Complete Kit Car magazine March 2011

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COMPLETE KIT CAR

HOMEBUILT 4THIRTY

DUTTON SURF

ROADRUNNER DRIVEN

March 2011 £4.25

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk

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EVERY MONTH IN CKC

P O E L T P I R T rgan o M o t t h s the fig e k a t g • Trikin eeler h w 3 d powere i z z u G • uality q s e z o o

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TECH

Roadrunner SR2 Dutton Surf DNA 4Thirty – Part 2 MEV Build – Part 1 Kit Car Basics Suspension Bush Upgrades Running Reports Triking

NEW CARS ONE-OFFS ROAD TESTS BUILDS WORKSHOP EVENTS CLASSIFIEDS

KIT CAR BEGINNERS Where to build your kit car

RUNNING REPORTS Build diaries tell it like it is

PROJECT EXOCET Buying an MX-5 donor for £800

PLUS: Suspension bushes, Our Cars, Tech Talk, New Products

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OPENING 19th MARCH 2011

WWW.FURYSPORTSCARS.CO.UK

The Mill Toy & Pedal Car Museum opens its doors for the very first time on Saturday March 19th 2011 at 10.00. Why not travel to us on the Kent & East Sussex Railway from Tenterden.

As a brand new visitor attraction, The Mill Toy & Pedal Car Museum houses a unique collection of collectables and nostalgic pedal-powered toys.

A stylish sports car with a hint of classic tradition.

Legendary road holding, performance & safety.

Spares, help & advice readily available.

We are able to build, prepare and repair road or race cars.

2011 Admission Prices Adult (over 16 yrs) £4.00 Child £3.00 Senior Citizen £3.00 Family (5 persons maximum) £12.00 The Mill, Station Road, Northiam, East Sussex TN31 6QT T: 01797 253803 E: enquiries@themilltoymuseum.com

VERRALLS BUSINESS CENTRE, MAIDSTONE, CRANBROOK, KENT TN17 2AF

www.themilltoymuseum.com

All prices, technical

Quality • Performance • Style Winner of the 2005 ‘Which Kit’ 750 Motor Club Kit Car Championship Driver Andy Sterling

Car DAX Rush Rover V8 with ‘Camber Compensation & Anti-Roll system’*

information and donor parts lists are contained in our information packs. These are available for £3 each or £7 for all 3. Alternatively, all this information – and more – is available from our website.

DJ Sportscars International Ltd 2 Edinburgh Place, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2DJ Tel: 01279 442661 Fax: 01279 434956 e-mail: post@daxcars.co.uk

• CC&AR is a unique and patented cross-linked doublewishbone suspension system that counters roll (without the need for anti-roll bars) and maximises grip and predictability by cleverly keeping all wheels upright to the road.

MARCH 2011

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Aviator

TM

The latest road & track car from Tiger

G Even better handling and Improved aerodynamics but with the same build quality and engineering integrity that is the hallmark of Tiger Sportscars.

What the press say:-“The overall picture is one of a car with rapid responses and brilliant balance.� Complete Kit Car, October 2009

Send for our 48 page catalogue for full details of the great sportscars from Tiger

Visit our Website:

www.tigerracing.com

Photo courtesy of Complete Kit Car Magazine

Tiger Racing Ltd., Service Station, Thorney Toll, Nr. Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 4AX Tel: 01733 271131 e-mail: jim@tigerracing.com

4 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

005 Welcome March 2011:CKC Edit Template

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March 2011

EDSPEAK

Welcome

HOMEBUILT 4THIRTY

DUTTON SURF

ROADRUNNER DRIVEN

March 2011 £4.25

www.completekitcar.co.uk

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to Complete Kit Car, the UK’s most vibrant kit car magazine

www.complete kitcar.co.uk (T: 01903 236268)

Ian Stent Editor ian@performance publishing.co.uk

Exploring outside of the usual kit car boundaries is to be encouraged. But it must not come at the cost of established shows. As a reader of CKC you may already have your favourite kit car event and it’s vital that each year it provides you with the sort of show that makes you want to come back for more. I suspect manufacturer displays are central to that and I hope new and established kit car companies never forget the value of these events in favour of seemingly more mainstream alternatives.

The latter should be in addition to the regulars, not in place of them.

And if you’ve not been to a kit car show before, we look forward to seeing you at one in 2011.

Make it happen.

NEW CARS ONE-OFFS ROAD TESTS BUILDS WORKSHOP EVENTS CLASSIFIEDS

OLPE T TRIP

EVERY MONTH IN CKC

Morgan fight to takes the wheeler 3ed ower • Guzzi-p ality oozes qu • Triking

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TECH

Subscribe to Complete Kit Car and save 15% on the newsagent price.

THE STONELEIGH KIT car show in May has never previously been the season opener for the kit car industry, but it will be in 2011. All of which means we’ve seemingly months before manufacturers have the chance of putting cars they’ve been working on over the winter in front of a ‘live’ audience. The reason for this pause is that the traditional season opener at Detling has now leap-frogged Stoneleigh and will happen later in May. And that’s left a void in the show calendar that manufacturers are naturally looking to fill.

Could this be the reason why the recent Autosport International event at the NEC was so well stocked with kit car companies? We counted at least thirteen different manufacturers with an official presence at the show, which is as many as you sometimes find at smaller kit car events!

KIT CAR BEGINNERS Where to build your kit car

RUNNING REPORTS Build diaries tell it like it is

PROJECT EXOCET Buying an MX-5 donor for £800

PLUS: Suspension bushes, Our Cars, Tech Talk, New Products

Editor’s choice...

AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL This show’s an increasingly important season opener for many companies. p26

DUTTON SURF Dutton Surf is one of the industry’s more bizarre creations. p36

CKC’S LATEST BUILD PROJECT Really pleased that we’re building another kit car. p52

NEW BEGINNER SERIES If you are new to the kit car scene, this new series should guide you. p60

TERRIFIC TRIKING What a lovely little thing. The Triking is one of our hidden gems. p90

MEET THE TEAM Your kit car specialists EDITOR Ian Stent

FEATURES EDITOR Adam Wilkins

TECHNICAL EDITOR John Dickens

AUTO STYLIST Italo Sciacca

CV – Built two kit cars, owned eight others, driven virtually every type of kit car produced over the last 20 years.

CV – Built a Sylva Riot. Raced a Tiger Avon for five years. Kit car journo for nine years.

CV – Has run a kit car as his only car since 1980! Designed unique fibreglass chassis and suspension for his GTM Coupé. Very clever!

CV – Studied car and product design and has worked as a design consultant on many cars.

“I have to admit that as I look down the slipway to the very, very fast moving river Arun, my heart is thumping.”

“Visability was good, so we were able to reach some proper speeds. The SR2 took the crests and bumps in its stride.”

“Although polyurethane bushes are designed as direct replacements for rubber ones, they operate in a very different way.”

See Italo’s spectacular sketches of kit cars we’d like to see – every other month in Complete Kit Car

Dutton Surf p32

Roadrunner SR2 p16

Suspension bushes p70

MARCH 2011

MONTHLY COLUMNIST Tiff Needell

CV – Currently presenting Channel 5’s Fifth Gear. Previously a Top Gear presenter and been a top flight race driver since the mid ’70s.

“Writing what might turn out to be my last comments before being sacked by the editor...”

Tiff p15

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006-007 Contents March 2011:CKC Edit Template

CONTENTS

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March 2011

In this issue OUT & ABOUT

SPOTLIGHT

finished LAYZELL has just TRIKING’S ALAN wheel of aluminium machining a set intricate extraordinarily hubs. They are block of d from a solid items, machine form the aluminium to high strength steel for the 40 stainless into locating point laced subsequently spokes that are m to an aluminiu place and attached to the is supplied blank wheel rim which

Triking

Autosport International

AUTOSPORT Kicking the show season off in style is Autosport International, and more and more kit car manufacturers are taking advantage of this huge event. CKC was there.

Caterham SP/300R WE’RE PRETTY CONFIDENT that CKC was the first magazine in the country to publish details on the new SP/300R, and we even had copies rushed to the show direct from the printers to show Caterham MD Ansar Ali. The launch of the car was big news to the world’s press, with the inevitable unveiling and PR chat from Ansar and also Lola’s MD with whom the car has been co-developed.

Only available in a fully built form and with a ticket price of £60,000 plus VAT,

Ansar Ali (centre and Lola’s Robin Brundle answer

the new car may seem expensive, but actually undercuts by £5K Radical’s latest model, the similarly powered SR3 SL. Seen alongside Caterham’s more familiar Seven, the SP/300R is in stark contrast to the established model’s inherently traditional styling. It also looks much longer and wider too. With track use the only playground for now, the new car has serious intent and serious performance. 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds

and a top speed of 170mph thanks to its slippery shape and 300bhp supercharged Duratec engine.

CONTACT Caterham Cars, Station Avenue, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 6LB T: 01883 333700.

E: sales@caterham.co.uk W: www.caterham.co.uk

RTR Domination THE COMBINATION OF MEV’s design flair and Road Track Race’s production and marketing know-how makes these coexisting companies something of an unstoppable force within the kit car scene at the moment. While the bargain basement Exocet was absent, RTR’s Rocket, tR1ke and Atomic were taking centre stage on an impressive display.

RTR’s Paul Holmes was also thrilled with a potential new Rocket race series to be run under the 750MC banner and within the existing Kit Car Championship.

750MC scrutineers have been examining the company’s Rocket and advising of

with y Triking entrusts small compan the e item. There, making the complet of the for the other end individual holes and out of the rim spokes are punched le meticulously the whole ensemb d. In d and balance tensione led, assemb but when a spoked wheel, reality it’s just nd that understa you you speak to Alan exactly available was nothing else readily

Raw Phoenix

changes required to meet its stringent competition safety measures, and RTR was delighted that the recommendations (most notably rollcage requirements) could be easily met. RTR is aiming to offer a complete competition spec race package for the Rocket, for just £12,000 in kit form or around £16,000 turnkey.

Autosport provided the first opportunity to look at the new Raw Phoenix. The company only bought the production rights to this model recently, but has swiftly developed the slippery body shape to fit over a slightly modified version of its established Striker chassis.

The show car was awaiting installation of an Omex developed supercharged Duratec engine and gearbox combo expected to deliver over ***bhp in its ultimate guise. Yes please!

CONTACT Road Track Race, 42 Mount Street, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7HX. T: 0115 9780677. E: sales@roadtrackrace.com W: www.roadtrackrace.com RTR’s Rocket on the 750MC stand.

Raw Phoenix reveled at Autosport.

are... ones he makes correct... but the Welcome to the exactly correct. of Triking. a handcrafted world when Triking took I’ll be honest, 2010, kit car show in stand at the Newark existed. The it I’d almost forgotten 1977, been trading since company has ion it was had the impress but I’ve always and the kit car scene from aloof cars, rather rate on turnkey preferred to concent to see phoned I not kits. And when the car, come and see whether we could Alan Layzell I got from MD the impression exactly cautious and not was hesitant, sm. But it obvious enthusia brimming with . on all counts.. wrong I’m out sells turns sold kits, now Triking has always s and has turnkey example more kits than

CONTACT Raw Striker, The Grange, Sutton Road, Shelwick, Herefordshire HR1 3AW. T: 01432 371169. E: info@striker-cars.co.uk W: www.striker-cars.co.uk

questions on the Autosport stage.

Expectant crowd await the unveiling.

MNR’s Toys For Boys... And Grown-ups MNR’S LONG AWAITED LMP track car debuted at Autosport in a production format for the first time. This focused track day and competition tool features a

spaceframe chassis, double wishbone suspension with pushrods and inboard coil-overs at each corner, with either a bike or car installation behind the driver.

MNR’s Junior Cobra for kids.

WESTFIELD HAD SIGNIFICANT show presence on no fewer than three separate stands at Autosport. Road cars rightly took centre stage on the main stand (complete with associated glamour – seemingly a must-have at Autosport), with turnkey Sport Turbo, caged racer and kit

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£49,999 plus VAT as an introductory price (rising to £62,499 plus VAT from the end of February) and include not only the working car, but also full factory support during all race meetings.

LMP now

production ready.

CONTACT MNR, Holly House Farm, Moorcock lane, Darley, Harrogate HG3 2QL. T: 01423 780196. E: chrismnrltd@btinternet.com W: www.mnrltd.co.uk

CONTACT Westfield Sportscars, Unit 1 Gibbons Industrial Park, Dudley Road, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 8XF. T: 01384 400077.

E: info@westfield-sportscars.co.uk W: www.westfield-sportscars.co.uk

SHOW BRIEFS

based SE. Elsewhere the company’s iRacer was firmly taking centre stage, with two examples on display in an area of the show focused on ‘green’ issues. Bodywork on both examples was disappointingly finished, but this new product continues towards a production reality with seemingly unstoppable momentum.

They’re certainly going to be fascinating to drive and the styling is suitably alternative.

Of particular significance at Autosport, was one car’s presence on the EV Cup stand. This new zero emissions race series will kick off with six meetings in 2011 (four in the UK and two on the continent in Spain and Portugal). A further event in the States has still to be confirmed. The iRacer will star in its own one-make grid, while other EVs will form a second grid.

The iRacer will cost competitors

Westfield iRacer

A 550bhp Hayabusa turbo is in the demo car, but other bike engines can be utilised, along with a Duratec car engine is so desired. Apart from track days, the LMP’s main target is the 750MC’s RGB series. Prices start at £7250 for a kit package and turnkey examples from just £15,999 (both inclusive of VAT).

Also catching our attention on the stand was a miniature Cobra replica, to join the company’s existing Junior Seven. The Junior Cobra is an electric powered kids car which can be bought fully built for £1995 or from a kit starting at just £750. It has a tubular steel chassis and fibreglass bodywork, just like the big boy’s version!

IMPRESSIVE GINETTA DISPLAY Always good to see Ginetta Cars looking healthy. Both G50 and G40 race cars were on display, plus an impressive G50 rolling chassis. Sadly no F400 road car to look over since the company took over the model from Chris Marsh (ex Marcos) of Farbio, but it will be interest to see how it develops over the next twelve months. As for the company’s various competition race series, it seems Ginetta goes from strength to strength. Long may that continue.

MARCH 2011

MARCH 2010

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of its a new version about to launch kit car With Morgan just out one of the eler, CKC dug Triking. iconic three-whe Stent drives the Ian . jems en industry’s hidd 90 www.co

uk mpletek itcar.co.

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8 NEWS

26 OUT AND ABOUT – AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

DGT Dino returns as an MR2 bodykit, Fury changes hands and lots more.

Lots of kit cars attending this year’s Autosport International.

15 TIFF

30 SHOW PREVIEW – RACE RETRO

Tiff calls for all specialist car sectors to join forces and work together.

What you’ll find if you come along to this great event, including kit cars.

16 FIRST DRIVE – ROADRUNNER SR2

32 FIRST STEER – DUTTON SURF

Wilkins drives the new MX-5 based Roadrunner SR2.

We couldn’t call this a First Drive, since half of the test was on water!

24 LETTERS

38 CLUB LIFE

Two pages jam-packed with your views and comment. Just how we like it.

Always lots going on in the social world of kit car clubs.

41 EVENTS DIARY 2011 is already bulging with shows and kit car gatherings.

FIRST STEER!

Dutton Surf

A car that thinks it’s a boat, or a boat that thinks it’s a car? The editor is whistled aboard the new Dutton Surf to find out.

I’M STANDING ON the side of a slipway as Tim Dutton jumps aboard his latest amphibious car and prepares to launch into a very fast flowing river Arun near his workshops. A passer by stops and asks if the car is going to do what he thinks it is... and waits when I confirm his suspicions. And as Tim starts the car and begins to move forward, the onlooker notices the Dutton name on the side of the car... and reminisces that his brother built a Dutton back in the Seventies.

And it strikes me that here, some forty years later, we’re witnessing the very same Tim Dutton, still building and developing utterly unique kit cars. Good work.

And it’s easy to forget the impact Dutton had on an industry that was previously little known. As his height in

the 80’s, Dutton was selling 20 cars a coast, the local council had just stopped week, from four factories employing over the public parking their cars on the beach 80 staff. Over 3000 Phaetons were sold, and someone challenged his to build a 3000 Sierras and a host of other models car that could park there legitimately... came and went over the years. Some may regardless of the tide! Red rag to a bull, question the quality of what was on offer anyone? and the legacy his years of domination left Tim’s subsequent research showed the industry. But just remember that he that only the German manufactured never produced a replica of anything and Amphicar had ever been successfully then consider the production numbers productionised as a car capable of being I’ve just mentioned above... No one has used on water, but even this had ever got even close to those numbers, numerous major floors in its design.

But either before or after. Dutton created a the real challenge was finding any marketplace no one ever knew existed information at all about the requirements and was arguably the only kit car for creating such a vehicle – there wasn’t company, ever, to produce product on an any book on the subject or indeed any industrial scale (only Robin Hood has helpful reference points anywhere.

He come close). really was finding out as he went along.

Since he launched (literally!) his first Contrary to what you might expect, amphibious car in 1995 the numbers making the vehicle watertight wasn’t that have been more modest – just over 120 difficult, but working out a suitable have been made to date, but the product propulsion system for the Fiesta based was just as ground-breaking (perhaps first model was. In the end Tim used a even more so) than his Phaeton all those hydraulic drive system, but the Fiesta’s 2years before. And his motivation was wheel drive made life difficult when typically gung-ho. Living on the south exiting the water or driving on sand etc.

As a commercial product for businesses that could take advantage of its dual abilities, it had limited value. Tim had used the Fiesta because of his experience with the car on his previous project, the convertible Hacker Maroc, but by the end of the last millennium he’d converted the

44 READER’S CAR – DNA 4THIRTY We featured Steve Smith’s 4Thirty build last month. Now it’s finished.

90 TRIKING With Morgan relaunching a 3-wheeler, we drive the kit form Triking.

96 CLASSIFIEDS Some great buys to be found here, just in time for summer.

98 30 DAYS Wilkins looks back over the last thirty days of kit car shenanigans.

32 46 www.completekitc ar.co.uk

MARCH 2011 MARCH 2011

www.completekitc ar.co.uk 47

Pick up the April issue FRIDAY MARCH 18TH

EDITORIAL T: 01823 335443 E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk A: Complete Kit Car, 30 Henley Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 5BJ

CLASSIFIEDS T: 01795 520877 E: adam@performancepublishing.co.uk A: Complete Kit Car, 57 London Road, Teynham, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 9QW

6 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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DNA Build

Competition

Focus On Harnesses

Tech Talk

Bushes to Bearings

Our Cars

Ask John

Products

Upgrading Suspension Bushes

workshop

One of the most popular and simple upgrades that you can do to your kit car will offer dramtic improvements to its handling. Technical Editor John Dickens outlines how to upgrade your suspension’s bushes.

plastic (nylon) bushes and rubber in their suspension pivots depending on their location, required movement and vehicle dynamics.

Generally, a more rigid material will control the suspension movement more accurately, giving sharper handling and steering response. But it will absorb less road noise, shocks or vibration, producing a noisier less comfortable ride.

Two vehicles commonly used as donor cars for earlier kits demonstrate this perfectly. The classic Mini gained its reputation for sharp handling and high cornering power partly due to the use of needle roller bearings and bronze bushes in almost all its suspension pivots. Only the lower front wishbone used rubber bushes. On the downside its ride could never

have been described as luxurious.

When Rover did eventually fit rubber mounts to the subframes to improve the ride quality, the handling suffered noticeably and aftermarket rigid mount conversions quickly became available.

In contrast the MkIII and MkIV Cortinas used rubber bushed front wishbones which were, in turn, bolted to a rubber mounted cross member. When new, the handling was acceptable, though never sharp, but after moderate use, driving a Cortina apparently felt very similar to driving a boat.

Needle roller bearings and solid bushes, whether metal or hard plastic, will only allow movement in one plane and they have no shock absorbing or noise isolation properties whatsoever. This severely limits their use in modern car suspensions where linkages are

Typical polyurethane bush with a separate inner sleeve.

isolate the occupants of the vehicle from road noise, shocks and vibration to ensure a comfortable ride. Bumps in the road are actually absorbed by the springs and their resulting movement is controlled by the dampers, but the way in which the wheels move relative to the chassis depends on the geometry of the linkages which attach the wheels and uprights to the chassis.

The bush rotates freely around the inner sleeve just like

Tech Talk

Basics: Garage

Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

KIT CAR BASICS The Garage Thinking about a first time kit car project?

Let CKC’s new series of features on Kit Car Basics guide you. This month we look at where the project will be built.

BEFORE YOU’VE BOUGHT a single spanner, before you’ve even thought about which kit you might like to assemble, you need to consider the building in which you intend to build it.

WHERE? There are those who have successfully assembled a kit car on the drive outside their house, with no weather protection whatsoever... but we wouldn’t recommend it.

More regular readers may remember that our very own Ashley Gardiner began his Haynes Roadster build in his garden, before quickly realising that some form of weather protection was needed. He then built an impromptu lean-to on the side of his house, where he successfully welded the chassis together and would have completed the car, had he not then moved house to a place with a wooden framed garage... luxury!

If you don’t have access to your own garage then it’s always possible to rent one, but kit projects can often take longer than you think, and the cost may be prohibitive.

Expect to pay around £30 to £50 per month for a lock-up garage.

What’s more, you’re most likely to

come across an en bloc garage, which in itself isn’t ideal...

While it may offer you a dry location in which to assemble your car, it will usually come with several distinct disadvantages. Most importantly, it’s unlikely to have power, which means no easy access to light or sockets from which to run items like a power drill. You can overcome this by running a small generator to power a light source, and use battery powered tools, but it’s far from ideal.

Other disadvantages shouldn’t be ignored either. Lock-ups can often come with serious security issues.

Will you leave your tools there, and what about all the kit components when they are still in boxes and

easily portable?

While a lock-up may be only a short walk from your house if it comes with the property, if you are renting a garage then it may mean a drive every time you want to pop round and do some work on the car.

You’ll have to be extremely organised and dedicated to maintain progress in this scenario.

Finally, lock-ups are rarely inviting places in which to spent hours

Competition

Running Reports

tinkering with a car. If you’ve no other option, then it can be done, but...

Our recommendation has to be a garage at home (either brick or wood built). If it’s attached to the house, even better and if you don’t have to go outside to access it, but have a door from inside the house, then that’s ideal. Basically, the easier it is to pop into the garage, the more likely you are to take advantage of any spare moments you may have.

SIZE MATTERS With care and a bit of planning, it’s perfectly possible to assemble most kit cars in a typical single garage.

However, it is worth checking the dimensions of the style of kit you are thinking of building, and then

En bloc garages are far from ideal, usually with no power or light and often reasonably remote from your house, particularly if rented.

Security is an obvious issue.

If you can

run power to a garage, then it is possible to make a remote garage far more appealing.

Many suspension linkages need to move or twist in more

perhaps marking out its footprint on the floor of your garage with some masking tape. With the bodywork removed, most chassis (even when rolling on wheels) are much easier to get around, taking up less room in a confined space.

One way of maximising a small space is to delay delivery of the bodywork until you are ready to fit it.

Many kits can be built up to a rolling chassis before the panels need trial fitting, and storing panels (which in itself needs to be done carefully) can take up a lot of space.

Other ways of maximising space may be to mount your trestles on sturdy dolly wheels, so that you can push the chassis against one wall when working on the opposite side.

You can also get dolly wheel trolleys (also known as wheel skates) which lift the wheels off the garage floor and allow you to do the same with a partial or fully built car.

As well as being able to get around your car, you’ll also need space for some form of workbench, and also storage. The latter can often be done with shelving units which keep the floor space clear, and it is also possible to have a folddown work surface, that you only erect when needed. That said, a permanent sturdy work surface that will support potentially heavy components and which is available at all times has to be ideal. This should be possible within a typical single garage.

As an example, my garage at home is pretty compact, measuring just 8ft 6in by 16ft 6in. A typical Lotus Seven style kit car fits nicely, although it can still be cramped to get access to all sides. My Cyclone

the Shore hardness.

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1 These linkages need to pivot at their attachment points (Fig 1) in order to allow the suspension to move freely and it is the material used in these pivots which ultimately has to meet the conflicting requirements of

Typical front suspension pivot points.

providing precise handling while insulating the occupants from noise and road shocks.

Manufacturers have used roller bearings, bronze bushes, hard

The Cortina 4-link rear axle location

Somewhere in there is an old rubber bush from an

These are the replacement bushes which I machined.

Polyurethane bushes at each end. Inner ones are Mini,

unknown donor.

outer ones are mine.

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Wheel bump produces a twisting motion in all the bushes.

3

4

2

This VW arm needs the original bush outer sleeves to be left in place.

A voided rubber bush designed to allow twisting.

Typical rubber bushes with and without outer sleeves.

A rotary file or sanding drum is ideal for removing rust

(effectively the same size as a larger sevenesque kit car) sits right against the garage door in order to leave reasonable space at the other end to move around in front of the kitchen units and worktop I’ve assembled. I also tend to have the car closer to the wall on one side to maximise space on the other.

Clearly, it would be far more challenging to park a Cobra replica in here, so if you are considering a larger kit car, then there’s no question that a double garage (double width being better than double length) is the kit builder’s dream.

A garage attached to your house has to be pretty ideal.

A single garage is fine when

just parking a car, but suddenly seems tight when you need to work on it.

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Abrasive paper is used to give the area a final clean up.

and paint.

The rubber distorts to allow the bush to rotate.

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MARCH 2011

BASIC FEATURES If no-one has ever developed your garage beyond its original assembly, then the chances are the unpainted

When he then moved house he was lucky

enough to get a wooden workshop/garage with it. Luxury!

walls will be made of either block work or bricks, the floor will be bare concrete, there may be one pendant light and perhaps a single plug electric socket. This is a great start, but there are things you can do to make your build experience a

whole lot easier and more pleasant.

Painting – Painting the walls white will not only make the place look nicer, but it will also make it much lighter, and that’s a benefit you shouldn’t underestimate. Painting

TECH

Marlin Build

Ask John

Tech Talk

PRODUCTS Our monthly highlight of products for you and your kit car.

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Calibre Alloy Wheels 60 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Polyurethane bar from Superflex. The numbers refer to

a bearing.

than one plane.

CKC’s Ashley Gardiner began his kit car project under a tarpaulin in the garden, before building this lean-to at the back of his house!

Mainstream manufacturers use suspension bushes made almost exclusively from synthetic rubber.

For them this offers the ideal compromise between handling, comfort, cost and service life, but rubber does have some drawbacks too.

It will slowly deteriorate when exposed to UV light, water, salt, petrol, oil, grease, antifreeze and other solvents. The rubber may soften, allowing excess movement, or it may lose its flexibility and resilience. Eventually it will permanently distort allowing the suspension pivots to shift from their ideal position, upsetting the handling of the car and accelerating tyre wear. Ultimately the rubber will break up and the bush will fail completely.

Since the vast majority of kit cars are sporting in nature and generally

8 9

The suspension of a car is normally considered to consist of the springs, dampers and linkages which connect the wheels and tyres of a car to its chassis. On a road car the system has a number of conflicting requirements. In order to maximise tyre contact and grip it needs to accurately control the movement of the wheels and tyres during cornering, braking, accelerating and over bumps, but it also needs to

11 MEV Build Pt1

often required to move mainly in one plane but to allow limited movement in a second (Fig 2). The Cortina rear suspension, used in a large number of early kits, used a 4link system to locate the live axle fore and aft and side to side (Fig 3).

The angle of the upper links, which provide the lateral location, means that even under normal vertical suspension travel the bushes are required to twist as they rotate. In single wheel bump a twisting motion is applied to all the bushes whether the arms are angled or not (Fig 4).

To accommodate this complex motion the Cortina used special voided rubber bushes (Fig 5). These were intended to provide resilience in one plane whilst allowing flexibility in another. Unfortunately, when subjected to hard use, these bushes had a very short service life.

MARCH 2011

MARCH 2011

CALIBRE PRO 7 PRICE: From £83.20 AVAILABLE FROM: Alcar. T: 01622 713800. W: www.alcar.co.uk The Calibre Pro 7 is a new wheel that’s available in either matt black or white with a black rim. It comes in 15in and 17in sizes and either four or five-stud patterns. Prices start from £83.20.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 61

Focus on Gauges

Aluminium Fabrication

Our Cars

Products

Tiny Digial Speedometer DIGITAL SPEEDOS DS100 PRICE: £84.95 plus VAT AVAILABLE FROM: Digital Speedos. T: 0121 745 95555.

W: www.digital-speedos.co.uk

Hosetechnik Brake Lines

In-Car Camera Kit

ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKE LINES PRICE: Custom made to order AVAILABLE FROM: Hose Technik. T: 0845 838 5364. W: www.hosetechnik.com

TWO NEW CAMERAS FROM DOGCAM PRICE: VIO POV camera (below left) £499.95, HDMax Extreme £299.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Dogcam. T: 01208 269159. E: info@dogcam.biz W: www.dogcamsport.co.uk

Hosetechnik brake lines are the latest offering from Forge Motorsport, a name that will be familiar to most petrolheads as a maker of all manner of go-faster bits. Each set is custom made to order, and there is a range of 12 colours available. It’s ideal for kit cars where an off-the-shelf kit may not fit.

