Use Mk1 Ford Ka for kit car

[technobob]

I have a mk1 Ford Ka which is mechanically OK but the shell is getting brown round the edges. Has anyone got a recommendation for a kit car using the Ka as a donor? Wife needs to be able to drive it as a 'shopping trolley'

Edited by technobob on Saturday 24th August 22:31

[Equus]

There are none that meet your criteria.

The UK kit car industry doesn't work like that any more.

[Fastpedeller]

I think you could use the engine/trans in a sylva, but (as has always been the case) it's best to choose your kit car then get the donor, rather than the other way round.

[Equus]

The Ka is basically a Ford Crossflow, so not the best choice for a Sylva, these days... there are far better drivetrains available for next to nothing. But in any case, it's not exactly what you'd be looking for as a 'shopping trolley' for the missus.. it's basically a clubman racer for the road.

The days of practical, everyday kitcars designed to recycle the mechanicals of rusted-out production cars are long gone.

The last ones I can think of were the later Midas' (Mini/Metro donors) and Quantum 2+2 (Fiesta donors). Production cars (with the odd exception like the Mk. 1 Ka) are now so long-lived, and available so cheaply in good condition, that there really isn't a market for recycling their mechanicals for the sake of it, any more.

Edited by Equus on Tuesday 27th August 21:19

[technobob]

Oh well. Thanks for the replies all. Maybe when the Ka gets too rusty to pass an MoT I'll strip it and sell the parts. The engine and gearbox should fetch a reasonably good price and a scrappy may pay for the shell.

[annodomini2]

The only Ka based kit was the Sylva Jester, but they are no longer made

[Buzz84]

According to their website:

https://www.mnrsportscars.com/rt-inboard

- Engine mountings to suit your engine and drivetrain applications.