Robin Hood. Why not?
Discussion
What are your plans?
They are very cheap, but this leads to questionable quality (from a holes lining up point of view).
They have set delivery date, as they run a 'just in time' type delivery. If you don't pick it up (which you have to arrange) I believe they charge storage.
They are heavy for a severn
There is alot more work involved (e.g working things out yourself)
I would look at some of the 'Locost' build sites as an alternative, or are you looking for a 'kit, & just add donor' thing.
I hope (one day) to build a fisher fury/sylva stylus (seven with more body), which is a little more (looking around 6-8K build cost).
HTH
Sparks
P.S. go to the factory, it isn't far away. Also try and find some 'customer' built ones to check out (see www.findit.co.uk)
Edited to add. General 'Why Not' from before was due to the 6K budget would buy something much better. If you have 3K a Robin Hood will get you started. If you have more, consider other types.
>> Edited by Sparks on Thursday 3rd July 15:36
They are very cheap, but this leads to questionable quality (from a holes lining up point of view).
They have set delivery date, as they run a 'just in time' type delivery. If you don't pick it up (which you have to arrange) I believe they charge storage.
They are heavy for a severn
There is alot more work involved (e.g working things out yourself)
I would look at some of the 'Locost' build sites as an alternative, or are you looking for a 'kit, & just add donor' thing.
I hope (one day) to build a fisher fury/sylva stylus (seven with more body), which is a little more (looking around 6-8K build cost).
HTH
Sparks
P.S. go to the factory, it isn't far away. Also try and find some 'customer' built ones to check out (see www.findit.co.uk)
Edited to add. General 'Why Not' from before was due to the 6K budget would buy something much better. If you have 3K a Robin Hood will get you started. If you have more, consider other types.
>> Edited by Sparks on Thursday 3rd July 15:36
Thanks Sparks.
The budget is the main problem, more than build difficulty etc. I have an engineering apprenticeship (A long time ago
), access to decent workshop facilities and plenty of spare time.
I was worried that there might be a general "Handles like a Camel" problem. Being a bit heavier shouldn't be too much of a worry as I only intend it to be used as a "Sunny day" toy on the road, no serious track use.
It's not going to be started for at least another 12 months so there is plenty time to have a good look round and, if need be, change my mind. I though asking here would be a good start.
The budget is the main problem, more than build difficulty etc. I have an engineering apprenticeship (A long time ago
), access to decent workshop facilities and plenty of spare time. I was worried that there might be a general "Handles like a Camel" problem. Being a bit heavier shouldn't be too much of a worry as I only intend it to be used as a "Sunny day" toy on the road, no serious track use.
It's not going to be started for at least another 12 months so there is plenty time to have a good look round and, if need be, change my mind. I though asking here would be a good start.
A while back there was a big gulf between Robin Hood and the Caterham/Westfield lot - RH have always been crap, but at least it was very very cheap. I've seen several at shows and been consistently unimpressed. OK, you can't expect something brilliant but even for a cheap car they seemed awful. Some had obviously been build on a higher budget (or the owner had got carried away) but still crap.
Now with the whole locost thing, there's lots of ways of building a sevenesque car on a small budget. Companies like MK have sprung up from selling stuff to locost builders, and their Indy kit has been praised everywhere I've seen - it will cost barely any more than a Robin Hood.
Poor quality, poor design (I remember a comment like "this company clearly has no idea how a car generates grip"), poor service may have been acceptable for a cheap kit car several years ago, but not now. If I could build one right now (ie. if a garage suddenly appeared out of nowhere!) I'd be looking very seriously at the MK Indy.
www.locostbuilders.co.uk/ is a very good forum - as well as general "book" locost stuff they cover the MK Indy, Tiger Avon, Luego and other budget 7-type cars.
Now with the whole locost thing, there's lots of ways of building a sevenesque car on a small budget. Companies like MK have sprung up from selling stuff to locost builders, and their Indy kit has been praised everywhere I've seen - it will cost barely any more than a Robin Hood.