£299.95

This neat little unit is the latest release from Digital Speedos. It has a built-in trip meter and can measure speed in either miles or kilometres per hour. It promises easy set up thanks to clear instructions and a simple sensor and magnet system that can be fitted to a wheel or driveshaft. It measures just 47mm by 33mm and is 15mm deep.

£499.95

£84.95 plus VAT

Dogcam has released two new cameras. The VIO POV camera (above left) uses a new microprocessor to record in a variety of resolutions and frame rates. It also has a prerecord feature that can record the 10 minutes prior to hitting record. The HDMax Extreme (above right) is a helmet-mounted camera (that can also be mounted within a car in a conventional manner) that features a bright LED screen to watch back what you’ve just recorded. It also has a built in laser so that, when it’s mounted on the crash helmet, you can ensure it’s ‘looking’ in the same direction as you.

POA

From £83.20

52 MEV EXOCET BUILD – PART 1

Ali Products From SVC GADGET OF THE MONTH!

OIL CATCH TANK AND HEADER TANK PRICE: Oil catch tanks £36 (1-litre round) or £43 (2-litre square), header tank £55.

AVAILABLE FROM: SVC. T: 01827 67714.

E: info@s-v-c-.co.uk W: www.s-v-c.co.uk

CKC embarks on a brand new build.

Weight Saving Battery LIGHTWEIGHT BATTERY PRICE: £299 plus p&p AVAILABLE FROM: 7 Tips Racing. T: 07920 843146. W: www.7tips.co.uk

56 TECH TALK John Dickens explains the mechanics of how your clutch works.

Why cart around a heavy, full-size battery if you’ve built a lightweight car? 7 Tips Racing offers a range of very lightweight batteries, such as the 300cca model shown below. An iPhone gives a sense of scale, and the battery weighs only 970g. The 150cca model, which is suitable for bike engined cars, tips the scales at just 450g! When a full size battery can weight over 12kg, the savings are obvious! The batteries use lithium ferrous nano phosphate technology and are a straight swap for a converntional lead acid battery.

HISPEC UNIVERSAL HANDBRAKE CALIPER PRICE: £65 each, plus cables AVAILABLE FROM: HiSpec. T: 01322 288850.

E: sales@hispecmotorsport.co.uk W: www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk HiSpec has just launched a universal handbrake caliper that works with its Ultralite, Billet and Monster brake calipers. The small separate handbrake caliper mounts on the spacer block of the main calipers and provides enough braking force for any car up to about 1300kg to pass the IVA test.

It’s the pressure that’s important with a handbrake caliper, rather than the pad area. Aside from the cable and arms, all the linkage is internal and protected from the elements for added reliability. The caliper itself is priced at £65 (each) and the cables are extra.

SVC has added a range of aluminium products to its range. The oil catch tank (left) is available in 1-litre (round) or 2-litre (square) capacities at £36 and £43 respectively, while the water header tank is priced at £55. The firm also offers a lightweight fuel swirl pot.

They’re of high quality and British made, and will add a pro look to any kit car.

£43

Car Wash Tablets

Get Your Hoses Shiny!

AUTO GLYM SILICONE HOSE WIPES PRICE: £6.98 for 10 sachets AVAILABLE FROM: Samco Sport.

T: 01443 238464.

W: www.samcosport.com

SIMONIZ CAR SHAMPOO TABS PRICE: Around £4.99 AVAILABLE FROM: Various retail outlets

Around £4.99

60 KIT CAR BASICS – GARAGES In a new series for kit car novices, we look at where to build.

76

Simoniz Car Wash Tablets are a new way of using shampoo – instead of using messy liquids, you just use one tablet in a bucket. A packet of 10 retails for around £4.99 depending on the outlet.

£299

76 www.completekitcar.co.uk

£55

AUGUST 2010

MARCH 2011

£6.98

Auto Glym and Samco Sport have teamed up to create these wipes which are suitable for all under bonnet silicone and rubber components. They have been formulated to resist the heat and grime that builds up in an engine bay.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 77

64 OUR CARS Dickens has got his UVA back home, and now he’s helping Stent!

Robin Hood Build

70 SUSPENSION BUSH REPLACEMENT John Dickens shows how to upgrade your suspension bushes.

75 COMPETITION – SABELT HARNESSES

Tech Talk

Reporter: Richard Claydon Project: Sylva J15 Age: 44 Occupation: Senior operational fire officer Project start: June 2009

Last time round we’d fitted the dash which was covered in vinyl and had my sexy yellow-faced gauges fitted. I must say I was really pleased with the way it turned out.

I also said that if this report’s pictures were of a pile of smouldering wreckage you’d have known that my attempts to wire the car had gone horribly wrong.

Bearing in mind my profession I’m pleased to report that the car is

almost completely wired and we’ve not had a hint of smoke yet!

I bought the universal loom off a well-known auction site and it came in three parts. The main section included the fuse boxes and relays, with front and rear sections connected with multi connectors.

The loom was pretty good, in that it gave me a basis to work from and it was really just a matter of stripping out bits I didn’t need and adding bits I did.

It’s been a very pleasant surprise as everything worked pretty much first time and the only issue I’ve had is that the combined indicator/hazard relay powers up when I switch the ignition on. The lights don’t flash but the relay clicks away! At the moment I’m not sure if it’s a faulty relay or my wiring. I’m using it in conjunction with the Durite switch I’d fitted, so I’ll have to investigate it all further.

It has been really nice to see all the lights coming to life and it’s

It makes a big difference when items are attached to the bodywork. Suddenly it starts

80 RUNNING REPORTS

Products

Ask John

Competition

Running Reports

RUNNING REPORTS

Your chance to win a pair of top quality harnesses for your car.

Two pages of the latest gadgets and gizmos.

Fibreglass Preparation

CKC’s Running Reporters have shunned Christmas pud and instead been in the garage... well, some of them!

PROFILE

76 PRODUCTS

Warp 8 Part 5

to look like a car.

Reporter: James Griffin Project: Westfield Classic Edition Age: 49 Occupation: Rail industry consultant Project start: September 2010

Well, there’s quite a lot of progress to report since last time. I have successfully bled the brakes, with the help of a simple one-way bleed valve which I purchased from my friendly local auto shop. I then cunningly attached it to an old coffee jar, added some plastic ties and some string, and created what I think is a handy tool that allowed me to bleed the brakes very nearly

Aftermarket loom has been a good purchase, and Richard’s connections have all been correct, so far!

PROFILE

New Raceline

single handedly.

The Engine Management System (ECU) wiring wasn’t half as complicated as it looked, and that’s all in now, (apart from the lambda sensor which goes into the exhaust later on in the build.)

I expect I have won the Westfield ‘Numpti of the Month’ award, as at one point I couldn’t see why the steering wheel/column was only turning a little bit in each direction. I double checked all the bolts, and all seemed OK. Nothing appeared to be fouling anywhere. So I rang the Mark at the Westfield technical helpline.

alternator mounting kit cured space problems

starting to look more like a car all the time.

One issue that I hadn’t overcome until recently was the fitting of the alternator and the running of the drive belt. On a conventionally fitted Duratec the belt runs high across the top of the front of the engine.

This wasn’t possible on my car due to the location of the fabricated engine mounts. Thankfully my friends at Raceline came to the rescue with a very nice alternator kit which moves the fitting to the inlet side of the engine. With this in place I’ve been able to run the drive belt, although it’s still close to one of the engine mounts.

Anyway, with the alternator fitted and wired I’m getting closer to the point where I can run the car up.

The main item needed now is to get an exhaust fabricated and I’ve

already been in touch with Simpson Race Exhausts in Slough.

Finally this time I’ve fitted an oil filter head kit, again sourced from Raceline. Although not strictly needed, I liked the look of it and it did tidy up the filter fitting nicely.

Next time I’ll be tidying up the loose ends and getting closer to pulling it all together!

With the car down on its wheels and pushed outside, there’s an opportunity for a picture.

Time to collect the bodywork from Westfield.

Natty use of tie wraps meant brake bleeding largely done solo.

Most of the body panels

now aligned.

And, without a hint of sarcasm or even a sigh, he gently enquired if perhaps I had taken the keys out of the ignition? Sure enough, the steering lock was the culprit. I think the appropriate expression is “Doh!” In order to make it easier to attach the bodywork, I decided to turn the car round. This entailed adding the wheels and tyres, dropping it down off the trestles, and with the assistance of the good lady of the house, pushing it out of the garage. A swift three-point turn and a bit more pushing later, it was back in the garage, re-elevated onto the trestles, and ready to accept the body. I have to mention that even though I was steering I somehow managed to run over my own foot.

Three times! I hope that’s not indicative of future driving ability!

We collected the bodywork from the factory in November as planned.

We went armed with a good quantity

of blankets for safely wrapping up the fibreglass, and managed to get the body home and then in situ on the chassis with no major issues.

There followed a period of what could perhaps be described as ‘Contstructus Interruptus’. I went down with a case of very serious man flu, then the cold weather happened, and it was down to about minus 20 inside my garage for a fortnight, and after that the unavoidable Christmas break came along.

But, by mid January, life returned to normal and I have managed to get the bodywork nicely aligned. It’s now riveted on and I have to say it now actually looks like a car.

The bonnet catches went on easily, as did the fuel filler cap.

That’s about as far as I have got at the moment, but my next jobs are to attack the scuttle, and get the exhaust on. I also want to get the boot box fitted and fit the roll bar.

White is an unusual colour.

Latest news from our real-world kit car diarists.

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80 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

COMPLETE KIT CAR IS PUBLISHED ON THE THIRD FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH

TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST NEWSSTAND SALES & MARKETING: Imagine, London T: 0845 612 0092 E: david@imaginemag.net W: www.imaginemag.net DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce, London SE1 0SU GRAPHICS & DTP: Grapevine Design & Print T: 01903 531531 E: justin@grapevineprint.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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RUNNING REPORTS IS SUPPORTED BY

Car Builder Solutions

ETB Instruments

T: 01580 891309 E: neil@foreman46.freeserve.co.uk W: www.carbuildersolutions.co.uk

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Dampertech

T: 01709 703992 E: sales@dampertech.co.uk W: www.dampertech.co.uk

MARCH 2011

Woolies

Midland Wheels

T: 01778 347347 E: info@woolies-trim.co.uk W: www.woolies-trim.co.uk

T: 01926 817444 E: sales@midlandwheels.com W: www.midlandwheels.com

SiliconHoses.com T: 0845 8385364 E: info@siliconhoses.com W: www.siliconhoses.com

www.completekitcar.co.uk 81

Sorry, but lack of time prevents us answering technical queries over the phone. We would much prefer you contact us by e-mail or write, enclosing an SAE for a reply.

While every effort is made in compiling the editorial and accepting only bona fide advertisements in Complete Kit Car, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any effects arising therefrom. Freelance features and photographs are submitted at the owner’s risk and, whilst every care is taken, no responsibility for loss or damage can be taken by the publisher or their agents.

Copyright Performance Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1754-1271

008-013 News March 2011:Layout 1

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NEWS

10:09

Page 8

Latest

There’s always loads going on in and around the kit car scene and you can rely on Complete Kit Car to keep you up to date with what’s happening.

Fury Under New Ownership; New Model On The Way THE FISHER FURY has changed hands... and is now under the ownership of a man who has 17 years experience with the marque. Steve Hughes has bought the company and has set up his new operation, Fury Sportscars. Steve worked with BGH Geartech and, before that, Mark Fisher, so few people know more about the Fury than Steve! He built the first V8 powered Fury and also the first motorcycle engined version of the car.

Fisher Sportscars were amongst the pioneers of bike engined cars and instrumental in setting up the 750 Motor Club’s RGB Championship.

The re-energised model benefits from a refurbished workshop (Fury Sportscars operates from BGH’s old premises) and a new website has just been constructed. A car lift has recently been installed in the factory and chassis construction has been brought in-house where previously it was subcontracted.

Initial focus is on upping the quality of the bodywork. As we go to press, the body moulds are being overhauled to bring the finish of new bodies up to scratch.

Perhaps more excitingly, a new model is due to be launched in 2011. Details are limited at present and there are no photographs, but it promises to be a very different shape to the existing Fury.

Steve Hughes takes on the Fury with 17 years experience.

Le Mans bonnet with a Spyder body is just one of the Fury’s permutations. Full screens, doors and classic bonnet also available.

Significantly it uses car’s the established and proven underpinnings and it will be possible to retro-fit the new body to existing cars.

Meanwhile, the Fury in all its various guises will remain available. Both the classic and Le Mans bonnets are still in production, and it can be fitted with or without a windscreen and doors.

It’s fair to say that the Fury has been a little forgotten for the last few years. It’s Steve’s full intention to give it a push and get it back on the map with a concerted investment and development effort. The factory will support several cars in this

8 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

year’s 750 MC Complete Kit Car Championship and it will have a presence at the Stoneleigh and Detling kit car shows.

The previous owner of the marque, gearbox specialist BGH Geartech, continues from new premises. BGH’s new contact details can be found on the opposite page.

CONTACT Fury Sportscars, Unit 8 Verralls Business Centre, Maidstone Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AF. T: 01580 713777.

W: www.furysportscars.co.uk

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BRIEFS

Haynes Panels From AGM

AGM SPORTSCARS, MAKER of the Le Mans style WLR, has recently introduced a complete set of body panels for the Haynes Roadster.

The panels are finished in gelcoat and the standard colours are red, yellow, dark blue, black and white. Other optional colours are available at extra cost. Prices are as follows:

• Nose £110 • Bonnet £120 • Scuttle £115 • Rear wings (pair) £85 • Front wings (pair) £50 • Sides (pair) £150 • Rear panel £120 The whole set is available for £750 and all prices include VAT.

CONTACT AGM Sports Cars, Unit 10 Industry Road, Carlton Industrial Estate, Carlton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S71 3PQ. T: 01226 700373.

E: enquiries@agmsportscars.co.uk W: www.agmsportscars.co.uk

DGT Returns With MR2 Donor JOHN HURST, THE man who originally offered the DGT Deon replica in the 1980s, is back – and the DGT VII (meaning version two) will be launched at Stoneleigh. Gone is the bespoke spaceframe chassis and instead the moulds have been modified to fit the Toyota MR2 Mk2 as a body conversion kit. The first two complete cars have already been sold, and there will be two demonstrators at the car’s show debut in May. JH Classics has also recruited two agents; one in Birmingham and another in Scotland which already specialises in converting MR2s to use V6 engines.

Two versions of the car will be available. The GT is a conventional coupé, while the GTS is a targa-top. Since the MR2 was available as a targa, it makes it very easy to offer both versions.

The GTS loses the rear quarterlight window and gains a vented panel in its place.

The photograph shows the plug from which the production moulds are being taken just as this issue goes on sale. It only shows some of the brightwork and

BGH MOVES: After selling the Fisher Fury project, BGH Geartech has moved. The telephone number and website address remain the same.

You’ll now find BGH at Red Roofs, New Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3LE. T: 01580 714114. W: www. bghgeartech.co.uk

finishing details which will be part of the very comprehensive kit. JH Classics will offer everything needed to complete the car, and the body panels will be made inhouse. Production numbers will be limited as John wants to enjoy producing kits rather than chase volume sales.

The £9200 kit includes the body panels, as well as a whole host of exterior and interior trim parts to finish off the build. Additional costs will include the donor (£1750 for a good one), paint (£2000), 16in Cromodora original style wheels and tyres (£1050)... and not a lot else! Around £14,000 will see a very well specified DGT hit the road.

The website has just gone live, and when production starts there will be a telephone line for advice and back-up.

We’ll be following this project with interest in the lead up to its launch at Stoneleigh.

Tim Dutton AMPHIBIOUS CARS

Q

How did it all start for you in the kit car industry?

A

I was living in my mum’s pub in Worthing and messing about with cars. One of the customers wanted me to build a Lotus Seven, which I did on the forecourt of the pub. I thought “I’m going to have a go at this.”

Q NEW WOOLIES CATALOGUE: The Woolies catalogue has now reached its 20th edition, the latest one having just been published.

The trim and upholstery firm is one of the most established around, and is a useful resource for any kit car builder. Woolies, Whitley Way, Northfields Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, Cambridgeshire PE6 8AR. T: 01778 347347.

W: www.wooliestrim.co.uk

How does the scene today compare with that of the ’70s?

A

I’m not that into the kit car business today, but in the ’70s and ’80s people built kit cars because they wanted a sports car – there was no choice other than a Spitfire or Midget. Today, there are all kinds of GTIs and MX-5s so people only build a car because they want to build it. That’s my impression.

Q

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your years in specialist car manufacture?

A

Reflecting on my court case, if you ever do a customer a favour by supplying something out of the ordinary, put in writing what you are and what you’re not going to include. That’s my advice to manufacturers. It only takes a couple of minutes to get it down in writing, and it can save you a lot of hassle.

Q

What drew you to amphibious cars?

A

CONTACT JH Classics. E: info@jhclassics.com W: www.jhclassics.com

CKC WINNERS: Graham Wright of Leicestershire is the latest winner of our Lexicon word-spotting competition, and received a CKC binder to keep his magazines in.

Meanwhile, Rodger Webb of Cambs has won a year’s subscription to the magazine via our monthly online competition.

MARCH 2011

WE ASK...

www.completekitcar.co.uk 9

I’ve been in Worthing since ’69 and every weekend I’m on the water doing something. I once had an argument about driving onto the beach with the trailer. Someone jokingly said I should build an amphibious vehicle to drive to the shore and the idea must have stuck!

Q

As the longest running manufacturer of amphibious cars, what’s the secret to success?

A

Just keep going. Don’t take any notice of people who say it’s been done before and won’t work – just ignore them!

New Dutton Surf driven on page 32

008-013 News March 2011:Layout 1

3/2/11

NEWS

WILKINS Count The Cost | DON’T OFTEN embroil myself in arguments on internet forums, but recently I found myself polyposting on the costs involved in a kit car build. As is often the way with forums, I was picked up on a post that was slightly hastily worded and I ended up defending a point I hadn’t quite made in the first place. The crux, though, was whether a builder should factor in their time as part of the cost of a project.

My argument was that the build is a leisure time pursuit that you choose to indulge in, and that it would be completely bogus to add up an hourly rate for the time spent assembling a car. People who play golf or go to the pub or watch telly don’t fret about how much they might have been earning if they’d been at work instead. Besides which, building the car is a process that adds value to the whole ownership experience.

This viewpoint was entirely dismissed by the poster I was discussing this with, and things suddenly look a turn for the theoretical. He came back with all kinds of esoteric notions of ‘use value’, ‘exchange value’ and ‘sign value’.

Effectively, it boiled down to this. If you spent £6000 on the parts to build a car and then sold it for £6000, in my world you haven’t lost a penny. If you’re going to put a ‘value’ on the spare time you’ve spent building the car, you’ve made a loss. But if you’ve enjoyed the process of building the car, what’s the loss?

One thing’s for sure: I personally derive extra enjoyment from driving my Sylva Riot knowing that I built it.

However, the debate did make me wonder how real-world kit car builders view the time spent building their kit cars. Do you see it as a necessary evil to get the car you want, or is its construction an enjoyable part of the ownership process in its own right?

ADAM WILKINS adam@performancepublishing.co.uk

10:09

Page 10

Latest

CKC/Omex Track Day: Saturday 14th May THE FIRST CKC/OMEX track day will take place at Llandow on Saturday 14th May – and you can book a place for just £95, or a bargain £75 if you’re an existing or new subscriber!

We’ve been running these events in conjunction with Omex Technology for a few years now, and they always prove popular with track day newbies and those with more experience. The morning will be divided into groups according to experience, and the afternoon will operate as an open pit lane.

There are never more than 10 cars on the track at a time, giving you plenty of space to push yourself and your car.

Places are limited to 35, so grab one now before they’re all taken.

Saturn Goes MX-5

ANDY HUGILL AT Saturn Sports Cars is currently working on a Mazda MX-5 based version of its Roadster – and it’s going to be sold in exactly the same format as the Ford Sierra based Haynes Roadster kit that it currently offers.

That means that as well as offering conventional body/chassis kits (as well as all the wishbones and other bespoke components) it will be possible to purchase a ‘flat pack’ chassis for welding together at home. Builders will also be able to fabricate their own wishbones using drawings provided by Saturn in the same style as those in the Haynes book for the Sierra based car. These drawings will be copyrighted to Saturn, allowing customers to build wishbones for their personal use only.

“The aim is to make the MX-5 the preferred donor,” says Andy. “Customers won’t have to come to us for the parts if

CONTACT Ian Stent. T: 01823 335443.

E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk

they want to fabricate them themselves, but we can supply parts back up if they’d rather buy them.” Of course, the Sierra based components and chassis kits will remain available.

Adopting the MX-5 is a rapidly growing trend; elsewhere in this issue you’ll see that we have bought one of the Mazda sports cars as a donor for our next project. We’ll be providing a detailed account of stripping off the parts needed for a kit car build next month.

CONTACT Saturn Sports Cars, 27b Park View Road Industrial Estate, Hartlepool, County Durham TS25 1PD. T: 01429 864377.

E: info@saturnsportscars.co.uk W: www.saturnsportscars.co.uk

CKC LEXICON EACH MONTH, STENT and Wilkins will attempt to out-do each other by slipping into CKC a polysyllabic, little used or just plain pompous word. If you can spot both of them, let us know where you found them and you could win a CKC binder (worth £8) in which to keep your magazines tidy. If you find both, e-mail adam@performancepublishing.co.uk This month’s words are...

STENT: Retral adj At or toward the back.

WILKINS: Opprobrious adj Outrageously disgraceful or shameful.

10 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

011:CKC_MAR_11

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Westfield We estfield Sportsc Sportscars cars Introductory In ntroduct tory Kit t

£2,500 inc VAT Pictures are Ford based SDV kit and show powder coated option

ALL WESTFIELD FABRICATED PARTS SUPPLIED

» » » » » » » » » » » » » »

TLINE H TL SALES HO L OUR S LL AL CA

077 01384 400IL S

Space Frame chassis Spare wheel carrier Top front wishbones x2 Bottom fr front ont wishboness x2 Engine g mounting g br bracket acke et set Pedal box box inc. all pedalss and master cylinder Pedal Brake Brake pipe kit including g steel, aer aeroquip oquip and T pieces Full Full aluminium panel se sett (not sho shown wn in picture) picture) Rivet Rivet pack Full Full suspension nut and d bolt kit Full Full suspension bush kitt Chassis plate Cycle Cycle wing br brackets ackets Top To op rear rear wishbones Bottom rrear ear wishbones

R DETA ER HE H TH RT UR FU FOR F

Westfield W e estfie eld Car Sales Ltd · Unit 1 · Gibbons Gibb bons Industrial Park Park · Dudley Road Roa ad · Kingswinford Kingswinford · West West Midlands Midland ds · DY6 DY Y6 8XF T: +44 (0)1384 (0)1384 400077 · E: sales@westfield-sportscars.co.uk s sales@w estfield-sportscars.co.u uk · W: W: westfield-sportscars.co.uk westfield-sportscars.co.u uk T: A Potenza Po otenza Sports Spor p ts Car Company y

design : www www.creativesurge.co.uk w.cr . eattivesurge.co.uk

T I K E H T N I D E D U L C IN »

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NEWS

10:31

Page 12

Latest

Tiger Reveals Avon Revisions Typhoon Valdris Ceased

new version will be its wider rear wheelarches. These will accommodate 7in wide wheels, as used on Tiger’s R6, R10 and Aviator models. The car also has a new dashboard moulding which places the windscreen 1in higher to offer better protection for taller drivers. It will still use the same windscreen or aeroscreen as a standard Avon.

There are also changes under the skin.

A lowered floor is an option, which again improves accommodation for taller drivers.

FOLLOWING ACTION BY KTM, Typhoon Sportscars has ceased production of the Valdris. The company’s own demonstrator is the only example to have been built, and will be retained to illustrate the quality of Typhoon’s work.

Work will begin on an all-new design which will be revealed later in 2011 (currently estimated to appear around August or September). It will retain the Valdris’s chassis and suspension package in its existing form. Typhoon Sportscars. T: 01945 701333.

E: typhooncars@aol.com

HOT ON THE tail of news of its retro HS6 model (News, February 2010), we’ve heard that Tiger Racing is working on a revision to its Avon model. This work-inprogress shot shows how it’s shaping up.

The biggest visual clue to identify the

CONTACT Tiger Racing, Service Station, Thorney Toll, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 4AX. T: 01733 271131. E: jim@tigerracing.com W: www.tigerracing.com

Paul Gooderham Fabrication

CKC’s Caterham First

SHORT CUTS

LAST MONTH’S NEWS item on the new Caterham SP/300R was so quick off the mark we were able to deliver a copy of the magazine to the Caterham stand at the Autosport show just the day after the car had been unveiled. Complete Kit Car was the first magazine in the world to get the news into print.

The pic here shows Caterham MD Ansar Ali with his copy. He revealed the news that six deposits had been placed for the car by the second afternoon of the show.

PAUL GOODERHAM IS a self-employed welder and fabricator with a fondness for kit cars. The quality of his work has won him contracts from the likes of Airbus and British Nuclear Fuels, but it’s the work he can provide kit car owners that draws our attention. He has built from scratch an aluminium bodied Locost and, during its construction, he bought an English wheel and learned to roll metal.

Other services he can offer include arc, mig and tig welding, sheet metal folding and precision machining. He offers exhaust cans in six preset sizes and can make one-off items like header tanks and oil catch tanks.

WINNERS WITH CKC Our January 2011 issue contained two great competitions – and now we can reveal the winners! The Electrostatic Magic DIY powdercoating kit (right), worth £199, was won by Pete McManus of Wiltshire. Meanwhile, Charles Skadorwa of Nottinghamshire wins a £199 Westfield Active voucher that can be redeemed at any Westfield drift day throughout 2010.

Don’t miss this month’s great competition to win Sabelt goodies on page 75.

12 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

But his real speciality has become building bespoke exhaust systems in stainless steel. The photographs show a little of what he is capable of, but there’s more to see on his website.

Paul Gooderham Welding and Fabrication is based on the Essex/Suffolk border, but collection and delivery can be arranged if you’re not local.

CONTACT Paul Gooderham Welding and Fabrication.

T: 07779 561613. E: info@paulgooderham.co.uk W: www.paulgooderham.co.uk

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MEV Rocket Single-Make Series ROAD TRACK RACE has announced a single-make race series for the MEV Rocket. Initially, it will run in parallel to the 750 Motor Club’s Complete Kit Car Championship, but the idea is to attract enough cars to ultimately run standalone grids. Tightly controlled regulations and a control tyre will mean the emphasis is on driver skill, and it’s suitable for both

novice and experienced drivers. Full factory back-up will be part of the package.

CONTACT Road Track Race, 42 Mount Street, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7HX. T: 0115 978 0677. W: www.roadtrackrace.com

Found On The Web WEIRD, EXOTIC, UGLY AND BEAUTIFUL CARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD This remarkable looking car was advertised on Australian eBay as a Jaguar XJ220 prototype. It has a Beetle engine, although a 3.5-litre V8 is optional. It was billed as being ideal to rent out for sightseeing thanks to its four seats and open top, or it could be used for hillclimbing and racing.

Very versatile! It only needs some TLC and attention to the paint in just two areas.

Tempting... or not?

Detling Developments Epona Project For Sale GARRY GOODERHAM, DESIGNER of the stunning Epona, has been in touch to say that he is offering the project for sale.

Neither he nor Aeon Sportscars, who partnered him on the project, have the time to see it through to market. “It would be a great shame if it didn’t make production,” he said.

He’s keen to see the project reach fruition and is looking for an offer in the region of £1000 for the design, followed by a royalty of £50 per car sold. If the car is taken on by a manufacturer of, say, a Lotus Seven style car, it’s likely that they’ll

want to fit the Epona body to their own chassis. However, there is the option of the Aeon developed rolling chassis as part of the deal at an extra cost.

Garry was keen to point out that there is no hard feeling between him and Aeon Sportscars. The only reason for the sale is that neither party has had the time to devote to the project.

WITH ITS MOVE to May (21st/22nd), the Detling show is going to change in character. The promise of better weather means that camping will be a more realistic proposition, and the organisers will put on evening entertainment on the Saturday.

As well as plenty of manufacturers, there will be displays

by Invicta Roadsters and the National Hot Rod Association.

There will also be a huge display by the Kent Kit Car Club.

A new attraction will be a twice daily demonstration by the Dutton Phaeton drag car picured below. Don’t miss out on the smoke and noise! We’ll have more details on the show with a full preview in the next issue.

CONTACT

CONTACT

Garry Gooderham. T: 07824 995988.

European Promotions. T: 01233 713878.

