Complete Kit Car magazine January 2007 Sample

001 Cover January Black:CKC Cover

27/11/07

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14

GUZZI-POWERED AVION Unique Blackjack

26 82

£

READER’S CAR OF THE YEAR 2007 We vote for the best

B FA LUE 5 VA 3.9

COMPLETE KIT CAR

MUSTANG BODY DOUBLE ‘Eleanor’ replica

Page 1

January 2008 £3.95

> JANUARY 2008 Mill Mustang Reader’s COTY ’07

w w w. c o m p l e t e k i t c a r. c o . u k

In the CKC WORKSHOP this month...

Ignition systems – Part 2 Tunnelling

ELECTRONIC IGNITION Say goodbye to points

PROJECT MURTAYA Our in-house build progresses

Blackjack Avion

TUNNELLING THROUGH LONDON IN THE LOUDEST CARS WE KNOW LONDON TRAFFIC – MOVE ASIDE!

Project Murtaya – Part 4

DAX RUSH V8

Running Reports

310bhp, 4.8-litre Rover V8 Cobra style side pipes Very, very loud!

DAX TOJEIRO 8.2-litre Chevrolet V8 Mind-blowing 502bhp Sounds like thunder!

www.completekitcar.co.uk

WyItN oolkit Seale h t

wort

£540

52

FRENCH FANCY Ray Manta Evolution

06

ZONTA AT MPH Smart-based Rocket

70

EXETER EXCELS 250GTO replica revealed

*Sureterm FP August07:CKC FP

3/7/07

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Nostalgia Cars UK Ltd

Within every Nostalgia Classic is something unique and totally rewarding, forged from an understanding of what a true hand built sports car should be, combined with simple innovation and Jaguar inspired track and road success.

Every Nostalgia replica is available handcrafted to customer’s specification or in component form for part or full assembly by customer. Full factory finishing available to partially assembled vehicles.

www.nostalgiacars.co.uk Tel: 01823 444991 E-mail: TheTeam@NostalgiaCars.co.uk Nostalgia Cars UK Ltd, Unit 10-11Creech Mills Industrial Estate, Creech St Michael, Taunton, TA3 5PX UK

For further details contact Classic Replicas UK, Unit 12, Station Yard, Wellington Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 5HA

t: 01278 433782

60s styling with 21st Century Technology

most d One of the

c sports esirable

th e a rs o f

0 late 6

s th e s wa

Dino

GT 24 6

/GT

S

• Vented Disc.

• Fully adjustable suspension.

• Starter kits and all major components available.

• All major components welded to BS.EN287 Part1 • Design fully compliant with current SVA regulations.

• Double gel coated. Body available in various colours.

• Mid mounted engine using the Alfa Romeo 3 litre V6 engine and gear box.

A True Italian sports car

E-mail: classicreplicasuk@blueyonder.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 3

29/11/07

CONTENTS

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58 DAX DOWN THE DRAIN!

Main Features

Causing mayhem in London’s tunnels with two of the loudest kit cars we could find.

14MILL’S MUSTANG REPLICA 82 BLACKJACK AVION A Mustang replica based on a Ford Sierra? It makes more sense than you might think.

No Citroën 2CV engine here. Owner Pat Darragh was after more power. Mota Guzzi had the answer.

Regulars

40 EVENT LISTING

6 NEWS

90 RUNNING REPORTS

All the latest news from around the industry.

Progress from the garages of our readers.

26 READERS’ COTY 2007

34 THIS LIFE

100 CLASSIFIEDS

Gary Wakeford’s Pilgrim up against the best cars we’ve seen in 2007.

Catching up with you and your kit cars.

Plenty to choose from in this month’s adverts.

38 CLUB LISTING

114 30 DAYS

Fancy going clubbing? Use our listing.

Wilkins recaps the last month in kit cars.

Where to go with your kit car this winter.

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.

DISTRIBUTION: Marketforce, London SE1 0SU T: +44 (0) 20 7633 3300 GRAPHICS & DTP: Grapevine Design & Print T: 01903 531531 E: studio@grapevineprint.co.uk COMPLETE KIT CAR IS PUBLISHED ON THE THIRD FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH BY: Performance Publishing Ltd. T: 01903 236268 E: justin@performancepublishing.co.uk A: Performance Publishing, County House, 3 Shelley Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1TT

4 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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

TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST NEWSSTAND SALES & MARKETING: Imagine, London T: 0845 612 0092 E: david@imaginemag.net W: www.imaginemag.net

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Don’t Miss

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Welcome

EDITOR Ian Stent

20 CAR BUILDER SOLUTIONS A parts supplier with a difference – CBS used to build kit cars.

52 WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? We’ve featured lots of new cars in 2007. Time for an update on progress.

55 COMPETITION Your chance to win a tool cabinet full of tools, courtesy of Sealey.

70 OUT & ABOUT New cars revealed, plus some rarities spotted at the Exeter Kit Car Show.

CV – Built two kit cars, owned seven others and driven virtually every type of kit car produced over the last 17-years he’s been a kit car journo.

FEATURES EDITOR Adam Wilkins CV – Building a Sylva Riot.

Raced a Tiger Avon for the last three years. Kit car journo for seven years.

PROJECT BUILDER John Watson CV – Built well over 20 kit cars (from a huge Regent wedding car to a tiny Sylva Jester!) and worked on countless others. Built his first kit in 1987 and hasn’t stopped since!

TECHNICAL WRITER John Dickens CV – Has run a kit car as his only car since 1980!

Designed unique fibreglass chassis and suspension for his latest car – a GTM Coupé. Very clever!

CKC Workshop 42 SAY GOODBYE TO POINTS John Dickens shows how to convert from points to electronic igntion.

48 TOOL TEST John Watson gets to grips with five torque wrenches. But which is best?

76 MURTAYA BUILD Part four of our Adrenaline Murtaya build. John Watson updates us.

EDITORIAL T: 01823 335443 E: ian@performancepublishing.co.uk A: Complete Kit Car, County House, 3 Shelley Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1TT

ADVERTISING/SUBSCRIPTIONS T: 01903 236268 E: dan@performancepublishing.co.uk A: Complete Kit Car, County House, 3 Shelley Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1TT

ADVERTISING MANAGER Dan Large

T: 01903 236268 OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTOR: Peter Filby THANKS TO: Ghulan Nabbi, Pat Darragh, Ashley Summers, Gary Wakeford, Mike Dobkin, Maurice Gloster, Simon Johns, and all our Running Reports contributors

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Scott Winterberg GRAPHIC DESIGN Adam Bean Justin Williams

LET’S HAVE MORE of the same please. If you read through our Reader’s Car of the Year feature on page 26 there’s one factor that links all these cars together – none have been assembled exactly as the manufacturer had intended. They’ve all been tweaked and massaged (some to a greater degree than others) to reflect the individual owner’s particular needs and desires. And I think they reflect an increasingly prevalent (and to my mind, most welcome) trend in the kit car scene towards proper personalisation – not just a different paintjob and custom interior, but serious modification of the core product.

Of course, kit cars always used to be like this, but with the onset of SVA in the late ’90s I thought we’d seen the last of the one-off and special kit cars. It’s brilliant to see them back and we will track down the most exceptional examples and bring more of them to you in 2008.

We had another one of our strategy meetings the other day (something that Adam has relived in his 30 Days column on page 114). Regular readers will perhaps remember that, for Adam and myself, the one we had earlier in 2007 came as something of a shock. We’re not cut from the same corporate cloth that my fellow Performance Publishing director Justin Williams and Ad Manager Dan Large are from. But our recent meeting confirmed one thing. That between Adam and myself we have a quite frightening number of new ideas and developments we hope to bring to you in 2008.

Some of it’s serious, some of it’s silly, but we can comfortably guarantee maximum kit car entertainment. So whether you’re considering buying a kit car and want product road tests, need technical help with the car you’re currently building, or simply want inspiration with what you can do with your kit car once it’s finished, Complete Kit Car is where you’ll find it.

Our bi-monthly Running Reports feature is all about kit car building in the real world.

It’s written by private enthusiasts as they diary their progress on a variety of different kit cars. But it’s not so much about the nuts and bolts of building kits, but rather the reality of building a car at home, in between going to work, entertaining the kids and generally functioning within a typical family environment. Some months that means that very little gets done in the garage, other months it’s full steam ahead. And then just occasionally you get a reality check. This year has been a complete blur for the whole CKC team. We have been going so fast, concentrating so hard on our little magazine world, that nothing else has mattered. However, for others it’s not been so much fun, and life’s priorities have changed beyond all recognition. Read this month’s Running Reports and you’ll find out why our daily trials and tribulations count for nothing.

As the year draws to a close, it’s often traditional for the editor of a magazine to thank readers for their support over the previous twelve months. But thanks doesn’t begin to cover it. We launched Complete Kit Car with our May issue and we’ve loved having your support and encouragement. We’ve loved meeting so many of you at shows.

We’ve loved the way you have sent us pictures of your cars and got involved with the magazine. It has been a genuine delight and we are filled with excitement at the prospect of having you with us over the next twelve months. From all the Complete Kit Car crew... thank you and we hope you have a happy and relaxing Christmas (in the garage, of course!).

PROOFING Andy Bliss, PRISM Marketing Ian Stent Editor JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 5

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NEWS

29/11/07

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.

New Trackday Specialist From Image IMAGE SPORTSCARS CHOSE last month’s Exeter show as the launchpad for the Monaco, a brand new trackday car. The car has had an incredibly short gestation period of only about three months, which explains why it wasn’t quite finished in time for the show, but it did give a very clear idea of what the finished machine will look like.

What we’re dealing with here is a formula inspired car developed with trackday fun in mind. However, feedback from the show has convinced Image to offer the car in at least two, and possibly three, guises. The first will be a trackday car which will weigh in at about 370kg in bike powered form. The second is a competition car aimed at the sprint and hillclimb market. This will be lighter still through use of different materials and will be fully rosejointed. Finally, an enquiry at the show for a road going Monaco has sowed the seed of that idea in Image MD Peter Allan’s mind. It

Demo has a Honda Fireblade. Many ’bike engines can be fitted, as can the Ford Sigma and Duratec four-pots.

has been designed with SVA considerations, and therefore won’t require a lot of work to make it road legal.

The demo features a Honda Fireblade engine which, with its aftermarket ECU and Image exhaust, is expected to produce 190bhp. It drives through a fancy Quaife transmission that gets rid of the chain drive. It’s also equipped with an LSD and you can change the gearing by altering the final drive ratio. You don’t have to go to this expense, but Image has a customer for this car who has specified the Quaife set-up.

The Monaco will also accommodate car engines, and market demand indicates that the Ford 1.6-litre Sigma and 2-litre Duratec engines are likely to be the primary options.

The secret of the Monaco’s quick development is that it borrows heavily from existing, proven Image designs. The front suspension is described as 80 per cent

F27 Clubman, which means it gets top rocking arms with inboard coil-over dampers, lower wishbones and Ford uprights. At the back, it borrows from a previous generation Monza set-up, but with a different top wishbone incorporating a push-rod set-up. This makes the package more compact for the Monaco, which is a small car. The chassis itself is all-new.

The nose cone on the show car is the same as the production versions, but the aluminium side panels will be replaced with GRP items with built-in side pods. The engine cover will be universal to both car and ’bike powered cars, starting high at the roll bar, sloping down then kicking up again at the back of the car.

It’s likely that kit packages will start with chassis that are panelled in aluminium, wired and already have the brake and fuel lines routed. Pricing is still to be finalised, but Image reckons factory built cars will start from £14,000 which sounds terrific value. We can’t wait to drive it!

CONTACT Image Sportscars, Unit 3, Matts Lodge Farm, Creaton, Northamptonshire NN6 8NN. T: 01604 505959. E: admin@imagesportscars.co.uk W: www.imagesportscars.co.uk

Toniq Styling For All!

TONIQ LTD IS now offering complete body packages to owners of other makes of Lotus Seven inspired roadsters. So if you already have a car but are inspired by the fresh, modern styling of the Toniq R, you can now combine the two!

The body set comprises 12 GRP pieces plus the front grill, distinctive rear reflectors and flush fitting lockable filler cap. Kit prices start from £1500 plus VAT for a complete set of panels in a black gelcoat finish. Mounting brackets are not included (because of the variations between models), but will be easy to fabricate.

Alternatively, Toniq offers a full fitting

6 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

service which includes stripping off your old panels, trim and fitting the new Toniq body set, leaving you to paint it, re-trim where required and fit lights and so on.

Or there’s a complete drive-in, driveout service, meaning you can take away your car fully painted and trimmed.

Nationwide collection and delivery is also offered.

CONTACT Toniq, The Barns, Trebudannon, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4LP. T: 01637 889351.

E: contact@toniqr.co.uk W: www.toniqr.co.uk

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Martyni Management Changes MARTYNI SPORTSCARS IS a low-key company which has made just a handful of its steel monocoque chassis Lotus 23 replicas in a decade. It was run by the father and son team of Terry and Martyn Perks, but now Terry has bought out his son and will focus on stronger marketing.

The current demo is for sale and Martyni is working on a replacement with an aluminium chassis. Sadly, it’s unlikely that the ali chassis will go into production as it’s high labour intensity would force up prices.

BRIEFS ROBIN HOOD RELOCATES: Great British Sports Cars, the parent company of Robin Hood, has moved. You’ll now find them at: Robin Hood House, Unit 2, Teritex Factory, Meden Road, Boughton, Ollerton NG22 9ZD. T: 01623 860990.

CONTACT Martyni Sportscars. T: 01902 409922.

W: www.martyni23.freeuk.com

Smart Trackday Offering THE UK’S SMALLEST capacity track day car was unveiled at the recent MPH Show at Earls Court when Nottingham-based Smart tuning specialist Smarts-R-Us announced the 700cc ‘Evil Twin’ Zonta.

We previewed this last month while it was still under construction.

Despite being based around the mechanicals of the sedate Smart Fortwo, the spartan Zonta promises entertaining 120mph plus performance with a weight of only 425kg, allied to frugal running costs, with the 85bhp turbocharged engine version returning an estimated 60mpg or more.

The Zonta’s minimalist styling will be familiar to many CKC readers, as it is derived from the excellent Ford Focuspowered MEV Rocket. MEV has worked in close harmony with Smarts-R-Us to adapt the Rocket’s chassis to suit the Smart’s running gear and reduced power. This means that the weight of the distinctive tubular frame has been reduced by using lighter gauge tubing. The result is an astonishing 250bhp per ton; not bad for a 700cc car!

The rear of the Zonta has been reworked with a single central roll-over hoop, plus a re-profiled engine cover enveloped around

the Smarts-R-Us Evil Twin turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Many of the donor car’s interior components are used, including the high-back seats, integral seat belts, central transmission lock and digital instrumentation cowl. Transparent side panels are planned as an option at a later date.

Priced at £12,995 on the road in fullybuilt turnkey form only, the Zonta will benefit from all of the donor Smart’s stateof-the-art 6-speed electronic transmission and stability controls, and promises to be one of the greenest sports cars on the British market.

CONTACT Smarts-R-Us Ltd, Unit 12, Easter Park, Lenton Lane, Nottingham NG7 2PX. T: 0115 855 3300.

E: sales@smartsrus.com. W: www.smartsrus.com

CATERHAM 2008 CALENDAR: Caterham is offering a limited edition 2008 calendar containing loads of glossy images of Sevens on road and track. Just 1000 have been produced and they’re priced at £14.99. Get yours at www.caterham.co.uk

WE ASK...

Richard Oakes BLACKJACK CARS

Q

Did you always intend to be a kit car maker?

A

No. I don’t know whether I even thought about what I wanted to do.

Q

A

I haven’t designed whole things, but I’ve designed bits of things. I did a lot of work for JCB about 20 years ago, and they still use my designs. I was also asked to do a commission for Aston Martin. I did that, but my design wasn’t chosen.

Q

What is it about designing kit cars that you find most appealing?

A

AMPHIJEEP SELLS 100 CARS: The summer of 2007 saw Amphijeep sell its 100th amphibious car. It also has six pages in Boris Johnson’s Life In The Fast Lane and has made an appearance at the London Boat Show. A successful year, then! W: www. amphijeep.biz

I suppose it’s the freedom it represents. Things happen quickly because people are doing their own thing. There’s an absence of politics.

Q

FROST WATER PUMP GREASE: Frost has added high quality water pump grease to its latest catalogue.

Priced at £11.50 for 500g, it’s a calcium based formula suitable for applications that involve moderate heat. T: 01706 758258.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 7

Of all your kit car designs, do you have a personal favourite?

A

The GTM Libra, I think. I feel wamly towards it because it was a good project to do. The project as a whole was Peter Beck’s, but it was a harmonious team effort. I’d been working with GTM for 20 years, but they gave me a much freer hand on this one than previous projects.

Q

JANUARY 2008

What have you designed outside of the world of kit cars?

What’s currently on your drawing board?

A

The Moto Guzzi powered Blackjack Zero. I’m doing it because a lot of people have requested it, it appears to be popular. It’s the same car [as the Volkswagen powered Zero] really, but it looks different because it’s such a different engine. The rest of the car works so well that there wasn’t any need to change it.

The Moto Guzzi powered Blackjack Avion which inspired the similarly powered Zero is featured on page 82. Photos of the new Zero should be released next month.

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Monaco

All cars now available as chassis/body packs, fully built chassis or turn key cars.

Race, track day or road cars available in all models.

Top quality, in house paint spraying facility to add those finishing touches.

Contact us to arrange a visit and test drive.

Tel: 01604 505 959

www.imagesportscars.co.uk

Email: admin@imagesportscars.co.uk

Image Sports Cars, Unit 3, Matts Lodge Farm, Creaton, Northants NN6 8NN

8 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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Supercharged Toyota Engines From Raw OMEX PERFORMANCE ELECTRONICS shared stand space with Raw at the Exeter show to display its new supercharger upgrade for the 1.6-litre Toyota 4AGE engine, an engine used extensively in the Raw Striker.

The kit ups power from 145bhp to a strong 220bhp (at 7800rpm), while torque is boosted from 118lb ft to 162lb ft (at 5400rpm). Rather than just go for headline grabbing figures, though, the company has been careful to ensure that the engine remains driveable with progressive, linear power. Raw claims it’s easy to drive on the road, and thrilling on track. We’re planning a drive of the car soon to find out how good it is.

The complete kit contains a Rotrex supercharger, intercooler, pipework and pulleys, brackets, a really neat looking

FACT

MODERN DAY SPECIALS

Raw has attracted over 250 ‘converts’ to Toyota power since first offering the engine seven years ago.

fabricated plenum and Omex 600 ignition.

It’s a bolt-on kit requiring no engine mods, and retains the Toyota’s standard injection and head gasket.

The Rotrex supercharger is the size of an alternator, allowing for a compact, lightweight installation that’s ideal for a kit car application. It’s priced at £2999 plus VAT, and that price will remain until the end of this month (December).

The company is currently working on a 280bhp installation which will come as a fully prepared engine (because of the extra work necessarily to the engine’s internals to cope with the extra power). Pistons, conrods and injectors will all be upgraded for the higher powered edition.

CONTACT Raw Striker, The Grange, Shelwick, Hereford HR1 3AW. T: 01432 371169 E: info@rawengineering.co.uk W: www.rawstriker.co.uk

Super Stratos Gets Caged NAPIERSPORT, THE LOW key manufacturer of the Super Stratos Corse, has recently changed chassis supplier to Caged, the firm that makes

WILKINS

frames for Caterham. Napiersport outsources all its manufacturing, and securing Caged as a supplier is a good move for this small company.

Because of the firm’s low overheads, it doesn’t need to produce large number of cars each year, which is why it maintains quite a low profile. Much of its business lately is coming from mainland Europe, notably Germany and Italy.

Indeed, the first chassis being made by Caged (which is almost complete at the time of writing), is destined for Italy.

CONTACT Napiersport, 57 Gravel Hill, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 1RW. T: 0870 286 3215.

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

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 9

A NEW TREND emerged in 2007 for kit cars that are based on... other kit cars. In fact, the signs began to show late in 2006 when Tiger Racing sold the full bodied Storm moulds to someone who intended to sell bodies to Locost owners. That hasn’t made it to market yet, but it’s still a work in progress.

The Locost was the target for the next restyling exercise, the fantastic Epona. Displayed at the Stoneleigh show on the CKC stand as a scale model (and featured this month on page 52), the Epona is a terrific looking car that’s sure to broaden the Locost’s appeal to those who would never consider a Seven inspired roadster.

To really ram home that bodies being offered for other makes of kit car are a new genre of their own, last month’s Exeter show saw the launch of the Le Mans inspired Mulsanne which will fit on a Lotus Seven inspired sports car, and Toniq launched a similar service with its updated roadster styling. There’s another high profile manufacturer considering offering its body to builders of other brands too, but I’m not allowed to reveal their identity yet!

It’s all very reminiscent of how the kit car scene began in the 1950s.

Specials builders would get their bodies from one place and their chassis from another to produce unique machines.

But how will that concept sit with the modern kit car scene?

For companies which offer just bodies, like HRB’s Mulsanne, it’s not a problem as it will have no identity of its own as a car. But makers like Toniq will need to be careful that the brand image isn’t sullied by having its distinctive styling found on just any underpinnings. Second-hand buyers will also need their wits about them to be sure of exactly what they’re buying too. Rebodied cars won’t be badged as Toniqs, though, which is one reassurance.

On the plus side, if you’re a serial kit car builder getting the new project itch, this seems a great way of getting a new car without taking on a whole build.

ADAM WILKINS

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NEWS Latest

OM Sportscars Revealed At Exeter

Marlin On The Move

OM SPORTSCARS OFFICIALLY launched the GTZ at the recent Exeter show. Run by Oliver Meulbrouck, OM Sportscars took on an American body conversion kit at the beginning of 2007, and has spent much of the year bringing production across the pond and improving the product in the process. Manufacturing currently takes place in Germany, where Oliver is currently based, but there’s a good chance he’ll relocate to the UK in 2008.

Based around the Datsun 240Z and its

associated models, the GTZ features high quality moulds and one of the more recent developments has been to improve the bootlid hinging mechanism – something that was tricky on older cars. There have also been lots of other small tweaks and the show car looked superb.

CONTACT OM Sportscars. T: 01452 781094.

W: www.omsportscars.com

MARLIN SPORTSCARS HAS been in the process of moving premises for a while, and now the move is only a few steps away. Part of its current building has been taken down so it can be moved to the new building and the two married together. Over time, parts of the building will be developed bespoke to Marlin’s needs.

While the building work has gone on, the firm has had to postpone orders for parts, kits and cars, but things will be back up to speed early in the new year. We’ll CONTACT bring you the Marlin Sports Cars, PO Box 88, Crediton, Devon company’s new full EX17 3WZ. T: 01363 773772. contact details as E: info@marlinsportscars.co.uk soon as we have W: www.marlinsportscars.co.uk them.

FROM THE FORUMS “I thought the Flyer was an excellent piece of design. Really hope he goes ahead with it, I’ll be getting one if the production

version is similar to the prototype!”

Alex_p, Pistonheads.com “After drying out the seat and sitting on a bin bag, the drive home from work was just fine. A bit wet

and windswept by the time I got in, but the car performed fine, if a little sketchy on the roundabouts.

I’m taking the Indy to work tomorrow too.”

Nick205, Locostbuilders.co.uk

“Just been watching a drifting competition on Motors. What’s that all about apart from wearing out your tyres? Anyone know the point of it?”

Mikey91, WSCC.co.uk

Mulsanne Rebody For Your Kit Car

SHORT CUTS

HOT ROD SPECIALIST HRB Automotive came to the Exeter show with an interesting idea for the kit car market in the shape of the Mulsanne. The idea is that you buy the body for £2500 (which will rise if and when the company becomes VAT registered) and fit it to your existing kit car, which is most likely to be a Lotus Seven inspired roadster. Builders would then fabricate their own brackets to fit the new panels to their own car. The concept is bound to appeal to Locost builders, which is where HRB is largely targetting the car.

The prototype shown here isn’t a fully finished production model as the firm is still in the process of buying the moulds. The company originally planned to launch the car next year, but saw the season-ending Exeter show as an opportunity to gauge public reaction. HRB reports a positive response to the concept, so expect to see CONTACT some Lotus Seven inspired HRB Automotive. T: 07707 289667 or 07745 roadsters transformed in the 424758. W: www.hrb-automotive.co.uk near future!

FLAMESKILL WINNER

CAREMORE DEBUT

Our Flameskill competition in the October issue was won by Robert Whittock of Staffordshire. His prize is a superb automated plumb-in fire extinguisher worth £265.

Caremore Cars, new owner of Regent Motor Company, made its debut appearance at Exeter. The unpainted body was extremely high quality. T: 01744 818516.

10 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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Kit Industry Unites With SAMARA THE SPECIALIST AUTOMOTIVE Manufacturers and Retailers Agency (SAMARA) is a new organisation headed by Tifosi’s Kevin Moore which aims to give the specialist automotive market a strong and cohesive identity, therefore putting it in a stronger position against bureaucratic ‘bullying’ and in terms of promotion outside of the industry.

Companies which join SAMARA will gain from a series of benefits, including inter trade access to other members, an enhanced profile in the industry, active web presence, an exclusive VOSA point of

Mojo Rolls In It

contact and more.

Many kit car firms (manufacturers and suppliers) have already signed up to the scheme, and customers will soon be able to indentify SAMARA members by the logo that will appear on their adverts. It’s a sign that the firm has a conscientious commitment to its customers. CKC has lent its support to the organisation.

OUR RUNNING REPORTER Trevor Bennett’s Sylva Mojo (below left) was on Deauville’s stand at Exeter showing the firm’s DIY roll-on paint finish. Deauville had a great weekend. The highly affordable paint method sold brilliantly, and the company also sold four cars despite not having one of its own models on show!

CONTACT

CONTACT

SAMARA, 9 Kings Park, Chulmleigh, Devon EX18 7DJ.

Deauville Cars. T: 01243 586805.

W: www.deauvillecars.co.uk

Tygan’s New 500 And Rebranded Speedsters TYGAN MOTOR COMPANY has had a busy month. Major news is that it has launched a Porsche 550 replica to sit alongside the ex-Chesil Speedster.

Revealed at the NEC Classic Motor Show, it’s a faithful replica of the 1950s sports racer.

But that doesn’t mean performance is from a bygone era. Unlike the Speedster, which uses a Beetle floorpan, the 550 has a tubular spaceframe chassis, mid engine layout and IRS. Power comes from either a 2 or 2.2-litre twin Weber fed Volkswagen derived engine. Factory built cars will be well specified, with leather interior, four-point belts, heated windscreen, full weather gear, CD player, Moto Lita steering wheel and classic

instrumentation.

“We are delighted to be able to unveil our first 550 at the show,” said Tygan’s Graham Lee. “The car is designed to add a new dimension to our range, with a much greater emphasis on out and out performance than the Speedster. In my view the Spyder is one of the most naturally beautiful cars ever designed.

We are already taking orders and aim to see the first Spyders rolling off the production line next summer.”

Meanwhile, Tygan has signed deals with two Porsche specialists for them to produce Speedsters and brand them as their own. Paul Stephens will sell the PS Speedster Touring, identified by their Porsche Atlas Grey paintwork and tan

leather interiors. They’ll be supplied without bumpers (but with over-riders).

The cars will be built at Tygan’s Dorset factory and sold through Paul Stephens’ Suffolk showroom.

Finally, Yorkshire based Porsche specailist Gmund will sell a limited run of 20 Speedsters built to a high spec. Each car will have a 2-litre Volkswagen based engine, high ratio gearbox and disc brakes all-round. Customers will have a choice of silver or black paintwork. The Gmund cars will be priced at £35,995 and come with a two-year guarantee.

CONTACT Porsche 550 is a new addition to the range Porsche specialists Gmund and Paul Stevens are both building Tygan Speedsters and branding

Tygan Motor Company, Horn Park Industrial Estate, Broadwindsor Road, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3PT. T: 01308 867815.

E: speedster@tygan.com W: www.tygan.com Paul Stephens. W: www.paul-stephens.com Gmud. W: www.gmundcars.com

them as their own.

LED LIGHTS FROM SVC

SOMETHING TO SAY?

SVC has released details of these great looking, super bright mix and match tail lights. They can be used with or without the LED outers.

T: 01827 67714. W: www.s-v-c.co.uk

Call the COMPLETE KIT CAR editorial office on 01491 628508 with all your kit car related news or e-mail it to adam@performance publishing.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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HOW MUCH FUN CAN YOU HAVE? NEW HOWIE BUGGY

OUTBAK 4X4

HONDA KART

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ON THE ROAD OR ACROSS COUNTRY

To find out more about Blitzworld’s buggy and go-kart range call (Office) 01782 20 80 50 - Mobile: 07944 544 577 or visit our website www.blitzworld.co.uk

12 www.completekitcar.co.uk

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READER’S CAR Ghulan Nabbi’s Mustang Replica

Fraudulant FORD

SOMETIMES, YOU JUST know when someone has chosen exactly the right car.

Ghulan Nabbi, known to his friends by his surname, isn’t like your typical kit car owner.

For one thing, style is prioritised over performance, impracticality isn’t tolerated and he’s not keen to build something himself. Were it not for the Ford Mustang replica offered by Mill Auto Conversions, he probably wouldn’t have

ever taken an interest in the kit car scene at all.

“I’ve bought this car for the look,” says Nabbi. “If the kit wasn’t available, I wouldn’t be able to have a Mustang unless I bought the real thing, which I would never do. They’re expensive to run and I don’t want a left-handdrive car.”

By now, you may be thinking there are other kit car offerings that could have tempted Nabbi’s

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image conscious eye. Ferrari bodykits spring instantly to mind. But they don’t come close enough to emulating the size and sound of the real thing, so they’re not even on his radar. It’s either the Mustang replica or nothing for Nabbi.

He stumbled across the car by accident when he was surfing eBay one night. He promptly contacted the makers and paid a visit the next day. At that time, Mill’s Andy Wilson

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It may look exactly like the ’67 Mustang from the film Gone In 60 Seconds, but under the skin this is actually a Ford Sierra with a Rover V8 engne. Adam Wilkins finds out if the fake Ford has what it takes to live up to its muscle car appearance.

and Trevor Lewis hadn’t built their first Mustang replica. Andy owned a genuine ’67 Mustang which he and Trevor had modified to look like ‘Eleanor’ from the film Gone In 60 Seconds and were planning to take moulds from it to offer a body conversion kit for the Ford Granada (which was subsequently changed to a Sierra donor).

When Nabbi visited, they explained that they

had a potential customer for their Ford RS200 replica (which uses a Subaru Impreza floorpan) and whoever brought their donor car and a wad of cash to the factory soonest would be first in the queue to get their car built.

