I got into the idea of building a kitcar a couple of years ago. I've amassed enough stuff that I have bought because they were cheap and thought I might need it in the future that I can actually start now.
I know what is involved in it, I've read loads and have spoken to loads of people. I know that there are limits to what you can do with a production car, the more I've gotten into it, the more I'm surprised how many corners manufacturers cut to save a bit of money.

The first step is the scariest - the spaceframe, this is an example from a Caterham:


It can be lifted by one man, it is a simple lattice of hollow, steel tubing. It looks weak, but is incredibly strong. If you launched this into a wall, it wouldn't twist or bend. (A production car is based on a cost-effective, ladder frame:


or a pretend 'spaceframe':



It is part strengthened by the shell that sits on top of it. The shell is redesigned prior to this, so large pieces of sheet metal are removed to save money. The fact that cars need strut braces to reduce them bending round corners is a pretty good indication. The Model T-Ford used this design, and it has been in use ever since.)

The spaceframe needs welding to a good level of accuracy and symmetry, and also considering what is going in (engine/gearbox). The spaceframe can be pre built, they're from about 500 quid. If I compare this one more time to a conventional production car chassis:



A kitcar chassis has protection all round, from the sides, the front, the rear, and even above. A normal car has to meet the minimum of safety standards to pass the tests. Even driving the 'voted safest car of the year', I still wouldn't like to have a crash in it at anything above 30mph, especially if it rolls over. When a kitcar enters it's own Single Vehicle Approval, even a sharp edged nut on the rear number plate is deemed dangerous!!

I'm sticking with vauxhall power, including either a Manta or Omega F25 gearbox, however I'm wondering about the running gear.

I'm looking forward to spending loads of time on it, it's the norm to spend most nights and every other weekend doing it, and not have anything drivable for a couple of years (!). It'd be pretty awesome to have some to drive that you built from scratch, for a single purpose. I guess I'm just sick of production cars (and getting my arms cut to shreds for the sake of the manufacturer's cost cutting reductions).
Sorry about sounding like a school book!

You can do it! Go for gold!

If i had the know how i'd love to do it, being able to say "i built that car" would be a great achivement If you've got the tools and got the smarts i think you should go for it

ask punto driver he's making one at the moment

Go for it these things are Rapid! and if anything goes wrong with it you will know the ins and outs of the whole car

As all others have said,go for it,it'd be mint. What is it going to look like?

The amount of metal for the frame is costing 350 quid (!) - whether it's worth going for a premade bespoke frame for 500 quid, I don't know. It's two full on 14 hour sessions of weekend welding.

There's a lot of metal there


I'm after that Lotus 7 shape:


but probably more like this (as the above one costs 40 grand and are built by professionals):


^hand built in a garage

Very impressive, do it and keep us updated with your progress.

I dont know wher the hell ya getting ya metal from mate but that is way more than it cost me mine would have cost about £100 but my boss got it for me. You should look at the book by ron build yourself a sportscar for "250 it based on the lotus but is renamed a locost and gives you all the chassis drawing etc. If ya want a look at mine for ideas or need any help pm me rhys

look at that lovely metro engine! pmsl!

That for the whole lot cut to length in varying thickness high grade tubular steel.

I got that book on pdf, absorbed it totally - stupid amount of measurements and angles of 3.1265 etc. Gulp. Fortunately you can buy all the bits, and the Locost way is quite a cheap and nasty way of doing things when you can get nice double wishbones made for the job for 50 quid.


Proper!

What are you using for the running gear and engine?

That's a Zetec innit?

you can buy all the locost bits from suppliers like tiger made to the ones in the book. As for the locost chassi ive compared it to many sevens and it is the same except for independant rear wishbones. Locost is'nt a nasty wasy if you are a skilled person and know coded welders who can weld it up for you. Many chassis bought are mig welded this is a s..t way of welding and is weak because it is a cold weld with no penetration I got mine tig welded only the best for a locost. I am doing a locost and you can ask many mine aint nasty. In fact people on these board have given me offers and have tried to persuade me to sell it. AS for running gear i had purchased a 1.8 zetec and was using a type 9 g-box I soon found out that it is difficult to get it to run on injector properly so i thought i would run it on twin dcoe's but in order to do this I was going to have to purchase a 2d or 3d engine managment system which is £800 up. So i changed the engine for a pinto lump although heavier parts are cheap eg cam and you can get larger carbs from the granada pluss you have less to worry about on emissions when puting it through a sva as the engine in pre 1993 so no need for a cat so i put a carbon bike can down the side. Am using the cortina upright with brembros and escort mk1 and 2 for the drive shaft and back axle. You are welcome to come down and hav a lokk for ideas.

Where are you based chief? How long's it been running?

Unless I have a full weeked free, I'm buying the frame fully made up from Stuart Taylor. I've got a few more bits, a rwd gearbox from a Carlton. I have an 8v 2.0 engine from a Calibra which bolts very snugly on top. There's three engine mounts. It's difficult visualising it without seeing it. it doesn't fit well with driveshafts and what not, but after years of Ford I'm not going back to it.

