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Helping me try to decide !!!
Tris - 1/3/09 at 11:05 AM

Hello All,

Firstly as a noobie here, can I just say what a fantastic source of information this site is !. It has occupied me for many, many hours when I should have been doing work and not sat at my desk dreaming of all things car related!

Anyway, to the point of this post. I have always wanted to build a kit car of some kind and I find myself with an empty garage / workshop. A total newbie to car building but no stranger to metal work (I have a fully kitted workshop with lathe, mill, cnc etc from my previous hobby).

The problem I have is that i can’t decide on what I want to build.

Recently did a palmer motor sport day, and fell in love with the whole caterham experience. I want to build something that is track focused but want something different from the standard “lotus 7” mould. Road legal is a must too.

So ideally if someone made a Lotus Elise or Ariel Atom in kit form, I would be there within a second.

Westfield were thinking about doing something called the 40TR, which I liked the look of but it seamed to of died a early death. The more I think of it, the more I am sold on the “look” of the atom, and its exoskeleton.

The SDR V-Storm gets close but I am put off by the seating arrangement.

Been really impressed with Cloudy’s “Warner R4”, which has been covered in so much detail here and looks fantastic. But this is a one off, home designed and produced. Maybe an initial step too far ?

So my question to you all, - what should I go and start ?

[Edited on 1/3/09 by Tris]

les g - 1/3/09 at 11:09 AM

check out the MEV website
they do an arial atom type car and one with a body tub
cheers les g

jlparsons - 1/3/09 at 11:16 AM

I've been stuck with the same decision - have made the decision a couple of times in fact, only to have redundancy delay things! I'm currently in a toss-up between an MNR Vortx and a MEV Sonic 7. For both I'd ideally like to go BEC but while this seems to be very well supported by MNR, MEV don't seem to offer specific help for this yet as both their models are still pretty new.

coozer - 1/3/09 at 11:31 AM

Check out MNR cars HERE!

Steve

StevieB - 1/3/09 at 11:32 AM

Have a look at the sylva r1ot/spectre - 2 versions of the same chassis.

Mid engined with either se7en style or full bodied, and can be either bike or car engined. Definately worth a look as Jeremy Phillips rarely falls short on designing good handking cars!

daniel mason - 1/3/09 at 11:46 AM

I know you were not crazy about a 7 type car but i must say an mnr vortx would be great and as hasstle free as any. the back up from chris and mark is fantastic.I was up there yesterday and the quality of their kits is staggering. Having said that the MEV rocket might be more suited to you although they are mainly zetec power.

adithorp - 1/3/09 at 12:15 PM

Do some research and then get yourself to Stoneleigh show in May. That way you can see all the cars back to back.

There'll also be lots of finnished cars on the club stands with a good chance of a ride if your cheeky enough to ask.

adrian

Steve Hignett - 1/3/09 at 12:18 PM

I don't mean to be rude, but what are your reasons for Not wanting a Seven type car? (as your first build)

ATB

Tris - 1/3/09 at 12:43 PM

Hello All,

quote:

get yourself to Stoneleigh show in May


Yes, i actually went last year to stoneleigh. I was thinking at the time about a fury, although back then i wasn't in the position to start anything.

quote:

Not wanting a Seven type car?


Hmm, i just want something a little different. I am guessing here but i would of thought that a good 80% of the kit cars out there are of this type. Saying that, I do like the look of the MK indy R, and my current thinking is that if i can't find anything else then this might be a great second choice. The only thing i would prefer the Indy to be based on something a little newer than a sierra.

Guess what i am trying to say is that it needs to "look right", which i would be the first person to admit differs from person to person.

This is why ive been looking for something looking similar to Cloudy's Warner R4, which has the ability, lack of practicability and simplicity of a seven type car, while being that little bit different.

But then i do feel that setting myself up with a welder and a pipe bender at this stage is beyond my ability, hence my dilemma.....


[Edited on 1/3/09 by Tris]

Steve Hignett - 1/3/09 at 02:32 PM

I think what you may have to do is start making even simpler decisions than the ones you've asked for advice on.

For instance, do you want to build a car as a car-building exercise (ie a Project) or do you want the car to be of a certain performance on road/track, similar to your Palmersport experience.

Getting answers to this type of question before you start is potentially going to save you a lot of money.

With regard to Cloudy's car, it is a fantastic acheivement by James, but it's not been without it's teething troubles during the build, and is yet an un-proven car on the road (this is not meant as a negative comment, James knows that I am one of the people that want his car to be 100% amazing at everything on the road) But it could be an ongoing project in getting it to handle as well as something as simple as an older Caterham with a few tweaks...

Obviously if we were all the same and had similar wants then the world would be a very boring place! And it's great to have people walking their own paths! My next project (when I get round to working on my own car!) will be taking an old design and trying to make it as good as I can get it. I've had several conversations with James and other people that have pointed out massive floors in my old plan, but for me - getting the best out of something is my personal goal!

ATB

Meeerrrk - 1/3/09 at 03:02 PM

hi, welcome. this site is great for info, there are alot of very smart people on here; theres always an answer.
How about the RAW Falkrum?
I had never heard of them before, but i was at AB performance last week and saw this one :
RAW FALKRUM

Falkrum
i loved the look of it, (im sorely temped!) Its based on a striker i believe, which is well proven as far as i know.
good luck

[Edited on 1/3/09 by Meeerrrk]