Hi All Can I Do It ?

[Guest gazza1591]

Hi All

 

Im new around here so be nice

 

im looking to get a zero zetec kit and build it ?

 

couple of questions i have are

 

does the kit on the robbin hood site have all the kit in it to get it on the road or will i need extras ?

 

how easy/hard would it be to build as i have a bit of machanical knowledege and i work as a car engineer build the chassis for aston martins and louts cars.

i have also done a few head gasket changes and general repair work on a number of cars in the past.

does the kit come with instructions ? a step by step guide so to speak ?

 

think thats all for now

 

hope someone can help and look forward to looking around and staying around for a while

[femster87]

lol, welcome on board mate, To be honest getting the kit is just the beginning. You would be looking at a lot of other items to get it finished it. so realistically I would say for a very good build, you would be looking at between £7000 -£10000 with the zetec route. Pinto would be obviously cheaper. I have spent about £5500 so far and still do not have the exhaust system, windscreen, rear diffuser, wiper motor and finally IVA and registration.

 

This is my first anything mechanical and I have been ok. Alot of reading and asking questions. So it looks like your ahead already so would be more than ok. To be honest most of the issues arise around conforming to the IVA requirements.

 

HTH

[Guest gazza1591]

thanks for the quick reply

 

i was looking at the zetec route as i thought with the engine all ready sorted it would be easier and as i am no expert mechanic

im a bit warry of getting an old car as a doner and fitting reconditioned bits from that to the zero.

[stevedohc2b]

They have an open day this Sat so I would go and have a chat with them as well.

 

I built a 2b 7 years ago and the zero is a lot easier kit to build ( only basic mec knowledge )

 

Then added a new zetec in 2009

 

So it is all Do able

 

Stephen

[Guest gazza1591]

thanks for the reply, i wish i could make saturday but im away with work

 

i have had a look around but is there anywhere a build order to follow ?

and if i did go with the kit above what else would i need to get it road ready ?

 

thanks

[Knock-on]

Hi Gazza

 

You can put as much or as little into building the kit as you want really and it's quite a personal thing. Do you want Carbs or bodies, what dials or digi dash etc but if you go for the Zetec kit, most of the bits you need are there apart from gearbox, diff and TIME. Any additional bits you need you will be able to make your mind up over the course of the build. It's not a weekend job and half the fun is building it from scratch but it will take you quite a few months (depending on how much time you allocate to it).

 

The Zero is not a challenging build and the car you get at the end is very good.

 

You will also find that the Club is a great source of knowledge and help. Fellow inmates (sorry, I mean members) will advise on this site or descend on your house for a home visit. The average Hoodie lives on tea and biccies and can sense a packet of hobknobs being opened from a distance of over 100 miles so bribery with biscuits is highly recommended.

 

I appreciate that the site is slightly confusing as to what you need to complete the build and have made that point but if you want a top class car that goes and handles to a high level, then the Zero way is just about the easiest and most cost effective way.

 

Go for it!!

[Guest chris brown]

Several of the guys have build sites always worth looking at as they give lots of tips and you will soon get lots of "friends" you have never met until the shows. Also ask as many questions on here as you like as it has been said before the only daft question is the one you don't ask.

As for using old bits from a donor you have to as new type 9 boxes, diff's etc are just about non existent,

[Guest The Modfather]

There are plenty of Zero builders on here, so one or two will be along sooner than later. From looking into it myself there is no build manual as such, but again people will tell you what kind of route to go.

 

These cars are not like Westfields that have all holes pre drilled and sub assemblies pre made, hence the price difference, however this shouldn't put you off.

 

I have rebuilt my car due to poor build quality, and started running the loom and brake lines, and fuel line first before fitting the engine. Know what engine you want before running the loom as this will determine obviously what loom you need, and more importantly what side of the car the loom needs to run. Saying that, I have used a new pinto loom but have a zetec engine. It just means that some wires have to be added and some cut out, and what side of the bay the loom runs.

