Buy this one for less than the starter kit cost from any kit manufacturer, and be on the road in a month rather than a year!
Then when you realise the pinto isn't fast enough, take it off the road next winter and fit a bike engine!
Cheers
Mike
Being new to kit cars and having no knowledge of them, I was wondering which seven style kit is the easiest to build.
My definition of easy is bolt together, eg like Mecano and with limited tools rather than fabricating and shaping and requiring a machine shop.
I really like the look of the MNR Vortex and would prefer a bike engined vehicle.
Any advice or a cheap bargin just let me know.
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=105484
Buy this one for less than the starter kit cost from any kit manufacturer, and be on the road in a month rather than a year!
Then when you realise the pinto isn't fast enough, take it off the road next winter and fit a bike engine!
Cheers
Mike
Are there any JUST bolt together? I am in a simalar boat TBH and think i will be going the MNR route once the new/bigger garage is sorted.
Fromwhat I understand, unless you go Caterham (big bucks) or Westfield (slightly smaller bucks but still big), you will do considerable more than
bolt together.
That Mac#1 sure looks good from where I sit. I sincerely doubt you could find a better deal. go with somebody who knows these things to check it out
with you. Hire Steve H.
Do a search on engine changes if you really want a BEC. You are in the right place.
[Edited on 3/2/09 by RK]
If you want something that easy why not buy a finished car or a partly built kit and 'tweak' to your own requirements?
I got to say i dont think cheap and easy to put together will go hand in hand. I have an MNR and its a great kit car with a friendly team to try and
help but it does require alot of owner input, research, problem solving like most the cars on here such as the MK indy, Mac1, Tiger Avon etc. In my
personal experience having done a mechanical engineering diploma and a summer apprentaship Ive had small to major problems ie manual covers fitting
the engine in a sentance and a picture but there is far more to work out - loom wiring took me ages. Most kits wont offer much detail on engines
because of the variety of choice on offer. The real meccano cars are the Caterhams and Westfields but as you probably know there expensive. Saying all
that, if you have the confidence in what your doing, basic DIY car skills, good friends to call on for lifting and an extra set of hands and most
importantly a lot of time and dedication you could probably build any of the above cars .
Adam
[Edited on 3/2/09 by bassett]
Second the MNR and the guys there will assemble it to whatever level you require.
It is bike engined orientated as Chris tried to persuade me a car engine was no good
Steve
Another vote for the MNR
It wont be done in a day though- nor will
any of the others
However, if you build it you will know every bit
of it & learn a lot. Mine has taken longer than
most because of limited working time.
If you are really wanting to build quickly MNR
will be offering build space in their new
workshops I believe.
Order kit, take a couple of weeks off work,
build it there & drive it home!!!!
Whatever you do try to get a drive in a few
(cec & bec) -then order the bec
GeorgeM
It really depends whether you build to a budget or to a spec. Yes, Caterham are expensive but I think some of you would be surprised at what a Westfield can be built for
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Quinn
It really depends whether you build to a budget or to a spec. Yes, Caterham are expensive but I think some of you would be surprised at what a Westfield can be built for
If you want a bolt together kit go Westfield, relatively good price for what you get!
caterham or westfield for bolt together 'kit' if you don't mind working hard and problem solving then an MK Indy or MNR (IMHO).
I only have experience of an MK Indy but I think that MK could do more to help the builder along a standard path e.g. which radiator they recommend
and then sell you the rad and suitable brackets to fit. I reckon they could increase their turnover significantly by selling parts to build their
kits.
I think MNR have taken this route, so I guess logically their kits are easier to build. Who knows! my next project will have one seat!
quote:
Originally posted by GeorgeM
If you are really wanting to build quickly MNR
will be offering build space in their new
workshops I believe.
Order kit, take a couple of weeks off work,
build it there & drive it home!!!!
Now theres an idea.
Which ever way you go.... you have made the right start. You Joined the Locostbuilders site.
You now have access to so much information and help from experienced builders. It wont matter how bad the problem is, you will always get advice on
here. Even if its advice you dont want to hear!