Nabbi didn’t hang around, and knew just what he wanted: “The Sapphire 2000E comes with air conditioning and leather seats, so that’s what I was after.” At short notice, the nearest JANUARY 2008

one he found was in Southampton, so he hastilly collected it to his Yorkshire home. The air con doesn’t work, though, and the leather was grey (rather than the preferred black), so it was a wasted day trip, but he did get his donor to the Preston workshop first. Result!

When you buy a Mustang replica from Mill (or an RS200 replica for that matter), the company won’t let you chop up your donor car

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READER’S CAR Ghulan Nabbi’s Mustang Replica

and weld on the new roll cage yourself.

To ensure the engineering work is done properly, the most basic package is Stage 1 (£7900) which sees the roll cage, body and opening panels fitted to a donor car provided by the customer. Nabbi went further and let Mill build the whole car for him. Usually, this would cost around £20,000, but as Nabbi’s car was the prototype he got it a little cheaper.

The build process begins by stripping the donor back to its floorpan, onto which is welded a roll cage made from a mix of 38mm and 45mm diameter CDS tube. It’s attached at various points to 3mm thick plates. The Sierra’s wheelbase is extended between the bulkhead and strut mounts, meaning the donor’s crash structure is maintained but moved forward. The new bodyshell is then fitted, and the roof is bonded to the roll cage to form part of the structure.

It’s all GRP save for the metal doors which are genuine (aftermarket) Mustang panels.

Mechanically, the car can be upgraded from the standard Sierra fare.

It’s up to individual customers how much work is done under the skin, but a fairly obvious starting point is to install a V8 engine. In this case, it’s a Rover which has been fully rebuilt and bored from 3.5 to 3.7 litres. Gaz coil-over dampers are fitted all-round and there’s a Cosworth anti-roll bar up front.

Being relatively local to the factory, Nabbi visited every week and got involved in the build where he could. He designed many of the interior panels, templating them in cardboard before Trevor made them in GRP. He was also happy to search scrapyards for items such as the Cosworth back seat (in black leather), Mercedes SLK front seats and Hyundai Coupé overhead storage cubby.

“It feels like I’ve done a lot of work on it,

Rover V8 gives the car the correct soundtrack.

Interior

still needs some finishing off, but it’s in the right spirit.

but really I haven’t,” says Nabbi.

He took delivery of the car in October, and is really pleased with the way it looks. We’ve seen it alongside Andy’s genuine ’Stang, and it’s indistinguishable from the real thing.

That may sound like an obvious statement given that the moulds for one car were taken from the other, but accurate proportions aren’t the only considerations to bear in mind when creating a replica. The stance has to be

CONTACT Mill Auto Conversions. T: 07970 974970.

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spot on, too, and this car gets it just right.

Equally, by modern standards the (still large) 17in wheels look a little lost in the

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wheelarches, but again they’re in keeping with the image that’s being created.

Then there’s all the detailing – and, once again, this car gets it just right. The Edelbrock alloys look very 1960s with their three-spoke spinners, while the door handles, fuel cap, mirrors, badging and private plate all do their part to complete the illusion. In many instances, these are genuine Mustang parts, which are cheaply available thanks to the current exchange rate.

Equally, the panels themselves do nothing to reveal the car’s replica origins. You can see the thought that’s gone into this replica when you start taking in the details. The rain gutters, for instance, come out of the mould solid and are carefully filed out by hand to disguise the car’s GRP construction.

Similarly, a shutline is cut into the body where the bumper would meet the wing on the real car. If you didn’t already know it’s a replica, you’d have a hard time working out that it is.

Because the car is a replica of ‘Eleanor’ rather than just any ’67 Mustang, there was only one colour choice to be made: Ford Nimbus Grey with Panther Black stripes. It suits the car

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I OWN THIS...

Owner: Ghulan Nabbi Age: 29 Occupation: Operations analyst Best thing about your car? It looks exactly like ‘Eleanor’ Worst thing about your car? You can’t take it anywhere without people taking photos of it Fastest car you’ve been in? A Mitsubishi Evo VIII FQ400 Lottery win car? I feel like I’ve already won the lottery with the Mustang!

What was your first car? A Ford Fiesta

perfectly, backing up the no-nonsense looks. It’s subtle yet menacing.

Inside, there’s still nothing to give away the fact that it’s really a Ford Sierra underneath the muscle car body.

The dashboard is a genuine Mustang one that’s been chopped and changed for the right-hand drive application (Mill now has a mould to make them in GRP) and fitted with chrome-rimmed Jaguar instruments.

Mould for the replica was taken from a genuine car.

Owner Ghulan Nabbi.

JANUARY 2008

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READER’S CAR Ghulan Nabbi’s Mustang Replica

Dummy vent.

Lots

of genuine Mustang parts are used.

Shelby

badging.

Replica

wheels look small, but are correct.

Fools most into thinking it’s genuine.

Correct E-suffix private plate adds to the illusion.

SPECIFICATION Engine: Rover V8 rebored to 3.7 litres, high compression pistons, gapless piston rings, high torque cam, Duplex timing gear, fully rebuilt with new hydraulic lifters, gaskets etc.

Gearbox: Rover 5-speed with Rover to Ford hybrid propshaft.

Suspension: Front – Gaz coil-over dampers, Ford Granada Cosworth bottom track control arms, Ford Sierra uprights, Group A Cosworth tubular anti-roll bar. Rear – Standard Ford Sierra trailing arms with Gaz coil-over dampers.

Brakes: Front – Discs. Rear – Discs.

Wheels/tyres: 17in Edelbrock 454 alloys with 245/50x17in tyres.

Interior: Modified (to RHD) Mustang dashboard, Mercedes SLK front seats, Ford Sierra Cosworth rear seat, Hyundai Coupé interior light and overhead storage, Jaguar instruments, Mountney steering wheel.

Exterior: Ford Nimbus Grey with Ford Panther Black stripes (with extra mica), genuine Mustang doors, door handles and tail lights, Mustang and Shelby badging, side exit exhausts.

All black leather seats, black carpet and black headlining are in keeping with the spirit of the car and, while classic car buffs may spot the Jag and Merc origins of some of the parts, nobody else will know or care where they came from. It’s just a convincingly classic looking interior to most people.

I had a brief drive of Nabbi’s car and, while it was never going to be a thorough test, the character of the car shone through in those few miles. You sit low in the cockpit and peer across a simply vast bonnet that rises ahead of you for what seems like miles. All the controls have a deliberate, ‘big car’ feel to them (particularly the long throw gearchange), while the rebuilt Rover V8 is sweetly free-revving and responsive.

There is still room for refinement.

The doors require a hefty slam to close, there are more draughts than you’d expect and the exhausts knock and bang around underneath the car. Nabbi would also like it to be a bit quieter, and he’s happy to tackle all of those issues over the coming months. He also has plans to fit a reversing camera and maybe a stereo (hidden away so it doesn’t detract from the period look of the interior).

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9084

Right now, though, he’s still pinching himself that he’s got an exact lookalike of ‘Eleanor’. Not only is it his dream car in terms of looks and image, it’s practical enough to accommodate his whole family. It’s a machine that fulfils his desires and needs all in one and there’s not another car in the world he’d rather own.

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COMPANY PROFILE Car Builder Solutions

NO PROBLEMS

Just Solutions

What started as a sideline for Neil and Matthew Foreman has become a thriving business. Adam Wilkins paid a visit to Car Builder Solutions to see what the company has to offer.

CAR BUILDER SOLUTIONS was born out of NF Autos, maker of the glorious Ferrari P4 replica. Back then, the firm made several products that were bespoke to the car, so it made sense to offer them to builders of other makes of kit car. CBS was created.

It was in 2000 when Car Builder Solutions first came into being. Initially, it had just three products to offer: snap vents, an air conditioning unit and a wiring module. Sales went well, so the range was increased to about 40 products, all of which were parts and consumables NF Autos used for the P4. Gradually, the CBS business has grown to the extent that it’s now Neil and Matthew’s primary income stream. In fact, the P4 project has been offered for sale as there’s not enough time

Neil and Matt Foreman are familiar faces at kit car shows.

You’ll find all sorts of useful parts, tools and accessories on their stand.

to devote to it. CBS’s range has burgeoned to between 1500 and 2000 product lines – enough to fill the 100-page catalogue that came with last month’s Complete Kit Car. Nobody could have predicted what a success the business would have been from those early, almost casual beginnings.

It’s a genuine understanding of the needs of the car builder that drives the firm forward. When Neil and Matthew were making the P4 replica, they also worked on a lot of other makes of kit cars. That meant that, as well as just selling the components, they know what tools will be best for a particular job, which consumables to use and how to fit various parts for the best results. In other words, sound advice is offered with each sale.

They even have their own DVD which

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contains stacks of helpful pointers for the kit car builder!

Even now, Neil and Matthew have their own projects which they work on, so they know what’s available and – importantly – what’s not.

What really surprised me, though, is the length CBS goes to in order to track down new products. Neil and Matthew have travelled to destinations as far afield as Taiwan, Las Vegas, and Bangkok to add new product lines. Each trip may only throw up two or three new entries for the catalogue, but the firm places priority on innovating with new products (and even if

FIRST AND LATEST CAR BUILDER SOLUTIONS’ FIRST THREE PRODUCTS: Cockpit vents Rivnut kit Air conditioning unit AND THE MOST RECENT THREE ADDITIONS ARE: A new range of gearknobs Lots of new trim New paints

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EVERY POCKET THE CHEAPEST FIVE PRODUCTS IN THE RANGE ARE ALL WASHERS: M3 washers – 30p per bag M4 washers – 30p per bag M5 washers – 30p per bag M8 washers – 30p per bag M10 washers – 30p per bag THE MOST EXPENSIVE FIVE ARE A LITTLE MORE EXCITING: Wiring module – £89 Heater unit – £140 LED rear lights – £170 per pair Air compressor – £250 Air conditioning unit – £479 (all plus VAT)

it’s not the real reason for the trip, it’s a jolly good excuse!).

So how does the company choose what’s worth adding to the range and what’s not? There are two main factors.

Products will only be added if they’re not already available from other UK suppliers, or if CBS can offer them cheaper. Once new products are adopted by other companies, CBS deletes them from the range to focus on newer stuff that’s coming onto the market. It’s a policy that’s worked well over the years.

Increasingly, customers actually visit CBS’s premises. Operated from Neil’s home, you’ll find a medium sized building which houses loads and loads of stock, opposite another building which contains a small, organised office. Recent developments include extra parking space for visitors and a modest showroom. In

TOP 10 SALES CBS SENDS OUT 80 to 100 parcels a day.

The firm’s top 10 selling products are as follows...

Rubber U-channel trim Chrome U-channel trim Polyurathane adhesive Chrome trim Fuel hose Fuel filler hose Car covers Cooling fans Warning lights

Showroom is a

CARS BUILT BY CBS

recent new development

NEIL AND MATTHEW FOREMAN have built plenty of cars themselves, giving them vital hands-on knowledge to help their customers. Here are some of the projects they have taken on...

Seven Foreman Mk4s Berkeley T60 Hawk Stratos Covin 911 Quantum Saloon SR V8 Cobra replica Rotorway Exec 162F helicoptor!

at CBS’s rural premises.

CBS is very well stocked, ensuring

here, CBS uses its show displays, which saves some packing and unpacking, as well as being a handy place for customers to view products.

Car Builder Solutions attends a few kit car shows each year, and you may have met Neil and Matthew if you were at the recent event in Exeter. But despite the show appearances and the showroom, it’s mail order that forms the bulk of CBS’s business. The packed catalogue (which can be downloaded from www.carbuilder solutions.co.uk) generates masses of orders.

Every day, CBS posts out 80 to 100

CONTACT

quick delivery on its product lines. Customer service is what the firm thrives on.

Compact and powerful heater unit costs £164.50.

CBS’s 12-circuit wiring module (£104.57) does the hard bit of your car’s wiring for you. It has the correct rating fuses for everything, relays and full instructions. You just have to run the correct size wires from your ancillaries and to the switches.

Neat storage pockets costs £8.81. |deal for confined kit car interiors.

JANUARY 2008

parcels. A large stock of parts ensures same-day dispatch, which is an element of customer service the company prides itself on. It has also meant that CBS has been able to develop a portfolio of trade customers. When they place an order, they need it quickly.

Car Builder Solutions is a company that’s grown organically, and it’s thrived by offering good service and the right products. Just what the kit car builder needs!

www.completekitcar.co.uk 21

Car Builder Solutions, Redlands, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0JJ. T: 01580 891309. F: 01580 893733.

W: www.carbuildersolutions.co.uk

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READER’S CAR OF THE YEAR CKC Awards

BEST of the BEST

There are some very special kit cars out there, and CKC is on a mission to find them! Stent and Wilkins have hand-picked their favourites from 2007 and attempt to choose the CKC Reader’s Car of the Year 2007.

ADAM WILKINS ADJUDICATES

THESE FOUR CARS should make us all proud. As kit car enthusiasts, we can see the terrific quality that can be achieved by an amateur builder in his garage. Each one is fully deserving of its nomination in the inaugural Complete Kit Car Reader’s Car of the Year contest. But let’s get one thing straight from the beginning; we may have brought together these four cars at Brands Hatch to select a winner, but there certainly won’t be any losers. We’ve seen some stunning privately built machinery over the last 12 months, but picking these four as the standard bearers was pretty easy for Ian Stent and me. They epitomise what it means to build a kit car, each one being unique and benefiting from an overwhelming creativity and good honest hard work from its owner.

In the running are Mike Dobkin with his almost one-off Aeon GT2, Maurice Gloster’s GTM Libra (already an award winner having scooped Car of the Show at Donington), Gary Wakeford’s heavily modified Pilgrim Sumo and Ashley Summers’ neat and tidy Sidewinder buggy.

Time, then, to see which comes out on top...

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READER’S CAR OF THE YEAR CKC Awards PROFILE Name: Ashley Summers Car: Sidewinder Buggy Orginally featured: July 2007 Engine: Volkswagen Type 1, 1913cc Body mods: One off lowered roll-over bar Interior mods: Lowered separate seats in rear (as opposed to bench) Been on road since: 1996

1900cc Volkswagen

OVERALL BUILD QUALITY (out of 10)

engine makes the buggy Car Ian Stent

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

Pilgrim

10

8

9

9

Adam Wilkins

9

9

10

10

Sub-total

19

17

19

19

You can tell the standard of the cars we’re dealing with here, since three of them lose out on maximum scores in this category by just one point (when Ian and my scores are combined). Stent gave Mike’s Aeon top marks, declaring it “a work of obsession.” While I won’t disagree with that for one moment, I docked a point because you can see the bodywork beginning to sink around the flying buttress detail. It’s fully deserving of its high score, though, with an immaculate paint finish, production car level detailing and sublime panel fit.

Switching to the GTM and it’s Ian who deducts a point and me who dishes out a perfect 10. Like the Aeon, Maurice’s Libra has that confident, production car air about it. I felt it is slightly more flawless than the Aeon, but it’s a close call – as reflected in the identical score of 19 each!

a lively performer.

Lowered rear seats are a neat touch. They look great and allow

It’s the same story with Gary’s Pilgrim Sumo – Ian giving out a nearly-there nine and me the full 10. Achieving such neat panel fit with this car took more work than it did with, say, the GTM, so again it’s another worthy high score.

All of which has left Ashley’s Sidewinder buggy trailing with an overall score of 17. We both comment that the car looks basic until you start looking more closely. Only then do you take on board just how neatly it’s been put together. “A lot of thought has gone into things like the roll cage and rear belts,” says Ian. The latter have their own chassis member to mount to, which isn’t a standard feature.

owner Ashley Summers to take his kids in the

INTERIOR (out of 8)

car.

Car

Engine all on

display and looks great.

Overall look is simple, and all the better

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

Ian Stent

8

6

8

Pilgrim 6

Adam Wilkins

7

6

8

7

Sub-total

15

12

16

13

for it. Low roll cage and Image wheels are fantastic.

Ashley

Summers built it over 10 years ago.

This category really splits the field. The buggy perhaps suffers from its basic nature rather than any shortcomings of its construction. Indeed, those specially

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lowered rear bucket seats (in place of the usual bench seat) are very neat, and the orange and black colour coordination is great. But alongside the more sophisticated interiors seen on the other cars, it suffers in the numerical ratings.

That said, it’s only one point behind the Sumo (and, if Ian’s scores are looked at in isolation, draws level with the Cobra replica). Stent described the aluminium door panelling as “inspired” and loved the clean, uncluttered look.

It’s certainly a refreshing change to see a Cobra that’s closer to its ’60s racer roots than the usual magnolia leather. If the hard-top was trimmed, I’m sure it would have picked up more points.

But the real battle here is between the Aeon and the GTM. Ian awarded both maximum points, where I gave the nod to the GTM. Why? The Aeon is let down (very slightly) by the cheap looking Metro column controls. That may sound nit-picking, but when standards are as high as they are here, you’re forced to become acutely critical to choose between them.

I still really love the Aeon’s interior, though. The blue and silver theme, integrated sat-nav screen and high quality trim are top-notch. It lives up to the expectations created by the exterior, which is perhaps its biggest test of all. A quality showing.

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MODIFICATIONS (out of 10) Car

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

10

7

9

10

Adam Wilkins 10

7

9

10

Sub-total

14

18

20

Ian Stent

ENGINE BAY (out of 8) Car

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

Ian Stent

7

6

6

Pilgrim 6

Adam Wilkins

7

6

7

4

Sub-total

14

12

13

10

Whoops, the Pilgrim has slipped up here!

The engine bay, filled with a Chrysler V8, is actually fairly ordinary on this car, which is why I awarded it a harsh sounding four out of a maximum eight.

Ian was a little more lenient: “It’s not the best part of the car, but the engine choice is interesting.” There’s nothing wrong with the way it’s presented, but in this contest we expect the exceptional!

The buggy scores six from both Ian and me, despite the fact that it doesn’t really have an engine bay! With the

Volkswagen engine on show, owner Ashley was never going to let it look average, so it’s clean, neat and tidy in line with the rest of the car. The intricate exhaust system, meanwhile, is striking.

Again, the Aeon and GTM find themselves battling for top honours with the former just nosing ahead (an overall score of 14 plays 13). Both are tidy, but the Libra’s takes a little more effort to get at. Not only is it fixed with Allen key fitments (like all Libras), but that one-off diffuser has to be removed, too.

An incredible amount of work has gone into the Sumo to bring it to this level of replication.

PROFILE Name: Gary Wakeford Car: Pilgrim Sumo Orginally featured: November 2007 Engine: Chrysler V8, 360cu in Body mods: Reprofiled wheelarches, removed windscreen wiper moulding, three-point roll hoop, modified Hawk hard-top, moved and recessed fuel filler, original style air vents Interior mods: Period dash layout, small steering wheel boss, VW indicator stalk, AC pedals, aluminium panelled doors, handbrake mounted on side of transmission tunnel Been on road since: 2004

Owner’s

friend Scott Akister in charge of keeping it clean!

Owner Gary Wakeford has plans for further changes to his Sumo.

Interior is

very authentic.

Chrysler V8 engine is an unusual choice.

If only you could hear the noise it makes in action!

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 29

20

Pilgrim

In this round, we’re looking to not only for the greatest number of modifications made to the car, but the quality of their execution. It’s a generally high scoring round again – and one in which Ian and I have, somewhat spookily, awarded identical scores.

The buggy props up the leader board with a combined score of 14. Pinning down a ‘factory specification’ isn’t easy (the buggy kit leaves such a lot to personal interpretation, there’s no ‘standard’ way to assemble one), so it’s hard to say exactly what’s modified and what’s not. For instance, there’s no standard roll-over cage, yet the low look of Ashley’s car is worthy of points. More obviously, the lowered rear bucket seats required the monocoque tub to be modified. It’s no small job, yet it’s one that’s been integrated really well.

The other three have been personalised even further, though. The GTM (18) comes in a close third, its makeover having been very well executed both in terms of styling and quality. “Superb mods on a design which is already held in high regard – very brave,” says Ian. Perhaps we both held off giving it full scores because we know Maurice has plans to change the rear as radically as the front. We can’t wait to see that!

The Aeon, of course, has already been heavily altered front and rear, while the nose has been adopted as a factory option. Mike really pushed the boat out to create a unique car and the result shows just how far a kit car project can be taken. Ian puts it succinctly when he says: “Everything at every stage went Mike’s own way. The perfect kit car?”

It’s perhaps surprising, then, that the comparatively subtle Pilgrim Sumo also claims top scores. While the modifications here may be far less obvious (moving wheelarches, fitting a modified hard-top, tightening shutlines), they’re no easier to achieve. Top work all round!

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READER’S CAR OF THE YEAR CKC Awards PROFILE Name: Maurice Gloster Car: GTM Libra Orginally featured: December 2007 Engine: Rover K-series, 1.8-litre Body mods: Widened air intake, front splitter, twin headlights, revised tail lights, rear wing, diffuser Interior mods: Alloy column stalks Been on road since: 2002

CREATIVITY & INNOVATION (out of 10)

Owner Maurice Gloster has further mods

Car

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

Pilgrim

10

7

9

9

Adam Wilkins 10

8

9

8

Sub-total

15

18

17

Ian Stent

20

“A great interpretation of the buggy theme,” enthuses Ian about the Sidewinder. “The ride height and wheel choice is inspired, and the one-off cage absolutely makes it.” To add to that, I really like the way it doesn’t follow conventional buggy themes, instead having a very distinctive look of its own.

But once again, the buggy finds itself as runner up thanks in no small part to its intrinsically basic nature.

planned for the GTM which will see the rear altered as much as the front already is.

GTM looks great in action.

Similarly, the Pilgrim suffers in this category. Not because it’s basic, but because it’s a replica. It can’t, therefore, score as highly on creativity as an original design, but that does nothing to detract from the terrific amount of work that’s gone into the car and the quality of the finished result.

So it’s the Aeon and GTM that once again find themselves locking horns – and once again Ian and I are thinking along the same lines when giving out scores. The changes Maurice has made to the GTM are superbly well resolved, adding to, rather than detracting from, an already good looking car. What’s more, features like the twin headlamps illustrate

Engine bay and interior are up to production car standards.

Maurice

Gloster has created a stunning kit car. One of the best we’ve seen.

30 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

the attention to detail that’s gone into the car.

Yet the Aeon takes it that step further.

Where the Libra looks like a pumped-up version of itself, the Aeon is barely recognisable. Rarely does anybody go to such great lengths to alter a kit car to suit themselves, and it’s rarer still to find one that’s as successful as this. It’s a 10 from us both.

THE FINAL SCORES (out of 46) Car

Aeon

Buggy

GTM

Pilgrim

45

34

41

40

Adam Wilkins 43

36

43

39

Combined total 88

70

84

79

Position

4th

2nd

3rd

Ian Stent

1st

As I said at the start, there isn’t a loser here. All the kit cars we’ve featured over the last year have been special, and these four are our favourites. Since first setting eyes on Ashley’s Sidewinder at the Detling show back in April, we’ve been won over by it. It was the inspiration for our beach

026-031 - Reader's COTY - corrected:CKC Edit Template

PROFILE Name: Mike Dobkin Car: Aeon GT2 Orginally featured: April 2007 (WKC?) Engine: Ford Duratec V6, 2.5-litre Body mods: Totally altered front and rear styling, Mini headlights, Alfa Romeo 156 tail lights, Toyota MR2 air intakes, diffuser, Subaru Impreza spoiler, hot rod bonnet vent Interior mods: Two-seat interior, LED ambient lighting, Ultima replica seats, full ICE and sat nav Been on road since: 2006

buggy group test ( July 2007) and richly deserves its place in this shootout.

It’s a quality item throughout and has been put together with a great deal of thought for the final look. The stance, the wheels, the low roll cage and the bucket seats come together to create a modern looking, street fighting buggy. We love it!

We’re also really fond of Gary’s Pilgrim Sumo. Cobra replicas are so often interpreted in the same, almost clichéd, way that this ’60s race car style Sumo so successfully shuns. It really stands out from the crowd. Factor in the immense amount of work Gary has had to do to create this masterpiece and it’s little surprise that he was a front runner in this year’s contest.

Likewise, Maurice’s GTM Libra (featured only last month). Another car

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MOTORSPORT VISION Thanks to MotorSport Vision, the owners of Brands Hatch, for letting us use the circuit as a photo location. For trackdays, contact the company on T: 0870 850 5014. E: trackdays@motorsportvision.co.uk W: www.motorsportvision.co.uk/trackdays

we first discovered at a show, it’s one that just gets better and better the more you study it. That widened grille and the aero aids (splitter, spoiler, diffuser) may grab your attention initially, but it’s equally backed up by the detailing. The revised lighting, aluminium indicator stalks, tiny mirrors... there’s such a lot to take in, and it’s all been executed in a purposeful, well resolved, cohesive way. Park this Libra beside a production sports car and it will lose none of its kerbside appeal.

But it’s Mike’s Aeon that walks away with the trophy. Where Maurice has altered the GTM’s existing shape, Mike has actually created a lot of his car’s silhouette from scratch. The interior is largely bespoke. The doors are his own design. The car has been developed from its track day special origins to one that can be – and is – used as every day

Mike Dobkin uses the Aeon every day.

CKC treats our nominees to a high class lunch!

Engine bay and interior

are both as

well presented as the exterior.

Ian Stent

presents Mike with his award.

Aeon is

heavily modified front and rear. We love it!

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 31

transport. This car, more than any other here, has been taken away from the factory kit offering and altered to suit its builder’s requirements.

We first met Mike in February of this year, and it was interesting timing. Back then, we were setting the remit for Complete Kit Car and decided that ultraspecial readers’ cars would be the core of what we’re about. Mike’s Aeon is just the sort of thing we had in mind (although it actually appeared in the final issue of Which Kit Car?), and Ian and I agreed that it would be hard to find another car quite like it. We were right, and we can’t think of a more deserving CKC Reader’s Car of the Year 2007.

GTM FP:CKC FP

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ALL MODELS NOW AVAILABLE WITH 2.0L HONDA TYPE R ENGINES WITH 225BHP AND 6 SPEED BOXES

Libra -- Designed for every day use but can be evil, brutal and awe inspiring -- Immensely strong and lightweight -- Outstanding road holding and handling -- Libra Touring 2500cc reaches 60mph in 4.9 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 150mph -- Maximum torque 245Nm@4000rpm

From £22,995 otr.

About the company The GTM marque was launched in 1967 and is currently based in Coventry, West Midlands. Our other models include the GTM Spyder.

GTM CARS Unit 33, Bilton Industrial Estate, Humber Avenue, Coventry CV3 1JL

t: 024 7656 1596 f: 024 7644 9225 www.gtmcars.com

New Car – 40TR -- Test drives and orders will be taken from January 2008 -- Ultra light racing and road car -- Powered by a 2 litre Type R Honda engine -- 220bhp and is expected to reach 60mph in sub 4 seconds and go on to a top speed of over 150mph -- Designed as a joint venture with Stadco Engineering

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Insurance

Special vehicle.

Special treatment.

Special rates.

Can you afford not to call?

S P O R T S C A R S

GT

driving 3 Single-seater experience on the road

Choose from a two or three seater layout

www.aeonsportscars.com

0845 408 0016 Or visit: www.roadsure.com

Roadsure is a trading style of Premium Choice Limited.

Premium Choice Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Telephone calls may be recorded and monitored for quality and training purposes.

E: enquiries@aeonsportscars.com T: 01622 833037 A: Aeon Sportscars Ltd. Alanco House, Pattenden Lane, Marden, Nr. Tonbridge, Kent TN12 9QT

Pilgrim Sumo- The best selling Cobra Replica in the U.K Tel: 01273 493860

www.pilgrimcars.com

Celebrating 22 Years of Trading Pilgrim Cars UK Ltd Unit 14 Mackley Ind Est Small Dole West Sussex BN5 9XR

JANUARY 2008

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THIS LIFE

29/11/07

There’s so much to do with your kit car when you’ve built it. Ian Stent looks at the clubs, the lifestyle, the experiences and the fun had by those who indulge their passion for kit cars. Isn’t it time you joined in?

Z-Cars Gathering

Mystery Solved?

I’M NOT SURPRISED that the Z-Cars phenomenon has taken off in such a big way, particularly in the hardcore classic Mini scene. So when the factory hired Curborough sprint circuit recently to promote its upcoming race series, it was very ably supported by existing owners.

Lots of privately owned cars joined the fray, as well as potential customers wanting to see how the radical Mini conversion (and the full spaceframe Monte Carlo) would perform in track conditions.

Z-Cars is setting up the one-make race series to run in 2008 over twelve rounds at Oulton Park, Angelsey, Mallory Park, Croft and Cadwell Park. Cars will run to strict rules, including standard engines, a minimum weight, control tyres, etc, etc. It’s all aimed at controlling costs as well as ensuring close racing. Sounds fab.

LAST MONTH WE showed you a picture of this mystery car, which had just been bought by Roger Speed. He didn’t know what it was and, to be honest, neither did we! And, by the level of response we got from you lot, neither did you!

However, I also suggested that Roger contact the Rochdale Owners’ Club and they, in turn, forwarded it to Malcolm McKay, a freelance journo with more knowledge of the UK’s ancient art of oddball cars that he surely has any sensible use for.

Malcolm was immediately on the case and responded: “The body originates from Heron Plastics of 123 Calvert Road, Greenwich – they started making open twoseater bodies for 6ft 9in wheelbase Austin Seven chassis in mid-1960. Six months later it could be had with a choice of tubular chassis for Austin 7, Ford 10 or Ford 105E power, and with a hardtop incorporating front and rear screens and, in deluxe form (as yours), larger doors. At the 1962 Racing Car Show, Heron launched

CONTACT Z Cars. T: 01964 527725. E: sales@zcars.org.uk W: www.zcars.org.uk

the Europa, based on the deluxe hardtop body moulded as one piece with the styling tidied up and semi-monocoque glassfibre construction with a backbone chassis and Ford 105E or 1500 engines with allindependent suspension. Around 30 were built, then a few more in Switzerland by Peter Monteverdi as the MVM. “Meanwhile, Don Sim built the first Diva GT using a Heron deluxe hardtop body on his own ultra-light spaceframe chassis for racing, and these were subsequently marketed and a handful sold. Intriguingly, the photos of the Diva GT are the only ones I have showing the particular curved shallow windscreen that was clearly fitted to your car.

“My off-the-cuff suspicion is that you either have a Diva GT that has been modified and 'updated' bodily, especially at the rear end, or you have a Heron Hardtop that someone has played with to make it look more like a Diva. Either way, it's an interesting car and well worth preserving – good luck with the rebuild!”

Malcolm, you’re a star. But if anyone can pinpoint it with more accuracy, let’s be hearing from you.

