• The development of any software program, including, but not limited to, training a machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) system, is prohibited using the contents and materials on this website.

Kit Cars

zenkidori

zenkidori

Banned For Trolling
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
4,806
Location
A mile high...and then some
Car(s)
RX-7, Jeep Cherokee
I was wondering who else had an interest in kit cars here. the subject of Kit Cars is a touchy one with some enthusiasts, but I am not talking about replicars here. No Lambieros or anything silly like that, I'm talking about small production unique cars. In the US it is difficult to sell a car that is built by a small company, so many offer thier cars as kits, like the Mullen M11. I see small car makers in England and europe get away with stuff that we would love to here in the US, but sometimes the only way to sell a car is to offer the owner a chance to install the engine himself to get around some of the regulations we have here.

Anyone else?
 
I forgot to post pictures of some cool kits!

GTM-B1-Spoiler.jpg


GTM-D-48.jpg


m11.jpg
 
I'm pondering the idea of taking an old Formula car chassis and building it into a street legal machine. Thinking about fibreglas or doped cloth over wood hoops so that I don't have to make any body jigs or anything.

Of course this may end up being another one of those projects that only reaches the 'collecting parts' stage for lack of garage space.
 
Here's one of my favorites, the Sylva Riot:
side2.jpg

410kg, 150hp (or whatever you can get out of a R1 engine), superb handling and a base price of ?2700 (excluding luxury items such as engine, transmission and body panels).

If I were to build a kitcar, I'd go for this one!
 
I have been thinking of building my own chassis this year, taking parts from an old cheap MR car, like a MKI MR2. You can get old FSAE chassis from colleges pretty cheap, but I kinda want a car that I wouldn't mind driving everyday, and could take a passenger.

I am not sure if the M11 is still available, but with an LS1 in that chassis I bet it would rock!
 
Raposa Dirigida said:
Too many seats, too much weight. About right on the power though. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Aw comm'on! What is the point with having such a car if you can't take someone along for a scare? Plus I'm sure you could squeeze in a Hayabusa.;)

I know a project that's similar to your idea btw. There's a guy in Sweden who's building a Arrow F19 -99 F1 replica. Unfortunately the his log is on a swedish site that requires a login to view any project.:thumbsdown:
 
^they finally got that into the selling mode :shock: I was wondering when they'd finish .... costs so little too :thumbsup:
But I never seen the interior, is that not provided and every kit-builder makes their own or what ?
Oh, and btw, the noble is the best looking and driving kit car though. :D
 
What do you mean? The Noble is sold in two sections, chassis and engine, as a kit car in America, so it doesn't have to go through federal regulations that would have tacked on more weight and airbags and crumple zones and whatnot.
 
vanMould said:
What is the point with having such a car if you can't take someone along for a scare? Plus I'm sure you could squeeze in a Hayabusa.;)
Click to expand...
I'm a misanthrope, passengers are only good as ballast. 2-seaters are flawed by off-setting the driver.

Not thinking Haya motor for my plan, more like a VW 2.0L 16v massaged up to ~200 HP and ~160-165 lb-ft. with the car tipping the scales at no more than 1000 pounds fully loaded with driver. Might need a sprint car wing on the back, but that can double as a sunshade for those long summer driving days.

I like to see others of similar mind, too bad about the site needing a sign-on. Formula Street (working title) isn't going to be a replica race car for the street, it's going to be an original design body on a formula race car taken to the extreme and then made barely legal (might be a better working title there). But before I get ahead of myself, I have to see what my uncle wants for the spare Vee chassis in his garage.
 
if i were to buy a kit car it would be a buggy like thing, sth like they tested last season.

a westfield you can't use anyways. and to go real racing (on a track) i'm more interested in a real car

and i also think those "goes-like-stink" kitcars only should have one seat.
if you're racing you don't want the responsibility of a passengers life, and if you want a passenger, you'll take a more comfortable car
 
BlaRo said:
What do you mean? The Noble is sold in two sections, chassis and engine, as a kit car in America, so it doesn't have to go through federal regulations that would have tacked on more weight and airbags and crumple zones and whatnot.
Click to expand...

Oh it IS a kitcar? Sorry!

Raposa Dirigida said:
vanMould said:
What is the point with having such a car if you can't take someone along for a scare? Plus I'm sure you could squeeze in a Hayabusa.;)
Click to expand...

Not thinking Haya motor for my plan, more like a VW 2.0L 16v massaged up to ~200 HP and ~160-165 lb-ft. with the car tipping the scales at no more than 1000 pounds fully loaded with driver. Might need a sprint car wing on the back, but that can double as a sunshade for those long summer driving days.
Click to expand...

VW might not be a bad idea. You'd have easy access to bolt-on gearboxes from Audi and the engines themself are not bad. But why not go with something with a couple of extra cylinders? Like an Audi V8 or VW's VR6?

Raposa Dirigida said:
I like to see others of similar mind, too bad about the site needing a sign-on. Formula Street (working title) isn't going to be a replica race car for the street, it's going to be an original design body on a formula race car taken to the extreme and then made barely legal (might be a better working title there). But before I get ahead of myself, I have to see what my uncle wants for the spare Vee chassis in his garage.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's a pity you can't view the project. It seems very similar to your idea though. It is gonna look just like a modern F1-car, but with a steeltube frame built from scratch. It's gonna be all streetlegal and the powerplant will be a BMW V10 if I recall correctly.
 
but you can't drive those in europe though

they didn't manage to get it on the road with that suspensionn through the hood

pedestrian safety...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top