Hi All (Newbi/lurker here!)

Right, I've been plotting for the last 3 or 4 years and have finally got to the position of buying/building a kit car.

I had decided on the MK Indy having seen examples at shows and also the build in Which Kit magazine a couple of years ago.

I've just got my donor 1.8 Sierra and am looking to start stripping it in the next couple of weeks much to my wife's disgust.

BUT... I went on to the MK website and spotted the new chassis. Having read bits of dicsussion on here, I got the impression the new chassis is more suited to bike engines due to the space constraints? Can anyone shed any light on this? Would it be easier to stick with the standard Indy chassis since I'm looking to put either a Zetec or Duratec engine in?

I'm planning on a visit to MK soon so I can have a proper poke around and place my order but any info up front would be much appreciated!!

Thanks
James

The engine bay area is a bit smaller than the original chassis,but there is still plenty of room for a zetec or duratec,or just about any other engine you wish to fit in there.

If you can source your engine and gearbox early, you can leave it with MK when they're building your order and they'll build the chassis to fit it (and fab you up some engine mounts while they're at it). I did that with my XE engine, it fits like a glove. There's not much space at the back of the engine and in the tunnel but there's plenty of room towards the front.

Welcome to the nuthouse. The new chassis would be the one to go for unless you're on a really tight budget. If you're visiting MK, try and make it on a Saturday morning. There's usually a decent turnout of owners cars (if the weathers half decent) and it'll give you the chance to browse around, ask questions and maybe get a passenger ride in both CEC and BEC for comparison.

Phil

Cheers guys. I started out thinking I'd do it on a very tight budget but the spec keeps growing

New chassis it is! Is there a build manual for the new chassis or is it sufficiently close to the Indy?

Thanks
James

build should be basically the same

the new chassis has some great reviews however there is nothing wrong with the old chassis

but once youve been in a bike engine car you wont want some zzzzzzzzz!etec

quote:

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Originally posted by JEPY
New chassis it is! Is there a build manual for the new chassis or is it sufficiently close to the Indy?

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quote:

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Originally posted by JEPY
New chassis it is! Is there a build manual for the new chassis or is it sufficiently close to the Indy?

Thanks
James

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Can't blame somebody for being nervous about this. I'm scared shitless thinking about when my kit arrives (from another company)... It is by far the most ambitious project I've ever undertaken, perhaps too much so.

I can appreciate the sentiments, but there isn't loads to be worried about.

Honestly, the worst thing that can happen is that you have to stop, down tools in the middle of a job and ASK FOR HELP!!!
either here or on the phone to a local builder.
Honestly you will be fine, it certainly isn't a case of biting off more than you can chew!

ATB
Steve

quote:

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Originally posted by RK
Can't blame somebody for being nervous about this. I'm scared shitless thinking about when my kit arrives (from another company)... It is by far the most ambitious project I've ever undertaken, perhaps too much so.

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Thanks for all the comments, it's reassuring!!

Snoopy - will defo check out the mecano instructions (sheesh, not seen that stuff in ages!) - hope it's stronger than the stuff I used to play with

zxrlocost - I'm saving the bike engine ideas for a different project - I go to Poland quite often and I'm tempted to drive a fiat 126 back (they made them up until 2000 under the guise 126P). Anyway, it's a popular conversion out there and it seems like a good wheeze if nothing else! I'm trying to enlist a few mates into doing a low speed Gumball rallye style event back from Poland later this year. Then use the subsequent car(s?) as a project. There's a few people that have done it in this country I think... (the conversion, not a Gumball rallye in a Fiat 126!!!)

I'm sure I'll be calling on the expertise of you guys over the coming months (years????!)

James

Jepy, you have a U2U!