Hi all

Just thought id pop in and give a quick intro about myself and my plans sorry if its in the wrong section could not find an intro section

Im Paul and live in the North West, iv had a plan to build a kit for a while and I guess you have all heard that a million times on here lol. Well my partner has told me that I need a bucket list of things to do on and off for the last couple of months so and after finding a kit car mag while having a tidy up I jokingly said ok ill build a kit car that can go on my bucket list well she looked at me and said ok thats a good idea and a start.

I didn't think much more of it but have been giving it a bit more thought of late, im about to rebuild and move the shed at home and make a bit of room that im planning on covering over a bit like a car port if you like of the wall that runs at the back of the property and putting in nice wide double gates. The thinking of this was so that if I need to work on anything when the wet stuff comes down I dont have to pack up tools and plus there safer at the rear of the house than they are sat on drive way when running in to use the toilet etc

Then it hit me that im going to have a good 7 feet of head room and a good amount of room and thought a bit more that maybe I could use that space for a build and a bit of a winter project etc along with the room in the new shed etc

I bought the how to build a kit car book a long time back and I have always liked the Lotus 7 style of car so I thought ok ill have a butchers down that route and more I read more I like the idea, still got a lot to read up on as I see the MX5 is now a popular donor for a 7 style car bit not got as far as what is needed or age of car etc yet.

At this current moment in time im getting ready to build the new shed come "playpen" as its become known here lol and get the car port and covered area up and im working on an old harvey frost recovery unit thats used for motorsport recovery

Just got a copy of kitcar mag from supermarket tonight and will be having a read of that and on here and forming a plan up.

Oh I should also mention I work in the automotive sector so parts and tools and things should not be a problem and im a petrol head at heart so just the chance to get oily and greasy and make something fun is all the excuse I need now just need to sell it to the girlfriend but im sure she wont mind too much, well I can live in hope lol

Well think thats about it I will be having a nose around and learning what I can so looking forward to having a natter about the place and getting to know people on here

all the best

Paul

Welcome to the best car forum for fresh builds.

Your in a great situation it seems. I have no garage or space so i brought mine built and tinker with it.

Use the search button on here as you will have many questions that have already been asked.

Also buy PPC mag. Considered widely as the best mag that is relevant to what we do. It will widen your thoughts and give you inspiration to go unique with your build.

Enjoy and make sure you have deep pockets! !

hello and welcome

I'd say that you should get out and have a look at a few kits and locosts in the flesh, the stoneleigh show is probably one of the best places to do this but you'll need to wait till next year now

try to meet up with other local builders/owners (there are a few regular meets around the country - were in the north west are you ? )

if your considering buying a kit its worth visiting a few of the factories to get a good look at what you get for your money, also most will at least take you out for a passenger ride in one - then you'll be hooked
some makes are cheaper than others, but that doesn't always mean that the finished car isn't as good
(lots of old threads on the merits of the different kits)


as you say the mx5 is becoming a more popular donor now, but so are BMW E36/E46's and plenty of folk still use sierra's (although these are getting a bit harder to find now)

one thing that will help you narrow down your options is the engine choice - just about anything can or has already be used by someone, some are easier and/or cheaper than others though
have you got a short list of engines you'd like to use ?

[Edited on 6/8/2013 by mcerd1]

Hi guys

thanks for the warm welcome

I am pritey sure I would like to build a 7 style car something along the lines of the roadster or locost in general, I have had a quick look at whats about with the likes of the Westfield etc and some of the smaller companies that are out there but im still having a good look at whats out there. I know its going to be a long long build for me im planning prob 18 months to 2 years anything under is a bonus but im not going to go into this rushing as I know ill just end up on a road to no where with that and the last thing I want is to put another part finished kit on ebay

As for doner I am thinking MX-5 based as there cheap enough and easy to source though the idea of the power out of a BMW lump is appealing but then I don't think id be able to afford the cost of the donor let alone the build lol

One thing I know I want to do is put my own twists and design styles into it so that its not just another copy of a Lotus 7 or Caterham looking car

Still lots and lots of reading to do and research and im making room here at home bit by bit ready to build the new shed and covered work area am hoping by the end of this week I will be in a position to start laying the base for the new shed and once thats up the old one can be emptied with tools and everything being sorted out and some order made to the chaos lol

Then its time to build the covered car port come work area once that's up im going to look at sourcing the donor car

I would like to do as much as I can with the build but I do know that one of my limitations is the welding of the chassis so I wil be looking to buy a built chassis I think so I know its right and strong and safe, I don't mind learning to weld on some of the less important bits.

