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Any kit car builders here?

Those inclined in building cars and 7's might enjoy this... Ivan Dutton now has started his own channel :) called Shed Racing...




https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/featu...lotus-and-caterhams-kit-car-through-the-ages/

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A typical 7 owner...(although they wouldn't wear a scarf for fear of being strangled by their own car!)...

 
I built a Beach Buggy to avoid the IVA test (well, I also wanted a 4 seat car and all the other 4 seat kit cars were horrible). It still needed a DVLA inspection and I had imagined they would go into all sorts of detail but they basically just took a look at the car - "that's long wheelbase isn't it?" , "yes", "no problem then".
They still got the colour wrong on the V5, though. The car I built from was green and the buggy was (bright) orange. I had the word "orange" written on the form and the receipt for the kit (which they demanded after 6 weeks sitting on the forms) stated "orange". But somehow the V5 came back with "brown" as the colour, I couldn't be bothered going through the rigmarole of changing it, so whenever anyone asked I said that the colour was "bright brown"!
 
A mate of mine bought one 'unfinished' in 1990, just needed rewiring really, a british racing green one with the yellow nose, it had a RS2000 engine and a ltd slip dif, I only had a spin in it from a carpark the old Enkalon factory to his garage in the Mkt Yard, about 4 miles, totally wicked thing to drive, very fast and would step out really quick and push the nose, deadly but fun.
He'd traded a MK1 Cortina for it, a totally gorgeous blue and white one in pristine condition, a few days after getting the Dutton/Westfield he put it through a hedge and that was the end of his 'classic car' hobby.
 
It's worth, at this point, having a catch up with where we are with the car. It had the wrong fuel pump, because that chassis was originally bought for a carbureted engine whereas we have a Zetec 2ltr injected. I fitted the new pump, which involved some re-wiring too. So the engine started at last and the car was driven out of the garage under it's own steam for the first time ever! We set the headlight beam as best we could, though it will need checking. I'm only recent to the car & discovered that the clutch cable hadn't been adjusted, so I did that. The brake still has a long pedal; I don't think its air, just a long travel until the solid part. I adjusted it as far as I could until the push rod was against the back of the pedal. I'll review the brakes when we're able to take the car out for a road test. I have the boot to fit, a clip for the fuel filter to fit, the nose cone to fit, and the wheel trims. I need to get a few miles on it, to bed in the brakes and to test the gearbox. It's only been in 1st & reverse up to now. I need to calibrate the instruments and test the radiator fan switch; the engine hasn't been run long enough for it to kick in yet. The lower union on the new fuel pump dripped a bit. I'd fitted right angle unions, so had to change it for the straight one that came with the pump, but that puts the fuel hose precisely where I don't want it, so I'll probably fit a banjo. We can fit the bonnet too, so at last it will start to look like a proper car! I'm going to remove the rear spare wheel holder too; one less thing for the tester to think about.


I would say, that by the end of the weekend we'll be able assess whether or not the car is ready for the IVA test, but we must be close to it! I'll post up some pictures when I get the nose cone, bonnet and boot fitted!
 
So, I was able to get the car on a short run yesterday and a few problems came to light. The air filter is too high and fouls the bonnet, so I'll have to relocate it using ducting. I think I have the radiator wires transposed, because warm air was blowing out from the grille, but the fan did cut in, so at least I know that is working (it's controlled by the ECU). The brake pedal is too long; I suspect its a mechanical issue with one of the rear callipers, because the R/N/S was the only one that I didn't get around to testing. Worrying though, is the exceedingly poor view alongside the car from the mirrors, which makes it difficult to reverse into a confined space. I asked the question on the WSCC forum and it seems that they are the correct mirrors, but I think that they are set too narrow, because the rear wings are wider than the mirrors. A good first test though, but we're not ready for the IVA yet and frustratingly, I might not get much access to the car next week.
 
As per the mirrors and reversing as long as your not on a hill and somewhere off the road it might be easier to push the car into a parking space like a go cart :)
 
Space is the Place said:
As per the mirrors and reversing as long as your not on a hill and somewhere off the road it might be easier to push the car into a parking space like a go cart :)
Click to expand...

To me, it's a design flaw, I'm sure there will be some way out of it. As it is, view all round isn't great tbh. Interior mirror is limited and even on the nearside, there is a huge blind spot; I will improve it by one means or another! In the short term you're right about it being easier to push it back into the garage!
 
I think these car are only meant for going forward, if your going backwards in one you'll either be getting intimate with some hedgerow or a pile of tires!
 
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