I am new to the kit car scene but have been in love with lotus 7 kits for many years.
I am now looking into buying a B.E.C kit (second hand) for around £7500.
Am I being unrealistic in trying to find a nice 1 for this price?
I am intending on using it on a regular basis so would need to have wet weather gear and a reverse. these would all have to come within the £7500
budget.
should I save up some more hard earned cash?
any opinions and advice or offers
welcome.
[Edited on 3/7/08 by YQUSTA]
wet weather gear and reverse you might as well get a cec as all the benifits of owning a bec will be lost.
yea cec is best 
quote:
Originally posted by graememk
wet weather gear and reverse you might as well get a cec as all the benifits of owning a bec will be lost.
quote:
Originally posted by graememk
wet weather gear and reverse you might as well get a cec as all the benifits of owning a bec will be lost.
You should get a very nice car for around £7.5k but as above do you really want weather gear?? These cars arent fun to drive in the wet with the power you have available, and due to the generally stripped out nature with no trim / carpets, and fibreglass seats it doesnt really matter too much if they get wet inside every once in a while. Have a look at the classifieds on Pistonheads and keep your eyes peeled here. Nice MNR might be available soon but suspect it'll be a bit above £7.5k
Are BEC's undriveably in the wet?
If I was set on a BEC (which I'm not!)
I wouldn't mind driving more cautiously in the wet, to still enjoy the full potential when the sun comes out. But if it really is dangerous or
hard work in the wet and thats part of you plan for driving I'd go for a CEC................................
[Edited on 3/7/08 by mikeb]
Driven my BEC through some heavy rain, with standing water on the road, all was OK. Just need to drive sensibly and it's fine, just not the most
pleasant.
Cheers
Ian
quote:
Originally posted by mikeb
Are BEC's undriveably in the wet?
If I was set on a BEC (which I'm not!)
I wouldn't mind driving more cautiously in the wet, to still enjoy the full potential when the sun comes out. But if it really is dangerous or hard work in the wet and thats part of you plan for driving I'd go for a CEC................................
[Edited on 3/7/08 by mikeb]
quote:
Originally posted by mikeb
Are BEC's undriveably in the wet?
If I was set on a BEC (which I'm not!)
I wouldn't mind driving more cautiously in the wet, to still enjoy the full potential when the sun comes out. But if it really is dangerous or hard work in the wet and thats part of you plan for driving I'd go for a CEC................................
[Edited on 3/7/08 by mikeb]
CEC for me, BEC for you, I think 7.5K is achievable for both.
Cheapest way to get reverse is obviuosly a CEC, which by the way I would recommend.
Bike engines are for bikes, while BEC's are for girls who cant handle real power
and once agian
the thread (in the locostbuilders main section) has a thread saying "how much is it worth"
theres one there a guy wants to sell
FYI............................
The CEC boys have certainly been more militant recently. Whilst BEC drivers seem to be a little more fair handed with comments - usually extolling the
benefits of BEC as apposed to ripping apart CEC owners.
shame
£7,5k should find you a very nice motor with a bit of hunting.
I know it's not a seven, but a friend sold a lovely Blade Fury for slightly less than this not so long ago.
BECs have lower torque than CECs so should be more driveable. The more torque you have, the more likely you are to overcome the grip of the tyres and
spin the wheels.
Driving in the rain means wheel spin if you put your foot down, which means room spin in a seven unless you're on top of it.
Wet weather gear on a seven is only shower proof at best. Get some wet weather over clothes and a helmet, or only go out when its nice, like the rest
of us.
BTW, £7500 is a reasonable budget. Shop around on eBay for parts or go to the shows and haggle. Recon the parts yourself, if you can.
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
The CEC boys have certainly been more militant recently. Whilst BEC drivers seem to be a little more fair handed with comments - usually extolling the benefits of BEC as apposed to ripping apart CEC owners.
shame
WOW
i post log off drive home log on and all these replys.... thanks guys
I am now in a dilema with the pros and cons of both bec and cec
found what looks to be a nice cec on pistonheads
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/542265.htm
but am not sure now which to go for.
on the 1 hand i get what i need from the cec as mentioned in some of your posts
i.e. weather gear and reverse, on the other the bec idea appeals to me alot for the performance.
i supose if i could get the near bec performance with a cec it would be the best option, saves me having to do much work to the car when i buy it and
being without it whilst other work is being done in a workshop somewhere.
That appears to be a good price and ticks the boxes for roof, screen and reverse. I believe that engine is pretty good also.