Im going to do some reading up on the various kits and companies that are out there and then go from there and any I can visit ill take a trip out to them. Also need to have a look at what the donor cars are changing hands for I am 90% sold on the MX5 but hey if a 3 series comes along for right money then ill look at it.

Im just out side Chester and Liverpool don't think there's any companies out this way.

Oh why I think on whats PPC Mag ????

Welcome!

I wouldn't discount the bmw there are some very cheap ones out there. I paid somewhere around 375 for a 318is coupe with the 140bhp m42 engine. All the bits I didn't need were flogged such as the leather interior and door motors etc and I ended up with an engine, box, front brakes, steering column, loom, diff and driveshafts for free. I would have made more by weighing in the shell but I ran out of time so let a mate do it.

I then changed tack completely and went bike engined but that's another story.....

The best advice would be to get to the shows and any local meets to see the various cars out there and blag some passenger rides.

Welcome. Sounds like a result; You get to build a car and it was your partners idea.

If you put your rough location in your profile that'll give you a chance of getting some some local to get in touch.

Getting to some of the shows will help get your plans sorted. Donington is coming up this month. There's also the TotalKitCar Live event at Blyton park next month.

...and PPC = Practical Performance Car

adithorp - I nearly fell over when she said yeah that can go on your bucket list, always saw them as a fashion thing but hey if it lets me play then hell ill have one will sort my profile out too in a bit get that upto date

thanks for heads up on ppc ill have a look in the local shop tomorrow it will give me and excuse to get out of the shop and go walk about for 10 mins so result

Would love to do a show but just started a new job and hit them with a lot of time off that I need at weekends for my other hobby, I marshal in various forms and do recovery for motorsport events so have just threw all the dates in and don't want to push my luck too much but a show would be great

sdh2903 - im going to have a look out over the next few weeks and months at donors and like you went id love to do a bike engine one if only for the fact that I can have a flappy paddle gear box now if there is a kit there to do that with a MX-5 or BMW engine let me know as that would be lots of fun

One question I do have at the moment what age of car am I best looking for, I know I will prob answer that question myself at some point looking at kits online and articles builds etc but would be nice to know

I run a tablet in my car at the moment and it would be nice to be able to throw it in the kit and see all the engine info for sensors etc on the screen so ODB-II would be fantastic just for the geek in me lol I do like my tech and gadgets hahaha

Sort of know what I want to build Cobra 427 would be great but think a 7 is more inline with me at the moment and I can always do a 2nd car and do a cobra then. Right time to put kettle on and do some more reading thanks again for all the advice and support think iv found a great forum to support me in my build

do you have a budget in mind? are you buying a kit or scratch building the chassis?
generally the further you deviate from the norm,the more it will cost. and a single donor vehicle car will almost certainly work out cheapest unless you buy a older registered car then swap out engine for something more appropriate! as then there is no IVA test to worry about which could save a lot of money if doing i bike engine install. no reverse gear,no test or re test fee etc! just a thought

Pre August 1995 build donor means slacker exhaust emissions at Iva time. I.e no catalytic converter required. Plenty of rusting mx5s and e36 bmws around.

wow I need to stop blinking lol

Daniel - no real budget in mind to be honest I know with a project like this a budget will need to be doubled etc etc I will be keeping an eye on the pennies as im a tight fisted bugger lol but iv taken the view it will cost what it will cost if I can get something cheap then ill take it and if I can sell stuff I don't need from the donor then that will go back into the pot. I am thinking of of this as my birthday pressie to myself year after next so im aiming around June 2015 as my target date anything sooner is a bonus.

I am thinking I will buy the chassis built up that way I don't have to worry about the learning to weld bit for suck a big part of it, I am planning on a welder at some point but I can practice on making other bits and let the experts do the chassis ill concentrate on the mechanics and bolting together bit.

sdh2903 - cheers I don't mind running a cat for IVA as long as one on donor is not shot and a later car would give me the ODB-II to play with too

starting the hunt on ebay for bits and bobs and get head around donor prices etc

Forget OBD2, Megasquirt it and run MSDroid

I'd guess MNR are the closest to you and they get a good name too http://www.mnrltd.co.uk/

just a couple of thoughts for you...

will you be using it mostly on the road or the track ?

for the same power would you rather have a very high revving engine or big lazy engine with bags of torque ?