W: www.kitcar-shows.co.uk

ARDEN AUTOMOTIVE OPEN DAY

SOMETHING TO SAY?

Arden Automotive will be opening its doors on Sunday 27th March.

The open day will give existing and potential customers a chance to have a look round, meet the team and see what the firm can offer.

Arden Automotive, Unit 7 Moorbrook, Hawksworth, Didcot OX11 7HL. T: 01235 813331. W: www.ardenautomotive.co.uk

Call the COMPLETE KIT CAR editorial office on 01795 520877 with all your kit car related news or e-mail it to adam@performancepublishing.co.uk

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 13

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015 Tiff Needle March 2011:CKC Edit Template

CONTRIBUTOR

3/2/11

13:21

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March 2011 “We need to gather the kit car world, the one-off specials and the replica builders back into one happy family because they are all part of the same minority of enthusiasts who love to create their own machines”

MY FIRST BIG event of 2011 was larking around hosting the Fifth Gear Live arena of the Autosport show held at the NEC in the middle of January. Apart from the serious business of me trying to beat Jason Plato in our little series of challenges, there were also some brilliant demonstration races by a wide world of different machinery.

From awesome drift cars to monstrous stock cars, Caterhams, Mitsubishi Evos, pick-up trucks and even Reliant Robins, there was something for everyone but what caught my eye were the autograss racers. Not because they were any more entertaining, as everyone put on a great spectacle, but because of some of the engineering that had gone into them.

The bodyshell may have made you think it was an old Mini but there it was on more opposite lock than a London taxi, with two motorcycle engines wailing away in the back of a rear-wheel-drive special. But then I found out I can’t call it a ‘special’ because an autograss special is one of their Class 8 single seaters! No, apparently it’s a Class 7 ‘Super Saloon’ and already the name game is getting me into trouble...

So, if it’s home-built but not a special, is it a kit car? Suggest that and you’ll find yourself eating the grass they race on! So now I’m in serious trouble and this is the direction this column is heading. Writing what might turn out to be my last comments before being sacked by the editor, may I suggest that the start of a new decade is as good a time as any to revisit where we are all coming from.

You see, for the benefit of all, we somehow need to gather the kit car world, the one-off specials and the replica builders back into one happy family because, at the end of the day, they are all part of the same minority of enthusiasts who love to create their own machines whether it be from scratch or a box of bits that arrives in a van.

So, once we’ve renamed the magazine ‘Complete Kit Car (Specials and Replicas) Magazine’ – which I admit might take a little working on – we can establish some sort of understandable division to improve what is, let’s face it, not the strongest of images in the motoring world as a whole. Instead of drifting apart, the divisions need to pull back together.

To get back to the beginning, perhaps we should start by deciding what is a ‘special’ and, thanks to my inheriting my father’s book collection, I have just the thing – the great John Bolster’s 1949 book simply entitled Specials! In a book that describes an incredible 74 builders of such machines he defines them as ‘a car built for a specific purpose by an amateur, either entirely to his own design, or by combining the essential parts of a number of makes.’

We can now begin my reforms with the 750 Motor Club – which is ten years older than Bolster’s book so ought to know better – by adding the word ‘specials’ to any self built class and thus reclaim the innovative engineer’s heritage. If your mate then wants one, but can’t afford to buy it off you, then you could replicate all the parts you used and give them to him in a box so he could build a ‘kit car’ while the bloke down the road who likes your ideas but wants to do it all himself could make a ‘replica’!

So now we have the same car covering all three worlds and we all understand and appreciate where each is coming from – and that’s the way it should be. Mutual admiration for what to all intents and purposes is the same passion.

TIFF NEEDELL Every month – only in Complete Kit Car MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 15

FIRST DRIVE

Roadrunner SR2

Roa to t drunne u car rn to t r Racin – an he M g’s dm azd SR2 et t he n a MX-5 is amo ngs ew a s a do t the own ers n f of t or. We irst ki t ca he p t r i roje ed o rs ut t ct. he 16 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

FOR SUCH A young company, Roadrunner Racing has a surprisingly complex history.

It started out as MK Engineering and was run by Martin Keenan. Entirely unconnected to the similarly named MK Sportscars (established by Martin but now owned by his brother Phil), MK Engineering released the Sprint R singleseater in 2007, before a company rename to Road Runner to avoid confusion. When Martin wanted to concentrate on design and engineering, the company moved to Kevin Hickling (with Martin once again trading as MK Engineering). The firm was subtly renamed again to Roadrunner Racing and the car received some alterations. Dave Flavell was enlisted to redesign the car, having previously designed the MK Indy R’s chassis and suspension package. The revised version of the car was named SR1.

While quite a number of the singleseaters were finding homes, it became clear that Roadrunner needed a more conventional two-seater if it was going to gain a real footing in the kit car market.

Dave Flavell was once again called upon, and he created a round-tube chassis for a Seven style car. Funding was being provided by Kevin’s brother-in-law, Steve Holland. By the time the SR2 was launched at Stoneleigh last year, Steve had taken full control of the company and the SR1 had been dropped from the range (although spare parts back-up is still provided to this day).

It was a big launch by kit car standards; the large show stand contained two cars and a chassis, and Roadrunner was taking double page ads in the kit car press. This approach didn’t last long. By September, Steve was looking to sell the project in order to focus on his core (and entirely unrelated) business interests.

This is where Mike Longstaff enters the picture. By the time the SR2 made its second show appearance, at October’s Exeter show, it was under his management. Mike has an SR1 and had already ordered a factory built SR2. His history with the marque means he already had a fondness for the cars, but his

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 17

reasons for buying the project ran deeper.

The SR2 uses a Mazda MX-5 donor which dovetails perfectly with Mike’s other business, the Automotive Repair Company. As well as carrying out general automotive work, this is an MX-5 specialist that he has built up over a number of years.

We were very impressed by the quality and design of the chassis when we saw it at Stoneleigh, and that was another big reason for Mike’s confidence in the project. He also liked the thoughtful design and the fact that the CAD drawings show exactly how each chassis goes together. It’s made from round tube steel which is all laser cut for a very accurate fit.

Rather than occupying space in one of Mike’s other two premises, Roadrunner has its own tidy industrial unit in Brough near Hull, East Yorkshire. On the day of my visit, it contained Mike’s own SR1 and SR2 (the latter performing its role as factory demonstrator), a completed chassis, another chassis under construction on the jig and one car midway through build. It’s clear that the SR2 generated a lot of interest after its launch and that Mike has taken on a healthy project.

The company can also take advantage of the Automotive Repair Company’s resources. As well as all the MX-5 knowhow, that includes MoT facilities and nine staff members. The latter puts Roadrunner in a strong position; there’s no need for the firm to commit to dedicated staffing, but there’s a workforce there who can cope with the natural ebb and flow of demand.

Mike admits to being cautious in business and says that his other interests could have grown bigger or faster, but he places high emphasis on the security of the company. It appears that Roadrunner neatly segues into this philosophy and will grow in a similarly steady fashion. There’s also the feeling that he has taken on Roadrunner because he wants to, rather than with any big ambitions in terms of volume and profits. “I haven’t bought Roadrunner to make a fortune,” he says,

FIRST DRIVE

“I’ve bought it because I enjoy building cars. There’s a sense of accomplishment with a job like this.”

Wheeling the yellow and black car out into the light, it looks purposeful with its low stance and full cage. Mike has already told me to expect a track day car that’s road legal, and that description

Roadrunner SR2

Mazda MX-5 sourced 1.6-litre engine produces 115bhp in standard tune.

Devilish Mazda badge hints at the car’s DNA. Indicator switches located on transmission tunnel.

Basic GRP

seat shells in this track day spec car.

Dash is

similarly minimal.

sums up the basic seats and stripped out interior. As standard, all SR2s have black wings with a choice of colours for the rest of the car. Offering only black wings makes it easier to stock them and quicker to dispatch should any customers damage them.

The SR2 is a good looking car, although we can’t help suspecting that the previous Roadrunner regime took some shortcuts while styling it; in many areas, it does bear a striking resemblance to another, more established market player.

Beneath the skin, the car has a great looking round tube chassis. Having been impressed by the Indy R, we have high hopes for the SR2. It uses the familiar

18 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

arrangement of double wishbones and coil-over dampers all-round. Unusually, it is fully adjustable and rose-jointed throughout. From the Mazda, the Roadrunner takes the front and rear uprights, steering column (modified on exchange), diff, shortened propshaft, standard driveshafts and the engine and gearbox. Smaller items, like the handbrake and fuel sender, also find their way into the SR2 mix.

The MX-5 donor makes a lot of sense.

As you’ll see elsewhere in this issue, we’ve just bought a peach of a donor for another car for just £800. A similar car would provide everything you need for an SR2 and leave you with plenty of good bits to sell off via eBay. It’s a very cost-

effective way of sourcing all the parts you need for a sports car build, and the twincam engine even looks the part in the engine bay.

Getting into the demonstrator means negotiating the optional full rollcage. The easiest way to do this is to climb on top and then drop straight down into the seat.

It looks an overly athletic mode of ingress, but it’s easier than folding yourself in two and posting yourself in sideways. Once installed, it becomes apparent that the seat doesn’t adjust far enough forward for me. Mike is already on the case, and when the new runners are fitted they will rise up towards the front so that shorter drivers are sat not only closer to the pedals but also higher up. A neat idea.

A couple of quirks make themselves known immediately. A diagonal chassis member runs underneath your left foot and gets in the way, while your knuckles hit the dashboard when engaging first, third and fifth gears. Mike mentioned the latter niggle and explained that a fix is on the way.

Otherwise, I have no complaints about the interior. The carbonfibre look dashboard panel and transmission top look purposeful, while the sides of the tunnel finished in body colour are an unusual touch. Combined with the black floors, it creates a crisp, modern look that’s free of bare aluminium. It gives the interior a very ‘finished’ look, despite its basic nature. Like the exterior, it’s very well presented. The SR2 has a quality feel throughout.

The dash hosts an ETB Digidash and a neat row of Savage switches. Only the indicator buttons are absent from the dash. Instead, they’re located on the transmission tunnel behind the gearlever.

Initially, it’s not a very intuitive location for them, but you get used to it. Some repeater tell-tale lights are going to be added to the dashboard to make it more obvious when you’ve left the indicators on.

The Mazda engine fires easily and settles to a characterful idle. It’s

reasonably quiet, which should keep the trackside decibel meters happy. Because this car hasn’t been run for a few months, there’s a tappety sound initially. Because Mike knows his MX-5s, he assures me that the sound will ease up quickly – and it does. The demonstrator is fitted with a 1.6-litre version of the engine (there’s also a 1.8 which offers more power and torque but doesn’t rev as freely). In standard form, the 1600 produces 115bhp, although the SR2’s freer exhaust and air filter boost that slightly to 118bhp. Other mods to the engine are limited to an oil cooler for the circuit work it was built for.

This car has already racked up over 400 miles on track.

There’s no track for us today, though.

Instead, we’re using damp, cold public roads. Initial impressions of the 1600 Mazda engine are that it has a good spread of torque and it’s willing to rev. It has a sprightly vim to its demeanour that encourages you to press on, even though the car wears lightly treaded Toyo R888s

MARCH 2011

Mazda uprights used.

Roadrunner’s

Mike Longstaff also runs an MX-5 specialist.

Chassis and full car builds under construction.

and the roads are greasy.

It’s feasible to use all the car’s performance because, with a relatively small amount of power, it doesn’t feel that quick. In its 118bhp guise, it’s a car that you can use to the full on the road, winding it out to the redline and keeping it busy the whole time. It could easily

SPECIFICATION: ROADRUNNER SR2 Engine as tested: Mazda MX-5 four-cylinder twin-cam 1.6-litre.

Engine options: Mazda MX-5 four-cylinder twin-cam 1.8-litre. Other car and motorcycle engines can be accommodated.

Chassis: Round tube spaceframe chassis.

Bodywork: All GRP supplied in self coloured gelcoat, built in rear diffuser. Wings supplied in black as standard.

Suspension: Front – Double wishbones, coil-over dampers, Mazda MX-5 uprights.

Rear – Double wishbones, coil-over dampers, Mazda MX-5 uprights.

Steering: Modified Mazda MX-5 column, Ford Escort rack.

Brakes: Discs all round with four-pot calipers.

Kit prices: £3995.

Budget build cost: From £7000.

Contact: Roadrunner Racing, Unit 8 Jetpark, Main Road, Newport, Brough, East Yorkshire HU15 2PR. T: 07802 766128. E: roadrunnerracing@hotmail.co.uk W: www.roadrunnerracing.net

www.completekitcar.co.uk 19

FIRST DRIVE

handle more power, and there are plans for future factory builds to feature more potent engines. In a corner of the workshop, there’s a Mazda MXR engine (from a Mk3 MX-5) that’s been fitted with a supercharger, while a German builder is exploring the idea of fitting a Honda S2000 unit.

Back to the current demonstrator.

Roadrunner has set it up to have a small amount of understeer at the limit. The idea is that this is more intuitive for most drivers to deal with. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to introduce a bit of throttle-induced oversteer, particularly on today’s shiny wet roads. It makes for a benign, exploitable package that leaves you wanting for more power. That’s surely

Roadrunner SR2

Diffuser is built into the rear bodywork.

Roadrunner estimate that an SR2 can be assembled for around £7000.

a good sign that it’s fundamentally well resolved. At low speeds, the steering feels weighty but it lightens up on the move and offers plenty of feel and feedback.

The gearchange retains the MX-5’s typically slick, precise feel and the pedals are well placed. There’s plenty of space around them, yet they’re well positioned for heel and toe work.

Despite the demonstrator’s obvious bias towards track work, the ride quality is surprsingly good. During the exploration for a photo location, we found an undulating, broken road that was little more than single track width. Visibility was good, though, so we were able to reach some proper speeds. The SR2 took the crests and bumps in its stride, remaining composed on a very testing road.

At the time of going to press, Mike is currently reassessing the kit contents, but the starter package will be priced at £3995.

For an up to date list of the contents, check the website. He also plans to offer a kit of parts that will get the car to a rolling chassis stage, which can be followed by a body package as and when the builder needs it.

Roadrunner estimates that a build to the spec of the demonstrator would cost around £7000 to £8000, while the same car in factory built form would come in at £11,995 including VAT. After a long development period (the

20 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

Initial impressions of the 1600 Mazda engine are that it has a sprightly vim to its demeanour that encourages you to press on SR2 was under development for three years prior to its launch last year) and a few changes of ownership, Roadrunner Racing now looks to have found a settled future. Mike Longstaff appears to have the right attitude towards running a kit car business and looks set to be in it for the long haul.

What’s more, the SR2 heralds a new era for the MX-5 as a donor. Westfield may have been first off the blocks back in 2006, but the subsequent arrival of the MEV Exocet and imminent appearance of more MX-5 based sevenesque cars from MNR and Saturn Sportscars reaffirm the trend. From the evidence of this car, it’s the right direction to be heading.

CONTACT Roadrunner Racing. T: 07802 766128.

E: info@roadrunnerracing.net W: www.roadrunnerracing.net

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Joyrider

The ultimate in design and performance

Road Legal Track Car SR2

Test drives by appointment

• Mazda MX5 Mk1 or Mk2 based kit car • Self build or factory built • Power 1600cc to 2000cc and 115bhp to 300bhp plus • Used MX5 parts for sale, we can supply all the donor parts you require Check our website for more details

www.roadrunnerracing.net Call Mike on: 07802 766 128 Email: roadrunnerracing@hotmail.co.uk Unit 8, Jetpark, Main Road, Newport, Brough, East Yorkshire. HU15 2PR.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 21

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Tiger Recession Beater! £1295

Just plus vat, gets you this complete chassis with everything supplied and fitted for you, as shown here. This comprehensive package will put you well on the way to achieving a car like the one below, the Tiger Avon. You can purchase further individual components in stages to suit your build time or budget.

The Deal Includes:G Extremely rigid, cross braced Jig built tubular chassis, of race proven design, fully bracketed for all ancillaries.

Send for our new 48 page catalogue for full details of the great sportscars from Tiger

G Floor panels pre-fitted G 4 x Spax adjustable dampers coilover dampers G Fabricated top & bottom front wishbones including ball joints.

An Unbeatable deal

G Fabricated top & bottom rear wishbones including rose joints G All suspension fitted with nylon bushes G Front & rear hubs G ALL PRE-FITTED

contact Tiger for full details

Tiger Racing Ltd.,

Visit our Website:

Service Station, Thorney Toll, Nr. Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 4AX Tel: 01733 271131 e-mail: jim@tigerracing.com

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MARCH 2011

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Contact us on 01709 816138

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MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 23

024-025 Letters:CKC Advert Template

LETTERS

4/2/11

07:34

Page 24

Have Your Say!

Have your say about anything that takes your fancy, although kit car related would be a bonus!

ROI HAS IT COVERED...

ELECTRIC AVENUE

I’ve just discovered your publication through my local newsagent and a friend’s collection of previous issues.

February 2010 had a letter from Northern Ireland about kits, and your answer included an observation about how difficult it was in the Republic of Ireland in regards to kits.

Yes, it was. The biggest drawback was not registration or SVA/IVA but insurance. That was until a friend of mine, while building a Locost, set up an owners’ club.

This enables all members to get quotes and policies whatever the type of kit. Cheap, no – but it is affordable and the door is now cracked open so other companies will have to follow. Just ask around for Noel Thompson at Mondello Park race circuit if you are having problems. Someone there will point you in the right direction.

I picked up CKC from the newsagents and read your editorial about electric kit cars with a smile (February 2011). You see I have designed, scratch built and SVA’d an electrric trike which I finished just about one year ago. It is something of an experimental vehicle, rather than a thing of beauty, but it has allowed me to try a completely battery powered vehicle and also to build a unique anti-roll suspension system which I have invented (but not yet patented).

In researching and building, I have learned an awful lot about all aspects of EVs, from the battery tech alternatives to the realities of using an EV in the real world. The original intention had been to drive to work 25 miles away, which I have done on only seven occasions. This proved too much for the batteries, draining them to just about flat, which is one of the no-go areas of EV use.

I’m sure an article on my experience would be not only interesting to many of your readers, but would also act as a cautionary tale. It would be very easy to believe that with the major manufacturers pouring money into EVs that there is an inevitability about our motoring future. My view is that none of the current battery alternatives are good enough or cheap enough in terms of initial and replacement costs to cover anything other than local running.

My own vehicle, meanwhile, cost

Tony Lenamore, Kerry, Ireland

Thanks for the lead, Tony.

Unfortunately your letter contained no contact details – if you’re reading this, could you get in touch again with a web link or any other information that may be useful to our readers in the Republic of Ireland? – Ed.

...DO WE HAVE NI COVERED? Great magazine, keep up the good work, but what about a mention of the kit car scene in Northern Ireland?

LETTER OF THE MONTH WHERE ARE WE GOING? Complete Kit Car continues to be a great read and does something I think its main rival doesn’t; it provokes – but not in a ‘jab-with-a-pointy-stick’ tabloid manner.

Adam’s thoughts on kit cars in the future got me thinking about what the scene will be like in 40 years time. I think legislation will be the defining factor. Hopefully, the opportunity to create great one-offs like the Warner R4 and the Motaleira will still exist. Perhaps new powertrains will mean that classics like Cobras, Sevens and the Stratos and other replicas will become ‘silhouette’ versions (something like the Alfa 164 Pro-car?).

Turning to the Westfield Sport Turbo, I think both CKC and Jason Plato raised some valid points about the expensive sevenesque motor. I’d really like to hear Tiff’s point of view on the matter – any chance of getting him to have a little drive?

Thanks for another great year of magazines, keep up the great work!

Mike Stener, via e-mail

We too wondered whether the Fifth Gear verdict on the Westfield would have been different if Tiff had driven it! We’d love to get him behind the wheel of some kit cars at some point in the future – Ed.

The writer of Letter of the Month wins a bumper pack of 87 Mikalor mixed diameter worm drive hose clips and a flexi-driver tool worth £75. The full range of Mikalor products is available from Anyclamp.com

Ove Bengtsson wouldn’t want to see anyone building a replica of his car, and agrees with Tiff Needell that replicas should display their own emblems in any case.

aroud £4000 for everything and could cover 10-mile journeys for

Colin Gamble, County Antrim Andrew Kirk has built his own electric trike, and found it unsuitable for the commuting he

Obviously, there’s a logistical obstacle to our coverage of goingson in Northern Ireland, but we’d love to hear about club activities and of any potental feature cars in Northern Ireland. So keep in touch! – Ed.

had planned.

MEV is one of the kit car firms actively exploring EV technology.

years, at minimal cost. The question that motorists need to ask is this: How much will a £25,000 EV be worth after five years and 50,000 miles? I had a brief e-mail exchange with Stuart Mills of MEV during my build. He seems very keen on the EV concept and might well provide much better information for an article than I could!

Andrew Kirk, via e-mail

MEV’s Stuart Mills certainly knows more than most kit car

CONTACT US Complete Kit Car, 30 Henley Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 5BJ. E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk

24 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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have been really useful when I was building and would almost certainly have cut down on the phone calls to Andy Burrows at Gardner Douglas.

Alex Scullion, via e-mail

Thanks for your kind words about the magazine. Coming from somebody who’s been around kit cars for over 20 years, it’s high praise! – Ed.

MX-5 SEARCH

Gordon Hick had a Midge like this. He avoided badging it as an MG – until BMW, at one time owner of the MG marque, got stroppy about people doing so. Then he stuck on an octagon!

manufacturers about EVs, but it’s perhaps telling that he hasn’t yet put into production an electric powered kit car – Ed.

BADGE IT RIGHT...

I agree fully with Tiff Needell on pretending that a fake is the real thing (January 2011). I would not like copies of my car, the Olme Spyder, around.

I think the Italians handle this right – if you have a fake they confiscate it, whether it’s a shirt, watch, handbag or car. Be proud of what you have in its own right. If you have a copy that will outperform the original, there is no need to pretend.

If you have a lookalike, make your own badges. In one county in Sweden, the county symbol is a decorated wooden horse. I have seen this in the Ferrari/Porsche type position in the badges. Every one knows it is not the original.

Ove Bengtsson, Sweden

...OR WRONG? Around 20 years ago, I built a JC Midge, a car very loosely based on the MG J2 Midget. I studiously avoided adding an MG badge as it was not an MG, even though the 600kg missile could leave an early Healey 3000 and a Triumph 2000 in the lanes with its 39bhp Triumph Herald engine.

Several years later, BMW, who by that time owned MG, threatened

White Dove Garages, who were selling the plans for the Midge, with litigation which would have bankrupted them even if they won.

They did the same thing to Gerry Hawkridge over his Stuart & Arden (I think) Mini.

I then put an MG badge on the Midge to ensure that BMW lost huge amounts of money and went bankrupt themselves. Not surprisingly this did not happen.

I have despised BMW for their needless bullying tactics ever since and have looked on BMW owners in much the same way. I would rather have a Matiz as my sporting alternative (in fact, I have a 14year old 90-or-so-thousand mile Fisher Fury).

I would never consider any of the, undoubtedly good, kits using BMW parts as I would not wish to put a penny towards any BMW spares which I would need.

I was always proud of the fact that I had built the Midge and did not see any point in trying to pass it off as anything other than a JC Midge. This is a view by which I still stand. Keep up the good work with the magazine (and the track days).

I am about to start building a Westfield Mazda SDV which is based on a Mazda MX-5 and, as I have all your magazine back numbers to about 1998, I was wondering if you had done a road test or review of this model? Your website doesn’t have any details of previous tests that I can see. I am still looking for my donor. Have you had any luck yet finding one for your Exocet project?

Dave Mead, via e-mail

Our test of the Westfield SDV, like all our features, is available in PDF format from our website (www.completekitcar.co.uk). We have now found our MX-5, as you can read on page 52. In general, we found that the Auto Trader website was a cheaper source than eBay, but the car we eventually bought came from the auction website – Ed.

COTY CONUNDRUM Just been reading through January’s excellent copy of CKC. It’s with regard to this year’s Car of the Year article that I write, and especially the glowing comments regarding the handling characteristics of the SDR V-Storm. It was a couple of years ago now that, when considering a new kit car build, I looked at the

Gordon Hick, via e-mail

A MAINSTREAM FEEL I enjoyed the article on my and Larry Hilliard’s GDs (February 2011) and I think that the family will be clearing shelves for copies!

The magazine has taken on a mainstream look and feel that we haven’t been used to in the kit industry press. The technical articles from John Dickens would Should these logos be seen on replicas? It appears that most think not!

SDR

V-Storm is a very deserving COTY winner.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 25

V-Storm package but based on Adam’s recommendation lent towards the MEV Rocket/Sonic.

With such wildly differing articles on this car’s handling being simultaneously released in CKC and Track Driver, I’m left in a quandary as to what to expect from this car and whether or not to scrub it from my list of next build hopefuls. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve started a thread and highlighted this issue on Pistonheads in the hope that I can glean some other opinions from people who might have driven the car.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you for publishing such an informative and interesting magazine throughout 2010. The website is excellent too.

I’m going to have to revamp the MEV owners site over Christmas as it’s looking tatty.

Nigel Fozard, via e-mail

You certainly shouldn’t scrub the V-Storm from your list of candidates! There are very few kit cars there really blow me away when I drive them for the first time, but the V-Storm certainly did. In kit car terms, it’s exceptional, period.

Why the differences of opinion between ourselves and Track Driver? Regardless of the fact that different drivers may naturally come to different conclusions, theirs was a track test, and ours was a road test. In such wildly differing test environments any comparison is pretty tenuous. I’ve driven fab track cars that would be undriveable on the road, and vice versa.

That said, I appreciate that some cars work well in both environments, and I seriously doubt the SDR would be a disappointment on circuit... far from it. But you’ll have to take my word on that! – Ed.

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Autosport International

AUTOSPORT Kicking the show season off in style is Autosport International, and more and more kit car manufacturers are taking advantage of this huge event. CKC was there.

Caterham SP/300R WE’RE PRETTY CONFIDENT that CKC was the first magazine in the country to publish details on the new SP/300R, and we even had copies rushed to the show direct from the printers to show Caterham MD Ansar Ali. The launch of the car was big news to the world’s press, with the inevitable unveiling and PR chat from Ansar and also Lola’s MD with whom the car has been co-developed.

Only available in a fully built form and with a ticket price of £60,000 plus VAT,

Westfield iRacer WESTFIELD HAD SIGNIFICANT show presence on no fewer than three separate stands at Autosport. Road cars rightly took centre stage on the main stand (complete with associated glamour – seemingly a must-have at Autosport), with turnkey Sport Turbo, caged racer and kit

Ansar Ali (centre and Lola’s Robin Brundle answer

the new car may seem expensive, but actually undercuts by £5K Radical’s latest model, the similarly powered SR3 SL. Seen alongside Caterham’s more familiar Seven, the SP/300R is in stark contrast to the established model’s inherently traditional styling. It also looks much longer and wider too. With track use the only playground for now, the new car has serious intent and serious performance. 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds

and a top speed of 170mph thanks to its slippery shape and 300bhp supercharged Duratec engine.

CONTACT Caterham Cars, Station Avenue, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 6LB T: 01883 333700.

E: sales@caterham.co.uk W: www.caterham.co.uk

questions on the Autosport stage.

Expectant crowd await the unveiling.

based SE. Elsewhere the company’s iRacer was firmly taking centre stage, with two examples on display in an area of the show focused on ‘green’ issues. Bodywork on both examples was disappointingly finished, but this new product continues towards a production reality with seemingly unstoppable momentum.

They’re certainly going to be fascinating to drive and the styling is suitably alternative.

Of particular significance at Autosport, was one car’s presence on the EV Cup stand. This new zero emissions race series will kick off with six meetings in 2011 (four in the UK and two on the continent in Spain and Portugal). A further event in the States has still to be confirmed. The iRacer will star in its own one-make grid, while other EVs will form a second grid.

The iRacer will cost competitors 26 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

£49,999 plus VAT as an introductory price (rising to £62,499 plus VAT from the end of February) and include not only the working car, but also full factory support during all race meetings.

CONTACT Westfield Sportscars, Unit 1 Gibbons Industrial Park, Dudley Road, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 8XF. T: 01384 400077.

E: info@westfield-sportscars.co.uk W: www.westfield-sportscars.co.uk

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RTR Domination THE COMBINATION OF MEV’s design flair and Road Track Race’s production and marketing know-how makes these coexisting companies something of an unstoppable force within the kit car scene at the moment. While the bargain basement Exocet was absent, RTR’s Rocket, tR1ke and Atomic were taking centre stage on an impressive display.

RTR’s Paul Holmes was also thrilled with a potential new Rocket race series to be run under the 750MC banner and within the existing Complete Kit Car Championship.

750MC scrutineers have been examining the company’s Rocket and advising of

Raw Phoenix changes required to meet its stringent competition safety measures, and RTR was delighted that the recommendations (most notably rollcage requirements) could be easily met. RTR is aiming to offer a complete competition spec race package for the Rocket, for just £12,000 in kit form or around £16,000 turnkey.

