Vixus
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 12:19 PM |
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Picking a Kit
I'm trying to pick out a cheap, one-donor, comprehensive Locost kit. I've been looking at the following...
Robin Hood Lightweight
Tiger Cat
If I didn't go for a kit... I'd just buy a Mini/MX-5 or Barchetta! 
(This is a first car after all...)
[Edited on 1/5/06 by Vixus]
{ e = mc something ~ processed meat ~ dA }
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zilspeed
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 01:04 PM |
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Do nothing - buy nothing.
Right, now keep reading and it'll soon become apparent why neither of these options is the best choice.
MK or MNR will both provide a high quality product which makes the other two look a bit daft.
P.S. nothing wrong with an MX5/Barchetta either.
(That's me drummed out of the Brownies)
John F
Resident ugly kit car saviour.
[Edited on 1/5/06 by zilspeed]
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James
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 01:09 PM |
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Gotta agree with Zil, unless you're specifically after one of these cars (in which case you're on the wrong forum!) then there are better
choices.
I've not built either myself... just read on here the amount of owners of these slagging the quality of the kit supplied to them!
MK, MNR, GTS will all give you a far superior product.
HTH,
James
EDIT: Ok, just re-read your post, it's easy to have a single donor... but having to buy a set of Cortina uprights on Ebay in addition to
stripping a Sierra is a damn site easier than spending months fettling bodywork that doesn't fit the chassis! 
[Edited on 1/5/06 by James]
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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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stevec
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 01:16 PM |
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Cant comment on the Tiger option but as for a lightwieght there is lot of work in building the car (HUNDREDS) of rivets and you also need a fair bit
of space, Have a look at DIYERS pics.
Its looking nearly there now and a fine job he has done.
[Edited on 1/5/06 by stevec]
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asn163
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 01:18 PM |
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I would support the Mk route (obviously), but also give MAC#1 a look, good product, top blokes.
Simon
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stevec
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 01:48 PM |
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Derision Derision 
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 03:50 PM |
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Depends on how much money you want to spend - Westfield are advertising a kit for £7500 that only requires a 2 litre Sierra to finish (if you can find
one...). Everything else is provided.
On a lower budget I'd go for the options quoted so far - MNR, MK, Mac#1, GTS.
David
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DIY Si
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 04:06 PM |
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£7.5k? Why not just buy a complete one? Road legal jobs can't be too much more than that.
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Chazzy
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 04:12 PM |
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might be a silly question and if it is i;ve been in NZ for a year, but why don't people use/mention stuart taylor who were one of the earlier
locost chassis suppliers (i think?)
Chas (yes its a ST chassis )
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Hellfire
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 06:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Vixus
I'm trying to pick out a cheap, one-donor, comprehensive Locost kit. I've been looking at the following...
Robin Hood Lightweight
Tiger Cat
If I didn't go for a kit... I'd just buy a Mini/MX-5 or Barchetta!
(This is a first car after all...)
[Edited on 1/5/06 by Vixus]
Like others have already said, it may be worthwhile reconsidering your options. Location may probably be an important factor too, although it's
not that critical. CalvinX is building a kit from a manufacturer at the other end of the world so distance is no problem for him at least.
Have a read of our build and re-build diary to give you some idea of how an MK goes together and if you're ever out that way on a Saturday
morning, be sure to pop into MK Sportcars. Theres usually a good crowd turns up and all will be more than willing to take you for a short passenger
ride so you can see what sort of performance to expect.
Have I mentioned bike engines yet........................................
Phil
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Hellfire
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 06:49 PM |
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Ahhh but theres a difference between a car engine and a NICE car engine, whereas all bike engines are NICE....
Phil
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DIY Si
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 07:00 PM |
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Is a 50cc scooter nice?
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ned
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| posted on 1/5/06 at 08:30 PM |
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i was going to say don't forget mac1 before darrenw gets here but someone has already covered it.
-so as to not overlook anyone of course...
Ned.
ps also bear in mind how local they might be for advise and collecting bits - fuel costs are high if you need to drive saving a little bit in price
may be counter productive in fuel!
beware, I've got yellow skin
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Vixus
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| posted on 3/5/06 at 03:45 PM |
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Thanks for all the feedback, guys! Yeah, I wasn't going to go into anything. I still have a long way to go before I can buy anything at all.
I'll read up on all the info and check out MK !
Oh, and Bike-engined cars get two thumbs up from me.
[Edited on 3/5/06 by Vixus]
{ e = mc something ~ processed meat ~ dA }
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G.Man
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| posted on 3/5/06 at 06:00 PM |
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Speak to Marc Nordon at MNR as well..
I think you will find a tough choice between MK and MNR, but the MNR offers so much, its hard to turn down..
The chassis is the only full round tube chassis in its class, and round is stiffer than square...
Opinions are like backsides..
Everyone has one, nobody wants to hear it and only other peoples stink!
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Jasper
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| posted on 4/5/06 at 12:58 PM |
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And remember all these kits look very different when put together. The DO NOT look like the original 'book' design - IMO.
I first built a standard locost because I liked the original slim lines - much like a Caterham. MK, Mac#1 etc do not look like this, they are much
taller and bulkier and have GRP sides (though I'm sure you could fit ali.....
And don't foget there are part built and secondhand kits out there for seriously cheap money if you look around.
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iank
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| posted on 4/5/06 at 01:21 PM |
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Agree completely with the look thing.
Followed a Caterham and a Sierra based Locost to Stoneleigh.
Caterham was slim and well proportioned.
The Sierra based car (apart from pumping out clouds of blue smoke on every gearchange  ) was rather ugly from the rear. The wide arches, and
relatively narrow tyres just looked wrong.
Passenger part was similar width, so it's something that could be fixed with shorter driveshafts and wishbones/dedion.
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Vixus
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| posted on 4/5/06 at 08:03 PM |
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I was going for a more classic look, replicating a Lotus 7 with the long swept wheel wings (??). I wouldn't mind building one from scratch,
it's just the difficulty of certain bits.
{ e = mc something ~ processed meat ~ dA }
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