Hello - I'm new (as you will be able to tell by the rather cunning way my post count is at 1 - although I have a funny feeling this is going to increase somewhat).

Anyway, back to the point, I want to build a bike engined 7-esque car, but I don't want to pay westfield prices - however after a recent trip in a colleague's Westy Megabusa - I do want that kind of performance.

I have the mechanical ability of a small rodent - but have a knowledgable friend who owns a large car repair workshop and has built a couple of kit cars himself and who is willing to give me a hand here and there and offer advice but largely let me get on with learning.

I don't really know a huge amount about the subject, but I have asumed that there are 4 basic stages involved:

1)Build or buy a chassis
2)Fit running gear from a donor vehicle
3)Find and fit bike engine
4)Get it roadworthy / SVA / MOT etc

am I hovering near the mark or am I waaaaay off it?

I want a kit car for the following reason - my girlfriend is applying pressure for me to get rid of my Delta Integrale because every time I go over something bigger than a blade of grass it damn near breaks her back. I keep telling her about lowered stiffer rides, but she thinks I'm getting kinky and won't talk to me - so I'm going for a compromise - I'll get a sensible, comfortable and reliable everyday car like a Mazda, and at the same time go for a second car which will outperform the 'grale - that way we're both happy. She agreed thinking I would never have the patience to see through a kit car project (boy does she know me....) but I am determined to prove her wrong.

So please give me advice!!!! lol

thanks in advance

Rob

Hi and welcome.

If you are going to get a mazda, look at the 323F range from N to S reg. Especially the 2 litre v6 zxi model - i had one and it was great. The 1.5 litre is a bit slow but the 1.8 executive might be nice. If you have never nticed them, they look like a sports coupe. Much better than the shyte 318i i have now.

If you want to keep the skills and the time low, go and buy an MK indy, or a robin hood 2b kit. They give you a big head start, and both use a sierra as a donor. Once the car is finished you can upgrade to a bike engine.

Making a car takes SERIOUS time and buying a kit will help you a lot. I suspect I migth have run out of steam a while back if it wasnt for groups like this providing help and peer pressure to actually produce summat!


atb

steve

Yeh, I'd do along with Steve, decide if you wanna get welding or not, and how much you can afford. Maybe get the MK Indy kit, Sierra donor and either Blade or ZX9R engine. Martin has been doing a lot of work with BEC's lately and knows his stuff.

I'm making my chassis, though I wouldn't be building one at all without this forum, a very understanding wife, and an 80yr old grandad to offer help and support. So far it's taken about 3 months and I've finished the chassis, got over halfway through the suspension, and will then be on mounting my ZX9R engine. I recon I may have it finished by next summer putting in around 12-14 hrs a week...

Also read the BEC group on Yahoo for more information on bike engined cars...

atb

steve

quote:

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.....and an 80yr old grandad to offer help and support...

---

let me enlighten you a little......

don't think anything other than BEC.

x-flow, x-flow, x-flow, x-flow, x-flow, x-flow, x-flow etc................
you know who?

anything but a Pinto!!.......grrrr

Cheers

Chris

I just bought a kawasaki engine,fitted to a strimmer,best place for it!

too rite...get a Blade......

go japenese alright but make sure it says mitsi on the rocker cover and the tailgate of the donor says evo !!!!!!!!

I have to say i agree with locodude x Flow its what was intended when the LC concept was drawn up their simple cheap and mine sounds great

by the way can you weld, i welded up my chassis in three days (had severe sun stroke from the bloody welder but the pain soon goes and your left with the start of your car) its good to know youve done it yourself. glasses like these are no good with a flipping mig.

i noticed a few evo badges last track day at donnington, as i passed them !!!!!!!!

there easy meat.....

aye and the xflow is bullet proof used to run me fester wit out water (hole in rad) or oil (didnt even hit the dipstick) lay outside for a year stuck in a battery and she went 1st time like she'd never stopped

seem to remember "locost of the year" was xflow power'd, built on a much bigger budget than the isonblade, bang goe's that theory....

bit like fly fishin this.....

Locost of the year for the last 2 actually but who's counting. Well I am am as it goes.
Chris PTM
x-flow boy!

is that xflow or xdresser ?

here jon wot evo's u pass?? cos there's the common way to tune then theres the right way to tune a mitsi ccc goes on bout havin 350bhp in a 6 i no a guy can build a 3 with 500bhp bet u dont see them at ur track days

Conrod, i take it Jasper has read your jide or is just ignoring you!. For an easy life it's got to be X-flow. Scutter.

there are faster car's out there 4 sure, but on a track day where the staights are joined by bendy bits a 7 of any description takes some lickin....most cars are easily outbraked, and 99% are out accelerated, the 500bhp evo is still wallowing round the corner whilst your on the gas n gone...
oh, dont forget the £'s per fun bit too

Been to many track days in a 7 and you're right! Pissed all over a TVR Tuscan 'cos it wallowed through the chicanes and as for the Countach replica, well, if it went on a diet it may have got through the chicanes at a push! gimme a 7 anyday. The fun is in accelerating from the lights and peeing off them their drivers that have spent 4+ times £ on their EVO or Italian wedge mobiles who are left wondering "what the effin ell was that!*?*)

Oi my tin top is italian and wedge shaped ,you havin a pop?

spent 3years workin on a evo 3 grpn then a rally car if its wallowin then it aint setup right and dont forget the 3 is lighter than any other evo thats y their better than a 7 (except for the active diffs) and a grpa 3 engine can put out more bhp than any other evo and thats from a ralliart engine builder

£'s per smile ????

gimmi me the keys to an evo i'll snap yer hand off, but start 10 evo's and 10 7's on a track, 7's will make up at least 8 of the 1st 10 cars past the line.....

it is a 7 that holds the road legal world record 0-60 time is it not, on road tyres too ?

now take a 7 rallying.....no thanks...

I'm way too late to take a pop at Conrod ... it's just too easy anyway and been too busy in the garage mounting the 'saki' (saves me botherin the wife).

BTW went for my first blast in a BEC last week, just a regular old blade engine with very stick rubber, it was completely awesome, don't care what your in it's never gonna go around a corner as quick as that did.

Its never too late to have a pop at me,you know you dont mean it!