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul_H
I don't mind running a cat for IVA as long as one on donor is not shot

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mcerd1 - thank you for the link I will give them a look and have a butchers and also some good questions there too

I am intending to build a road car come play thing so having a bit of grunt to go and take it to play on a track would be nice but for the majority of the time it will be your average road car but with a butch attitude lol

I was thinking about the cat after I posted last time and was thinking of the exhaust and how the cat would fit into the system and now I know you can get ones built into the silencer it answers a few questions I had about it

Done a bit more thinking and looking and my main questions are pritey much around the donor car and what to go for. I think id like a 2.0L engine in there and I do like the Mazda Twin Cams and I guess I could live with a 1.8 personally I think a 1.6 would be a bit small I know its a power to weight thing and a 1.6 is more than enough in the car but being a petrol head just the thought of a 2.0 gets the creative juices flowing

I was thinking of using as much factory stuff as possible to kerb the chances of problems down the line but as I know allot has changed in the ECU setups and markets since I last looked at anything like this I guess there are now more options than there used to be. I would like the ability to play with the setup and if using an after market product is the way to go then ill go down that road but if the stock items are easy to play with and upgrade then that would work too. I don't want to go too stupid and compromise reliability etc just for the sake of an extra couple of MPH that lets face it would get used little and far between.

Right off to have a look at that link and also have a look outside and see what dad has done in the back of the property today. Hoping that on Monday I can start ordering stuff in to lay the base of the new shed and from then on its moving forward as once that shed is up I can organize all my stuff and tools and get the old shed knocked down then its onto the covered working area and then it will be full steam ahead with some projects at last just seems to be taking ages to get the ball rolling and get past the move stuff around and make room for new shed which is step one :s

adding a super charger to an mx5 engines is well trodden path

or maybe this could be of interest: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=161146
no reason why that wouldn't fit in a 7

supercharger now your talking my type of fun

hmmm V6 never knew they did a mx5 with that wooo hooooo right more reading is needed and a book marks folder on my pc I think hahahaha

Just found the excocet kit I like some aspects of that but think id rather stick to a typical 7 as my partner was not that fussed on the exocet but did like the pic of the new caterham in a deep red so think that has helped my argument lol

One of the things on my todo list is find some builds do you have any links to some MX-5 builds or recomendations for a chassis ???? am I right in guessing that the panels and bodywork are pritey much the same, part of the apeal is finding the parts etc and dont really want to just roll up wack out a load of cash and get a bunch of boxes with the bits in id like the fun of haggling and hunting etc im a bit mad like that lol

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul_H
hmmm V6 never knew they did a mx5 with that wooo hooooo

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Did a quick look on ebay and saw a few V6 Mazda engines and I think that would be bonkers in a 7 type car

Am seeing allot of threads and posts about there being little info out and about on the chassis going from a ford setup to a mazda setup.

Does anyone make a full chassis for a mazda setup, I don't mind having to get creative with the build but as im not a competent welder I don't want to have to go making changes or making things up on the chassis and running gear side of things as far as that side of it is concerned I do want a ready to rock and roll chassis that I can strip parts of the donor refurb and clean etc and bolt on.

I want to let me creative side run down things like the color of the car, routing of piping and tweeks and twists to the engine etc to give it my personal stamp on it. I saw a chassis from Talon Designs I think it was on ebay

well off to bed to dream nice dreams of the wind in my hair and power slides round the local round about that is more diesel than it is tarmac lol oh and new phone should be here tomorrow so dreams of that too lol

take care boys and girls

quote:

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Originally posted by Paul_H
Does anyone make a full chassis for a mazda setup

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thanks buddy I think for now ill take it easy on myself and stick with the standard 1.8 setup in a car that light it should be plenty quick enough and im thinking of seeing what subtle mods I can do to the engine to ease a bit more out of it without risking blowing it up, things like cams, filters etc plus it will give me an excuse to by an engine stand

Will have a look at them links and go from there cheers again fella

How about Roadrunner Racing SR2 for being Mazda based?

quote:

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Originally posted by mcerd1
adding a super charger to an mx5 engines is well trodden path

or maybe this could be of interest: http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=161146
no reason why that wouldn't fit in a 7

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had a quick look at roadrunner and that looks to be just about what I would like to achieve in the whole 7 style look and give me slack to be creative and do some things the way I would like to give it that touch of individuality also liking the turbo on there car that is something I would really be interested in looking at

rb968 - nice car and I will sit down and have a proper read through your thread im on a day off today so trying to do some bits that are constructive but not got allot of get up and go and iv got to travel out to Accrington later on tonight for a training session so trying to find them little jobs I can do that arnt too involved, saving them for tomorrow when I get a full day off.