I agree about the Caterhams. You only have to look at what a 20 year old Cateringvan will fetch. They still make £6k or £7k, which is good considering
their age.
Still.... even home built se7ens will hold a reasonable price.
If you are not experienced, then just take the build a lot slower, and take advice from here if you are not sure.
Dont buy a half built, home made chassis off Ebay, without seeing it first, and taking someone VERY experienced in chassis building with you. You
could make youself a LOT of extra work that way.
In my opinion, If you have little experience, buy a kit from a manufacturer. At least it will be straight, and things will fit.
I still like the MK Indy as a good basic machine. OK I have a Viento, as I am a Bat F'Stard, but I can easily get into an Indy, even though I am
a snug fit in a Locost.
Be Brave... take the plunge.
Also check that any kit you buy is IVA compliant, as the SVA is being dropped in a couple of months.
Have fun... its not impossibly difficult and may even take you a couple of years to complete. There is plenty of help available via this site, so just
do it.
To be frank, if you don't want to do more than follow instructions, Haynes manual style, you will be better off buying a car built on an
established, professionally made chassis by a competent builder.
Any kit car will require you to make your own decisions and work out how to do stuff, so it will not be "easy". Not a criticism of
"easy", just an observation.
Plus, have you owned one before? What if you build it and decide you would have been much happier with a production car/fast bike? You will have put
in a lot of hours and, if you're not really up for complexity and doing everything the hard way, possibly spent more than you intended.
quote:
Originally posted by Promai Joe
Being new to kit cars and having no knowledge of them, I was wondering which seven style kit is the easiest to build.
My definition of easy is bolt together, eg like Mecano and with limited tools rather than fabricating and shaping and requiring a machine shop.
I really like the look of the MNR Vortex and would prefer a bike engined vehicle.
Any advice or a cheap bargin just let me know.
Have a read of the build/rebuild diaries on our website. It should give you some idea of what's involved in building an MK although the other
kits such as MNR, MAC#1 etc will be very similar.
Phil
I agree with some of the comments above - if you want an easy and quick build, get a Westfield or Caterham. Both will go together almost like
Meccano, and will put you on the road very quickly.
The down-side is that it will not be cheap for a complete package (i.e. you buy the whole kit from them, including engine & transmission).
The Westie will be cheaper than the Caterham, however...
A friend of ours built a Westfield and still had to do quite a bit of fettling and adapting. If you want a kit but don't feel confident in your
abilities why not buy a ready built one and just lie about building it yourself
http://www.mevltd.co.uk/
uses a ford focus donor and is built upwards from a chassis fabricated by the factory. £3850 for the sonic 7 kit I believe? And it looks
cracking...
fair enough, not a 7 replica but the future of kitcars in this country as the supply of sierra's and other rwd donors start to dry up... Could be
worth a look maybe 
if you do decide on a MEV, let me know how you get on cos I wanna build one next!
quote:
Originally posted by paul the 6th
http://www.mevltd.co.uk/
uses a ford focus donor and is built upwards from a chassis fabricated by the factory. £3850 for the sonic 7 kit I believe? And it looks cracking...
fair enough, not a 7 replica but the future of kitcars in this country as the supply of sierra's and other rwd donors start to dry up... Could be worth a look maybe
Thanks guys (and girls - if I missed reading a name).
I have been toying with this idea for a while and am still saving my money. I have had fat bikes and this is why I want a kit car. I want decent
performance and a completely impractical vehicle.
I have also thought of buying a second hand first and then a kit just to ensure my enthusiasm stays with the build. If the chap from the first post
will take installments or a wife an child I am happy to swap!
I have also looked at the MEV and thought what a funky looking machine and similar to the principle of the seven, light weight, small good handling.
The long term goal is to build a car get a van and a couple of bikes and go to Germany with my brother and race round the ring.
So thanks for the advice and if I can find a second hand Westie then I have the best of both worlds, something I can rip apart and put back together
and a working car.
Although the MNR is the dream, with the full cage and a screaming bike engine.mmmmmmm
Wife and child still going cheap. Is there a section for this?