Autosport provided the first opportunity to look at the new Raw Phoenix. The company only bought the production rights to this model recently, but has swiftly developed the slippery body shape to fit over a slightly modified version of its established Striker chassis.

The show car was awaiting installation of an Omex developed supercharged Duratec engine and gearbox combo expected to deliver over 300bhp in its ultimate guise. Yes please!

CONTACT Road Track Race, 42 Mount Street, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7HX. T: 0115 9780677. E: sales@roadtrackrace.com W: www.roadtrackrace.com RTR’s Rocket on the 750MC stand.

CONTACT

Raw Phoenix revealed at Autosport.

MNR’s Toys For Boys... And Grown-ups MNR’S LONG AWAITED LMP track car debuted at Autosport in a production format for the first time. This focused track day and competition tool features a

spaceframe chassis, double wishbone suspension with pushrods and inboard coil-overs at each corner, with either a bike or car installation behind the driver.

MNR’s Junior Cobra for kids.

LMP now

production ready.

Raw Striker, The Grange, Sutton Road, Shelwick, Herefordshire HR1 3AW. T: 01432 371169. E: info@striker-cars.co.uk W: www.striker-cars.co.uk

A 550bhp Hayabusa turbo is in the demo car, but other bike engines can be utilised, along with a Duratec car engine if so desired. Apart from track days, the LMP’s main target is the 750MC’s RGB series. Prices start at £7250 for a kit package and turnkey examples from just £15,999 (both inclusive of VAT).

Also catching our attention on the stand was a miniature Cobra replica, to join the company’s existing Junior Seven. The Junior Cobra is an electric powered kids car which can be bought fully built for £1995 or from a kit starting at just £750. It has a tubular steel chassis and fibreglass bodywork, just like the big boy’s version!

CONTACT

SHOW BRIEFS

MNR, Holly House Farm, Moorcock lane, Darley, Harrogate HG3 2QL. T: 01423 780196. E: chrismnrltd@btinternet.com W: www.mnrltd.co.uk

IMPRESSIVE GINETTA DISPLAY Always good to see Ginetta Cars looking healthy. Both G50 and G40 race cars were on display, plus an impressive G50 rolling chassis. Sadly no F400 road car to look over since the company took over the model from Chris Marsh (ex Marcos) of Farbio, but it will be interesting to see how it develops over the next twelve months. As for the company’s various competition race series, it seems Ginetta goes from strength to strength. Long may that continue.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 27

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Autosport International

Quantum Xtreme Updated

JUST ANOTHER QUANTUM Xtreme? Not likely. Since new owner Mark Burley took on the project in 2010 he’s been busy updating the car and Autosport was the first chance to see his efforts. All of the bodywork has been tweaked to include full returns to improve fitment and quality.

The nosecone aperture has been enlarged and the rear body clip has seen

CONTACT Quantum Sports Cars, Xtreme Works, Loddiswell, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 4DU. T: 01548 550660. E: info@quantumcars.co.uk W: www.quantumcars.co.uk

significant redevelopment. Inside, there’s a new dash design which more easily allows fitment of a customer’s own choice of instrumentation. At the rear, the recess for the spare wheel has been deleted for a smoother appearance.

Under the bonnet of the demo car is a brand new 220bhp supercharged Zetec developed by Omex Power and the company is concentrating on the Zetec engine (in various performance guises) as its main fitment.

Factory built cars start at just £15,995 (with standard Zetec) inclusive of VAT and Quantum offers an impressive 4-year warranty.

Group Display ALTHOUGH PREVIOUSLY SPONSORED by one of our competitors, this year’s gathering of kit car manufacturers within the Pistonheads element of Autosport was an all-independent affair. In addition to the new offers from both Quantum and Raw already mentioned, six other established manufacturers came along to form an impressive group presentation...

Blitzworld Joyrider.

MK Indy R. SDR V-storm.

MK Sportscars – Lovely black and green example of the MK Indy R, with a modified naturally aspirated Suzuki Hayabusa bike engine under the bonnet developing 260bhp. MK is building quite a few turnkey cars these days, with track day cars starting at just £13,000 including a standard Hayabusa power unit.

W: www.mksportscar.co.uk

Blitzworld – Buggies may not seem like an obvious candidate for visitors’ attention at a competition focused event such as Autosport, but Blitzworld knows that competition doesn’t just limit itself to Tarmac. Latest Joyrider looked fun.

W: www.blitzworld.co.uk

SHOW BRIEFS

Deronda – The Audi engined Deronda has always caught our eye, and impressed us when we first drove it in 2009. The styling is contemporary and the performance potential is massive. It’s a grown up track day/road car that shuns the current trend for bike engines.

W: www.deronda.co.uk

Deronda.

Napiersport.

Tiger Aviator.

Napiersport – Lionel Gooch’s Napiersport Stratos replica has always operated at the fringes of the kit car scene, but the car is being pushed with more enthusiasm these days, while Lancia’s recent launch of an updated Stratos has resulted in massive press coverage and renewed interest in the original.

W: www.superstratos.com

SDR V-Storm – SDR Sportscars had given a freshen up to the car we awarded our Car Of The Year prize to. A new green and black colour scheme looked terrific, while the V-Storm also featured smoked side panels over the previously exposed side chassis rails. The effect was striking and worked well. Probably makes the trip to IVA slightly easier too!

W: www.sdrsportscars.co.uk Tiger – Tiger’s new green Aviator demonstrator makes the best use yet of the car’s cutting edge design, with black inserts in the side panels giving the styling a new found focus compared to the single coloured examples we’ve seen previously.

Quality of the body panels is very high and the panel shuts are tight and nicely thought out. W: www.tigerracing.com

K1 ATTACK

750MC KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

We found this K1 Attack on the Race4slovakia stand. The company provides racing instruction and race car rental using K1s in Slovakia. Dick Kvetňanský is the main man, and it was he who originally launched the K1 Attack.

The MEV Rocket on the 750 Motor Club stand was sporting our brand new sponsorship stickers. We’ll be helping promote this long established series in 2011.

28 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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GBS Zero Launches New Race Chassis GREAT BRITISH SPORTS Cars launched a new Zero race chassis at Autosport. The new car will be competing in the UK and across Europe. Special features include an integral roll cage and many other upgrades, including a special deal with Proflex to supply 3-way adjustable dampers for the cars.

Kit Spares, the parts division of GBS was also on display, and the company will be adding new products everyday over the coming weeks to the website. Recent additions include a full range of Smiths gauges, Gaz dampers, Gulf oil and a range

of products from AT Power. Kit Spares can also offer a quick shift for the MT75 gearbox.

During a successful show, GBS director Keith Bird also signed a deal with Edward Moore from Hedtec helmets to stock the company’s full range of competition and track use approved helmets.

Toniq

GBS director Keith Bird with Edward Moore

CONTACT

of Hedtec helmets.

GBS and Kit Spares. T: 01623 860990.

W: www.robinhoodsportscars.co.uk W: www.kitspares.co.uk

CONTACT Great British Sports Cars’ stand.

Toniq CB

with Chase Cam.

MARCH 2011

TONIQ TOOK A shared stand at Autosport with acclaimed camera kit manufacturer, Chase Cam. The latter had chosen the Toniq CB on which to demonstrate its brand new HD datalogging camera system, DivA. Toniq reported a successful show with loads of positive new leads for both sales and product supply.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 29

Toniq T: 07818 057643.

E: colin@toniqr.co.uk W: www.toniqltd.co.uk

030 Show Preview - Race Retro:CKC Advert Template

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Race Retro – 25th to 27th February

One of the big classic car shows of the year kicks off this month, and CKC will be joining several kit car manufacturers in attendance. Here’s what to expect.

RACE RETRO IS now a firm fixture in the classic car calendar, ushering in a new year of exciting events for those into cars a little older than the average kit car. But it’s perhaps unsurprising that kit car manufacturers should decide to step outside their comfort zone of established kit car events and showcase their cars to the classic car aficionados.

Of course, the majority will have a replica angle to them, but there are others too, who will be trying Race Retro for the first time in 2011, and that includes us! Yes, CKC will be in attendance and if you are coming to the show, we’d love to see you. But who else can you expect to find at the show which is particularly kit car focused?

Chester Sports Cars (Sylva J15) – Chester will have its brand new J15 demonstrator at the show, which will be finished in a black and gold John Player Special livery. We think it’s going to look spectacular.

TWR Replicas – While TWR replicas builds various classic Jaguar replicas and doesn’t offer them in kit form as such, the kits are supplied to them by Realm Engineering, which does supply the kit packages. So if you are wondering about a Jaguar D-Type or C-Type replica, you can see what the finished examples look like here.

Star Motor Company – Better known within the kit car scene for its Tifosi Rana Sprite replica, all models will now come under the Star Motor Company umbrella. Exciting news for Race Retro visitors is the show will witness the first viewing of the company’s newest model, the Tifosi SS. This will be a highly accurate replica of the competition focused Sebring Sprites which were campaigned in the ’50s and ’60s.

As you’d expect, they once again use a Midget or Sprite as a foundation for the new car.

However, Star Motor Company will only sell the SS as a built bodyshell, not a basic package of panels. As part of this more upmarket project, the company can now offer replacement floorpans for the Midget, built using the original factory tooling.

Tools/parts – Although kit car manufacturers will be thin on the ground at Race Retro, the show is jam-packed with suppliers of the parts we all need. Familiar names include SVC, Safety Devices, Webcon, Bailey Morris, Demon Tweeks, Elite Racing Transmissions, Race Technology, Camcoat and no doubt many more.

There is, of course, a huge amount going on at this event, which takes place at a venue that will be familiar with any kit car enthusiast...

Chester Sports Cars should have the completed J15 it has been building, finished in John Player Special colours.

Star Motor Co will have a Sebring Sprite version of the Rana (shown).

30 www.completekitcar.co.uk

TWR Replicas will have turnkey versions of Realm Engineering’s Jaguar replicas.

Stoneleigh NAC at Kenilworth near Coventry. Highlights include...

Jaguar E-Type 50th Anniversary – A special display of the most famous racing E-Types alongside other iconic Jaguar models of yesteryear.

Lancia – A celebration of Lancia’s illustrious rallying history will not only include an indoor display, but also live action outside on the Saturday and Sunday of the event.

Italian racing motorbikes – a special display of the very best historic racing bikes.

Outside action – As well as static displays, Race Retro has its own rally stage, which will include runs made by cars such as the Ford RS200, Lancia Stratos, Audi Quattro, Metro 6R4, Lancia 037 and many others.

This is a major highlight of the event.

Also outside you’ll find the Ace Café ‘Fire-up’ where racing motorbikes will be fired up, a live stage where interviews and chat will be going on throughout the day and several other organised events worth looking out for.

MARCH 2011

Celebrities/famous names – Lots of well known people will be attending Race Retro, but expect to see guest appearances from Johnny Herbert (Sunday), Mikki Biasion (Sat/Sun), Giacomo Agostini (Sat/Sun) and Phil Read, Russell Brookes, Jimmy McRae, Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams, Jack Sears, Richard Attwood, Tim Parnell and Tony Mason.

Cost – If you book in advance then there’s a £5 discount on an adult ticket, but prices on the day are £25 per adult, with children 5-15 years old being £5. These get you entry to everything, so there should be no hidden costs for seeing specific aspects of the show. Parking is free.

SHOW DETAILS Contact: Live Promotions Events.

T: 01775 768661.

E: info@livepromotions.co.uk W: www.raceretro.com Show dates: February 25th-27th Prices on the door: Adults £25, Children £5 (5-15 years) Times: 9.30am-5.30pm (9.30-4.30 on Sunday)

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The Saturn Roadster is based on the Haynes design

by Chris Gibbs, and as such Saturn can supply parts from pre-cut chassis packs, complete chassis and wishbone sets, chassis plate sets, RAL coloured gel coat fibre glass body sets or individual parts all for amateur builder of the Haynes Roadster. Please visit website for further details.

27b Park View Industrial Estate, Hartlepool, TS25 1PD UK Phone (01429) 864377 E: info@saturnsportscars.co.uk www.saturnsportscars.co.uk

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Dutton Surf

A car that thinks it’s a boat, or a boat that thinks it’s a car? The editor is whistled aboard the new Dutton Surf to find out.

32 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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I’M STANDING ON the side of a slipway as Tim Dutton jumps aboard his latest amphibious car and prepares to launch into a very fast flowing river Arun near his workshops. A passer by stops and asks if the car is going to do what he thinks it is... and waits when I confirm his suspicions. And as Tim starts the car and begins to move forward, the onlooker notices the Dutton name on the side of the car... and reminisces that his brother built a Dutton back in the ’70s. And it strikes me that here, some forty years later, we’re witnessing the very same Tim Dutton, still building and developing utterly unique kit cars. Good work.

And it’s easy to forget the impact Dutton had on an industry that was previously little known. As his height in

the ’80s, Dutton was selling 20 cars a week, from four factories employing over 80 staff. Over 3000 Phaetons were sold, 3000 Sierras and a host of other models came and went over the years. Some may question the quality of what was on offer and the legacy his years of domination left the industry. But just remember that he never produced a replica of anything and then consider the production numbers I’ve just mentioned above... No one has ever got even close to those numbers, either before or after. Dutton created a marketplace no one ever knew existed and was arguably the only kit car company, ever, to produce product on an industrial scale.

Since he launched (literally!) his first amphibious car in 1995 the numbers have been more modest – just over 120 have been made to date, but the product was just as ground-breaking (perhaps even more so) than his Phaeton all those years before. And his motivation was typically gung-ho. Living on the south coast, the local council had just stopped

MARCH 2011

the public parking their cars on the beach and someone challenged him to build a car that could park there legitimately... regardless of the tide! Red rag to a bull, anyone?

Tim’s subsequent research showed that only the German manufactured Amphicar had ever been successfully productionised as a car capable of being used on water, but even this had numerous major floors in its design. But the real challenge was finding any information at all about the requirements for creating such a vehicle – there wasn’t any book on the subject or indeed any helpful reference points anywhere. He was finding out as he went along.

Contrary to what you might expect, making the vehicle watertight wasn’t that difficult, but working out a suitable propulsion system for the Fiesta based first model was. In the end Tim used a hydraulic drive system, but the Fiesta’s 2-wheel drive made life difficult when exiting the water or driving on sand etc.

As a commercial product for businesses that could take advantage of its dual abilities, it had limited value. Tim had used the Fiesta because of his experience with the car on his previous project, the convertible Hacker Maroc, but by the end of the last millennium he’d converted the car to use the components from a

www.completekitcar.co.uk 33

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FIRST STEER! 4-wheel drive Suzuki Samurai, which had the added advantage of allowing a much simpler prop-driven jet propulsion system.

All was fine until Suzuki stopped producing the Samurai, which in turn made it impossible for Dutton to register amphibs on a new plate. Enter the current Jimny based offering, which has been in production since 2006... all of which begs the question, why the new Dutton Surf, when it still uses the Suzuki underpinnings?

The new model reflects Dutton’s latest update to the body moulds which previously used the original Samurai developed panels, which then had to be retro modified for the new Jimny

Page 34

Dutton Surf

New dash panel takes place of passenger airbag.

Features air temp gauge for the engine bay and switches for the two bilge pumps.

Swans unfazed by strange interloper.

Latest Dutton Surf features subtle updates over previous Commander.

components. From a production perspective, the mods were time consuming and fiddly, neither of which fit the Dutton ethos, so a major overhaul was needed which also precipitated one or two minor style improvements, such as the new front and rear light units.

And where previous examples were either marketed under the Dutton name if supplied turnkey, or under the Amphijeep name if supplied in kit form, the factory only works under the Dutton name now.

It’s a common sense tweak. So the Dutton Surf now takes the place of the previous Amphijeep Commander.

Three years ago CKC joined Tim Dutton at the Henley Royal Regatta, where we launched the previous model in amongst the rowing boats and were promptly sent packing by the river gestapo. We were in the water for such a short period that it was only Tim and Features Editor Wilkins who took to the water while I took pictures from the riverbank. This time, I was definitely going boating, but I quite wanted to know how the Surf keeps water out before I took the plunge. I hadn’t bought a change of clothes!

The Surf’s structure is made in two halves – the underside which forms the hull, and the topside which effectively forms the deck. Bonded together at the

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factory, it’s easy to understand how this basic monocoque structure will float... until such time that you make holes in it to allow wheels to sit underneath and drive to be taken to each corner.

But as it turns out, there are only three significant holes in the hull because the engine (and all its ancillaries) sits on the inside, while all of the suspension sits on the outside. One hole is for the steering shaft to pass through – a simple rubber seal keeps this watertight. But how is drive taken outboard to the four wheels?

This is where using a 4-wheel-drive system with a stand alone transfer box makes sense. A short propshaft from the back of the gearbox takes power to the transfer box located approximately under the driver’s seat. The transfer box is a rubber-mounted item within the hull structure, and from which one propshaft goes forward to the front wheels and one back to the retral wheels. It’s these two propshafts that pass through the hull, each sleeved in rubber hose which is clamped around a flange on the transfer box at one end, and around a flange on the hull where the prop exits at the other end. It’s brilliantly simple.

But what about drive to the rear mounted jet propulsion system located on the outside of the hull at the back? A factory modification to the high/low ratio

32-36 Dutton Surf:Layout 1

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selector in the transfer box allows drive to be disengaged from the wheels and instead routed via a dog gear to a secondary propshaft running within the hull that takes power back to just over the jet. A belt take-off then drops the drive down to the shaft of the jet drive.

With my mind at rest and with Tim returning to the slipways after his waterborne antics for the pictures, it’s my turn to jump into the skipper’s chair. I have to admit that as I look down the slipway to the very, very fast moving river Arun, my heart is thumping – this is completely outside of my field of expertise!

Tim has no such worries and, pausing by the waterside, he guides me through the simple exercise of engaging the jet and disengaging the drive to the wheels.

You can in fact have both wheels and jet running at the same time, but gravity lets us slip into the Arun’s grip and the jet quickly takes control. 2500rpm is my new enforced maximum and steering is now via a tiny rudder located opposite the outlet of the jet and controlled by the steering wheel as per normal. Bizarrely, it doesn’t actually feel as odd as you’d

Page 35

expect to ‘drive’ the Surf once it’s on the water. The car reacts surprisingly quickly to steering inputs and it’s not long before we’re trying to force our way upstream.

It’s hard work though, since the current is incredibly strong. It’s also surprisingly noisy, with the engine working hard at its maximum waterborne rpm.

But when the opportunity comes, I turn the Surf round and we blitz along in the opposite direction, now benefitting from both the current and jet... and before you know it I’m heading back towards the slipway and wondering how on earth I get back onto dry land while the current is trying to sweep us hurriedly out to sea!

Tim’s seen it all before, of course, and we simply engage both jet drive and the wheels as we come towards the slipway.

As the wheels find purchase we’re off and out of the water and it’s easy to see what a benefit it is having 4-wheel drive. No issues whatsoever. Then the jet drive is

Tim Dutton still designing radical vehicles after four decades in the business.

Tim’s an

old hand at this, but editor Stent finds driving into the water more of a worry!

Surf moulds are huge. Hull mould in the foreground.

Hull

and deck moulds are bonded together at the factory to form the Surf’s monocoque structure.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 35

simply disengaged and we’re ready to head onto the highway and back to the workshops...

Back in more familiar territory, I can relax and take in the surroundings. The complete dash is taken straight from the Jimny and bolted into its new location after the airbags have been removed. In place of the air bag in front of the passenger is now an instrument panel locating an under bonnet air temperature gauge and switches to engage the automated bilge pumps for the engine bay and cockpit area (thankfully, we didn’t need either of those!). On the top of the dash Tim’s mounted a depth gauge to let you know how much water there is under the hull at any moment. In reality it’s largely redundant since the wheels will hit anything before the hull, but it’s a fun distraction that adds to the novelty. The seats are taken straight from the donor, from which the Dutton uses as much as possible. This Jimny cost Tim £500 and he’s regretting spending so little. The seats are a bit manky and for £10001500 he’d have sourced something in much better nick.

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FIRST STEER! Getting in and out of the Surf is another new experience for me. Rather than dropping down into a sports car cockpit, I’m clambering up onto the deck of the Surf. It’s easy getting up, but more of an art to dismount!

As a car, the Surf is quirky. For starters, it’s a lofty driving position and, at almost 16ft long, it’s bigger than you imagine. It’s also heavier, which inevitably means the Jimny’s already modest 1300cc engine feels the extra load. But ignore any grandiose performance plans, and the Surf nips along fine. It’s more than happy to keep up with traffic. The ride is acceptable too, and the cornering on our brief run seemed assured within sensible limits. The bottom line is that you are not going to build a Surf for its road-

Page 36

Dutton Surf VW Golf Mk4 headlights are a new fixture on the Surf.

Depth gauge a novelty item, and good fun.

New side vents

in bonnet are another Surf development.

Surf is remarkably at home on the water and controls are surprisingly direct.

SPECIFICATION: DUTTON SURF Engine as tested: 1300cc Suzuki Jimny, 80bhp.

Engine options: Smaller capacity Jimnys were produced, along with a 1500cc diesel version. None particularly recommended, and diesel only suitable LHDis 2-litre Fordfor Zetec Surfs.

tuned to produce Body/Chassis: Fibreglass monocoque. Stainless spreader plates laminated into 185bhp. mounting areas for suspension etc.

Suspension: Standard Suzuki Jimny 4x4 IRS suspension.

Steering: Suzuki Jimny rack and steering box.

Brakes: Disc/drum. ABS from 2005.

Kit price: Comprehensive kit (less donor parts) £7950.

Budget build cost: Self built from under £9000.

Contact: Arun Shipyard, Rope Walk, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5DH. T: 01903 713313. E: factory@amphibiouscars.co.uk W: www.amphibiouscars.co.uk

going ability, but rather its off-road capability and waterborne trickery. In those departments it appears more than capable.

Pricing on the Surf appears considerably more transparent than the Arun’s currently muddy depths. The kit is supplied in a largely comprehensive manner, with a number of components provided on exchange to Dutton and then pre-fitted to the kit before delivery. These include both the steering and transfer box, which are all then fitted into the structure, meaning there are no holes through the hull that are left for the customer to seal. Onto the kit price of £7950 (inclusive) you’ll need to add your donor and, er... well that should be it. The bodywork is supplied in the coloured gelcoat finish, so there’s no painting to worry about and, apart from donor refurbishment and any extras you may want, you should be seaworthy from under £9000 (allowing for IVA and the sale of some surplus donor parts).

Even within the kit car scene, it’s not

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often that we can say ‘there really isn’t anything else like it’, but with the Surf there couldn’t be a truer word said. Of the 135 companies that Dutton has found that have purported to offer an amphibious car over the years, his has been in production longer than any other and been produced in a volume that can only be exceeded by the original Amphicar.

I’m pleased that the new car will be exclusively marketed under the Dutton name. There aren’t many kit car companies from the ’70s that are still actively in business today and still so doggedly pursuing the alternative agenda that has always appealed to kit car enthusiasts.

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Kit Car Insurance The Understanding Insurance Specialists

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Living It

Kit car clubs are the life blood of the scene and CKC is committed to showcasing what you’re up to with your cars and clubs. The editor rounds up the latest goings-on.

SKCC Exhausted!

Buyer Beware

IF YOU ARE a kit car owner in the South East then you may well want to join the Southern Kit Car Club on one of its first organised events of 2011. On Sunday 13th March club members will be making their way to exhaust specialist Powerspeed (www.powerspeed.co.uk) in Ashford, where the club has arranged for the company to give a talk about exhaust design and then a look around the factory. Several members have already benefited from bespoke systems from the company and the results have been spectacular. For instance, one Tiger owner’s system went from 105dB with the manufacturer’s system down to 96dB with Powerspeed’s exhaust, while torque went up by 17ft lb!

SKCC has also arranged for a few other suppliers to come along, so it should be an interesting day. More details to be found on the club website.

INCORRECTLY REGISTERED KIT cars have long been a problem, but historically it tended to mean where the V5 registration document hadn’t been updated from the donor identity to reflect the new kit car... so you might find a Cobra replica where the V5 still says it’s a Jaguar, or perhaps a beach buggy that still runs on its VW Beetle identity.

But a CKC reader recently highlighted another issue that takes the problem on a slightly different tangent. Two incidences he showed me involved cars which were advertised as a certain make of Lotus Seven replica, but which were clearly not.

One car had been sold to its new owner, who only discovered he’d bought something else afterwards, while another car advertised on eBay stated the V5 as calling the vehicle one thing, even though the owner admitted in the advert that it may not be!

It doesn’t take a genius to realise that there are some serious issues here.

Firstly, a car should be correctly registered, and these two examples clearly are not, and secondly, are there issues with any insurance being potentially invalid?

Incorrectly registered vehicles, if identified by the DVLA, could be forced off the road until such time as the registration is corrected, and that may well involve an IVA test. Possibly not an insurmountable problem, but certainly costly.

Insurance is an odd one, because if the chassis number tallies with what’s on the V5, and the car has a valid MoT etc,

It’s up to you to ensure that the car you buy is correctly registered.

Why not join the SKCC on its trip out to exhaust specialist, Powerspeed.

If your kit car

CONTACT

has been lying dormant

Southern Kit Car Club.

E: info@southernkitcars.com W: www.southernkitcars.com

the time to blow the

over the winter, now is cobwebs off it and go for a drive.

CONTACT ME I WANT TO hear from you whether you’re in a club, or simply proud of your car! If you have a great story, a gigglesome picture or simply want to get the word out about your club, please contact me.

CLUB editors: Please check I’m on your database and that you have the correct address.

E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk then from a paperwork perspective, everything stacks up (unlike a Cobra replica with a Jaguar V5). I checked with an insurance company on this and they confirm that if the paperwork stacks up and the owner is unaware of the discrepancy, then the insurance would stand.

So how can you be sure that what you are buying is what you think it is? Here’s our shortlist of checks...

• The basics... make sure the V5 identifies the vehicle as the kit car, not the donor.

• Contact the relevant owners’ club – they’ll soon tell you if the vendor is selling you something that it’s not.

• Do an HPI check – this will also confirm the identity and also highlight any previous accidents or whether the car has previously been written off etc.

• Check the chassis number matches the paperwork. Get the owner to show you where the chassis number is, and then check it against the V5 document.

It’s vitally important that your insurance is correct, not only for your own cover in the event of any claim, but also for anyone else involved in an incident which involves your car.

So while nearly all kit car sales are completely legitimate, it is your responsibility to makes sure the car you buy has all its paperwork in order.

Ignorance may not be a valid excuse if things go wrong, so if you are in any doubt, walk away.

Get Your Cars Out For The New Year IF YOUR KIT car has been tucked up for the winter (or longer!) then now is the time to remind yourself why you built or bought it second-hand. I found an utterly uplifting thread on the Pistonheads forum recently which should act as a catalyst for anyone who has forgotten what fun it is to fire up

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your car and go out for a blast. I’d almost say it’s the responsibility of every kit car owner to be out there flying the flag for self-built cars!

TO JOIN IN W: http://tinyurl.com/65jzl29

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SG7 Club Gathers In Hertfordshire Area THERE ARE SIMPLY loads of kit car clubs in the UK, either marque specific or area based, but it’s always good to hear of one that’s previously operated below our radar! SG7 Kit Car Club is the seemingly bizarre name of a group based in the Hertfordshire area and, in particular, within the SG postcode area! Ahh, now it makes sense.

SG7 has links with the local Robin Hood Owners’ Club and Register but it’s open to any form of kit car and appears to have an active membership, if the website is anything to go by.

As you might expect, there are monthly lunchtime gatherings (first

Club Fundraising

Sunday of the month at the George IV pub in Baldock SG7 6LZ), but also various other dedicated events, such as an annual camping trip, and planned track day and treasure hunt for 2011. In addition, the club attends most of the main kit car events and more local shows.

So if you are in the area and fancy meeting up with other local kit car enthusiasts, you know where to find them.

TO JOIN IN SG7 club is already SG7 Kit Car Club. E: j-chisnall@sky.com W: www.sg7kitcars.co.uk

well established in Hertfordshire area.

If

members want to get rid of unused parts they’ve

FOLLOWING THE WARNING shot we rather worryingly fired across clubs’ bows with regards public liability insurance, several free-to-join clubs now have the problem of how to raise the funds for such cover.

While charging entrants to join club organised treasure hunts or quiz nights is a good start, my local Apple County crew has instigated a ‘For Sale’ section on its forum where members can advertise low value items that have been lurking in the garage, and where they are happy for the proceeds to go to the club’s coffers. Good plan.

collected over the years, it’s a potentially good way

CONTACT

for the club to raise funds.

