Home Mechanics / Kit Car
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="573962" data-time="1461289006">
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<p>I'm torn a bit on what car to get. All the advice I'm getting is 50/50 split straight down the middle on getting the cheapest, basic light one, vs getting a more performance one.</p>
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<p>Depends on the price for each part. If the suspension and brakes are the same, you could worry about an engine swap down the line which is actually cheap considering. As someone who has spent spent more sums than a sane person on modifying cars, the adage do it once properly comes to mind - it ends up being cheaper.</p> -
<p>Crucial - Yep. I'll take you for a spin in it down the line, just remember though, this is a performance car that I built ...</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="573982" data-time="1461295725">
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<p>Depends on the price for each part. If the suspension and brakes are the same, you could worry about an engine swap down the line which is actually cheap considering. As someone who has spent spent more sums than a sane person on modifying cars, the adage do it once properly comes to mind - it ends up being cheaper.</p>
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<p>The seven-160 which is only 17k is a different setup to the 270/360/420. So if you get that, I think you are sort of limited in what you can do to upgrade that.</p>
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<p>The 270/360/420 range is upgraded everything, as they are more performance cars. </p>
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<p>This is where I get lost, as I really do think I should probably just get the 160, build it, enjoy it, drive it and have some fun. But I know as soon as that's done I'll have one eye on the performance models. All the advice I look up seems to be straight down the middle on what to do!</p> -
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="574006" data-time="1461301846">
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<p>The wheels go on the bottom.</p>
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<p>You would spend days looking for the solar panel.</p> -
<p>Well, chances are I wouldn't buy a petrol car anyway. Electric drive train much simpler to construct.</p>
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<p>MR - looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Great project for an old bloke ;)</p>
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<p>A mate of mine was looking at the Caterham. Fucking fantastic power/weight ratio.</p>
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<p>But he has money, so he settled on an Elfin MS8 clubman. Open wheeler, with a Commodore V8 in it. Goes like a scalded cat.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="574020" data-time="1461305710">
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<p>Well, chances are I wouldn't buy a petrol car anyway. Electric drive train much simpler to construct.</p>
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<p>MR - looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Great project for an old bloke ;)</p>
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<p>A mate of mine was looking at the Caterham. Fucking fantastic power/weight ratio.</p>
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<p>But he has money, so he settled on an Elfin MS8 clubman. Open wheeler, with a Commodore V8 in it. Goes like a scalded cat.</p>
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<p>Yeah, I had looked at this. It's basically the same thing x2. Twice the weight, twice the power.. Thus simliar performance.</p> -
<p>A few years back I was thinking of a Lotus 7 kit-car - they manufacture these in Auckland</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.fraser.co.nz/the-car/'>http://www.fraser.co.nz/the-car/</a></p>
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<p>Problem is, with all the stupid high 4WD vehicles around today, I wouldn't want to drive one on the road - cars would just not see you and drive straight over you</p> -
<p>I would love to do one of these,<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.dynacorn.com/'>http://www.dynacorn.com/</a> they are 1mm galv steel and right hand drive is an option on some models. </p>
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<p>Good luck with your build. For anyone interested the history of these comes from Lotus. Colin Chapman sold the 7's in Kit form to get around UK taxes at the time. Then Caterham bought the IP from Lotus and have been offering these in various engine formats for years - mostly factory built.</p>
<p>They would be great in NZ - a real drivers car for our type of roads where people start thinking the world will end if you do over 150kph.</p>
<p>I have a 2 litre Toyota race engine that pulls like a school boy, if you want a high performance engine. Located in the UK though so would cost you quite a bit to get to NZ.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="cat meat" data-cid="574092" data-time="1461313880">
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<p>Good luck with your build. For anyone interested the history of these comes from Lotus. Colin Chapman sold the 7's in Kit form to get around UK taxes at the time. Then Caterham bought the IP from Lotus and have been offering these in various engine formats for years - mostly factory built.</p>
<p>They would be great in NZ - a real drivers car for our type of roads where people start thinking the world will end if you do over 150kph.</p>
<p>I have a 2 litre Toyota race engine that pulls like a school boy, if you want a high performance engine. Located in the UK though so would cost you quite a bit to get to NZ.</p>
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<p>I'll be building it in Surrey so all good from that perspective!</p> -
<p>Caterham 7s have an awesome power to weight ratio, obviously more so with the bigger engine models. I had a dice with a Caterham500 when I was driving a Merc 350SLK (no, I am not a hairdresser's apprentice). I knew the Caterham would have the edge over me, I just wasn't ready to see just how big that edge was. He was stuck behind me at the lights and I took off like the proverbial scalded cat and he did the same, keeping inches behind my rear bumper then just flicked his wheel and overtook me on the inside and lost me within about 100 yards. Just totally blew me away. Amazing for a car designed in the 1950s.</p>
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<p>Mind you, stick a radio and a heater in them and the power to weight ratio becomes somewhat more sane.</p> -
And so it begins .... delivered yesterday ...
Delivered the below, plus 4 wheels, and engine, a gearbox, and about 30-40 other significant parts. Oh, and also bout 900 bolts, washers, rivets etc etc.
And a 285 page instruction manual. I'm 50% excited,and 50% feeling like Mike Catt at one point during 1995 ...
Seriously, at the moment in my house, in the garage, there is a diff on a wooden shelf. How fucking masculine is that!!!
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@MajorRage said in Home Mechanics / Kit Car:
And a 285 page instruction manual. I'm 50% excited,and 50% feeling like Mike Catt at one point during 1995 ...
You'll be fine - it's only 6 steps:
and you've already done 3 of them...Expect you'll have it finished by the time I type this.
So exactly which model did you go for? Couldn't see the 2.0 toyota engine option on the website? Not one of their usual ones? Did notice the seven620R starts at 50,490 pounds (gulp) but 0-60mph in 2.79 so must be worth it. They are all pretty damn fun though.
Oh, and build it in the kitchen, your wife will love it.
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It would be great to see a timeline photo collection MR. Good luck with the project mate.
Pure. Simple. Fun. | Caterham
