Reliant XK120 replica?

[Jukebag]

Recently came across an ad for a replica XK120 which sounds a real bargain (fitted with a Rover V8), but for some reason I've never heard of this (presumably long gone)kit car company before and no info seems to come up on the net. In the ad it's described as a Reliant XK120 replica. As far as I know, there is (or was) only two replica XK120 kits, these were the Nostalgia and the Aristocat (Autotune). The makers date of this particular replica is 1975; didn't think they were making kits of these back then. Sounds an odd name for a kit manufacturer of a prestigous Jag classic. The surprising thing is the price of £12,500. Looks too much like a real one to me, but what do I know.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C617273#

[qdos]

This is nothing more than a hunch but.....

I'd guess what this is is a replica based on the chassis of a Reliant (probably Scimitar) which was originally on a 75 plate ie underneath is a 1975 Reliant Scimitar chassis with a body swap and an engine swap.

[jas xjr]

Looks good to me.correctly registered too , which is nice

[Jukebag]

I actually thought the same that it came off a Reliant Scimitar, but didn't think people were making kits from Scimitar chassis, not many anyway, it's usually Ford or Jaguar stuff. I presume it's someone's self-build rather than a kit company which once were manufacturing them, like I said there's only been two kit firms (as far as I know) which made XK120 replicas/kits. I must say whoever built this did a really good job of getting it too look authentic, apart from those seats. Nostalgia is the closest I've seen to the look of the real one, but of course the prices for one are often in the 20-£30,000 region.

[jas xjr]

A bit of time and money spent on the interior and that would be a cracker. Would the jaguar straight six have been too heavy ?

[qdos]

It doesn't have to be a 'kit' it could just as easily be a one off or a special etc.

[ugg10]

Autotune also did an xk lookalike in the 80's and 90's, aristocrat iirc. Think this has/d a bespoke chassis but there were a lot of hot rods, pops and others using scimitar chassis, one of the last separate chassis cars that was affordable as a donor and came with a nice v6 for free.

[Furyblade_Lee]

My stepfather has this replic XK120 for sale at the moment , all I know is it was an American company that constructed it and it is based on early 70's Jag running gear. The 4.2 engine is quite highly tuned and it makes nearly 300bhp. It is about of an animal, it sounds like a gun fight but looks absolutely beautiful. I think he want's nearly £40k fir it, if I had the money I would buy it for myself and sleep in it.

[Furyblade_Lee]

My stepfather has this replic XK120 for sale at the moment , all I know is it was an American company that constructed it and it is based on early 70's Jag running gear. The 4.2 engine is quite highly tuned and it makes nearly 300bhp. It is about of an animal, it sounds like a gun fight but looks absolutely beautiful. I think he want's nearly £40k fir it, if I had the money I would buy it for myself and sleep in it.

[AdiT]

I suspect if you buy any more cars you might well be sleeping in one of them, buddy.

[Furyblade_Lee]

Ha ha ha ha very true :-)

[Furyblade_Lee]

Ha ha ha ha very true :-)

[marshalla]

It's this one : http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cac...

[Jukebag]

That's a nice 120 replica for sale, but 40 grand is well over the top IMO. I don't see any difference between that and the one for £12,500 considering it looks just as good. Yes there's different engines, but not everyone wants a big jag engine in a kit car, just something with enough power and something which isn't going to put deep holes in ones pockets. People want a 4 litre jag engine, but they don't realise that they are very costly to run. Engines like that aren't cheap to run, and people who run them on a regular basis clearly can afford to. Had a 4.2 lite series 2 XJ6 that my dad ran for a short time in the early 80s, and even back then it cost an arm and leg to run; he has a Wildcat e type with a v6 Essex in it and it's good enough for him, anything like a 4.2 lite or above in it he just wouldn't be able to run because too costly, and being a pensioner dosent help. Kit cars generally are for the common "poor" man, which is why most kits of Jag classics have more modest and economical engines in them. There's a chap local to me who said he has a 7.2 litre Cobra, I can't imagine how much that would cost to run.

Edited by Jukebag on Wednesday 27th May 11:15

[headrush]

As this is fast becoming an XK120s for sale thread, here's an even cheaper one to consider - £8995!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autotune-Aristocat-Jagua...



4.2 Jag engined and well disguised number plate but admittedly looks like it's had a few too many sunday lunches down the pub judging by its more 16:9 appearance from the front!

Edited by headrush on Wednesday 27th May 12:27

[Jukebag]

headrush said:

As this is fast becoming an XK120s for sale thread, here's an even cheaper one to consider - £8995!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autotune-Aristocat-Jagua...