 

I don't know how the chassis comes from GBS, whether it has some panels fitted or not, but I would think that you would start with the bare chassis, run the loom, brake lines and fuel lines before placing floor and hard to get at panels, then the front and rear axles and suspension. Gearbox, engine and exterior panels and interior last. Obviously there are things that I have missed out, but these come in when you are fixing the major part, like when you do the gearbox you have to fit the prop, and when the engine is in you can then plumb in the rad and water lines, alternator etc.

 

A good tip is to search for the zero builders and then go through their build pics, this will show you better than words could describe the path of building.

 

I may be wrong in what I have described above, and will happily be corrected, but I am guessing that this is the general way of building any kit car. Start with the stuff that is hidden away and hard to get at, and basically work outwards to the final layer. Remember that the shiney stuff is always last to go on so that it doesn't get damaged!

 

As to what you need depends on what you can afford. The Zero kit comes in various guises, with more parts the more you pay. Have a look at the lists shown on their site, and seek the differences. GBS will sell you everything you need, or you can source a lot from breakers yards etc to help keep costs down. They have donor packs on pallets to take away, or you buy a second hand Sierra and strip it yourself of the axles, gearbox, engine (pinto or CVH), loom, steering, etc. Go on an open day if you can, or call Richard at GBS, he is a nice chap and will happily speak to you and advise. He is always busy but takes time to chat with you.

 

Hang fire and one of the Zero guys will advise, hopefully better than I have, but generally there isn't any difference in building different kits.

 

Daz

[David S]

Gazza. I recently started a Zero build and you can see my progress in the blog below. There are lots of options as far as the level you build to from everything brand new or fully reconditioned to many parts being refurbished. As said, you could be on the road for £7k or maybe even less, but you could spend considerably more!!

 

GBS can supply you with everything you need including a donor kit, but this obviously adds to the costs as will things like powder coating the chassis, and lowered floors etc.

 

I am finding the build reletively straightforward and quite logical, but we really could do with a proper build manual. Well the good news is that GBS are working on one as we speak. When I was last at the factory, one of the technicians was about to embark on building a car and he was going to photograph the entire process and had even considered some video clips of some of the steps. I suspect this process has now finished and that is the easy part, the hard part will be getting that lot into a manual that people can follow, but at least it is on the way.

 

The Zero has also progressed from when it was first launched a couple of years ago as GBS are making constant tweakes and improvements to the chassis and build process to make it easier. (Sounds like I work for GBS, but I don't!!).

 

Anyway, I am not that far down the road from you in Gloucester so if you wanted to come and have a look at a part built Zero and have a chat about it, then you are more than welcome.

[Shaft]

Hi Gazza,

 

Welcome to the madhouse my friend.

 

If you have a look HERE mate, lower left hand side of the page and click

on the kit options, (eg... Zero 2468) it will list EVERYTHING you get with that particular kit

right up to fully built.

 

I've just finished mine after an 11 month build time and got it through IVA first time which is

in its self testament to the kits GBS now sell. Mine was one of the early ones and since purchasing

mine, as previously mentioned above, they have made improvements in lots of areas all leading to

an even simpler build for the end user.

 

Feel free to have a look through all my build pictures (link below in my signature) as they are all

in individual albums relating to specific parts of the build. I know from feedback from others they

have been helpfull almost to the point of being the elusive build guide that is sought so often on here.

 

Link below also to my build blog (work in progress) that is written in a light hearted way detailing how

and why i have gone about the various steps of the build.

 

Sorry to hear you can't make the open day this Saturday, but if you want to wait unitl the May bank holiday

theres a massive Kit Car show on at Stoneleigh, near Coventry, and GBS will be one of the bigger stands

exhibiting there. Richard, one of the directors, will give you all the time and info you need.

 

HTH,

 

Nick.