Z Cars hired Curborough recently and had a great response from owners, who came along to play.

Dickens Joins The Hoods JOHN DICKENS’ TECHNICAL article this month explains how to convert your old points based ignition to electronic. Now you might think that everyone runs Zetecs and other modern engines, but as we’ve discovered this year with our rolling road days, loads of you still rely on Pintos and Crossflows. It would have been very easy for John to simply demonstrate the conversion on the workbench but instead he contacted some of his local kit car clubs and eventually met up with the Robin Hood clan in his area, where Steve Knaggs offered his car as a patient waiting for a transplant. It’s a great effort from John to sort this out and exactly what CKC is all about – joining in. Not that it’s been too much of a hardship, judging from the pint of bitter awaiting his attention (see pic, bottom left). Well done John.

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Westfield Cruise To Portmeirion THE SHROPSHIRE AND Mid Wales area of the Westfield Sports Car Club is just one of many that always seems fantastically busy. Area organiser Mark Perks sent us these pics from two of the trips the group managed this summer, despite the rubbish weather we’ve had in 2007. The first was a run down into deepest Wales, to end up at the village of Portmeirion, home of fine crockery and setting for the ’60s cult TV series, The Prisoner, where actor Patrick McGoohan blats around in a Lotus Seven. Eleven Westies made the run in some surprisingly sunny weather.

As well as a Sprint day at Curborough and a trackday at Oulton Park, the group also managed a number of other gatherings through the summer, one of which witnessed the arrival of a rogue V8 Dutton – just shows you won’t find any snobbery here!

Mark, good luck with all

I Am A Cider Drinker...

TO JOIN IN Westfield Sports Car Club – Shropshire/Mid Wales, Mark Perks T: 01743 344595.

E: mark.perksy@btinternet.com W: www.wscc.co.uk/shrops-midwales

your events in 2008. If you, or indeed any other club, would like to invite CKC along on one of your excursions, we’d love to come and give you some coverage in the mag. We look forward to meeting lots of you in the new year.

Vital head gear for any Westie driving!

Run down through Wales to Portmeirion was just one of several organised by the Shropshire/Mid Wales group of the WSCC.

APPLE COUNTRY KIT Cars is a new club launched by Somerset resident and Robin Hood owner, Trevor Rolph. Trevor was briefly a kit car manufacturer a couple of years ago when he tried to resurrect the Onyx Firefly, but he couldn’t get the level of interest he needed and ‘kept the day job’ as a result.

Through his ownership of a Robin Hood he’s naturally met up with other like-minded enthusiasts who have formed the Apple County Kit Car club and meet up for a beer (should be cider) on the first Sunday of every month at the Greylake pub in the village of Greylake, just outside Street in Somerset.

It’s run in a very informal fashion and there is no membership fee. It’s also open to any sort of kit car, not just Robin Hoods and Lotus Seven inspired replicas.

TO JOIN IN Apple Orchard Kit Cars. T: 01823 274944 W: www.applecountysevens.bravehost.com E: applecountykits@aol.com

It’s A Fare Cop! Ex Which Kit? scribe Richard Heseltine moves Z-Cars frame. Mark tells us the car isn’t

in posher circles these

legal for the road, but he clearly gets plenty

days, but it didn’t stop

of action out on the track. Pictured with

him getting his collar felt

GT40 ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB Chairman,

Desmond (left) is Dr John Laycock (right)

while driving a Ferrari in

Desmond Finnan, knows how to enjoy

who, when he’s not taking professional pics

Florence. Luck chap!

himself. A regular at Gold Track trackdays,

on the side of circuits around the UK, is a

he bumped into a Mini owner with a very

track driving instructor and was present to

familiar looking liveried car. The Gulf

give Desmond a few handy pointers.

Gulf Gathering

colour scheme’s a cracker and it looks just as tasty on a Mini as it does on a GT40.

And this Mini is highly unusual. Owned

by Mark Mills, it’s powered by a midmounted Civic Type R engine mounted in a

TO JOIN IN GT40 Enthusiasts’ Club E: membership@gt40enthusiastsclub.com W: www.gt40enthusiastsclub.com

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 35

RICHARD HESELTINE IS an ex Which Kit? scribe who went on to fame and fortune with Classic & Sportscar, Motorsport and now as a freelance journo. He sent me this fab shot of him getting hassled by two female coppers while driving a Ferrari in the centre of Florence, Italy.

Somehow, driving a Westfield in the centre of Birmingham doesn’t have the same appeal. And you can bet that the fuzz aren’t as pretty! I’m not jealous, honest!

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THIS LIFE Living It

Cobra Country Cruise TAKE A QUICK glance through the UK Cobra Replica Club magazine, Snake Torque, and like many of the larger clubs, there are endless area groups with busy organisers co-ordinating events throughout the year. It’s a terrific effort, all done with enthusiasm and for free. Here, Steve Jeal, who heads up the Wessex area of the UKCRC recounts two such trips completed this summer...

YOUR TUBE

“Our assembly point was the main car park in Salisbury – somewhere I had avoided for some months since getting a parking ticket and, although the wardens were starting to patrol while we were having a chat, we were all able to make a clean getaway towards Wilton.

“Our group numbered twelve cars in total, eleven Cobras and one Merc, the latter belonging to a couple who’d sold their Cobra earlier this year.

“Unfortunately, a Sumo developed a misfire at nearby Wilton, with the owners forced to make a roadside repair and then head home. It was later confirmed that the problem was the Mallory capacitor (seems to be a common failing on these distributors judging by posts on the website).

“The remaining cars motored on through Fovant before turning north west to Tisbury, eventually stopping at the old Fonthill Estate main entrance for a photo shoot. Once the centre of great wealth and grand architecture, virtually all that remains of the estate is the entrance lodge (still occupied) and the views down to the lake.

“We travelled on to Hindon village passing through a hill tunnel where the burble of V8s brought a grin to our faces

The group gather in Salisbury without getting nabbed by the traffic wardens.

A quick

photo call at the entrance to Fonthill Estate in Wiltshire.

before we headed north to Frome where we had a comfort break and fuel stop.

From there, it was on to Bath via Brassknocker Hill (there must be a story there!), Lacock village (National Trust but plenty of waves etc from the tourists as we burble through) before ending our tour at Rob Poulsom’s house where we had a refreshing dip in the swimming pool,

monitored the Grand Prix and had a lovely buffet lunch.

“Our thanks to Rob, Mo and his family for arranging the tour and making us so welcome at their home.”

“Our August meeting started at the Horton Inn in Wimborne where Pete and Avril Bryant arrived in their new car. It’s a Dax,

August meet saw the group meet at the Horton Inn, in Wimborne, where Pete and Avril Bryant arrived with their new Dax. L–R are Tony Evans (with crutches), David Leigh and Peter.

Cobras come to a halt in the picturesque village of Milton Abbass.

AUTO UNION V16 FIRE UP

CAUSING A FURORE

This is the most incredible clip, sent in by Alan Kelly, who used to work in the machine shop making the parts to go in this engine – it makes our tunnelling feature look a bit tame! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvTggX3ADlY

A Formula 1 car for the road? The twinengined Furore clearly got this Japanese TV programme excited. http://youtube.com/watch?v=M0B5rRy8afs

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Cerne Abbass giant joined by latterday icon!

like their old one, but has a 383cu in stroker and looks good in all departments.

Pete requested a mention for RPM Sportscars in Poole for all their help with the car.

“The next phase of the day’s events was a mid Dorset tour organised by David Leigh. We set off in the dry and hit a short shower of rain past Kingston Lacey and Badbury Rings but we were moving so it wasn’t worth stopping for cover. Onto the Dorchester road then dived north into countryside at Milborne St Andrew.

Eamonn came to a surprise halt shortly after with a broken gear lever but, in true F1 style, made a lightning pit stop and was away again before any traffic had queued behind us in the narrow lane. A brief stop at Milton Abbas, then onto Cerne Abbas where the naked hillside giant had recently

Big Silly Pumpkin AS WE’RE IN the midst of building our own Adrenaline Murtaya we have been enrolled in the Murtaya owners’ club, more accurately known as the Big Silly Grin Club. The first official newsletter was thrown at me while down at the recent Exeter show and it immediately strikes just the right tone

been joined by Homer Simpson brandishing a doughnut! Strange how some people have been upset by this addition, yet find the giant’s erection perfectly acceptable.

“Anyway, we had a short but very pleasant walk around the village before the final stage to David’s house in glorious sunshine for superb tea, scones and cakes in the garden courtesy of David’s wife Vaila.

Many thanks to you both.”

Our thanks to Steve and the club for letting us reproduce his words and pics.

They’re just typical of what active clubs can offer their members. Well done team.

Why not buy a limited edition print of this fab water colour, all in aid of the Leukaemia Research Fund.

Caterham Print AS PART OF the celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the Lotus Seven, the Lotus Seven Club of Great Britain commissioned a watercolour painting which was then raffled to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund.

Artist and club member, Brian Ramsey did the painting, which you can see below. While the raffle has now closed after raising several thousand pounds, the club went on to get 250 limited edition signed prints made of the painting, and some of these remain available.

Once again, the proceeds will go to the Leukaemia charity. The prints are high quality and cost £125 each (plus p&p).

If you fancy supporting a charity while getting a really fantastic print, then here are the details.

TO JOIN IN UK Cobra Club, Marion Jones, 18 Neptune Road, Fareham, Hants PO15 6SW. T: 01329 312011.

W: www.cobraclub.com

and will, I’m sure, progress into quite exceptional silliness as more cars get completed.

Thought this picture of a pumpkin was just perfect and, as the newsletter suggested, it offers a Halloween with a difference...

TO JOIN IN Big Silly Grin Club, c/o Adrenaline Motorsport T: 01637 889351 W: www.adrenalinemotorsport.co.uk

TO BUY A PRINT 50 years of the 7, 25 Drayton Wood Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5BY W: www.50yearsofthe7.co.uk

NOVAS NOT JUST FOR FUN Amazing clip from the South Pacific Rally showing a Eureka (Nova variant) powered by a Mazda rotary engine competing in a rally.

Watch to the end of the clip! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4wfFiPrikk0

SEEN A GREAT MOVIE CLIP?

TO JOIN IN

Send us the link and we’ll pass it on!

E: ian@performance publishing.co.uk

Lotus Seven Club Of Great Britain, Barry Sweeney T: 07000 572582.

E: memsec@lotus7club.co.uk W: www.lotus7club.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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THIS LIFE Living It Just bought a kit car? Thinking of building one? Then get in contact with the people who’ve already been there.

THE 289 REGISTER Peter Coombes, 7 Poltimore Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7PT. Tel 01483 531051. E: peter.coombes@tiscali.co.uk.

W: www.the289register.com AEON OWNERS’ CLUB Jason Tribbeck. E: contact@aeonownersclub.com W: www.aeonownersclub.com ALL CAR CLUB W: www.allcarclub.co.uk ARISTOCAT REGISTER Carolyn Taylor, T: 01254 886819.

E: Carolyn@autotuneuk.com BANHAM SPRINT & SPYDER BUILDERS Forum for builders http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/banhamspyders/ BANHAM SPRINT BUILDERS Forum for builders http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/sprintists/ BIKE ENGINE CAR OWNERS’ CLUB Chris Darby, PO Box 3805, Cannock, Staffs WS12 4ZG. T: 01543 451760. E: info@becowners.co.uk W: www.becowners.co.uk BLACKJACK AVION CAR CLUB Geoff Ryall Harvey 01244 310891.

CITROËN SPECIALS’ CLUB Carole Chitty, 8 Forest End, Fleet, Hants GU52 7XE. T: 01252 620128. E: admin@citroenspecialsclub.org W: www.citroenspecialsclub.org CHALLENGER OWNERS’ CLUB Tony Kimber T: 01202 693556.

W: www.challenger-owners-club.co.uk

FORMULA 27 OWNERS’ CLUB Simon Laker, 14 Greys Road, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7QQ. T: 01527 457808.

E: simonlaker@blueyonder.co.uk. W: www.formula27.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk GENTRY OWNERS’ CLUB Ray Hill E: members@gentry-owners.co.uk.

W: www.gentry-owners.co.uk GINETTA OWNERS’ CLUB Chris Carr, 42 Farriers Reach, Bishop’s Cleeve, Cheltenham, Glos GL52 7UZ. T: 01242 679732.

E: goc.membership@virgin.net W: www.ginetta.org GT40 ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB Tony Hunt, Treetops, The Woodlands, Manor Road, Penn, High Wycombe HP10 8JD. T: 01494 813222.

E: membership@gt40enthusiastsclub.com W: www.gt40enthusiastsclub.com GTM OWNERS’ CLUB Bob Snooks, 73 Plough Lane, Stoke Poges, Bucks., SL2 4JW. T: 01753 662951. W: http://14.freebb.com/gtmoc HAWKE OWNERS’ CLUB Steve Owen E: hawkesecretary@hotmail.co.uk.

W: www.hawkeownersclub.co.uk IRISH KIT CAR CLUB Jan Adam E: secretary@irishkitcarclub.com W: www.irishkitcarclub.com ITALIAN REPLICA CLUB Roy Kelly, Stoneleigh, 50 Teal Street, Ossett, West Yorkshire WF5 0NY. T: 01924 273619. E: royglyniskelly@aol.com W: www.italianreplicacarclub.co.uk JAGO OWNERS’ CLUB Ian Swindells, 69 Danby Close, Newton, Hyde, Cheshire SK14 4AF. T: 07813 206715. E: swizzjnr@tiscali.co.uk W: www.jagoownersclub.co.uk JBA OWNERS’ CLUB Les Fragle, Brock Cottage, 6 Thistleton Road, Thistleton, Preston, Lancashire PR4 3XA. T: 01995 672230.

E: les.fragle@virgin.net W: www.jbaoc.org.uk JEREMY PHILLIPS SPORTSCAR CLUB T: 0845 873 7727 E: jpsportscarclub@googlemail.com W: www.jpsc.org.uk

CHILTERN 7s E: mark.purves@virgin.net W: www.chiltern7s.com CLAN OWNERS’ CLUB Martin Davies, 6 Crackley Cottage, Coventry Road, Kenilworth, Warks. CV8 2FG. E: membership@clanownersclub.com.

W: www.clanownersclub.com CLEVELAND KIT CAR & SPECIALS CLUB Jo Parsons, 1 Eastbank Road, Ormesby, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS7 9EP. T: 01642 326517 W: www.clevelandkitcarclub.co.uk CLUB NOVA/AVANTE Heather Bank, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9ET. T: 01403 783631. E: deejayharry@lineone.net W: http://groups.msn.com/clubnovaavante CLUB STYLUS BELGIUM Werner Van Loock E: webmanager@clubstylus.be W: www.clubstylus.be THE CUB CLUB Adrian Coomber E: adrian@thecubclub.co.uk.

W: www.thecubclub.co.uk

CLUB PROFILE

Dutton Owners’ Club Contact: Mark Young, 19 Orchard Walk, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 1HA. T: 01386 423899. E: membershipsecretary@duttonownersclub.co.uk Annual subscription: £12 Website: www.duttonownersclub.co.uk General: I’m a big fan of some of the older kit car clubs, several of which do a stunning job of gathering members and maintaining interest and enthusiasm for a specific marque. The DOC is just such a club. The club website is packed full of pictures, details, contacts and everything you could want. There’s a very regular magazine, Dutton Torque, which is one of the best in the kit car world and the club itself is a regular at most kit car shows, organises a number of other events throughout the year and is generally out there to have fun. How much more encouragement do you need?

DAX RUSH OWNERS’ CLUB Richard Pope. E: richardpope50@yahoo.co.uk W: www.rushownersclub.co.uk DAKAR 4X4 OWNERS’ CLUB Jon Hudson, 1 Johnson Close, North Luffenham, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8LL E: info@dakar4x4.co.uk W: www.dakar4x4.co.uk DUTTON OWNERS’ CLUB Mark Young, 19 Orchard Walk, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 1HA. T: 01386 423899.

E: membershipsecretary@duttonownersclub.co.uk W: www.duttonownersclub.co.uk EAGLE OWNERS’ CLUB Helen Scott, 7 Coronation Avenue, Nordelph, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 0BN. E: eagleownersclub@msn.com.

W: www.eagleownersclub.org.uk EURO-NOVA E: dan@euro-nova.co.uk W: www.euro-nova.co.uk 38

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JANUARY 2008

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JZR PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION Tony Simpson, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 6BE. T: 01246 823 895.

E: simpson2006@tiscali.co.uk W: www.geocities.com/jzrpa KENT KIT CAR CLUB PO Box 286, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0UD. E: membershipsec@kentkitcarclub.org.uk W: www.kentkitcarclub.org.uk WWW.LAMBOREPLICA.CO.UK Forum, pics and info LOCOST CAR CLUB www.locostcarclub.co.uk – see the website for your local area representative WWW.LOCOSTBUILDERS.CO.UK Large forum for Locost enthusiasts LOCUST ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB Dave Hancock, 46 Rivergarth, Darlington, Co Durham DL1 3SJ. T: 01325 358731. E: d.hancock2@ntlworld.com W: www.locust.org.uk LOCOST SWEDEN MOTOR CLUB www.locostsweden.se LOTUS SEVEN CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN Barry Sweeney T: 07000 572582.

E: memsec@lotus7club.co.uk W: www.lotus7club.co.uk MAC#1 MOTORSPORTS OWNERS’ CLUB Jos Brownlie E: jos@m1moc.com.

W: www.m1moc.com MARLIN OWNERS’ CLUB Tim Hawkesworth, Astwood Cottage, Spirehouse Lane, Burcot, Bromsgrove B60 1PL. T: 01527 832812.

E: tim.hawkesworth@talktalk.net W: www.marlinownersclub.co.uk MINARI OWNERS’ REGISTER Dave Smith E: da-smith@ntlworld.com W: www.minari-register.org.uk MINI MARCOS OWNERS’ CLUB Melanie Garland, 28 Meadow Road, Claines, Worcester WR3 7PP. T: 01905 458533. E: melanie@minimarcos.plus.com W: www.argonet.co.uk/minimarcos NG OWNERS’ CLUB Bob Morrison, 11 Cox’s Road, Shrivenham, Oxon SN6 8EL Tel/Fax: 01793 783105. E: rmorri1847@aol.com W: www.ngownersclub.org.uk NORTHERN ROADSTERS 18 Upperwell House Road, Golcar, Huddersfield HD7 4EU. E: stuart@northernroadsters.co.uk W: www.northernroadsters.co.uk

WEBSITE REVIEW

Club: Scottish Kit Car Club Forum? Yes Classifieds? Yes Model information? n/a – not model specific Gallery? Yes OUR VERDICT: ★★★★✩ I like this site. It’s quite slickly put together

PILGRIM CAR CLUB Dennis Sadler, 18 Buckingham Drive, Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire PE24 5UN. T: 01754 873727.

E: PCCTheBreed@aol.com W: www.pilgrim-cars.co.uk QUANTUM OWNERS’ CLUB Jan Haines, 53A Broad Haven Road, Wick KW1 4RS. T: 01955 720333. E: jan@quantumowners.com W: www.quantumowners.com RICKMAN OWNERS’ CLUB Clive Razey, 6 Gage Close, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 2SQ. T: 01628 673899. E: members@rickmanownersclub.org.uk W: www.number69.net/RCOC ROBIN HOOD OWNERS’ CLUB AND REGISTER Tim Norman, 97 Beckhampton Road, Bestwood Park, Nottingham NG5 5LD. T: 0115 9192 684.

E: tim@rhocar.org W: www.rhocar.org ROCHDALE OWNERS’ CLUB Alaric Spendlove, 24 North Street, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7QD. T: 01364 654419. W: www.rochdale-owners-club.co.uk ROYALE OWNERS’ CLUB John Kelly, 77 Bentley Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent TN24 0HR. T: 01233 624813.

SCAMP OWNERS’ CLUB Jeannette Edmondson T: 01928 716933.

E: skiqueen1000045@supanet.com W: www.scampownersclub.co.uk SCOTTISH KIT CAR CLUB Stephen McIntosh, 74 Cherrytree Crescent, Larkhall ML9 2BE. T: 01698 889590. E: stephen_mcintosh@bigfoot.com W: www.skcc.co.uk SOUTH WALES KIT CAR CLUB Tony Kirk, 4 Brockhurst Park, Johnston, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 3PA. T: 01437 890015.

W: www.southwaleskitcarclub.co.uk SPARTAN OWNERS’ CLUB Mue Andrews T: 01623 409351.

E: secretary@spartanownersclub.co.uk W: www.spartanownersclub.co.uk SPEEDSTERS – THE CLUB Vernon and Yvonne Mortimer, Netherdale Lodge, Bridgwater Road, Sidcot, Winscombe, North Somerset. T: 01934 843007.

W: www.speedsters.com STIMSON SCORCHER & TREK OWNERS’ CLUB Philip Lyons, 10 First Avenue, Swinton, Manchester M27 5RH. T: 07914 956197

www.skcc.co.uk Website: www.skcc.co.uk

NOSTALGIA SPORTS CAR CLUB W: www.nostalgiascc.co.uk E: clubsecretary@nostalgiascc.co.uk

and pretty easy to navigate. There’s a reasonable gallery of owners’ cars, a busy forum, reports and pics from the various meets and an exclusive members area. As an area club rather than a model specific club, the cars are typically diverse and the club boasts some 130 members scattered across Scotland. As such, the forum must play a particularly important part in keeping people in touch with each other.

STRATOS ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB Nico Alonzi E: secretary@stratclub.com W:www.stratclub.com SUSSEX KIT CAR CLUB Paul Goodsell, Brimur, St Mary’s lane, Tilehurst, East Sussex TN5 7BW. T: 01580 200849. E: joanne.goodsell@btinternet.com TEAM GTM Cameron Mckenzie T: 07909 535469 E: cameron.mckenzie@teamgtm.com W: www.teamgtm.com TIGER OWNERS’ CLUB 57 London Road, Teynham, Kent ME9 9QW. T: 01795 521787. E: tigtal@aol.com W: www.tigerownersclub.co.uk UK COBRA CLUB Marion Jones, 18 Neptune Road, Fareham, Hants PO15 6SW. T: 01329 312011. W: www.cobraclub.com ULSTER KIT CAR CLUB George Bell T: 028 9059 1572.

E: enquiries@ulster-kitcars.org.uk W: www.ulster-kitcars.org.uk UVA FUGITIVE OWNERS’ CLUB E: john@fugitives.co.uk W: www.fugitives.co.uk WESSEX KIT CAR CLUB Dennis Jones, 5 Seabank Close, Upton, Pool, Dorset BH16 5SF. T: 01202 622539. E: djones49@toucansurf.com WESTFIELD SPORTS CAR CLUB Roland Garratt, Rostelca, 7 Old Hawne Lane, Halesowen, West Midlands B36 3ST. W: www.wscc.co.uk WESTFIELD SPORTS CAR CLUB (BLACK COUNTRY AREA) W: www.wscc.org.uk E:info@wscc.org.uk WILDCAT OWNERS’ CLUB Derek Argyle, 44 Woodlands Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3NA. T: 01276 23078 W: www.jprwildcat.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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EVENTS DIARY

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040 Events Diary:CKC Edit Template

There’s always something going on in the kit car world. You’ll find all sorts of events here – big and small, local and national.

2007 SHOWS & EVENTS DECEMBER ‘07 29TH AEON FACTORY OPEN DAY Aeon Sportscars, Alanco House, Pattenden Lane, Marden, Nr Tonbridge, Kent TN12 9QT T: 01622 833037 W: www.aeonsportscars.com

The National Kit Car Festival, Newark

2008 SHOWS & EVENTS JANUARY ‘08 10-13TH AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL NEC, Birmingham T: 0870 040 0396 W: www.autosportinternational.com

APRIL ‘08 12TH/13TH THE EUROPEAN KIT CAR SHOW Kent County Showground, Detling.

European Promotions T: 01233 713878 W: www.kitcar-shows.co.uk It’s the show season opener. Always well supported and a chance to see what manufacturers have been busy on over the winter months.

11TH CHESHIRE KIT CAR & CLASSICS SHOW Capesthorne Hall, near Macclesfield, Cheshire.

W: www.cheshirekitand classicshow.co.uk Expect bigger things from this event in 2008. Lovely location and revitalised contents. Check the website for details.

JUNE ‘08 14TH/15TH LE MANS 24-HOUR France

MAY ‘08 4TH/5TH THE NATIONAL KIT CAR MOTOR SHOW Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

Grosvenor Exhibitions.

T: 01775 712100 W: www.grosvenorexhibitions.co.uk An annual mecca for kit car enthusiasts. Big club attendence, loads of manufacturers and plenty of parts stalls. Be there!

21ST/22ND THE NATIONAL KIT CAR FESTIVAL Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground, Newark.

Newark Promotions T: 01526 320721 W: www.kitcarshow.co.uk Brilliant event that attracts major support for the kit car clubs, and quite a few manufacturers go along too. We had a great time in 2007, and for once it doesn’t clash with Le Mans!

AUGUST ‘08 9TH/10TH EAST OF ENGLAND KIT & CAR BUILDER SHOW Exec-Peterborough Exhibition Centre, Cambridge. European Promotions T: 01233 713878 W: www.kitcar-shows.co.uk

SEPTEMBER ‘08

JULY ‘08

13/14TH NATIONAL KIT & PERFORMANCE CAR SHOW Donington Park, Derbyshire.

Limelight Exhibitions T: 01306 888813 W: www.limelight-exhibitions.co.uk Lots of manufacturer support for this top event and there is always some form of action on the track too.

11/12/13TH GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED Goodwood House, West Sussex.

T: 01243 755055 W: www.goodwood.co.uk/fos/

19/20/21TH GOODWOOD REVIVAL Goodwood Circuit, West Sussex.

T: 01243 755055 W: www.goodwood.co.uk/revival

21ST/22ND NATIONAL CUSTOM & SPORTS CAR SHOW Doncaster Racecourse, Doncaster Live Promotions Events Ltd T: 01775 768661 W: www.customcarshow.co.uk

Don’t Miss In The Month Of... JANUARY The Event: Autosport International When: 10-13th January Where: NEC, Birmingham Prices: Adult £28, Child 5-15 years £18.50. Paddock Pass £34 Contact: 0870 040 0396 Our Rating:

★★★★✩

Simply vast motorsport show with lots of star guests. Several kit car manufacturers in attendance.

Huge number of parts and accessory stands. Lots of live action, great cars – you’ll need to spend a very full day to get round everything and you’ll need to start saving now, because it’s very expensive to get in!

40 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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For over a decade Omex Technology Systems Limited have been designing, manufacturing and supplying quality electronic units mainly to the fast road and motorsport markets. From simple revlimiters to full engine management for V12 racecars, Omex's personal service makes us the first choice for both single customers and volume manufacturers

042-045 electronic ignition part 2:CKC Advert Template

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CKC WORKSHOP Electronic Ignition

Spark

BRIGHT

PART 02

In the second part of our technical feature on ignition systems, CKC’s Technical Writer, John Dickens, joins Robin Hood owner, Steve Knaggs, to help him install his contactless electronic ignition system.

THE FIRST COMMERCIALLY produced electronic ignition systems were launched around 1968 in the UK. They were initially produced by accessory companies like BoyerBransden and Autocar (Lumenition).

The major manufacturers quickly followed suit though, Lucas with its RITA system and Ford through its Motorola division. By 1980, mechanical contact breakers had been almost completely replaced by some form of electronic switching, either optical or Hall effect.

Optical triggers, used by Lumenition and Newtronic (Piranha), use a light detector and a light source with a slotted rotor interrupting the light falling on the sensor. Infra red light is usually preferred to visible.

Hall effect systems use a rotor with magnetic strips to produce voltage pulses in a semi-conductor sensor.

Lumenition, Aldon and most OEM ignitions are based on this principle.

The advantages offered by electronic ignition are: Faster switching of the coil and a longer dwell time giving a stronger spark.

With no mechanical contacts to erode and no moving parts to wear the spark timing is always accurate. Engine performance and emissions are constantly optimised.

Almost no maintenance is required. This is particularly important in some kit car applications where distributor access can be considerably reduced compared to the standard engine installation.

The modern aftermarket conversions available are now very well developed and reliable. In this article I also hope to show that they are simple to fit.

Rather than simply convert a distributor on the workbench, I felt it

Lumenition’s Optronic ignition system offers easier starting, faster and smoother acceleration, reduced emissions and better fuel economy.

42

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Steve Knaggs with his tidy Robin Hood S7. Having been running a conventional points based system, he’s decided to upgrade to a contactless electronic ignition.

would be more interesting to do the job on a genuine car needing conversion. Contacting some of the kit car clubs, they were only too happy to help me find a suitable car.

Through the national clubs I was put in contact with local area representatives, Peter Dunn of the Locost Car Club and Steve Knaggs of the Robin Hood Owners’ Club and Register. I went along to the area monthly meetings of both these clubs and would like to thank all the members involved for making me feel very welcome indeed.

As luck would have it, Steve had a Lumenition Optronic system ready to fit to his 2-litre Pinto engined Robin Hood S7, so his car was used for this feature.

The complete conversion was very straightforward and took about two hours with Steve working and me interrupting him to take photographs. Without interruptions, a typical installation would take the average person about one hour.

The Lumenition Magnetronic and the Aldon Ignitor systems are even simpler to fit as they have no separate power module. Instead, the whole system fits inside the distributor.

These two companies also market high power coils to match their systems, or alternatively you could use the Lucas Sports Coil, but you must use a coil designed for contact breaker systems, with a JANUARY 2008

resistance of 2.5 to 3ohms. Coils used with OEM electronic systems have a low resistance (less than 1ohm) and the higher current draw will damage the power module.

I contacted Steve a few days later for his initial impressions of the system...

“Noticeably crisper performance was the biggest benefit,” he commented, “along with better starting and of course less maintenance. I've not checked fuel consumption but I guess it must have improved.

“The kit was as easy to fit as a set of points and, as I bought it second hand from a fellow Robin Hood Club member, it was also cheap to buy.”

USEFUL CONTACTS Conversion kits www.aldonauto.co.uk www.lumenition.com/new/main.php/ optron www.lumenition.com/new/main.php/ magnet www.lumenition.com/newtronic/system/ index.html www.classicheads.com/Electro nic_Igx.html Fitting hints www.lumenition.com/new/support/lumign/ optron/Optronic_Technical_Bulletins.pdf www.lumenition.com/PMA50ins.pdf www.denaploy.co.uk/autocar/tb05.html

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01

03

ELECTRONIC IGNITION CONVERSION

29/11/07

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042-045 electronic ignition part 2:CKC Advert Template

Excellent access to the distributor in this car. In extreme

If you need to remove it, mark it and the engine block with Tipp-Ex so that it can be refitted without altering the timing.

