Could you use an Ultima as your only car? Practical?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

I have suddenly got this pang for an Ultima. Its an itch I would love to scratch, but living in London I wonder if it would just be a total waste and perhaps even a pain?

Be very interested to hear from owners about what it is like:

1. To drive (handling, ground clearance, twitchyness!)
2. To "live with"
3. To maintain

Is it a scary car to drive? I am used to fairly powerful cars, but nothing like an Ultima! Is it something only for the very skilled driver to consider?

Things like ground clearance, visibility, abilities in slow moving traffic, etc all very gratefully received!

The only thing I am not crazy about is the interior, but I think if the interior is well sound proofed and I had a reasonable set of speakers to keep me happy in a traffic jam, I'd be happy! The rest of the time i'd be having too much fun!

There are some nice ones in the classified.

[Steve_D]

Sorry, sounds like an Ultima is not for you.

It’s not a daily driver.
Is not London friendly.
Driving is manic, I doubt you have experienced this level of power to weight.
Maintenance is not a problem.
No matter how much sound proofing you add you will not drown out the V8 and are unlikely to gain much from the radio.

Bloody good fun though and scares the cr*p out of you where ever you go. Interior? Who cares?

Steve

[kylemrushall]

AdvocatusDiaboli said:

I have suddenly got this pang for an Ultima. Its an itch I would love to scratch, but living in London I wonder if it would just be a total waste and perhaps even a pain?

Be very interested to hear from owners about what it is like:

1. To drive (handling, ground clearance, twitchyness!)
2. To "live with"
3. To maintain

Is it a scary car to drive? I am used to fairly powerful cars, but nothing like an Ultima! Is it something only for the very skilled driver to consider?

Things like ground clearance, visibility, abilities in slow moving traffic, etc all very gratefully received!

The only thing I am not crazy about is the interior, but I think if the interior is well sound proofed and I had a reasonable set of speakers to keep me happy in a traffic jam, I'd be happy! The rest of the time i'd be having too much fun!

There are some nice ones in the classified.

A big V8 in London traffic what a complete waste of time!!

They are not built for comfort( heavy clutch ), visibility etc etc they are built to go fast on tracks and nice sweeping A roads

Im sorry but Steve is right i dont think you will enjoy one!!!

[TuxMan]

Got to agree with the boys on this one ,not good in traffic .....in london !!!!!!! only in my nightmares ,easy to maintain ..yes great fun to drive ...yep ...will it scare the sh1t out of me ......everytime you drive it !!!! ha ha ha

[Lone Granger]

can suspension of a modestly tuned one be set no worse than an Impreza STi and still be safe on back roads for instance? - I personally see no reason to go above say 450 lb ft / 500 bhp max - I know it is frowned upon, but I too (along with a good number of other potential buyers)would prefer the interior to be a little more 'productionised' with ample sound & heat proofing - to around TVR levels of comfort.

I am sure the clutch can be made lighter with performance of this level - just look at the improvements Porsche made in this regard from early 300 bhp cars to later 450 bhp cars (now MUCH lighter and very every day.)

If the Ult is not to be used on a track by a customer, i am sure it could be made a lot more 'everyday friendly' (again as much as say a TVR SEAC / Griff) and attract a second thread of customer interest - not just the purist max power (meant in the nicest way!) / track warrior type of customer.

[Steve_D]

Lone Granger said:

can suspension of a modestly tuned one be set no worse than an Impreza STi and still be safe on back roads for instance? - I personally see no reason to go above say 450 lb ft / 500 bhp max - I know it is frowned upon, but I too (along with a good number of other potential buyers)would prefer the interior to be a little more 'productionised' with ample sound & heat proofing - to around TVR levels of comfort.

I am sure the clutch can be made lighter with performance of this level - just look at the improvements Porsche made in this regard from early 300 bhp cars to later 450 bhp cars (now MUCH lighter and very every day.)

If the Ult is not to be used on a track by a customer, i am sure it could be made a lot more 'everyday friendly' (again as much as say a TVR SEAC / Griff) and attract a second thread of customer interest - not just the purist max power (meant in the nicest way!) / track warrior type of customer.

Yes, pretty much all you say could be done.
Ride height can be adjusted to deal with any road.
Small engine with turbos to bring back some power will produce a quieter engine but I still think getting it 'quite' will be difficult.

But will it still have the 'Itch' the OP wishes to scratch or should he just go buy a Noble.

Steve

[TuxMan]

I think my own Can-am is probably set more for road use than anything else ,smooth efi , 420bhp, loads of torque slighly raised ride height ,dampers that were built and tuned specialy for road use, black leather interior with lumbar support ...but to be honest on a bumpy B road a well driven 4 door scooby would wipe the floor with it .....but a smooth bit of tarmac with a couple of roundabouts chucked and its a different story and from about 80mph upwards it would be left in my dust ..

[kylemrushall]

or a tvr??

i love the interior, it shows the cars intent!! If a lot of you boys had your way it would soon be 1500kg and that would blunt its appeal for a lot of us??

