Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: New boy questions
Davegtst

posted on 25/9/09 at 08:50 AM Reply With Quote
New boy questions

Hi everyone, i'm new here.
I'm in the process of deciding which kit i want to build and could use some of your input. I really like the idea of a BEC And have been looking at The MK indy, Mac#1 and Tiger avon. From looking through this site the Avon seems to be the worst of the 3, what would you reccomend i go for? I have never built a kit before but i have been a mechanic for 12 years so i'm confidant i won't have too much trouble. I hope to be going to the show in Exeter so hopefully i'll get a better understanding then.
Thanks Dave

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Mr Whippy

posted on 25/9/09 at 08:53 AM Reply With Quote
Hi

You say you like the idea of a BEC but what is it you like about them? Is the car for the road or track? I’d suggest you blag a ride in a few cars with different engines before you make your mind up.





Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Ben_Copeland

posted on 25/9/09 at 08:55 AM Reply With Quote
Definately have a look at some shows.... their all very similar, but the stylings different. I'm not keen on some of the kits cos they look 'odd'.

Also if you a big frame it's worth checking you can fit lol

Definately check whether you actually want a BEC because a few people have been changing back recently !





Ben

Locost Map on Google Maps


Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes Roadster

Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
deezee

posted on 25/9/09 at 08:58 AM Reply With Quote
Having just read the post about bi22le crashing his Mac 1.... I'd get a Mac1. Motorway speed accident and he walked away. That says a LOT about the quality and engineering of the car.






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
cd.thomson

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:02 AM Reply With Quote
it doesnt say anything about the other cars though unless we setup some kind of experiment with a tintop control group and various kits travelling at set speeds into a barrier

I'm not sure thats a way to judge!





Craig

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
omega0684

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:05 AM Reply With Quote
out of the three i would definately go with either MK or MNR. i have seen both up close and had a ride in both as well. Both kits are very nice, personally i think its a difficult decision to pick between the two. i would say its down to personal preference.

i would also agree with comments already stated, before choosing a kit get to a show and ask if you can have a sit in the different cars, to get a good understanding on driving position comfort etc and then see if anyone will take you out for a short blat.

personally im a CEC man,the car car be driven more casually and comfortably than BEC's i think, i do like the 'whale' of a BEC as its flying threw the gears but to me it just seems that the engine and driver seem to be absolutely mental all the time!

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Gav

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:11 AM Reply With Quote
As above i would make sure its really a BEC you want.
I have just got my scratch built BEC OTR after 4 years.

When i started building it i thought thats really what i wanted and i had never been in any.
Now its OTR its everything thing i could of hoped for
But there is this little part of me nagging away thinking it might be slightly easier to live with if i had a car engine.

[Edited on 25/9/09 by Gav]






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
t16turbotone

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:28 AM Reply With Quote
i can only 'mirror' what the other lads say- i have driven a mates 'blackbird' engined 7 and it is breathtaking quick through the gears and a brilliant car. However they do require a more mental style of driving and its fair to say the car has had quite a few clutch, gearbox problems and spends quite a lot of time in bits.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Coose

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:41 AM Reply With Quote
My R1 Striker was awesome and took me all over the country with ease. The only glitches I had would have occurred with a CEC too.

If you want to bimble you can, if you really do wat to sit on a motorway you can do that too (but why would you - buy a nice Mondeo instead!). But, chuck it at a track and it takes a VERY special CEC or a not-so-special one driven very, very well to keep pace......

(And that was without changing anything on my Striker when on-track - just rocking up and playing!)





Spin 'er off Well...

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Richard Quinn

posted on 25/9/09 at 09:44 AM Reply With Quote
Now, I have to disagree a little here. Ok my BEC doesn't have one of the "usual suspect" engines but I find it quite easy to drive sensibly and around time. I have spent a bit of time working out clutch throw and feel so it is not a hair trigger etc. Yes, it still "clonks" through the gears like a bike engine but the only thing that I really would change if doing it again would be to include a reverse (which I would have to now for IVA anyway).
I think some of it is a mindset thing. I've got 14,000 rpm available so I'm going to use them sort of thing!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Davey D

posted on 25/9/09 at 10:28 AM Reply With Quote
Have to agree with above. Ive got an R1 engined car, and i can happily cruise along in a quiet, and civilised manner. the only thing you will still get being a bec is the clonky gear change at lowers speeds. You have a sequential box, which can be setup as paddle shift meaning you dont have to take your hands off the steering wheel, but if your doing a lot of town driving with traffic you can be up, and down the box alot, where with a manual car engined box you can change to a lower gear much easier with block changes :-)

Each choice has its pro's, and Con's. I keep thinking if i do it again id like to try a Supercharged Duratec engine with 6 speed MX5 box, as im always worrying about the durability of the bike engine. It is a great feeling screaming upto 13000 RPM though






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Davegtst

posted on 25/9/09 at 10:48 AM Reply With Quote
Ohhh, lots of quick replys. I would love to have a go in a BEC and CEC just to see the difference. The main reasons i wanted a BEC was the noise, revs, sequential box and to have something a bit different. It will be mainly used on the road with a few trackdays a year but i would only be using it as a bit of fun and not a daily driver. Basically i want to be scared stupid by it.

