Kids are gonna kill me though, I'm taping over their copy of Annie.
[Edited on 7-5-05 by Hellfire]
Kit Car Crisis - the new and strangely named kit car programme on Discovery whotsitsname tonight. I'm already getting built up to feel indignant
about how the whole industry is going to be misrepresented.
Channel 133 @ 10pm
Or Channel 134 @ 11pm obviously.
If this means nothing to you, feel free to move along - there's nothing to see here.
Isn't it every Tuesday?
am i too late to beg someone too tape it for me, beer tokens in return........
I'll stick a video in for you Jon.
Kids are gonna kill me though, I'm taping over their copy of Annie.
[Edited on 7-5-05 by Hellfire]
Watching it now, look squite interesting, a bloke is building a kitcar with a busa engine in to race.
The first chassis he tried was from alan whitehead? But his diff wouldnt fit.
Just before the break they had a clip of a MK going off the track backwards!
What a twat.
And I've just seen the first part of the first episode.
Still - good luck to him...
[Edited on 7/5/05 by zilspeed]
Whens the next episode? Same time next week?
to quote zilspeed "what a twat" i must agree a bit, he has'nt got a clue !! he was quite amazed about a pop rivet 
oh well good luck
!!
looks quite interesting thou
on my ntl box 134 is discovery science but its not on?! wrong box or what?!
Its on the channel that used to be called Home and leisure , now called discovery real time.
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
on my ntl box 134 is discovery science but its not on?! wrong box or what?!
And he moaned about having to do 400 with an air riveter
, should have done it the "mans" way with a £3.99 hand riveter, he would have been
in tears........ i know i nearly was
Originally posted by jonno
to quote zilspeed "what a twat" i must agree a bit, he has'nt got a clue !! he was quite amazed about a pop rivet oh well good luck
!!
looks quite interesting thou
quote:
Originally posted by paulf
Its on the channel that used to be called Home and leisure , now called discovery real time.
Paul.
Kit car, doesn't the entire thing come in a box with instruction, like airfix kits?
rivet?? what's a rivet?
yup, twat! but good luck to him.
should run a sweeper on how many lpas it takes him to twat the car on his first race.
Although I was already seriously considering his shed and crane method of construction! though I do have a path round the side of the house.
What the f... is a Dominator? Must have missed a couple of shows!
And what nutsack about the side impact bars - it would be ok if whatever hits you is 2 inches off the ground!
And I love the one - 'If the chassis is 3mm out - it will turn corners on it's own' - that would mean every home built locost would be
undriveable.
Ohhhh - I do like tha air ali nibbler
If it was me I'd have had the mid-engine Fisher Menace...
Anyway - set the Sky+ to series record - can't miss the next installment
I only caught the last half of it but I thought it was quite good.
im in a very similar situation, about to embark on a kitcar build with very little in the way of a manual or mechanical knowledge.
not everyone is an engineer, I hope i dont get called a twat when i ask a seemingly simple question once i start building!
PS, I want an air compressor now. that rivet gun looked almost fun, even if he was complaining!
[Edited on 7/5/05 by Dillinger1977]
You definitely won't. But then again, I'm sure you're not trying to make a telly programme about the process.
P.S. Welcome
quote:
Originally posted by Dillinger1977
not everyone is an engineer, I hope i dont get called a twat when i ask a seemingly simple question once i start building!
[Edited on 7/5/05 by Dillinger1977]
Have you seen the information on the discovery website about the program, theres a picture on it showing him grinding at something with NOTHING
protecting his eyes.
Someone has pointed this out in another thread.
It will be interesting to see if he ever does get to race it, as I read somewhere else that the chassis had a lot of flex in it and was very unsafe.
But i'm just repeating what I read.
on our ntl, discovery is 304 Joel? is it different in different areas?
There was a quick flash of a chassis page from "The Book" shown
It'll be interesting to see the later episodes thanks to a thread started by Jon Ison which pointed to
HERE , (BTW the original poster "Man on a mission" is reputed to be
Mark from the program).
Can't help thinking it might not show the kit-car industry in a good light...
[Edited on 8/5/05 by UncleFista]
quote:
Originally posted by Wadders
should have done it the "mans" way with a £3.99 hand riveter, he would have been in tears........ i know i nearly was
if like me you missed it,its on again tue at 2200
quote:
Originally posted by UncleFista
There was a quick flash of a chassis page from "The Book" shown
[Edited on 8/5/05 by UncleFista]
I thought that there'd be a few comments on here this morning...
I don't think that the kit car industry will come out of this series looking bad, as it's fairly obvious to everyone that the bloke's a
bit of a pillock. Even my wife commented on it, and she has little interest in the mechanical bits of my car (tho' she does like being a
passenger).
It's very clear that:
You know - I've been thinking about this.
It's almost like the poor bloke's been set up for a fall - the programme is called kit car crisis after all.
1)They build a shed instead of a garage - it would have been just as cheap to build a garage of that size.
2) It's all being done in the back garden of a terraced house with no access other than through the front door. I'm sorry, but even the
biggest prat in the world wouldn't do that, they would hire a lock up nearby.
