Morning all.

First post! I didn't know what heading to file this under so plumped for this one. If it isn't appropriate let me know and I'll move it/start another.

I fancy getting myself a kit car type thing for weekend fun and the odd track day. I need to keep it fairly cheap so I have been looking at the lower end of the market, and the emphasis is on fun rather than flat out fast. My previous car was a Civic type r (I know its nothing like as quick as most on here) and I couldn't use the performance that often on road without driving like a complete tit.

I've had my eye on this:

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

(1998 Sylva Stylus 1.3 if the link doesn't work correctly)

Its been on pistonheads @ £4k and failed to sell at £2.8k on ebay. Is there a reason for this or is the market just non existent at the moment?

Any advice would be an immense help- I know nothing about kit cars, but am an engineer an OEM so should follow most technical things. Would this handle relatively tidily? Should it go ok (how will it keep up with modern traffic?) and is there anything I should be looking out for with this particular model? I've said I'll try and go and see it early this afternoon.

Thanks in advance,

Craig.

Looks good for the money but with a 1300 it won't be the particularly quick, certainly
compared to a Civic R it'll feel very slow. Easily rectified with a bigger engine.

Check it's registered correctly, as if it ends up needing an IVA that'll cost a few quid.

Certainly worth pursuing though.

Thanks for the reply. Would probably drop a different lump in the front of it at some point, but should keep me out of trouble for the time being. It always think its more fun to thrash the nuts off a slow car than to restrain a fast one, on the road at least.

I had a look on the DVLA vehicle enquiry thing, and it wouldn't show anything if I put the make in as Ford. If I chose 'Other' and then 'Sylva' it gave this:


Date of Liability 01 02 2012
Date of First Registration 08 06 1998
Year of Manufacture 1998
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1300cc
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Licence Not Due
Vehicle Colour RED
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available
Vehicle Excise Duty rate for vehicle
6 Months Rate £71.50
12 Months Rate £130.00

Does this mean it has been through all the appropriate checks etc? Sorry, not very knowledgeable when it comes to IVA/SVA etc.

Sounds like the correct DVLA info but ask the seller what it says on the V5.
Good thing about a 1300 crossflow is that you can up the power by putting a 1600 crossflow or a Zetec or a bike engine.

even with a xflow, being that low i'm sure it'll be exciting.

If it's well screwed together that is a bargain!

Mine had a 1300 originally and I would say it's great if you're learning to play with kit cars - enough power to play with getting the back out without getting yourself into too much trouble...I wouldn't bank on being able to overtake much, though...

Looks like a decent car (from what can be seen) and a bargain if it is. Should handle well as jeremy Philips designed cars are known for. It'll be nippy with a 1300 but an upgrade to a 1600 would be simple or with a bit more work a Zetec or bike engine. I'm not keen on the bonnet as it seems to make access to the engine a bit restrickted but there's a few about with flip-front convertions.

Going back to the original question the market is dead as a dodo. Traditionally end of summer is a bad time to sell. With the recession causing hardship to some owners and forcing them to sell their toys there are more on the market and fewer buyers. Would have to be something exceptional to sell for a fair price at the moment.

It's also a good time to buy if you have the money. You can afford to be very picky and not rush. That stylus looks a nice little car and is a very fair price but a 1300 crossflow isn't going to feel very fast compared to your civic. Unless you specifically want a 1300 stylus wait for something with at least a blacktop zetec in it. It doesn't make sense (to me anyway) to buy a kitcar you are immediately going to tear apart to put a bigger engine in.

Thanks for the replies- always good to find a forum full of helpful people!

I'll have a look and see if I like it. What else around the £3k mark is worth a look?

Also how much work/cash is involved in changing to a larger engine, 1.6 crossflow or Zetec? I'm guessing a zetec swop isn't cheap! Might be worth hanging on for a bit if I'm likely to want more performance in short order, I'm in no rush. Also if anybody has seen anything (or is selling anything?) that might be suitable let me know. Like I said, total newbie so other than pistonheads/ebay I don't know where to look!

zetec engines are plentiful and cheap,around £200. chester sportscars do a bike carb/inlet manifold/ecu set up for around £700 -£800. you could save yourself some money by buying R1 bike carbs or simular off ebay for about £100. then send them to bogg bros in scarborough. they will clean and rejet carbs and mate to a very nice alloy inlet for about £250. you then need an aftermarket ecu to run it all. i bought a megajolt 3D ecu from triggerwheels at a cost of £170,which is considerably cheaper than others and a doddle to connect up.the full kit consists of wiring/ coils/connectors/ecu/edis4 module.etc.etc. there is a website called zetec inside, which lists all you need to know about fitting and parts needed. hope this helps. ANDY.

There is a nice gts panther in the kit car section of piston heads, in the other models part. If you could get it for £4k it might be a good option.

budget £1k for a zetec swap and i think you could have change, depending on how much work you do yourself.

even with the xflow, the power to weight ratio can't be far off the type r, and it'll certainly go round corners faster.

If you want one with a bit more go -

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/34/viewthread.php?tid=160470

Went to see the car yesterday, I quite liked it! It wasn't particularly fast, but it was definitely quick enough to have some fun in. It wasn't running its best either, the think the ignition timing was a touch off so it may have a bit more to give. Definitely tempted! They must be rocket ships with a decent zetec under the bonnet.

Thanks for the info about engine changes. I'm a bit short of funds at the moment so this might do for the time being, with a possible engine change project for next summer. Fun toys these kit cars!

thats what kitcars are all about. i built my striker 9 years ago with a standard pinto engine. as the years went on and funds available the upgrades followed,twin webers,kent cam,and last year replaced the engine for a brand new blacktop zetec. the power of the zetec is more than enough for most, so i changed the brakes for hi-spec 4pots as well !! happy days!!

And.... its mine! Picked it up today, quite good fun... apart from the 3 hours on the M5/M42/M40, not really ideal for that!

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Originally posted by me!
And.... its mine! Picked it up today, quite good fun... apart from the 3 hours on the M5/M42/M40, not really ideal for that!

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quote:

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Originally posted by DH2

quote:

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Originally posted by me!
And.... its mine! Picked it up today, quite good fun... apart from the 3 hours on the M5/M42/M40, not really ideal for that!

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Welcome to Stylus ownership.
You will find a few experienced Stylus owners here, though it is a fairly quiet forum compared to LCB, still some useful Stylus specific stuff in there (you'll find some about your car).

DH2

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