Experience to build a Kit Car
Discussion
Being someone who is very interested in building a kit car, but who has absolutley NO experience in said field, I have this question:
Where's the best place to get the required knowledge, and how do you know when you're competent enough to invest thousands in a car supplied in pieces?
>>> Edited by Ginger2003 on Thursday 30th January 11:43
Where's the best place to get the required knowledge, and how do you know when you're competent enough to invest thousands in a car supplied in pieces?
>>> Edited by Ginger2003 on Thursday 30th January 11:43
It very much depends on whick kit you are looking at, the required knowledge can vary from the ability to wrap your fingers around a spanner and read a manual up to a good engineering and mechanical knowledge.
IMHO a methodical practical level headed person should have little problem witha well thought out Kit.
Decide what you want to build and ask people on this site who have built them how it went. You will have no problem in getting help and advice should you need it.
HTH Nick
IMHO a methodical practical level headed person should have little problem witha well thought out Kit.
Decide what you want to build and ask people on this site who have built them how it went. You will have no problem in getting help and advice should you need it.
HTH Nick
A basic car mechanics course at your local college would be a good idea though, you should then have enough knowledge to be able to service your car and do most of the work of keeping it on the road.
It'll also give you an understanding of what you're building and why it fits together the way it does.
It'll also give you an understanding of what you're building and why it fits together the way it does.
Also, depends on the budget. If you can afford it, I'd go for a CKD version (all new / reconditioned bits from the supplier), which means that you don't have to go through the difficulties (and the depression) that goes with hacking a donor car to bits, then trying to get the rust off all of the important components 
.
Again, talk to the manufacturer and the owners clubs. There will be a big difference between how even the CKD kits go together! A cheap kit may have you patching up here there and everywhere, whereas the current mutha, an Ultima, will almost just bolt and rivet together.
Last source of information is build sites on the internet. Here people actually show you what is involved - and the problems that they have encountered!
A quick Google search came up with:-
http://website.lineone.net/~g27build/g27index.htm
And there is always www.ultima-gtr.info/ which is Pistonhead's very own Stigs diary.
No prizes for guessing what I'd do
As has been said above - just do it. I am living proof of how easy it is to put if off indefinitely. Speaking from friends' experiences though, you'll enjoy it and learn loads
.
. Again, talk to the manufacturer and the owners clubs. There will be a big difference between how even the CKD kits go together! A cheap kit may have you patching up here there and everywhere, whereas the current mutha, an Ultima, will almost just bolt and rivet together.
Last source of information is build sites on the internet. Here people actually show you what is involved - and the problems that they have encountered!
A quick Google search came up with:-
http://website.lineone.net/~g27build/g27index.htm
And there is always www.ultima-gtr.info/ which is Pistonhead's very own Stigs diary.
No prizes for guessing what I'd do
As has been said above - just do it. I am living proof of how easy it is to put if off indefinitely
. Speaking from friends' experiences though, you'll enjoy it and learn loads.Would agree with all the advice given below and just like to add the following.
1) Go for a kit with coloured gel coat body so that you don't have to worry about a paintjob.
2) You'll find it a lot easier to deal with 'old technology' like carbs and a distributor than with a modern multi-cam computer controlled engine.
3) A kit that's designed to use just one donor car is likely to be easier for a beginner than one that requires a mixture of parts. Especially if you can simply unbolt them from the donor and fit them to the kit using all the original brackets.
If you're looking for a practical kit, then a Quantum 2+2 fits all the above criteria. (See Road Tests section). Alternatively something like a Fisher Fury, SSC Stylus, Ginetta G27 or '7' style car using either X-flow or Pinto engine and live axle should provide a fairly straightforward build.
>> Edited by grahambell on Thursday 30th January 16:20
1) Go for a kit with coloured gel coat body so that you don't have to worry about a paintjob.
2) You'll find it a lot easier to deal with 'old technology' like carbs and a distributor than with a modern multi-cam computer controlled engine.
3) A kit that's designed to use just one donor car is likely to be easier for a beginner than one that requires a mixture of parts. Especially if you can simply unbolt them from the donor and fit them to the kit using all the original brackets.
If you're looking for a practical kit, then a Quantum 2+2 fits all the above criteria. (See Road Tests section). Alternatively something like a Fisher Fury, SSC Stylus, Ginetta G27 or '7' style car using either X-flow or Pinto engine and live axle should provide a fairly straightforward build.
>> Edited by grahambell on Thursday 30th January 16:20
I wouldn't go so far as to say "you get what you pay for" but it's certainly true to say "you don't get what you don't pay for"! I built (years ago) a Burlington. Nice little car a bit like an old MG TC. The kit only cost £30 because it was just a set of plans. -Well, when I say "plans" , more like some vague sketches. This sort of kit is an absolute nightmare but very satisfying. It took me several years to finish and I had a large engineering shop at my disposal.
At completely the other end of the scale, you have the "kit-in-a-box" concept from the likes of Caterham. You pay a handsome price allright but the benefit is that you can almost just whistle and all the bits come out of the box and turn themselves into a car! - well maybe not quite but with very basic tooling (like a socket set and a drill) you can build a car in a matter of a few dozen hours. What you pay for is the accuracy of all the components. Some of the "low-end" kits are likely to require a fair degree of "fettling" to make the bits fit! Talk to the owners clubs at kit car shows- they'll generally be only too happy to tell you what sort of a time they had building it. also go for a manufacturer who's been around for a while. They'll be the ones who build kits well enough to see some repeat custom. Talk to build agents who assemble kit cars from different manufacturers for a living - they'll know which ones are troublesome. Post a message on a kit car website (like "totalkitcar.com") when you've found one and see if anyone else has built one and will talk to you. ALWAYS drive the demonstrator before you buy. You'll get a good idea of how the finished car SHOULD feel. A company that can't provide a decent demonstrator probably won't provide a decent kit. ALWAYS have a good look through the build manual before you buy a car. In general terms (but not always) there is a relationship between the quality of the build manual and the quality of the kit.
Above all, don't set yourself a time by which it MUST be finished 'cause you'll end up feeling obliged to go out and do a bit. After a while you'll grow to hate it. You're doing this for FUN remember!
At completely the other end of the scale, you have the "kit-in-a-box" concept from the likes of Caterham. You pay a handsome price allright but the benefit is that you can almost just whistle and all the bits come out of the box and turn themselves into a car! - well maybe not quite but with very basic tooling (like a socket set and a drill) you can build a car in a matter of a few dozen hours. What you pay for is the accuracy of all the components. Some of the "low-end" kits are likely to require a fair degree of "fettling" to make the bits fit! Talk to the owners clubs at kit car shows- they'll generally be only too happy to tell you what sort of a time they had building it. also go for a manufacturer who's been around for a while. They'll be the ones who build kits well enough to see some repeat custom. Talk to build agents who assemble kit cars from different manufacturers for a living - they'll know which ones are troublesome. Post a message on a kit car website (like "totalkitcar.com") when you've found one and see if anyone else has built one and will talk to you. ALWAYS drive the demonstrator before you buy. You'll get a good idea of how the finished car SHOULD feel. A company that can't provide a decent demonstrator probably won't provide a decent kit. ALWAYS have a good look through the build manual before you buy a car. In general terms (but not always) there is a relationship between the quality of the build manual and the quality of the kit.
Above all, don't set yourself a time by which it MUST be finished 'cause you'll end up feeling obliged to go out and do a bit. After a while you'll grow to hate it. You're doing this for FUN remember!
Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff