New here with boring questions...
Discussion
Hi all from Spain. My car at this moment is a M3 SMG. Having been on this forum from 6 months ago or so it´s my first post. The first time I found some info about the Ultima GTR was a year ago and I was really impressed about the concept of the car and its characteristics. I´d like to see one in the flesh but I think that the only one in Spain is Javier Marino´s (shrrek) one in North Spain, and maybe any other ones in Portugal. I like the car a lot anyway, sometimes you simply don´t need to see something in the flesh to know it´s good, specially having read so good things from the owners around this forum.
I´d like to ask you a few questions, maybe too basical things but...
1.- Not having built any kit car before I´m very tempted to buy it as a turnkey from the factory or at least as a rolling chassis. I´m more of a driver than a builder, but I understand that in these cases taking this way you can lose a lot of the Ultima experience. How is the quality buiding of the factory? Is it as delicated as you´d do by yourself?
2.- Don´t flame me, but I don´t like the idea of matching such a well engineered chassis with an oldish (but powerful, tunable, cheap...)2 valves engine as SB are. I can get another options that would like to chat here with you expert or potencial owners.
3.- I think that Jay Esterer has fitted anti roll (anti-sway for you americans guys) bars, at least the front one, hasn´t it? Don´t you think that would be great to have the front one fitted? Is there any option to get this straight from the factory? I think that would be good to improve the handling to match it with wider front wheels (or thinner rears, no!! they´re so sexy...), anti roll bar and softer front springs. Not sure about the rear anti roll bar because of the loss of traction capabilities inherent to this option. Better to forget it for 90% road use and enjoy such a well engineered car as standard?
Thanks a lot, I´ll post my options of possible engines later.
I´d like to ask you a few questions, maybe too basical things but...
1.- Not having built any kit car before I´m very tempted to buy it as a turnkey from the factory or at least as a rolling chassis. I´m more of a driver than a builder, but I understand that in these cases taking this way you can lose a lot of the Ultima experience. How is the quality buiding of the factory? Is it as delicated as you´d do by yourself?
2.- Don´t flame me, but I don´t like the idea of matching such a well engineered chassis with an oldish (but powerful, tunable, cheap...)2 valves engine as SB are. I can get another options that would like to chat here with you expert or potencial owners.
3.- I think that Jay Esterer has fitted anti roll (anti-sway for you americans guys) bars, at least the front one, hasn´t it? Don´t you think that would be great to have the front one fitted? Is there any option to get this straight from the factory? I think that would be good to improve the handling to match it with wider front wheels (or thinner rears, no!! they´re so sexy...), anti roll bar and softer front springs. Not sure about the rear anti roll bar because of the loss of traction capabilities inherent to this option. Better to forget it for 90% road use and enjoy such a well engineered car as standard?
Thanks a lot, I´ll post my options of possible engines later.
The ultima is no more demanding than building any other kit car, but the end result is much better. It's a known quantity if you do build it yourself, so as long as you have plenty of patience, time and motivation to do a good job, it shouldn't present too many problems.
Many other engines have been fitted, but on a £ per hp basis the chevy is tough to beat. My car currently has a V6 turbo, there's one with an XK8 engine, and various others too.
I imagine if you drove the demonstrator you'd have a hard time faulting the handling even without the roll bar. If the car was worse for not having it, the factory would have fitted one. Some guys fit one for their specific application, but 99% of ultima owners probably don't need it.
If you were to build it yourself, I would build it as per the factory specifications unless you really know what you're doing, it not only makes it easier to build a great car, but it will also protect the resale value too.
Hope this helps
Matt
>> Edited by MattYorke on Thursday 23 October 15:39
Many other engines have been fitted, but on a £ per hp basis the chevy is tough to beat. My car currently has a V6 turbo, there's one with an XK8 engine, and various others too.
I imagine if you drove the demonstrator you'd have a hard time faulting the handling even without the roll bar. If the car was worse for not having it, the factory would have fitted one. Some guys fit one for their specific application, but 99% of ultima owners probably don't need it.
If you were to build it yourself, I would build it as per the factory specifications unless you really know what you're doing, it not only makes it easier to build a great car, but it will also protect the resale value too.
Hope this helps
Matt
>> Edited by MattYorke on Thursday 23 October 15:39
Steve_D said:
The question Matt missed is the factory build quality.
You will need to be good and work very hard to beat the attention to detail and fine workmanship. Add that to the quality of the design and the result is a superb car.
Steve
Thank you both. Steve_D, that was exactly what I wanted to know, the level of quality in the building done by the factory.
the factory do put together a very nice car. The only reasons for building yourself are:
1) It's cheaper.
2) You can make your own personalised modifications to the car (see Stig's website for some good examples).
3) For the challenge of building your own car.
If you're going to build it to factory spec, and you don't mind paying them to screw it together for you. You'll find that it's very hard to build a car to a higher quality of workmanship than the factory.
James
1) It's cheaper.
2) You can make your own personalised modifications to the car (see Stig's website for some good examples).
3) For the challenge of building your own car.
If you're going to build it to factory spec, and you don't mind paying them to screw it together for you. You'll find that it's very hard to build a car to a higher quality of workmanship than the factory.
James
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