Poor quality, poor design (I remember a comment like "this company clearly has no idea how a car generates grip"), poor service may have been acceptable for a cheap kit car several years ago, but not now. If I could build one right now (ie. if a garage suddenly appeared out of nowhere!) I'd be looking very seriously at the MK Indy.
www.locostbuilders.co.uk/ is a very good forum - as well as general "book" locost stuff they cover the MK Indy, Tiger Avon, Luego and other budget 7-type cars.
I built a Robin Hood a few years back because there was nothing about for the budget I had, these days there is a lot more. I can agree with SJG that the locostbuilders site is very good and would recomend checking there first as there are often kits coming up for sale on their 'for sale and wanted' section.
As for the quality, I am restoring a Dutton Phaeton (don't snigger!) and I think that it is better quality and parts fit together better than my Robin Hood did.
My reasoning behind going for a Dutton was that I didn't have to break a donor vehicle, worry about registration and I was on an even tighter budget than the last time I built a kit!!
If you're interested try www.duttonownersclub.co.uk
As for the quality, I am restoring a Dutton Phaeton (don't snigger!) and I think that it is better quality and parts fit together better than my Robin Hood did.
My reasoning behind going for a Dutton was that I didn't have to break a donor vehicle, worry about registration and I was on an even tighter budget than the last time I built a kit!!
If you're interested try www.duttonownersclub.co.uk
Superflid,
I (as I said) would like to build a kit car, or at least be involved in building one. I know there would be all sorts of issues, but would you be interested in going for something a bit better, and sharing cost/ownership?
I am in Leicester, and may well be in a position to consider it in twelve months.
Like I said, fisher fury/sylva stylus, (or sylva striker, tiger or even a well spec'd locost if you want the true seven style) is what I have considered.
Reply here or drop me an email via profile.
Sparks
Edited to add: why no track days? main reason I want to build one. Less expense when I stack it
>> Edited by Sparks on Friday 4th July 07:08
I (as I said) would like to build a kit car, or at least be involved in building one. I know there would be all sorts of issues, but would you be interested in going for something a bit better, and sharing cost/ownership?
I am in Leicester, and may well be in a position to consider it in twelve months.
Like I said, fisher fury/sylva stylus, (or sylva striker, tiger or even a well spec'd locost if you want the true seven style) is what I have considered.
Reply here or drop me an email via profile.
Sparks
Edited to add: why no track days? main reason I want to build one. Less expense when I stack it
>> Edited by Sparks on Friday 4th July 07:08
Sparks said:
Superflid,
I (as I said) would like to build a kit car, or at least be involved in building one. I know there would be all sorts of issues, but would you be interested in going for something a bit better, and sharing cost/ownership?
I am in Leicester, and may well be in a position to consider it in twelve months.
Like I said, fisher fury/sylva stylus, (or sylva striker, tiger or even a well spec'd locost if you want the true seven style) is what I have considered.
Reply here or drop me an email via profile.
Sparks
Edited to add: why no track days? main reason I want to build one. Less expense when I stack it
>> Edited by Sparks on Friday 4th July 07:08
Still deciding what/when to build so not dissmissing any option yet, might even take the plunge and do the odd track day (Not really short of tracks living between Mallory and Donington).
Not so keen on the shared build/ownership though, can see potential for large problems. Would definitely be keen to help out/be helped with building a car. Would make it a bit less lonely........
The Locost or MK Indy both look tempting and possible as they can be done "Bit by bit" so spreading cost.
There is some seriously cheap stuff for sale on the Dutton owners club site.
Looks like this is going to be harder than I though.
P.S. Seen your thread about 306 temp gauge. Mine was the same (Almost from new!) and played up on and off for the 3 years I had it. Dealer never cured it completely. It was just a minor electrical glitch.
The other one you might get is the airbag warning light flashing. We had this intermittantly for 3 years as well. Dodgey connection under seat.
French electrics.
Apart from that, good car.
