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Not quite a Kit Car..... but pretty close!
Lew The Machine - 23/3/12 at 10:12 AM

Hey Guys!

Just thought id kinda introduce myself and the build (noticed this forum doesnt have the usual "New Member" area?)
Im currently building a Reliant kitten but with a difference...
Plans so far are:

Reliant Kitten Estate body (single skinned) with standard chassis.

...THATS WHERE RELIANTS INPUT STOPS...

Cortina Front bubs with custom wishbones.

Sierra based kit car inspired rear independent rear suspension (bolting the whole cradle to the original chassis).

full roll cage/chassis bracing.

13" wheels @ sierra track width (big arches).

engine is still pub talk but thinking smething 4cyl inline turbo?

other than that things are pretty undecided, joined here as pretty much every search i did related to using the cortina/sierra bits came up with a link back to this site!

Hope im welcome here?

i have so many questions but will do my best to stick to the "search button" to answer them!

All the best!

Lewis


Macbeast - 23/3/12 at 10:20 AM

Of course you're welcome here Lew

We like insane people


sprouts-car - 23/3/12 at 10:27 AM

Welcome to the forum.

There is one rule: We need pictures


hughpinder - 23/3/12 at 10:37 AM

Welcome to the site! Now how long will it be before the bike engine or car engine debate starts?
Hugh


dhutch - 23/3/12 at 10:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by hughpinder
Welcome to the site! Now how long will it be before the bike engine or car engine debate starts?
Hugh

Its not really a debate is it, everyone knows the answer!


hughpinder - 23/3/12 at 10:43 AM

Hey, I haven't had time to get the popcorn in yet
Hugh


ReMan - 23/3/12 at 10:43 AM

Welcome aboard.
Youve got a hard act to follow here.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=152056

Been bike and now car engined so who better to know


Lew The Machine - 23/3/12 at 10:45 AM

Haha cheers guys!

I promise ill get some pics up soon!

unfortunately all i currently have to show is the single skinned shell, a standard chassis prime for butchery and a pile of lovely old ford bits!

im currently in the process of buying all the ball joints, bushes, nuts, bolts, washers etc and then some fabrication can begin! im aiming to have it sitting on its wheels by summer!


procomp - 23/3/12 at 10:56 AM

Hi

Another local gone nuts. There's a few off us in the area Inc the guy i had in the workshop yesterday with a 400Hp RWD fiesta slowly taking shape.

Pop down if you need any help advice tea / coffee.

Cheers Matt


Lew The Machine - 23/3/12 at 10:59 AM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Welcome aboard.
Youve got a hard act to follow here.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=152056

Been bike and now car engined so who better to know


Yeah im a member of the same Reliant Forum as Froggy, his build is pretty awesome tbf!

i originally intended to go for a honda super blackbird 1100 engine but the torque figures make me sad!

it will be car engined but not sure what yet, options are the CA18DET from a 180sx, C20LET, or i could copy froggy and go b234/b204 but thats a bit cheeky i suppose!

its all dependant on engine height really, i want to keep it as low as possible!

im open to any suggestions btw! throw some ideas at me

only thing id say is: no V8's ... its got to be turbo ... and im not a euromillions winner so keep it sensible


Lew The Machine - 23/3/12 at 11:17 AM

quote:
Originally posted by procomp
Hi

Another local gone nuts. There's a few off us in the area Inc the guy i had in the workshop yesterday with a 400Hp RWD fiesta slowly taking shape.

Pop down if you need any help advice tea / coffee.

Cheers Matt


Where abouts are you Matt?

thanks for the offer

Might pop over for that coffee and a chat (and if you dont mind: a snoop around one of yours if you have a sierra based rear end one?)


MikeRJ - 23/3/12 at 12:02 PM

Presumably this is going to be front engined rather than mid-engined? How about the Volvo B23 Redblock engine, if you can find one?


froggy - 23/3/12 at 12:26 PM

I still say 1.8 mx5 motor then add a supercharger . We had this discussion a while back and I still think its a winner.


Lew The Machine - 24/3/12 at 12:47 AM

Yeah front engine rwd!

I do remember the conversation about using mx5 bits, but it was never a direction i wanted to take! And superchargers are... Not for me! I always loved the idea of turbo power in the kitten, even when i was thinking about bike engines, but they simply aren't upto it! (unless you throw big money at them)

Engines aren't really on my mind at the minute anyway, im still at the stage where I'm contemplating rose or ball joints on my wishbones haha!


spiderman - 24/3/12 at 01:08 AM

Cosworth 4x4 turbo?


unijacko67 - 24/3/12 at 11:21 AM

Hi Lew,

I’ve gone s2000/Kitten as I wanted good reliable power, but only just getting started.


scudderfish - 24/3/12 at 02:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Lew The Machine
only thing id say is: no V8's ...


Blasphemer! Burn the heretic!



Lew The Machine - 25/3/12 at 05:40 PM

4x4 would be cool but probably better on a chassis built for it rather than hacking up mine to accept it :S

S2000 is a cool choice! What do you have planned for suspension, brakes, axle etc?

Sorry for the blaspheming about V8s my mate builds drag cars and keeps banging on about using a v8 and rv8 lumps are so small i could probably get two or three of em in there lol! I suppose never say never but I just can't see it being the way I end up going!


unijacko67 - 25/3/12 at 09:40 PM

S2000 engine and box, Alfa 105 rear live axle, very strong with lsd and thicker shafts, coilovers all round, double wishbone front, alloy uprights, hubs etc. So same front and rear setup as standard kitten, but all re-done with wider track, but same wheelbase. Not sure about brakes, but using 15” x 7” wheels so should have plenty of options with bias pedal box. Hope to get chassis back soon as I’ve got Darren Bingley doing it for me.


Volvorsport - 25/3/12 at 10:36 PM

second the volvo .....

i just sold my kit car engine/gearbox/loom, lots of other bits for £50....

i needed the space.....


Lew The Machine - 26/3/12 at 12:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Volvorsport
second the volvo .....

i just sold my kit car engine/gearbox/loom, lots of other bits for £50....

i needed the space.....


£50!!!

That's crazy money for an engine alone never mind with a box and loom!

Never heard anything about these lumps? Pretty tuneable? How tall are they (sump to rocker)? Being Volvo I'm guessing they wiegh around the same as a medium size house though lol?