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Advice for a newbie
jaik - 20/4/12 at 11:32 AM

Hi folks, I've been after a kit car for a while and have recently found myself in a position to get one, but I'm looking for a little advice first. Hopefully I won't cause too many exasperated sighs as I've done a fair bit of research, but my apologies in advance if this is stuff that been asked a million times!

I'm looking at buying something second hand either along the lines of either a 7-style or Fury/Phoenix design (which I believe are essentially the same chassis as the Striker?) and I'm looking to spend about £8k including insurance and any changes I'd want to make right away.

I know that the suspension design varies between models but I don't know which are considered to be "good" or "bad/compromised". The car will be for mostly road and likely a bit of track use, so it doesn't necessarily need to be competitive and ultimately performance-focused, just predictable and fun to drive. I've heard good things about the Striker, but I don't know too much about things like the Westfield, MK Indy, Mac 1, Stuart Taylor etc in terms of their suspension design and characteristics.

I like the idea of having something at the more extreme end of things (no windscreen, carpet etc) and have been considering a BEC for the screamy, revvy excitement of the whole experience, but would something with a car engine be more usable/exploitable on the road? I've passengered in a couple of both but only actually driven a K-series engined Caterham so I'm a bit unsure, I'm worried I'd miss having a manual gearbox. I know it's quite a subjective thing, but I expect it's something most of you have made a decision on at some point, any ideas how to make it?

Any advice, links and general tips would be much appreciated!

Hellfire - 20/4/12 at 11:46 AM

Welcome to the forum. You've found the best resource on the internet for kit cars.

BEC's do have a manual gearbox and best of all it's six speed and sequential........

Phil

[Edited on 20-4-12 by Hellfire]

HowardB - 20/4/12 at 11:52 AM

welcome,. there are more knowledgeable people here than in the whole rest of the internet put together,...

one thing that you will find helps, is if you put your town, or region into the location space, then you may find you have some near neighbours,..

jaik - 20/4/12 at 11:58 AM

Replace "manual" with "H-shift" in my first post

I've driven a Ferrari 360 and a Gallardo briefly on track with paddle-shifters and I felt it really distracted from the experience, but obviously it's tough to compare those, with their large car engines and a very different setup, to a kit car.

Daddylonglegs - 20/4/12 at 12:06 PM

Hi and welcome to the mad house!

As already said, you'd be hard pushed to find a better source of information and enthusiasm than on here

As for what to get, it really is only down to you at the end of the day. A road car is always going to be a little easier on the rear than a pure track car and as such may not be quite 'the business' on the track, so it's horses for courses.

At least you've had yourself a couple of rides/drives so that is a good start.

The other thing is that you MUST get yourself to Stoneleigh for the show

Good luck and keep us posted

sdh2903 - 20/4/12 at 12:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jaik

I've driven a Ferrari 360 and a Gallardo briefly on track with paddle-shifters and I felt it really distracted from the experience, but obviously it's tough to compare those, with their large car engines and a very different setup, to a kit car.


you dont need to have paddles either, there are loads of becs with a conventional stick change (obviously without the H)

theduck - 20/4/12 at 12:20 PM

£8k is a good budget to be working with.

Personally with that budget I would be trying to find an MNR, as imo they offer the best chassis design/build quality.

BEC are great, but imo more fragile than a good CEC.

Something MX5 based would be a good shout as tuning is relatively cheap, though a good zetec based kit will be good and available in budget.

Budget and opportunity dictated what I bought, I got offered a deal at the wrong time that I couldnt refuse.

Strontium Dog - 20/4/12 at 12:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jaik
Replace "manual" with "H-shift" in my first post

I've driven a Ferrari 360 and a Gallardo briefly on track with paddle-shifters and I felt it really distracted from the experience, but obviously it's tough to compare those, with their large car engines and a very different setup, to a kit car.


Hi and welcome

If using a bike engine you can have a stick shift in the conventional position but it just goes forwards and backwards to shift up or down with no H pattern. You can have paddles instead or as well as a stick or you can have buttons and a quick shift!

You also require a reversing gearbox or other method of going backwards if you want to IVA it.

Cheers Si.

[Edited on 20/4/12 by Strontium Dog]

jossey - 20/4/12 at 01:57 PM

If I had to sart again and had 8k my money wouldnt go on a bike engine which I did first time round. Hate to admit it. Although the one my bike engine worked you sound like you going 500mph which is brilliant but unless you get a new engine I feel your money maybe better spent on a new 2.0 Zetec with gearbox which is under 1k

I know it will start the bec & cec again but I didn't have thousands to buy a newish zx10 so I went for a cheap £500-600 zzr1100 and now the gearbox. Needs work I so wish I had the car engine. Sorry

Ps welcome

jaik - 20/4/12 at 04:36 PM

Thanks for the advice, everyone, I think I'm going to enjoy it here

If I go for a BEC I'll definitely want a tunnel-mounted shifter rather than paddles, but having never driven one I don't know whether it bridges the gap between paddles and an H-shift enough to keep my left hand happy. Sounds like I'll have to ponder on it a little…

I'll take a look at the MNRs

ali f27 - 20/4/12 at 05:08 PM

Westfields keep thier money but you will need to spend a fortune on carbon fibre seems to be the westfield way mk good value more or less a book car can find some nicely home built ones mnr are nice but no better than anything else strikers fine bit heavy fury better aerodynamics people with f27,s love them nothing wrong with robin hood bit heavy it really is more about build quality and engine choice good luck £8000 should buy you a really good car

ali f27 - 20/4/12 at 05:12 PM

Tell you what guys go and offer him a ride in yours and then he can decide

adithorp - 20/4/12 at 09:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ali f27
Tell you what guys go and offer him a ride in yours and then he can decide


He's already been out (briefly) in mine. Not sure how I messed up for him to be considering a CEC.

Welcome Jaik. Stoneleigh show on the 6-7th May will give you the best chance of seeing whats available. All the manufacurers will be there and there'll be hundreds of owners cars.

jaik - 20/4/12 at 09:15 PM

Haha, I have indeed and it's a mighty fine machine!

It sounds like Stoneleigh will be well worth a visit, and I'll keep scouring the classifieds

jaik - 5/5/12 at 07:12 PM

Well, after looking at a couple which weren't quite right, I made a 400 mile round trip today to look at martyn_16v's MK Indy-R and ended up buying it Now I just have to try not to die from excitement before I pick it up next weekend!

jacko - 5/5/12 at 07:20 PM

well done and go steady on the damp roads when you get it
Jacko

jaik - 12/5/12 at 05:41 PM

Well after a long train journey starting at 7:35, and an even longer drive home, my new car's tucked up safe and sound in my garage. 200+ miles without a hitch, which is always a good start

The journey home consisted of four sets of waving children, two conversations with petrol station strangers, and meeting a neighbour I've not spoken to before as he rushed out of his house to see what was burbling outside

brookie - 13/5/12 at 08:26 AM

we need photo

jaik - 13/5/12 at 05:23 PM

Here we go, just a quickie…

Quick snap of the MK
Quick snap of the MK

I'm into my photography so I'll be doing some "proper" shots at some point.