What does it take to build a kit car?
Discussion
Just how much knowledge and experience should you have to consider building a kit?
Do you need half decent vehicle mechanical experience?
A fair few kit car companies say that with basic mechanical knowledge (not necessarily car mechanics) you should be able to build their car with relative ease.
What does this mean?
Do you need half decent vehicle mechanical experience?
A fair few kit car companies say that with basic mechanical knowledge (not necessarily car mechanics) you should be able to build their car with relative ease.
What does this mean?
Ex-Biker said:
Just how much knowledge and experience should you have to consider building a kit?
Do you need half decent vehicle mechanical experience?
A fair few kit car companies say that with basic mechanical knowledge (not necessarily car mechanics) you should be able to build their car with relative ease.
What does this mean?
Should we detect problems in your build from this?!
Hope not!
A gentle mix of engineering and DIY skills will see you through most kit builds as long as you don't try and jump into something too complex for your first attempt.
Have a look at what's around and find something you like. Come back here an we will tell you if it's a good choice.
Steve
Have a look at what's around and find something you like. Come back here an we will tell you if it's a good choice.
Steve
steve_D said:
A gentle mix of engineering and DIY skills will see you through most kit builds as long as you don't try and jump into something too complex for your first attempt.
Have a look at what's around and find something you like. Come back here an we will tell you if it's a good choice.
Steve
IIRC he's already building a Marlin 5exi. When I built my Cat I had NO mechanical knowledge, have a tiny garage and no job to fund the build! Mad? Probably! Still things worked out and I've leart a hell of a lot about cars in very little time. I saw the whole build as a learning experiance and took the build step by step. Take a look at my website if you're interested in my build story
meeja said:
Should we detect problems in your build from this?!
Hope not!
Not problems.
Just some things assume you should know how to do it.
I'm not exactly a novice when it comes to engineering (13yrs Weapons Engineer and 2 years apprentice Vehicle body repair) but there are times when it says fit this bit here etc and you actually need to alter it a fair bit to get it to fit. Maybe I'm just used to precision engineering?
Which still begs the question of how much should you know to undertake a project?
Does it all come down to the cost of the kit as to how much or little fabrication etc is invoved?
Meeja YHM
Mostly this can be related to cost, I have found that if a kit has a large number of fibreglass components then for the factory to finish these to a final fit standard would be both costly and usually impossible time-wise.
wrt other components,as stated the build manual makes a huge difference. I know from experience that it is very difficult to put a process that you are familiar with and find easy into words that are logically and easily to be carried out by someone with no existing mental images of it in their head.
I think comunication/clairvoyance skills are sometimes more useful than engineering ones. I usually just cock-up the first component then go back to the factory and buy another, then make that fit!
Nick
wrt other components,as stated the build manual makes a huge difference. I know from experience that it is very difficult to put a process that you are familiar with and find easy into words that are logically and easily to be carried out by someone with no existing mental images of it in their head.
I think comunication/clairvoyance skills are sometimes more useful than engineering ones. I usually just cock-up the first component then go back to the factory and buy another, then make that fit!
Nick
So if price is the answer, does an Ultima build just fall into place?
Must admit to hearing one of the easiest builds is that of a Caterham.
Then should price be an issue?
If a problem lies in protraying the information to the customer (ie build manual) why not write basically everything when doing the manual and then offer either a back to basics manual and an experienced builders manual?
It still doesn't answer that fumamental question. Could a person who works in a office during the week, but is able to do the basic servicing on his car built something like a GTM Libra of Fisher Fury?
Must admit to hearing one of the easiest builds is that of a Caterham.
Then should price be an issue?
If a problem lies in protraying the information to the customer (ie build manual) why not write basically everything when doing the manual and then offer either a back to basics manual and an experienced builders manual?
It still doesn't answer that fumamental question. Could a person who works in a office during the week, but is able to do the basic servicing on his car built something like a GTM Libra of Fisher Fury?
Ex-Biker said:
It still doesn't answer that fumamental question. Could a person who works in a office during the week, but is able to do the basic servicing on his car built something like a GTM Libra of Fisher Fury?
I'd say so - yeah.
At the end of the day, what you don't know when you start, you learn as you go along!
It'll certainly help when it inevitably breaks down on you
Having a decent supplier and source of backup/advice is obviously an important consideration if you're not that confident to start with.
Ex-Biker said:
It still doesn't answer that fumamental question. Could a person who works in a office during the week, but is able to do the basic servicing on his car built something like a GTM Libra of Fisher Fury?
As they say "Where there's a will there's a way". If you want to build a kit-car, no matter who you are, you'll soon learn the skills needed to built it
I think the answer is yes. If you can do up a nut and drill a hole, you should be able to build one.
What I believe the difference is, will be in the quality of the finish.
If someone is used to fettling metal work or happy swapping an engine then I think they will acheive a better quality of finish in a given time than someone who has not tried before. If the novice is patient and has willing then the same finish could be achieved.
What I believe the difference is, will be in the quality of the finish.
If someone is used to fettling metal work or happy swapping an engine then I think they will acheive a better quality of finish in a given time than someone who has not tried before. If the novice is patient and has willing then the same finish could be achieved.
Ex-Biker said:
It still doesn't answer that fumamental question. Could a person who works in a office during the week, but is able to do the basic servicing on his car built something like a GTM Libra of Fisher Fury?
Well, I wok in an office all week and managed to build a Robin Hood, so I would certainly hope that a GTM or Fisher would be easier.
How's your arm doing?
Would agree anyone with a bit of practical ability and limited mechanical knowledge should be able to build a kit car although as stated the ease depends on kit quality - best are like big meccano kits, just follow instructions and bolt stuff together whereas some probably do need a bit more tech expertise and ability.
Laughed when I saw that Hallmark Cars were advertising my GD427 sold to them a few years ago as "engineer built". I am an engineer but a drilling engineer (like Bruce Willis in Armageddon?????) - this is equivalent to expecting Dr Ian Paisley to be able to perform brain surgery because he is a doctor. Worrying.
Laughed when I saw that Hallmark Cars were advertising my GD427 sold to them a few years ago as "engineer built". I am an engineer but a drilling engineer (like Bruce Willis in Armageddon?????) - this is equivalent to expecting Dr Ian Paisley to be able to perform brain surgery because he is a doctor. Worrying.
Liszt said:
....What I believe the difference is, will be in the quality of the finish.
If someone is used to fettling metal work or happy swapping an engine then I think they will acheive a better quality of finish in a given time than someone who has not tried before. If the novice is patient and has willing then the same finish could be achieved.
True for the most part. If you are used to doing the job you can achieve a good finish in a shorter time.
If you are not used to doing it but are detarmined to get it right however long it takes you can still get there.
On the other hand I have proved over the years that no matter how hard I try I cannot fill, sand and paint bodywork.
Steve
So how do you attract someone to building a kit if they are new to the industry?
For example, someone who saw an Ultima at Autosport International this year.
You can't tell then that you will learn how to do it as you get on with it, yet you might need to stop and learn a few more new skills along the way.
For example, someone who saw an Ultima at Autosport International this year.
You can't tell then that you will learn how to do it as you get on with it, yet you might need to stop and learn a few more new skills along the way.
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