS-Zero-Kit-car-Gulf-Co... - GBS Zero with zetec on auction, not the ultimate in 7 chassis performance but still reasonable.

Happy hunting

Edited by ugg10 on Thursday 13th March 22:30

Really appreciate your time, I've looked at all 3, ideally I'd like to buy something built rather than swapping engines. Although I've read nothing but good about the strikers.

The fisher looks a great buy, I'm just struggling to like the way they look

The gbs would be snapped up if it's was road legal.

I'll keep my eyes open.

Thanks again

[ugg10]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stuart-Taylor-Aries-Moto... did you see this one, looks a beast, best of both worlds, bike power weight with car like torque from turbo.

More pictures here. http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/lightbox?ad... and here. http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid...

[SpridgetMitch]

You have no idea how much I would love something like that Fury. Unfortunately our lovely government downunder does not let us import whole kit cars unless they were built and registered before 1989...

If you buy something well sorted you will have fun regardless of how it looks .

[ugg10]

There's a post on Google groups Sylva Chat - guy looking to possibly sell his striker with a 4AGE/ITBs/Emerald - 2.8 CR long first box (nice combo) in it, looks like this would fit your spec, may be worth registering and dropping him a line.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/sylva-chat...

[Matt 211988]

i have an mk indy with 919cc fireblade motor

highly recommend a bec :P very very light engines! sound awesome at 12k rpm!
cheap and easy to replace when they go bang (~£500 for a 919)

~130-140bhp gives you about 250bhp+ per tonne, which doesnt sound much, but my 0-60 is just below 4seconds

paid £7250 for mine and it was mint and very well built

just keep an eye on ebay, or locostbuilders forum

[jasmcauley]

Matt 211988 said:

i have an mk indy with 919cc fireblade motor

highly recommend a bec :P very very light engines! sound awesome at 12k rpm!
cheap and easy to replace when they go bang (~£500 for a 919)

~130-140bhp gives you about 250bhp+ per tonne, which doesnt sound much, but my 0-60 is just below 4seconds

paid £7250 for mine and it was mint and very well built

just keep an eye on ebay, or locostbuilders forum

how reliable are the blades?

I keep looking at BECs and then I think no Ill get a CEC.

But then I hear a BEC on youtube and I jump straight back into the BEC corner.

I think I ought to get a Bike engine car as its only going to be a very occasional toy car

[Lordbenny]

I personally wouldn't touch a BEC with a barge pole unless you're using it purely for track days. I've driven and been a passenger in a Busa Westfield and it wasn't an enjoyable experience. They're either on or off, high revving, fast excelerating yes, but that's it compared to a CEC. As a first kit car I'd recommend something that has been well put together, maybe needs a little TLC but has a modern car engine. I've owned 2 Westfields, a Silva Striker and a Dutton Phaeton so I know a little about 7 type cars. I'd also recommend a car with a windscreen....just talking from experience.

[AdiT]

...and I personally wouldn't have anything other than a BEC

If they're built right they're reliable; No problems from mine in 6 years road and track use and I've driven it to the Med' (via the Aps/Pyrenees) several times along with a group of others.
They do take some getting used to driving style wise (took me about 10mins to love it) but they're perfectly usable on the road (again) if built right.

Reality is they're a bit Marmite. Try and get to Stoneleigh show and blag a few rides if you can to decide.