W: www.applecountykitcars.co.uk

First Burlington Resurfaces NIGEL PARR CONTACTED me recently, because he’s in the midst of a long-term restoration of a Burlington SS, a Morganesque replica produced from 1979 by Haydn Davies. While there nothing especially newsworthy about the resurrection of a Burlington (quite a few were made, so while not common, neither is it especially rare) Peter’s passion has more than the usual motivation... his car is number 001, the very first example Haydn sold, and built

by Nigel between 1980 and 1981. Wow! Having run the car for many years, it

went into hibernation in 1991 until Nigel pulled it out in 2005 and decided to return it to its former glory. It appears the ongoing restoration of the car, with endless tweaks and improvements along the way, has been a huge task that has been painstakingly documented by Nigel on a well written and highly amusing blog he’s created.

It’s a brilliant effort, and an important car to keep on the road. Even more amazing that it’s still with its original owner.

I’ll try to keep you posted of its progress, or you can follow it yourself online.

MARCH 2011

Here’s Nigel Parr’s Burlington when he first built it in 1980. It’s chassis number 001 and he’s currently restoring it.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 39

TO JOIN IN W: http://nigeljosephparr.blogspot.com

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Living It

Lost And Found (Hopefully!)

EVEN THE PROMISE of a free CKC mug hasn’t tempted any of you to contact me either about the cars I’m looking for, or oddities you might own! A very poor effort.

C-minus, must try harder!

I have however had a couple of readers make suggestions for cars to look out for, and they’ve set quite hard homework for you!

Ex-Running Reporter Roger Brown has suggested the LMC Roadster. Remember that? Launched in 2004 and based on a Reliant Scimitar chassis and running gear, this beautifully built and executed Roadster simply disappeared almost as

LMC Roadster was very well made and looked good, but never found enough buyers.

Griffin’s styling looks pretty sharp for 1975.

Moggy Minor underpinnings killed sales dead. Shame.

quickly as it arrived. I think a couple may have been produced by the factory. Just a shame it never really found its feet within the kit car scene.

Meanwhile, John Lockett has suggested the Griffin from the late ’70s.

Any kit car based on Morris Minor mechanicals has got to be having a laugh, but the Griffin’s styling was well executed and must have looked convincing at the time. Launched by a company in Poole in 1975, it had disappeared from view by 1985, and Chris Rees’ excellent book Classic Kit Cars suggests just 20 or so were made. I’m not holding my breath that anyone has one... but go on, surprise me!

Lost an d Fo un d

I’ve fo un d...

Carlton Co m man do O&C Sport Carlton Carr era Pelland Spor Kingfisher ts Co untess Pilgrim Haw thorn JBA Javelin Reflex Latham Spor ts R otrax Mag ic S&J Milano MCA Sheldonhur Midtec Spyd st er Silhouette SC Nyvrem Nir 50 00S vana UVA Fugitive F33 I’m still lo ok ing for...

AVA K1 Panache DMS Bullit Reg is Mohaw Eagle M2 k Scorpion GP Talon Shelsley Gilcolt Stimulator Pace Maels trom

CONTACT E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk

Public Liability Insurance Follow Up For Clubs

Stilton Run 2011

MY ARTICLE ON public liability cover for clubs certainly caused a lot of interest a couple of months ago. We subsequently printed a letter in our Letters page which called for a common sense approach to whether or not cover is needed and the fact that negligence must be proved for a case to stand.

And in response to that I’ve had an e-mail from Greg Nook of Peter James Insurance, which I thought I’d reprint here in his own words...

THE STILTON CHEESE Classic Vehicle Run is once again happening this year and looks set to yet again prove extremely popular. It’s organised by Jim Barry of the Kettering Area Motor Club, hence the focus on classic cars, but Barry’s also a Lomax owner and member of the Citroen Specials’ Club, and that means the event always sees a very good showing of kit cars of all shapes and sizes!

The event starts at Quenby Hall in Hungarton, Leicestershire, and a pre-organised course sees you end up at the Bell Inn in Stilton. What better way that to finish a run than at a welcoming pub? Perfect!

Last time saw over 150 entries, and you need to pre-enter in order to run.

Cost is £1 per car and £2.50 per adult.

Head for the website for details.

behalf of the club or its members would have to be proved, but with the current ‘no win, no fee’ approach, there are the potential legal costs involved in defending the club or its members to be considered, let alone the possibility of the claimant winning the case in the High Courts, with potential awards going into six figures.

“Therefore, when deciding whether or not to purchase public liability insurance, you must always remember that whilst it can be considered by some to be an unnecessary expense, if you do have a claim made against you, it becomes a remarkably cheap and invaluable insurance policy! In addition, if you are not a limited company, as an individual you will be liable down to your bootstraps!

“Insurance companies do not make the law, they only protect against the consequences of actions arising from its application – or perhaps in some circumstances misapplication.”

YOUR TUBE

“In response to the ‘Letter of the Month’ in your January 2011 issue, I feel that a very important point has been missed, which should be brought to readers’ attention.

“This relates to the modern phenomena of accident management companies and ‘no win, no fee’ solicitors, who have an ability to manufacture a successful claim out of the most innocuous of circumstances.

“Yes, it is agreed that negligence on

Greg Nook, Peter James Insurance

TO JOIN IN W: http://stiltoncheeserun.webs.com

HAND THROWN CHAINSAW!

ULTIMA BUILD PROCESS

A frankly extraordinary bit of footage that has nothing to do with cars. It shows a bloke throwing a circular saw blade at a piece of wood and the spinning blade cutting it perfectly. Surely fake, but spectacular nonetheless. http://tinyurl.com/2c4ad7e

A pictorial slideshow of a complete Ultima build. No moving footage, but a good reference for the process and a typically immaculate end result. http://tinyurl.com/4lt3hzk

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Updated Every Month!

2011 is up and running and there are already loads of planned events that you can attend. Here’s our full listing.

National Kit Car Motor Show, Stoneleigh May 1st/2nd

2011 SHOWS & EVENTS FEBRUARY 25TH-27TH RACE RETRO Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Live Promotions N EW T: 01775 768661 E NTRY W: www.raceretro.com Several kit cars appear at this historic motorsport show – we’ll be there too!

MARCH

N EW

E NTRY

SUNDAY 27TH ARDEN AUTOMOTIVE OPEN DAY Didcot, Oxfordshire T: 01253 813331.

W: www.ardenautomotive.co.uk Kit car specialist opens it doors.

APRIL

Championship

SUNDAY 3RD COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Mallory Park, Leicestershire W: www.750mc.co.uk

WED 27TH TO SAT 30TH PRE-STONELEIGH ROAD TRIP Around the UK Southern Kit Car Club W: www.southernkitcars.com The Southern Kit Car Club’s four-day road trip is open to any kit car owner, and you can join for just one day or all four. The group will depart Essex on April 27th before going to Skegness. The following day will be Whitby, before the Peak District on the 29th and Stoneleigh for the 30th.

MAY 1ST/2ND THE NATIONAL KIT CAR MOTOR SHOW Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Grosvenor Exhibitions We’ll be there!

T: 01406 372600 W: www.grosvenorexhibitions.co.uk The world’s biggest kit car show. Lots of clubs, manufacturers and parts.

SATURDAY 9TH PEAK DISTRICT TOUR Huddersfield to Donington W: www.wildcarrracing.com Race Diaries contributor Henry Carr is organising a road trip that’s open to all kit car fans. It starts with a tour of a Ferrari specialist in Huddersfield, followed by a drive through the Peak District before ending up at the Donington F1 museum. The price is £28 per adult including pub lunch.

SUNDAY 8TH Championship CKC CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire W: www.750mc.co.uk

SATURDAY 16TH Championship CKC CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Brands Hatch, Kent W: www.750mc.co.uk

SATURDAY 21ST COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Snetterton, Norfolk W: www.750mc.co.uk

GOOD FRIDAY 22ND DJ SPORTSCARS OPEN DAY N EW Harlow, Essex E NTRY T: 01279 442661.

W: www.daxcars.co.uk Meet the Dax team, see the cars!

21ST/22ND THE EUROPEAN KIT CAR SHOW Kent County Showground, Detling European Promotions T: 01233 713878 W: www.kitcar-shows.co.uk A new date for this event, which was traditionally held in April.

SATURDAY 14TH DON’T CKC/OMEX TRACK DAY MISS THIS! Llandow circuit.

T: 01823 335443 W: www.completekitcar.co.uk Join us for another great day.

Beginners welcome.

JUNE CKC/Omex Track Day, Llandow May 14th

SUNDAY 5TH KIT CAR LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN Greenwood Exhibitions T: 01527 871150 MARCH 2011

W: www.classicmotorshow.com The London to Brighton is a classic event, and this one is specifically for kit cars.

SATURDAY 18TH SPORTS AND KIT CAR SHOW Redden Court School, Harold Wood, Essex RM3 0TS E: carshow@stpetersharoldwood.org W: www.stpeterscarshow.co.uk Organised by St Peter’s Church, Harold Wood. Diplay cars must be booked in advance.

18TH/19TH THE NATIONAL KIT CAR FESTIVAL Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground, Newark Newark Promotions T: 01526 320721 W: www.kitcarshow.co.uk Alongside trade stands, the Newark is like a kit car party.

JULY JUNE 30TH/JULY 1ST-3RD GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED Goodwood House, West Sussex.

We’ll be there!

T: 01243 755055 W: www.goodwood.co.uk/fos An essential event for the petrolhead – lots of iconic cars to see, and plenty of famous drivers too. Oh, and CKC will be there!

2ND/3RD COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Donington Park, Championship Leicestershire W: www.750mc.co.uk

N

EW JULY 22ND-24TH E NTRY SILVERSTONE CLASSIC Silverstone, Northamptonshore T: 01483 524400 W: www.silverstoneclassic.com Big historic motorsport event.

30TH/31ST COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Snetterton Championship W: www.750mc.co.uk

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AUGUST 27TH/28TH COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Silverstone, Northamptonshire Championship W: www.750mc.co.uk

SEPTEMBER

N

EW SUNDAY 4TH E NTRY TRAX Silverstone, Northamptonshire T: 01225 788167 E: ian.cruikshank@futurenet.com W: www.traxshows.co.uk Modified car show that attracts a number of kit cars.

SATURDAY 10TH DON’T MISS CKC/OMEX TRACK DAY THIS! Llandow circuit, near Cardiff T: 01823 335443 W: www.completekitcar.co.uk Join us for another great day.

Beginners welcome.

FRIDAY 16TH TO SUNDAY 18TH GOODWOOD REVIVAL Goodwood Race Circuit, West Sussex.

T: 01243 755055 W: www.goodwood.co.uk We’ll be there!

World class historic motosport extravaganza at the Goodwood circuit.

24TH/25TH Championship CKC CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Pembrey, South Wales W: www.750mc.co.uk

OCTOBER 8TH/9TH COMPLETE KIT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP Race at Donington Park, Leicesterhsire Championship W: www.750mc.co.uk 22ND/23RD THE GREAT WESTERN KIT CAR SHOW Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Exeter European Promotions T: 01233 713878 W: www.kitcar-shows.co.uk Always a decent turn-out keen to make the most of the final show.

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THE NATIONAL KIT CAR MOTOR SHOW 2011 BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND Sunday 1st & Monday 2nd May 2011 The BIGGEST kit car show in the WORLD! THE ANNUAL MECCA FOR ALL KIT CAR ENTHUSIASTS

UT MASSIVE TURNO FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD!

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From M1 Northbound: Exit J21, M69, A46, Exit A46 to join B4113.

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Camping & caravanning available from midday Saturday 30th April.

kit cars on the day)

Organised by: Grosvenor Shows Ltd.

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www.southwaysautomotive.co.uk www.completekitcar.co.uk 43

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Page 44

Steve Smith’s DNA 4Thirty

Having built a succession of Ferrari replicas, Steve Smith is on his second DNA build. Adam Wilkins takes a look at his latest project – a 4Thirty.

44 www.completekitcar.co.uk

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STEVE SMITH LIFTS the door to reveal a generously proportioned and well equipped garage. The walls are festooned with neatly stacked shelves. To one side, there’s an inspection pit and, to the other, a familiar shape nestles under a Ferrari branded cover.

As we learnt last month, we’re dealing with a serial kit car builder. He’s certainly got his working environment as comfortable as possible; it’s a kit car builder’s utopia. Most of the kit cars he has built have been Ferrari replicas, from an early Karma, via Extreme and BAD 355s to a DNA 3Sixty. His latest project is another DNA, this time the more up to date 4Thirty. We covered the build in last month’s issue and, if you caught that, you’ll have high expectations of the finished result. As the bright red car cover is pulled off to reveal an even brighter red 4Thirty, it’s instantly clear that we won’t be disappointed. This is a car that’s been meticulously assembled and immaculately presented.

Steve fires up the Toyota engine – remember, this is a rebodied Mk3 MR2.

The sound that erupts from the exhaust (DNA’s own design aft of the catalytic converter) and echoes around the workshop does an impressive job of aping a Ferrari V8’s wail. With a fifty per cent

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 45

cylinder deficit, it’s never going to be exactly the same, but the increase in volume and rasp is enough to distract most casual observers from the reality of the car’s 1.8-litre four-pot. Unlike the Ferrari, it will also return high 30s fuel economy.

The visuals shout ‘Ferrari’ even louder than the audio. As well as the full – and genuine – Ferrari badging, there are false brakes behind the big alloys, and even a make-believe engine peeping through the window in the engine cover. The GRP panel is remarkably convincing, and Steve has upped the ante with careful painting and the addition of rubber hoses and metal clips to make it really look the part. The window itself is a genuine Ferrari part, as are the tail lights. Add in the DNA’s convincing overall proportions and it’s a car that will dupe most onlookers into believing that they’re looking at a car built in Italy.

Pull on either of the replica handles (which operates the Toyota mechanism inside) to open the door, and you’ll spot a further convincer in the door jamb – a Ferrari sourced sticker which contains info on the paint code. Steve was given these by a fellow DNA Owners’ Club member who had changed his mind about painting his car red after buying the decals.

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Page 46

Steve Smith’s DNA 4Thirty

MR2 binnacle modified.

Vents

trimmed with carbon fibre look material, as is the one off centre tunnel.

Six-speed

gearbox operated via a gated gearchange.

DNA’s GRP dash top hides the Toyota dash well. Alcantara trim and stitching a neat touch.

Not much inside that hasn’t been modified. Hides MR2 roots well.

And the interior itself? The Toyota’s plasticky interior is usually a replica’s biggest giveaway, but there’s very little stock MR2 inside that hasn’t been replaced, reformed or removed. It benefits from a dash top trim panel and false switches on the steering wheel, both of which were sourced from DNA. Elsewhere, the seats have been reshaped with squarer ‘shoulders’ and entirely new shape headrests. They were then taken to a local trimmer to be finished in cream leather complete with metal eyelets. The door cards are clothed in the same material. Steve has also made his own carbon fibre look centre tunnel to replace

46 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

the standard item. The instrument faces have been replaced with replica items, while Steve also altered the binnacle.

Where the MR2 has three separate round dials, Steve cut out parts of the binnacle to create one large opening, as per an original Ferrari. With so much effort having gone into the interior, it’s little wonder that Steve overheard people at the Stoneleigh show who were convinced that his car was the real deal – even while there was a genuine Ferrari 430 parked right alongside it!

As we drive out to the photo location, all eyes are on the DNA. The bright red 4Thirty, with its roof down, is lightening

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I BUILT THIS...

Name: Steve Smith Age: 59 Occupation: Removal contractor Thanks to: DNA for supplying a first class kit, Dave for leather, ‘Beemaman’ for paint code stickers, five-year old granddaughter Elisha for help sanding bodywork.

Roll bar trimmed in leather. sticker sourced from Ferrari.

Paintcode

Replica caliper

peeps through from behind the big alloy wheels.

Single wiper tidies up looks, although the real 430 actually has two!

the mood on an overcast January morning. You often hear drivers of genuine Ferraris complaining of negative reactions to their cars, but of all the many comments Steve has received since getting the car on the road in 2010, only three have been opprobrious. They’re easily outweighed by the blown kisses and even a request for an autograph that have come his way. The 4Thirty gets used a couple of times a week and almost always has the roof down. Steve is known in the DNA Owners’ Club for his insistence on alfresco motoring, almost regardless of the weather.

Reflecting on the build, he is full of praise for DNA. He has not a bad word to report on the quality of the kit or the level of customer service. “I’ve recommended them to so many people you’d think I

MARCH 2011

Steve’s spacious garage is equipped with a pit.

Open up!

www.completekitcar.co.uk 47

work for them,” he says. “Brian and Roland at DNA are good guys. I’m a Yorkshireman and I tell it how it is. If something’s good, I’ll tell people straight.”

He’s equally straightforward when he comes to emphasising how easy it was to assemble a DNA. He picked up his kit before it was fully productionised and, at the time, there was no instructional DVD (there is now). Nevertheless, he was able to put the car together without making a call to the factory; he relied on common sense and the guidance given to him on the day he picked up the kit. “The only fiddly job is fitting the door catches, but even that isn’t something I wouldn’t look forward to if I built another one.”

Steve budgeted £20,000 for the build and reckons it came in at £19,500. The cost was kept down because he did a lot

DNA 4Thirty.qxd:Layout 1

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READER’S CAR

of the work himself, including painting the car. Although he’s not a professional spray painter, he has achieved a result you’d happily pay a four-figure sum for.

Page 48

Steve Smith’s DNA 4Thirty

False engine lifts with engine cover.

Looks surprsingly convincing in position!

STEVE SMITH’S DNA 4THIRTY Engine: 1794cc Toyota MR2. 138bhp.

Gearbox: Standard Toyota 6-speed manual gearbox.

Suspension: Front – Original MR2 struts and stub axles with DNA lower wishbones and drop plates. Wheels spacers/hub conversions. Rear – Standard MR2 with lowered springs and wheels spacers/hub converters.

Brakes: Standard MR2 front and rear discs and calipers, servo assisted, dummy Ferrari ‘calipers and discs’ over.

Wheels/tyres: 19in 3-piece replica alloys. Nexen 265/30R19 rear tyres, 235/35R19 front tyres.

Interior: Modified and retrimmed MR2 seats, DNA dash top panel trimmed in alcantara, carbon effect centre tunnel and other trim parts, remodelled instrument binnacle.

Exterior: Ferrari red bodywork, genuine Ferrari rear lights, Ferrari glass engine cover window, full badging, Ford Mondeo fuel cap.

This is a task that many car builders shy away from, but Steve is really keen to have a go at anything. “I’ve got two hands and a brain, so how hard can it be?” he quips. Having painted a number of cars over the years, he has self-taught himself the skills needed to do the job. |t all started when one of his works vans needed painting. Unwilling to pay what he’d been quoted, he decided to buy a spray gun and a compressor and tackle the job himself. “I made a few mistakes,” he says, “but I can now paint a car without any big problems. There may be a small run or a bit of dust, but nothing I can’t fix.”

Earlier attempts didn’t go so smoothly.

The paint on a Vauxhall Victor ended up like tar because Steve was unaware you needed to set up the gun before use. On

another car, the finish went milky twice. It was only on the third visit to the paintshop that the person ahead of Steve in the queue asked for anti-bloom thinners. It was only after asking what that meant that he realised he needed to use anti-bloom thinners when painting in damp weather to prevent it going milky. “I just picked it up as I went along, there was no internet back then.”

Learning new skills is all part of the kit car experience and, when the results are as good as Steve’s 4Thirty, the satisfaction in a job well done is immense. While he’s in no hurry to sell the car, if it does find a new home he’d relish the chance to tackle another build. He’s in no doubt as to what the next project would be – another Ferrari replica and a third DNA.

CONTACT Kit: DNA Automotive. T: 0121 326 8800.

E: info@dnaautomotive.com W: www.dnaautomotive.com Owners’ club: DNA Owners’ Club.

W: www.dnaoc.co.uk

48 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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052-054 MEV Exocet - Pt 1:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

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Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

PROJECT MEV EXOCET Part 1 As we embark on our latest in-house project, Ian Stent introduces the new car and goes in search of a donor.

COMPLETE KIT CAR has overseen the assembly of no fewer than four project car builds since we launched the magazine some four years ago.

They’ve been a diverse bunch, starting with Wilkins’ Sylva Riot, then a top flight Subaru Impreza based Adrenaline Murtaya and more recently Ashley Gardiner’s plans-built Haynes Roadster. We have also built a Ferrari replica body conversion.

Over the last year or two Ashley has become a regular contributor to the magazine, and his very down to earth ‘can do’ attitude to kit car building has been an inspiration. And having built his Haynes we knew he was itching to try his hand at something knew... but what?

Unless he’d suddenly won the lottery, this was never going to be a money-no-object supercar build, but instead something that moved him on a stage from the Haynes Roadster without necessarily stretching the funds much further.

So when MEV launched the Mazda MX-5 based Exocet at last year’s Newark kit car show and claimed you could build it for just £2000, it was an obvious contender for his attentions... and when CKC’s Adam Wilkins subsequently drove the car and wouldn’t stop telling everyone how good it was... well, that pretty much sealed it.

cakes ever since, with an increasing number turning up at shows under the highly active MEV Owners’ Group banner.

But MEV wasn’t finished yet, and we’ve had a spate of Exo-derived offerings ever since – the bikepowered Atomic, 3-wheeled tR1ke, full bodied Sonic and aforementioned Exocet...

And it’s been the latter that has yet again thrown the kit industry into spasms of excitement. More than all of MEV’s previous designs, the Exocet has an extraordinarily clear remit – to provide enthusiasts with one of the cheapest kit cars in the industry (and that’s easy to build and makes no compromises with regards handling). And in these times of ‘austerity’, the Exocet’s potential build cost of just £2000 all in (once you’ve sold off the unwanted components from your donor), is a headline grabber like no other.

If the Exocet’s pricing is teasingly tempting, then MEV’s use of the MX-5 as a donor and, in particular, its packaging in the Exocet, is another masterstroke. Where several

companies have switched on to the potential of the cheap to source Mazda, most retain just the engine and gearbox, plus a few ancillaries.

Where MEV has been so cunning is to resist the temptation to be too clever. The company hasn’t relocated the engine into the back for an exotic mid-engined configuration. It hasn’t

Exocet uses as much as possible from the donor, including instrument pod and seats.

When Wilkins first drove the Exocet, the value of using the MX-5 components in their original configuration was made obvious – the car was fantastic to drive.

THE MEV EXOCET Mills Extreme Vehicles has always been an interesting company, pumping out new products on an extraordinarily regular basis. Early efforts weren’t always a commercial success – the Range Rover based MEV 4x4 was almost certainly hugely capable, but quirky styling meant it never saw sales success. So too for the three-seat R3. But with the 2007 MEV Rocket the company’s Stuart Mills found the bull’s eye. The modern exoskeletal styling, Ford Focus donor and competitive pricing was right on the pulse for kit car enthusiasts – they’ve sold like hot 52 www.completekitcar.co.uk

developed its own suspension to provide race car handling. Instead, MEV has simply transferred as much as possible out of the Mazda’s often rotting bodywork and simply reinserted it into a new lightweight frame. No one ever complained that the MX-5’s handling was poor, that the engine was a dog or that its

MARCH 2011

052-054 MEV Exocet - Pt 1:CKC Cover copy

4/2/11

1.8-litre engine in factory demo car provides plenty of thrills.

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EBay’s not the only place

to look for a suitable donor, but it did end up being the place where we found our 1.8-litre donor car, bought for just £800.

brakes didn’t work – on the contrary.

The Exocet uses all of these and more, in the positions they were designed to go in on the MX-5, except now within a new Exo inspired chassis. Far from being surprised by Adam’s glowing report of his first drive in the Exocet, we should have expected nothing less.

THE PROJECT For Ashley, building the Exocet will be a sea change from his experience with the Haynes Roadster. Where previously he had to fabricate his own chassis and make just about everything from scratch, here he’ll strip just one donor and re-use almost everything in a prefabricated and comprehensive kit package. For nothing in an impressive 18 months, we don’t think he’ll be taking long to get his next car on the road.

But while he’s inevitably being cost conscious with the Exocet build, we’re not expecting him to set any

records for producing the cheapest example on the planet. There will always be someone else who sells the unwanted donor parts for more and manages to negotiate amazing deals for parts the rest of us have to pay normal prices on. So the aim is to build the Exocet using everything supplied in the kit and found on the one donor. Ashley has already decided he wants the chassis to be powdercoated by MEV, and he’s also having the company’s lighting pack... the two most popular options offered by the factory.

Refurbishment of the MX-5 bits will be kept to a minimum, but without sacrificing finish. Ashley hopes to sell as much as he can from the MX-5 via eBay and the MX-5 forums, but I suspect where some people may strip everything down to its individual components to maximise potential, Ashley may take a more casual view of it.

Hopefully, he’ll get back a big

Stent went to collect Ashley’s MX-5 during the UK’s coldest snap since the Ice Age. After a jump start it ran fine and everything seems to work perfectly.

chunk of what he’s invested in the donor car and, if he makes a profit from it (MEV bought a donor for £710 and sold the unwanted parts for £1218!), then that will be a bonus. Only time will tell.

THE DONOR Finding an MX-5 donor has been a fascinating exercise, and with several kit car operations now using the Mazda as a foundation, we were keen to see how easy it was and got involved with the search.

On the assumption that we’re limited to a Mk1 MX-5s (pop-up headlights) unless we fund a crashed Mk2, there are two main model options to consider, 1.6-litre or 1.8-litre. Slightly adding to the dilemma, you can then complicate matters by sticking with UK supplied cars, or consider grey imports (Eunos Roadster).

When it comes to engine size, it’s immediately apparent that for every

1.8-litre car that comes within budget, there are 10 or more 1.6-litre cars, so if the added pep of the larger capacity engine isn’t a priority, stick with 1.6-litre examples. The performance advantage between the two isn’t vast (115bhp versus 131bhp) and there are those that argue the 1.6 is actually a better engine to tune.

In terms of imports, there must have been thousands of MX-5s brought in from Japan, and the market is flooded with them. By and large the important specifications are very similar, but some can benefit from a limited slip differential. More usually, the differences will concentrate on items of little interest to us, such as leather trim and other interior tweaks, plus air conditioning etc.

We decided that a 1.8-litre example would be great if we could find one at the right price, and we weren’t too bothered

Interior in this example is very simple, with wind-up windows and few other modcons. But the seats are unusual in having side bolsters that are usable. Good news.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 53

052-054 MEV Exocet - Pt 1:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

whether it was a UK car or not. So the search was on.

Any search on eBay confirms that there are lots of potential donors available for under £1000, with the lowest price cars selling for around £500. At the bottom end, you soon find out how badly early cars can rust! Arches can be horribly corroded and there are examples with mechanical gremlins, rotten interiors and cars which have clearly been sat outside and unused for many months. All could be perfectly respectable donors for the Exocet, but we were keen to re-use the Mazda’s seats if possible, and buying a car with bad rust would only limit the number of resalable parts, since front wings and doors all have a good resale value.

Of course, eBay isn’t the only place to look and it does have drawbacks – we often found bidding wars on cheaper cars that eventually took the sale price beyond what you could buy a similar car for elsewhere. Searches via the Auto Trader (useful) and Exchange & Mart (less useful) websites always threw up one or two interesting options. And the online Pistonheads classified section also had potentially interesting cars.

Competitively priced classifieds

4/2/11

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Our Cars

via any of these places didn’t hang around long. We chased up several cars that had already been snapped up, including one promising car that I’d found in Bristol which was then bought by a CKC reader just a day after I spoke to the vendor and was being used for his own Exocet project!

Once again, limiting the search to 1.8-litre examples was a big factor in reducing our options, and there was a point where we seriously considered widening the search to include 1.6-litre cars.

But it was eBay that eventually came up trumps. I’d seen a potentially interesting car for sale near Hereford, on my side of the country (Ashley lives over in Kent).

It was attracting little interest, perhaps because of its relatively high starting bid of £500. Having discussed it with Ashley, I contacted the owner, to find that the car had seen little use over the last six months, but had previously had a new soft-top fitted (a high value item to resell) and with a tidy interior and recent cambelt change on the 1.8-litre twin-cam. Apart from one faded rear wing, the rest of the bodywork looked clean and the owner appeared genuine.

Unable to see the car before the auction ended, this would have to

What a great looking car! It seems almost a shame to strip it down... except for the fact that Ashley will end up with a fabulous lighter roadster that’ll make great use of the parts!

54 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

Soft-top was replaced a couple of years ago and benefits from a glass rear screen – that will add value when we sell it.

be a punt, and we set ourselves a self-imposed maximum bid of £800, with the intention of bidding at the last second, to avoid a bidding war with any other interested parties.

The result? A done deal, with the bid hitting our ceiling price of £800.

There was certainly no point Ashley coming right across the country with a trailer to pick it up, so I offered to collect the car and bring it down to his house.

First impressions of the car were good. The bodywork is superb, the interior clean and the standard MX-5 alloys are in mint condition, albeit it with tired rubber. All good news when it comes to selling off parts. After jump-starting the car on a bitterly cold December day, the

MARCH 2011

engine seemed to run well and there didn’t appear to be anything on the car that didn’t work. In fact, rather like the Subaru I bought for our Murtaya build, it looks too good to scrap!