04

05

cases it may be easier to remove the distributor from the car.

Check the distributor cap for cracks, pitted contacts,

06

erosion or signs of tracking. Replace it if there is any doubt.

Check the plug leads too. Silicone leads last a long time

A typical points and condenser set up. In this distributor the wire exits through a special grommet. You have to lift the back

don’t mix them up if you disconnect them.

plate slightly to remove it.

07

08

but do eventually need replacing. Mark the leads so that you

Lift off the rotor arm. Check the contacts for wear and pitting. Once again, replace it if there is the slightest doubt.

Check for side play on the distributor shaft. A small amount of wear is acceptable with contactless ignition, but too much means the distributor needs replacing.

Undo the securing

11

13

09

screw and remove the condenser.

Undo the screw or screws holding the contact breaker points and remove them.

Not essential, but a good time to

Check that the bob weights move freely and put a drop of oil on the pivots and spring retaining posts.

Left to right:

Feed the trigger wires through the grommet. Position it carefully in the back plate then re-fit it to the distributor body.

Don’t over tighten the screws.

and the ‘chopper’.

positioned correctly and that no wires are trapped or kinked.

12

14

The power module, the trigger fitting kit, the optical trigger

Remove the screws and any circlips. Lift off the back plate.

10

check the mechanical advance mechanism in the distributor.

JANUARY 2008

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43

Check that the grommet is still

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17

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CKC WORKSHOP Electronic Ignition

Using the screws supplied in the fitting kit, fit the adaptor

Special countersunk screw. The trigger fits over it so it has

18 The lenses can be seen here. One emits UV light. The other

Using the screws and wave washers supplied, fit the trigger

22 If necessary, turn the engine over so that the chopper blades

clear the trigger unit when it slides into place. Push it fully on

The chopper fits over the original cam and locates on the cam lobes. Check its alignment before you finally fit it.

23

to the adaptor plate. Once again don’t over tighten the screws.

21

detects it. Avoid touching the lenses if possible.

This is the adaptor plate correctly fitted with the trigger ready to go on.

20

to be flush.

19

plate to the distributor.

This shows the chopper in position. The blades should pass approximately mid way between the two lenses.

Replace the rotor arm. Locate it correctly on its keyway. It sits on top of the chopper unit.

24

26

28

until it stops.

Choose a suitable position for the power module, The completed assembly should look similar to this (depending on the distributor being converted).

Drill the holes for the fixing screws. Steve recommends

within reach of the distributor but away from sources of

Check that the

heat. The inner wings or bulkhead are usually suitable.

Hold the module in the chosen position. Mark the positions

advance unit in both the advanced and retarded positions.

for the fixing screws.

44

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The unit needs a secure earthing point. The stainless body

29

here is perfect, but a GRP body needs a separate earth wire.

27

25

wiring clears all the rotating parts. Check this with the vacuum

titanium coated drills for stainless steel (bought in bulk).

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30

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042-045 electronic ignition part 2:CKC Advert Template

Now we’re into the wiring. You may prefer to disconnect the

Fit the 3-way connector onto the trigger wires. It is not

The power module wiring is: RED – 12v ignition live.

factory fitted in case the wires have to be fed through small

LILAC (Brown on early units) – Coil negative (or CB) terminal.

holes or grommets during installation.

BLACK – Earth.

33

battery at this point.

34

TRIGGER LEADS – trigger unit 3-way connector. The red wire needs to be connected to a source which gives the full 12v when the ignition is on and also when the starter motor is turning. The most convenient point is the positive or SW terminal of the ignition coil provided that it is not a ballast resistor ignition system. If you have access to a voltmeter or

35

multi-meter you can easily check this for yourself.

Start the engine. Connect one lead of your meter to a good earth. Measure the voltage at the positive battery Use silicone grease or petroleum jelly to stop water entering

terminal then at the positive or SW terminal of the coil. If the two readings are the same or very close then you have a non-

and corroding the electrical connectors.

your power source. If the voltage at the coil is 4-5 volts lower

37

ballasted system and you can use the positive coil terminal as than the battery voltage then you have a ballast resistor in the system and you would be safer using the ignition switch or Some electronic ignition systems can only be timed

fuse box as your 12v live source.

36

stroboscopically with the engine running but the Optronic system also allows for static ignition timing using a test light or bulb.

Highlight the timing marks with Tipp-Ex or white paint. It

38

makes them far easier to see.

Turn the engine over in its normal direction of rotation until the timing marks line up and the rotor arm is pointing to number one plug lead in the distributor cap. Note the direction of rotation of the rotor arm.

39

bolt.

Slacken the distributor clamp

Connect a test lamp between the negative coil terminal

41

40

and a good earth. Switch on the ignition.

If the bulb lights, turn the distributor body in the same direction as the rotor arm rotation until the bulb goes out.

Turn it a few degrees more to take up backlash. If the bulb doesn’t light move to the next stage.

Turn the distributor

body slowly in the opposite direction to the rotor arm rotation until the bulb just lights. Tighten the distributor clamp bolt carefully.

If your ignition timing is carried out using a

timing light then the procedure is exactly the same as it was with the original ignition system fitted.

John Dickens’ technical series will return with the February issue

DON’T MISS IT! JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk

45

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• Spares, help and advice readily available.

• Our workshop is open on a daily basis for you to see who & what we are.

• A phone call to tell us that you are on your way would be nice, so that we can rush out and get some biscuits to go with the coffee !

BIG BIG KICK! KICK!

S.R.P. ONLY: £80.00 plus VAT

Available from all good dealers including:

www.fishersportscars.co.uk BGH GEARTECH LTD. Unit 8, Verralls Business Centre, Maidstone Road, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AF

T/F: 01580 714114

Burton Power Tel: 020 8518 9136 Rimmer Bros. Tel: 01522 568000 Demon Tweeks Tel: 0845 330 6241 David Manners Tel: 0121 544 4040 Merlin Motorsport Tel: 01249 782101 Moss Europe Tel: 020 8867 2020 Peter Lloyd Rallying Tel: 01656 724777 Rally Nuts Tel: 0870 750 6330 Kelvedon Motors (Kelsport) Tel: 01775 725457 Distributed by:

www.autocar-electrical.com 49/51 Tiverton Street, London SE1 6NZ U.K.

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 47

048-049 CKC Workshop - torque wrench tool test:CKC Advert Template

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CKC WORKSHOP Tool Test

TOOL TEST Torque Wrenches In the first of a new series, CKC puts some of the vital tools needed in any typical kit car project to the test and explains why they’re needed and how best to use them. This month John Watson gets to grips with torque wrenches.

A QUICK GLANCE at any Haynes or similar workshop manual will reveal a whole range of torque settings required for the various fastenings used throughout the vehicle.

So what is torque? What do the values mean? And why do we need to use a torque wrench anyway?

Torque simply means a turning or rotating force – the same effect as produced when using a spanner to tighten a nut or bolt.

A typical unit of torque is the pound foot (lb ft) and this is derived from the effective length of the lever used and the force applied (see accompanying panel).

By using a torque wrench, a

TORQUE EXPLAINED

Effective Length (or Radius) Force

TORQUE = FORCE x RADIUS (T = F x R) When F is in lb and R is in ft T = lb ft When F is in Newtons and R is in metres T = Nm When F is in lb and R is in inches T = lb in When F is in Kg and R is in metres T = Kg m

Teng Tools wrench had feeling of quality, John also liked the angular scale feature.

fastening (nut or bolt etc) can be tightened to the exact value required by the vehicle manufacturer. Too tight and bolts or studs can be over-stretched and weakened or the parts being held

together may be distorted or threads stripped, the latter particularly in light aluminium and zinc alloys.

Imagine the possible consequences of grossly overtightened wheel nuts causing the studs to be weakened or the threads partially stripped when the car is being driven hard! Not tight enough, on the other hand, could cause problems with gas, oil and water leaks, or even gasket failure on a

cylinder head for example. And what about those wheel nuts again!

A good quality torque wrench will give years of service provided it is used and looked after properly.

So how is it used?

A Look up the correct torque setting for the application.

B Set the torque wrench – ensure you are using the correct scale, as most

MODEL – DRAPER EXPERT EPTW50-180

MODEL – HALFORDS PRO

MANUFACTURER: Draper

MANUFACTURER: Halfords

Model: Expert EPTW50-180 List price: £147.05 inclusive Torque range covered: 50-180 Nm

Model: Pro List price: £49.99 inclusive Torque range covered: 40-200 Nm, 30-150lb ft

THE TEST (max 10 points for each section)

THE TEST (max 10 points for each section)

Packaging/storage Score: 10 Comments: Strong moulded plastic case

Packaging/storage Score: 5 Comments: Storage sleeve adequate but would not withstand knocking about or dropping

Ease of torque setting Score: 6 Comments: 50-180 Nm scale only, but conversion table included when using other units (lb ft). Not easy to calculate. Window for reading torque setting is very small

Ease of torque setting Score: 10 Comments: Easy to set. Very convenient dual scale. Large viewing window

Quality of construction Score: 9 Comments: This was the longest of the wrenches reviewed and is very sturdily made.

Ratchet lever looks a bit flimsy Overall Score: 8 Comments: Didn’t like the small scale and window. Obviously, cheaper models are available

48 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Quality of construction Score: 7 Comments: Nice feel but plastic handle easy to damage if dropped Overall Score: 7 Comments: Nicely made and presented but I have reservations regarding the plastic parts

JANUARY 2008

H IG H

R ECO

MEN

LY

DE D

048-049 CKC Workshop - torque wrench tool test:CKC Advert Template

All our wrenches were very accurate

29/11/07

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MODEL – KAMASA SP3780

when tested with a standard 56kg weight, but the ease of setting the torque measurements varied from tool to tool.

wrenches have more than one.

C Ensure the fastening is not already too tight – slacken it off slightly first, if in doubt.

D Tighten until (in most cases) the wrench clicks to indicate the torque setting has been reached.

Don’t be tempted to ‘give it a bit more’ for luck.

E Slacken off the wrench adjuster before storing it safely away after use – this prevents its internal spring from acquiring a ‘set’ and upsetting its calibration.

Most torque wrenches come with guidance for use, calibration certificate, and recommendation regarding periodic re-calibrating. So buy a good quality wrench, look after it and it will probably outlive you!

CONTACT DETAILS Halfords – Your local store. W: www.halfords.com Kamasa & Laser – The Tool Connection. T: 01926 815000 W: www.lasertools.co.uk (Laser) or www.kamasa.co.uk (Kamasa)

MANUFACTURER: Kamasa Model: 3780 List price: £52.15 inclusive Torque range covered: 10-150lb ft 1.4-20.7 Kg m

THE TEST (max 10 points for each section) Packaging/storage Score: 10 Comments: Well made strong plastic case Ease of torque setting Score: 7 Comments: lb ft easy to read and set. Kg m scale not so easy. Would be nice to see Nm scale Quality of construction Score: 10 Comments: Seems well made and sturdy. Chrome all over looks good

Teng Tools – W: www.tengtools.co.uk E: sales@teamvise.co.uk

Overall Score: 8 Comments: Not keen on Kg m scale – Haynes manuals normally list Nm or lb ft.

Conversion table included in box, but not easy to use. On the plus side, the case also contains half-inch three-eighth square adaptor and a half-inch 300mm extension

MODEL – LASER 0316

MODEL – TENG TOOLS 1292AG-EP

Draper Tools – W: www.draper.co.uk E: websales@drapertools.com

B ESTET G B U DU B Y

B EST ALL OVE R

MANUFACTURER: Teng Tools

MANUFACTURER: Laser

Model: 1292AG-EP List price: £66.86 inclusive Torque range covered: 40-210 Nm, 30-150lb ft

Model: 0316 List price: £45.43 inclusive Torque range covered: 10-150lb ft 1.4-20.7 Kg m

THE TEST (max 10 points for each section)

THE TEST (max 10 points for each section)

Packaging/storage Score: 10 Comments: Well made moulded plastic case

Packaging/storage Score: 10 Comments: Well made strong plastic case Ease of torque setting Score: 7 Comments: lb ft easy to read and set. Kg m scale not so easy. Would be nice to see Nm scale Quality of construction Score: 10 Comments: Seems well made and sturdy. Chrome all over looks good Overall Score: 8 Comments: Exactly the same as the Kamasa wrench, but without accessories. Not keen on Kg m scale – Haynes manuals normally list Nm or lb ft. Conversion table included in box, but not easy to use

JANUARY 2008

Ease of torque setting Score: 9 Comments: Both scales easy to read and set. Has advantage of angular scale feature built in Quality of construction Score: 9 Comments: Well made and presented. Rubber grip on handle Overall Score: 9 Comments: I like this one and would find the angular scale useful, as many manufacturers now specify a final angular tightening after any stated torque. For example, torque to 70lb ft then tighten a further 90deg often used for ‘stretch’ type cylinder head bolts

www.completekitcar.co.uk 49

Europa FP:CKC FP

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www.EuropaSpares.com

Fauld Industrial Park Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire DE13 9HR www.EuropaSpares.com Tel: +44(0)1283-815609 eMail: Info@EuropaSpares.com Fax: +44(0)1283-814976

NEW 2007 CATALOGUE 148 page Catalogue available NOW from: www.EuropaSpares.com or call: +44(0)1283-815609

Specialist Spares & Motorsport Burr Walnut Laminate Dashboard 122x28cm - £31.02 inc VAT

Roadster 7

Speedos available: 0-140/180 mph 0-240/280 km/hr

Burr Walnut Veneer Dashboard 122x28cm - £81.08 inc VAT Carbon Fibre Effect Panels 122x28cm - £37.48 inc VAT Chequer Plate Aluminium Panels 122x30cm - £24.24 inc VAT Cricket Weave Aluminium Panels 122x30cm - £22.95 inc VAT

COBSSR

Turned Aluminium Panels 122x30cm - £32.31 inc VAT

RACETECH

Cobra Roadster Seven Seat An ideal seat for all Seven-Type vehicles where space is at a premium. Designed to be supportive & comfortable - with optional harness slots for easy intallation of 3 or 4point harness. Other options available, plus full Cobra seating range.

CSR7H: Vinyl with harness holes from £186.83 inc VAT CSR7: Vinyl without harness holes from £160.98 inc VAT COBSSR: Universal Seat Runners £28.91 inc VAT

Speedometer Cables (any end / any length) from £20.56 inc VAT To s u i t a l l a p p l i c a t i o n s from £29.38 inc VAT

Roadster SS

Oil & Water Transmitter Adaptors from £4.94 inc VAT

Tachos available: 8k 10k 12k 14k 18k rpm

Roadster SR

from £33.69 inc VAT

Telemetrix Gauges A range of instruments designed specifically for high performance applications.

These high tech products are low weight, slim line and incredibly responsive.

However, Telemetrix is not just about performance.

These instruments look great too, with brushed aluminium bezels, grey dial faces and red pointers, they provide clarity for the performance and race car driver.

Other features include a fully user programmable electronic speedo, with LCD odometer and trip function; a tacho switchable for 4,6 or 8 cylinders and a comprehensive range of electrical and mechanical minor gauges. Telemetrix is supported with a full range of sensors, bulb filters and adaptors to suit all vehicles.

Speedometer & Tachometer: 80mm / 100mm Ancillary Gauges: 52mm Diameter from £28.51 inc VAT

SMITHS TAILOR-MADE INSTRUMENTS

Smiths Classic Range

£346.63 inc VAT

£92.83 inc VAT

from £37.44

£43.48 inc VAT Cobra Roadster SS & SR Seats Rigid tubular steel construction with integrated suspension unit. Base mounted only. Ideally suited to ‘Cobra’ replica vehicles & similar classics. Retro compact styling. Traditional fixed back bucket seat for fast road use. Narrow fixed back traditional bucket seat. Low base cushion for maximum head & leg room. Curved profiled back to maximise cockpit space.

Roaster SR features.: More upright than SS for restricted depth applications. Deeper bucketed than SS for more lateral support. £81.08 inc VAT

£22.03 inc VAT

SS

SR

inc VAT

Smiths Cobra Range

Dial Colours; White, Black, or Magnolia.

Roadster SS: Vinyl from £146.88 inc VAT Roadster SR: Vinyl from £157.45 inc VAT COBSSR: Universal Seat Runners £28.91 inc VAT

Headlamp Shells: 7” & 5 3/4” £135.13 inc VAT

Sparco Race Wear Race Suits Race Boots Helmets Race Gloves

from from from from

£92.83 £43.48 £81.08 £22.03

inc inc inc inc

VAT VAT VAT VAT

from £178.70, inc VAT, each

LX103FF - Clear £16.22 inc VAT LX101FF - Amber £16.22 inc VAT LX100FF - Red (Stop & Tail) £16.22 inc Huge number of classic & modern lamp styles available, please check our website;

www.EuropaSpares.com

Reflector Rims Available £7.04 inc VAT

Including Chrome & Carbon Effect

from £29.60 inc VAT

Wood / Leather Rim Steering Wheels

Wheels from £125.14 inc VAT

Bezel Shapes; Half-V, Full-V, Half Round (SVA), Flat, SAE. Bezel Finishes; Brushed-Alumin’, Gold, Black, or Chrome.

Volanti

Full range available many held in stock.

Boss kits available inc. Billet Finish & Special order.

Type Colours; White, Black, Red, Blue or Brown.

Pointer Colours; Black, Blue, Red, Orange, White or Brown.

Modern Sports-Car Lamps Image 3-piece Wheels Custom built to your exact requirements, and available in a range of colours, to match your vehicle!

13-20” Dia, 5-16” Width.

Cast or Billet centres.

SMITHS instruments made specifically for your car!

Steering Wheels

Mountney Steering Wheels 13, 14, or 15 inch Dia, semi-dished.

Wood, Alcantara, Leather, & Vinyl rims.

Black or Polished centre spokes.

Vinyl Rims from £31.47 inc VAT Leather Rims from £48.20 inc VAT Boss Adaptors from £18.35 inc VAT

from £47.00 inc VAT

1 2 3 4 5 Bezel Shapes; 1.Half-V 2.Half Round (SVA) 3.Full-V 4.Flat 5.SAE Smiths Tailor-made instruments from £27.03 inc VAT See website for full options list & prices: www.EuropaSpares.com

Europa FP:CKC FP

5/4/07

Warning Light Modules Easy install - only 8 wires to connect instead of 12!

BRIGHT6 £29.99 BRIGHT6B £29.99

16:55

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SBS £5.20 metre Std Boot Seal

Delta Switches 10 variants available.

NEW! BRIGHT6T £39.99

6B has ‘N’ Neutral for Bike Engines

Unit offers; direction indicators, battery, headlights, oil pressure, & handbrake warning lamps. Self-adhesive front.

BRIGHTFK £4.98 (Fixing Kit) BRIGHT6: L: 84 x W: 14 x D: 34mm BRIGHT6B: L: 84 x W: 14 x D: 34mm BRIGHT6T: W: 46 (top) x H: 50 x D: 30mm

30 x 22mm with illuminated symbols. £7.45 inc VAT each Terminal Block Connectors. £2.56 inc VAT each

INTATRIM

SDS £4.44 metre

MAGELLAN

Suitable for all Seven replicas with a wide cockpit.

Standard Door Seal

SET £2.23 metre Std Edge Trim

SARS £5.83 metre SelfAdh Seal

Harness slots are optional

Rubber Seals All types available.

Prices include VAT

Miller Oils Classic & Motorsport products available from £4.75 inc VAT

Chrome Trim Rings

More details on our Website www.EuropaSpares.com

Demister Vents

Alloy Motorsport Switches & Warning Lights

Either Push-Button or Warning Light function. 25mm OD. These switches are a high-quality alloy finish, and available in a variety of functions.

Push Button Switches: Start, Front Fog, Rear Fog, Hazards, Lights, Side Lights, Heated Screen, Washer, Wipers, Plain: Latching, Plain: Mom’tary, Horn, Alarm, Air-Con, Main Beam, Boot Release, Flamer, Fan, Engine Start.

Warning Lights: Oil, Handbrake, Indicators, Battery.

Switches @ £18.33 inc VAT Lights @ £11.73 inc VAT

Warning Lamps with Symbols Top: 19mm OD 12mm Hole. £2.94 ea Middle: 16mm OD 12mm Hole. £4.41 ea Bottom: 22mm OD 18mm Hole. £4.42 ea All prices include VAT

SPORTSMAN

Gear Lever Rings Handbrake Rings

from £13.69 inc VAT

Recliner Seat from £184.36 inc VAT

One-Colour Standard Vinyl - £220.31 inc VAT Contrast Piping - £7.05 inc VAT extra Harness Slots - £23.50 inc VAT extra

Polished Stainless Steel 7 Exhaust Stage 2 box & angled inlet pipe. Highly polished grade 304 stainless steel Specially designed for SVA OK Kit Cars, Street Rods, CCS1 &7 Stainless Steel Finish Replicas, £199.75 inc VAT etc.

Static Seat from £159.80 inc VAT

GT Garage / Workshop Flooring Easy to install. Low maintenance. No adhesive required. Fits over existing floors (of any condition). 10 colours.

1 box (40 sq ft) - £146.88 inc VAT

C

Tailor Made S/S Exhaust Shields Can be made to any size and spec with any name laser cut into the side. Listed are popular examples. 25 1/2” x 5 1/4” (643 mm x 132mm).

Please call for your exact requirements.

PS1D Dax Heatshield £75.00 inc VAT PS1L Lotus Heatshield £75.00 inc VAT PS1T Tiger Heatshield £75.00 inc VAT PS1W Westfield Heatshield £75.00 inc VAT

Boot Racks Complete with rubber suction pads. Can be fitted temporarily using included kit, or permanently using captive nuts. Available in Stainless Steel, Aluminium, Chrome & Wood-Slat finish. from £39.43 inc VAT

from £9.52 inc VAT

B A

52mm Gauge Pods Moulded ABS (Black, Silver, or Carbon Effect), or Spun Aluminium (Anodised Black, Anodised Silver, Epoxy Coated Blue, Epoxy Coated Red, or Polished Silver) - £23.44 inc VAT each Widely used throughout the racing industry to cool under bonnet temps by up to 70%.

Sizes available: 1” x 50’ 2” x 50’ 2” x 100’ 6” x 100’

Europa Classic Silicone Hosing These high specification Silicone Hoses have been specially developed to give Vintage & Classic cooling systems all the benefits of modern Silicone Hoses, whilst retaining the original appearance of the Black hose.

Dims: A=38cm B=60cm C=58cm

A narrow seat, with a maximum width of 38cm, designed for narrow sports or kit car application. Available in Cloth, Vinyl, or Leather, with optional piping trim, in colours of your choice. Complete with headrest. Also available as a recliner.

Brake Master Cylinders from £32.90 inc VAT

Special pieces made to order.

Road & Race Harnesses

Aston Fuel Caps from £48.20 inc VAT

Push-Button or Aircraft-Style.

E-Mark or FIA Approval.

Caterham or Westfield.

Shorts or Long Strap.

3, 4, or 6 Point.

Monza Fuel Caps from £39.05 inc VAT

Luke & Securon Harnesses also available. from £34.08 inc VAT

Full Thermo Tec product range available

Sabelt Harnesses from £43.99 inc VAT Willans Harnesses from £50.38 inc VAT

COBRA SELECTION Badges, Brightwork, Hoods, Screens, Lighting, Instruments, etc...

Interrupter Pump Only from £69.33 inc VAT

Solid State Pump Only from £34.08 inc VAT

Aero-Style Petrol Filler Caps Various sizes & finishes available.

Locking & Non-Locking.

Gaskets & nuts included. from £50.53 inc VAT each Lead-Free Reducer Fits into Aero-Caps to allow lead-free nozzles only.

Essential for SVA compliancy LFF300 - £13.20 inc VAT

Oil Cooler Systems available for all vehicle applications. Radiators, Sandwich Plates, Remotes, Fittings, Thermostats, Hoses & Fixings, etc. Example: Ford Escort 1300/1600 OHV post ‘71, with 10 row x 235mm wide cooler, with hoses & swaged-end fittings = £110.16 inc VAT Call our sales office for other applications.

40105K Road Kit 476087K Road Kit 18 Gallon p/h <150bhp £85.78 inc VAT 12 Gallon p/h <130bhp £50.53 inc VAT 40106K Fast Road Kit 480530K Fast Road Kit 27 Gallon p/h <200bhp £86.36 inc VAT 18 Gallon p/h <150bhp £52.88 inc VAT 401185K Competition Kit 480532K Competition Kit 25 Gallon p/h <180bhp £56.40 inc VAT 35 Gallon p/h <200+ £91.65 inc VAT

We are a CARROLL SHELBY APPROVED Merchandiser

UnSigned £70.50 inc VAT

Red Line Additives 85 Plus, Lead Substitute, WaterWetter from £9.34 inc VAT Full Red Line Range Available.

PACET Cooling Fans from £81.73 inc

Heater Systems to suit all types of application: vents, piping, controls, etc.

Full range available, from 8” - 18” Thermostatic Switches - £32.30 inc

3-Speed, versatile heater box, with 4 pipe outlets. 3SHB £156.59 inc VAT

Signed £76.38 inc VAT

Richfield RX1191 Replica Cobra Seat Low, fixed back seat. Similar to original AC Cobra seat. Optional headrest available. See our website for full range of available Richfield seats.

Vinyl - £217.38 inc VAT Leather-Faced - £287.88 inc VAT All-Leather - £POA Optional Headrest - £41.13 inc VAT

Kenlowe 2000 Series Blow / Suck Fan Kits from £100.65 inc VAT

052-053 Where Are They Now:CKC Edit Template

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WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? 2007 Updates

WORK In PROGRESS Over the last 12 months, CKC has featured lots of promising projects, both commercial and privately owned. Time to catch up with the creators to find out where they are now.

Production Hopes For Epona BACK IN THE spring, we featured Garry Gooderham’s fantastic Epona, a scale model based on a Locost chassis. It was his final year project for his Northumbrian University Transportation

Design course, but it was no acedemic flight of fancy. He was looking for partners to help him put it into production, and displayed his model on our stand at the Stoneleigh show. It was highly detailed, right down to a scale Locost chassis, Ford Zetec engine, full transmission and interior.

A few short months later, there are no firm plans for it to go into production, but don’t bet against it ultimately.

Meanwhile, Garry is collecting donor parts for his own Epona project, so a full size version of the car will appear. When it does, you can bet it will be featured in the pages of this magazine!

Dragon Autosports. T: 01646 601908.

E: stephenzebra@aol.com

E: garry.gooderham@hotmail.co.uk

QUICK ONES

THE MAKERS OF the Zolfe Orange have got serious since displaying the car at Autosport International in January and, sadly for kit car enthusiasts, have decided to sell it in fully built form only.

Zolfe Orange as it appeared at Autosport in 2007. Now fully reworked for 2008.

IN THE AUTUMN, Dragon Autosports was hoping to have a road-going demonstrator of its newly acquired Storm (previously the CHAD SS4) up and running before Christmas. That’s now been delayed, as has production of the redeveloped Subaru Impreza based car, until summer 2008.

Prior to that, though, the company is still on target to get a race car built and competing in the Nipon Challenge (open to Japanese performance cars with a class for Jap powered kit cars) from the beginning of the season. Dragon sees this as a way to show what the Storm will be capable of.

CONTACT

CONTACT

Zolfe Gets Serious

Storm’s Still Brewing

The project was the work of friends Nic Strong and Gary Collins, and it’s Nic’s plastic thermoforming company, Spatz Arlon, which has moved the project on – with a little help from some formidable talent. The project stepped up a gear when former Caterham man, Jez Coates, joined the team to re-engineer the car’s underpinnings.

It got more serious again when Stadco showed an interest. This firm did a lot of work on the Ford GT, creating a much bigger car than the original GT40 but keeping the appearance much the same.

Similarly, the production Orange is bigger than the 2007 show car, but looks the same (although it’s still only Mazda MX-5 sized). The car has also been ‘surfaced’, which means the various curves now flow into one another more seemlessly, and the front end has been restyled.

Under the skin, the spaceframe chassis has been put through thorough torsional strength analysis. The Suzuki Hayabusa engine has been dropped in favour of a 2.3-litre Ford Duratec engine (meaning parts supply will be easy for the American market), although a motorcycle engined option will be offered.

“The project started as a bit of fun,” says Zolfe’s Nic Strong. “But it’s become a lot more serious now.” High resolution images of the Orange will be posted on Zolfe’s website on the day the Autosport show opens, and the demonstrator will be ready for test drives within a month of its debut.

CONTACT Zolfe. T: 01527 60606. E: info@zolfe.com W: www.zolfe.com

HARPER HARPOONED?

GTM 40TR JANUARY LAUNCH

We never heard any more about the Type-5 from South African Harper Sports Cars, and now the e-mail address and website don’t appear to be working. Those were the only contact details we had for the company.

The skeletal GTM 40TR has been developed since the concept was shown at Autosport 2007 with heavily revised styling. Power is still from a 225bhp 2-litre Honda engine driving through a 6-speed gearbox. It will go on sale at Autosport 2008. T: 024 7656 1596.

52 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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French Trike Gets Closer

DESIGN 2, RUN by Tony Lafaye, came from France to the Detling show with a concept of a striking motorcycle powered three-wheeler. Feedback for the madcap machine was very encouraging, and Design 2 was pressing on with development until the designer left.

Tony decided to carry on, renaming the company Lafaye Design and calling the car the Raymanta Evolution. For legal reasons, Tony had to make some changes to the styling. The result is seen here, with an improved air intake and new tail light design. There are two front end bodywork options (the one without front wings being aimed at the trackday market).

The trike will be powered by a Suzuki GSXR 750 motorcycle engine and use other components (including uprights and

KIT CARS CLEARED

front brakes) from the Mazda MX-5.

Original plans to show the prototype at Exeter were unsurprisingly delayed, but Lafaye Design is planning to be at Detling with the car in April 2008.

At the beginning of the year, we met Paul Smith, a man with 40 kit cars in his garden. He was in the process of selling some before moving to France, and has had quite some success in pruning his collection.

Two MCAs and three McCoys were bought by one buyer from Wigan who collected them over a period of a fortnight, the Genie Wasp (which Paul didn’t want to part with) has gone, as have two NCFs, an Eagle, and two Rickmans. Sadly, it looks like the Whitby Warrior and Scamp may go to the kit car show in the sky.

It’s a happier tale for the Jackal (which used to be everyday transport for our own Adam Wilkins), Onyx Firecat, duo of Quantums and brace of NCFs, which will be going to France.

Green Caterham Gets Green Light AXON AUTOMOTIVE REVEALED its own environmentally friendly version of the Caterham Seven in the summer. The Eco-M has generated lots of interest since its launch, and was most recently displayed at an event at the Guild Hall which promoted new technology.

