Kit cars

uk_dave&gill · 3rd May 2012, 18:28

Anyone ever built one?

I did - a Dutton Phaeton back in around 1982. Cheap as chips, based on a 1969 Ford Escort estate, cost me around £800 to build, sold it on for £1270 (I remember the price, as I had it up for £1295 and the buyer asked if I'd take offers. I asked him what he wanted to offer and he said £1270 so I snapped his hand off!

)

When I get a scanner sorted, I'll post some pics up, but 'twas a bit like this (only sand coloured, as they stopped doing yellow just before I bought mine!

)

Just spotted this one on eBay! Mad or what?

I remember lusting after Beetle based Nova kit cars (before Vauxhall nicked the name!) that looked like this

Apparently the rights got sold to an American firm, and it morphed into this, which IMHO looks like it's had a rear end shunt....

Unclefista · 3rd May 2012, 18:46

Not exactly a kit-car, but most people call it that is my Locost[1].

Scratch built and been on the road 8 years now.
It's had 5 different engines over the years, just this afternoon I dropped a "new" 2.0l Zetec in[2].

Don't take any notice of the minging cam cover, I have a painted one ready to go on

At the moment it's running on bike carbs and a home-built 3d mappable ignition system[3]. Around 150bhp and 570kgs.

Engine from Mondeo
Gearbox from Sierra
Axle from Escort MK2
Front uprights from Cortina
Front brakes from Capri
Radiator from Nissan Micra
Wheels from Puma etc.

They're soo much fun on a nice day, the kit car "scene" is cheap and there's loads of meetings, owners clubs shows etc.

I'd sell one of my kids before my toy car

[1] Home built using an Escort donor
[2] Actually did it twice, along with clutch and flywheel, I 'd left the sandwich plate off..
[3] Cheaper and easier than it sounds

Ros3 · 3rd May 2012, 18:50

I would like to have a kitcar. But i only have £500 to spend, what's my chances of getting one ??..

DCN808T · 3rd May 2012, 19:21

Dad built a GCS Hawke when I was a kid, well, I still am but when I was younger. Loved that car. A morgan plus8 for a lot less money!

MrDoodles · 3rd May 2012, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by ros3

I would like to have a kitcar. But i only have £500 to spend, what's my chances of getting one ??..

That should at least buy you a set of wheels and tyres for it!

I'd completely forgotten about the Nova!

I built up an 1835 twin port engine for a friend who built one of these in the late '70's, lovely thing, but it leaked like a sieve!

versus · 3rd May 2012, 19:27

Looks nice!

thank you

uk_dave&gill · 3rd May 2012, 20:50

That Locost looks great - and it seems you have shedloads of fun with it!

uk_dave&gill · 3rd May 2012, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrDoodles

I'd completely forgotten about the Nova!

Me too until this afternoon, when something put it back into my head! Didn't it turn into an Eagle later on, which had gull-wing doors rather than the (much more fun in my opinion) lifting canopy?

Oddly, after a bit of Google mooching this afternoon, I found that the Dutton Phaeton also became an Eagle, in this case a P21, which apparently stayed in production until 2011, which surprised me!

Ros3 · 3rd May 2012, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrDoodles

That should at least buy you a set of wheels and tyres for it!

I'd completely forgotten about the Nova!

I built up an 1835 twin port engine for a friend who built one of these in the late '70's, lovely thing, but it leaked like a sieve!

Well it's a start. It is a kitcar after all..

coolcat · 3rd May 2012, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unclefista

Not exactly a kit-car, but most people call it that is my Locost[1].

Scratch built and been on the road 8 years now.
It's had 5 different engines over the years, just this afternoon I dropped a "new" 2.0l Zetec in[2].

Don't take any notice of the minging cam cover, I have a painted one ready to go on

At the moment it's running on bike carbs and a home-built 3d mappable ignition system[3]. Around 150bhp and 570kgs.