N
quote:
Originally posted by YQUSTA
WOW
i post log off drive home log on and all these replys.... thanks guys
I am now in a dilema with the pros and cons of both bec and cec
found what looks to be a nice cec on pistonheads
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/542265.htm
but am not sure now which to go for.
on the 1 hand i get what i need from the cec as mentioned in some of your posts
i.e. weather gear and reverse, on the other the bec idea appeals to me alot for the performance.
i supose if i could get the near bec performance with a cec it would be the best option, saves me having to do much work to the car when i buy it and being without it whilst other work is being done in a workshop somewhere.
If your not sure on power source to get, then just make sure you get a ride in both.
I jumped in a BEC and BLIMEY CHARLIE! I've never looked back.
Only you can decide what to get, having anyone else talk you into or out of either a CEC or BEC would be a crying shame.
Have a go and see what you prefer vs. what you can live with.
good advice dangle
Anyone around the gloucester area with a bec or cec with near bec performance that would like to show off their car u2u me i would love a ride
There is a Tiger B6 with screen and weather gear for sale somewhere - try the for sale section or ebay as it was on there too. That was way under
budget at £6k i think and he's a member here.
linky to the thread so click here
[Edited on 3/7/08 by Paul TigerB6]
i think thats the 1 i looked at.
did some investigation and found the roll bar would need changing for the wet weather gear (not sure how hard that would be bolts or weld)
electric reverse was about £500 installed
new rear wing about £120
and the weather gear about £400
looks a nice motor
BEC to me seem to be too noisy (ear plugs def needed), clunky in driveability, and have no reverse unless you have ££££££
CEC can be civalised and bonkers, especially with a V8
quote:
Originally posted by darrens
BEC to me seem to be too noisy (ear plugs def needed
Surely if your after a seven then thrills is the name of the game.
I myself am a recovering bike racing addict and the notion of any extra weight or concessions to comfort is unthinkable.
Get the stripped out super trick rice rocket and a diesel fiesta.
As for a v8, I think its laughable in the application really.
Go to a hillclimb sometime and watch the becs there, I did and saw the light immediatly.
Think about all the tax loopholes that may be available in the future with weight and capacity being banding favourites.
If you want a car engine, just get a car!
Leccy reverse wont weigh a lot if you must and most ive seen advertised do have it.
No roof though please, its criminal to take these cars on salty shitty brit roads in the wet and you will be lucky if it doesnt desolve in't
garage overnight.
Anyone who has a bike will know from bitter experience the level of filth that coats warm machinery even after a short ride in the wet. All that alu
will turn to grey fur in front of your eyes mate.
BEC its the future..............well, for me anyway
well heres the thing i am changing my company car and as the new policy is well rubish at best i decided that now was the time for some real driving
fun so ......
i decided to go with a very low tax bracket sub 120mg company car which tbh wont be fun at all....
then i want the kit for use when im not at work.
i dont want to just go out in good weather as we all know that is rare as rocking horse u know what.
i really cant see my wife sitting there with water proofs and a helmet on (shame i know, what a quiet life it would be) so a roof is esential.
TBH if its p*ssing down, she isnt going to want to go out in it with the wet weather top on either - visibility isnt exactly fantastic and she will
get soaked getting in and out. I am about to join this mad fraternity picking up an MK indy R1 on sunday - no real windscreen, no roof and its going
to wee down on my journey back down pretty much the whole country. I figure that if I still have a stupid grin on my face when I finally get home
then I will have made the right choice.
BTW the car is within your price bracket too, so they are about. No reverse but there are plenty of kits out there to do it and as car mods go (coming
from spending loads on my last "normal" road car) its not really mega bucks to do.
I have found the difficulty is not knowing what to be looking for as every car is so different. Ask the mob on here though - a great wealth of honest
knowledge. 
lol hobzy hope you have a good trip and im sure whatever the weather you will have a grin on your face like a cheshire cat when you get home i know i
would.
like 1 of the other guys mentioned this looks a good buy and will leave me enough to do some work on it to get it how i would like.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/374699.htm
the problem i have atm is my work load just went crazy and getting to see it may be a problem but i will have to try my best.
any1 have any comments to make about the above car they r all welcome
another 2 found on the bay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MK-Indy-R1_W0QQitemZ320270751197QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320270751197&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l13
08
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/westfield-megablade-replica-kitcar-kit-car-no-swap_W0QQitemZ260258828778QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260258828778&_trkparms=39%3A
1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
[Edited on 5/7/08 by YQUSTA]
[Edited on 5/7/08 by YQUSTA]