Since old iron isn't so readily available anymore...

[Mr. Sable]

Have any of you considered kit cars?

Seems like a pretty affordable alternative.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Groovy! I love the '41 Willys and the fact that you can put a cool looking coach on a modern drive train.

 

[Midnight Palace]

Personally, I'm a purist. I've seen kit cars driving around and it always comes off as a cheap imitation to me. It may have the body style of a classic car from the golden age, but it's not a classic car from the golden age. I'd want to buy a restored original for myself. JMO

 

[Brandy]

That's crazy. You'll have more money into kit cars then the real deal. They're out there.........keep lookin.


Do newbs need to do an intro?

 

[Sefton]

If I had a spare $8000 I'd probably go for an original. However if someone had a dealership with some of these kits ready to go I wouldn't mind giving one a test drive. That would be rather neat actually-to see a car dealer with nothing but brand new "old" cars right next to a lot of modern cars...

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

If I had a spare $8000 I'd probably go for an original. However if someone had a dealership with some of these kits ready to go I wouldn't mind giving one a test drive. That would be rather neat actually-to see a car dealer with nothing but brand new "old" cars right next to a lot of modern cars...

The real deal is of course tempting, however, driveability is also a major factor. Original vintage cars also had original vintage "safety" factors,...which were really for the most part non-existent. No seat belts, no air bags, no power assisted brakes or steering, drum brakes which are prone to fade and failure, sloppy suspension, no air conditioning, no stereo, uncomfortable, ergonomically incorrect seats,...realistically, probably a real nightmare to drive.
I like the idea of having the best of both worlds,...modern amenities and drive train with cool classic coach work. For occasional road trips.
I would also want a totally original automobile, for the preservation aspect, and for the sheer challenge of actually driving it.

 

[Diamondback]

Let' put it this way, you wouldn't wanna use a restoration as your daily-driver... but these kits let you do that and if it cracks up, ya just build another. Save the miles on your resto for the Pebble Beach Concours or your event of choice...

Although I think there should be some subtle differentiator between resto and repro versions designed in...

 

[Viola]

I know Street Beasts can't use original parts for hardware because of sizing issues. So there are differences built in. Which is okay, because I like classic Ford styles sometimes...but I couldn't buy Ford.

-Viola

 

[6StringShooter]

forgive me for my n00bness in the realm of kit cars, but is this a kit in the sense of actually having all of the parts needed to put a functioning automobile together, or is this sorta like youhave to buy a mustang and then pop this $8,000 fiberglass piece in the place of the mustang chassis?

 

[Diamondback]

You still have to buy an existing chassis and remove the bodywork if you're gonna build a street-legal ride, since the VIN remains that of the original "donor". Even the most radically bodykitted of Camaros is still legally a Camaro...

 

[dhermann1]

One factor in the vintage car area is demand and rarity. The collectors all go for the coupes, the convertibles and the woodies. Those styles will go for many times what a frumpy old 4 door sedan will go for. For example, a Buick convertible from the forties in excellent restored shape will never be less than $40 to $50k. A woody is like $100k. But a 4 door Special or Super will go for $8,000. I don't know how reliable resto rods are, but some people do use them for daily drivers, as long as they don't have long commutes. The most common thing to do is put in a Chevy 350/350 with automatic transmission. The drive train is all modern, thus easier to maintain, but the car is old. Not "pure" but you get 250 hp instead of 125, or less.
Keep in mind, I'm speaking as a New Yorker who's never owned a car, but I've been doing a lot of research lately.

 

[BellyTank]

Get yourself an Austin 7...

Turn it into a 1930s Racing Special- in your dining room, for peanuts.

I had the pleasure of syeballing this home-made special earlier this year.

These are fantastic- 6' wheelbase and all the parts can be lifted by one person, even the engine and transmission as a unit.
You can dismantle and re-assemble one of these in the space of a bed.

Only 750cc but it really is what seat-of-the-pants driving is all about.

Just get really good at hand-forming aluminium.

See the road-test video here-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9CdVfqCFJk

... make sure the volume is turned full up-


B
T

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I'm not sure if I'd enjoy driving a fiberglass body car.

With $8,000 you could get the real thing if you keep your eyes open.

Maybe if the body were made of something heavier like steel or iron.

 

[Tango Yankee]

I'm not sure if I'd enjoy driving a fiberglass body car.

Not even a Vette?

 

[Tango Yankee]

Turn it into a 1930s Racing Special- in your dining room, for peanuts.

I had the pleasure of syeballing this home-made special earlier this year.

These are fantastic- 6' wheelbase and all the parts can be lifted by one person, even the engine and transmission as a unit.
You can dismantle and re-assemble one of these in the space of a bed.

Only 750cc but it really is what seat-of-the-pants driving is all about.

Just get really good at hand-forming aluminium.

See the road-test video here-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9CdVfqCFJk

... make sure the volume is turned full up-


B
T

OH, YEAH! That'd be a hoot to drive! :eusa_clap

 

[Tomasso]

OH, YEAH! That'd be a hoot to drive! :eusa_clap

Ditto!

 

[dhermann1]

Austin 7 in Wikipedia

FASKinatin'!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_7

 

[BellyTank]

Did you also read at Wikipedia that the first BMW and Nissan were A7s?
You may have seen those WW2 Japanese staff cars in movies... recognise it now?

There were Austin 7s built in America, so they are there to be had.

My friend, who built the Special, above, has also built a Lotus from scratch- not the Austin-based Mk.1 but the Ford 10(English) based Lotus Mk.6, which has a nifty front suspension- the split/centre pivot front beam axle and split wishbone/radius rod set-up. Hand formed aluminium body, of course.
This one has an original Lotus "Works" engine.
90 mph from what was a 10hp flathead 4 engine.
That must feel fast when you're 4" off the ground and riding on 4" rims.

I'm getting excited now...

B
T

 

[Speedster]

Turn it into a 1930s Racing Special- in your dining room, for peanuts.

I had the pleasure of syeballing this home-made special earlier this year.

These are fantastic- 6' wheelbase and all the parts can be lifted by one person, even the engine and transmission as a unit.
You can dismantle and re-assemble one of these in the space of a bed.

Only 750cc but it really is what seat-of-the-pants driving is all about.

Just get really good at hand-forming aluminium.

See the road-test video here-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9CdVfqCFJk

... make sure the volume is turned full up-


B
T

BT, i want one of those as well. They are so cool and doesn't take up much more space than a bicycle and then with that 16 cylinder engine sound in the youtube video. That's awesome.

 

[Zig2k143]

BT, i want one of those as well. They are so cool and doesn't take up much more space than a bicycle and then with that 16 cylinder engine sound in the youtube video. That's awesome.

BT I might of missed it but where can I get one of these?