Unfinished Or Modify Existing?

[Guest cfnteabag]

Hi all.

 

I joined a couple of years ago when I first started looking at building a seven style kit car, unfortunetley events overtook me and I never got the chance to commit to it fully!

 

I am now starting to plan again, and start saving! I am thinking that my best option is not to start from scratch but to take on someone elses car and mould it into my perfect seven!

 

Now in your guys and gals opinion am I better buying an unfinished project, and turning it into what I want while building it or buy one that has already been built and IVA'd and then convert from there.

 

The spec I am looking for is a modern looking seven, eg cycle wings rather than the longer type of front wheelarch, and a 2.0 zetec engine.

 

I am a mechanic so that side of it doesnt worry me but I cant weld. I will only have a small budget as well, basically I will be buying as soon as I have saved up enough!

 

Many thanks

 

Adam

[fry61]

How much is a small budget, with the price garages charge!! you could be looking at a Cat/West 7.

[Guest cfnteabag]

Ha ha, I am an Army mechanic so nothing like a huge amount, I will probably looking at around £1500-£2000 to buy the main vehicle/unfinished kit and then save from there to buy the other bits. I am leaning towards buying a finished car at the moment so I can use it but am concerned about the legalities of fitting newer engine and also how easy is it to convert from long front wings to cycle wings and eventually live axle to independent rear suspension?

[Shaft]

At that budget it'll almost certainly need to be an existing road going kit that you can modify and personalize as you go. To go for a new build that's unfinished would take ages if your saving and building as you go and unfortunately I reckon that's one of the biggest reasons for all the unfinished stuff that's about. Peolple tend to cut their losses as the light at the end of the tunnel never seems to draw closer.

Also bear in mind, the IVA, registration etc alone for a new build would eat 1/2 your budget.

 

Sorry to appear negative, just wanting to show you an honest opinion.

 

Nick.

[Guest cfnteabag]

no I know what you mean, how does it stand if you change a 2.0 pinto for a 2.0 zetec for example?

[sj-bradley]

There should be no problem if the car is already on the road (same size engine) and possibly the emissions are age related so a newer zetec should be easier on future MOTs for example.

 

Simon.

[Shaft]

To be honest, I wouldn't worry about the engine change when considering a kit for purchase. It's just a formality and red tape with the DVLA to change the engine number. Problems only tend to arrise if they think you're trying to lower your tax class or similar. (Imo)

Get to know whatever you buy first and take it from there during the winter months.

[David S]

I would also add to not get too caught up in the engine to start with. Even the humble crossflow engine in a seven style car can be a lot of fun and can be changed later.

[Guest cfnteabag]

Thank you very much all who have answered it looks like I will be saving for a finished car then! There is a perfect one that I have seen advertised for £1800, just a shame it is not in about a years time!

[theduck]

In my opinion, unfinished is more rewarding but a bigger project, and possibly more expensive when you allow a grand on top to get it through IVA and registration.

 

Road legal and modify is easier.

[maccavvy]

Due to lack of a garage I can work in I decided go buy and modify.even that eats into a budget.but its still rewarding to simply modify.

[Guest ollie chapman]

And I'd second all of the above. Bought an unfinished project and had to redo loads for IVA as nothing had been accounted for in the build, sharp corners, lack of reinforcement for mounting seats, bodged fitting, all of that. Much better to save and buy one on the road to modify - someone else has had the IVA ballache and expense... and when it comes to an engine swop all you have to do is tell DVLA what the engine is, the number, and how old it is - or the reg of the car it came from, say.

Good luck