If you were to put 2 MK's next to each other one with say a 2.0 zetec and one with a fireblade how would they compare?

[Edited on 25/9/09 by Davegtst]

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
welderman

posted on 25/9/09 at 10:50 AM Reply With Quote
If your after a passenger ride, maybe change your profile to your location

Joe





Thank's, Joe

I don't stalk people


http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/23/viewthread.php?tid=172301

Back on with the Fisher Fury R1

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Davegtst

posted on 25/9/09 at 11:08 AM Reply With Quote
Wasn't fishing for a passenger ride but i've changed it anyway, cheers Joe. My idea was to build the lightest i possibly could which is another reason for a BEC.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Gergely

posted on 25/9/09 at 11:36 AM Reply With Quote
BEC is great, we have an MNR with R1, too. But it is great for trackwork or quick blasts (scary and noisy). But, you can't get anywhere near their limits on the public road... safely anyway...
Plus, covering distances in them is not the best. You wouldn't want to travel far driving more than 60-70 miles an hour, above that the engine noise is tiring and you can't help thinking if it is good for the engine to constantly rev at 8-9.000 rpm...
So if you want a tourer, cover distances, take your other half with you, but still have a quick car, I would go CEC. For track and quick Sunday blasts, a BEC is great.
A good CEC and BEC would give you similar speeds, but in a different way...
Check out the MNR's, too...
Gergely





Our build pictures

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Breaker

posted on 25/9/09 at 01:15 PM Reply With Quote
Hello, I'am also in the starting phase of building. Last week I visited MK and the MK Spec R looks great to me (especially with full roll cage). The only thing I'm still doubting is CEC or BEC. But the balance is more and more tilting towards BEC; noise,high RPM, flappy paddles, sequential gearshift,....

You can always get a CEC when you're old(er)

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
speedyxjs

posted on 25/9/09 at 01:41 PM Reply With Quote
I suggest plonk a Jag engine in.

Use the linky in my siq to see why


[Edited on 25-9-09 by speedyxjs]





How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
phoenix70

posted on 25/9/09 at 01:51 PM Reply With Quote
Just to put my 2 penny's worth in. Just remember these days with IVA, you do need a reverse gear, so thats an additional cost you will incur. I've driven both BEC and CEC cars, and both have there good point, and bad points, it is really down to personal choice.

I went down the CEC route for one simple reason, it was cheaper.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
BenB

posted on 25/9/09 at 02:04 PM Reply With Quote
Of course you can use a big torquey bike engine with a sequential box Like a V4.... Reverse for IVA is a bit of a bugger though with BECs...
View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
adithorp

posted on 25/9/09 at 02:11 PM Reply With Quote
If you think you want a BEC then get a ride in one and then you'll KNOW you want a BEC.

The engines are built to do high revs so don't worry about that and if you want to cover long distances it's things like windscreens and side screens that make it comfortable not the engine. I've done a few long trips in mine (450 miles in one day) and it wasn't a lot harder than in a tin-top and bit's of it were a lot more fun. If you want comfort and quiet get a Mondeo!

adrian





"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire

http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
mac1ZR

posted on 25/9/09 at 04:14 PM Reply With Quote
Dave, have a ride up to Nottingham, we have a choice of 2 Mac#1 ZX10 BEC s that you can have a ride in, that will make your mind up!
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Hellfire

posted on 25/9/09 at 05:12 PM Reply With Quote
BEC all the way and don't let the CEC boys convince you otherwise. You've already made the right choice of engine and the choice of kit is up to you. To give you some idea of how an Indy goes together, have a read of our build and rebuild diaries........

Phil






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Davegtst

posted on 26/9/09 at 08:37 AM Reply With Quote
Thanks for all your help, your answers kind of confirm that i want a BEC. I'm not really bothered about touring and long distances (have an Alfa for that) just want a very quick toy.
mac1ZR thanks for you kind offer, i may take you up on it but i'm away on holiday for a few weeks soon so it would have to be sometime in November
Now all i have to do is find the right kit. What is the best in terms of bodywork fitting?

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.