[TuxMan]

Kyle's right the polished alloy looks awsome ,got that race car look !!!

[Wilder]

In answer to your question - to sum up in one word - no.

[Lone Granger]

kylemrushall said:

or a tvr??

i love the interior, it shows the cars intent!! If a lot of you boys had your way it would soon be 1500kg and that would blunt its appeal for a lot of us??

I dont believe the weight would increase drastically with just addition of quality insulation and carpet - take some doing to pile on your suggested 1/2 ton..! - May be 50 kg - in any which way, less than a full tank or passenger.

Plus not suggesting the 'touring' spec be applied to all - but a 'touring' and 'sport' options choice would be good and surely find new friends. - No I am not suggesting fitting anything other than a monster V8

Presumably current models are mainly running iron blocks rather than the all alloy option - if you are so worried about weight then an alloy block would negate weight of additional insulation and then some..

[kylemrushall]

Lone Granger said:

kylemrushall said:

or a tvr??

i love the interior, it shows the cars intent!! If a lot of you boys had your way it would soon be 1500kg and that would blunt its appeal for a lot of us??

I dont believe the weight would increase drastically with just addition of quality insulation and carpet - take some doing to pile on your suggested 1/2 ton..! - May be 50 kg - in any which way, less than a full tank or passenger.

Plus not suggesting the 'touring' spec be applied to all - but a 'touring' and 'sport' options choice would be good and surely find new friends. - No I am not suggesting fitting anything other than a monster V8

Presumably current models are mainly running iron blocks rather than the all alloy option - if you are so worried about weight then an alloy block would negate weight of additional insulation and then some..

yep but it wont stop at that will it, you will be fitting 6 speakers, big heavy seats, insulation etc etc

some run iron blocks some have ali

i love the noise, smell and heat from the big V8 behind me, so why would i want to sound deaden

golf gtis used to weigh 900kg now they weigh 1600kg i dont want that to happen to Ultima with some crappy touring spec. It is an animal because of its power to weight!!

[TuxMan]

if you are not carefull you will loose the essence of what the car is ...........raw...fast.....fun !!!

[d3vine]

Which year/model of the VW Golfs weigh 900kg?

[kylemrushall]

d3vine said:

Which year/model of the VW Golfs weigh 900kg?

mk1 golf gti

[Lone Granger]

kylemrushall said:

Lone Granger said:

kylemrushall said:

or a tvr??

i love the interior, it shows the cars intent!! If a lot of you boys had your way it would soon be 1500kg and that would blunt its appeal for a lot of us??

I dont believe the weight would increase drastically with just addition of quality insulation and carpet - take some doing to pile on your suggested 1/2 ton..! - May be 50 kg - in any which way, less than a full tank or passenger.

Plus not suggesting the 'touring' spec be applied to all - but a 'touring' and 'sport' options choice would be good and surely find new friends. - No I am not suggesting fitting anything other than a monster V8

Presumably current models are mainly running iron blocks rather than the all alloy option - if you are so worried about weight then an alloy block would negate weight of additional insulation and then some..

yep but it wont stop at that will it, you will be fitting 6 speakers, big heavy seats, insulation etc etc

some run iron blocks some have ali

i love the noise, smell and heat from the big V8 behind me, so why would i want to sound deaden

golf gtis used to weigh 900kg now they weigh 1600kg i dont want that to happen to Ultima with some crappy touring spec. It is an animal because of its power to weight!!

Dont over re-act - it is just as I say, the weight saving of going full ally more than compensates for better insulation - and no, I am not suggesting that the character be lost, merely toned to the level where a previous contributor would consider joining the breed with a 'touring' spec - there are not many that would consider my griff as being:
a) overweight
b) too nambypanby, losing all the V8 character

The Ultima, if described by owners as unsuited to:
a) back roads
b) regular usage

so can take a little reigning in for a more mainstream type of driver

p.s. yes one of my other cars is a 330 / 330 Scooby Sti with suspension stiff enough such that you would definitely dent the wing before deflecting the springs by hand - this is my every day car and just comfortable enough by way of ride


Incidentally I used to race single seaters and practised with Davina Galica, so you can tell I am not exactly teenage --- yet perhaps have some sort of interest in brisk raw cars...

Taste varies from person to person, and it would be great to try a 'touring' spec with full ally motor.

edited due to originally typed after too many snifters..!

Edited by Lone Granger on Thursday 13th December 15:33

[Lone Granger]

incidentally, without the cost of engine what would be the lowest build cost for an Ultima GTR?

[Davrianman]

Without engine is a good £35 - 40K. Most builds end up around the £50K+ mark.

[Lone Granger]

Davrianman said:

Without engine is a good £35 - 40K. Most builds end up around the £50K+ mark.

Are you sure, I recall several 'members' at a Meet saying they had done build for low £30s - also some spending high £50s (600+ bhp)

[SlackBlevens]

Davrianman is correct.

£35-40k for the kit, depending on options such as rear spoiler, AP brakes & air-con
£2k for a G50 gearbox
£3-20k for the engine

Darren