This 40mpg Seven will soon feature weather protection in the form of a specially designed tonneau (you won’t find a hood and windscreen here – it would impact too heavily on fuel consumption), and a restyle of those distinctive, aerodynamic side pods. They will also be modified to incorporate some storage areas, giving the Eco-M added practicality over a regular Seven.

Turnkey cars are priced at £16,000, or alternatively you can buy the parts which are bespoke to the Eco-M to fit to an existing Caterham.

CONTACT Axon Automotive. T: 01933 663998.

E: contact@axontex.com W: www.axontex.com

CONTACT Lafaye Design. T: +33 (0) 662 14 49 38.

E: tony.lafaye@yahoo.fr

Luego V10 Stripped Bare IN OUR OCTOBER 2007 issue, we ran a page on John Richards’ Viper V10 powered Luego Viento. At that stage, the huge engine and box had been fitted to the rusty

Chassis mounts for the rear suspension have been considerably strengthened.

Chassis

now modified and ready to be powdercoated.

SEBRING SOON Sebring’s Exalt has been further developed since its debut at Stoneleigh in May, and is due to be SVA’d in January. We’ll drive it as soon as possible. T: 01354 638678.

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 53

chassis, which was due to be modified and sent away for powdercoating.

Now that the chassis has been beefed up, all the components have been stripped away so it can be spruced up. Over the winter, it will be rebuilt, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. John, and his friend Mark Rogers who is doing much of the work, are still aiming to have the car running in time for April’s Detling show.

It may not be SVA’d by then, but it should be driveable. If you’re at the show, you won’t miss it. We’re first in the queue for a passenger ride!

Adrian FP Aug07:CKC FP

5/7/07

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Page 1

Competitive Insurance whatever youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll cover it for less!

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021 Competition:CKC Edit Template

29/11/07

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COMPETITION Sealey Tool Chest And Tools

A TOOL CHEST FULL OF

WinSEALEY TOOLS Worth £540

This month we have teamed up with Sealey Power Products to offer you the chance to kit out your garage with £540 worth of tool chest and tools.

YOU CAN’T UNDERESTIMATE the value of having a comprehensive, good quality tool kit when building or running a kit car. The whole process is much more of a pleasure when you have the right tools for the job. Along with Sealey Power Tools, that’s exactly what we’re giving away to one lucky reader in this month’s competition – and it’s worth £540!

As well as getting a broad range of tools (listed below), the winner will also claim the large, wheeled tool chest to keep them all in, so they’ll always be close to hand. And, let’s be honest, it’ll make your garage look slick and professional too.

THE PRIZE INCLUDES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: 6-drawer wheeled tool chest 25-piece hex key set Stainless steel multi-functional tool set Inspection lamp Junior hacksaw 300mm hacksaw 3-piece pliers set 3-piece adjustable spanner set 100-piece power tool bit set Magnetic collector tray Soft grip screwdriver and 23-piece bit set 11-piece Metric spanner set 52-piece socket set

CONTACT Sealey Power Tools.

W: www.sealey.co.uk

How To Enter To stand a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the easy question below, fill out your details and return it to Sealey Competition, Complete Kit Car, 57 London Road, Teynham, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 9QW. The closing date for entries is 30th January. The first correct answer drawn will be the winner.

Name Address

The socket set in this prize contains how many pieces? (tick one)

30 41 52

Daytime telephone number E-mail address

Employees of Performance Publishing, Sealey Power Tools 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 and Sealey Power Tools may wish to send you details of special promotions. If you would not like to receive these, please tick here

JANUARY 2008

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SEBRING MX 3.5 ROVER V8 WITH 5 SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX, BUILT 1993, IN FERRARI RED, CREAM/RED LEATHER INTERIOR, CD, THIS CAR HAD A FULL FACTORY REFURBISHMENT LAST. BEST MX IVE SEEN AROUND AT ONLY £16995

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Graham Sykes Ltd. is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Calls may be monitored or recorded to help improve our service.

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’*

All prices, technical 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.

JANUARY 2008

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LIVING IT Tunnelling

Adam Wilkins and Ian Stent find the loudest cars they can and head for the tunnels of London. Is this the noisiest road test ever?

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I’M WAITING FOR Adam to arrive – he’s late for a very important date. Not with me, of course, but with the two cars I’m looking at in the fading light of a midweek evening.

Both of us have been itching to do this story all year, and we’ve finally got it together. The petrolheads amongst you (are there any of you who aren’t?) may remember some coverage last year in the mainstream motoring press given to the new craze of tunnelling. Despite a name that suggests it must be something rude, tunnelling describes the pastime of driving through the tunnels of London, late at night, while making as much noise as possible. Yes, it’s a bit silly... but you know you want to, don’t you?

Deciding on suitable machinery for such a scientific endeavour was easy.

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There was no question, no discussion and no disagreement. The loudest car I’ve come across this year (and possibly ever) is DJ Sportscars’ Dax Tojeiro. And the second loudest car I can remember is the company’s 4.8-litre Rush.

So I’m standing outside the factory waiting for Adam to arrive. DJ’s Peter Walker has just moved the cars outside for me, and just firing up the Tojeiro in the showroom is a little frightening. The starter motor chunders for a second or two and then, bam... it ignites like a punch to the stomach. It’s immediate, loud and aggressive.

DJ is closing up for the night.

Employees are heading for home. There’s an end of the day feel as I stand outside on a cold but clear evening... but for Adam and I it’s all ahead of us – I’ve got

butterflies of anticipation.

Wilkins turns up twenty minutes late... he’s been off buying new gloves and woolly hat, the big girl’s blouse. But he will at least be warm. I’m hoping the 8.2-litre Chevrolet V8 in the Tojeiro will keep me snug with its 502bhp.

So, pulling rank, Adam takes charge of the Rush. It’s hardly the soft option – its hugely modified Rover V8 pumping out a whopping 310bhp, all in a car that weighs little more than a postage stamp. I might have to make use of all the Tojeiro’s thump to keep him in his place.

First job is to fetch the photographer, my good friend and professional snapper for the likes of Renault and Honda, Paul Harmer. Paul lives in Kilburn, so we’ve got an hour’s yomp ahead of us, round the M25 and in on the M1.

LONDON TUNNELS - BLACKWALL TUNNEL Date of construction: 1892-1897 Length: 1.3 kilometers General: The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of tunnels underneath the River Thames, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the London Borough of Greenwich. The older western tunnel was built between 1892 and 1897 and was, at the time, the longest underwater tunnel in the world at 4,410ft (1,344m) long. Today the western bore is only used for north-bound traffic and has several sharp bends. The newer, eastern tunnel, opened in 1967, is much wider and has no sharp corners. (Source: Wikipedia)

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My faithful TomTom Go shows the way. We gave the Tojeiro a thorough Road Test in our recent September issue and it’s a mighty machine. It instantly feels hardcore – tight, firm and insanely powerful. The sweeping slip road from the M11 onto the M25 gives us a first chance to stretch both cars’ legs and they look and sound superb, slingshotting past dawdlers on the inside lane. Onto the M25 and we’re instantly through a tunnel – a bonus treat to set us up for the evening. I cane the Toj up through a gear and then blip the throttle to see what we’re dealing with.

Holy mother of all exhaust pipes... it’s like cannon fire going off! It’s instantly deafening and is so loud that it leaves an echo going back through the tunnel in the same way a clap of thunder works up a valley. If we get through the evening without getting arrested, I reckon we’ll have done well!

Of course, we’re slightly used to getting into trouble with these sorts of escapades. The powers-that-be didn’t see the funny side earlier in the summer, when we attempted to educate the upper classes by taking a Dutton Commander up the river during Henley Royal Regatta week. On that occasion we lasted little more than fifteen minutes before being ordered off the water. I’m hoping we’ll last longer this time.

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Into London and we’ve come across the speed hump centre of the universe. At every turn we’re faced with varying degrees of sleeping police men (wonder whether we’ll wake them up?).

Still, both cars cope OK, the Rush doing slightly better than the low slung Tojeiro.

We arrive at Paul’s house and, funnily

DJ Sportscars’ showroom enough to get any petrolhead excited.

Adam

arrives late after buying vital supplies.

Adam and I pose at our first stop.

The Upper Thames Street ‘tunnel’ is

LONDON TUNNELS - ROTHERHITHE TUNNEL

actually open in

Date of construction: 1904-1908

places.

The Dome

looks competely

Length: 1.5 kilometers

amazing at night.

General: The Rotherhithe Tunnel was formally opened in 1908 by George Prince of Wales (later King George V). It was originally designed to serve foot and horse-drawn traffic passing between the docks on either side of the river. The roadways are narrow and include sharp, nearly right-angled bends at the points where the tunnel goes under the river bed. These served two purposes: avoiding the local docks on each side of the river, and preventing horses from seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel too early which might make them bolt for the exit. The speed limit of 20mph is enforced with speed cameras but is frequently exceeded (oops!). (Source: Wikipedia)

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enough, he hears us coming. In a residential road in London both cars look totally barking. But it’s the Tojeiro that takes centre stage – under the glinting streetlights its flowing curves and classic good looks are unmatched. Paul’s other half and a neighbour are both given a short run out and neither can quite believe the theatre involved in piloting something so noisy. While I no longer notice the looks from bystanders, they’re taken aback by the attention. And other residents have heard our arrival – Paul is urging us to keep the volume down, but 502bhp is never going to be quiet. We quickly load up cameras and gear before he straps himself in the passenger seat beside me.

We head off into central London and tunnel number one...

Which almost isn’t a tunnel at all, being partially open on one side and above ground. The Upper Thames Street ‘tunnel’ has an area where we can park half way along – perfect for some static shots to kick us off. Paul’s taken us on a little guided tour to get here, past Abbey Road Studios and the famous zebra crossing where Paul, Ringo and the others took the cover shot for the album of the same name. We’ve also been past Lords cricket ground, through Russell Square and the ITN building on Gravesend Road.

Next stop in the Limehouse Link tunnel under Canary Wharf. We’re after some

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LIVING IT Tunnelling

LONDON TUNNELS - LIMEHOUSE LINK TUNNEL Date of construction: 1989 Length: 1.8 kilometers General: The Limehouse Link Tunnel links central London with the Royal Docks area of Docklands. The Limehouse Link is reported to be the longest city centre road tunnel in the world. On Sunday October 30 2005, a fire in a double-decker bus damaged the eastbound tunnel severely enough to put it out of use for several weeks, causing severe traffic congestion in the area. (Source: Wikipedia)

moving shots this time and Paul concentrates his lens on Adam in the Rush behind us. It’s around 10pm and London’s humming with people and traffic. I’m worried that blipping the Toj’s throttle will set off a bomb squad alert and send other road users flying into the Armco, but you can’t help yourself and the occasional blip sends shock waves up the Thames... it’s totally rude!

Through another tunnel we can’t remember the name of, we turn back on ourselves and head for the Blackwall tunnel and the O2 Dome. In my mirror the Rush looks terrific and there’s no doubt we’re getting noticed, but it’s the Toj that consistently gets the thumbs up and appreciative shouts. Thankfully, we don’t seem to be attracting any verbal

Billingsgate Market will be buzzing in a few hours, but for now everything is peaceful (until we arrive) and set against the dramatic cityscape of Canary Wharf.

abuse and the boys in blue haven’t been seen at all, yet.

By 10.20pm we’re diverting over to the nearby Dome. Illuminated from inside and with its supporting structures lit up in red, it’s an extraordinary sight.

For all the justifiable trauma surrounding its creation, it’s really impressive when you see it up close. We dive into a car park and set up for what looks as though it’ll be an amazing photograph... only for someone inside the Dome to switch off the lights! Perfect.

It still looks cool, though, and after half an hour of snapping we’re on our way

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again. Back through the Blackwall tunnel, we pop out and head for the Billingsgate fish market and a quite extraordinary cityscape background with Canary Wharf in all its bright lights glory. It’s an amazing sight. Billingsgate Market will be firing up in a few hours, and a guard on the gate gets the Harmer charm treatment and gives us ten minutes to get in, park up and catch a couple of snaps.

The air is cool and Adam must be enjoying his new purchases. The Tojeiro and Rush looks wild in this night time panorama – top performance cars prowling the night in search of... tunnels!

The sky is clouding over now and the London lights mean there’s a strong red glow to the whole scene. It adds to the sense of occasion. More great shots in the bag, Paul jumps in the Rush with Adam, to get tunnelling pictures of the Tojeiro. We had aimed to go back through the Limehouse Link tunnel, but that’s now been closed, so Paul guides us to the Rotherhithe Tunnel, a titchy and dirty little thing that was one of the first tunnels in London. Blip the throttle here and I’m concerned we may need an excavation team to dig us out – I behave myself and concentrate on Paul’s instructions from the Rush in front.

Another pause gives Adam a chance to jump in the Toj while Paul and I squeeze ourselves into the Rush. It’s a completely different environment, lacking the opulence and sense of size that makes the Tojeiro such an intimidating and

ONLINE MOVIES

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impressive machine, but the Rush is hardly the shrinking violet...

I remember being gobsmacked by the noise of this car when I first drove it some years ago. With the two exhausts on each side and so close to the driver, the stereophonic effect is like listening with headphones on. Amazing. But after the Tojeiro’s earthquake, the seismic thunder of the Rush is somewhat dulled (what car wouldn’t be?).

It’s also a softer car to pilot, with highly compliant suspension and a Rover V8 which only helps to showcase the amazingly light flywheel in the Tojeiro’s Chevy. Blip the throttle in the fake snake and the engine’s response is race car quick – do the same here and it’s slow by comparison. Indeed, the whole Rush experience feels anaesthetised after the shock of Tojeiro action.

Time is moving on and we’re turning for home. Paul’s once again in London Tour Guide mode. We make our way over Tower Bridge, along the South Bank and past the Imax cinema at Waterloo before our final burrowing exercise, through the Kingsway tunnel. We take this one at speed. The Rush is by no means slow and the exhaust note in here, although quite different to the Tojeiro, is

Both cars have an unhealthy appetite for fuel. This isn’t the first or last stop in our trip!

Dax Rush is the quiet partner in this duo, but it still makes a big statement and is super fast when pushed hard.

still many decibels on the wrong side of sociable.

Popping out the other side, we’re on the home straight, en route via Shaftesbury Avenue, Pall Mall, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Oxford Street.

Yet again, it’s the Toj getting the attention, with the London night time partygoers keen to wave Adam down and give them a taxi ride home – he could make a fortune!

It’s well past midnight when we try to be as quiet as possible in Paul’s street and drop him home. He slinks off to his bed as Adam and I face a 90-minute blast back out of town, heading for Chelmsford and a destination with the local Travelodge. I’ve pulled rank and turfed him out of his steed for the run home.

The Tojeiro is constantly angry. It’s a car full of menace, looking for a fight.

Driving it is an immense experience.

Clearing the urban sprawl, we spin back up to the M25, and speeds quickly rise on the quiet roads. One can only imagine the thoughts of the lorry drivers as our two open top cars flick past under the reflections of the motorway lights, but it must be quite a sight. We’re back to the two tunnels we went through near the M11, only now there are roadworks in each of them, with men working on lift towers, perhaps servicing the lights. I behave through the first half of the first one, before losing restraint, blipping the throttle insanely and dropping two gears for the exit. Wow, this is addictive.

Speed is all relative, but for the Tojeiro the benchmarks are slightly different than for most others. It has such enormous reserves of power and torque that it accelerates from normal motorway speeds with an eagerness that would put others to shame in the 0-60 stakes – it never seems to run out of urge. But

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Adam isn’t far off my tail... the Rush is a miniature rocket sled.

Tunnel number two comes up, with more roadworks! I can’t stand it. It’s our last chance and I slow right down before dropping the hammer big time. The cacophony is wonderfully deafening, engulfing not just me, but everyone else in the same county! Will those toiling on the bridge enjoy our little show? Who knows, but it’s been fun. Big, vast, huge, overpowering fun.

The A12 up to Chelmsford is blitzed in minutes, Adam taking station in front and setting a thundering pace. Nearing our destination we pull into a filling station (not the first we’ve visited tonight!) to put the soft-tops on the cars under some good lighting. They’re a right fiddle (or, at least, the Tojeiro’s is) and the short drive on to our destination highlights how these are open-top cars and should be driven as such.

As we park up and fall into the Travelodge lobby it’s 2.30am. Night time drives don’t get any better than this. But now it’s time for bed.

Not that we have hours to sleep.

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We’re up early and I take the helm in the Rush for the 40-minute blast back to DJ. Roof off and with clearer roads than we experienced in London last night, the Rush begins to make a good case for itself. It’s a great car to cruise around in.

The softer suspension makes it a relaxing drive, but wow, it’s super quick when you really bury the throttle. Full-on power slides are just a prod away and I suspect it’ll easily match the Tojeiro stride for stride up to 100mph. Of course, it’s a completely unique beastie compared to its flyweight siblings with their bike and more conventional

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4-cylinder offerings, but this V8 thumper is a wonderful chariot. It has a much lighter temperament than the Tojeiro, its noise and power there to entertain. By comparison, the Tojeiro demands constant respect. The engine installation is of epic proportions and it’s a car which draws endless admiration.

London will never be quite the same again!

USEFUL CONTACT DJ Sportscars, 2 Edinburgh Place, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex CM20 2DJ. T: 01279 442661.

E: post@daxcars.co.uk W: www.daxcars.co.uk

Blueprint Books DPS:CKC Advert Template

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HOW TO BLUEPRINT & BUILD A 4CYLINDER SHORT-BLOCK FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE Applies to all mass production 4-cylinder, in-line 4stroke engines. 112 pgs. £17.00

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REBUILDING & TUNING FORD’S KENT CROSSFLOW ENGINE by Peter & Valerie Wallage. A complete guide. 192 pgs, 300 pics. £18.00

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JANUARY 2008

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OUT & ABOUT Exeter ’07 The Exeter kit car show is always a popular sign-off for the industry as it heads off to get stuck into winter development projects. A packed hall and good crowds ensured this year’s event topped off the year in style.

THE GREAT WESTERN Kit And Car Builder Show always seems to be an upbeat show on which to end the year.

Predominantly an indoor event because of the time of year, it has a cosy feel thanks to the well stocked halls which are fully carpeted and impressive.

This year was no exception and the organisers had managed to attract an impressive spread of manufacturers as well as a healthy stock of parts and accessory suppliers (always a vital component of any event!). After a tough year for many companies, Exeter appeared to witness a slightly more upbeat industry forecast, with several manufacturers reporting improved recent sales and/or interest. Let’s hope we can build on that for 2008.

CKC had a large stand at Exeter, with both our part-built Adrenaline Murtaya and Greg Murrell’s one-off Flyer causing loads of interest. Indeed, we’d go as far as to say that the Flyer was our star of the show. Greg put the car on the stand to gauge public reaction before deciding whether to take the plunge and go into

production with it. And if the swarms of people who flocked around it all weekend were anything to go by, his decision has been made easier.

Elsewhere there was a healthy smattering of new cars, while Exeter always manages to attract some of the established oddballs out from their workshops and into the public glare of the exhibition lights. Malone with its wild three-wheeler and MDA with its lovely GT40 being two typical examples that are otherwise rarely seen at shows.

CKC’s Ian Stent looks after having a ride in the Westfield slalom car – superb fun.

Son

Charlie was equally impressed!

Fairthorpe given a modern twist.

Countach replica can still pull the crowds.

Just the sort of weird oddity we

love. Lack of front mudguards not strictly legal, but we love the mud.

There’s not

a huge area for the clubs at Exeter, but it’s well supported, despite the time of year.

SDR SPORTSCARS CONTINUES to develop its 3-seat V-Storm. Progress seems devilishly slow at times, but there’s no doubting the appeal of this car. A full fibreglass body package is now in place, although further tweaks are needed for production examples.

Kits begin at £3695, with turnkey examples starting from just £14,995.

We’re hoping for a first drive early in the new year.

SDR Sportscars, T: 0845 3921458.

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

WESTFIELD SPORTSCARS REPEATED the terrific outside slalom display it first trialled at Donington in September. The company took over a large part of the outside area at Exeter, where visitors to the event could book themselves in for a £10 passenger ride with a difference.

ever so slightly frazzled

V-Storm Nears

CONTACT

Westfield Slalom

Banham’s Back PAUL BANHAM MADE a surprise return to the kit car scene when he displayed his new Jaguar replica under the guise of new company XK180.com. The car is a replica of the Jaguar prototype which appeared a few years ago and which was intended to became the stillborn FType. Always known as the XK180, just two Jaguar prototypes were made, and Paul has crafted a convincing replica using only photographs as reference.

As with his previous offerings, the car

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JANUARY 2008

070-072 Out & About - Exeter:CKC Edit Template

As at Donington, the car used throughout the weekend was a standard 1600 Sport, with the optional extra of a limited slip rear differential. With the help of Porsche test driver, Jamie Morrow, in the driving seat, the result was truly spectacular.

Westfield seemed busy throughout the weekend (even in the wet of Sunday morning) and most of the CKC team turned up at one time or another to blag a ride for ourselves.

Even young Stent junior got a turn and everyone agreed it was mega and that Jamie’s skills behind the wheel were nothing short of inspired. Thank you to all at Westfield.

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Madgwick

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

W: www.westfield-sportscars.co.uk

Westfield put on another terrific display of slalom expertise at Exeter, just as the company had done in September at Donington.

CONTACT Madgwick Cars, The Parade, Pagham, W. Sussex PO21 4TL. T: 01243 261000.

E: info@madgwickcar.co.uk W: www.madgwickcars.co.uk

CONTACT

FFR Comes to UK FACTORY FIVE RACING is a huge kit car operation in the States and its various models are now coming to the UK via its UK agent Factory Five Racing (UK). The operation over here is headed

by Ian Hunter and his involvement with Factory Five was the result of getting frustrated with UK fake snake manufacturers. While on a holiday to the States he arranged to see Factory Five

MADGWICK CARS IS one of those companies we hear little about, but it came to Exeter with a brand new demo car and full of positive vibes for the new year.

Painted at the factory in a unique metallic blue, its SRV8 looked stunning. Under the bonnet is a mildly tuned Ford 302cu in V8, while the chassis has been developed to offer more length in the footwells for taller drivers. Other developments include an improved clutch arrangement and revised spring rates for a better ride.

Factory Five Racing (UK), Unit 25, Glenmore Business Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7GL. T: 01722 432364. E: ian.hunter@factoryfive.co.uk W: www.factoryfive.co.uk

Great display at Exeter including both a Cobra and Daytona replica, plus this lovely part-built chassis.

and was so impressed... well, you can guess the rest.

At the show were two different models which have both been built in the UK, being converted to LHD in the process. As well as the Cobra replica, there was also a Daytona copy, and the standard of both was very high. Also on the cards is FF’s GTM mid-engined supercar. Expect to see that in 2008.

With the superb exchange rate, prices are encouraging and the kits are supplied in a very comprehensive form.

is a bodykit which is located over a modified production car, in this case a Jaguar XJS which is shortened in the floorpan by 51⁄2in.

The cars will be offered in kit form from £3500 plus VAT or £6500 for a comprehensive kit of parts, and Paul estimates that a completed car could be on the road for as little as £10,000.

The show car features 20in Jaguar alloys, while under the bonnet is a 4-litre supercharged AJ16 6-cylinder engine.

Scorpion GTZ SCORPION GTZ LOOKED high quality and is based on the Datsun 240, 260 or 280. It was launched at the show.

CONTACT OM Sportscars. T: 01452 781094.

W: omsportscars.com

CONTACT XK180.com. T: 0791 221112. E: info@xk180.com W: www.xk180.com

JANUARY 2008

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OUT & ABOUT Exeter ’07

Edge Devil

Tasty Tygan

EDGE SPORTSCARS HAD a new rolling chassis and the current demo car on display. Main development concerns the chassis, which was fitted with an Audi 2.6-litre V6 engine and transaxle from the A6. The Audi 100 remains the donor of choice, and the factory can now support later versions of this long running model, right up to 1997. RPM Sports Cars is building the latest demo car for the factory – expect it in 2008.

THE TYGAN MOTOR Company CONTACT displayed a Tygan Motor Company. T: 01308 867815. stunning example E: speedster@tygan.com W: www.tygan.com of its Speedster replica at the show and by the time we phoned them after the event, it had just been sold for a cool £30,000! Powered by an 1800cc version of the Beetle engine, this was an immaculate car painted in a highly unusual colour. Complete with whitewall tyres it looked stunning. The interior was no less impressive – awash with tan coloured leather and with matching soft-top.

Sadly, the company’s new 550 replica was not on display and development of this model is still ongoing.

Kit prices for the Speedster begin at £3950 plus VAT, with turnkey cars starting at £28,000.

This Mojo has a hardcore look and, we suspect, an interesting engine.

Interior

also radical.

Pink Quantum 2+2 not something you see every day.

CONTACT

CKC ’s Murtaya build caused lots of interest, but it was Greg Murrell’s Flyer on our stand that stole the show. It was constantly surrounded by intrigued

Edge Sportscars, 49a High Street, Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 7BD. T: 07875 659 057 E: dev@edgesportscars.co.uk W: www.edgesportscars.co.uk

onlookers.

Magnum Power MAGNUM ENGINEERING REVEALED a brand new demo car.

Featuring a Ford 302 V8 and knock-on 15in replica alloys, it’s the chassis and suspension that has always made the Magnum memorable. The spaceframe chassis features fully rose-jointed double wishbone suspension all round and the demo car also features the company’s optional high side intrusion bars for those undertaking more serious trackday use.

CONTACT Magnum Engineering. T: 01295 722835.

E: info@magnum-engineering.com W: www.magnum-engineering.com

Image Monaco IMAGE SPORTS CARS came along with a brand new car for Exeter. You can read a more in-depth report on the car in the news pages of this issue. The Monaco is a specialist trackday tool which is bike powered and full of promise.

CONTACT Image Sports Cars, Unit 3, Matts Lodge Farm, Creaton, Northamptonshire NN6 8NN. T: 01604 505959. E: admin@imagesportscars.co.uk W: www:imagesportscars.co.uk

72 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

The CKC stand had our latest Guide on sale.

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HUDDART ENGINES

Tel. 01270 811427 Fax. 01270 812327 Email.huddartengines@hotmail.com Web. www.huddartengines.co.uk Hankelow, Crewe, CheshireCW3 0JQ

AMERICAN V8 SPECIALISTS

Best performance, best value, most complete engine packages on the market

ONLY HONEST HORSEPOWER HERE! Chevy & Ford ‘turn-key’ units from £3500 + VAT Chevy 383 ‘Strokers’ from £3800 + VAT We are now distributing in the UK • Aluminium cylinder heads for Chevy & Ford

PATRIOT PERFORMANCE

• Out perform heads costing twice the money!

• Complete assemblies, ready to bolt on • Terrific value from £550 + VAT (per pair)

BUILDING DETROIT’S BEST FOR OVER 35 YEARS

Incorporating Venom Kit Cars Venom RT10/GT2 ::: Roadster & Coupé Variants ::: Comprehensive Kits £7050 ::: Massive Engine Options

Veleno ::: Toyota MR2 Based ::: Comprehensive Kit £9450 ::: Sensational Supercar Styling

427 ::: For Sierra/Granada Based ::: Chasis Kits from £1450 ::: Superb Value Cobra Replica For more information on our full range of kit and factory built cars please visit our website:

www.thecar2build.co.uk or call 01527 578464 JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 73

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ll d to announce that we wi OM Sportscars are please GTZ Show Car at be showing our SCORPION d Car Builder Show the Great Western Kit an

Exeter Showground

at the on 17th & 18th November 2007

The Scorpion GTZ kit is inspired by a 1960s legendary Italian race car and is based on a 1970-78 Datsun 240, 260 or 280 Z.

The Scorpion GTZ is available in kit form for self-assembly, part built or fully built bespoke to the customers own specifications.

Visit our Website or contact us for more information Contact Oliver Meulbrouck Tel: +44 (0)1452 781094 or +49 (0)6147 209351

w w w . o m s p o r t s c a r s . c o m 74 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

Adrenaline FP Nov07:CKC FP

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■ Subaru Impreza single donor ■ Factory Built cars ■ Modular and Comprehensive kits available ■ Donor sourcing service

What the magazines are saying...

“ “ “

It’s sensational, 10/10 Ian Stent, Complete Kit Car

” ”

A milestone Kit Car Steve Hole, Total Kit Car

Nothing short of an explosive force Martin Vincent, Japanese Performance

t:

01637 889351

”

www.adrenalinemotorsport.co.uk

■ Turbocharged engine – 4 wheel drive

e: enquiries@adrenalinemotorsport.co.uk

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CKC WORKSHOP Adrenaline Murtaya

Snack

SCOOBY

PART 04

CKC Project Builder John Watson brings you the latest news from the CKC Workshop as our Adrenaline Murtaya moves ever closer to completion.

LAST MONTH’S PIECE on the Murtaya build suggested a great deal of work would be done and reported on this month. However, the reality is that this has not been the case. There has been a hold up on the supply of a number of components for the car from Adrenaline. This is not to say that the factory is to blame, it is just that it’s a victim of its amazing success with the Murtaya and the demand for bits and parts is currently outstripping delivery from outside suppliers. I have high hopes of

receiving a shedful of parts in the next few days.

Although no major mouldings such as the bonnet, bootlid or doors have been fitted, I have been relatively busy on a number of small but nevertheless important jobs which all have to be done at some time in the build.

At about this time, Ian arrived with a pair of very nice Honda S2000 front seats – they will fit, just, with a few mods.

One of the jobs waiting to be done was the installation of the fuel

Heat shrink tubing applied to braided fuel lines to tidy the finish and stop any later fraying.

Fuel lines are cable tied together – don’t over tighten them.

76 www.completekitcar.co.uk

This is Adrenaline’s Murtaya demo car – ours will hopefully look even better.

pipes from the tank up to the engine – three altogether – two 8mm and one 6mm diameter. This is something the guys at Adrenaline had thought about in

the design stage and the floor panel has a channel moulded into the underside of it, from back to front, to accommodate the three pipes. The fuel lines were first cut

The fuel pipes now hanging loosely under the car, ready for fitment. by the screwed on cover which beautifully protects them from any damage.

JANUARY 2008

Pipes are retained

076-079 Murtaya build:CKC Advert Template

to length and then I used shrink sleeving at each end to prevent the woven stainless steel braiding from unravelling and to provide a neat finish. The three fuel lines were then cable-tied together at intervals, pushed up into the channel, and a GRP cover screwed up to enclose them – all very neat, with the fuel lines out of harm’s way and meeting the requirements of SVA. With new brake discs now available, they were painted, except of course for the areas where the pads contact. My reason for painting them is whilst they look really good and shiny when taken out of their boxes, they will be red rusty after the first taste of rain and spoil the ‘through-the-wheel’ look.