Indeed, that was Wilkins’ first impression when he came over to help me unload the car at Ashley’s house. He’s been wondering about a more entertaining daily runabout to replace his ageing Mondeo, and the MX-5 is slap in the middle of his limited budget. He was looking around the car rather too keenly for my liking, or Ashley’s for that matter!

And that’s as far as we’ve got at the moment. Ashley has had another look around the car and seems pretty chuffed with it too, which I’m relieved about, and the intention is that by the time you read this we’ll have picked up the complete kit from MEV and Ashley will have stripped the donor down to its individual components.

Would we have done anything differently in our search for a car given a second chance? Finding a suitable 1.8-litre example isn’t a problem if you are prepared to wait and pay a relatively small premium.

I reckon an equivalent tidy 1.6-litre car (of which there would have been many to choose from) could be found for perhaps £650 and, if you’re willing to take a punt on something with scruffy bodywork, then a £500 donor is possible. All of which just confirms what a spectacular bargain the MX-5 is, and how right MEV has been to use as much as possible from it.

Over to you Ashley...

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MARCH 2011

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056-057 Tech Talk Clutch:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

4/2/11

08:29

Basics: Garage

Page 56

Warp 8 Pt6

Our Cars

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

TECHTALK CKC Technical Editor John Dickens continues his look at the major components of a typical engine. This month it’s the clutch.

Clutch A CLUTCH IS a device which transmits power from one component to another. In the case of an automobile, the clutch transmits power from the engine to the gearbox. From here it is distributed through the transmission to the driving wheels. The clutch design allows the engine and gearbox to be fully locked together, completely disconnected or partially driving at any point between these two extremes.

By allowing the clutch to engage gradually as it slips, the vehicle undergoes a smooth transition from stationary to moving as more power is transmitted to the wheels.

Disengaging the clutch also allows

gear changes to be made smoothly and cleanly.

Most cars use a simple 3-piece clutch. There is a friction plate, a pressure plate and a release bearing.

The friction plate is mounted on the gearbox input shaft and transmits the power to the gearbox.

In the engaged position it is clamped tightly to the engine flywheel by the strong spring in the pressure plate. The release bearing is mounted in the bell housing and operated by the clutch pedal.

When the clutch pedal is pressed either a cable or a hydraulic system forces the release bearing against the pressure plate and releases the

Pressure plates (2), friction plates (4) and a release bearing.

2 The main clutch components when engaged.

spring pressure. The friction plate is no longer clamped to the flywheel and can rotate freely. Power is no longer being transmitted to the gearbox.

Slowly releasing the clutch pedal allows the clamping pressure on the friction plate to gradually increase and the power transmitted to the gearbox also increases in a smooth

1 56 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

and progressive manner. This basic system has been in use for the best part of a century. Its main drawback is the amount of heat generated as the friction plate spins against the flywheel and pressure plate during engagement or disengagement.

Early clutches used leather as their friction material but this was easily damaged by the heat produced, so asbestos based compounds were developed. As with brake friction materials, asbestos has now been replaced by synthetic and organic fibres, metal particles, polymers and resins.

Some competition clutches use sintered or ceramic material and F1 cars use carbon clutches in addition to their carbon brakes.

Production car clutches often have shock absorbing springs built into the hub of the friction plate.

The pressure plate design originally used strong coil springs to clamp the friction plate but these tended to need high operating pressures at the clutch pedal so diaphragm springs were introduced.

These produce a high clamping pressure but have an ‘over centre’ action which reduces the force needed to operate the clutch pedal.

Many clutch release bearings originally used a graphite pad as their bearing surface but they are

056-057 Tech Talk Clutch:CKC Cover copy

now more likely to be specialised versions of proper ball or roller bearings.

As engine power and torque increase, the friction of the clutch also needs to increase in order to avoid clutch slip. This can be done by using better friction materials, higher spring pressures or a larger friction area.

• Ceramic and carbon based friction materials are used in competition but can be harsh in operation so they are less suitable for road use.

Development here tends to concentrate on the organic alternatives.

• Increasing spring pressure results in an increased pedal pressure too, so there are practical limits to this line of development.

• Increasing the available friction

4/2/11

08:30

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area would mean a corresponding increase in flywheel size unless a multi-plate clutch is used...

These have been common on motorcycles and competition cars for years but are found less often on road cars. A multi-plate clutch uses two or more friction plates on the gearbox input shaft to increase the available friction area. There are also additional plain plates, linked to the flywheel, between the friction plates. At the pinnacle of development, F1 cars now use carbon/carbon multi-plate clutches of only 4-5in (100-125mm) diameter to handle 800bhp. The clutches can tolerate temperatures of 500deg C and weigh as little as 1.5kg.

For commonly modified vehicles it is possible that uprated or high

With the clutch disengaged the friction plate spins freely.

performance clutch kits are available ‘off the shelf’ but these can sometimes produce higher pedal pressures or more abrupt clutch engagement, so make sure you really need the extra performance before you decide to go down this route.

Although release bearings do wear and pressure springs can weaken, it is normally wear on the friction plate that necessitates a clutch replacement. The first symptom of clutch wear is clutch slip. This is normally felt when accelerating from low revs in a high gear. The engine speed rises but the car speed remains unchanged. If no action is taken the problem rapidly gets worse until the vehicle

becomes un-driveable. In addition, the heat generated by the uncontrolled slip can cause damage to the surface of the engine flywheel. Further damage can result from excess wear.

The friction material is normally riveted onto the steel backing plate and if it is allowed to wear excessively the rivets will come into contact, first with the pressure plate, and then with the flywheel, scoring the working surfaces and resulting in replacement components being needed.

It is normal practice to change all three clutch components together and, considering the work involved, it is a false economy to re-use a release bearing or pressure plate when renewing the friction plate.

This tiny F1 Ferrari

carbon/carbon clutch can handle 800bhp.

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www.completekitcar.co.uk 57

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060-062 Kit Car Basics - Garage:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

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Basics: Garage

08:55

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Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

KIT CAR BASICS The Garage Thinking about a first time kit car project?

Let CKC’s new series of features on Kit Car Basics guide you. This month we look at where the project will be built.

BEFORE YOU’VE BOUGHT a single spanner, before you’ve even thought about which kit you might like to assemble, you need to consider the building in which you intend to build it.

WHERE? There are those who have successfully assembled a kit car on the drive outside their house, with no weather protection whatsoever... but we wouldn’t recommend it.

More regular readers may remember that our very own Ashley Gardiner began his Haynes Roadster build in his garden, before quickly realising that some form of weather protection was needed. He then built an impromptu lean-to on the side of his house, where he successfully welded the chassis together and would have completed the car, had he not then moved house to a place with a wooden framed garage... luxury!

If you don’t have access to your own garage then it’s always possible to rent one, but kit projects can often take longer than you think, and the cost may be prohibitive.

Expect to pay around £30 to £50 per month for a lock-up garage.

What’s more, you’re most likely to

come across an en bloc garage, which in itself isn’t ideal...

While it may offer you a dry location in which to assemble your car, it will usually come with several distinct disadvantages. Most importantly, it’s unlikely to have power, which means no easy access to light or sockets from which to run items like a power drill. You can overcome this by running a small generator to power a light source, and use battery powered tools, but it’s far from ideal.

Other disadvantages shouldn’t be ignored either. Lock-ups can often come with serious security issues.

Will you leave your tools there, and what about all the kit components when they are still in boxes and

60 www.completekitcar.co.uk

easily portable?

While a lock-up may be only a short walk from your house if it comes with the property, if you are renting a garage then it may mean a drive every time you want to pop round and do some work on the car.

You’ll have to be extremely organised and dedicated to maintain progress in this scenario.

Finally, lock-ups are rarely inviting places in which to spent hours

Competition

Running Reports

tinkering with a car. If you’ve no other option, then it can be done, but...

Our recommendation has to be a garage at home (either brick or wood built). If it’s attached to the house, even better and if you don’t have to go outside to access it, but have a door from inside the house, then that’s ideal. Basically, the easier it is to pop into the garage, the more likely you are to take advantage of any spare moments you may have.

SIZE MATTERS With care and a bit of planning, it’s perfectly possible to assemble most kit cars in a typical single garage.

However, it is worth checking the dimensions of the style of kit you are thinking of building, and then

En bloc garages are far from ideal, usually with no power or light and often reasonably remote from your house, particularly if rented.

Security is an obvious issue.

If you can

run power to a garage, then it is possible to make a remote garage far more appealing.

MARCH 2011

060-062 Kit Car Basics - Garage:CKC Cover copy

perhaps marking out its footprint on the floor of your garage with some masking tape. With the bodywork removed, most chassis (even when rolling on wheels) are much easier to get around, taking up less room in a confined space.

One way of maximising a small space is to delay delivery of the bodywork until you are ready to fit it.

Many kits can be built up to a rolling chassis before the panels need trial fitting, and storing panels (which in itself needs to be done carefully) can take up a lot of space.

Other ways of maximising space may be to mount your trestles on sturdy dolly wheels, so that you can push the chassis against one wall when working on the opposite side.

You can also get dolly wheel trolleys (also known as wheel skates) which lift the wheels off the garage floor and allow you to do the same with a partial or fully built car.

As well as being able to get around your car, you’ll also need space for some form of workbench, and also storage. The latter can often be done with shelving units which keep the floor space clear, and it is also possible to have a folddown work surface, that you only erect when needed. That said, a permanent sturdy work surface that will support potentially heavy components and which is available at all times has to be ideal. This should be possible within a typical single garage.

As an example, my garage at home is pretty compact, measuring just 8ft 6in by 16ft 6in. A typical Lotus Seven style kit car fits nicely, although it can still be cramped to get access to all sides. My Cyclone

4/2/11

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(effectively the same size as a larger sevenesque kit car) sits right against the garage door in order to leave reasonable space at the other end to move around in front of the kitchen units and worktop I’ve assembled. I also tend to have the car closer to the wall on one side to maximise space on the other.

Clearly, it would be far more challenging to park a Cobra replica in here, so if you are considering a larger kit car, then there’s no question that a double garage (double width being better than double length) is the kit builder’s dream.

A single garage is fine when

BASIC FEATURES If no-one has ever developed your garage beyond its original assembly, then the chances are the unpainted

CKC’s Ashley Gardiner began his kit car project under a tarpaulin in the garden, before building this lean-to at the back of his house!

A garage attached to your house has to be pretty ideal.

just parking a car, but suddenly seems tight when you need to work on it.

When he then moved house he was lucky

enough to get a wooden workshop/garage with it. Luxury!

MARCH 2011

walls will be made of either block work or bricks, the floor will be bare concrete, there may be one pendant light and perhaps a single plug electric socket. This is a great start, but there are things you can do to make your build experience a

www.completekitcar.co.uk 61

whole lot easier and more pleasant.

Painting – Painting the walls white will not only make the place look nicer, but it will also make it much lighter, and that’s a benefit you shouldn’t underestimate. Painting

060-062 Kit Car Basics - Garage:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

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Tech Talk

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Our Cars

Running Reports contributor, James Griffin, made a great job of preparing his garage before the arrival of his Westfield. Note the double power points along the wall and the strip lights. Plenty of storage too.

Not many of us will be able to have this set-up, but a double

garage may be vital when working on a larger kit car.

block work is a pain, because it soaks up masses of paint, and it’s fiddly getting into all the nooks and crannies of the blocks. Brickwork is a doddle by comparison. A few coats of a cheap and cheerful matt white will work wonders.

The floor – Painting the floor isn’t essential, but it’s a really good thing to do if you can. Why? Because untreated concrete constantly creates dust when you walk over it or move a car around. But painting the floor needs to be done carefully. First, repair any damage in the concrete. It may even be worth applying a selflevelling screed before you go any further. You’ll then need to stabilise

the concrete surface with a light wash of diluted PVA or one of the more dedicated products from a builders’ merchant. Finally, you can then paint it with a proper floor paint, that won’t peel off the first time you scuff it. You’ll find there are a variety of different colours to choose from (grey and tile red being the most obvious). By removing the dust you’ll keep your clothes cleaner, it will make wiping up spills easier and also make it easier to spot dropped nuts and bolts etc. If nothing else, it looks dead cool when your completed car is parked up after a great summer’s day drive!

Lighting – Going hand in hand with

CKC reader Adam Reeves really went to town when preparing his tiny single garage. Floor looks fantastic and white walls make the space much more inviting.

His V8 engined

Westfield was the result. Immaculate.

62 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

painting the walls, is getting the lighting right. Personally, I’d recommend strip lights to give you as much light as possible. If you simply replace the centrally mounted pendant light, then you’ll find shadows falling down each side of the chassis, just where you want the light. So fit several strip lights, either across the garage as in the picture above left, or running lengthways along the garage and located perhaps half a meter from the side walls. I’d also strongly recommend that you fit strip light covers – garage ceilings can often be lower than in the house, and it’s easy to catch an exposed strip light bulb when moving bulky items around the garage. Trust me, it makes a big bang and creates an awful mess!

Power – You can never have too many electrical sockets! As with the lighting, there are obvious safety issues here, so if you are in any doubt, get in a professional to do both your lighting and power at the same time. Neither will be a

MARCH 2010

Competition

Running Reports

long job, so the cost should be reasonable. Sockets positioned over the workbench should be at least six inches above the surface to avoid them getting bashed by items you may be working on. In addition, it’s well well worth having more sockets located along the walls, towards the other end of the garage, to avoid constantly trailing extension leads all over the place.

Where you build your kit car can make a huge difference to the enjoyment you take from the assembly process. You’ll be spending lots of time here, so try to be realistic about what you’ll be able to put up with. Personally, I wouldn’t like to build a car in a lock-up that’s remote from my house. While a kit car build can be challenging, I don’t want the environment in which I’m attempting to build it to be challenging as well!

Next month – garage essentials. The tools every kit builder must have.

5/2/11

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:K\ EX\ 'UDSHU" ,I \RX SXUFKDVH RQH RI RXU SURGXFWV \RX DUH EX\LQJ JXDUDQWHHG TXDOLW\ IURP D IDPLO\ FRPSDQ\ ZLWK D QDPH \RX FDQ WUXVW :H KDYH WKH H[SHULHQFH RI RYHU \HDUV RI WUDGLQJ DQG DOO RXU SURGXFWV FRPH ZLWK RXU H[FHOOHQW DIWHU VDOHV VHUYLFH There is always something new at Draper Tools, take a look at our Workshop Series, available to view at www.draper.co.uk/ promotions or ask your local Draper stockist for copies

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* TSP All prices inclusive of VAT @ 20% and are typical prices which may vary in-store. Prices are correct at the time of going to press. E. & O. E.

063:CKC_MAR_11

064-065 Our Cars March:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

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Basic: Garage

Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

STAFF CAR Updates John Dickens will be racing ahead now he’s got his UVA home.

Stent’s also making progress.

JOHN DICKENS

Chris Boyd’s Westfield setting a record time at Barbon Hillclimb.

Position: Technical Editor Running: UVA Fugitive Outgoings this month? Diesel £30

DOESN’T THE UK weather drive you crazy?

We missed the 2009 CKC Christmas party due to the horrendous snow and ice in late December. Last year, the party was moved forward a whole month and it still managed to turn the North East of England into Arctic tundra two days before the flight! This time we were determined to get through, and even though our plane actually needed to be de-iced on the runway we still made it down to Worthing for the event and a good time was had by all.

Unfortunately, it continued to snow heavily for the whole of the following week and my carefully laid plans to pick up the Fugitive from Carlisle had to be postponed. Fortunately, during the next week it started to thaw and by the following weekend almost all the snow had gone and we were good to go.

I had been very happy with the service provided by the company who originally

collected the car from London and it had been my intention to use them again but, as luck would have it, Pete’s next door neighbour and CKC reader Chris Boyd had recognised the car (and me) from these articles in the magazine and kindly offered to transport the car across in his own covered trailer. Chris owns a Westfield Megabusa which he races in the ANWCC Sprint and Hillclimb Championships. This year he was class champion in the hillclimb section and second in class in the overall

This was the day I was supposed to collect the car.

Chris and

Pete loading the car. We eventually turned it round.

There’s not

much of the car left to push now.

64 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

championship, so both he and the car are obviously very quick.

If anyone is interested, this car will shortly be for sale as he needs to make room for a new and very intriguing project which will be based around a Sylva Riot chassis. Contact me via the magazine and I’ll pass on your details.

Loading the UVA onto the trailer was surprisingly easily. It was a tight fit, being longer and much higher than a Westfield

064-065 Our Cars March:CKC Cover copy

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John seems to have underestimated the length by about two feet.

but it has almost no weight now so it was easy to push and manoeuvre.

After a short discussion we turned the car round and reversed it into the trailer

IAN STENT

Position: Editor Running: CC Cyclone, Ginetta G26 Outgoings this month? None

I’M IN SEVERE danger of falling behind on my New Year’s resolution, almost before we’ve even started 2011.

Managed to do absolutely nothing on the car over the Christmas period and indeed ended up putting a car cover over the Cyclone at one point and almost (but not quite) stacked boxes of household detritus on top of it. That would have been a step too far!

Thankfully, John Dickens has spurred me into action in order to facilitate his next technical feature for the mag. Next month he’ll be outlining the process of replacing front wheel bearings and since I never got around to replacing those on my car after the front suspension was refurbed last year, it seemed a perfect excuse to pull the

to correct the nose weight by placing the engine at the front end as it would normally be with Chris’s car. The trip across was uneventful but interesting as

wheels off my car, unbolt the hubs and dispatch them to John so that he can photograph the process.

Of course, nothing is ever quite that straightforward, with the disc and hub assemblies removed, I needed to take the discs off the hubs and this necessitated unbolting four bolts holding each disc to the hub. An Allen key style bolt, one set came off OK, while three come off the other, before the fourth threaded the Allen key part of the bolt, meaning there’s no easy way of removing it. Argh! So I’ve dispatched the lone hub and other hub/disc assembly to John in the hope he can work some magic.

Otherwise it’s an eBay search for an Opel Manta hub... you’re right, not something that comes up regularly!

It has meant that the front end has been partially disassembled again, but gives me every excuse to now pull off the old coil-over dampers and get suitable replacements before building the front suspension up for what will hopefully be the last time. Talk about two steps forwards and one step back!

Still, every little helps, and I am at least back in the garage and wielding a spanner again.

Plan of attack for the coming months?

I’m hesitant to suggest anything, but hope to set in motion the following action plan...

One hub separated easily from its disc, the other did not! Hopefully John Dickens may be able to work some magic.

Removing the hub and disc assembly.

The front end of `the car is once again coming apart!

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 65

Chris filled me in on the technical details of his new Riot project.

Unloading the car at my home was also straightforward but getting it into my garage was a little trickier. I had underestimated both the length and the width of the car, so some shuffling was needed to make extra space. Eventually everything was nicely tucked away.

As often seems to be the case with kit car people, Chris refused to take any payment other than his fuel costs for this huge favour and, after a cup of tea, he and Pete set off back to Carlisle.

It’s nice to have the car at home but not a lot was done before Christmas as we were blessed with our first grandchild and were on yellow alert for that. I’ll probably spend some time re-sorting my garage to create enough space to actually work on the car rather than just store it.

* Complete the front suspension rebuild * Refurbish the aluminium fuel tank which has become heavily corroded * Replace the rubber fuel pipes which have gone rock-solid over the years * Tidy up the front plumbing and wiring * Refurbish the aluminium panelling under the front bonnet * Refit bonnet Once this little lot (!) has been achieved I shall be delighted. It’ll be quite a milestone for me in what has become a restoration. I hardly dare think of the rest of the work from here on, but it involves a similar stripdown and refurbishment of the rear suspension, which may yet also involve the engine being removed. Having seen some of the previous bodgery evident at the front of the car, I reckon it’s going to be wiser to take everything to bits and build it properly now, rather than constantly redo bits over the coming years. None of this was particularly my intention when I bought the car, but it is the risk involved in buying any second-hand car, let alone a kit car. In the end I should have a car that I’m utterly happy with. It’s just taking an awful long time getting there!

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068-069:CKC_MAR_11

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Southside ARC offers the complete accident management solution for your damaged vehicle Southside ARC has been part of the kitcar scene for many years, not only on the repaint side, but also crash repairs. As one of our directors is himself a kitcar fanatic, we understand the time and effort that goes into building the car of your dreams! We therefore know that the final finish to your pride and joy, either after an accident or your first repaint, is very important to you and to us! Give Colin a call and he will happily talk over your options.

BEFORE

Southside ARC is one of the largest bodyshops in London providing a first class crash repair service. We repair all vehicles including motorcycles and light commercial vehicles up to 3m in height. Our 14000 sq ft workshop is equipped with the latest technology including computerised wheel alignment, internet based estimating system and the latest Junair oven for full body resprays.

AFTER

We are specialists in: Fibreglass repairs 4 Wheel alignment Chassis repairs All insurance companies dealt with We are a PAS125 british kitemarked bodyshop Specialist paint effects Repaints 123/125 Nathan Way | Woolwich | London | SE28 0AB | T: 0208 317 1111

www.southsidearc.com 68 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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MEV Build Pt1

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Warp 8 Pt6

Our Cars

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

Upgrading Suspension Bushes One of the most popular and simple upgrades that you can do to your kit car will offer dramtic improvements to its handling. Technical Editor John Dickens outlines how to upgrade your suspension’s bushes.

THE SUSPENSION OF a car is normally considered to consist of the springs, dampers and linkages which connect the wheels and tyres of a car to its chassis. On a road car the system has a number of conflicting requirements. In order to maximise tyre contact and grip it needs to accurately control the movement of the wheels and tyres during cornering, braking, accelerating and over bumps, but it

also needs to isolate the occupants of the vehicle from road noise, shocks and vibration to ensure a comfortable ride. Bumps in the road are actually absorbed by the springs and their resulting movement is controlled by the dampers, but the way in which the wheels move relative to the chassis depends on the geometry of the linkages which attach the wheels and uprights to the chassis.

Many suspension linkages need to move or twist in more

1 These linkages need to pivot at their attachment points (Fig 1) in order to allow the suspension to move freely and it is the material used in these pivots which ultimately has to meet the conflicting requirements of

The Cortina 4-link rear axle location.

Typical front suspension pivot points.

providing precise handling while insulating the occupants from noise and road shocks.

Manufacturers have used roller bearings, bronze bushes, hard

Wheel bump produces a twisting motion in all the bushes.

than one plane.

3

4

2

A voided rubber bush designed to allow twisting.

5

Typical rubber bushes with and without outer sleeves.

6

70 www.completekitcar.co.uk

The rubber distorts to allow the bush to rotate.

7

MARCH 2011

070-073 Suspension Bushes:CKC Cover copy

plastic (nylon) bushes and rubber in their suspension pivots depending on their location, required movement and vehicle dynamics.

Generally, a more rigid material will control the suspension movement more accurately, giving sharper handling and steering response. But it will absorb less road noise, shocks or vibration, producing a noisier less comfortable ride.

Two vehicles commonly used as donor cars for earlier kits demonstrate this perfectly. The classic Mini gained its reputation for sharp handling and high cornering power partly due to the use of needle roller bearings and bronze bushes in almost all its suspension pivots. Only the lower front wishbone used rubber bushes. On the downside its ride could never

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have been described as luxurious.

When Rover did eventually fit rubber mounts to the subframes to improve the ride quality, the handling suffered noticeably and aftermarket rigid mount conversions quickly became available.

In contrast the MkIII and MkIV Cortinas used rubber bushed front wishbones which were, in turn, bolted to a rubber mounted cross member. When new, the handling was acceptable, though never sharp, but after moderate use, driving a Cortina apparently felt very similar to driving a boat.

Needle roller bearings and solid bushes, whether metal or hard plastic, will only allow movement in one plane and they have no shock absorbing or noise isolation properties whatsoever. This severely limits their use in modern car suspensions where linkages are

Typical polyurethane bush with a separate inner sleeve.

often required to move mainly in one plane but to allow limited movement in a second (Fig 2). The Cortina rear suspension, used in a large number of early kits, used a 4-link system to locate the live axle fore and aft and side to side (Fig 3).

The angle of the upper links, which provide the lateral location, means that even under normal vertical suspension travel the bushes are required to twist as they rotate. In single wheel bump a twisting motion is applied to all the bushes whether the arms are angled or not (Fig 4).

To accommodate this complex motion the Cortina used special voided rubber bushes (Fig 5). These were intended to provide resilience in one plane whilst allowing flexibility in another. Unfortunately, when subjected to hard use, these bushes had a very short service life.

The bush rotates freely around the inner sleeve just like a bearing.

Mainstream manufacturers use suspension bushes made almost exclusively from synthetic rubber.

For them this offers the ideal compromise between handling, comfort, cost and service life, but rubber does have some drawbacks too.

It will slowly deteriorate when exposed to UV light, water, salt, petrol, oil, grease, antifreeze and other solvents. The rubber may soften, allowing excess movement, or it may lose its flexibility and resilience. Eventually it will permanently distort allowing the suspension pivots to shift from their ideal position, upsetting the handling of the car and accelerating tyre wear. Ultimately the rubber will break up and the bush will fail completely.

Since the vast majority of kit cars are sporting in nature and generally

Polyurethane bar from Superflex. The numbers refer to the Shore hardness.

8 10

9

Somewhere in there is an old rubber bush from an

These are the replacement bushes which I machined.

unknown donor.

11

This VW arm needs the original bush outer sleeves to be left in place.

14

Polyurethane bushes at each end. Inner ones are Mini, outer ones are mine.

12

13

A rotary file or sanding drum is ideal for removing rust

Abrasive paper is used to give the area a final clean up.

and paint.

15

16

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Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

18

17 The bush housing is now cleaned down to shiny metal.

Two polyurethane ‘top hat’ bushes and a plated steel

Running Reports

Washing-up liquid and water is used to lubricate the housing and bushes.

22

21

Keep checking that the bushes are going in straight. Not

Competition

19

inner sleeve.

20

Technicalities

The bushes are now fully home against the housing.

Lubricating the bushes with PTFE grease.

like these!

The inner sleeve is also greased prior to fitting.

driven harder than their production counterparts, many owners will be prepared to compromise the ride quality of their cars slightly in exchange for better handling and stability.

The current material of choice for upgrading suspension bushes is polyurethane. This polymer was first produced in Germany by Otto Bayer in 1937. Initially it found use in furnishing foams but is now the basis for adhesives, sealants, paints, flexible and rigid foams, gaskets and seals and flexible and rigid plastics. It is this versatility, along with its durability, which makes it suitable for suspension bushes. Compared to rubber, polyurethane has a much longer service life, can tolerate higher loads without distortion, is more resistant to chemicals and UV light and is available in a wider hardness

25

24

23

The inner sleeve is now pushed fully into place.

range. These advantages go a long way towards offsetting their higher cost.

Although polyurethane bushes are designed as direct replacements for the original rubber ones, they operate in a very different way.

Rubber is not a good bearing material so in a suspension bush the rubber is securely bonded to both the inner and outer (if fitted) steel sleeves (Fig 6).

The inner sleeve is normally secured to the chassis and the outer sleeve fits tightly in the suspension arm so the rubber insert itself must flex or distort to allow the arm to rotate (Fig 7). This is why suspension pivot bolts must never be fully tightened when the car is jacked up. The rubber would then be under constant tension when the car settles to its correct ride height.

Fully tighten pivot bolts only when 72 www.completekitcar.co.uk

The fully assembled bush in place in the VW trailing arm.

the car is sitting on its wheels.

Polyurethane bushes work very differently. The bush is normally an interference fit in its outer housing so that it cannot rotate but the inner sleeve is a tight sliding fit and rotates freely in the bush to allow the suspension arms to move (Fig 8/9).

In fact a polyurethane bush is effectively a bearing working in the same way as a metal or nylon bush, but the slight flexibility of the material allows a small amount of movement in other planes and also absorbs noise, vibration and road shocks.

By choosing the correct grade or hardness for the material, the balance between accurate suspension location and ride quality can be tailored to your own requirements. Most manufacturers offer three or four grades of MARCH 2011

hardness for their bushes, often using descriptions such as ‘Performance’, ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Comfort’ to indicate their intended use. In fact, a complete car set may contain bushes of every grade since different locations require different hardnesses.

The softer grades tend to be used in subframe mountings and damper bushes and the harder grades are used in wishbones, spring eyes and coil-over dampers. The very hard grades can even be used to replace nylon in suspension pivots.

Obviously harder bushes will provide more precise suspension location but will transmit more noise and vibration through to the car. If the bush is also required to twist or move in a second plane, a harder polyurethane bush will resist this motion but the forces will therefore be transferred to the pivot bolts,

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recommends a PTFE based grease.

The inner sleeve may push in easily or it may need a little pressure until the polyurethane material beds in. I used the G-clamp again to gently push it into place (Fig 24/25).

When refitting the assembly, use a copper based anti-seize compound on the pivot bolt to prevent it corroding inside the inner sleeve.

26

brackets and suspension arms instead. Be wary of going too stiff on a road going car which will have to deal with larger suspension movements than a pure track car.

