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maybe a dumb question but..
hucky - 23/4/11 at 07:21 PM

i have searched but not come up with what im looking for.

can anyone tell me in simple mind terms the differance between the kit car's?

robin hood, locost, haynes, westfield, caterham, lugeo and any that i may have missed??


sorry for the silly question, its just something im looking to answer


cheers
chris


balidey - 23/4/11 at 07:30 PM

The differences are, in no particular order....

Price
Ease of build
Looks
Performance
Heritage
Ability to hold price
Weight
Choice of build options.

The short of it is, there is no way of comparing all the above makes.
Its like asking which beer is best. Unless you specify 'best in which category' then its a 'how long is a piece of string' question. There is no answer. And then you will get personal preferences thrown into the equation.


coozer - 23/4/11 at 07:34 PM

Weight
Handling
Fabrication
Meccano set
Cost
Holding value
Etc
Etc

Very open Q IMO.


balidey - 23/4/11 at 07:38 PM

Maybe to elaborate a little you could tell us...

Are you looking to buy a kit?
A complete finished car?
New?
Used?
Build yourself?
Pay someone to build?

Do you have a lot of money?
or an a tight budget?

Do you want it for leisurely sunday drives?
Or track days?

Do you want it to look good?
Or is it all about out and out performance?


hucky - 23/4/11 at 07:48 PM

im more looking to be able to tell the differance between them tbh, but in reply to balidey
i have reciently bought a kit. well chassis, haynes built... this one to be exact - http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/34/viewthread.php?tid=151282

so i do want to build my self, and on a budget. the car will be used just for random drives through out the year, so all weather gear will be used and i will have it on the track when i get the chance. performance would be nice and looks will mainly be down to what i like rather than what sort of impressions i should try to make?

but, just so i dont give the wrong impression accross, im not looking for anyone to tell me whats best or not, just how i can tell the differance between them.


handyandy - 23/4/11 at 07:56 PM

When referring to a chassis as a "Haynes", be aware that there are 2 Haynes chassis designs, the one you have is also known as the Ron Champion / Book chassis which if built to book spec will have the Escort MKII live rear axle arrangement,

The other "Haynes" chassis is also known as the Haynes Roadster which uses the Sierra as its donor & has Independant rear suspension arrangement, The Roadster is from the book titled "How to build a sportscar on a budget" Author being Chris Gibbs.

The 2 chassis,s are very different in dimensions so just be careful when looking for parts such as bodywork as they don,t fit eachother ( without being altered etc ).

Hope this helps, & best wishes for your build.

cheers
andy


flak monkey - 23/4/11 at 07:57 PM

They all look different. Thats a good way to tell...

What sort of difference do you want to know?

The list is almost endless...


mrwibble - 23/4/11 at 08:18 PM

some cars are ready made chassis with a part list available (generally with quite a waiting time if my grasp of the kit car market is right.) e.g robin hood, mk, other are bigger brand names, such as caterham or westfield, both of which have their own issues, but tend to hold their value once complete better than other "7" (lotus 7 based or inspired cars) style cars once performed. thats not to say they are better, just that the market value maybe higher once complete.

haynes roadsters or locosts cars tend to be home brew or very low production cars that, are either scratch built chassis by people at home with a book to refer to or seven inspired cars manufactured for racing by engineering firms.

unless your a welder or engineer a complete chassis maybe the way to go, shop around and find one whos reputation suits u, and whos turn around for parts has been recommended. i waited a long time for my chassis to arrive and its still not with out its faults... (fury recently changed hands) but its the car i wanted so...


stevegough - 23/4/11 at 08:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by hucky
i have searched but not come up with what im looking for.

can anyone tell me in simple mind terms the differance between the kit car's?

robin hood, locost, haynes, westfield, caterham, lugeo and any that i may have missed??


sorry for the silly question, its just something im looking to answer


cheers
chris


You missed Luego, and I have never heard of a lugeo !

There is also Stuart Taylor, MK, Tiger, GTS.

All variations on a theme - there are minor differences between them all, and some major differences - for instance - size.

EG - Luego do a Locost, Velocity and a Viento. The Locost (mine) and the velocity are the same size as each other, slight difference in the engine bay triangulations, but the Viento is much larger.

Description
Description


[Edited on 23/4/11 by stevegough]


LBMEFM - 24/4/11 at 07:18 AM

I think, to put it in simple terms hucky, it's like saying whats the difference between Ford, Audi, Nissan, Toyota, BMW, Kia, Citreon, Volvo,etc etc. Where do you start. I would suggest that you go to a kit car show, see the cars, talk to the owners and visit the manufacturers. That way you can see the difference for yourself. Barry

[Edited on 24/4/11 by LBMEFM]

[Edited on 24/4/11 by LBMEFM]


j3w3ll3r - 24/4/11 at 07:36 AM

Its a bit like crisps

They all look pretty similar, all do pretty much the same job, all packaged in much the same way, some cost more than others and everyone has their favorite flavor and most wont have a bad word said against their favorite

My favorite for the record are beefy monster munch....or Westfield if you prefer but my advise would be go see them, sit in them, drive them and ultimately choose one that fits your budget

Much of my decision was made for me as im tall and fat...not a good combo, and the Westy ticked all the boxes. Its not strictly LoCost but im a tight git so like to maintain it as LoCost as I can within reason


rusty nuts - 24/4/11 at 08:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by j3w3ll3r
Its a bit like crisps


Much of my decision was made for me as im tall and fat...not a good combo,


Must be all those crisps??


Good way of putting the point over , as said you should try as many of the cars for yourself to see what fits you


David Jenkins - 24/4/11 at 08:21 AM

Hucky,

As you're in the Manchester area, it's not too tough a journey down to Stoneleigh (just south of Coventry) where there is the biggest kit car show of the year on next weekend.

LINK

You can see all the makes, chat to the manufacturers and probably sit in a few cars. You will also be able to see hundreds/thousands of finished examples all round the grounds.


stevegough - 24/4/11 at 08:30 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Hucky,

As you're in the Manchester area, it's not too tough a journey down to Stoneleigh (just south of Coventry) where there is the biggest kit car show of the year on next weekend.

LINK

You can see all the makes, chat to the manufacturers and probably sit in a few cars. You will also be able to see hundreds/thousands of finished examples all round the grounds.


+1

See the cars, speak to the owners (and in a lot of cases, builders) manufacturers, sit in the cars(with the owner's permisssion, obviously!!) visit the suppliers - all in one place - billed as the biggest in the world.

Maybe even be taken for a ride, and Catch The Bug!

See you there!


MakeEverything - 24/4/11 at 09:05 AM

There are lots of other types of kit cars as well as the "7" type. Best off getting over to stoneleigh.


mad-butcher - 24/4/11 at 12:13 PM

I've never had an interest in leggo apart from following there woes a few years ago, heard the name viento but never realised it was so big till I saw the picture above.

tony


hucky - 24/4/11 at 12:28 PM

LBMEFM thats what i was looking to try find out. ive noticed that the westfields have an angled schuttle pannle where as some of the others are stright, but i dont know if thats the same with all of them.


and already booked in for the stoneleigh show... full weekend of ideas and inperation....


stevegough - 24/4/11 at 01:37 PM

Leggo! that's a good one