Lightweight Kit

[Guest RichChat]

Just started the build of a lightweight kit, anyone else?

 

Complete novice so bit daunting.

 

Robin Hood engineering seem a bit standoffish or is it just me.

[Guest Battery Bill]

Robin Hood engineering seem a bit standoffish or is it just me.

 

Richard

It depends on who you met, anyway they are probably as nervous as you are

 

Welcome to the board

[Guest Bazwaz]

Richard,

fill in your location details, there may be members in your area who can offer practical and moral support.

Barry.

[peter_m7uk]

Seems like me, you and diyer are the only Lightweighters so far

 

Have you built the charming chipboard jig yet?!

 

How many build DVDs did you chaps get? I was given eight, with the

eighth ending when the chassis is still part-built!

 

Pete

[Guest RichChat]

I'm in Brampton, Cambridgeshire anyone near me?

 

8 DVD's lucky fellow I have 4. . RH have promised me 12 but everytime I phone I am told they are not ready yet. :angry:

 

Chipboard jig built, that came as a surprise bit of fun. I was told a build jig would be supplied with the kit not a piece of timber. Although it seemed quite straight forward.

 

On the DVD's I like all the bits of steel offcut etc that we all have around our garages. I have got a few from a scrapyard skip (running the gauntlet of an alsation guard dog) but I hope there are not too many more surprise requirements on the other DVD's I am yet to receive.

 

Have found John at Kit-Fit in Newark a goldmine for diff, brake bits etc. Any recommendations for other sources. Am looking to probably get hold of a zetec so anyone got one they want rid of.

[Guest bunnyman]

yep im in peterborough building a 2b ....warren

[Guest Andy Rathbone]

yes a good source of parts its buy a doner helps with the registering, you can avoid a Q plate

[Guest docter fox]

just out of curiousity, what engines are you lightweighters going for?

[peter_m7uk]

Well, it's a lightweight car, so it needs a lightweight engine, right?

 

So, I'm putting a Pinto in

 

I know, I know, but I want to get on the road cheaply. I would consider a

Zetec or bike engine upgrade later, though...

 

Pete

[Guest docter fox]

if you go for the 2.0 it'll still be pretty swift

 

are you putting carpets and the like in or being properly lightweight and keeping the metal finish?

[Guest Trevb]

I'm seriously thinking about building a lightweight - I want my son to know the difference between an engine and the "fuel injected multi-valve" lump of plastic covered alloy that sits in the engine compartment of my Astra.

 

From what I'm reading, I might not be making the wisest choice... the lightweight seems to require many more pop-rivets than I'd normally accept as healthy!

 

Any recommendations for a novice builder - my mechanical knowledge was much stronger 20 years ago - I couldn't afford a mechanic then, and cars were much simpler.....

 

I'm not afraid to rebuild engines, strip/clean/repair suspension/brakes/diffs etc (ahh the joys of being a poor Capri owner 20 years ago...). The suspension holds no horrors either - it's similar to the old Spitfire/GT6 design, which I used for an "A" level in Technical drawing no less! The engine would almost certainly be a 2.1 pinto with single 45dcoe - providing you can still get that sort of manifold!

 

Can anyone send any sample "build notes" - if such things exist; I'd like to know what I'd be doing if I finally commit myself.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Trev

[Guest rizla]

you can get a fireblade engine for £500 or even a r1 for £700 (i have contacts)

 

so not a dear as you might think

[Guest elwe]

A while back I helped a friend pull a 1.8 zetec out of an R reg mondeo. He was going to put it in his mondeo until he sold the car. The doner mondeo was being scrapped because the clutch was gone. Otherwise it drove fine. I have just checked and he no longer requires the zetec engine. The engine is in Crawley. He if after £50 for it.

[Guest docter fox]

I know, I know, but I want to get on the road cheaply. I would consider a

Zetec or bike engine upgrade later, though...

£50 does sound quite cheaply to me, even better when you consider the hastle of taking out the pinto and putting the zetec in, you know you want to

[peter_m7uk]

Yeah, it's the 2.0 injected Pinto i'm using. I suppose missing out the carpet and stuff does seem a bit pointless after putting a Pinto boat-anchor in it, but I

do intend to go for the stripped look

 

£50 does sound good for a Zetec, thanks for the offer, but after all the time, money and effort I've put into reconditioning the Pinto, I feel that I should use it!

 

Rizla, where did you get the gearbox, bellhousing and so on from to mate your bike engine to a car drivetrain??

 

Pete