..so is there really no market at all for nice looking and affordable kits that can seat four people comfortably?

It seems the closest we're getting are a handful of 2+2 vehicles, and the Aeon GT3..

The Yanks have a bit more choice with all those companies offering hotrod kits, but those are rare in Europe and tend to be rather expensive.

The Bramwith Motor Company was close, offering modernized Ford A's, but it seems they do turn-key vehicles only these days..

The Banham BAT was interesting, but alas the company went under with only a handful of kits sold..

Am I missing any others that are offered in Europe? It would be great to have a kitcar that's fun to drive (either a sporty modern looking vehicle, or a 'classic' of sorts) but that will seat the family..

There's a 2+2 Vindicator, but IMHO that's one ugly mother http://www.vindicator.co.uk/pages/models.htm

The JBA Falcon has a model which can be 2+2: http://www.jbacars.co.uk/ocars.htm

Can't think of any others in current production

" It would be great to have a kitcar that's fun to drive (either a sporty modern looking vehicle, or a 'classic' of sorts) but that will seat the family.."

Problem is that it would have to compete dirctly with Subaru Impreza's.

adrian

There's a porsche speedster replica on an unshortened floorpan. I don't know if its a 2+2 though.

The Beaufords are all 4 seaters ( the ones that look like wedding cars ).

You could try a locost sevenesque four seater? Not sure what it would look like though

quote:

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Originally posted by speedyxjs
You could try a locost sevenesque four seater? Not sure what it would look like though

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I'm currently building a 5 seater Vindicator


being the only thing I could find that would take the lot of us

quote:

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Originally posted by smart51
There's a porsche speedster replica on an unshortened floorpan. I don't know if its a 2+2 though.

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I really wish the Phantom Vortex GTR came as a 2+2. That would make a great family car for practical use.

The JBA looks ok.. should be quite nice to take the family out for a spin. With some proper period detailing it would make a pretty nice pseudo-classic.

I believe there's another company offering Jaguar look alikes... *googles* Autotune Aristocat, that's the one. Optional hard top, too..

And NG cars is doing a 2+2 version of their TF, too.

Any more modern designs though?

Hi there was the old Jago jeeps and the rickman rangers. And theres the Dakar 4x4.



Admitadly they are not exactly sports cars though .

Cheers Matt

Sure they are, just a different kind of sport ;D

quote:

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Originally posted by akumabito
The Yanks have a bit more choice with all those companies offering hotrod kits, but those are rare in Europe and tend to be rather expensive.

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quote:

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Originally posted by piran
I'm currently building a 5 seater Vindicator


being the only thing I could find that would take the lot of us

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LWB beach buggies
Domino Mini's (think they are being made again)
There was a RS200 replica with a front mounted engine, so presumably a bit of room for seats to be fitted in the back.

quote:

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Originally posted by iank
LWB beach buggies
Domino Mini's (think they are being made again)
There was a RS200 replica with a front mounted engine, so presumably a bit of room for seats to be fitted in the back.

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The Vindicator family car shown on the web site has got the rather flat bonnet to it (mkII), but since some guy took it out on a track and slide off and into a bank, it has been replaced by the mk IV body work that has the hump to allow for the pinto EFI 2l to be used. On the strength of the slight damage that occurred, I gather the driver put a down payment on one. The roll cage is a bit bulky but at least it will do the job of proctecting the passengers. If anyone can improve on the 'look' then I am sure that John at Vindicator would welcome any feed back.

I like my sprint thou and our kids have grown up!!!

Tim

quote:

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I like my sprint thou and our kids have grown up!!!

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quote:

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Originally posted by vindicator
The Vindicator family car shown on the web site has got the rather flat bonnet to it (mkII), but since some guy took it out on a track and slide off and into a bank, it has been replaced by the mk IV body work that has the hump to allow for the pinto EFI 2l to be used. On the strength of the slight damage that occurred, I gather the driver put a down payment on one. The roll cage is a bit bulky but at least it will do the job of proctecting the passengers. If anyone can improve on the 'look' then I am sure that John at Vindicator would welcome any feed back.

I like my sprint thou and our kids have grown up!!!

Tim

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I'm looking at the McSorley 442 plan set now. I'm not overly tall, so the extra interior space could be entirely dedicated to a rear bench seat. I'm thinking a simple bench could be placed directly over the diff. The rollbar could stay in stock location, with the bench seat behind it. I'm guessing the rear end could be extended a little as well without messing up the look of the car too much. Maybe an additional 10cm could be gained here. Yo'd then have the problem of fitting the fuel tank though..

Hmmm... any ideas?

Where would you put the fuel tank?

Do you really want to use your kids as a "crumple zone"?

I'd have a rethink, personally

cheers

Chris

Someone did post some CAD drawings of a 2+2 Locost. The problem was that the rear passengers are above the rear seat which led to a very high roll bar, not very elegant IMHO.
The only way it could work is to copy the interior lay out of a Porsche 924 or Mazda RX-7 SA22/FB and transform that into a Locost frame. These cars have a similiar wheelbase to a locost, but aren't roomy either in the back.

Something like this:

4 seater locost
Although the engine bay is pretty small now.

[Edited on 15/6/08 by ettore bugatti]

that looks pretty much like the vindicator chassis. The rear seats are forward of the wheels, the fuel tank is directly above the diff.

I believe they only extended the chassis by 12" and the rear leg room is better than anything I've seen on a production car !

quote:

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Originally posted by vindicator
The Vindicator family car shown on the web site has got the rather flat bonnet to it (mkII), but since some guy took it out on a track and slide off and into a bank, it has been replaced by the mk IV body work that has the hump to allow for the pinto EFI 2l to be used. On the strength of the slight damage that occurred, I gather the driver put a down payment on one. The roll cage is a bit bulky but at least it will do the job of proctecting the passengers. If anyone can improve on the 'look' then I am sure that John at Vindicator would welcome any feed back.

I like my sprint thou and our kids have grown up!!!

Tim

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At the danger of being accused of resurrecting an old thread I have only just found this one and wanted to contribute.

Admittedly the Vindicator is not the prettiest of LSIS cars but they are the only company to offer a 4 seat kitcar that is sporty looking and doesnt look like a eurobox or an old fashioned roadster.

In addition to this it doesnt require the old floorpan of a production car which could be suspect. It has a triangulated spaceframe chassis, offers excellent legroom ( i'm 6'4 and well padded and can put the seat in my driving position and leave enough legroom in the back for an adult to sit comfortably) and whatever anyone else says it it recognisable as a seven style car.

The People in bobble hats on the Vindicator website referred to earlier in this thread I think is probably me and my family if its the bright orange hat.. It isnt a bobble hat its a thinsulate ski hat, and it matches my car. It was required attire for testing the car as it was december the 28th when that picture was taken and the weather was not exactly tropical.

I have 2 children now aged 6 & 8 and they love the idea of the car, which has been christened Tango, and cant wait to go out in it. I wanted a "sporty" kitcar however the wife was insistant that it had to have 4 seats. Several companies frowned on this idea when spoken to at shows and one even went so far as to say to me " why build a 4 seat kitcar men with families dont have any spare cash", then I spoke to John at Vindicator and he was open to the idea. There were several discussion with John at Vindicator, i wanted a 4 seat shadow but after some time it transpired that it would technically difficult and quite expensive to develop. So discussion turned to the Sprint. This after a few months the Sprint family was born. I would like to think i was at least some way instrumental in the family being born and was also the second person to order one, as soon as the financial situation allowed ie the money for the deposit was saved following a change of job and car.