Discussion
Hi, Im looking for ideas for a kit project to keep me busy over the coming months.
Ive always liked the Hawk Stratos replica since seeing one at a show about 15 years ago, at the time I was into rally spectating and have always had a liking of Lancia'.
I went to Stoneleigh at the weekend and had a good long chat with Hawk and Lister Bell, but having never built a kit I dont think Im quite at the point that I am willing to invest £20k+ into something that Im not 100% about doing.
Im a mechanical engineer by trade so dont have any problems with technical side of building the car, just not sure about how much time I can commit and dont want a large chunk of money sat in bits in the garage.
Im looking for ideas of a cheaper alternative to try as a first project. I like the Lotus 7s but last year I drove a Westfield fitted with a 2.0 Pinto engine and it certainly didnt impress. Due to redundancy last summer I had to sell my Noble M12, so im probably a little unrealistic with what I expect from the car performance wise.
Cheers
What are peoples thoughts about buying a part built kit? There was a part built Westy on here a few months back for around £5k, but the seller was not the most helpful regarding where parts had come from and SVAing the car.
Any ideas, looking to spend total of around £10k and hopefully driving until next year, perhaps a couple of track days and selling for as little depreciation as possible.
Cheers
Ive always liked the Hawk Stratos replica since seeing one at a show about 15 years ago, at the time I was into rally spectating and have always had a liking of Lancia'.
I went to Stoneleigh at the weekend and had a good long chat with Hawk and Lister Bell, but having never built a kit I dont think Im quite at the point that I am willing to invest £20k+ into something that Im not 100% about doing.
Im a mechanical engineer by trade so dont have any problems with technical side of building the car, just not sure about how much time I can commit and dont want a large chunk of money sat in bits in the garage.
Im looking for ideas of a cheaper alternative to try as a first project. I like the Lotus 7s but last year I drove a Westfield fitted with a 2.0 Pinto engine and it certainly didnt impress. Due to redundancy last summer I had to sell my Noble M12, so im probably a little unrealistic with what I expect from the car performance wise.
Cheers
What are peoples thoughts about buying a part built kit? There was a part built Westy on here a few months back for around £5k, but the seller was not the most helpful regarding where parts had come from and SVAing the car.
Any ideas, looking to spend total of around £10k and hopefully driving until next year, perhaps a couple of track days and selling for as little depreciation as possible.
Cheers
If I were you, for 10k I'd buy a BEC seven type car that is a few years old and strip and rebuild as by this age, the engine etc. (if you pick well) will be in great nick but the chassis, suspensions components etc, and some of the bodywork (GRP doesn't tend to age well on a seven) will be in need of TLC.
For example, I sold my 01 Megabird for £8.5 a couple of years ago and it was hanging like a christmas tree with respect to all the options, bust desperately needed the chassis re-coating.
For example, I sold my 01 Megabird for £8.5 a couple of years ago and it was hanging like a christmas tree with respect to all the options, bust desperately needed the chassis re-coating.
Sounds to me like your best bet would be to buy a complete, road legal, running car.
If you go part built, and you're an engineer, you will most likely take it all apart again as you are not sure how well it has been built thereby defeating your objective of saving build time.
We could build you a car but that would most likely then go outside your budget.
Steve
If you go part built, and you're an engineer, you will most likely take it all apart again as you are not sure how well it has been built thereby defeating your objective of saving build time.
We could build you a car but that would most likely then go outside your budget.
Steve
My thoughts are to buy something that I can work on and if I find it enjoyable sell it and then invest the money into building a Stratos rep from scratch. Building the kit,sourcing parts and bits etc does appeal but dont want to sink a large chunk of cash into something I may not enjoy.
Steve D, I like your Ultima, very nice
Steve D, I like your Ultima, very nice
Building a kit is very rarely about the money.
Decide first if you want to build or drive. Then if you want to build, decide how much time you want to dedicate to it.
If you just like to tinker, buy something old and registered on the roads and upgraditis can then take its nasty hold. If you like problem solving, buy an engine and build a car around it. Building a kit is somewhere in the middle.
Both are equally rewarding and just as fun.
Decide first if you want to build or drive. Then if you want to build, decide how much time you want to dedicate to it.
If you just like to tinker, buy something old and registered on the roads and upgraditis can then take its nasty hold. If you like problem solving, buy an engine and build a car around it. Building a kit is somewhere in the middle.
Both are equally rewarding and just as fun.
Whats peoples thoughts on this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2768828.htm
Is it a good propasition? I dont know anything about Mac but it looks like it could give me a good introduction to building a kit at a relatively low price??
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2768828.htm
Is it a good propasition? I dont know anything about Mac but it looks like it could give me a good introduction to building a kit at a relatively low price??
That MAC is a bargain,with a nice zetec set up and some detailing you could have a very nice car for I suppose another 5/6 k .Colin and Mark are . as good or better than any one in the kit car industry [no cons only as a customer]you could do far worse than this and spend far more money. My opinion and nodoubt people will challenge it but I think they would be talking thro the wrong end
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