The calipers were built up after spray painting with high temperature red paint and fitted to their carriers.

Disc brakes are of course selfadjusting, so once the system was bled out and the pedal pumped up, a really hard pedal was achieved, due mainly to the use of braided hoses.

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The handbrake operates via small brake shoes inside a drum section on the rear discs, and these have a manual adjusting provision, accessed via a small slot in the back plate. These were now adjusted, ready for the fitment of the cables and the handbrake lever.

Adrenaline supply a new handbrake lever for use on the Murtaya and its final position is to some extent up to the builder, but the position is partially dictated by the dash and tunnel moulding which will be fitted during the interior trim stage. However, it is necessary to cut out a slot in the moulding to allow it to pass down over the handbrake lever.

The original handbrake cables have been re-used and clipped to the rear suspension trailing arms, as on the donor. It is then necessary to cross the cables over in order to use up some length before passing them through the floor for connection to the lever.

Where the cables pass down through the floor, slots need to be cut out to enable the donor

Fuel pipes connected up at the engine end – tidy.

Cleaned and painted brake caliper

being bolted into place.

DIARY FROM THE EDITOR Tuesday 23rd October – I mentioned my visit down to John in last month’s report, but here are a couple of pictures from the day, one showing Adrenaline’s Tom chatting to John underneath our Murtaya.

Being so local to the factory, we have been fortunate that it’s been easy for them to drop by with parts. I had been delivering the leather seats I’d bought on eBay, and the second picture shows me trying out the driving position.

Friday 16th November Been setting up our stand down at the Westpoint Exhibition Centre for the Exeter show tomorrow.

Adrenaline is obviously there too, as it’s their ‘local’ event and company director, Neil Yates stopped me today to hand over some cash – always a pleasant surprise!

Turns out he’s managed to sell our bodyshell for us. I had previously messed up an eBay listing I’d done for it, by not being around on the last few days of the auction, which meant anyone interested wasn’t able to get answers to their questions. Anyway, the ’shell has been stored with Adrenaline because they have more space than John and had kindly offered to take it away. With Neil’s contacts, he’s just sold the shell to a rally man. Sadly, the price is just £500, which is less than the £750 I’d had in mind, but he’s also agreed a deal with someone else for the seats and door trim, so a further £200 should be coming our way soon. This lifts the build fund by £700, and I still have the Scooby’s original carbon strut brace to sell, which should net around £80. All told, that’ll mean our donor car cost us just £2220. When you can see how much of it we use, that’s a complete bargain.

Ian Stent, Editor

This is the rear brake assembly, with the handbrake drum sub assembly hidden within the disc centre section.

JANUARY 2008

This is the front disc and caliper. Note painting to stop rust.

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CKC WORKSHOP Adrenaline Murtaya

Drilling mounting holes for the supplied handbrake.

Holes need

to be cut out further back on tunnel top to accept cable grommets.

Here’s the complete wiper assembly.

The complete handbrake set-up within the car. scuttle area.

Position carefully marked for the single wiper drive spindle on front

Drilling out the large 19mm hole to locate the spindle.

When installed, there’s only one retaining bolt on view (which will be concealed by the bonnet).

A cardboard template was made in order to accurately locate the rear lamp units. The process is made more difficult because the lamp is partially concealed ‘within’ the body panel along its top edge, hence the folded top on the card.

Marking the centre point for the hole.

grommets to be used.

On a recent visit to Adrenaline, I collected the windscreen wiper mechanism, the lighting set and a number of bits and bobs, such as door lock solenoids etc.

Turning my attention to the windscreen wiper arrangement, I first marked the position for the spindle to pass through and take the single wiper arm. This hole needs to be about 19mm diameter to allow the metal boss of the mechanism to pass up through in order to keep the blade clear of the bottom edge of the screen glass 78 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

when it’s eventually bonded into position. The mechanism comes mounted on a single base plate and once in position on the car, a single bolt holds it in position adjacent to the spindle. But a small bracket does need to be made up to support the motor end.

Moving to the back of the car, I carried out the necessary work to fit the rear lamps. Each lamp position houses two units, an outer ring being either a reflector or a multi LED brake lamp and the centre unit being either a direction indicator or a rear lamp.

The first job is to cut out a hole large enough to accept the inner unit, but the centre needs to be determined. This I did by cutting out a cardboard disc which just fitted into the lamp recess and marking the centre for cutting with a scriber point pressed through the disc onto the GRP. A drill powered hole cutter made short work of the next bit.

The lamp outer rings were not quite so easy though, because the tops of the lamp recesses are cut off by the body styling and slots

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Hole cutter used to make the hole in the GRP. Cutting sets are available cheaply from most DIY stores.

The result can be nice and tidy after filing the edges clean.

need to be cut into the top of each recess to allow the upper section of the lamp rings to protrude up through into the boot space. Once everything fits and the lamps are all upright, the screwholes were

drilled, ready to accept the fixing screws.

Staying at the back of the car, I then marked out the positions for the boot hinges in the rear bulkhead and cut out the required GRP to allow them to be fitted.

The fuel filler pipe arrangement from the donor is re-used on the Murtaya with some cutting and shutting, together with a rather nice aero style filler cap supplied in the kit. A central hole needs to be cut to accept the filler neck and then six holes drilled to allow the

Our lamps come in two sections. First, the outer ring is fixed in place. light section then drops in.

Because the lamp is partially enclosed in the bodywork, a slot must be carefully cut out to allow the lamp into its correct position. Chain drill the hole and file to size.

The inner indicator

All lights in place. It’s looking good, isn’t it?

fixing screws to be fitted. I have not yet cut and shut the plumbing, but that is high on the list for next month.

One final small job was to resite the heat exchanger for the power steering fluid. I found a suitable spot for this to the right of the radiator, in a position to benefit from a cool air flow from the bonnet vent.

The car was now cleaned up and made ready for an appearance at the Exeter kit car show and by the time you read this, some of you

will have seen it in the flesh.

Always a good thing, I think, to be able to see a part-built car before all the bling and paint is added.

Well, here’s hoping a good leap forwards in progress can be made before my next report.

USEFUL CONTACT Murtaya kit: Adrenaline Motorsport, The Barns, Trebudannon, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4LP. T: 01637 889351.

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

Boot hinges fitted as per the Murtaya demo car.

Up front, the power steering fluid heat

exchanger was relocated to take advantage of the Murtaya’s various bonnet vents.

JANUARY 2008

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Ilkeston Derbyshire Aries Motorsport is now producing the Stuart Taylor Loco range.

t: 0115 877 2404

m: 07940 287456

From designed concept to an “affordable reality”

Doner kits starting from £3400 80 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

e: steve@ariesmotorsport.co.uk

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For all of your braking needs

We have a HUGE range of brake line ends - please visit our website.

Brake Balance Bar Assembly - £23.50 Brake Fluid Delphi DOT 4 - £4 per litre Girling Master Cylinders - the original and the best Integral - £27 Non Integral - £28 Standard Reservoir Pot - £15 Tall Reservoir Pot - £16 Single Outlet Reservoir Fluid Warning Indicator - £20 Tandem Reservoir Fluid Warning Indicator - £21 Tall Remote 3 Push On Outlets c/w Float switch - £15 Proportioning Valve Knob Style - £45

CORTINA Mk2 + ESCORT MK2

GRANADA

DISC SIZE CALIPER £(incl VAT) 245x12 M16 Ultralite 4 252.63 245x08 M16 Ultralite 4 312.55 245x20 M16 Ultralite 4 252.63 260x09 Princess Ultralite 4 310.20 260x20 Princess Ultralite 4 270.25 245x12 M16 Billet 4 408.90 245x08 M16 Billet 4 452.38 245x20 M16 Billet 4 407.73 260x09 Princess Billet 4 455.90 260x20 Princess Billet 4 417.13 285x22 Billet 4 511.13 300x22 Billet 4 740.25 325x30 Billet 4 804.88

DISC SIZE CALIPER £(incl VAT) 290x28 Billet 4 (One Piece Disc) 513 300x28 Billet 4 (Two Piece Disc) 740 325x30 Billet 4 (Two Piece Disc) 804 736 300x32 Monster 4 (1 Piece Disc) 335x32 Monster 4 (2 Piece Disc) 1057 360x32 Monster 4 (2 Piece Disc) 1175

CATERHAM DISC SIZE CALIPER £(incl VAT) 232x09 Caterham Ultralite 4 260.85 260x10 Caterham Ultralite 4 298.45

Hi Spec Ally Hubs

SIERRA DISC SIZE CALIPER 260x24 Sierra Ultralite 4 260x08 Sierra Ultralite 4 283x24 Radial Ultralite 4 300x22 Radial Ultralite 4 260x24 Billet 4 283x24 Billet 4 300x22 Billet 4 325x30 Billet 4

£(incl VAT) 258 298 314 573 446 502 740 804

Hand Brake Caliper

“347”cu in [“5686”cc] SBF V8 440 bhp @ 6000rpm Engine Assembly Based on 302W Size Cylinder Block Built in the UK by engineers at Real Steel, with over 35 years experience. All engines are dyno tested here at Real Steel on our Superflow 901 Dyno. Each unit has a return to base warranty, please ask for a copy. These engines are also suitable for use at “Track-Day” events. Block is painted blue. SVA versions are available for Kit Car use.

Top American brands are used, here are some of them- Eagle 4340 forged crankshaft & “H” beam conrods. Keith Black 2618 forged pistons, Moroso main cap girdle with windage tray, ARP bolts & studs, Clevite crank & cam bearings & brass core plugs, Perfect Circle Plasma Moly piston rings, Melling oil pump, Moroso or Canton winged front sump & pickup, Cloyes Timing set, Competition Cams Hydraulic Roller camshaft- 230/230 @ 110 // .544”/.544” [minimum maintenance], pushrods, & roller rockers, Sealed Power lifters, Dart Aluminium cylinder heads, with 2.02”/1.60” stainless valves, 10.5:1 compression ratio requires the use of super unleaded fuel. Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap inlet manifold, Holley 750cfm vacuum secondary carb, fully tuned on the dyno, Ford Racing tall aluminium rocker covers, Mallory electronic distributor, Moroso “spiral core” 8mm plug leads, March billet alternator mount & billet pulleys, Airtex aluminium water pump with LH inlet. No starter motor or flywheel. [We will balance customers flywheel, for this engine].

95% of all machining operations carried out on a Rottler F-65A CNC type machine, on our premises.

Every engine is finely balanced to 2 grams or less. Run in & ready to use.

Options: Rocker cover type, colour of plug leads, method of holding plug leads, air cleaner type, which side water pump inlet is on, “V”-belt drive or 6 rib to drive alternator & water pump, internal or external regulator on alternator, plain or chrome alternator, block painted a different colour [if engine is ordered that way], distributor type, lesser horsepower, cast crankshaft & hypereutectic pistons. Some options will affect the total price.

Torque: This engine has very good torque or pulling power. Maximum torque is 422 lb ft @ 5000rpm.

Torque is over 368ft lbs beween 3000 and 6000rpm. Ask for a copy of the power graph.

Unit 9, Tomo Industrial Estate, Packet Boat Lane, Cowley, Middlesex, UB8 2JP Telephone: 01895 440505 Fax: 01895 422047 E-mail: sales@realsteel.co.uk Website: [under construction] www.realsteel.co.uk Catalogue: £3.40inc p&p

JANUARY 2008

Size & Weight: Length- front of w/pump pulley to b/housing face on rear of cyl block = 29-1/ 8” . Width- at upper outer edge of rocker covers 20”, oil filter , dipstick & alternator are not taken into account. Height- 28-3/4” from sump to a/cleaner nut, Weight- 187kg/412lbs, excl oil, flywheel & starter. All dimensions /weights are approximate. e&oe

www.completekitcar.co.uk 81

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READER’S CAR Blackjack Avion

Heart

TRANSPLANT Pat Darragh’s Moto Guzzi engined Blackjack Avion is unique and gives him the power he found lacking with the original Citroën 2CV engine.

IAN STENT MET HIM

82 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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PAT DARRAGH DOES not appear to be a pensioner content to while away the years pruning the roses or playing bridge.

Finding himself on his own again at the age of seventy, he knew he needed a project to focus his mind, but he wasn’t about to settle for any of the old clichés.

“I’ve always been a DIY sort of person,” he explains. He was an avid biker in the early ’50s, built a Gentry MG TF replica in the ’80s and has always serviced his own cars.

So in 2001 he visited the kit car show at Exeter but wasn’t taken by anything he saw there. He’d collected a few brochures and over the winter continued his research. While he wasn’t specifically looking for a 3-wheeler, he had considered a Messerschmitt replica, but discounted the idea when he struggled to get any sense from the company who offered one.

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But his winter musings did bring the Blackjack Avion up on his radar. Living in Bideford, Devon, the Cornish manufacturer was close to him by comparison to most others, and he was taken by the car’s lines. A springtime visit soon followed “I liked what I saw,” he remembers. Both the quality of the kit and the enthusiasm of designer and manufacturer, Richard Oakes, greatly appealed. Pat took the plunge and placed an order.

In the meantime, he needed to find a suitable donor car. He knew nothing about the Citroën 2CV, but soon found that they were thin on the ground. Putting the word out that he was looking for one, he eventually received a call from someone who had a car that was just about to fail its MoT. Pat went for a look, a deal was done, and the owner trailered the car back to

JANUARY 2008

Pat Darragh’s Blackjack Avion looks as though it was always made for the Guzzi engine.

www.completekitcar.co.uk 83

Pat’s house on the very same day!

As my day with Pat progresses, it’s clear that very little about cars (or bikes, for that matter) daunts him. The relevant components (engine, front suspension, steering and rear hubs, etc) were soon pulled from the car and, where relevant, sent away for shot blasting and stove enamelling.

Pat didn’t set himself a standard to maintain or a budget to stick to. He simply did what he felt was necessary and, for the most part, it’s abundantly clear from the end product that he’s very thorough in his work.

That said, he was happy to take his chances with the 2CV engine, which had only 64,000 miles on the clock and appeared to run perfectly in the donor. It was cleaned and installed with no internal refurbishment.

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READER’S CAR Blackjack Avion Pat was not looking to personalise his car to any great degree. The build followed the recommended route suggested by Blackjack and everything was largely standard.

His choice of colour (VW Flash red) had been decided on before the kit had even arrived, and it dictated that the interior trim would therefore be black. A local company did him an excellent deal on the sprayjob (just £600) and he ended up doing most of the trimming himself after being dissatisfied with the work of a professional initially tasked with the job.

Just four months after starting work on the project, the car was finished. There was no SVA to worry about at the time, and the Avion retained the original Citroën number plate.

Response to the Blackjack has always been positive and Pat has used it quite extensively, going to kit car and other motoring shows all over the country and clocking up around 3000 miles each year.

But he did find the Citroën 2CV engine lacking in power, particularly when driving up some of the long hills on the larger Devonshire roads. Tuning the 2CV lump to improve on its titchy 26bhp was never a serious consideration, but it was via his membership of the highly active Citroën Specials Club, that he came across an enthusiast in Germany who had managed to graft a bike engine onto the front of a Lomax 3-wheeler.

Largely standard Avion dash utilises original Citroën 2CV speedo, with aftermarket rev counter mounted on the steering column.

JOIN THE CLUB Citroën Specials Club, Carole Chitty, 8 Forest End, Fleet, Hants GU52 7XE. T: 01252 620128.

E: admin@citroënspecialsclub.org W: www.citroënspecialsclub.org

Spoked wheels are a costly option which greatly adds to the Avion’s appeal.

The engine in question was from a Moto Guzzi and you’ll also find them on the front of Pembleton three and fourwheelers, as well as JZRs. In the instance of the Lomax, Claus Gartner had grafted the 1000 V-twin motor onto the Citroën gearbox via an adaptor plate and two spacer rings needed to link the bike crankshaft to the Citroën flywheel. It all sounds easy enough and the 60bhp offered by the Guzzi lump, although not large by modern superbike engines, offered a terrific hike in power over the Citroën engine.

Before taking the plunge, Pat wanted to contact Richard Oakes and get his reaction to the proposed upgrade. Thankfully, Richard was very open to the idea and

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admitted that he was surprised no-one had suggested it before! It was the blessing that Pat had hoped for, and he wasted no time in contacting Claus to see if he could buy the necessary conversion parts.

But finding a Guzzi engine of the right period was another matter. The unit he wanted was from the ’70s and ’80s and he simply couldn’t find one for months, before eventually coming across someone at a show who claimed to have enough bits in boxes to make up an engine!

Pat bought the bits, got them home and began the reassembly process. It was then that he found one piston was broken and the other was also in a bad way, but salvageable. Eventually tracking down

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Single bench seat is a lovely design touch from Blackjack designer, Richard Oakes.

Moto Guzzi engine fits beautifully in the

another piston, the rebuild progressed to plan and the complete unit was eventually ready for installation... but would it fit?

The Blackjack chassis essentially hangs the Citroën engine off the front of two main chassis rails. With the old engine removed and the Guzzi engine sat in place, it fitted almost perfectly. At the back, the Citroën gearbox was obviously still in situ and provided the rear location for the engine, while up front some new engine mounts were made which used the existing Blackjack location points.

The adaptor plate supplied by Claus fitted perfectly and the Guzzi lump was soon meshed in with the Citroën gearbox.

More complicated was the plumbing and cabling for the new engine, with its twin carbs requiring double the number of everything previously required for the Citroën lump.

As with everything to this point, Pat remained undaunted by any of the challenges, always confident that a fix was possible.

But even he was a little nervous when it came to the Avion’s beautiful front bonnet.

As expected, when he lowered the standard bonnet over the new engine, it didn’t fit. The big V-layout of the two cylinders was very different to the flat setup on the Citroën and some sizeable chunks would have to be hacked out of the fibreglass before the bonnet would sit back in the correct position.

“I had to summon up a lot of courage,” admits Pat, before he could start the

process of modification. Covering the whole front of the nosecone with masking tape, he began removing fibreglass in small amounts on either side of the bonnet.

Working by degrees, he could fine-tune his

Avion, V-twin layout demands mods to the bonnet and additional plumbing for twin carbs etc.

I BUILT THIS...

Owner: Pat Darragh Age: 75 Occupation: Retired Are you a member of the club? Citroën Specials Club, North Devon Sports and Classic Car Club Best thing about your car? The performance Worst thing about your car? Vibration from the V-twin engine through the chassis Best bargain? Paint

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 85

CONTACT Blackjack Cars, Unit 5, Water-Ma-Trout Ind. Estate, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0LW. T: 01326 574464. E: info@blackjackzero.com W: www.blackjackzero.com

trimming to the point where he had the bonnet back down in place, and with the minimum of fibreglass removed.

But it wasn’t perfect. A small bulge in the bonnet had to be partially cut away and elsewhere he was left with a trimmed area that lacked any return edges. It didn’t look quite right. Returning to the bodyshop who originally painted the car, he got them to rebuild the returns, remove what was left of the bonnet bulge and replace it with new and flat fibreglass.

Finally repainted, the end result looks completely in tune with the rest of the Avion design.

Out on the road, the transformation in

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READER’S CAR Blackjack Avion power delivery has been dramatic. The old V-twin may only have 60bhp and a rev limit similar to a conventional car, but it remains a significant step up in performance. Dispatching the long hills is now done with ease and Pat’s not keen for me to mention some of the speeds he manages in the car – it’s certainly rapid!

Watching him driving the Avion to the photo location I’m struck by two things.

The first is that I’m constantly finding myself expecting to see him physically have to push the car backwards. Bike engines have no reverse gear, which can be a significant handicap in most modern bike-powered kit cars. But of course Pat has a reverse gear, because he’s driving through the standard Citroën gearbox!

Secondly, the car still has the same puttering exhaust note of the 2CV. The rear silencer remains the same, even though Pat had to have new downpipes fabricated for the car. I’d expected a much more modern V-twin thunder similar to that you get from a Ducati, but this is

THE GUZZI CONVERSION We found a wealth of information on installing the Guzzi engine onto the front of a Citroën based kit car via the excellent Pembleton Owners and Builders’ Forum. Claus Gartner posts here and it seems others can supply the necessary components for the conversions.

W: www.pembleton.co.uk/bulletinboard

Pat Darragh wasn’t daunted by much when he built his unique Blackjack Avion.

‘Red Baron’ motiff seems apt when you see this crazy machine in action.

absolutely a period thrap.

And because of the engine’s limited rev ability, decent torque and Citroën cogs, Pat doesn’t seem to suffer any of the pulling away from a standstill issues that most owners of bike-powered kit cars will know so well. Indeed, most of the time Pat pulls away in second gear!

It all means the conversion is one that Pat can wholly recommend others to consider.

There appear to be almost no downsides (perhaps apart from availability of Guzzi components) while the improvements in both torque and outright performance are startling.

Now in his seventy fifth year, Pat seems in no mind to slow things down. Alongside the Blackjack in his garage, he’s just coming to the end of a three year ground up restoration of a 1940s Triumph motorbike. He’s built it to exactly the same finish as the original bike his dad gave him when he was a teenager and it’s clearly his pride and joy.

And now that the Blackjack is finished I wouldn’t want to rule out the possibility that he might build another kit car. Funding is obviously an issue

and he is also very conscious of the fact that he needs to be able to physically manhandle any of the components he buys. But I wouldn’t want to bet against Pat driving something completely different by the time he hits eighty.

Would that make him the oldest kit car builder in the UK? Why not contact us if you know of anyone older who’s still getting busy in the garage. We’d love to hear from you.

OWNER RATING PAT DARRAGH (OUT OF TEN) THE BUILD Kit quality Manufacturer back-up Build manual Ease of build Ease of SVA compliance

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ON THE ROAD 10 10 9 10 n/a

Performance Handling Brakes Smile factor Value for money

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Christmas cheer from SVC! On the First Day of Christmas I got from sVc A Made to Measure Screen Wiper Set On the Third Day of Christmas I got from sVc A 3 Speed Finland Heater On the Fifth Day of Christmas I got from sVc Five Chrome Instrument Bezels On the Seventh Day of Christmas I got from sVc 7” Quadoptic Lenses On the Ninth Day of Christmas I got from sVc Nine Linked Relay Holders

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On the Eleventh Day of Christmas I got from sVc An 11” Pacet Cooling Fan

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Make sure you and your car get what you need, order your own presents from sVc. JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 87

MR2 Kits FP:CKC FP

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Page 1

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Contact us on 01909 731187 Or visit us at Units 8/10 Harrison Drive Ind.Est. Langold Worksop S81 9RL Web Site : www.mksportscars.co.uk www.completekitcar.co.uk 89

30/11/07

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RUNNING REPORTS Want to know what it’s like building a kit car in the real world? Complete Kit Car’s Running Reporters are doing just that.

PROFILE

Reporter: Justin Yates Project: Aeon GT3 Spider Age: 35 Occupation: Motor Trader Project start: January 2007

IT FAILED... MISERABLY – twice in fact.

It’s not been a good month in the Justin Yates School of Aeon building.

My first test was on the 2nd October and it was a disaster. The fail sheet was so long they had to put it on a CD ROM!

I had 20 fail points (my god, I hear you say, is this guy an idiot?).

Well no, I blame the system and lack of common sense for 14 items on the list, but we have to adhere to SVA rules.

The main concern was my electric handbrake and the emissions.

Among the other fails were...

Electric demisters ineffective (due to battery).

No radius to bottom of dash (now sorted).

No interior mirror (I had two side mirrors and a central driving position).

Steering wheel crash pad not secured well enough (Velcro won’t do).

Weak battery (great time for my battery to fail).

Etc, etc x 12!

I ironed out all the problems ready for my second visit, but this was also a disaster. Not only did I have the

Aeon’s distinctive three-seat layout looks promising!

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090-095 Running Reports - January:CKC Advert Template

same test inspector, but he was joined by his boss and some independent from VOSA – they checked the whole car again! A onehour retest took two and a half hours.

Let’s just say it failed, but only on emissions and my electric handbrake. I would like to end my SVA nightmares here and get on with telling you how I am fixing the remaining problems.

Emissions – this problem is going to be fixed by changing the car to run full sequential injection. My problem is low down controllability due to large injectors and currently running grouped injection. This is having an effect on emissions and drivability up to 3500rpm.

With sequential injection it will be easier to set up on the dyno and make the car smoother running low down the rev range. After my next mapping session in November, all these problems should go away.

Handbrake – this is a power problem. The linear actuator is controlled by a resettable fuse. The handbrake pulls up to the set amps and trips off. I have increased the size of the fuse to allow it to pull more. At the moment the system pulls up 16 per cent on the test and I need 18 per cent to pass.

Hopefully I have fixed this.

My next SVA test is on the 29th November, just as this issue goes to bed. Third time lucky I hope.

Justin is becoming a regular visitor at his local SVA station. They’re thinking of giving him his own parking space!

The car is now ready for paint.

There is just a bit of prep work to be done and I hope to get in the paint shop before the end of January. It is going to be painted in, hmmm... I’ll keep that a secret for now but you will see me coming, that’s for sure.

I’m not going to ask you for luck this time! I now have my own parking spot at the SVA centre, so that’s a bonus. Enjoy your festive time and drink lots.

Electric handbrake is causing a few

problems with the SVA inspectors. Hopefully, Justin has managed to sort this one. unpainted at this stage, and Justin is keeping quiet on the final colour.

The Aeon’s

Turbocharged engine is

going to offer massive performance. New injection control should sort emissions issues at SVA.

RUNNING REPORTS IS SUPPORTED BY

Car Builder Solutions

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90 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

090-095 Running Reports - January:CKC Advert Template

PROFILE

Reporter: David Newall Project: SSC Stylus Age: 48 Occupation: Vehicle Development Co-ordinator, McLaren Automotive Project start: November 1998

LIFE CAN BE quite a temperamental old thing. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on it, something happens to remind you that you’re not in control at all.

In my last report, my eldest son Greg was giving me a hand to fit the engine – we were both so pleased to finally get it bolted in place, even if it took two attempts. When we first got the engine he spent a whole day washing ten years of oil and dirt off it and the gearbox. The ulterior motive for helping, apart from being

AS THE WEATHER deteriorates, so can enthusiasm and time. So it’s no surprise that some of our reporters are struggling. This is, after all, the reality of building a kit car when there are family, work, DIY and other commitments to be looked after.

PROFILE

Reporter: Simon Stock Project: AGM WLR Age: 49 Occupation: Surgeon Project start: 2004

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10:36

interested, was his determination that we would be going to Le Mans in it when it was finished.

Unfortunately we won’t get that trip together as Greg died suddenly a short time ago. The doctors tell us it was a ruptured aneurism of the aorta and there was nothing anyone could do. Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better.

The cover hasn’t really come off the car since, no motivation and a great sense of ‘what’s the point’ are predominant at the moment, but I know it won’t last. Greg would be upset and annoyed if we just gave up.

He lived every day to the full and made the absolute most of his 18 years – mountain bike racing, college and socialising filled his days and nights – he wasn’t afraid to grasp an opportunity and not worried about it, if it didn’t work.

We have had great support from friends and family and I personally have appreciated the support I’ve been given by my friends in the kit car world. Ian gave me the choice to stop writing my reports for a while, but talking it over with my wife Ellie and younger son Marcus, we thought it was better to keep going – no set back from this point will ever be so great. The worst that can happen has happened.

With all that in mind we’ll get the car finished, maybe not quite as we had planned but with help and support from friends it will one day find itself in a camping ground at Le Mans. Marcus has said that he will come with me and we’ll do the trip for

PROFILE

Reporter: Kevin Hollingworth Project: Raw Striker Age: 34 Occupation: Engineering team leader Project start: July 2006 Last report: September 2007 issue

AGAIN, POOR PERFORMANCE since the last report, I’m afraid. All my weekends are accounted for until the other side of Christmas (and my time in the evenings is very limited) so I’ve only managed to grab a few moments here and there in the garage.

The one activity I did manage to complete was a good tidy up. As I’m JANUARY 2008

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Greg wanted to see David’s Stylus kit car finished so that the two of them could take it to Le Mans. Tragically, he died earlier this year.

David with his younger son Marcus (left) and

Greg (right).

Greg. It would be great to be in convoy with like minded CKC readers.

Next year I hope to get to a few more shows and events, so if you

see me wondering around please don’t be afraid to come up and introduce yourself and have a chat – if I can help anyone with anything I’ll be more than happy to.

sure my girlfriend Claire would confirm, I’m not the tidiest of people.

It’s surprising how motivating I found sweeping out the leaves and cobwebs that had accumulated since the weather changed. Best of all was rediscovering all those little bits I purchased for the build but haven’t fitted yet. These include SPA gauges, ignition switch, warning lights etc.

Since then I’ve performed one or two small jobs, including tarting up the alternator, which was looking rusty and tired, refitting the fuel float (previously I had bent the arm but now decided to shorten it instead), and started polishing the exhaust. I also measured up for the prop and drive shafts to send off to Raw. One of those activities I keep meaning to do but always seem to end up doing something else instead.

On a slightly different note, I had a call out of the blue from the owner of

my previous kit car (a 1.8 Zetec engined Striker). The owner, having had a successful and very reliable couple of years hillclimbing with his son, was selling it. Have to say I was very tempted and it’s also made me consider whether getting some professional help with my build would be a good idea.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the build to date, however, knowing my time is limited makes me wonder if I’d be better off enjoying that time driving the car. Something I’ll think about more seriously in the spring.

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RUNNING REPORTS Build Diaries PROFILE

Reporter: Ian MacKenzie Project: MK Indy Age: 37 Occupation: Human resources manager Project start: March 2007

MOST OF THE recent work done has been sorting out a few odds and ends. The speedometer has worked for the first time. I used the original ‘Hall effect’ sender from the bike and I made up a bracket so that it could read from the propshaft bolts.

To enable the speedo to be

calibrated, I’ve assembled the kit that I bought from Jaycar Electronics. This took about an hour and a half one evening to solder all the components onto the printed circuit board and it now all works.

I’ve also taken the time to complete the exhaust. The manifold was supplied by MK, but I had a bike race silencer on the end to get the engine started which was nice, but just too loud. There was also no provision for a catalytic converter,

Hall effect sensor mounted on new bracket to enable speedo to work correctly.

Electronics box of tricks allows the speedo to be calibrated. has been a big job.

Jaycar

Making up a bespoke exhaust

Ian has made and used his own camber gauge.

PROFILE

Reporter: Steve Gridley Project: GKD Evolution Age: 27 Occupation: National account manager Project start: October 2006 Last report: September 2007 issue

I wish I could come back and tell you loads about what I have done,

which I need. So I have purchased an R1 can and a stainless catalytic converter, from which I’ve now made up my exhaust. What a job, but I guess if I wanted a simple life I’d have bought a complete car.

