Calzonii
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posted on 26/4/11 at 12:09 AM |
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Deciding on an MK Indy R?!
Hi guys, noobie here so take it easy on me .
Ive always been looking forward to starting to build a kit car for ages now and Ive been researching a lot to do with the MK Indy R. I was just
wondering if anyone has built one of these and knows how much the project is likely to cost? i have a budget off about £5 or 6 k and have most of the
tools needed to build it... i think. :S
Also what level of knowledge do you need to have to start on a kit car. I know a good bit about engines but as far as kits go themselves I'm
fairly clueless on how to build them. I take it the build manual is pretty unambiguous?
Also what donor is good, one of my dads mates has a 330i BMW engine (1990s) with about 30000miles on it he says i can take off his hands for free. but
is that too powerful for a kit car?
Many thanks,
Cal.
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davestarck
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posted on 26/4/11 at 07:05 AM |
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Personally I would say your being a bit ambitious with your possible engine choice. With the small budget you have you need to keep it simple.
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SeanStone
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posted on 26/4/11 at 07:31 AM |
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as your donor car is free then i'd say go for it! but it might be a little tight in the indy. look into the viento which is a bigger chassis i
believe.
the 330 would be a great donor! there is no such thing as too fast! there are much faster cars than that on this forum and we're all still
going!
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franky
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posted on 26/4/11 at 07:51 AM |
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with a bmw 6 donor you'll need a gkd chassis as they're designed for it
It'd be nice to see another make of kit with a IL6 BMW motor though.
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fimi7
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posted on 26/4/11 at 09:15 AM |
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I would have to agree with davestarck, the more you go with a solution that is not frequently built, the more you will have to customize and the more
it will eventually cost.
If you are serious about building something, I would sell the donor and use something that many have built in the past. BEC, ford or something
common.
As for cost, many are hidden. The deluxe kit may sound pretty complete, till you start, then you realize its really about 65% of what you need, and I
am not including the engine in that percentage.
As it stands today I am about 7k in (not including my engine cost) and I have some ways to go.
With that said, do not back off or it will never get done. Do what most of us do. Start the project, forget about the cost or the money, pay for it in
small bits and pieces, take it slow and eventually it will get done
If you really are hung up on that engine, then do it.
--- Ali
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SeanStone
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posted on 26/4/11 at 09:18 AM |
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You can easily get some money back by selling off bits of the car that you don't need.
It would be much easier to do something everyone else does..but it's something everyone else does. It is nice to have something a little
different. A nice 3 litre bmw engine will be different and pretty awesome!
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nick205
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posted on 26/4/11 at 10:01 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by fimi7
I would have to agree with davestarck, the more you go with a solution that is not frequently built, the more you will have to customize and the more
it will eventually cost.
If you are serious about building something, I would sell the donor and use something that many have built in the past. BEC, ford or something
common.
As for cost, many are hidden. The deluxe kit may sound pretty complete, till you start, then you realize its really about 65% of what you need, and I
am not including the engine in that percentage.
As it stands today I am about 7k in (not including my engine cost) and I have some ways to go.
With that said, do not back off or it will never get done. Do what most of us do. Start the project, forget about the cost or the money, pay for it in
small bits and pieces, take it slow and eventually it will get done
If you really are hung up on that engine, then do it.
I'd say that's pretty much spot on that.
There's a lot of hidden or un-budgetted costs in building and breaking new or uncommon ground will only push the cost and build time up.
Do not be put off though! I think most builders would agree that they wouldn't have started if they new the final cost, but once underway you
find ways round things.
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Calzonii
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posted on 26/4/11 at 03:40 PM |
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Sweet i reckon thats what ill do then for a 1st time build... keep it simple.. what sort of engine is common for an indy? i mean i could always sell
the bmw 3 lite and add a bit more to the budget.. something like a sierra cosworth or something? i take it has to have a rear wheel drive train
aswell?
Im a student at the moment so funds are alredy low.. (standard student lifestyle too much partying) been working my ass off every summer to get
enough to buy one a few of my mates are chipping in too tho. a bit of a group project. Im living with 3 mech engineers and an electrical engineer
and they are pretty keen to do it for their course. (personally im just lookin the free advice haha).
Have you guys got any photos of your cars that you can send me? I take it build manuals are fairly well explained?
Cal
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eddie99
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posted on 26/4/11 at 03:48 PM |
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Build manuals are the opposite of fairly well explained im afraid.... I am yet to see a half decent one... this website is the best build manual...
http://www.elitemotorsporteng.co.uk/
Twitter: @Elitemotoreng
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elite-Motorsport-Engineering/153409081394323
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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austin man
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posted on 26/4/11 at 03:51 PM |
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Plenty of life from a zetec its acheap install and quite common now
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
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Hellfire
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posted on 26/4/11 at 04:30 PM |
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Have you considered fitting a motorbike engine?
Phil
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Calzonii
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posted on 26/4/11 at 04:58 PM |
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Do you get a lot of power out of a motorbike engine? Im lookin to go fast in this baby haha
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Hellfire
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posted on 26/4/11 at 05:08 PM |
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For power/weight ratio and handling, BEC's take some beating.....