3)They had the first chassis delivered to the shed only to discover that a busa engine couldn't sensibly fit. Again, you or I would have spoken
to the manufacturer and he would have said "bring me the engine and I'll make mounts and any mods necessary here at the factory.
4) The camcorder bits where he does direct to camera 'crisis monologues' and has bleeped swear words.
I reckon it's nothing more or less a pre ordained prat fall - hence the name. If it was a genuine attempt at a kit car build, it would be very
very dfifferent.
**Update**
Ok - read the thread over on the RGB website. Seems as if he made all the decisions and financed it himself.
IF that's the case, it all seems very strange. There's a lot to be said for speaking to people involved in racing and building then getting
some mentoring from them as you go. I know I do.
Thanks John / Gizmo 
[Edited on 8/5/05 by zilspeed]
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
It's almost like the poor bloke's been set up for a fall - the programme is called kit car crisis after all.
Sounds like he's really up for building a kit. I don't have the channel to watch this but if I did I think I wouldn't bother. Idiots like that can only be bad publicity.
Does anyone remember the canon gt1.The maker of the dominator is one other than Paul Legot who made that car.
i missed it last night but if this is what is going to replace american hot rod i think i will be spending more time on the pc instead of watching
that
Tri
Come on Guys, give the man a chance!
Everyone starts somewhere and not all have a good grounding in mechanics or engineering.
There must be lots of people out there just like him who have built their cars from a background of "ignorance". There must surely be just
as many who have aspired to the same and never completed their cars.
The fact that he is starting from ignorance gives the show more credence for me as you know that things are not predetermined. Showing all the common
mistakes that novices make will hopefully do more good for those in similar circumstances as they will then be able to avoid them. You learn far more
from a mistake than by doing it right first time (usually by chance).
Everyone complained about the Mark Evans programs because he had an expert do everything slightly more technical than changing a wheel. Most people go
into their project with the plan they can do more of it themselves to save money. By doing it the hard way more can be gained in experience and
pride.
A lot of folk say they know their limits and don't do the things they might struggle with. Fine if that is your way and you can afford to do
that. Not everyone knows their limits and the journey is often more enjoyable than the goal.
If he crashes in his first race he will then have learnt something else. What is wrong in learning?
I for one enjoyed the program! 
Terry
I'll get down off my soap box now!
quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
1)They build a shed instead of a garage - it would have been just as cheap to build a garage of that size.
2) It's all being done in the back garden of a terraced house with no access other than through the front door. I'm sorry, but even the biggest prat in the world wouldn't do that, they would hire a lock up nearby.
I suppose the point I was making was that they built a timber shed which was just as big as a garage. Just the door wasn't big enough to get the
car out. Wat was the point in that - they knew that a fully built car had to get out of the door - why build the wrong thing ?
Not unless it was another artificially introduced difficulty.
They then hire a crane in a later episode to crane the car out of the back garden and into the street.
So, they build a shed to build the car in and once the car is built and craned out the shed is redundant and the car has nowhere to live........
Bonkers.
Just to put in my two pennorth...
His mate (who's advice he seemed to ignore) is an editor of PPC mag I believe! - Just when I was gaining respect for that mag, can't
remember a quote now but the guy (the mate) came out with some complete crap.
Apparently you can't be competetive without a hyabusa engine! And why was he so desperate to get the very light motorcycle engine a few inches
backward ? would it really of made any difference ?
The guy seems to be in well over his head.
[Edited on 8/5/05 by DaveFJ]
I have no problem with people not knowing very much and learning the hard way - it's what I did after all. But where's the research?
What gets me with this chap is that he seems to have more money than sense, and the fact that he's making his life so hard KNOWING that he knows
very little about anything.
I, for one, would never have attempted to build a BEC without the help of people on this (and other) lists.
This is compounded by the fact that he has given himself a ridiculous deadline.
What builder on here with no knowledge at all would pick an obscure untested manufacturer, with no build manual or proper company back-up, who
hadn't actually completed a car with that engine combination and raced it?
What arse would buy an expensive engine diff assembly FIRST, then try to find a chassis to fit it?
And if he's main interest is to race and presumably win, is he so bothered about looking different and original? Maybe he just wants to look good
in the paddock?
As for the shed with no proper door in the garden - where does he intend to keep and maintain the car when racing? Does he have any idea how much
maintenance/repair work he will have to do even to stay vaguely competitive in the RGB? Is he gonna do this in the rain, out on the street?
Me things a very nieve chap - but good luck to him!
Anyway - rant over, I for one will be watching with interest
First off, I don't race on circuits, but I do race in autograss (which is a lot rougher most of the time and cars have to withstand high
stresses)
My viewpoint is as follows:
If he has £12,000 to hand, then he is lucky!
I built my current 4 car block-built, concrete floored, proper garage/workshop myself for well under £4000. I had never built a building, layed blocks
etc before but needs must! It passed all inspections etc!
I built a rally car (together with a mate) pretty much from scratch, which was my first full car build, and this successfully finished many events
with no failures.