Staying on the subject of engine components, I’ve also purchased a Dynojet kit to correct the fuelling mixture. The MK exhaust and the foam air filter result in a lean mixture which needs sorting.

Because of the strong pound, this was bought from the US. The final development for this report is one of the finer finishing points; I’ve made up a camber gauge from some of the spare metal that I had lying about, it cost me nothing and is just as accurate as some of the commercial gauges that cost about £50. I’ve now set the camber on the front and rear wheels. Next up is the tracking and I’ve got a design for the tracking gauge, but I still need to make this

one... perhaps next month.

Next up on the hit list is to finish the interior panelling and the cockpit. Oh, and get a garage heater for the winter – I must be getting soft as this was not required last year!

but progress has still been slow due to the most important factor of building a kit car... money!

You can see from the pictures that the VW Passat radiator is in position and ready to be mounted permanently. However, while the manual seems to suggest a rigid fixing to the chassis, I am looking at making it a more flexible location. Also, I will be fabricating a stone guard to protect the bottom of the radiator.

I have also started cutting various holes in the tub assembly for the gearstick, handbrake and pedal box. The gear lever seems to fall a little too far back, so a linkage

RUNNING REPORTS IS SUPPORTED BY

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Woolies

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92 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

090-095 Running Reports - January:CKC Advert Template

allowing the gear lever to move forward inside the car will be fabricated. This is due to the unusual engine that has been fitted.

Also, you will see that I have had to cut out more of the tub near the pedal box to allow for the remote oil filter head. This is going to make the pedals very close together, but I

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Remote oil filter housing still requires a lot of fibreglass to be cut away in the footwell.

Handbrake hole now cut out.

Will be fixed in place from underneath.

am sure I will get used to it!

The tub needs to come off yet again to allow me to mount the handbrake from underneath and fill

the gearbox with oil.

I now plan to order a fuel pump, oil cooler, air filter and HT leads. It is important for me to get all the various components together before physically fitting anything (drilling

PROFILE

Reporter: Trevor Bennett Project: Sylva Mojo Age: 27 Occupation: IT field service engineer Project start: October 2006

TRYING TO ADAPT the standard Fiesta wiring loom to fit into my rear engined Mojo was clearly going to be major job. I spoke with Premier Wiring who advised they could make me a bespoke one-off loom with all the wires in the right place, even down to matching all the Ford colours. If it’s black with a blue stripe, connect it into the loom point with the wire of the exact same colour. Simple, and everything should just work straight away (fingers crossed!). With no

hesitation at all, I ordered one. Any headaches saved here would easily make up for the money spent on a new loom.

Next job was to fit the radiator.

There is not much spare room under the nose cone of a Mojo, and even less under mine because it has the newer inboard suspension. As I also chose to have the older, slightly smaller nose cone, there is not much room to spare under it.

I bought some 25mm x 25mm aluminium angle section from my local B&Q and cut it down to size, so that the radiator had a sturdy bracket to fit onto. So I could locate the radiator properly, I placed the nose cone onto the chassis and put my hands through the air intake hole. This allowed me to move the radiator around until it was high enough to not protrude out of the bottom and low enough that it wasn’t rubbing against the nose cone.

I did have to trim off the plastic locating lugs from the radiator, while

JANUARY 2008

being very careful not to cut too deep and end up inside the water channels themselves!

I have covered all the wiring in plastic split sleeving, and the thinner runs of wires in spiral wrap which, whilst quite time consuming, should help keep the SVA inspector at bay.

I was now in a position to fill the engine with all its necessary fluids and try to start it for the first time. I know the engine ran while it was still in the XR2, but this would be the ultimate test for my wiring up of the new loom.

Would the starter motor engage?

Would I get any sparks from the plugs? Would the distributor or electronic fuel pump work?

I nervously turned the key for the first time and I could hear the characteristic noise of the Facet fuel pump whirring away, then after a few seconds I could see fuel leaving the pressure regulator and entering the twin Webers. Go for it. Turn the key. The starter motor turned immediately and the engine burst into life – what a relief!

Having left it running for some time, the water and oil temperatures both stabilised at

www.completekitcar.co.uk 93

holes etc). This is due to my unusual engine choice. I just know if I fit something, the next item in the chain will invariably require that I need to move the first item. (I think this is called sod’s law!).

very reasonable levels, along with the fan cutting in and out – one less thing to worry about!

Radiator is a tight fit under the low Mojo bonnet. nicely.

Engine bay coming together New wiring loom has worked

a treat and the car started at the first attempt. Result!

090-095 Running Reports - January:CKC Advert Template

30/11/07

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Page 94

RUNNING REPORTS Build Diaries PROFILE

Reporter: Emma Bayliss Project: K1 Attack Age: 19 Occupation: Work at Wokingham CTPLD Project start: January 2007

FITTED THE FUSE box with relays temporarily. Access will be through a removable panel when the door is open. I hinged the fuse box to make future maintenance easier.

Using the ECU from our 2.2-litre VTEC engine sourced from a Prelude insurance write off, I found a suitable location to fix it to the chassis. As above, I will have access through another removable panel when the passenger door is open. I started by trying to identify all of the connections on the ECU and matching them to the VTEC engine loom before cutting and labelling for lengthening when the engine is fitted. I still have some connections in both to resolve, but for

now I have decided to leave them for a while and move onto something else whilst my head recovers from the wiring diagrams – not my favourite.

Made up some new flanges for the outlet and float connections on the fuel tank. Bought new hoses for the filler and overflow. I need to make up something for the return pipe as I, sorry dad, didn’t think to take the old one from the donor. I cannot fit the tank in permanently yet as I haven’t put the floor in.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a 2.2-litre VTEC engine from a written off Prelude. It came with a guarantee, but I never heard it run so my plan

Original ECU is retained, as is the wiring loom. New brackets locate it onto the chassis.

VTEC has a complicated set of engine belts, which have now been replaced. the engine to see how much modification is needed to the chassis. make out the chassis cut-out and welded seat belt anchorage.

Trial fitting

A bit fuzzy, but you can

End result repainted.

New flanges added to bespoke aluminium fuel tank for the outlet and float connections.

2.2-litre Honda VTEC has now been extensively cleaned and given a thorough external service.

for the moment is to see how it sounds when I get it started. I have removed everything from the block and head for inspection and cleaning/polishing. Replaced the cam belts, adjusted the valve clearances and checked the clutch which appears to be good, then put everything back with new gaskets/ O-rings etc.

I know that I have a modification to the frame to do, to provide clearance for the camshaft cover on the VTEC engine. I have decided to notch out one of the chassis tubes (copying someone else). So while I wait for some more parts to arrive I have reassembled the engine with all manifolds, starter motor, alternator etc to check out how much I need to notch the frame for clearance.

Assembling the engine on the front cross member, I was overjoyed (amazed) to find that it fitted into the frame perfectly, all the engine mount holes lined up – terrific. I marked up

how much I needed to notch the frame, dropped the engine and got out the angle grinder. I lie... Dad does the angle grinding, I’m in charge of welding. Result – big hole!

I made up an infill plate to fit in the tube and welded it in place. I am going to reinforce the cut out with a pad or sleeve. Whilst the engine is out I have made up some brackets for the harness anchor points and welded them onto the frame.

Next job will be to finish the frame mod, new engine mounts and CV joints on the drive shafts and then hook up all of the cooling pipes, gear linkage and engine harness.

RUNNING REPORTS IS SUPPORTED BY

Car Builder Solutions

ETB Instruments

Dampertech

Woolies

Midland Wheels

SiliconHoses.com

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

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

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94 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

090-095 Running Reports - January:CKC Advert Template

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Page 95

PROFILE

Reporter: Richard Harris Project: TA Spirit Age: 32 Occupation: Mechanic Project start: August 2006

FINALLY I’VE CHOSEN what colour I want the car to be. I’ve painted it white, blue with holographic flake (expensive but just looked plain wrong) and thought of every colour I could dream of. I even bought a compressor to use with the 2K paint, but in the end I’m sure this plain old matt black spray can paint was the best, giving it a very stealthy look.

I may be unconventional by spraying the car before it’s finished but I look at the car as a fun project – there are no rules here, just an open canvas if you like... very David Lynch!

However, the whole bodywork lifts straight off and can be put safely out of the way. I’ve now found a new passion for the car as a consequence, and have really put in some effort, instead of sitting in front of the PC searching eBay. It’s only a lack of funds and finding the right parts that’s holding me back now.

I found some great carbon

mirrors on eBay. They are very light and originally came from an Indy car and complement the carbon fibre parts I’ve fitted – one being the intercooler air intake which I made using a plastic storage box for a mould. The only problem I had was I put too much hardener in the resin and it warped slightly, but it was flexible enough to fit OK. The brake pedal is now complete and I got over the problem of it being mounted lower than the calipers by fitting a 2lb pressure valve at the cylinders. This will stop the fluid running back down the brake pipes!

At the present time I’m completing the whole front end of the car – steering, seats, radiator, lights will all be finished shortly. Which leaves me

with the back. I’ve left this ’til last as it’s the biggest part of the project. I need to adapt the spaceframe to suit the flat-four engine and fabricate rear independent suspension instead of the live axle as originally fitted to the Spirit.

I’m looking at cable operated gear selection as it’s easy to route and very precise in action. It may be tricky to fit but will give a great gear change and less risk of missing a gear – very important but often overlooked, I’m sure.

Shortly, I’m going to find out the weight of the car. This should give me some idea of the performance. I’m Matt black paint finish looks amazing!

aiming high, but with the tunablility of the engine, great aerodynamics and its very low weight, I hope to give the Ultima GTR a very hard time on the track – only time will tell.

Richard has made lots of panels in carbon.

This is the air intake over the rear engine cover. It will feed the Scooby engine’s intercooler.

Looking down on the rear of the car, here’s a rear diffuser, big wing and lots of carbon.

Richard’s been busy!

Brake issues now sorted with addition of a pressure valve.

RUNNING REPORTS WILL BE BACK IN THE MARCH ISSUE NEXT MONTH: RACING DIARIES JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 95

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When performance means everything the top UK kit manufacturers choose...

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PLUS 4 x 1.9 Quality Powder Coated Springs • Manufactured in ISO 9000 accredited factory • Competitivly Priced • Warranty • Modern Plate Seal Arrangement • Fully Rebuildable • Multiple Choise of End Fittings • 36 Point Click Stop Ajustments • Specialy Designed for Road and Track

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www.completekitcar.co.uk 97

Python FP:CKC FP

6/4/07

15:24

Page 1

Python BMW BASED

• One donor: BMW E34 5-series for engine, gearbox, suspension, all-disc brakes, steering etc

• BMW straight-six power from 2-litre to 3.5-litre.

The latter produces 218bhp – more than a standard Rover V8

• Accepts BMW V8, Rover V8 or American Chevy and Ford V8 engines

• Power steering standard, ABS optional • Extremely strong, lightweight chassis pre-galvanised at the factory

• GRP and polyurethane foam sandwich bodywork for high strength and lightness.

Superb panel fit

• Long cockpit (2in more than most) means six-footers fit with ease

• Long doors and narrow sills allow easy entry. Doors open unusually wide

• Light overall weight (under 1000kg) means swift responses and high performance

• Full weather equipment available including superb gullwing-door hardtop

Build it for £12,000+ Full chassis £1595inc.

Complete GRP bodyshell £1995 inc.

Demonstrator always available.

Send for free information pack to:

RV DYNAMICS UK, 1 Howard Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7JE Tel: 01737 225888 (mobile) 07768 031329 www.pythoncobra.com

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01604 740977

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Need to sell your car?

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CHOOSE THE AD FORMAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE FROM THE OPTIONS BELOW WRITE DOWN THE WORDS YOU WANT TO BEST DESCRIBE YOUR CAR CHOOSE A GREAT PICTURE – EITHER PRINT OR DIGITAL (jpeg 500kb min size)

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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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SPONSORED BY: Sureterm Direct

Page 101

Tel: 0845 20 20 230 FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

QUANTUM SALOON MK2

ALFETTA

QUANTUM COUPE

1997, based on 1982 Ford Fiesta XR2, paintwork needs TLC. Engine was rebuilt in 1997 and has done 38,000 miles since, hence £1000. Tel: 07989 951920 (Wiltshire).

GTV-based, 2-litre twin-cam. Currently rolling chassis with rebuilt engine, gearbox, transaxle.

All parts to complete including two stripped donors and complete car, £2000. Tel: 01886 832380 or 07701 035412 (Worcestershire).

Red, XR2 based. Built 1991, 140K miles. MoT August, tow bar. New cambelt and steering rack 5000 miles ago. Rear and side glass professionally re-installed. Good condition but paintwork needs some TLC. £650 ono. Tel: 01778 341253 (Peterborough).

Up to £2000

Midas to Cobra EXCALIBUR COUPÉ

O&C SONNET

HUSKY JEEP

Registered 1990, 1600 Crossflow. MoT April 2008, tax September, alloys, tow bar. Loads of spares including engine, paintwork rough (glass craze), £400. Tel: 024 763 7893 (Nuneaton).

Believed to be one of a kind. Based on 1300cc Morris Marina, original plates, 1000 miles since quality rebuild, MoT. Needs weather gear and grille. Move forces sale, £1650. Tel: 07828 974354.

All steel body, chrome Weller wheels, roll cage, full weather gear, 2-litre Pinto engine, tow bar, Recaro front seats, full MoT, £1500 or part-ex unfinished Seven project. Tel: 07715 323132 or 01228 560089 (Cumbria).

0870 444 6320 No. 1 to be with!

Up to £2000

Graham Sykes Insurance

cars for sale

ROBIN HOOD 2.1-litre Pinto, high performance engine on twin 48 Webers. Great interior and full ETB dash, £4995.

For full spec and more photos Tel: 07891 496145 (Derbyshire).

cars for sale

£2001 to £5000

TIGER AVON 2-litre Pinto, only 1100 miles, Westfield bucket seats and gear linkage, 4-point harnesses. New Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, 12 months MoT, good condition, £5000 sensible offers considered. Tel: 07779 659623 (Leeds).

TIGER CAT E1

SYLVA JESTER

TIGER AVON (PART BUILT)

For all the car’s history including build photos see www.jesterkitcar.blogspot.com No MoT required for a full year, is taxed. New kit car forces sale, £2995 ono. Tel Trevor: 07799 126404.

Comprehensive Zetec kit, Type-9 gearbox, many new parts, £3800 ono. Tel: 01480 830055 (day) or 07753 636493 (evening) (Cambridgeshire).

SVA January 2005, 12 months MOT, 6 months tax, 2-litre Pinto with new twin Dellorto 40s, powdercoated chassis, Tiger gauges, new alloys, genuine reason for sale, £4750 ono. Tel: 01902 397697 or 07812 064445 (Wolverhampton).

ROBIN HOOD S7

ROBIN HOOD 2B PLUS

JZR CX500 TURBO

Ford Pinto 1600, Sierra running gear, 5-speed box, unleaded head, twin choke Weber. Full weather gear, tonneau, tow hitch, Smiths gauges, long MoT, tax, £4000. Tel: 01305 889470 (Dorset).

2-litre Pinto, 5-speed, T&T, stainless body, professionally built and maintained by owner.

SVA September 2003, very nice car, all good inside and out, always garaged. Phone for full details, £3700 ono. Tel: 01239 654711 (Dyfed).

Black interior, spoked wheels, quick rack, stainless steel exhaust, harnesses, tonneau cover, non-Q plate. Quick, exciting car, £4250.

Tel: 01782 393371 or 07784 737526 (Stoke-onTrent).

JANUARY 2008

www.completekitcar.co.uk 101

£2001 to £5000

QUANTUM 2+2 Blue with black leather interior, 15in alloys, lots spent. Includes private plate and hard top, XR2 based, £2400 ono may part-exchange. Tel: 07736 070547 (South Yorkshire).

CKC Classifieds Colour January08:CKC Advert Template

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Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Cars For Sale

Tel: 0845 20 20 230

QUANTUM 2+2

SYLVA JESTER

LOCOST

ROBIN HOOD 2B

1600cc engine, 5-spoke alloy wheels, electric windows, radio. Tax and MoT, good runner, great fun to drive. Very cheap insurance for new drivers (£450 fully comp), £3500 ono. Tel: 01752 892894 (Devon).

Built 1999, ex-Mk1 Ford Fiesta 1100cc, full service history, six months tax, 12 months Mot, used daily, garage maintained. Overseas commitment forces sale, £4500. Tel: 01392 467774 (Exeter).

SVA March 2006, 1100cc Kent engine, spare 1300cc engine, gearbox. Some tidying required, a car to play with without the worry of SVA, £2500 ono. Tel: 01253 356718. E-mail: kayaker510@hotmail.com (Blackpool).

SVA 2002, Pinto 1800 OHC, non-Q plate, stainless and green bodywork, Corbeau seats, 4-point harnesses, low mileage since build. Well built and finished. MoT September. Made for summer fun, £4700. Tel: 01427 628978 (Gainsborough).

JBA FALCON 2+2 Old English White, double duck hood, built 1989 by present owner.

2-litre Pinto engine, 5-speed gearbox. MoT May 2008, £2250.

Tel: 01495 227362. E-mail: alan.p.lewis@btinternet.com

TIGER-MR2

TIGER AVON

Unique mid-engine Avon as featured in Which Kit Car? 20-valve Toyota engine from Raw, very fast, superb traction, handling and brakes. SVA and MoT tested, £4500. Tel: 01743 718383 (Shrewsbury).

With motorcycle engine. SVA’d in 2004, non-Q plate. Needs some attention on the engine as it’s over-charging. Ring for more details, £3450. Tel: Jason – 07894 043259 (Leicester).

MERLIN 2+2

MINION JACKAL 2+2

ROBIN HOOD 2B

Sports coupé, built 1985 and owned since 1989.

1600cc Toyota engine, excellent condition, maroon and black body, new MoT, taxed. Soft top, tonneau cover, side screens, £4000 ono. Tel: 01825 830976 (East Sussex).

T&T’d Sept 2007. New wheels and tyres, rebuilt 2-litre Pinto 930 miles ago with new twin 40s, Maxiflow 1 head, FR32, Vernier pulley, Radtech radiator, Corbeaus, unfitted hood and screens, photos, £4750. Tel: 01224 744511 (Aberdeen).

1986, 2.1-litre Pinto, nitrided crank, forged pistons, polished head, Piper cam, twin Webers.

Hood, tonneau, 7850 miles. MoT July 2008, tax December, £3500.

Tel: 0116 237 5451 (Leicestershire).

LOCOST 750 RACE CAR

MIDAS GOLD CONVERTIBLE

CC ZERO

Ready to race in the 750MC Locost series. Nearly new (done one race). Complete to regulations, including rebuilt 1300cc Crossflow with every allowed modification, £4400. Tel: 07769 678379 (Peterborough).

Red, built on 1984 MG Metro, registered June 1991. Re-sprayed, new carpets, recent engine and gearbox overhaul. Central locking, remote alarm, lots of work done. T&T April 2008, £3500 ono. Tel John: 01424 424506 (h) 01435 812706 (w). E-mail: john@sussexkitcars.co.uk (East Sussex).

Fiat 126 mechanicals, MoT November, taxed March 2008. Also second car, brand new, little work to finish, V5C plus spare engine, gearbox, new tyres, tubes, engine spares, hubs. Genuine reason for sale – health, £2500. Tel: 01751 473293 (North Yorkshire).

PRELIT WESTFIELD SE 1990, 16,000 miles, 10 months MoT. 1600cc Crossflow, twin 40s, 4-speed gearbox, genuine Caterham wheels and leather seats, sidescreens and tonneau. Full history, bills, £4950. Tel: 01252 850001 daytime (Surrey).

LA ROADSTER

£2001 to £5000

Professionally built by Ford Arrows racing team, 2000cc Pinto, Stage 1, twin 45 DCOE Webers, full weather gear, MoT, FSH, 8800 miles. One owner, fast, reliable, practical. Featured in Which Kit? – full report available, £4950 ono. Tel: 01625 525568 E-mail: danny.constantinis@ emialliance.com

MINARI ROAD SPORT 1988 1500cc Alfa Sud based, correctly registered, recent replacement engine. Taxed November 2007, MoT August 2008, in need of TLC, £3500 ono. Tel John: 01424 424506 (h) 01435 812706 (w).

E-mail: john@sussexkitcars.co.uk (East Sussex).

102 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

advice BUYING PART-BUILT? Buying an unfinished project is a good way of getting a head start on a build, but always check what you’re getting against the cost from the kit manufacturer. It should be cheaper despite the work that’s already been done.

CKC Classifieds Colour January08:CKC Advert Template

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SPONSORED BY: Sureterm Direct

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Tel: 0845 20 20 230 FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

SHELSLEY T2 Near complete project. 1.8-litre MG K-series engine, mechanical build completed by original kit manufacturer. Completion only requires engine management system, windscreen wiper relays, interior trim, seats. Halted by bereavement. Total spend: £18,000, sell for original kit price of £10,000. Tel: 07786 702240 (Leicestershire).

cars for sale

£5001 to £10,000

STYLUS RT 2-litre kit car. Build/finished by Stylus Sports Cars. Registration August 2005. Engine rebuilt, Ford T9 gearbox (£22K+ spent, receipts available). Great fun, very quick, reluctant sale. General TLC required hence £9995.

Tel: 07918 640003.

E-mail: paul.haywood2@virgin.net

GINETTA G27 IRS SVA 1999, brand new 1.8-litre Zetec with all Raceline bits.

Reconditioned gearbox and new Cosworth LSD. Receipts for £11,000 plus, will take £8000.

For more details see http://photos.orange.co.uk/album /5263120 Tel: 07973 135127 (Tackley).

MK INDY

SYLVA MOJO 2

Race/trackday car, 9th overall 750MC WKC? Championship ‘06, 100% reliable. 1600cc fast road Toyota 4AGE engine, Type-9 gearbox, Omex, DigiDash. Extinguisher, Yokohama A048s, maintained regardless, easy conversion to road, spares, £5750. Tel: Ian – 07740 453266 (Cheshire).

Early car, built for road use, 1700 dry miles, Ford CVH ex-XR2i. MoT March, tax September. Bad health forces sale, pictures on Sylva wall, £6000.

Tel Alan Moss: 0161 655 3128 (Manchester).

JBA FALCON

MK INDY BLADE

COBRA REPLICA

SVA’d August 2006, 893cc Fireblade engine. Low 4-sec 0-60mph, excellent track day car with road practicality and reliability. New project forces sale, MoT August 2009, taxed August 2007, £7495 ono. Tel: 07801 850858 (Essex).

Wide arch body style with gleaming new Viper blue paint. Built 1991. Great sounding refurbished Rover 3.5-litre V8 fitted only 5K miles ago. Good chrome with a beautiful aluminium dashboard, £8500. Tel: 01480 370759.

Complete October 2005, 2-litre Pinto, 5-speed box. Alloy wheels, leather front seats, walnit veneered dash, CD radio, mohair hood, chromed door hinges and roof bars. MoT September 2008, excellent condition, £7500 ono.

Tel: 028 3884 1648 (Co Armagh, NI).

AFFORDABLE KIT CARS

DAX RUSH LWB

Always a good selection available

Contact us first for quality assured affordable kit cars

2004, MoT July 2008, tax January 2008. Tuned 2.0i, Cat 1 alarm, remote engine start. Cost over £12,000 to build, hard-top and moulds included in price.

Reluctant sale, £8500. Tel: 07834 544691 (Suffolk).

Graham Sykes Insurance 0870 444 6320 No. 1 to be with!

COBRA Whitchurch, REPLICA Hampshire SPECIALISTS COBRA REPLICA SPECIALISTS

We also buy kit cars.

Phone for details

Repair and renovation work undertaken

TOP QUALITY KIT CARS ALWAYS AVAILABLE We pride ourselves on our polite, friendly service.

Please contact us for more details of our complete stock.

Tel: 01256 895188 or 07860 969696

JANUARY 2008

Tel: 01702 231319 or (m) 07710 266882 (Essex area) www. kitcars.talktalk.net www.completekitcar.co.uk 103

£5001 to £10,000

Midas to Cobra

CKC Classifieds Colour January08:CKC Advert Template

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CLASSIFIEDS Cars For Sale

Sureterm Direct Tel: 0845 20 20 230

SEREPH 1800i Zetec, very rare car fully rebuilt less than 12 months ago.

Fully independent suspension, stainless exhaust, Spax shocks, four-point harnesses, MBE management. New wheels and tyres, alloy tank. Tax, tested, offers around £7500. Tel: 01384 860568 or 07752 021471.

advice TIGER PRICING Tiger Racing makes several similar looking models from the budget Avon to the range-topping lightweight R6. Age and condition have more bearing on secondhand values than where any particular model sits in the range.

SYLVA STRIKER Road legal racer built 2002. Taxed, tested, 1700 Crossflow fitted, never pranged. Excellent chassis, full rollcage. Offers welcome with engine or as rolling chassis. Negotiable under £5500. Tel: 01482 566796 (Hull).

MK INDY FIREBLADE

289 STYLE COBRA

CATERHAM SEVEN

By KD Sportscars. Rare 289 in lovely condition.

Factory built, only 6500 miles. Ford V6 engine, 5-speed box. Well trimmed, light grey interior, full weather equipment, year’s MoT. A delightful Cobra at only £8950. Tel: 01737 226878 or 07768 031329 (Surrey).

1996 Classic SE (full factory kit), 1.7 Super Sprint, lightweight 5-speed box, uprated suspension, full weather equipment and windscreen, factory immobiliser and extras. MOT and Tax, £7995. Tel: 01303 891957 (eve) (Kent).

Registered 2005. 1996 ’Blade engine, Dynojet kit race can, rolling road tuned. 16in wheels.

Only done 400 miles. 4-point harness, adjustable seats. MoT October 2007, £6900. Tel: Tim – 07795 675615 (West Yorkshire).

BANHAM SPYDER

250LM BY RAWLSON

1300cc, petrol/LPG, 136 based.

SVA 2003 and correctly registered, Speedster screen, full mohair hood and tonneau, CD player, remote alarm with solenoid doors, T&T, £5750 ono.

Tel: 01782 796271 or 07870 900552 (Stafford).

This car has been rebuilt by the original manufacturer and has an MoT to March 2008, classified as historic so no tax. 1600 engine, interior is left to new owners for their choice. Offers close to £6000 sought. Tel: 01304 240363 (Kent).

JAS BEACH BUGGY

WESTFIELD SE Superbly detailed car built by Kevin Seal. Reg July 2005 but hardly used and still in as-new condition.

Pinto 2-litre power, 5-speed ‘box, ali panelled interior, padded dash, Westfield Sports GRP racing seats, full harnesses. Immaculate engine bay, 15in Wolfrace alloys. One of the very best. £9350. Tel: 01737 226878 or 07768 031329 (Surrey).

LOTUS SEVEN REPLICA Constructed from plans, SVA 2000, 1600 Pinto, Burton head, fast road cam, twin 40s.

Professionally coach trimmed hood, tonneau and seats, too little used, £5200. Tel: 07882 594826 (Chelmsford).

Completed 2006. Based on 1972 Beetle using mainly new parts.

Over £9000 spent, all receipts available. 1641cc engine, 2+2 with boot. Very loud, £4995 ono.

Tel: Paul – 07880 826991 or 01443 815133 (Mid Glamorgan).

£5001 to £10,000

Midas to Cobra

Graham Sykes Insurance 0870 444 6320 No. 1 to be with!

CATERHAM SEVEN

SP MOTORS GENTRY

PEMBLETON BROOKLANDS

1995, 23,000 miles, 4-speed gearbox, live axle.

1600 Crossflow, twin Weber 45s, BV head, 234 cam, Aldon ignition, 4-point harnesses, Superlites with 021 tyres, £7500. Tel: 01634 575900. E-mail: m.crookes@blueyonder.co.uk (Chatham).

Home built on Mk2 Escort donor, built 2000. Tax and MoT 12 months, half trim fitted. Unpainted in grey primer, £5950 ono. Tel: 01753 662929.

SVA 2004, 602cc, tax/MoT March 2008, 5000 miles since build. Full wet weather gear included. Fully sorted, selling to fund next project, £5000 ono. Tel Bob Kennett: 01702 542499 (Essex).

104 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

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Tel: 0845 20 20 230 FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

TIGER SUPERCAT Factory built by Chester Sportscars, 2-litre Zetec, twin 45s, Alpha ignition, Piper cams and verniers, approximately 190bhp, £9995 ono. E-mail or call for more details: kevinyoung2@hotmail.com or 07967 685638 (County Durham).

Midas to Cobra TIGER SUPER SIX First reg 2000, 135bhp Toyota 1600 4AGE twincam fitted by Raw Engineering 2004. 5-speed box, lockable boot, sidescreens. Only 2000 miles, £7950. Tel: 01737 226878 or 07768 031329 (Surrey)

PILGRIM SUMO

DAX RUSH MC

2-litre Ford Pinto, Sierra donor, genuine Pilgrim parts. Wet weather hood, SVA approved 2003, age-related plate, 10 months MoT, four months tax. Move forces sale, £7500 ono. Tel Richard: 01603 812946 (Norfolk).

ZX9R, SVA April 2004, Oxford blue, Competition Fabrications exhaust, Mistral sump, carbs rejetted, alloy radiator, Quaife reverse box, rear discs, 15in CRX Compomotives, Yokohama A032Rs, Willans harnesses, bike clocks.

Excellent condition, £7995. Tel: 01986 788168 (Norfolk).

FISHER FURY Built to a very high standard regardless of cost, ZX9R engine, lightweight chassis and bodywork.

Powdercoated throughout, £8500. Tel: 01663 766508 or 07973 120427 (Cheshire).

Graham Sykes Insurance 0870 444 6320 No. 1 to be with!

LUEGO TRIKE Yamaha XJ900, pro built 2005, T&T, Sierra diff, adjustable wishbone suspension, chrome bullbar, LED lights, twin chrome exhausts, professional airbrush paintwork, Fox alloy wheels on rear, must see, £5450 ono. Tel: 01526 833656 (Lincolnshire).

TIGER SUPER SIX

SYLVA MK4 RACE CAR

Registered 1995, one owner, 5600 dry miles. 2litre Pinto, twin 40 Webers, Tiger dials, sidescreens. Taxed, tested, full history, £5250 ono. Tel: 07968 510721 (Leeds).

1700 Crossflow, engine rebuilt. New cam, springs, bearings, harness, extinguisher. Race ready £6000. Brian James Club trailer, Operations Pack, Storage Pack, 500 miles from new, £1500. Deal for both. Tel: Roger – 01604 890925 (Northampton).

advice IS THE GRP CRACKED? While you have no rust worries with fibreglass, it can crack.