4.2 Jag engined and well disguised number plate but admittedly looks like it's had a few too many sunday lunches down the pub judging by its more 16:9 appearance from the front!

Edited by headrush on Wednesday 27th May 12:27

A good description there. It's true they do look very 16.9 wide at the front. I think part of that is to do with that large, non-original 120 grill, which looks like it came off a MK2 or S-Type. Just doesn't look right to me. But again, this will reflect the price, and anything close to original stlying and the price will increase. There's a few Aristocat 120s I've seen for sale, some going for around £5,000.

[Furyblade_Lee]

Jukebag said:

That's a nice 120 replica for sale, but 40 grand is well over the top IMO. I don't see any difference between that and the one for £12,500 considering it looks just as good. Yes there's different engines, but not everyone wants a big jag engine in a kit car, just something with enough power and something which isn't going to put deep holes in ones pockets. People want a 4 litre jag engine, but they don't realise that they are very costly to run. Engines like that aren't cheap to run, and people who run them on a regular basis clearly can afford to. Had a 4.2 lite series 2 XJ6 that my dad ran for a short time in the early 80s, and even back then it cost an arm and leg to run; he has a Wildcat e type with a v6 Essex in it and it's good enough for him, anything like a 4.2 lite or above in it he just wouldn't be able to run because too costly, and being a pensioner dosent help. Kit cars generally are for the common "poor" man, which is why most kits of Jag classics have more modest and economical engines in them. There's a chap local to me who said he has a 7.2 litre Cobra, I can't imagine how much that would cost to run.

Edited by Jukebag on Wednesday 27th May 11:15

Ha ha ha you are completely welcome to your opinion matey, but one is a £40k replica of a £100k+ car which, if you saw it would see it is virtually Concorse condition, using many interchangeable and original parts, and the other is a £12k Reliant Scimitar with a Rover V8 and pretty frock on ( I had a Scimitar too if you look in my profile, I don't hold out much hope for the authentic driving experience :-) ) There is a market for all kits at all price levels, but to dismiss it as overpriced is a bit silly as you don't know anything about them . They were not kits, they were all handbuilt turn key cars by a Jaguar specialist in the USA, and the ones out there regularly change hands for £30 - £40k . You cannot compare the two, like comparing apples with golf clubs.

[Furyblade_Lee]

I just re-read your post, I think you need to draw a line between cheap and cheerful and authentic replicas.... To state many people would not want a Jaguar engine in a gorgeous Jaguar XK120 replica because it will be expensive to run is just plain daft!!!!!! You really need to pay Gerry Hawkridge a visit at Hawk cars showroom in a ropey Cobra replica, he will show you exactly what I mean :-)

[headrush]

Having looked at the other car for sale by the guy selling the white Reliant XK120 I think I'd go carefully - his other car looks like it's got a dodgy V5 ID IMHO.

Listed as an Albar Jet on V5 but is a one off. Albar were marketed by Ted Kellerman (Kellerlooney if you'd been out for a drive with him!) - there were a number of models a buggy, the very weird Sonic with a headlight 'bar' spanning the width of the car and the Albar Jet. All Beetle based. The Jet was a sort of 70's GT looking think - bit Alfa Montreal IIRC - but certainly isn't what's being advertised. Caveat Emptor!

Edited by headrush on Monday 1st June 07:59

[qdos]

headrush said:

Having looked at the other car for sale by the guy selling the white Reliant XK120 I think I'd go carefully - his other car looks like it's got a dodgy V5 ID IMHO.

Listed as an Albar Jet on V5 but is a one off. Albar were marketed by Ted Kellerman (Kellerlooney if you'd been out for a drive with him!) - there were a number of models a buggy, the very weird Sonic with a headlight 'bar' spanning the width of the car and the Albar Jet. All Beetle based. The Jet was a sort of 70's GT looking think - bit Alfa Montreal IIRC - but certainly isn't what's being advertised. Caveat Emptor!

Edited by headrush on Monday 1st June 07:59

Hmmm I tend to agree though to give him the benefit of the doubt he's selling an Alba not an Albar. It is a bit curious and there are indeed a fair few cars running around on 'borrowed' kit car docs



This is the 'other' advert by the way... http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/k... and as you can see it's nothing what so ever like the Albar Jet

I'm really curious as to what Ford 2.8 Cologne drivetrain with permanent 4 wheel drive was around in 1967. Sounds like a Sierra 4x4 to me and that certainly isn't going to get you an historic vehicle category on the V5

Edited by qdos on Monday 1st June 12:49