im completely new to kitcars, although I am quite certain I want a bec rather than cec, because love bikes! iv seen a few on piston heads etc but how do you know if there a genuine reliable toy of just a bag of bolts?, the top link is to one im looking at, does anyone know of the cars past? or even owned it? are 10k miles anything to worry about?

and the second is another im looking at, it seems to need a few bits done but same question really does anyone know anything about it? or have any opinions? thanks!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bike-powered-cars/cars/formula-27-fireblade-with-lsd-real-bargain/1091376

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/bike-powered-cars/cars/mk-seven-indy-fireblade-919cc--kitcar/1547815#

Just out of interest, what drew you to a BEC over a CEC? I consider myself an enjoyer of bikes (although admittedly fair-weather!), but I'm going for a CEC.

Treading cautiously due to recent threads but the second one appears very dodgy - 1984, '4 owners but only 2 as a kit' and 'as a honda civic' all shouts to me that it hasnt been registered correctly. If this were the case then it would definately not be a good buy.

I bought an Mk Indy last year , zetec engined......I spent ages looking and talking to people that had cars for sale......patience eventually pays off and you get what you want........sometimes more money does not automatically buy you a better car! Good luck with the search.

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Originally posted by Slimy38
Just out of interest, what drew you to a BEC over a CEC? I consider myself an enjoyer of bikes (although admittedly fair-weather!), but I'm going for a CEC.

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Originally posted by ross-greig

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Originally posted by Slimy38
Just out of interest, what drew you to a BEC over a CEC? I consider myself an enjoyer of bikes (although admittedly fair-weather!), but I'm going for a CEC.

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admittedly this appears childish but I love the noise of a bike engine! the sequential gearbox and im only 19, therefore the bec are a little cheaper to insure

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I was under the impression that insurance companies had cottoned onto bike engined cars and they were getting hard to insure at a young age?

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Originally posted by JoelP
I was under the impression that insurance companies had cottoned onto bike engined cars and they were getting hard to insure at a young age?

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Originally posted by JoelP
Treading cautiously due to recent threads but the second one appears very dodgy - 1984, '4 owners but only 2 as a kit' and 'as a honda civic' all shouts to me that it hasnt been registered correctly. If this were the case then it would definately not be a good buy.

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Originally posted by JoelP
Treading cautiously due to recent threads but the second one appears very dodgy - 1984, '4 owners but only 2 as a kit' and 'as a honda civic' all shouts to me that it hasnt been registered correctly. If this were the case then it would definately not be a good buy.

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I would tread cation on that one, theres no way you can keep the donor reg and as all civics were front wheel drive whats been used off it?

If it says Honda anywher or 1984 on the log book its not been through SVA or DVLA IMO.

DVLA have it as a 1984 Honda with engine change
There wont be a civic part in sight
Civic had
front wheel drive engine and box?
no seperate donor chassis?
torsion bar front suspension?
beam rear axle?
how could you use that to build an mk?

I don't blame the seller, policing of the registration system we are stuck with is so loose its crap.

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Originally posted by matt_gsxr

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Originally posted by JoelP
I was under the impression that insurance companies had cottoned onto bike engined cars and they were getting hard to insure at a young age?

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+1 they know and charge appropriately now

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whats the opinions on 10k miles? although im unsure whether that's 10k on engine or as a kitcar

The mileage issue is one to take care with.....I enquired about an MNR that had 3500 miles on the clock.........the owner then mentioned the donor car had full service history , with 100,000 on the engine and all other parts of the drivetrain....he did not agree with my maths when I said that it had 103.5 thousand miles on it......obviously the chasis and body etc had 3500. As I said in my earlier post patience and perseverance will pay off....trying to get as much background/history before you part with your hard earned cash will hopefully avoid potential heartache later.

I've also been looking at that second car (Indyblade) and have been speaking to the owner about the issues highlighted.

Apparently the history goes that the Fireblade engine was registered to the Civic and then transferred into the MK. He tells me that he's queried it with the DVLA, insurance and police when he first bought it and they told him all was fine..

Now I'm new to the world of kit cars, so I'm unclear as to if this is one of those "Don't touch it with a bargepole" cars, or if his explanation seems legit?

Any/all advice gratefully received

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Originally posted by Magic Beans
I've also been looking at that second car (Indyblade) and have been speaking to the owner about the issues highlighted.

Apparently the history goes that the Fireblade engine was registered to the Civic and then transferred into the MK. He tells me that he's queried it with the DVLA, insurance and police when he first bought it and they told him all was fine..

Now I'm new to the world of kit cars, so I'm unclear as to if this is one of those "Don't touch it with a bargepole" cars, or if his explanation seems legit?

Any/all advice gratefully received

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I checked the reg with the DVLA and it came back with:

Date of Liability 01 10 2013
Date of First Registration 01 08 1984
Year of Manufacture 1984
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 897cc
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Licence Not Due
Vehicle Colour BLUE
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

I had to specify it to be a Honda when doing the check.

The log book shows it as a Civic with a 900cc engine apparently.

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Originally posted by Magic Beans
The log book shows it as a Civic with a 900cc engine apparently.

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One to steer clear of then?

If nothing else it's definitely whet my appetite for something like this. My garage has a big hole in it after selling my last project car and something like this would fill it's place nicely

If the v5 says Honda made in1984 its clearly using the civic identity. As its not a modified Honda civic (even if it still has a Honda engine) it is incorrectly registered. It doesn't matter what the police may say, they wont know, if they say its ok ask them to put it in writing, oops police man disappears. It all smells funny because the fireblade engine would have been registered to the civic prior to the civics identity switching to the MK. The blade engine would never have been fitted in the front wheel drive civic,(and it doesn't matter if it was) they've only used a civic identity as the bike engine being a Honda helps confuse the unwary. This makes it a thought out scam and not an innocent mistake.
DVLA think the original civic is driving round with a fireblade engine in it because this is what they have been told. There are several offences committed here not least how did the civic vin plate get onto the mk chassis? and its no use saying "its been mot'd" "that's how I bought it" or "my uncle is a police man and he says its ok". The car COULD be impounded and crushed just for having the wrong plates attached.
The problem is no one is policing this type of activity and its the unwitting and innocent that usually pay the price.

Having said all that someone did claim it says MK 7 on the v5

Thanks for the information, it's not for me then.



The perils of buying cars you're not familiar with I guess, which is why it pays to check before you buy.

I see you're from the same area as me. I'll keep an ear out for you rolling by

what ever you look at it should have:

* the make and model correct on the V5
* it should state 'new at first registration'
* the date of first registration should be the date it was put on the road as a kitcar

after that all the usual stuff still applies like matching VIN and engine numbers etc...

the other type of ringer to look out for is the old kitcar id on the new car - this is almost always an old dutton from the 1980's that been scrapped for years and someone has used its ID on a brand new kit (there always seems to be one like this for sale somewhere )
the only way to legally keep the ID of any donor car is to use its 'unmodified' chassis and even then it my need the V5 updated if the appearance has changed significantly

Magic
Pop in for a chat and see what we're building
Usually in Saturday mornings 9.00 till 12.00
Cheers
SCAR
Samworth Church Academy Racing

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Originally posted by mcerd1
what ever you look at it should have:

* the make and model correct on the V5
* it should state 'new at first registration'
* the date of first registration should be the date it was put on the road as a kitcar

after that all the usual stuff still applies like matching VIN and engine numbers etc...

the other type of ringer to look out for is the old kitcar id on the new car - this is almost always an old dutton from the 1980's that been scrapped for years and someone has used its ID on a brand new kit (there always seems to be one like this for sale somewhere )
the only way to legally keep the ID of any donor car is to use its 'unmodified' chassis and even then it my need the V5 updated if the appearance has changed significantly

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Originally posted by SCAR
Magic
Pop in for a chat and see what we're building
Usually in Saturday mornings 9.00 till 12.00
Cheers
SCAR
Samworth Church Academy Racing

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