These can be repaired so, while it shouldn’t necessarily put you off a purchase, it will have a bearing on the price. Investigate the extent of any damage first.

LUEGO VELOCITY

MK INDY

99 per cent finished. Toyota engine with cams and carbs 160bhp. Finished to a high standard, over £9000 spent. £5900 ono. Tel: 01353 741058 (Ely, Cambridgeshire).

2-litre Pinto engine, twin 40 DCOEs, Roadster 7 bucket seats, 4-point harness seatbelts. SVA’d, first registered 2005. 370 dry miles only. Taxed, tested, £5995 ono. Tel Rick: 01709 582773 (Doncaster).

TIGER AVON Engineer built 2005, 2-litre Pinto, fast road cam, Weber 40s, 700 dry miles. British Racing Green, full weather gear, Tiger dials, £6500 ono. Tel: 07976 240031 (North London).

TIGER CAT E1

SYLVA RIOT

December 2001, 2-litre Pinto, twin Webers, Tiger dials, alloy wheels. 12 months MoT, full weather gear, 1280 dry miles. Reduced for quick sale, £4750. Tel: 07860 533074 (Leicestershire).

2007 championship winning car as featured in Racing Diaries. With or without engine and box.

Tel John White: 01726 890391 or 07802 308775 (Cornwall).

JANUARY 2008

The original T-bar car, factory built, bespoke engine, 158bhp, 7000 miles only. Dellorto 45s, new adjustable shocks, recon brakes, harnesses, battery immobiliser, stunning car, £7995 ono. Tel: 01273 389333 (Brighton).

www.completekitcar.co.uk 105

£5001 to £10,000

GINETTA G27

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Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Cars For Sale

Tel: 0845 20 20 230

DAX RUSH Oxford blue, 1300 miles, exceptional quality. Ford 3.1-litre V6, pro built, Image split rims, private plate. Car was featured in last year’s mag and at the Stoneleigh show. First to see will buy £12,995. Tel: Paul – 07734 324132 or 01908 282283.

cars for sale

£10,001 and Above

ROYALE SABRE Show car, factory built, 2.4-litre fuel injected V6, 5-speed Leather interior, PAS, ABS, hood like new, alloys. Superb original condition, 11,000 miles, new MoT, taxed, full spec on request, £10,900. Tel: 020 8651 5711 or e-mail syzygy66@tiscali.co.uk

£5001 to £10,000

DAX RUSH 2.9 Cosworth engine, manual, Image alloys, MoT and tax til April 2008. House move forces sale.

Over £24K spent, as seen at Donington show, £15,750 ovno.

Tel: 07866 680289 (Leicestershire).

advice SEEK ADVICE DAX COBRA 1998, Chevy 350cu in, Holley 600cfm, Edelbrock Performer, Tremec 5-speed TKO600, Jag running gear, Powerlock 3:31 diff, Halibrands, WW kit.

Immobiliser, detailed bay, MoT, fast, £24,000.

Tel: 01604 584054 or 07714 361610 (Northampton).

One of the best places to find advice on a specific car is its owners’ club. Most have online forums where any of your questions and concerns will be answered by those who know the specific model inside out.

VENOM RT/10 Factory built, properly registered.

Cosworth V6, auto box, side exhaust, ABS, power steering, electric windows and full instrumentation, metallic silver, leather trim and 18in alloy wheels. SVA’d January 2006, removable hard top, £13,000. Tel: 07711 352598 (Oxfordshire).

DINO 246GTS REPLICA

PILGRIM SUMO

Built by Classic Replicas, only 500 miles, 3-litre Alfa V6 recon engine, original wheels, full badged, private plate. Offers in region of £20,000. Tel: 07887 648527 (Sussex).

Pro-built, one owner. Tuned and re-built 3.5 Rover V8 circa 220bhp. Edelbrock carb, re-built 5-speed, hydraulic clutch, custom made stainless manifolds, LSD. High back seats, leather with Alcantara inserts, weather gear, Halibrand alloys, 1900 miles, £14,995. Tel Hallmark Cars: 020 8529 7474. www.hallmark-cars.com (T).

DAX KAMALA

GD 427 COBRA

SOUTHERN ROADCRAFT SRV8

One owner, engineer built. Tuned 350 Chevy V8 with Edelbrock performer pack, circa 350bhp.

Edelbrock carb, Tremec 5-speed, stainless steel underfloor and exhausts, 16in bolt-on chrome wire wheels, silver, dark blue Mohair hood, SVA’d, full build history. Stunning car, £26,750. Tel Hallmark Cars: 020 8529 7474 or 07984 460014 (T).

Recently completed, SVA late 2006, non-Q plate, uprated Chevy 350, Jag suspension, LSD, black leather. Less than 100 miles. £19,950 ono partex considered. Tel: 07816 081447.

£10,001 and Above

Midas to Cobra

Registered new 2000, 300bhp Cosworth lightweight turbo, professionally built by Roger Klimcke Racing. 3700 miles, green leather interior, air con, parking sensors, alarm, £25,000.

Tel Peter: 07796 761747 or daxkamala-ckc@yahoo.co.uk (Solihull).

KVA GT40 3.5 Rover V8. This car is in excellent condition maintained with no expense spared. Receipts, photos of original build, viewing a must, £14,995 ovno. Tel: 028 9267 1414 or 07766 477462 (Lisburn).

Graham Sykes Insurance 0870 444 6320 No. 1 to be with!

106 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

AE COBRA 427 Built in 1976 with Chevy 5.7-liltre V8 Auto Jaguar running gear and new breakes. Front and rear Spax adjustable shocks and Halibrand wheels with dummy spinners, £10,500 ono. Tel: 01749 870745.

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Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Lineage

Tel: 0845 20 20 230

WESTFIELD SEIW 1.8-Litre Zetec, 181bhp, SVA 2005, 2000 miles. Full wet weather gear, Jenvey throttle bodies, full carbon kit, loads of extras. Reluctant sale, first to see will buy, £9000. Tel: 01924 257975 or 07710 068153 (Wakefield).

advice MOT EXPIRY DATE? ULTIMA GTR Factory built, brand new Chevy 6.3-litre V8 built by American Speed. Rolling road tested to 565bhp!

Porsche G50 6-speed transaxle with LSD. Holley 750CFM, air con, 18in OZ split rim alloys, full race spec. Cost £81,700 new. Too much spec to list, £39,750. Tel Hallmark Cars: 020 8529 7474 or 07984 460014 www.hallmark-cars.com (T)

A lot of sellers advertise their cars with a ‘full year’s MoT’ which may have been true when they first placed the advert, but how long ago was that? Make sure you know how much MoT you’re actually getting!

WESTFIELD

DAX COBRA

T5 MISSION

DAX COBRA

1800 Zetec SEi. Superbly built. Registered new (WX56) Oct 2006. Every component bought new from Westfield. Blood red bodywork, black and red interior. New style Westfield Sunburst sports seats. Less than 600 dry miles, £12,000. Tel: 01453 823237.

Engineer built, all new parts. Concours condition, tuned 350cu in Chevy V8 by Mike Huddart, 330bhp, Tremec 5-speed, cream leather, harness seat belts.

17in Halibrand alloys, BMW Oxford green metallic, mohair hood sidescreens and tonneau. Two owners, fab car, £27,995. Tel Hallmark Cars: 020 8529 7474. www.hallmark-cars.com (T).

Ready to race (and win) in RGB, SVA’d but not registered. Extensively developed handling, aerodynamics and engine. ZX12R, lightweight body, adjustable suspension. HiSpec brakes, Spax Traxspax rebuilbale dampers. Too much to list, £17,500 (trailer available). Tel: 020 8657 9128.

E-mail: gordon_griffin@hotmail.com (South East).

Metallic green, Rover 3.9-litre V8 Stage 1, 15in Halibrands, Jag running gear, black leather, weather equipment, VGC, 3900 miles. COB plate, £16,250. Tel: 01295 730042 or 07713 740314 (Banbury).

UXBRIDGE KITS AND CLASSICS No time to build a kit car?

We may have in stock just the car you’re looking for!

SEBRING MX 4.6-litre unleaded. K-reg, factory built by Sebring. Edelbrock dual port carb, Mallory ignition, fast cams, stainless exhaust. Leather, burr elm dash, Mohair roof. Suspension updates and Gaz dampers. FSH and documentation, £14,750 ono. Tel: 01789 721599 or 07966 290650.

All our ‘paid for’ ads are run ’til you sell your car

Always a selection of competitively priced kit cars. Cars can be delivered to your door.

AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!

Kit cars urgently required. Absolutely everything considered – non-runners to the exotic.

And you can amend your ad at any time

Tel: 01895 624554 or 07798 866071 Middlesex

FREE!

www.uxbridgekitcars.co.uk

uxbridgekitcars@hotmail.com

PROTOTYPE Having just taken legal advice this road legal prototype is now for sale to the highest bidder.

Ford running gear, Renault powered. For further information contact John. Tel: 01788 822007.

E-mail: jpgarlick@tiscali.co.uk (Northamptonshire).

PILGRIM SUMO

AEON GT2 One meticulous builder/owner/designer. Built for comfort and speed, Ford 2.5-litre V6 Duratec, fabulous colour and luxury interior. Full weather protection, Compomotive alloys, digital dash and remote CD/radio, satnav. Featured WKC? April 2007, Reader’s Car of the Year 2007, £25,000.

Tel Mike: 07962 713331 (Essex).

DAX RUSH 3.5-litre V8, LWB. Only done 190 miles, engine done 900 miles since full rebuild. Many extras, 3-piece alloys, full weather gear. No expense spared, £14,000. Tel: 01477 571819 (Manchester).

Factory built December 2004, Rover engine and gearbox, 3500cc V8, Edelbrock carbs, Offenhauser performance inlet manifold. Taxed, MoT, 3700 miles, excellent condition, garaged.

Build cost £20,000. House deposit needed, £11,000. Tel: 01473 281167 (Ipswich).

Quaife diff and reversing box.

Built to mega spec, too much to list. New project forces sale. First to see will buy, £15,500. Tel: 07983 465004 (Lancashire).

JANUARY 2008

PILGRIM COBRA REPLICA

PILGRIM SUMO MK3

Mk3 galvanised chassis, 2006 SVA. All-new 350 Hi-Output engine, 5-speed, very quick, detailed engine bay. Well trimmed interior, tonneau cover, £14,500. Tel: 07759 244492 (Wrexham).

Brand new, SVA’d and registered January 2007, genuine Guardsman Blue, black leather interior, Halibrand wheels, brightwork package. Rover 3.5 V8. Be the first to own/use, only 100 miles since professional build, £16,750. Tel: 07968 394396 (Taunton).

www.completekitcar.co.uk 107

£10,001 and Above

DAX RUSH HAYABUSA

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CLASSIFIEDS Lineage KIT CARS

SOLD VERY QUICKLY "Thanks to my advert in your magazine, my kit car is now sold.

Thank you very much, I advertised solely in your magazine and it sold very quickly."

NIGEL ISON, FORMER ROBIN HOOD OWNER

ROBIN HOOD 2.1-litre Pinto, black, chrome, 7000 miles since rebuild. Snap-off steering wheel, Dellorto carbs, full weather gear. T&T, recon engine 3000 miles ago, 1984 registration, £3300. Tel: 01524 855187 (Morecambe).

DUTTON MELON Taxed and tested February 2008, blue, gold alloys, full weather gear, 1600cc Ford Crossflow engine. Good condition, £995. Tel: 01782 856918 or 07971 853747 (Stoke-onTrent).

BANHAM X21 Metro GTI based, 16in MGF wheels, low profile tyres, twin roll hoops, bucket seats, new calipers, new discs, new hydraulic hand brake kit, new Goodridge hoses, new clutch, long MoT, £1500 ono. Tel: 01458 860807 (Somerset).

JAGO GEEP 1990, Escort Mk2 based, complete and solid, off road 10 years. Good wheels, tyres, hood, doors etc. Stored in garage, £200. Tel: 07971 796238 (County Durham).

SPARTAN 2+2 2.3-litre Ford V6 base, in need of restoration, non-Q plate, 5-speed box. Wire basket wheels, knock-on caps, garaged for 10 years. Tel: 07768 612443 (Hertfordshire).

LOCOST SEVEN REPLICA Large size body, 1980 Cortine based with V5C, Cortine 2.3 V6 engine and 5-speed box. SVA tested 2002, but not yet registered. Left-hand drive, but could easily be converted. Would be fun to drive, but in need of finishing. Priced to sell at £2750 ono. Tel John: 01424 424506 (h) E-mail: 01435 812706 (w). john@sussexkitcars.co.uk (East Sussex).

JAGO GEEP Black, soft-top, 46,000 miles on recon 1600cc Crossflow engine. Taxed 12 months, MoT 11 months, electronic ignition, stainless exhaust, twin choke Weber. Mud/snow tyres, £360 ono. Tel: 01928 740327 (Chester).

ONYX FIRECAT Red, Fiat 1-litre, alloy wheels, not Q-reg. Excellent condition inside and out. T&T May 2007, £1395. Tel: 01270 811762 (Nantwich).

TIGER SUPER SIX 1600 Crossflow engine, 1995, full race mods. Tuned, lots of extras, 200 race miles, never been on road, £4000. Tel: 01903 723084 (West Sussex).

PARTS FOR SALE FOUR PERFORMANCE Alloy wheels, 15in x 7J, excellent condition complete with four Kumho tyres.

Power Max 215/60x15. From a Sebring, £250. Tel: 01474 52261 or 07866 506829 (Kent).

SYLVA STRIKER 1300 full race Crossflow, big valve head, lightened and balanced, twin 40s, Phil Jones RS2000 close ratio 4-speed box, rosejointed front and rear, RS2000 vented discs, 4-pot calipers, £3500. Tel: 01323 840552 (Sussex).

SW DIALS Complete set of five, black surrounds and facings, very good condition. £100, from a Sebring. Tel: 01474 52261 or 07866 506829 (Kent).

MARLIN ROADSTER Triumph based, red, excellent condition, new MoT, tax end of September, good tyres, alloys, split driver/passenger tonneau. Good low cost fun, £1950 ono. Tel: 07801 167587 (Worcestershire).

KIT CAR AUTOJUMBLE PARTS Alfa instruments, stainless steel Locost manifold, lamps, petrol tank, Escort radio. Pre-war road wheels, steering columns. Cash or exchange Escort Mk2 tuning parts or motoring/racing books or historical Lotus brochures. Tel John: 020 8832 3214 (Surrey).

MIDAS GOLD 1.4, Q-reg, 1985, 65K, Recaro seats, sunroof, good runner, recent clutch, been standing two and a half years since last MoT. Can e-mail pics, £1000. Tel: 07740 647782.

FORD PARTS Cologne V6 2.9-litre, offers. MT75 hybrid gearbox, new recon to fit Cologne V6 including extension stick to gearknob. Cost £500, open to offers. Pair Sierra front hubs, offers. LSD, 4x4 rear hubs etc, offers. Tel: 01473 611055 (Suffolk).

CATERHAM SEVEN 1992, 15,000 miles, 4-speed gearbox, live axle, 1700cc unleaded Crossflow, twin 40 Webers, AP front brakes, 4-point Luke harnesses, FIA rollover hoop. Superlights with A510 tyres, £7250. Tel: 07966 574756 (Essex).

Tel: 0845 20 20 230 PILGRIM SUMO Rolling chassis with Rover V8 and box. Brake and fuel systems fitted. Lots of new bits and bobs. New family member and extension forcing sale, £3000 (reasonable offers considered).

Tel: 01536 518014 (Northamptonshire).

MUSTANG 4.6-LITRE V8 ENGINE Brand new with Tremec 5-speed gearbox. Includes ECU, harness, clutch etc. Complete installation, all new. Ideal Cobra engine, £4995 no offers. Tel: 01684 592720 or 07810 138299 (Worcestershire).

SEBRING TMX Unfinished project. Rolling chassis built to accept Rover V8, 5-speed manual gearbox.

Chassis and components all new inclusing Minilite style wheels. Receipts for £12,500. Sell at £9000 ono. Tel: 07855 245541 (Essex).

SUPERLIGHT WHEELS 15in x 8in, 15in x 7in. As new, Ford fitting, with Yokohama A048s, good fronts, worn rears, £650 ono. Caterham Black Pack headlights, £50 pair. Caterham cycle wings £30 pair. Tel John: 07971 830015 (Derbyshire).

NCF DIAMOND MK3 Unstarted project with interior and bare aluminium shell, any offers. Tel: 07985 282810.

PART BUILT MERCEDES SSK REPLICA 90 per cent built, Volkswagen based, wire wheels, whitewall tyres, 1300cc, lots of chrome, genuine reason for sale.

Offers. Tel: 01932 344348 (Surrey).

OLDHAM & CROWTHER Rover 3.5 V8 with Holley carb and Offenhauser inlet manifold, 5-speed box.

Engine runs but needs tuning. Aluminium and GRP body. Needs interior, seats, dash, wiring and painting. Had success at hillclimbs and is featured in a book, £1000 or swap for trike/classic car resto project. E-mail: davidjones66@blueyonder.co.uk

PILGRIM SUMO 90 per cent finished, Ford 302, Borg and Warner 5-speed, sidepipes etc, £7500.

Tel Mark: 01428 684724 after 9pm (Surrey).

ROBIN HOOD EXMO 2 Zintec body, 1600 recon engine fitted. Gearbox, diff, prop, steering fitted.

Hood, rollbar, new wiring harness available plus all parts to finish build, £800 ono. Tel: 0116 284 9293 or (mobile) 07710 547584 (Leicester).

TIGER AVON Comprehensive Zetec kit, complete donor kit and Escort 1.8 Zetec car. Too many parts to list, call for details. Spent £5800, accept £4500. Tel: 01480 830055 (day), 01353 650459 (eve) or 07753 636493.

LUEGO VELOCITY 95 per cent finished, Toyota 4AGE engine, carbs, cans, discs all-round, LSD, £6900 ono. Tel: 01353 741058 (Cambridgeshire).

ROBIN HOOD SUB-K Partially complete, ill health forces sale. Many extras, requires engine change.

Transmission fitted, rolling chassis, £1200 ono.

Tel: 01202 880561 (Wimborne, Doreset).

DONOR CARS

GCS HAWKE ROLLING CHASSIS Based on 1982 low mileage 1600cc Cortina with V5C logbook. Suspension overhauled, brakes overhauled, new fuel tank and lines fitted, ready for body to be fitted, £2000 ono. Tel John: 01424 424506 (h) 01435 812706 (w). E-mail: john@sussexkitcars.co.uk (East Sussex).

TRIUMPH TR7 V8 Fitted with 3.5-litre Rover engine, 5-speed manual, Kent 214FR cam, K&N air filter, large jets, SU carbs, electronic ignition, Kenlowe fan, Facet fuel pump, Alleycat alloys, £995 ono. Tel: 0115 477 1753.

FORD GALAXIE CONVERTIBLE Big block engine, Holley carb etc. Tough rear axle, American Racing wheels, useable historic V5C (1970). Ideal for Cobra builder, £995 ono. Tel: 01226 748000 (Yorkshire).

ROBIN HOOD S7 1850cc Dolomite engine, complete. Moved house – no room for car. Best offer will secure sale. Tel: 01691 679170 (Shropshire).

BANHAM 130 Welding done, body on. Rebuilt Alfa 1500 engine, pre-1967 Beetle headlights, set of Mangers. Hard-top, windscreen. New brake discs, calipers and radiator. Doors, bonnet, boot, £1000.

Tel: 020 8641 1468 (Surrey).

WANTED COBRA 289 With Rover V8 and full weather gear.

Hawk preferred but would consider BRA. Must be pre-76 registered/tax exempt. Gregor Günther, Hohe Gasse 1, 37176 Nörten-Hardenberg, Germany.

ROBIN HOOD 2B Plus Kit for sale. Work commitments force sale. Cost £3000 accept £2000 no offers. Tel: 01274 690999 Monday to Friday.

DAVRIAN MK7 Any condition. Tel: 01435 813609 (any time).

WANT TO SEE YOUR CAR IN THE PAGES OF CKC? READER’S CAR Auto Speciali Venom

SO DO WE!

VENOM

The AS Venom Dodge Viper replica is big, brash and loud – not perhaps the type of project you’d expect a kit car novice to undertake. Beginner builder, Andy Dyke, likes a challenge.

IAN STENT MET HIM

DECEMBER 2007

SIZEMatters Neil Pullen had almost given up trying to find a kit car he could fit into. When he discovered a Luego Viento was the right size, the search was over. Adam Wilkins met him.

THE CHANCE PURCHASE of a kit car magazine in an airport in around 1998 sewed the seeds of an idea in Neil Pullen’s mind. With a background in engineering, he decided a kit car project would be just the thing to keep him

This is a particularly tidy example of the oversize Luego Viento.

entertained at the weekends. At first, he liked the idea of a Rover V8 powered Fisher Fury (for the noise as much as anything), but he was too big to get comfortable in the cockpit. Then he pondered an Ultima (still keen on having

Send pics and details to us outlining what makes it special

Pure

14 www.completekitcar.co.uk

READER’S CAR Luego Viento V6

DECEMBER 2007

www.completekitcar.co.uk 15

a V8), but decided it was too expensive for a toy. When he looked at the wide bodied Caterham SV at the NEC Motor Show in 2002, and discovered he couldn’t even get comfy in that, he almost gave up on the whole kit car idea altogether.

That was until Luego launched the supersize Viento. Here was a car that could not only accommodate him easily, but also that Rover V8 he craved. When he saw the demo at Stoneleigh 2004, he was going to sleep on the idea of building one, but his wife Becky told him to just

get on and do it, making him place a deposit there and then. Nice to see the domestic hierarchy working well!

Original plans to fit the Viento with a luscious sounding V8 were shelved when internet research on various forums suggested finding a healthy SD1 engine would be difficult. “They’re so forgiving,” says Neil, “that I read lots of tales of apparently well running engines being stripped and needing expensive work doing.” The search was on for an alternative and, still keen on something bigger than a four-pot, Neil chose the Ford Cosworth V6.

They don’t have the greatest reputation (weight and lack of tuning potential often cited as downsides), but Neil was smitten by their bombproof dependability and the fact they were only fitted to automatic Granada Scorpios, meaning none would have been overworked. Oh, and he also came

across a terrific company in the form of Top Boss Performance in Derby which has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to boost the standard 195bhp output. Who said you can’t tune a Cossie V6?

Neil bought a complete Scorpio donor for £500 which had covered 105,000 miles (95,000 of which were with the first owner with full service history). It was stripped within a couple of weeks and the engine sent away to Top Boss Performance for reconditioning. He gave them a brief to strip it to the block and replace anything that was worn. As it turned out, only the cam timing belt tensioner needed renewing (as well as various seals etc).

Not everything could be used from the donor. The auto box was substituted for a Type 9 manual, while the front hubs and rear calipers also come from a Sierra. The front calipers are from a scrapped Escort Cosworth (and have proven a little too powerful for the lightweight Luego) and the diff was part-exhanged for an LSD from a later Granada.

One major component which could be retained from the Granada was the wiring loom. “I panicked when I took the dash out and saw the wiring,” Neil remembers.

“The wiring was a long, difficult job. It wasn’t horrendously complicated, though.

You just need to keep going at it and everything becomes clear.”

His wiring is actually made of three parts – the engine loom from the donor, the main loom from Luego, and it’s joined by bits salvaged from the donor. It was those donor wires that caused the headaches. Working from a wiring 88 www.completekitcar.co.uk

OCTOBER 2007

OCTOBER 2007

Original plan to fit a Rover V8 was shelved in favour of the Ford Cosworth V6.

This is owner Neil Pullen’s first kit car project.

diagram he got from the Scorpio Owners’ Club, each time he cut away a wire (for unnecessary things like the air con or heated seats), he’d have doubts and worry he’d cut something out that he’d later need.

Another job he’d rather forget was fitting the differential. Laying under the car, he wrestled for ages and it simply

www.completekitcar.co.uk 89

ian@performancepublishing.co.uk • adam@performancepublishing.co.uk

108 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

Car Builder Solutions FP:Document 2

24/7/07

12:01

Page 1

CKC Classifieds Directory January08:CKC Advert Template

To advertise call Dan Large on 01903 236268

30/11/07

15:28

Page 110

Sureterm Direct

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01702 601055 Norwich Kit Building Services Full and part builds at reasonable rates Modifications and engine changes All work carried out in fully equipped, warm, dry, clean and secure workshop Careful records kept Cars presented for MOT and SVA Suitable transport available Friendly and communicative service Ring or email to discuss your requirements

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110 www.completekitcar.co.uk

Eve: 01424 424506

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JANUARY 2008

CKC Classifieds Directory January08:CKC Advert Template

To advertise call Dan Large on 01903 236268

30/11/07

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Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Directory

Tel: 0845 20 20 230 AGENTS FOR

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www.completekitcar.co.uk 111

www.ss100.com

CKC Classifieds Directory January08:CKC Advert Template

To advertise call Dan Large on 01903 236268

30/11/07

15:28

Page 112

Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Directory

Tel: 0845 20 20 230

ALL OCCASIONS WHITBY CAR BUILDERS & RESTORERS CAR HIRE FOR WEDDINGS • PROMS • SPECIAL OCCASIONS Steve, John & Rob at All Occasions have built and restored various cars for both ourselves and others.

Now we have moved to larger premises.

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We can now offer a total service to the kit builder / restorer

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ZZZ FDUERQPRGV FR XN You’re good at building kit cars – I’m good at paperwork. Why don’t we get together? I’ve had 16 years experience with DVLA dealing with the registration of kit cars and I can now offer the following service:-

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• Registration forms completed over the telephone. All you need do is check, sign and return.

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• Paperwork sent to local DVLA office and any problems resolved quickly.

e: jepson.paul@btopenworld.com

PO Box 4096 Pangbourne

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To insure your kit car, ring 01279 870535 and have a chat to MSM Insurance, or visit www.msminsurance.co.uk WARNING: owners of ‘normal’ cars need not apply

112 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

CKC Classifieds Directory January08:CKC Advert Template

To advertise call Dan Large on 01903 236268

30/11/07

15:29

Page 113

Sureterm Direct

CLASSIFIEDS Directory

Tel: 0845 20 20 230

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WOOLIES (WKC?), Whitley Way, Northfields Ind. Est. Market Deeping, Nr Peterborough PE6 8AR Tel: 01778 347347 Fax: 01778 341847 email: info@woolies-trim.co.uk

www.completekitcar.co.uk 113

114 30 Days Jan 08:CKC Edit Template

30/11/07

12:14

Page 114

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.

THURSDAY 1ST: A day to remember! Took the Riot to Omex today to have the ECU fitted and, at about 6pm, the Ford Sigma engine fired for the first time! Took it for a drive around the car park, making this my first Riot drive since our Car of the Year shootout in 2005. It’s every bit as good as I remember, with an immediacy and delicacy to its controls unmatched by anything else I’ve driven. Only a few more jobs on the list (above right) before I take it for its SVA test.

FRIDAY 2ND: Still at Omex today, where they’re mapping the ECU (until today, they didn’t have a map for the 1.7-litre Sigma – you can read about the set-up next month). There are a few cars around which are used for R&D purposes, including two Raw Strikers. It was this Capri that caught my eye, though, as it’s powered by a hovercraft engine. Well, sort of. It’s actually a 1.6-litre Zetec SE which Omex sets up for a hovercraft company. Since hovercrafts are incompatible with rolling roads (!), the rear-wheel drive Capri, with its spacious engine bay, is the ideal test bed for the engines. Not the quickest Capri you’ll ever come across though...

WEDNESDAY 7TH/THURSDAY 8TH: Driving through London is rarely a pleasure.

When you’re not stationary, you’re being cut up by buses and taxis and worrying you might be collecting fines for stopping where you shouldn’t, going when you mustn’t or forgetting about the congestion charge. Couple that with the fact that my geography of the capital city is left somewhat wanting, I only venture within the M25 when I really have to.

Yet for tonight’s drive through London’s tunnels in a duo of Daxes, things seem different. Photographer Paul Harmer knows his way around, so that’s navigation sorted. The congestion charge ends at 6pm, so we don’t have to bribe our way into the streets of London. Rush hour is gone. And from behind the wheel of the Rush, you have a greater sense of freedom than when you’re isolated in a saloon car. The city may not be the ideal place to drive two uncompromising V8 sports cars, but they proved brilliant fun, even in an environment so apparently alien to them.

Best of all, Livingstone wouldn’t have approved of our night out, yet the people of London loved seeing the Daxes rumble through town. Sorry, Ken.

WEDNESDAY 14TH: Group tests don’t get more varied than this! It’s a terrific crosssection of cars we’ve chosen for the inaugural CKC Reader’s Car of the Year award. It really wouldn’t have mattered which of the four cars won – each would be deserving of the title. Without a scoresheet and some critical analysis, it would have been impossible to choose between such a diverse selection of cars.

114 www.completekitcar.co.uk

JANUARY 2008

SUNDAY 18TH: Our Ad Manager Dan got his first kit car experience at the Exeter show. First he made a cameo appearance on the local ITV news in the front passenger seat of the quirky Vindicator Sprint Family (I was hiding in the back!), then today in a Westfield on the slalom course.

Judging by this pic, we can assume he liked it!

MONDAY 19TH: Important day today. It’s our strategy meeting and, if that doesn’t sound grand enough already, the door to the meeting room we hired is marked ‘boardroom’. This is serious stuff! Judging by the weighty, executive pen Justin brought (above right), he was prepared for the gravitas of the event. I, being a humble writer, had to make do with an Argos cast-out (above left).

I made sure I got my fair share of the shortbreads though. They were a gift from Magnum Engineering who were so pleased with their page in the CKC Guide they felt they had to show their gratitude in biscuits! They know how to make friends at CKC...

5/4/07

17:31

Page 1

Photo © Derek Binsted

Project26:CKC FP

On the road or on the track At Northampton Motorsport we know all about winning – our experience and expertise will get the best from your engine and chassis.

With you right from the start – we can build that kit for you – and when you feel the need to upgrade we can advise, supply and fit all the necessary equipment and make sure that it's performing to its best.

To keep it that way, you can take advantage of our regular servicing options – including rolling road tuning. And should you feel the need to take to the track, our race preparation service will help keep you ahead of the pack.

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Reconditioning of Weber, Dellorto and SU carburettors Race/Rally preparation & servicing

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...and, for your “daily” drive – ecu remaps for the Volkswagen Audi family of engines plus other petrol and diesel turbos, with no loss of driveability or fuel economy.

Call today, and get Northampton Motorsport on your team

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Hawk FP Guide 2008:WKC AD PAGES JAN06

12/10/07

16:56

Page 1

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