I'm new on here guys (and girls). This question has possibly been asked on here before no doubt, was just wondering what car(s) will be used as future donor cars dy'a think?

I'm saving up for a kit car at present and wont be near to being able to afford anything for about another 4 years or so. Obviously there wont be many Sierra parts around by then. Are locost/kit car manufactures in the process of developing their kits for use with other donor vehicles or should I start buying the Sierra parts now before they all go?

I think most people are thinking 3 series

get yourself a Sierra now and take all the bits off you need.
I paid £46 for one tax & tested and so far have reclaimed £40 in bits I didn't need for my kit!

Still got lights and pedals and heaters and loads of other stuff to sell to actually make a profit!

I reckon anything with Audi (middy, 1.8 turbo lump), bmw (any really, depends what you're building), Volvo (as Volvosport will no doubt be along to suggest). Later I think anything with a topnotch TDi unit like the golf might make an interesting middy.

ATB

Simon

mazda mx5,westfield are already using it as a single donor vehicle,rover 200/25 also being used in a marlin middi.
I think the new mev rocket is using the focus but not for every component,someone else may know more on that one!!!!!!!

I would put my money one the BMW 3 Series E30.... you can already pick one up for cheap as chips and some already have an LSD (318 seems like a good choice as a donor). Even some E36's can be found for bargin basement prices.

Having said that the MX5 route in some ways may be a better choice as I believe most of the components are lighter. Few more years and lots of rusty Series 1's should be turning up

The only major component of concern for the foreseeable future is the rear axle. Bike engines and boxes will be produced for years to come.
Far as the front end is concerned,either adapted stock FWD stub axles or bespoke fabricated ones will be the order of the day.

I read in a magazine, think it PPC mag that the E30 BM was been tipped as possible car to use as a donor. Might try'n start sourcing the parts now though just incase.

I vote for Subaru works stuffed in the back for a middy.
There are lots of choices for engine power and gear box, the layout should be easy using front uprights and drive shafts for rear suspension, front could use Rorty uprights and any old rack that goes in front of the axle.

I fancy a full bodied car with a lid, a bit more fibreglass than a locost though with some thought most the bottom half could be sheet ally as could the scuttle. Doors would be required for a hard top but you could jump over the side into a spyder.

I am afraid my aesthetic is pretty stuck in the Le Mans Can Am cars of the late 60s and 70s I might even be tempted to ask the Foreman lot for panels for their Ferrari p330, to my mind the most beautiful track Ferrari or the Dino the cutest Road version!

Mind you I still fancy a Chapperal and it would be a good excuse for using an auto box!

caber

for a locost i would count out the e30/e36 bmw because of the weight.
MX5 looks a more likely route..
Maybe single donor vehicles will be no more ,you might have to source parts of many cars..
how many new cars thesedays come without power steering..we will all be down the scrappies soon trying to find freelander diffs etc etc....GET a sierra while you can,I did and have most parts ready if I ever start a build.Im'e sure in four years time there will still be kit manufacturers selling sierra based kits..................ps i think mid engine kits like the r1ot SE and onyx mongoose are going take of big style as the fwd engines are an easy fit,,

[Edited on 16/2/07 by grahamgg]

who mentioned volvo ?

Hit us with the list VolvoSport!!!!

Nissan 200sx looks good, instant 200bhp. Mx-5 also good, easy to turbo for silly power too if thats your bag. Of them all, I most like the idea of a small 6 out of the 3-series or z3. Lot of work getting it to work in a locost though i think...

4/5/6 cylinder whiteblock

4 cylinder redblock - all with rwd gearboxes available .

180 bhp std on 2.3 turbo .

11th march RWYB - come check it out . santa pod

[Edited on 17/2/07 by Volvorsport]

Any of the big four will be OK for donor vehicles in the future, just as they are now

Kawasaki
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki

Cars just provide an easy source of running gear. Doesn't really matter which though.......

Phil

Hi! I'm a new member, my name is Laurent, and I'm french.

You talk about Locost kits, and nowadays donor cars useable. But what about the Locost from the book http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859606369/daveosbornslo-21 ?

I'm not an ingenieur, so I will only do with the dimensions from the book... would BMW or other younger car parts fits the original chassis ?
And what about the costs?

With a Sierra based project, do I have big changes compared to the book dimensions?
Maybe you know a Locost builder website based on a Sierra?


Thank you very much for your help !

Laurent

[Edited on 25/2/07 by Laurent]

[Edited on 25/2/07 by Laurent]

quote:

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Originally posted by Hellfire
Any of the big four will be OK for donor vehicles in the future, just as they are now

Kawasaki
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki

Phil

---

Don't forget vans. Most of the Jap vans have wishbone front suspension, live axle (some with LSD), rack&pinion steering.

The Suzuki Carry has a similar width axle to the Escort, an all-alloy 16v 1.3 engine, compact 5-speed (similar ratios to Sierra), and a 3-link rear.

Petrol-engined Mazda and Mitsubishi vans have car-based engines and gearboxes (2-litre Mitsi L300 shares engine and gearbox internals with Starion, Mazda B2000 shares gearbox with MX5).

iirc the Rover LT77 hides under the Leyland/DAF van. Even the Transit shares it's MT75 gearbox with the Sierra (think I saw that posted here recently).

quote:

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Originally posted by grahamgg
mazda mx5,westfield are already using it as a single donor vehicle,rover 200/25 also being used in a marlin middi.
I think the new mev rocket is using the focus but not for every component,someone else may know more on that one!!!!!!!

---

HMM what is the worlds best selling little sports car.

Available all over the world that easily supplies the complete running gear.

Is light cheap and has plenty of tunning goodies for the engine.

Ian at STM has already years ago done a locost around it westfield have followed .

I think it is already time for a new book to replace the out of date one just released based on the sierra.

IT'S MAZDA MX5

cheers matt

Edit IMHO

[Edited on 8/3/07 by procomp]

Do you mean Keith Tanner's book?

Problem with MX5 etc is that although they might be relatively plentiful for a sports car, they simply aren't on the roads or in the scrap yards in numbers anything like Sierras were. Maybe supply is still sufficient to satisfy the relatively small demand of the kit/self build industry but in my experience you don't exactly see them stacked high at the scrappies'.

I think mid-engined using FWD running gear will be the way forward. Obviously they won't be sevens but the choice of donors is huge and they are plentiful and cheap as chips. Front uprights and steering racks are an issue but not a biggie.

[Edited on 9/3/07 by matt_claydon]

Hi you dont buy the bits for the mx5 from a scrappie . You go to the guys that import the cars/parts.

You can have all the running gear you require from the mazda for as little as £500 whithout having to dispose of an unwanted shell/remains.

cheers matt