It may be that specific polyurethane bushes are not available for your car. Fortunately Superflex also manufactures a universal range which includes bushes and sleeves, bump stops, shock absorber mounts (eye and pin), anti-roll bar mounts and ball joint grease seals. If you are unable to find anything suitable in this range they can also supply polyurethane rod in various diameters and grades so that you can machine your own bushes (Fig 10). You may find this service useful if your car uses bushes which are now obsolete or no longer obtainable.

I used this option to replace the rubber bushes in my GTM Coupé rear suspension (Fig 11-13). The outer diameter of the smallest rod (1in) was perfect as supplied, so it

SPHERICAL JOINTS

27

A male spherical or ‘Rose’ joint.

GTM Coupe rear lower arms with rose joints for camber adjustment.

just needed cutting to length and drilling for the inner bushes. I used stainless steel tube for these.

FITTING POLYURETHANE BUSHES The hardest part of the process is likely to be the removal of the old rubber bushes from the suspension arms. They are difficult to drift out as the rubber tends to absorb the impact of the hammer blows.

It may be possible to press them out in a vice using sockets or pieces of tubing as drifts, but I have found that the most effective method is to burn them out using a blowtorch.

This is definitely not an indoor pastime though. The fumes produced are nasty, smelly and probably toxic. If the outer casing is heated strongly the rubber will melt, allowing the whole bush to be pushed out easily. If there was no outer sleeve on the original bush the burnt rubber residue can be

USEFUL CONTACTS POLYURETHANE BUSHES Polybush Clywedog Road South, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham LL13 9XS. T: 01978 664316 W: www.polybush.co.uk E: sales@polybush.co.uk Powerflex EPTG Ltd., Unit 7 Union Buildings, Wallingford Road, Uxbridge UB8 2FR. T: 01895 460033 W: www.powerflex.co.uk E: sales@powerflex.co.uk Superflex Hornsmead, Knowle Lane, Wookey, Wells, Somerset BA5 1LD. T: 01749 678152 W: www.superflex.co.uk E: sales@superflex.co.uk Deflex Mr S Mason, Talargoch Trading Estate, 5-7 Talargoch Trading Estate, Meliden

Road, Dyserth Rhyl LL18 6DJ. T: 07894 951032 W: www.deflex.co.uk E: polyorders@deflex.co.uk

SPHERICAL JOINTS McGill Motorsports 4 School Brae, Dysart, Fife KY1 2XB. T: 01592 654136 W: www.mcgillmotorsports.co.uk E: mcgillmotorsport@aol.com Merlin Motorsport The Bridgestone Building, Castle Combe Circuit. Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 7EY. T: 01249 782101 W: www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk E: sales@merlinmotorsport.co.uk Car Builder Solutions Redlands, Lindridge Lane, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0JJ. T: 01580 891309 W: www.nfauto.co.uk E: neil@foreman46.freeserve.co.uk

MARCH 2011

removed with a wire brush, leaving the arm ready for cleaning up and repainting if required. If the bush was originally fitted with an outer steel sleeve this will be left behind after the rubber burns away. Check with the supplier of your replacement polyurethane bushes.

Some fitments require that this steel outer sleeve is left in place (Fig 14).

If not, the best way to remove it is to carefully use a hacksaw to split the sleeve along its length then collapse it inwards using a small screwdriver.

Fortunately, fitting the new bush is much easier. Make sure that the housing where the bush will fit is clean and smooth. Any lumps or corrosion will distort the new bush when it is fitted. I used a rotary file followed by 120 grit production paper (Fig 15-17).

This particular fitment uses two separate ‘top hat’ bushes with a separate inner sleeve (Fig 18). The bushes need to be a tight fit in the housing so that they do not rotate in use. Using soapy water to lubricate them (Fig 19) will allow them to be pushed in fairly easily, but once the water evaporates they will be held tightly in place.

You will probably need a bit of force to push the bushes into the housing. They are meant to be a tight fit. A G-clamp with large washers is ideal (Fig 20/21) but alternatively you could use a vice or a long through bolt to draw them in.

Don’t try to drift them in with a hammer. You could end up damaging the bushes.

The inner sleeve needs to rotate freely in the bush so I always lubricate the surfaces with grease (Fig 22/23). This not only eases the fitting process but also prevents the bushes squeaking in use. In the past I have used silicone grease but Chris Witor of Superflex

www.completekitcar.co.uk 73

If you are predominantly interested in track use, the ultimate upgrade for suspension pivots is to replace all the bushes, rubber or polyurethane, with spherical rod ends or ‘Rose’ joints (Fig 26).

These allow unrestricted movement in one plane, limited movement in other planes and have absolutely no flex or compliance.

They provide the most accurate suspension location possible and, being mounted on a threaded boss, they allow individual adjustment of each suspension pivot point. This allows the suspension geometry to be accurately set up or adjusted to meet individual requirements.

It is debateable whether they are suitable for road use however. They have absolutely no shock absorbing properties whatever and will transmit noise, vibration and shock loadings into the mounting points on the chassis. They will wear quickly if unprotected (rubber boots are available) and are not a direct replacement for rubber or polyurethane bushes. The suspension linkages will need redesigning to accommodate the different dimensions and mounting systems. I had to fabricate new rear wishbones for my GTM when I fitted a single inner rose joint to allow some camber adjustment (Fig 27). I still retained the outer polyurethane bushes to provide some compliance though.

If you decide to use rose joints be aware that as well as being available in metric or imperial sizes, with male or female fittings and with left or right hand threads, the quality of these joints can vary tremendously.

Whilst the cheaper joints may be fine for throttle or gear linkages, make sure that you use only high quality joints for any suspension arms or pivot points. If you intend to use these joints on a road car pack them with grease and fit a rubber boot to exclude as much water and debris as possible. Check them frequently for wear too.

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075 Sabelt Competition:CKC Cover copy

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COMPETITION

WIN SABELT HARNESSES

PRIZES WORTH UP TO

£500!

Worth £500!

CKC and Sabelt have joined forces to offer you two chances to win top quality

THE PRIZES

harnesses for your kit car.

HOW MANY KIT cars run production style inertia reel lap and diagonal belts? You’re right... not many, which is why this competition should be of interest to each and every CKC reader, whether you are thinking of building a kit car, are in the midst of a project, or want to upgrade or freshen up what’s already in your car.

Sabelt has been designing and manufacturing harnesses for 30 years and has tested them in the most stringent forms of motorsport.

Current F1 World Champion Sebastian Vittell has them in his Red Bull, as do his main rivals at Ferrari, while historic names such as Piquet, Prost, Senna, Mansell and Schumacher have all benefited from Sabelt’s expertise over the years.

www.sabelt.co.uk

The company’s current range is extensive, with belts designed to meet full FIA competition regulations, as well as items aimed at fast road use – all are tested to the latest regulations. It means there is bound to be an existing belt that can slot straight into your kit car, regardless of whether you need a 3-point or 4-point harness, push button or quick release catches, or buckle or snap hook fixings.

The company already offers a typical sevenesque type harness for either competition or fast road applications and all belts are available in red, blue or black.

We have two pairs of harnesses on offer. Winner of the first prize can choose from Sabelt’s range of Top Formula quick release belts that have an aero style central buckle and meet current FIA regs. With a ceiling value of the prize fund of up to £350 you can choose from some of the very best 4-point belts on offer.

The runner up won’t do badly either, being able to choose from any of the company’s Clubmans snap buckle harnesses (three or 4-point location) with a ceiling value of up to £150. Whether you own a track focused sevenesque kit car screamer or a cruising traditional roadster, there’s going to be

something for you here.

These are two great prizes that will not only look great, but also keep you safe.

CONTACT Sabelt W: www.sabelt.co.uk

Enter Online By far the easiest way to enter is by filling out the form at www.completekitcar.co.uk – it only takes a moment!

Enter By Post Which Sabelt fitted F1 team won the 2010 World Championship?

Red Bull (tick one)

Force India

Simply answer the question below left, fill out your details and return it to Sabelt Competition, Complete Kit Car, 57 London Road, Teynham, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 9QW. The closing date for entries is March 31st 2011.

Name

Address

Williams Daytime telephone number E-mail address

Employees of Performance Publishing Ltd, Sabelt and their agents are not eligible to enter. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Full terms and conditions of our competition rules are available on request. Occasionally, Performance Publishing Ltd. may wish to send you details of special promotions.

If you would not like to receive these, please tick here

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 75

076-077 Products:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

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Tech Talk

10:44

Page 76

Basic: Garage

Our Cars

PRODUCTS Our monthly highlight of products for you and your kit car.

Calibre Alloy Wheels CALIBRE PRO 7 PRICE: From £83.20 AVAILABLE FROM: Alcar. T: 01622 713800. W: www.alcar.co.uk

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Products

Tiny Digital Speedometer DIGITAL SPEEDOS DS100 PRICE: £84.95 plus VAT AVAILABLE FROM: Digital Speedos. T: 0121 745 95555.

W: www.digital-speedos.co.uk This neat little unit is the latest release from Digital Speedos. It has a built-in trip meter and can measure speed in either miles or kilometres per hour. It promises easy set up thanks to clear instructions and a simple sensor and magnet system that can be fitted to a wheel or driveshaft. It measures just 47mm by 33mm and is 15mm deep.

£84.95 plus VAT

The Calibre Pro 7 is a new wheel that’s available in either matt black or white with a black rim. It comes in 15in and 17in sizes and either four or five-stud patterns. Prices start from £83.20.

From £83.20

GADGET OF THE MONTH!

Weight Saving Battery LIGHTWEIGHT BATTERY PRICE: £299 plus p&p AVAILABLE FROM: 7 Tips Racing. T: 07920 843146. W: www.7tips.co.uk Why cart around a heavy, full-size battery if you’ve built a lightweight car? 7 Tips Racing offers a range of very lightweight batteries, such as the 300cca model shown below. An iPhone gives a sense of scale, and the battery weighs only 970g. The 150cca model, which is suitable for bike engined cars, tips the scales at just 450g! When a full size battery can weigh over 12kg, the savings are obvious. The batteries use lithium ferrous nano phosphate technology and are a straight swap for a converntional lead acid battery.

HISPEC UNIVERSAL HANDBRAKE CALIPER PRICE: £65 each, plus cables AVAILABLE FROM: HiSpec. T: 01322 288850.

E: sales@hispecmotorsport.co.uk W: www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk HiSpec has just launched a universal handbrake caliper that works with its Ultralite, Billet and Monster brake calipers. The small separate handbrake caliper mounts on the spacer block of the main calipers and provides enough braking force for any car up to about 1300kg to pass the IVA test.

It’s the pressure that’s important with a handbrake caliper, rather than the pad area. Aside from the cable and arms, all the linkage is internal and protected from the elements for added reliability. The caliper itself is priced at £65 (each) and the cables are extra.

From £65.00

£299 76 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

076-077 Products:CKC Cover copy

4/2/11

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Page 77

Hosetechnik Brake Lines

In-Car Camera Kit

ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKE LINES PRICE: Custom made to order AVAILABLE FROM: Hose Technik. T: 0845 838 5364. W: www.hosetechnik.com

TWO NEW CAMERAS FROM DOGCAM PRICE: VIO POV camera (below left) £499.95, HDMax Extreme £299.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Dogcam. T: 01208 269159. E: info@dogcam.biz W: www.dogcamsport.co.uk

Hosetechnik brake lines are the latest offering from Forge Motorsport, a name that will be familiar to most petrolheads as a maker of all manner of go-faster bits. Each set is custom made to order, and there is a range of 12 colours available. It’s ideal for kit cars where an off-the-shelf kit may not fit.

£299.95

£499.95 Dogcam has released two new cameras. The VIO POV camera (above left) uses a new microprocessor to record in a variety of resolutions and frame rates. It also has a prerecord feature that can record the 10 minutes prior to hitting record. The HDMax Extreme (above right) is a helmet-mounted camera (that can also be mounted within a car in a conventional manner) that features a bright LED screen to watch back what you’ve just recorded. It also has a built in laser so that, when it’s mounted on the crash helmet, you can ensure it’s ‘looking’ in the same direction as you.

POA

Ali Products From SVC OIL CATCH TANK AND HEADER TANK PRICE: Oil catch tanks £36 (1-litre round) or £43 (2-litre square), header tank £55.

AVAILABLE FROM: SVC. T: 01827 67714.

E: info@s-v-c-.co.uk W: www.s-v-c.co.uk

£43

SVC has added a range of aluminium products to its range. The oil catch tank (left) is available in 1-litre (round) or 2-litre (square) capacities at £36 and £43 respectively, while the water header tank is priced at £55. The firm also offers a lightweight fuel swirl pot.

They’re of high quality and British made, and will add a pro look to any kit car.

£55

Car Wash Tablets

Get Your Hoses Shiny!

SIMONIZ CAR SHAMPOO TABS PRICE: Around £4.99 AVAILABLE FROM: Various retail outlets

AUTO GLYM SILICONE HOSE WIPES PRICE: £6.98 for 10 sachets AVAILABLE FROM: Samco Sport.

T: 01443 238464.

W: www.samcosport.com

Around £4.99 Simoniz Car Wash Tablets are a new way of using shampoo – instead of using messy liquids, you just use one tablet in a bucket. A packet of 10 retails for around £4.99 depending on the outlet.

MARCH 2011

Auto Glym and Samco Sport have teamed up to create these wipes which are suitable for all under bonnet silicone and rubber components. They have been formulated to resist the heat and grime that builds up in an engine bay.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 77

£6.98

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MEMFast

Make Ends Meet Limited

D<D=Xjk DXb\ <e[j D\\k C`d`k\[ `j X dXafi jlggc`\i f] ]Xjk\e\ij ]fi j_\\k d\kXc# gcXjk`Zj# >IG Xe[ Zfdgfj`k\j f]]\i`e^ _`^_ hlXc`kp @JF 0'') gif[lZkj kf^\k_\i n`k_ \oZ\cc\ek k\Z_e`ZXc X[m`Z\ Xe[ j\im`Z\% Fli iXe^\ `eZcl[\j i`m\k elkj jkl[j# ilYY\i elkj# epcfe elkj# k_i\X[\[ `ej\ikj# jZi\n XeZ_fij# gcXjk`Z i`m\kj Xe[ `ejkXccXk`fe kffc`e^% Fli ÈjkXiÉ `j fli fne le`hl\# ifYljk i`m\k elk jkl[ _Xe[ kffc n_`Z_ `ejkXccj D* kf D(' elkj lj`e^ X j`dgc\ jg`e XZk`fe Æ Xe[ _Xj X C@=<K@D< >L8I8EK<<% Gc\Xj\ ZfekXZk lj fe 1

made in the u.k

Tel/Fax : +44 (0) 1386 556868 Email: make.ends.meet@btconnect.com

78 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

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SABELT HAS BEEN putting quality first for over thirty years. A winning philosophy has resulted in excellence and given life to products that have always been synonymous with high performance and maximum safety.

IN 2010 SABELT supplied harnesses to the winning Red Bull F1 Cars of Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber and to the 7 Times World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb and The Citroen World Rally Team. We also are the first choice of many of the Kit Car Manufacturers.

Racing, Clubman & Military Harnesses Clothing • Racing Suits • Shoes Underwear • Fire Extinguishers Roll Cages • Seats & Accessories Steering • Helmets • Pedals Carrock House, North Lakes Ind Park, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0JG T: +44 1768 480048 F: +44 1768 480049 E: steve@sabelt.co.uk

www.sabelt.co.uk MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 79

080-085 Running Reports March:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

4/2/11

Basics: Garage

11:20

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Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

RUNNING REPORTS CKC’s Running Reporters have shunned Christmas pud and instead been in the garage... well, some of them!

PROFILE

Reporter: Richard Claydon Project: Sylva J15 Age: 44 Occupation: Senior operational fire officer Project start: June 2009

LAST TIME ROUND we’d fitted the dash which was covered in vinyl and had my sexy yellow-faced gauges fitted. I must say I was really pleased with the way it turned out.

I also said that if this report’s pictures were of a pile of smouldering wreckage you’d have known that my attempts to wire the car had gone horribly wrong.

Bearing in mind my profession I’m pleased to report that the car is

almost completely wired and we’ve not had a hint of smoke yet!

I bought the universal loom off a well-known auction site and it came in three parts. The main section included the fuse boxes and relays, with front and rear sections connected with multi connectors.

The loom was pretty good, in that it gave me a basis to work from and it was really just a matter of stripping out bits I didn’t need and adding bits I did.

It’s been a very pleasant surprise as everything worked pretty much first time and the only issue I’ve had is that the combined indicator/hazard relay powers up when I switch the ignition on. The lights don’t flash but the relay clicks away! At the moment I’m not sure if it’s a faulty relay or my wiring. I’m using it in conjunction with the Durite switch I’d fitted, so I’ll have to investigate it all further.

It has been really nice to see all the lights coming to life and it’s

It makes a big difference when items are attached to the bodywork. Suddenly it starts to look like a car.

80 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Aftermarket loom has been a good purchase, and Richard’s connections have all been correct, so far!

New Raceline

alternator mounting kit cured space problems.

starting to look more like a car all the time.

One issue that I hadn’t overcome until recently was the fitting of the alternator and the running of the drive belt. On a conventionally fitted Duratec the belt runs high across the top of the front of the engine.

This wasn’t possible on my car due to the location of the fabricated engine mounts. Thankfully my friends at Raceline came to the rescue with a very nice alternator kit which moves the fitting to the inlet side of the engine. With this in place I’ve been able to run the drive belt, although it’s still close to one of the engine mounts.

Anyway, with the alternator fitted and wired I’m getting closer to the point where I can run the car up.

The main item needed now is to get an exhaust fabricated and I’ve

MARCH 2011

already been in touch with Simpson Race Exhausts in Slough.

Finally this time I’ve fitted an oil filter head kit, again sourced from Raceline. Although not strictly needed, I liked the look of it and it did tidy up the filter fitting nicely.

Next time I’ll be tidying up the loose ends and getting closer to pulling it all together!

080-085 Running Reports March:CKC Cover copy

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Page 81

PROFILE

Reporter: James Griffin Project: Westfield Classic Edition Age: 49 Occupation: Rail industry consultant Project start: September 2010

WELL, THERE’S QUITE a lot of progress to report since last time. I have successfully bled the brakes, with the help of a simple one-way bleed valve which I purchased from my friendly local auto shop. I then cunningly attached it to an old coffee jar, added some plastic ties and some string, and created what I think is a handy tool that allowed me to bleed the brakes very nearly

single handedly.

The engine management system (ECU) wiring wasn’t half as complicated as it looked, and that’s all in now (apart from the lambda sensor which goes into the exhaust later on in the build).

I expect I have won the Westfield ‘Numpty of the Month’ award, as at one point I couldn’t see why the steering wheel/column was only turning a little bit in each direction. I double checked all the bolts, and all seemed OK. Nothing appeared to be fouling anywhere. So I rang Mark on the Westfield technical helpline.

With the car down on its wheels and pushed outside, there’s an opportunity for a picture.

Time to collect the bodywork from Westfield.

Natty use of tie wraps meant brake bleeding largely done solo.

Most of the body panels

now aligned.

And, without a hint of sarcasm or even a sigh, he gently enquired if perhaps I had taken the keys out of the ignition? Sure enough, the steering lock was the culprit. I think the appropriate expression is “Doh!” In order to make it easier to attach the bodywork, I decided to turn the car round. This entailed adding the wheels and tyres, dropping it down off the trestles, and with the assistance of the good lady of the house, pushing it out of the garage. A swift three-point turn and a bit more pushing later, it was back in the garage, re-elevated onto the trestles, and ready to accept the body. I have to mention that even though I was steering I somehow managed to run over my own foot.

Three times! I hope that’s not indicative of future driving ability!

We collected the bodywork from the factory in November as planned.

We went armed with a good quantity

of blankets for safely wrapping up the fibreglass, and managed to get the body home and then in situ on the chassis with no major issues.

There followed a period of what could perhaps be described as ‘Contstructus Interruptus’. I went down with a case of very serious man flu, then the cold weather happened, and it was down to about minus 20 inside my garage for a fortnight, and after that the unavoidable Christmas break came along.

But, by mid-January, life returned to normal and I have managed to get the bodywork nicely aligned. It’s now riveted on and I have to say it actually looks like a car.

The bonnet catches went on easily, as did the fuel filler cap.

That’s about as far as I have got at the moment, but my next jobs are to attack the scuttle, and get the exhaust on. I also want to get the boot box fitted and fit the roll bar.

White is an unusual colour.

RUNNING REPORTS IS SUPPORTED BY

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MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 81

080-085 Running Reports March:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

PROFILE

Reporter: Richard Harris Project: TA Spirit Age: 35 Occupation: Mechanic Project start: August 2006

I HAVE NOT been hindered too much by the cold weather and have achieved lots of work since the last report.

The engine only needs valve springs and cam pulleys to be ready for a test start. I have a base map for the programmable ECU that should help to get things going to begin with. The cut down Subaru loom appears to be working fine after a test run I did to check compatibility.

A recent check of the IVA regulations showed I'm on course and I was surprised at how few things I have found that need attention.

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Our Cars

A requirement for a glass windscreen on a closed roof car was one which I will be prepared for when the time comes. Another was the need for easy access to the brake fluid reservoirs and a means of checking fluid levels, which will be sorted by using different brake cylinders... I'm sure a few more will crop up in due time though!

Keeping an eye on the car’s weight I decided to check wheel corner weights and got a really nice surprise. This has led me to be able to relocate the radiator in the rear of the chassis, just behind the intercooler and keep a very good weight balance. Even more exciting is the ability to have a much more aerodynamic nose, with the added benefit of more airflow to the front diffuser, thus increasing down force right where it is needed.

The relocation of the radiator does however present the problem of its close proximity to the exhaust and turbocharger. I’m looking at tackling this with good airflow through the radiators. Heat management via big fans, heatproof foil tapes and shields should keep heat soak in check.

I started this process by stripping the turbocharger and getting the exhaust compressor housing ceramic coated. I’m going to put a turbo blanket over this as well and expect much reduced engine bay temps as a result. Heat wrap will be used on the exhaust after I’ve tested it, as it’s made from very thin stainless steel...

I’m not certain if it will be durable enough to cope with the high internal

Basic engine map now sorted for when the engine first comes to life. been to mount the radiator behind the intercooler, in the engine bay.

Big change has

We can’t see how the

rad will get enough air though it, but Richard seems confident he can keep the engine cool.

82 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

New lower front end means Richard can improve the front airflow and downforce.

Ceramic coating parts of the turbo should help reduce engine bay temperatures.

temperatures though.

The intercooler has been modified to have a bigger outlet as it would not flow enough air for the power output of the engine. I used carbonfibre to make the outlet and it seems to be strong enough and has a good seal.

Right now I’m getting all the

MARCH 2011

hoses to fit and connect up. I've used quality fittings for the fuel delivery – there’s going to be a lot of fuel pumping into the engine and I need it to be reliable and safe.

I’m looking forwards to some warmer weather so I can continue with the bodywork development.

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I originally looked into three different engine choices...

PROFILE

Reporter: Liam Burke Project: AK 427 Age: 35 Occupation: Software company director Project start: May 2010

LIKE MANY OTHERS I suspect, very little progress has been made on the AK in the past couple of months. Sub-zero temperatures, Christmas and a nasty bout of manflu have conspired to minimise my time in the garage. I have managed a few hours here and there and have made a little progress with the rear running gear but in practice I am not much further on from my last report.

One thing that I have recently done is pick up my engine from Huddart Engines so I thought that in the absence of real progress, I would spend a bit of time on my choice of engine.

The AK (along with most Cobra replicas) is set up for a V8 engine.

The Jag V12 is also a possibility but a classic V8 is the most common choice for most Cobra builds and was definitely the route I wanted to take.

Rover V8 – This certainly looks to be the budget option, with turnkey engines available for around the £3000 mark and DIY engines in plentiful supply for only a few hundred pounds. I considered a Rover V8 carefully as it is a strong, lightweight and (relatively) economic engine choice. But it is also not very powerful in standard form (about 180bhp seems to be the consensus) and engine suppliers I spoke to warned that tuning to substantially higher power outputs can be expensive. Still it was a tempting proposition but in the end I decided to pass.

Ford V8 – There are several variations on Ford V8s available, offering various capacities and power ranges. The Ford is also the most authentic option for a Cobra but only in as far as Ford also built the original Cobra engines. I know that to some, fitting a non-Ford engine to a Cobra replica is tantamount to heresy, but the Ford engines also come with a high price tag.

Chevy V8 – The Chevy V8 has been used in American cars in basically the same form since before even the original Cobras. This prolific engine has been used in everything from muscle cars to trucks and enjoys a huge following in the US,

Chevy 350 built by Haddart Racing to Liam’s specification after discussions with company MD, Mike Huddart. Should be good for 400bhp and has already been test run.

which in turn means that it is the most cost effective of the big American V8 engines and has plenty of tuning options to help boost power. I’ve always had a soft spot for this engine after watching Mark Evens fit one to his Cobra, long before I dreamt of actually building my own. So a Chevrolet 350cu in (5.7-litre) V8 was my engine of choice!

Once I had decided on the engine, the next stage was to look at what format to buy the engine in. I knew that buying an engine off eBay and rebuilding it myself was not what I wanted (maybe on the next build!), so a turnkey package seemed the obvious choice. I spoke to several engine suppliers, including British American Engines, Precision Power and Huddart Engines, all of whom were friendly and helpful. They also all offered something slightly different, with the main decision being whether to go for a brand new engine or opt for an engine that is based on an older block rebuilt into a new engine.

The price is about the same, so it would seem that the all new option would be the obvious choice.

However, as an all new engine, IVA would require it to pass modern emission levels, which basically means you need fuel injection and

Liam 2

Liam loading the engine in his van at Huddart Racing. Exciting.

catalytic converters.

An engine built on an old block (1979 in my case) will only be required to pass more basic emission tests at the IVA, and because the rest of the engine is new, it should be just as good as an all new engine. In theory this means that you can fit carbs and standard exhaust to the car and still pass IVA. In the end I decided to order a turnkey engine from respected engine builder Mike Huddart of Huddart Engines. They offer a range of Chevy and Ford engines, starting in standard form and rising to frankly ludicrous power levels.

After talking it over with Mike, I opted for a mid-range Chevy 350 V8 with alloy heads and mildly tuned to around 400bhp.

As you can see from the photos, the engine Huddart supplied certainly looks the part. It has been run-in and power tested prior to collection, so when I finally get to the position where I can fit the engine, all I should have to do is hook up fuel, power and water and it should be ready to go.

Maybe by the next report, I will be a little closer to that day but I will not offer any wild predictions as so far, I have not hit a single target!

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MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 83

080-085 Running Reports March:CKC Cover copy

MEV Build Pt1

Tech Talk

PROFILE

Reporter: Simon Stock Project: AGM WLR Age: 52 Occupation: Surgeon Project start: 2004

IT ONLY SEEMS like yesterday I was breaking 2010 New Year’s resolutions, and here I am doing the same again! Unfortunately one of

PROFILE

Reporters: Steve Gridley Project: GKD Evolution Age: 30 Occupation: National account manager Project start: October 2006

AFTER WHAT HAS got to be the coldest winter I have ever experienced in thirty years, progress has once again been limited.

However, work on my other cars has been quite extensive. I have had both my company car and my dodgy wagon hit up the rear in the snow,

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Basics: Garage

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Our Cars

Warp 8 Pt6

Technicalities

Competition

Running Reports

them concerned progressing more rapidly with the AGM build. I have to confess that in the last two months I haven’t had time to touch the AGM, which is sitting quietly minding its own business and rusting to itself!

This is due to a combination of a long holiday abroad and work commitments; yes, when I am not away on holiday I do work quite hard! As a result, my running report has slowed from a saunter to a full stop. I will however definitely have something to report next time, even if it is only a gentle stroll, and that’s a promise. (If you believe that, you only have yourself to blame!).

ice and sub zero temperatures... within 40 minutes of each other!

The battery and ignition packs on our Porsche seem to have been killed by the temperature too. Add onto this, numerous household appliances packing up in the freezing conditions, and both money and time have been tight to say the least. There is also another story which for legal reasons I cannot talk about at this time, but I digress.

I decided to keep myself in the warm and at least get something done for this report by cracking on with my dashboard. I have decided to use a bit of 5mm ply, and by using my template from the last report (made out of a cereal box) I was able to cut something out which will fit inside the recess of the fibreglass dash supplied.

Cardboard template used as the guide for cutting out the 5mm ply for the dash panel.

I have ordered all my switches from Car Builder Solutions and was advised that whilst these switches could be fitted proud, for the IVA they must be fitted flush. My Mountney steering wheel and boss arrived at my local motor factor store, and I have opted for a 12in 3-spoke wheel.

Trial positioning for main items... although strangely no gauges in place yet!

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MARCH 2011

I then decided to do a trial run with positioning of switches, satellite navigation and CD player to opt for what I believe will be the most attractive and useful configuration.