I then built my autograss car, completely from scratch, on a VERY low budget (sub £1000 excl engine) again with no prior knowledge other than watching
racing and generally being nosey! I won my class in club in my first full year racing. I didn't build it in a wooden shed, didn't need a
crane to remove it, it wasn't inspected by anybody else, I never had the benefit of practice (not allowed in autograss) and nothing (other than a
fuel pump and a fuseholder!) has broken in 2.5 years racing.
I am not a brialliant driver, and whilst I consider myself pretty competent as an engineer, I am no genius in that area either.
The programme sounds like the usual TV mishmash cockup, though I have not yet seen it, as I am too busy, usually with cars or house, to watch any TV
at all, let alone anything other than the news!
Just to get things into perspective, when I started to build my car I had NO experience in car building, just a bit of DIY car maintenance (cos I was
always broke!). I had done some model engineering (a steam loco) so I had a good idea how to join bits of metal, but no welding skills.
The difference is that when I started I didn't set myself ridiculous deadlines, I had a garage to work in, and was prepared to face "new and
interesting" tasks as they appeared - that was the fun part of building. I met major frustrations, cocked-up more often than I would care to
detail, and rebuilt bits when subsequent experience showed that I'd made a mistake.
I didn't whinge when I had to cut sheets of metal, or had a few hundred pop rivets to fix, or generally took longer to achieve
something.
I will also be following this series - unless I end up throwing something at the TV!
David
this thread makes an interesting read!!
http://www.bikecars.co.uk/Forum/topic.asp?intMessageID=2000
Reading the other thread(on bikecars) you've got to ask , if the suspension brackets ripped off by bouncing the supspension - would you still
take the car on the track????????.
Ray
[Edited on 9/5/05 by rayward]
true, if nothing else that chap is brave!
a domminator is a copy of an mk gt1 chassis but not as well made (in my opinion) those air nibblers or shears are shite mine does the same thing cuts
for the first 3 inches then you have to really push and thats at 100psi with 150 litre tank
tony
That poor guy has been set-up to fail I reckon. It'll prolly end up on ebay as a part finished project like so many others.
Half the fun and memories are created when the going gets tough... it's all part of the learning curve.
Call me synical if you like but i smell a rat with this piece of TV,someones being set up but i'm not sure who.
Looks to me like he had joined the 'donut' school of kit car building!!!
quote:
Originally posted by mad-butcher
a domminator is a copy of an mk gt1 chassis but not as well made (in my opinion) those air nibblers or shears are shite mine does the same thing cuts for the first 3 inches then you have to really push and thats at 100psi with 150 litre tank
tony
like in your blooming shoes, socks, feet ......
I found that I would get 100's of the little bits stuck in the soles of my shoes, which would then transfer themselves to the carpet in the house
- not popular...
DJ
I use an electric drill mounted nibbler from one of the shows and it's been brilliant. It's done 3 lots of bodywork and various other bits and it's still on its first cutting die. Oil the cut line with a blob of engine oil every couple of inches and it holds a lot of the toenail clippings so you can wipe them up after.
Dominator themselves have now joined the RGB thread (above) - should make for some interesting reading in the future. He's defending the ripped off suspension and other parts by saying they were adapted from standard.
Not much of a defence really, we all know pretty much by looking if a suspension bracket is going to withstand a battering let alone come of whilst testing in the paddock......
My thoughts exactly!!!!! I can't see how they can have any defence when they seem to admit that although they were redesigned, they did weld the
brackets on. If there is one thing you can guarantee, it will have broken on the welds and not torn the bracket.
As for the chassis bending, jeez, there is no weight to support, how weak must it have been to have bent!!!!!
Flipping hell, there is a lot to get wrong on a race car, and a lot of development in chassis making, but to get one to stay in one piece and finish a
race is not rocket science. To win it is another thing altogether!
Well I thought tonights was a bit better!
after watching the program tonight,i have to laugh at the phrase chassis designer, imo it seems to be a very poor copy of something i have seen
before.
on the subject of weld quality my 10 year old daughter can do better.
i thought the show wasnt too bad - as already said by some, mark appears a tad naive about whats involved. plus, expecting a top ten finish when he
himself admits he has no instinct regarding fast driving, is just daft. He should just aim to finish every race in his first season. does he think
he's racing against a field of muppets?!
As I said though, I think its getting better, and it will further as he learns more
Some of the welding and design made me cringe however! I wasn't too keen on the design of the brake pedal It looked like a bird had sh*t on
it!
quote:
Originally posted by Northy
Some of the welding and design made me cringe however! I wasn't too keen on the design of the brake pedal
The top (i think) engine mounts looked very flimsy and surely an engine like that needs to be braced in all planes of movement not just one ?
A lot of the brackets looked flimsy to me! Perhaps thats why some of them aledgedly fell off!
quote:
Originally posted by Lawnmower
Could rent a garage......., plus its not like you could just nip out and do a bit for 10minutes!
I watched Sat nights episode for first time. Didnt seem too bad of a program. He on the sort of learning curve that a lot of us start on - albeit most
of us would choose a simpler first project.
I liked his shed. Would have been better with bigger door and access to front of house!! Its one thing carrying bits thro house but how will he get
car out??
Didnt think much of his supplier. Do they have shares in a washer factory?