Phil
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SeanStone
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posted on 26/4/11 at 05:26 PM |
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I'm a uni student and I'm putting an S2000 engine in, it's taking a while but when it's done it will be savage, with huge
tuning potential.
I still vote the 330 engine, but..
Zetecs can be bought very cheaply and they take well to turbo kits.
Alternatively, the duratec can be tuned to around 180-200hp relatively cheaply. Nice all alloy engine, chain for the cams too.
From what I know of bike engines, they're hard to beat when you're out on full throttle all the time, but when it comes to traffic or just
not very fast driving, they're very cumbersome. I'm sure others will voice their opinion on this! But I have noticed a larger proportion
of people here with engines going pop having bike engined cars.
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Hellfire
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posted on 26/4/11 at 05:53 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by SeanStone
From what I know of bike engines, they're hard to beat when you're out on full throttle all the time, but when it comes to traffic or
just not very fast driving, they're very cumbersome. I'm sure others will voice their opinion on this!
Any chance you could explain this bit further?.....
quote: Originally posted by SeanStone
But I have noticed a larger proportion of people here with engines going pop having bike engined cars.
I haven't noticed many engines going pop lately but I reckon BEC and CEC are probably equal in that respect.....
Phil
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Calzonii
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posted on 26/4/11 at 06:08 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by eddie99
Build manuals are the opposite of fairly well explained im afraid.... I am yet to see a half decent one... this website is the best build manual...
Excellent -.- looks like you guys will be hearing a lot more from me then! haha
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StevieB
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posted on 26/4/11 at 06:15 PM |
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BEC's are just the same as any other car to drive in traffic.
In fact, a friend of mine had a Caterham with a tuned xflow fitted that was actually harder to drive in traffic than his current blade engined Lotus 7
S2.
For a cheap but rapid car, I reckon an early blade engine would be the best choice.
That said, any engine will be fast in a se7en of any type.
Don't get sucked in by the deluxe kit either - there are a lot of things on the list that you'll find cheaper elsewhere if you look
around..
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Calzonii
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posted on 27/4/11 at 12:10 AM |
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Decision made. INDY R. Seems to be a good few knowledgable people on here to help if things go wrong.
Whats the best (by that i mean CHEAPEST ) way to go about this? would you buy the pieces of the kit separately, get a starter kit or the deluxe? I
was thinking get the starter kit which will give me something to play with until i have enough to continue. Would anyone have a list perchance of all
items needed to build? And what part will i have to source from the donor vehicle apart from engine and ancillaries.
As for the engine i want something to make this baby go fast.. a zetec 2L perhaps or a sierra cosworth? Still not sure about a BEC.
Cheers
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Hellfire
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posted on 27/4/11 at 11:36 AM |
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Try and get yourself a passenger ride in both variants ie, BEC and CEC and then decide which bike engine you want to fit.
Phil
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Calzonii
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posted on 27/4/11 at 07:43 PM |
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might put my 11.5bhp lawnmower engine in it instead phil what u think?
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SeanStone
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posted on 27/4/11 at 07:44 PM |
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Keep an eye out on ebay for part built/non started kits. Could save you a lot of money!
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StevieB
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posted on 27/4/11 at 07:59 PM |
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Zetec is a well trodden (and therefore well catered for) route to go for a car engine. They're robust, cheap and plenty parts to tune them, as
well as the bits needed to install in a kit car.
As said though, have a go in a BEC before you decide. It might seem a little more expensive, but to tune a zetec to get that level of performance
would cost a hell of a lot of money (0-60 in 4ish seconds from most BEC's). Plus, you get a 6 speed sequential gearbox that can have a wheel
mounted paddle shift fitted for extra fun.
I had an R1 engined Indy and it was fantastic. When I build again, which may be either another se7en, a terrapin or maybe a middy of some sort,
it'll be bike engine all the way.
Have a go in both though before you decide either way - there's bound to be someone on here who lives near you who'll be willing to take
you out for a spin sometime.
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austin man
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posted on 27/4/11 at 08:34 PM |
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My zetec is a 1.8 with 2 litre cams bike carbs and megasquirt it runst round about 150 bhp, Brother in law has a 2 ltre with fast cams lightened
balance and stage 3 head it runs 199bhp would have possible got more but suffered fuel starvation at 5500 on hard acceleration. hopefully this is now
resolved. His car will rev to 8k no problems
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
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Calzonii
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posted on 27/4/11 at 11:39 PM |
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Bike engine is sounding more appealing now tbh i take it power to weight is wayyy better than in a CEC?.. also whats the noise like compared to CEC? i
dont want it to sound like a scooter.. lol
Im sure i could find someone with a kit about.. if not ill be over to England at some stage to annoy some of you all at a kit car show!
Thanks guys.
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daniel mason
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posted on 28/4/11 at 12:09 AM |
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you cant say one has more power to weight than another. unless you know the finished weight and power!
you might get a 130 bhp bike engined car weighing 500kgs or a 350 bhp cec weighing 650ks or the other way round. obviously any bike engined ar will be
light wwhich is good in the bends and under braking. but after 2 bec's im going cart engined this time to see what its like!
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