Engine from Mondeo
Gearbox from Sierra
Axle from Escort MK2
Front uprights from Cortina
Front brakes from Capri
Radiator from Nissan Micra
Wheels from Puma etc.

They're soo much fun on a nice day, the kit car "scene" is cheap and there's loads of meetings, owners clubs shows etc.

I'd sell one of my kids before my toy car

[1] Home built using an Escort donor
[2] Actually did it twice, along with clutch and flywheel, I 'd left the sandwich plate off..
[3] Cheaper and easier than it sounds

Nice car and great photography , did you use a tilt shift lens on them?

3rd May 2012, 18:28	#1
uk_dave&gill This is my second home .. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Town Posts: 4,166 Thanks: 1 Thanked 189 Times in 105 Posts	Kit cars Anyone ever built one? I did - a Dutton Phaeton back in around 1982. Cheap as chips, based on a 1969 Ford Escort estate, cost me around £800 to build, sold it on for £1270 (I remember the price, as I had it up for £1295 and the buyer asked if I'd take offers. I asked him what he wanted to offer and he said £1270 so I snapped his hand off! ) When I get a scanner sorted, I'll post some pics up, but 'twas a bit like this (only sand coloured, as they stopped doing yellow just before I bought mine! ) Just spotted this one on eBay! Mad or what? I remember lusting after Beetle based Nova kit cars (before Vauxhall nicked the name!) that looked like this Apparently the rights got sold to an American firm, and it morphed into this, which IMHO looks like it's had a rear end shunt.... __________________ Dave

3rd May 2012, 18:46	#2
Unclefista Posted a thing or two Rover 75 CDT Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Bradford Posts: 1,478 Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 8 Posts	Not exactly a kit-car, but most people call it that is my Locost[1]. Scratch built and been on the road 8 years now. It's had 5 different engines over the years, just this afternoon I dropped a "new" 2.0l Zetec in[2]. Don't take any notice of the minging cam cover, I have a painted one ready to go on At the moment it's running on bike carbs and a home-built 3d mappable ignition system[3]. Around 150bhp and 570kgs. Engine from Mondeo Gearbox from Sierra Axle from Escort MK2 Front uprights from Cortina Front brakes from Capri Radiator from Nissan Micra Wheels from Puma etc. They're soo much fun on a nice day, the kit car "scene" is cheap and there's loads of meetings, owners clubs shows etc. I'd sell one of my kids before my toy car [1] Home built using an Escort donor [2] Actually did it twice, along with clutch and flywheel, I 'd left the sandwich plate off.. [3] Cheaper and easier than it sounds __________________ Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra. Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath. At night the ice-weasels come... http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5331/6...77671f80_n.jpg Last edited by Unclefista; 3rd May 2012 at 18:48..

3rd May 2012, 19:21	#4
DCN808T Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: White River Posts: 130 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dad built a GCS Hawke when I was a kid, well, I still am but when I was younger. Loved that car. A morgan plus8 for a lot less money! __________________ If force doesn't work, you've got an electrical problem.

3rd May 2012, 20:50	#7
uk_dave&gill This is my second home .. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Town Posts: 4,166 Thanks: 1 Thanked 189 Times in 105 Posts	That Locost looks great - and it seems you have shedloads of fun with it! __________________ Dave

3rd May 2012, 18:50	#3
Ros3 This is my second home Rover 75 V6 saloon (gone to the Rover garage in the sky), Mazda mx5 Phoenix. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cumnock Posts: 3,215 Thanks: 347 Thanked 157 Times in 92 Posts	I would like to have a kitcar. But i only have £500 to spend, what's my chances of getting one ??..

3rd May 2012, 19:27	#6
versus Posted a thing or two Rover 75 V6 Auto, 2000 year Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chisinau, Moldova Posts: 1,506 Thanks: 389 Thanked 273 Times in 211 Posts	Looks nice! thank you