[Knock-on]

If you have a look HERE mate, lower left hand side of the page and click

on the kit options, (eg... Zero 2468) it will list EVERYTHING you get with that particular kit

right up to fully built.

 

 

Hi Nick

 

I think the question is what bits are needed on top of those kits to get a car through IVA.

 

What takes you from a £4500 Zetec kit to the £14000 basic fully built kit.

[Shaft]

Hi Nick

 

I think the question is what bits are needed on top of those kits to get a car through IVA.

 

What takes you from a £4500 Zetec kit to the £14000 basic fully built kit.

 

 

Sorry Larry,

 

I assumed the missing bits would be self explanetary? lol....

 

To further my previous post, i opted for the Plus kit which i ordered at the Stafford show, Sept 2009.

I had previously purchased a 2l Pinto powered Sierra from which i used the following for my Zero...

Engine

Gearbox

Diff and driveshafts,

Rear brakes,

steering column inc ignition switch, cowling and switch gear

front and rear hubs

and most importantly.... the V5c for use as proof of single donor build (age related plate)

 

Extras purchased to the above not included in the kit where....

 

Wilwood front brakes

ETB Digi Dash 2

Megajolt lite

Bike carbs and an alloy inlet manifold

Pipercross airfilter

4 into 1 exhaust for the Pinto (Silencer inc in the kit)

new brakes shoes and fiiting kit for the rear drums

prop shaft (off the shelf from GBS)

Filler cap (IVA friendly)

Switches for the dash

wiring

water hoses

£££'s on the engine rebuild

engine mounts

p clips

nuts, bots, washers

clutch cable

master cylinder

accelerator cable

gearbox mount

 

 

Extra items i made myself, so free to me, but still required

Dash board

Tonneau cover for the rear

crescent covers

stoneguards

air filter back plate

clips and brackets of various sizes and styles

and a sh1t load of hours to build the thing!!

 

Hope that answers your question in more detail Gazza,

 

Nick.

[Guest The Modfather]

Don't forget- Tea, biscuits, cold sausage rolls, forgiving wife, tea, biscuits, plasters, sleeping bag, new wife!

[Guest gdc]

i have built several of the other rhsc models , we had videos and dvds for the lightweight .

but the greatest info comes from this site and the other members .

the build of the zero isnt dificult , it needs some thought re the order in which to assemble .

great that the build may be detailed by gbs , however i have used others blogs , and some common sence .

there are several build blogs on here , as said use them thats what there for .

re cost , mmm its as far as you want to take it realy . i had a lot of bits left over from another project so i cant realy say what it has cost .

 

graham

[Guest gazza1591]

Gazza. I recently started a Zero build and you can see my progress in the blog below. There are lots of options as far as the level you build to from everything brand new or fully reconditioned to many parts being refurbished. As said, you could be on the road for £7k or maybe even less, but you could spend considerably more!!

 

GBS can supply you with everything you need including a donor kit, but this obviously adds to the costs as will things like powder coating the chassis, and lowered floors etc.

 

I am finding the build reletively straightforward and quite logical, but we really could do with a proper build manual. Well the good news is that GBS are working on one as we speak. When I was last at the factory, one of the technicians was about to embark on building a car and he was going to photograph the entire process and had even considered some video clips of some of the steps. I suspect this process has now finished and that is the easy part, the hard part will be getting that lot into a manual that people can follow, but at least it is on the way.

 

The Zero has also progressed from when it was first launched a couple of years ago as GBS are making constant tweakes and improvements to the chassis and build process to make it easier. (Sounds like I work for GBS, but I don't!!).

 

Anyway, I am not that far down the road from you in Gloucester so if you wanted to come and have a look at a part built Zero and have a chat about it, then you are more than welcome.

 

thanks for the reply,and the offer to come take a look at yours. i would love to come and take a look on day that is convenient to both of us if this is ok with you and ask a few questions im sure