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Newbie Questions On Gbs Zero


nelmo

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The new 'oldschool' Caterham is nice... skinny wheels, back to basics

 

Yes, but only 80bhp. I'm not fixated on speed but I weigh 115kg myself - I'm going to need at least the 130 or so of the 1.8 Mazda engine.... :crazy:

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Yes. The std 1.8 is plenty quick enough for starters. A cracking little engine which can easily and cheaply be modified in the future.

I've gone down the charger route after 2 years of std power fun....enjoy

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If i were to build a kit from scratch it would be the sr2 over the zero. Roadrunner seem to have better customer service, which is king in my mind.. I priced up a zero sonetime ago and stop counting at 10k and bought another built and registered car and modify ed it to death saves 1000.s of ££.

Edited by DanE
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The best way of answering your question would be to advise you to fully research the IVA process and requirements and also the registration process and it's requirements also. All you need is on the relevant .Gov web sites. ;)

 

The quick answer is to prove amateur build and that you built it.

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My advice as a zero builder, buy or build your kit, either way make it your own. Some will say you should have done it this way or that, some will copy what you have done.Every car on our runs and meets is different and we all end up in the same place .... Together. That's what's great about this club.

Edited by ozz
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Guest chris brown

As others have said go for a donor and strip every bit off it even bits which you know you won't want -someone on eBay will- Remove vin plate and number plates from shell and scrap it as steel not as a car DO NOT GIVE UP THE V5 as you will need it when you register the kit. Keep the donor on SORN even thro it doesn't exist DVLA will scrap it when you register the kit (well they should).

You now have a couple of months work striping and cleaning all parts so when the kit arrives you are in a position to start building.

BTW lots of people have built in a single garage or even like me under a carport.

Edited by chris brown
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Guest davidm

How much and what you use in the way of donor parts will determine what reg you get... new, age related or a Q plate.

 

Do download & read the IVA manual. This is the bible you have to follow when building.

 

I've also sent you a PM about my build of a Zero.

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Hi Neil, I can't believe I have only just seen this! Of course feel free to PM me any questions! I was the first customer to build the Mazda Zero kit using a mk1 1.6 Mx5 (Jap import) and spent most my build infront of the GBS Demonstrator. Not helpful really! Thoroughly enjoyed the build as a whole (some individual items frustrated me but I honestly think I miss it!). I'd hope by now though that GBS have got their act together and will be able to provide top customer service to fix any issues you find...if not, you've found Rhocar, by far worth the membership and best decision I ever made on my build!

 

Eitherway, if you've found my blog, you'll have seen some of the issues I faced. Overall it was easily put together (I had never picked up a spanner properly until I took the MX5 apart). The mx5 running gear worked brilliantly in the Zero and never had any issues with it. They're great engines and take a lot of abuse. If I were to build again, I'd opt for the SR2 based on the fact it is better orientated to the Mazda and in my opinion looks better too. However I am about to embark on rebuilding my Zero from the ground up with the use of a 2.5Litre Mazda V6 from the MX6. 165bhp out the box with an expected 200bhp with a decent exhaust and bike throttlebodies. Plus it's lighter than the mx5 engine too :D and gives me a reason to paint the aluminium panels too, as stated already, are a pain to keep looking good.

 

The best way to decide on widebody or not is to sit in the cars at GBS and see what you think (or someone local if they're willing - mines the standard body with the GBS basic seats - not GRP). I'm in Coventry so if you fancied a detour to have a look and a sit you're more than welcome :) but you'll have to be quick, it will start coming apart within a month hopefully!

 

I probably easily broke the £10K mark building mine, I still haven't had the bravery to add up all the numbers! But yes you can make a profit breaking a mx5 yourself, I did with my 1st car and recently did a Mk2 which I was going to use instead however the change of plan meant I made enough profit to buy 2 Mx6s to use instead, so my advice is buy the mx5 and do it yourself, get a rusty mot failure, engines are pretty bulletproof. As for other items, you can probably save a lot going away from GBS, they do cost a lot and I've heard they're trying to gain a monopoly on the Zero parts (which is fair tbh) but a lot of other things will fit or you can easily make yourself - if not someone here will surely be able to help you :)

 

Anyway I'll PM you my email address too and figure out why my blog won't allow emails :)

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Hmm, a tad disappointed by GBS - they've sent me a spreadsheet of costs for a full kit which comes out to just under £13k WITHOUT the GT chassis or wet weather gear, which alone adds £2k to the price. Yet their website shows a full kit 'from' £11k INCLUDING the wet weather gear.

 

I questioned this and they have apologised and said their website is a work-in-progress! Bugger....

 

I have 3 options - wonder what others think is best?

 

1. Get the GBS starter pack and source as many bits as possible myself (sorry, not going to strip a donor car but most bits seem available on eBay etc at reasonable costs).

 

2. Asked Roadrunner for costs - they came back with cost for a 'comprehensive' pack of £6, 500 and the suggestion I should budget another £4 - 6k for the rest (I'll still have to get donor bits).

I'm not sure why so much for the rest but I've asked for details of what is in their comprehensive pack. PROBLEM: as it is a GRP body, they don't do a widened chassis. I absolutely do NOT fit in a standard Caterham and Roadrunner are a 500 mile round trip for me - long way to go to find I don't fit.

 

3. Tiger Avon? £13k for a full kit, including a new 160bhp Zetec engine, wet weather gear etc. No donor parts to find but possibly still width issue (I've asked them for dimensions).

Edited by nelmo
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