Getting the dimensions and AutoCAD'ing the whole lot up.

Hows ur goin miek?

I want to make one now.

Hows ur rhys.How much power does the pinto put out. I would want 1.6 ZETEC power (since im gonna have a 1600zetec spare

There's a nice Kit car on Balls road in Birkenhead by andy's tattoo place.... think its a VW

I need a garage with an electrical point, if anyone knows of one, or even a small industrial unit, I'm really desperate!!

You can get a lock up garage for £7.00 per week but no electricity, buy a cheap petrol Generator.

Small industrial units cost £70 - £100 per week

I think I'd pay that though! I have three lock-ups, all about 3 miles apart from each other, and it's a proper pain in the arse. They all tend to be a bit small as well. I'd want to just get everything into one space!

wher i work they have large contaners for about £15+vat a week an there is a few other poeple there that have electric u cud jus run an extrention over to the work shop there all frendly aswell

Aint there a kit car in bhead? i think its on balls road. a red one. i dont know much about these

The kitcar that was on balls road was a Nova. They have stoped making them now and can be picked up for around £400 second hand on ebay now 'n' again.
Only problem with it is that it's fiberglass monoque and it's running gear is from a mini.
It has a mini front subframe mounted at the rear with the engine in it. And it has another at the front with no engine in it.
I own a business in Oxton and we Kitcars and prototype vehicles for private and business use.
As Punto driver said, You can get all the steel for the chassis for around £100 for a seven style car and if you do use the locost route, there are some changes that can be made to stiffen it up even more.
We charge £450 for a lotus 7 chassis and we offer 3 types.
Normal size , 4" wider , 4" wider and taller.
We can also make you a chassis to your spec but this costs a bit more and would be no benifit to you as it is for race use or fitting very large engines in to it.
You are more than welcome to come and have a look at what we do here.
We are at:
Unit 5a,
28a Wellington road,
Oxton,
Wirral,
CH43 2JE
0151 652 1444
07792557238

Give us a call first to make sure we are there.

If i am right the nova is a sporty looking lift up roof thingy, i always though they were rear engined and used a vw beetle for running gear dnt qoute me on this though!!!!!

Something i have always wanted to do that.

If you need a hand i would help you (no charge) as it would be a great thing to do and could teach me a hell.


paul.porfabrication is your man for things you carnt buy or get if you ever want one off stuff ar need metal work doing so it wouldnt cost the earth to make one as there is a good fabricator local.

Give us a shout if you ever need a hand i am no f1 grease monkey but 2 sets of hands and 1and a half brains are better then 1)

I really honestly might take you up on that chassis offer, it's one thing I need help with, everything else I can do in the lock up.
It will have a Vauxhall 2litre engine mounted and an Omega gearbox, I think that's about 5 mounts in total, and a Manta diff on the back.

ME gettin V.intrested in doin one of these 2 now.Prob start when i move to my new base,ill get the fram from POR i think,id want the wideboy one lol,mmmmmmm

Power 1.8 ZETEC turbo or carbs
Body,White with graphics
Wheels,Multispokes
Mostly ford parts me thinks

Hows ur doin rhys and miek? any pics??

The wide chassis does not make the arches stick out any more, just makes the cockpit bigger.
If you wanted a wider arched car, it would have to be a prototype.

does it make the car wider tho from left to right,i like short fat cars,thick juicy fat lasses lol

Yeah it makes the over all size of the car bigger, but the arches stay the same.

Sorry to correct you, but Nova kit cars are based on a VW Beetle chassis with VW running gear. The one that was on balls road had some sort of american engine in, the guy said it was a 3ltr when I spoke to him.

They are still in production too, however only in the US. http://www.kitcar.com/sterling/home.html Mike is a nice guy and keen to help anyone. My advice, if going for a Nova is to get an early one
(pre 80's), the glass-fiber is ALOT thicker than the 80's versions. (I have owned both versions). Also the 70's ones come with a better cockpit (that's just my opinion though).

If you're going for out and out speed I would go with the 7, if you're going for something which is a little special I would make a really nice Nova, they can be headaches,(roof issues mainly as it rasies on hydralics, and the fact that the roof steams up loads and is very hard to de-mist).

I think the Novas are pretty hideous, but kind of attractive in a way, like 'cars of the future' in the 50's or something.
I bought Rhys' old 7 kitcar, and have bought the stuff but have had no time to do anything really.

just remember ive still got them other wishbones in work will try and remember them i have also got the manual haynes so dnt go and buy one lol

I keep forgetting to pm you about those wishbones. I've got all the bits, I just need to move the whole thing to a place with a powerpoint to get welding. I took the whole engine out one person the other day.

"I think the Novas are pretty hideous, but kind of attractive in a way, like 'cars of the future' in the 50's or something.
I bought Rhys' old 7 kitcar, and have bought the stuff but have had no time to do anything really."

All a matter of opinion. They're based on the 70's supercar shape though. Same profile as the lambo miura. Far to angular to be a future car from the 50's. Maybe if they where more rounded, and had more fins