After drilling and trial fitting, this will be covered in foam and leather look fabric which should look the business.

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PROFILE

Reporter: Dave Bayliss Project: K1 Attack Age: 56 Occupation: Piping and Layout Engineer Project start: January 2007

WELL, EMMA HAS finally departed to go touring round the world and left me to finish, well at least continue with, the K1 build. She is currently in Vietnam and seems to be having a pretty good time.

It has taken me some time to work out exactly where we got to before work stopped for decorating and gardening jobs. We had the body on ready to fix, which I believe Emma mentioned before.

However I don’t remember it being my decision to cut it up and create a boot space. I seem to recall it being something to do with not having anywhere to store one’s handbag.

Being mid engined, the K1 has a removable panel to access the engine, but is not big enough to allow any access to the space behind the motor. So using a jigsaw, we cut out a larger hole.

Having not made any large

fibreglass panels before, we decided against making a complete new boot lid and thought we would try and bolt/bond the removable panel onto the section of body that we cut out. Clamping the two halves together to keep the correct shape, we drilled six holes through the two leading edges and bonded/bolted them together. To stiffen up the whole panel we bonded some long strips of aluminium bar to the inside across both pieces.

We took the body back off and stored it upside down in the garage so that I could work on finishing the cut out. It was about this time that I was left on my own. I needed to extend the drain gulleys around

Dashboard out of the car again and the further modifications needed in order to fit sound system.

Parrot head unit looks funky and should suit the K1.

Original engine cover (dark black) now bonded to cut out section of rear bodywork (lighter grey panel). Aluminium reinforcement should give it enough strength.

the cut out, so using a section of aluminium channel as a mould, I made some fibreglass gulleys that I have bonded onto the edge of the cut out. I really need to turn the body over again to finish off the gulleys, so that will have to wait until I get some help.

In the meantime I went back over the one-piece dashboard and centre console. Emma wants it finished in leather and, as there are lots of shapes and contours involved, I don’t fancy doing the stitching myself. In preparation for sending it away I thought I better check that the sound system would fit in the slot provided. We bought a Parrot system which essentially is a box that bolts into the dash and allows you to plug your iPod or MP3 player into it.

Other side looks tidy.

Unfortunately, the slot is not wide enough for the box and a bracket that I made a long time ago to secure the top dials onto the dash is now in the way. So out with the saw again and now a big hole in the dash. It was about this time that I thought I better buy John Dickens’ book on fibreglassing and make a better job of repairing the dashboard. I think it worked, but it still doesn’t stop my wife moaning about the smell, which somehow permeates through the house.

I am looking forward to the weather getting a bit warmer and being able to keep the garage doors open. So for next time I hope to have finished the dashboard ready for sending away, finalised the boot lid and be making the boot space.

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MARCH 2011

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090-095 Triking:Layout 1

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SPOTLIGHT

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Triking

With Morgan just about to launch a new version of its iconic three-wheeler, CKC dug out one of the kit car industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hidden jems. Ian Stent drives the Triking.

90 www.completekitcar.co.uk

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090-095 Triking:Layout 1

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TRIKING’S ALAN LAYZELL has just finished machining a set of aluminium wheel hubs. They are extraordinarily intricate items, machined from a solid block of high strength aluminium to form the locating point for the 40 stainless steel spokes that are subsequently laced into place and attached to an aluminium wheel rim which is supplied blank to the

small company Triking entrusts with making the complete item. There, the individual holes for the other end of the spokes are punched out of the rim and the whole ensemble meticulously assembled, tensioned and balanced. In reality it’s just a spoked wheel, but when you speak to Alan you understand that nothing else readily available was exactly

MARCH 2011

correct... but the ones he makes are... exactly correct. Welcome to the handcrafted world of Triking.

I’ll be honest, when Triking took a stand at the Newark kit car show in 2010, I’d almost forgotten it existed. The company has been trading since 1977, but I’ve always had the impression it was rather aloof from the kit car scene and preferred to concentrate on turnkey cars, not kits. And when I phoned to see whether we could come and see the car, the impression I got from MD Alan Layzell was hesitant, cautious and not exactly brimming with obvious enthusiasm. But it turns out I’m wrong on all counts...

Triking has always sold kits, now sells more kits than turnkey examples and has

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090-095 Triking:Layout 1

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SPOTLIGHT been constantly available since the day it was first launched. And as I learn on my visit, Alan’s the first to admit he’s not a natural salesman and, quite frankly, is uncomfortable with the whole process of having to ‘sell’ his product at all.

However, what he is utterly passionate about are the details of what makes his car tick. He is a natural engineer and clearly delights in the making of just about everything on the car that involves metal. He didn’t start Triking, though. The company was launched by a chap called Tony Divey, after spending time working with Colin Chapman at the nearby Lotus factory. Tony bought into the Chapman ethos of lightness, as well as an inherent

Page 92

Triking Lots of lathes and other machinery needed to create the Triking’s bespoke components.

Wishbone being welded.

One of

two builds ongoing in the workshop.

desire to use his cars in all manner of competition environments. Like Chapman, selling cars and kits allowed him to indulge his motorsport passion and the Triking has garnered a reputation for both high quality and competition prowess.

Alan joined him at Triking in the late ’80s, became a partner in the business and took it on full time when Tony finally retired in 2005. To date, over 150 Trikings have been made.

Triking currently operates from small workshops behind Alan’s house and while

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he’d like something larger, it’s a wonderful place to visit. It’s packed with the lathes and other industrial machinery necessary to create the Triking’s unique components, alongside an assembly area that’s brimming with cars. Along with the demonstrator, two Trikings are in differing stages of assembly and, alongside the small chassis jig, they pretty much fill the available space. And there’s another interesting aspect of the workshop... despite being full, and despite lots of machining being done in a compact area... the floor is clean, there’s no swarf

090-095 Triking:Layout 1

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13:22

around the lathes, no tools on the floor... none of the general detritus one often finds at more chaotic kit car manufacturing venues. There’s a measured precision to the whole process.

And so to the car itself. Underneath the all fibreglass body panels is a simple multi-tubular chassis with most of its strength concentrated around the backbone of the centre tunnel which has additional steel panelling and floors. The main fibreglass body tub is also a semistressed member, being bonded to the outer framework. 3-wheelers actually suffer minimal torsional forces compared to a 4-wheeler.

The main donor for the Triking is a Moto Guzzi motorbike, which typically donates not only its V-twin engine and gearbox, but also the complete rear swing arm assembly (including coil-over dampers) and can also provide the gauges and wiring loom if customers are working to a tight budget. Any Guzzi, from an 850cc to a 1100cc bike can be used, from the late 1970s onwards. That said, Alan recommends the tourers (such as the California and Jackal) in preference to the sports bikes, with the lazier power delivery and much better torque characteristics of the former being better suited to their new location.

All of the front suspension is made inhouse, being a familiar double wishbone affair, with Triking’s fabricated stub axles.

As mentioned, the complete rear suspension assembly from the bike is re-

Page 93

used, with either the bike’s rear wheel or with one of Triking’s modified alloy wheels which allows the use of more conventional car tyres in place of the bike rubber that must be retained with the donor wheel. The modified wheels are also slightly smaller in diameter, which lowers the gearing, to the advantage of the three-wheeler’s character.

The V-twin engine and gearbox slot in as standard. Shaft driven on the bike, it’s a relatively simply exercise to produce a new propshaft to extend the drive back to the rear suspension. While most customers don’t bother with a reverse gear (it’s not a requirement of bike SVA, unlike for bike-engined 4-wheelers going through IVA), the demonstrator has one, which simply takes the place of the central bearing on the propshaft. As you might expect, Triking looked carefully at all the ‘inline’ reverse boxes on the market, and recommends customers use the Nova Racing unit.

High volume valve covers are a bespoke Triking option to improve engine breathing.

With

Triking bonnet removed you can see how simple it all looks.

Wheel centres are machined from solid block of aluminium.

Completed 18in wire wheel is a work of art.

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 93

Steering is via a fabricated column and Triking steering rack (Mini racks can also be used), while the floor-mounted pedals are made in-house, along with so many other items, such as the fuel tank.

Brakes utilise a production bike disc with Grimeca front and rear calipers, the latter including a hand-brake facility and supplied by the Italian manufacturer to Triking’s specification.

Inside the car, the turned aluminium dash is obviously made in-house, while the trim is made locally by a classic car specialist and the loom is also done by a local auto electrician who comes in every now and then to create the bespoke looms.

Being able to see over a part-built rolling chassis, and a second car with bare unpainted body panels in place is the perfect way to understand how the cars go together. In an ideal world, every kit car manufacturer would have these differing stages of assembly permanently on display.

But the demonstrator beckons. As with all good three-wheelers, it looks (and is) tiny. The bodywork is stretched over the

090-095 Triking:Layout 1

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SPOTLIGHT

“ The Italian V-twin isn’t rev happy like its Japanese cousins, and the result is a rev range similar to a car.

Rarely do you find yourself exploring above 6500rpm

items that are needed behind the exposed engine. That means a tiny cockpit to accommodate driver and passenger, and a little beetle back end to conceal the rear suspension and stop road muck getting thrown all over the place.

Page 94

Triking Steering wheel is made in house, either with leather rim or wood. Engine turned dash a factory option.

Simple seat bench works perfectly.

Surprising amount of space when you slide into the driving seat. Gear linkage is exposed, with reverse selector alongside it.

And the cockpit does look miniscule.

The fact that seats are required at all appears almost to be an irritation! But when you slide your legs under the Triking fabricated (of course!) steering wheel and drop down into place, the available space is surprising. I’m almost six feet tall and have no issues getting comfortable.

The driving position is traditional, with the wheel slightly closer to you, but not uncomfortably so. Only the pedals appear tightly packed, with my modest size 8.5 feet finding it tight to move off the brake to operate the throttle unhindered. With a bit of care it’s fine and, of course, it’s easy to tweak at the build stage to get it

94 www.completekitcar.co.uk

MARCH 2011

perfect. The pedals can also be located a little further down the footwell for longer legged drivers if needed.

The 1100cc Guzzi lump in this car fires easily and sounds terrific through Triking’s own pipework and the donor’s silencers. Different silencers are available, but these work best for SVA. It’s an oldschool noise, quite distinct from the sewing machine smoothness and rev happy nature of the superbike installations I’m used to in typical sevenesque kit cars.

The Nova reverse gear works easily and is perfectly natural in use. It’s relatively quick to engage and, for the

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SPECIFICATION: TRIKING Engine as tested: 1100cc Moto Guzzi, 80bhp.

Engine options: Moto Guzzi only. 850-1200cc V-twin from late 1970s onwards.

Touring models preferred.

Chassis: Multi tubular steel chassis with backbone structure, panelled centre tunnel and semi-stressed body tub.

Bodywork: All GRP supplied in primer gelcoat.

Suspension: Front – Double wishbones, coil-over dampers, farbicated uprights.

Rear – Standard Moto Guzzi rear swing arm and coil-over dampers.

Steering: Fabricated column with Triking steering rack.

Brakes: Grimeca discs with calipers.

Kit prices: Basic body/chassis kit £2700.

Budget build cost: Self built from £10,000.

Contact: Triking Sports Cars, 8 Seamere Road, Hingham, Norfolk NR9 4LW. T: 01953 850044. E: enquiries@trikingsportscars.co.uk W: www.trikingsportscars.co.uk Aftermarket Grimeca disc and caliper on Triking upright and

novice three-wheeler enthusiast, adds a degree of confidence that may be lacking when using a car devoid of the facility.

But it’s the forward gears I’m interested in. The Italian V-twin isn’t rev happy like its Japanese cousins, and the result is a rev range similar to a car.

Rarely do you find yourself exploring above 6500rpm. Moving away from a standstill is also much less of a lottery than it is with some bike engines, where a stall is always there to catch you out if the revs and clutch action aren’t matched perfectly. Gearing through the five forward sequential cogs is also well suited to the new location, perhaps helped by this car’s smaller diameter rear wheel. It does dent the potential top speed though, and a relaxed cruising speed appears to be around the national speed limit.

The gear changes on this example are mechanical in feel and it’s difficult to get a smooth change, either up or down the box. Alan tells me it has a new gear set installed in the standard casing that a manufacturer wanted him to try, and it’s not as smooth as the standard production cogs.

Performance is certainly brisk – enough to be entertaining, but not alarming. And just as much fun is had looking through the tall aero-style screen on the car, watching those beautiful wheels and skinny tyres bobbling up and down over typical Norfolk back roads.

And the screen means you can enjoy the view without the need for goggles or eye protection. Wind buffeting of any sort is remarkably well controlled and, although no wiper arms were fitted to this car, the screen is designed to have them.

Ride quality is good and body control is excellent – almost immediately it’s apparent that the car is well built, with no obvious rattles or shakes. The suspension rides over potholes and surface undulations easily and you don’t find yourself trying to avoid them, as you

might in some cars.

Handling through the corners is predictable, the steering is light, but there’s enough feel and grip levels are good considering the tiny contact patches and tall sidewalls. I wouldn’t lean on the car in the way one might in a sevenesque offering, but that’s hardly the point. But I wouldn’t want to suggest it’s best at pottering... far from it. The Triking encourages more spirited driving, as you might expect from 80bhp in a flyweight 355kgs motorcar. Leave out the heavy reverse box and the weight comes down again, while those who can’t resist the more performance orientated donors can expect around 110bhp and max revs increasing nearer 9000rpm.

Park up and you’d better be ready to answer the inevitable questions of passers by. The Triking attracts enormous attention and all of it is massively enthusiastic. And while you might expect the older generation to admire its classical

MARCH 2011

wishbones.

Quality of finish is hard to fault and Triking attracted admiring comments from interested onlookers throughout the day.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 95

proportions, I’m fighting for camera space alongside mobile phone wielding ‘yoofs’!

So what will it cost to build? £2700 gets you the basic chassis and fibreglass body panels. The latter require painting, while the chassis is bare as standard.

While Alan has customers who have built examples for as little as £7500, a more realistic home built budget would be around £10,000 to 12,000. Factory built offerings using a second-hand engine start at nearer £18,000 and it’s perfectly feasible to go on from here, with a brand new spec car and every conceivable option box ticked.

For such a bespoke product, where just about everything is made to measure rather than robbed from the nearest scrapyard, the Triking’s home-build cost seems utterly good value. It’s has such a high quality feel and look, which is subsequently backed-up by the driving experience. What’s more, I’ve a suspicion the whole build process and subsequent ownership will also be a joy...

All you now need to do is persuade Alan to sell you one!

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SELLING YOUR CAR IS EASY WITH CKC

Cars For Sale

classifieds

1 Choose the ad format you would like from the options below 2 Write 30 words to best describe your car 3 Choose a great photo – either digital or print 4 Fill out the form online, call us, e-mail us or write out your ad and payment details (if applicable) and post it to us. Cheques payable to Performance Publishing Ltd

ADVERTISE YOUR CAR FOR FREE! LINEAGE NO PICTURE Only £10 – for three months SYLVA STRIKER 1300 full race Crossflow, big valve head, lightened and balanced, twin 40s, Phil Jones RS2000 close ratio 4-speed box

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E-MAIL: adam@performancepublishing.co.uk ONLINE: www.completekitcar.co.uk PHONE: 01795 520877 POST: Complete Kit Car Classifieds, 57 London Road, Teynham, Kent ME9 9QW. (Cheques payable to Performance Publishing Ltd)

ROBIN HOOD 2B SVA April 2005, green/stainless, 2-litre Pinto with rebuilt unleaded head plus new water pump, alternator and coil. Hood and tonneau, five tyres almost new, £4250. T: 07814 085824 (West Yorkshire).

DONOR CARS TOYOTA MR2 ROADSTER 2000 model, 42,000 miles, air con, leather interior, hardtop, twin exhausts, FSH, new alloys, MoT August 2011, great condition, perfect DNA Ferrari donor, £4900. T: 07986 791279 (Sussex).

PART BUILT CARS

DIABLO SV (PARALLEL DESIGNS) Rebuilt uprated BMW V12, new Audi gearbox, Brembo brakes, full Lamborghini instrumentation. All mechanicals and electrics done. Trim and paint to finish, £29,995 including private plate.

T: 07831 338847 (Cheshire).

ROBIN HOOD Lotus Seven style kit, unfinished project, 80 per cent complete, 1600cc Ford Crossflow engine, £1500.

T: 01375 403201 (Essex).

DAX COBRA BODY AND CHASSIS Ford 302 V8, Borgwarner T5 gearbox, E-type limited slip diff, 60 per cent complete, unpainted replica Halibrand wheels with Goodyear tyres. Will consider part exchange, £3495.

T: 07808 927690.

E: mandbford@talktalk.net (Oxfordshire).

Up to £2000

GINETTA G26 PROJECT Rolling chassis, correctly registered on a Q-plate, stripped ready for rebuild and respray, galvanised chassis, original build manuals, no engine or box, £500. T: 01522 809905 (Lincolnshire).

ROBIN HOOD 2B All stainless rolling chassis, bodywork near complete, carbon fibre nose and mudguards, single donor Sierra, 2-litre Pinto. Everything to finish, £1500 ono. T: 01424 736328 (East Sussex).

YKC JULIETTA 60 per cent complete, all wheels on, engine and gearbox in. 2-litre Sierra engine, 14in alloys. Body panels, trim, carpets and seats included to finish, £2500. T: 01803 528486 (Devon).

WESTFIELD NARROW BODIED SCREEN ASSEMBLY £60. RS2000 baffled alloy sump, £100. T: 01380 729033 (Devizes – collection only).

RON CHAMPION LOCOST CHASSIS Very well built as far as I can see. T: Huw – 07870 264391 or 01497 851645 (Herefordshire).

WESTFIELD ALUMINIUM EXHAUST COVER Unused, £40. Stainless steel silencer, unused £45, two Norma stainless steel exhaust clamps, 47mm to 51mm, £5 each.

T: 01983 613208 (Isle of Wight).

PARTS FOR SALE PIRELLI TYRES One pair, brand new P600.

235x60/15 98W rating. Offers? T: 0208 651 5711. E: cu.jimmy@tiscali.co.uk (Surrey).

4-LITRE TVR V8 ENGINE Removed from written-off Chimaera at 5500 miles and fitted in a Westfield SEiGHT. Complete with new Edelbrock 4-downdraft carb on Offenhauser manifold, starter, alternator, and gearbox.

Believed to be very low mileage, approx 8500. For sale due to abandoned Dax Rush project, £2550 ono. T: 0115 846 2993 (Nottingham).

‘FROGEYE’ REPLICA Banham Sprint. Are you rebuilding, repairing or wishing to start a Sprint? Buy my body kit and separate chassis kit for £1200. T: 01947 841177 (Teeside).

WESTFIELD EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD Brand new, £40. Decibel meter, only used for IVA, cost £35 will take £20. T: 01983 613208.

ROVER V8 SPARES TR7/TR8 rear axle front drive flange (for SD1 axle conversion) £15.

P5B/P6/MGBGTV8 (points) distributor cap £50. ‘Flapper’ air flow meter, Bosch 0 280 202007 £50. EFI resistor pack £30. SD1 flywheel £150. Lucas 3M100 starter motor £50. LT77 gearchange extension/gearlever £60. Photos from rwpictures@hotmail.co.uk (East Sussex).

TWO ROVER V8 HEADS PLUS MANIFOLDS Plus SU carburettors. MGB lined brake shoes, asbestos free, £50 the lot.

T: 01903 539521 (West Sussex).

PAIR OF FORD CORTINA UPRIGHTS Hubs, discs and calipers complete with pads and Goodridge brake pipes. All only done 3000 miles, £165. T: 01305 834994 (Dorset).

TEAM DYNAMICS MOTORSPORT WHEELS And tyres 195x45R15, two tyres new, £300. T: 01566 86004 (eves) (Cornwall).

WANTED WESTFIELD SE PARTS Roll-over bar and windscreen and pillar assembly for early 1991 narrow body Westfield SE. T: 07752 881423 (Grampian, Scotland).

HUSTLER HIGHLANDER 6X6 Looking for Hustler Highlander 6x6, based on Range Rover and uses Jaguar XJ engine. Believe only eight made, grateful for leads or information. E: mgroves68@hotmail.co.uk

MISCELLANEOUS OUTDOOR CAR COVER With soft lining, would suit a Cobra etc, £35. T: 020 8651 5711. E: syzygy66@tiscali.co.uk (Surrey).

96 www.completekitcar.co.uk

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Absolutely Kit Cars Always a good selection available Kit cars always wanted Tel: 01702 231319 or (m) 07710 266882 (Essex area) See current stock and details at www.absolutelykitcars.co.uk

CKC Advertisers Terms & Conditions Our full terms and conditions can be found online at www.completekitcar.co.uk/adtermsandconditions For further details please call:

01903 236268 All advertising purchase is done so in accordance with English Law

cars for sale

Up to £2000

KIT CARS

UNFINISHED TIGER AVON Unfinished project, 2-litre Pinto and Sierra running gear, at rolling chassis stage.

Almost everything to complete. Please phone for more info, £2000. T: 07882 121238 (Ceredigion).

F0211

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GTM ROSSA 2

X0511

cars for sale JAGO JEEP 2-litre Pinto, Weber carb, 4-speed box. Lots of new parts including rad, spark plugs, HT leads, dizzy cap. Correctly registered on Q, no passenger seat, no MoT or tax. Starts first time and drives. Would suggest using a trailer or courier, £650 ono. T: 07599 626643 (Middlesex).

F0311

£2001 to £5000

1380 MED engine, ex-factory demo, build manual. New battery, throttle and choke cable, track rod end and wheel bearing. MoT October 2011, tax April 2011, £2000 or near offer.

T: Mike – 07970 045 649.

E: mikeread1441@talktalk.net (Northants).

ROBIN HOOD S7 All Ford running gear with a nice Fiat 2-litre twin-cam engine. Sports seats, Sabelt seatbelts, hood and tonneau. Non Q-reg, MoT, taxed, £3495. T: 01895 624554 (Middlesex).

F0311

LOCOST

Great choice of cars always in stock!

Tel: 020 8500 1991 or 07984 460014 www.hallmark-cars.com

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cars for sale

£5001 to £10,000

MERLIN IRS 2+2 CONVERTIBLE 1.4 twin-cam Rover injection. Blue, Le Mans style bonnet, fully fitted interior, MoT May 2011, tax September 2011, £5500 ovno. T: Neil – 01708 225913 or 07980 381223 (Essex).

No. 1 to be with!

X0211

X0111

cars for sale

£10,001 and Above

2-litre Zetec, 2006 factory built car, only 1500 miles. Full weather gear and tonneau, owned by myself from new.

Beautiful condition, MoT May 2011, tax April 2011. Ready to enjoy at £7000. T: 01536 762788 (Northamptonshire).

Two-door, four-seater, soft-top.

Rover V8 3.5-litre, new brakes, wheels and tyres. Spares included – wheels, tyres, engine parts etc, more pictures available by e-mail. £13,500. T: 01697 473615 or 07815 565881. E: richard.elton@ btinternet.com (Gateshead area).

MOTALEIRA One-off, featured CKC October 2009.

Yamaha R1 engine, Power Commander, Flatshifter, Vapor instruments. viscous LSD, electric reverse, Wilwood brakes, £22,000 spent. Covered under 1500 miles, £14,495.

T: 07976 522049.

F0211

X0311

X0211

LOTUS LOOKALIKE FORD SPECIAL

Factory built replica, Parallel Designs V12, registered May 2009. SmarTrack and Clifford G5 alarm, hands-free phone, air conditioning, ABS, Brembo brakes, £48,000 ono.

T: 07713 117805.

E: harry@wells.uk.com (Yorkshire).

Ford Crossflow 1300 doonor, long MoT, engieer’s report.

Aluminium and fibreglass body, 15in wheels, period registration, any trial. Featured in magazine, £12,000 ono.

X0211

X0111

MARCH 2011

www.completekitcar.co.uk 97

E: jscottdavies51@msn.com (Surrey).

£10,001 & Above

LAMBORGHINI DIABLO SV

BEAUFORD TOURER

Sierra running gear, 5-litre Mustang engine. Car built in 2001, beige leather trim, blue wet weather gear, MP3 CD stereo. Chrome bumper kit not fitted, baby forces sale, £15,000. T: Greg – 07951 764147.

DAX RUSH MC

0870 444 6320

TIGER CAT XL

MEV R2 project including moulds, jigs, drawings, chassis, body etc.

Nearly everything to complete a demo car build including all new Gaz shocks, Wilwoods, LCD dash etc. Ford Focus donor included. £Offers. Selling due to emigration. T: Adie – 01522 859259 or 07523 495450.

E: on.track@ntlworld.com

PILGRIM SUMO

Fireblade engine, super lightweight chassis, camber compensation front, De Dion rear.

2007, all fibreglass panels in Jaguar racing green with bare aluminium. 2300 miles, Audi 17in wheels, Quaife reverse box. Dry miles, no track use, £15,500. T: 07783 895394 (Norfolk).

F0111

Graham Sykes Insurance

£2001 to £10,000

X0311

KIT CAR BUSINESS

F0211

Midas to Cobra

Bought in 1992 and registered January 1995. MoT March 2011, good to drive now or improve.

Body: multi-layer GRP resin.

Engine: Fully rebuilt 2-litre Pinto. All history available. Poor health forces sale. T: 07770 533499 (Essex).

X0111

TIGER CAT 2004, 3050 miles, built to a high standard, 2-litre Pinto, 5-speed gearbox. Discs all-round, XR4x4 LSD, four good tyres. MoT October 2011.

T: 07879 660365 (Northamptonshire).

Aluminium bodied, 1600cc Mexico engine, only 50 miles.

Minor details need finishing, no IVA but has a year’s MoT. Oil catcher, painted black, Ripspeed wheels, 225-section tyres on rear, new clutch, detachable steering wheel, VDO dials. Cream piped seats, no expense spared, £3,900. T: 01692 405411 or 07825 448853 (Norfolk).

Britain’s premiere specialists in Cobras and kit cars

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30 DAYS Adam Wilkins recounts the highs and lows from the past month.

He likes to pretend it’s all work, but really it’s just one party. could get the lowdown – and images of the car – ahead of the embargo. Caterham said yes, so another call was made to the printers to see how much of a liberty we could take with the deadline. The result is that we’re amongst the very first to get news of the Caterham SP/300R into print.

I love it when a plan comes together...

MONDAY 3RD: Final bank holiday of the Christmas break, and the lack of work and abundance of spare time has led me to make a CKC tax disc holder for my daily driver. Looks a lot better than the scraps of gaffer tape that were previously holding the tax disc on – and indeed the oil company emblem that the CKC logo is now obscuring!

TUESDAY 11TH: In Yorkshire today to drive the Roadrunner SR2 that you can read about on page 16. Sometimes when you’re taking photos of cars, you end up causing a bit of inconvenience for passers-by. It was the case today, when I left the SR2 at an angle in a narrow lane.

Anyone who wanted to get past had to put a wheel or two into the mud. In the south east, this would provoke a mixed reaction.

You’d get a few smiles and waves from those who enjoy seeing the car, but you’d get just as many grumpy reactions.

Up in rural Yorkshire, though, it appears that everyone is friendly. I thought I was in trouble when a funereal limo came down the road, but even as it splattered mud over its shiny black flanks the occupants gave me a cheery smile and a wave as they went on their way.

European Promotions at lunchtime.

While John may be best known for organising the Detling and Exeter shows, it’s a lesser recognised fact that his talents extend to music – he has recorded an album. Rumours of an audition on the next series of X Factor have so far proved unfounded.

TUESDAY 25TH: Chatting with Tim Dutton for this month’s We Ask (page 9), some impressive statistics came to light. Between 1969 and 1989, the company produced 8000 cars. The company was arguably the first operation to ‘productionise’ a kit car.

Furthermore, Dutton is the oldest surviving car company to still be wholly owned by its founder, and it’s easily the longest running manufacturer of amphibious cars, having built its first in 1989. By comparison to the 1960s Amphicar, which is probably the most famous amphibious vehicle, was in production for just two years.

FRIDAY 28TH: Borrowed the CKC Transit to collect the MEV Exocet kit today. Ashley dug through the collection of Justin’s cassettes that had been left in the glovebox and found the gem pictured below – Ragga Heat Reggae Beat.

When was the last time you heard Mr Loverman by Shabba Ranks? More to the point, when was the last time you saw a cassette?

WEDNESDAY 5TH: Last month’s issue is supposed to be at the printers now. All the editorial is there ready to go to press – with the exception of the news pages. Just before Christmas, Caterham sent a tantalising press release hinting that a new car would be launched at Autosport.

There was little point in our running a speculative news piece in the issue that goes out after the car’s release, so a call was put in to Caterham to see whether we THURSDAY 18TH: At the Autosport International show for a couple of days.

We met up with John Cooke of

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Girls Like to Sit...

Atomic

Sonic 7

...on a Mans Rocket!

Exocet

tR1ke

Contact MEV for the ride of your life: www.mevltd.co.uk

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Hawk Cars

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