Go here to read some comments from Robin Hood 2B builders.
www.madabout-kitcars.com/kitcar/feedback_table.php3?114
To see a list of all 7 type cars available go here
www.madabout-kitcars.com/kitcar/car_results.php3?cat=7&production=true
Hope this helps
Cheers, John
www.madabout-kitcars.com/kitcar/feedback_table.php3?114
To see a list of all 7 type cars available go here
www.madabout-kitcars.com/kitcar/car_results.php3?cat=7&production=true
Hope this helps
Cheers, John
Well, before I went mad and built the Ultima, I rebuilt a Dutton Malaga B Plus and then built, and raced (and still do) a Locost.
See here: www.ultima-gtr.info
and here: www.locost-racing.com
See here: www.ultima-gtr.info
and here: www.locost-racing.com
jonnyhilfiger said:
Go here to read some comments from Robin Hood 2B builders.
Great link John, thanks.
"another fault was that the rear of the frame was about an inch over to the right, which ment that the wheels were majorly out of line"
Slightly worrying to say the least......
Stig, looking at the "For Sale" section on the Dutton owners site there are some seriously cheap cars. I am thinking that this would also cut out problems with SVA and registering.
Any Dutton models that you know of worth avoiding?
I don't own a Robin Hood (or any other sort of kit car at present) but I have to say I think that what I've seen at kit car shows has been pretty disgusting! From a structural engineering point of view I'm pretty amazed at the sort of things they try to get away with. In particular I don't like any of their (numerous) front suspension set-ups especially the way they tell you to reverse the taper in the housing for the front balljoints! (get a drill, poke it in from the wrong side and wiggle it about a bit!). Sorry to be so negative but if someone gets killed in one of these, the papers will just say "kit car" and a lot of decent well-engineered stuff will get tarred by the same brush. I'd be inclined to talk to some owners (bearing in mind they will have a vested interest) and see what sort of problems they encountered.
Superflid said:
Any Dutton models that you know of worth avoiding?
The only Dutton's I would avoid are the ones that don't say Dutton on the logbook, sounds silly but there are some out there that still show the donor vehicle. The way to correctly register it (according to DVLA) is to go through SVA.
Other than that, just go for whatever you like the look of, they all used the same donors with just a change from triumph front suspension to set them apart.
I've got a Phaeton S4 and will be modifying the front to have cycle wings instead of the 'nice' Dutton bodywork, it'll also look more like a normal 7. Good luck and I think it's worth joining the owners club too.
Thanks for all the replies, as I said I won't be building/buying anything just yet but you have given me some good () reasons for avoiding the Robin Hood.
It looks like I will probably buy a complete car and do a rebuild, Dutton being a distinct possibility.
I'll let you know when things get moving.
Ken.
) reasons for avoiding the Robin Hood. It looks like I will probably buy a complete car and do a rebuild, Dutton being a distinct possibility.
I'll let you know when things get moving.
Ken.
That is apalling, glad I went for a locost now (was considering getting a 2B). Out of interest what model RH requires this lovely bit of precision engineering? I think the Robin Hood had problems with the front suspension from the very beginning. The early RH was Dolomite Sprint based, and with my work for Latham at the time I recall we took a close interest in the way RH had modified the standard Dolomite wishbone assembly to incorporate a spring and damper unit. I'm no engineer, but I remember that one of our guys was seriously alarmed when he saw what they'd done! RH subsequently changed donor vehicle, so don't know how they overcame that problem with second generation kits, but I'd be interested to know if any of those early examples encountered problems.
On the subject of price, the first Robin Hoods were (reputedly) so cheap because they used bankrupt stock from the Delorean factory. All the stainless steel panels and acres of grey leather that made the RH so distinctive were said to be left over from the collapse of DMC. Does anyone know if that was true?
>> Edited by Thumper on Tuesday 8th July 10:04
On the subject of price, the first Robin Hoods were (reputedly) so cheap because they used bankrupt stock from the Delorean factory. All the stainless steel panels and acres of grey leather that made the RH so distinctive were said to be left over from the collapse of DMC. Does anyone know if that was true?
>> Edited by Thumper on Tuesday 8th July 10:04
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