I don't know what its like for people who buy a kit, a little easier I suspect but for me, building from scratch I always seem to be held up by other people. I expected it to take a little longer from the start which is fine because I look at it as an ongoing hobby but its so frustrating when its all stop and go. Just when you get a boost of enthusiasm summat or someone seems to take it away. I'm currently held up waiting for my exhaust manifold from MK who said it would take 2 to 3 weeks. Its now almost double that and I still can't get them to commit to a date they just say they've ordered it which must mean someone else is making it to them and they're so f***ing arrogant on the phone like they've no time for you without this I can't fit the side panels or the brake lines at the front. I'm also waiting for my rear panel from www.whiteracing.co.uk which I ordered at the same time and still haven't got. They don't respond to e mails (and they're a web company!) and only once answered the phone. Said there was trouble ordering the pigment but its fine now and should only take 3 days to lay it up. Rubbish! At least they haven't taken my money though like MK have, I'm just in limbo as to buy elsewhere now as I'm sure it'll turn up once I place a new order! Bah! Its getting on my nerves this. The only people I can seem to rely on are the people from this site who are in the whole very genuine, helpful and do cracking deals on sale stuff Grumble over, off to the shops to buy this months complete kit car and re enthuse myself!!

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Originally posted by mistergrumpy
off to the shops to buy this months complete kit car and re enthuse myself!!

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^My point exactly^ I might do some food shopping later as well but I ain't gonna starve myself and wait an extra 2 weeks for that either because someone else is making the chickens and we're not right sure when they're going to be made Its becoming less of a fun thing and more of a bitter obsession at the moment.

You can't be feeling too bad if you are still prepared to shell out good money for any of the "kit car" magazines. Unless things have changed in the past six months I won't ever be buying them again...

Dunno, I usually only buy Complete Kit Car and when I've a hang over and sit reading it in the car park with a big mac or summat. It re enthuses me somewhat and I enjoy watching the ordinary peoples progress including Mackei 23b (Ian) off here.

[Edited on 19/10/07 by mistergrumpy]

Complete Kitcar has improved a lot since it was bought out from Filby.

Whether it's worth the money is still up for debate, but it's actually worth reading in WHS at least these days.

Totalkitcar is ok but for some reason KitCar has gone back down hill again recently, it had been improving.

Even PPC has been a bit disappointing recently.

I can understand that it is frustrating having to wait longer than anticipated for parts to arrive. But it is well known for most kit car companies to be slow delivering.

Sometimes it is better, as long as funds allow, to order in as much as possible in the early stages of the build, then it's just a case of taking the part off the shelf and bolting it on when needed, no delays.

But saying all that, I need to order my bodywork from MK and wont be happy with any delays. hey ho.

Have you thought about ordering from GTS, i understand they are very fast at delivery.

I've been so frustrated in the past I won't pay up front for anything and double any given estimates for delivery at least.

My recent engine project which started in October last year didn't turn a wheel for 6 months purely down to delays on everything I couldn't fabricate myself!

Recently I've been waiting for an exhaust back box for 6 weeks. Dampers for a month.

However I ordered forged coated pistons from Toyota Japan (£36.00 quid each!!) which arrived in 5 days and my cast inlet manifold was bought off eBay.com and arrived from Malaysia in 4 days! So I've not totally lost faith in the human race yet

You have echoed a lot of people's sentiments. Hurry up and wait - and fork out more $$$ while you're at it (don't have a L thing on my keyboard and our dollar is so good now it fits!).

I know the feeling but just think about when you are blasting out on the open road in your homemade car

Atleast start making a list of the remaining jobs to do (and I mean a *real* list! ). Either it'll be very short or it'll be full of things you're putting off cos you don't want to do them.... like mine was!

There *must* be something you can get on with? Even if it's tidying the garage so you can crack on easily when the bits arrive!

HTH,
James

Sorry to hear it Chris.
I was exactly the situation i was in with GTS
put my target date back by at least 9 months

at least you've fixed the price for your manifold.

when i waited about 3 months for my manifold from MK, the price mysteriously went up about 30quid. surprisingly enough, they weren't willing to honour their initial quote and i ended up scratting round the ashtray in the car to get somewhere near the money they wanted.

i even tried to get one direct from tube engineers who make their manifolds, but they wouldn't supply to me direct.

if only i had a tig set..............
tom

I had exactly the same problem with MK when ordering my manifold, just keep pestering them, they come up wiyh the goods in the end, you can still fit your side panels before exhaust, it was fairly straight forward getting the manifold in.
P.S. they do get someone else to make there systems.

Boy am I glad I have made almost everything myself, the bits I bought generally came from people here or ebay. Build time about 19 months SVA 6 Nov!

Caber

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Originally posted by mistergrumpy
I ain't gonna starve myself and wait an extra 2 weeks for that either because someone else is making the chickens

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You have my sympathies mate. I have just had poor service from anther company who like to consider them selves experts on Fords. But, when it came to a problem that was not my fault, it turned out that it was because they don't know their product well enough so all problems have to be rectified by the purchaser, at the purchaser's expense. I could have sent the incorrect piece back, but, I would be liable for postage. So to sort the problem I had to spend £38.

Still the gearbox actually fits properly onto the engine now, and, once I have verified the correct clearance between the release bearing and the clutch cover, I should get the engine & gearbox back in the car this weekend.

Yeah have been reading your Burtons experience I feel for you.I think its more the fact that I'd much rather be told from the start that its gonna take ages then I can work that into things like MNR did with me and I will respect them more for that. Instead people lie and just make things up then take your money which means my plans (all be it very hazy) just go to rat sh1t. I have got other little bits to do but its just not the same is it and I'm trying to do one thing at a time after I went a bit mad and started doing a bit of everything and fully finishing very little.

Bah got home late last night to find out the company doing my rear panel have cancelled the order because they can't get hold of the pigment and MK still haven't come up with the manifold, could be Monday but equally could not be. Buggeration Ah well, push on I suppose