nelmo

Any particular reason for that? I'm expecting it to be difficult but quite looking forward to it...

Good point - initially gone for the Oxford Blue but my son wants it to be bright red (but he is 11). Engine is standard 2l Zetec. I've only ordered the starter pack for now so not many options - powder coated everything, GT chassis and lowered floor ( which is FOC because i ordered at the show) and sport cycle wings. Never considered going for s/steel panels - is that a good idea? I would quite like to have all the panels painted but i don't want to spend £1500 on it - is that a DIY possibility?

Thanks Richard - i have the feeling your build blog will be invaluable ...

Well gents, today was D-Day (decision day) and the deed has been done. I had a pre-booked camping weekend with some bike mates but I cut it a little short to go to Stoneleigh today (not a hardship since the rain peed down in the Peak District and my geriatric tent finally gave up the ghost). All omens were good since my new job was confirmed to me on Friday (start in a week) and the sun started shining at about the time I arrived at the show. Saw the MNR first (just by chance) and seemed very nice, particularly at £10k all-in with a 1.6 MX5 engine. Then the GKD Legend - BMW-based and a particularly good sized cabin. Only £11k with a donor. Then my first shock - the Tiger Avon, which was my first choice, was just too small for me, even with the wider body! I was sure it had been ok on the factory visit but not now - maybe because the GKD had been so big? On to the GBS Zero and the best of all - biggest cabin and decent space in footwell (GT body and lowered floor). I really liked the price of the MNK and GKD but I just couldn't get over having a 10 year old, 100k mile engine in my pride and joy. So, GBS it was and I paid my deposit, just on the starter kit for now. I now have 8 weeks to get my garage sorted - wish me luck

Yeah, thats where I got the name from. Would a BMW engine be too complex for a home builder, maybe?

Does anyone know anything about the GKD Legend? http://www.gkdsportscars.com/index.html BMW based kit and they are less than an hour from me in Kent. Prices look very reasonable as well...

Z3? As In BMW Z3?

Thanks all - I didn't expect any regrets from anyone really...just wanted to check I've always wanted to do the build myself - thats the most important thing. I'd like to get the wife involved but, realistically, it isn't going to happen. She doesn't like me driving my car fast and she doesn't do 'discomfort', so a trip in the kit car seems unlikely. A shame but not a show-stopper...I've got a couple of years during the build to persuade her.

Along similar lines, I've been having doubts about starting my first ever build. I've been thinking about it vaguely for 10 years but since January, I've got more serious - investigating the various models, lurking on several forums, reading build blogs and I've visited a couple of manufacturers. Then I decided to wait until Stoneleigh to see more of the models in the flesh before ordering. So after all the hectic research, i've done nothing for the last few weeks, waiting for the show and doubts have started to creep in - should I be spending so much money on a toy when I could buy a cheap, older convertible (Saab 9-3, MX5, even a Porsche Boxster!) and have something more practical? Should I be spending the money at all when the house could do with some improvements? Anyone want to admit to regretting a build? Wished they had just bought a normal car?

[quote nam e=turnipfarmer' timestamp='1427374051' post='329953] There’s an excellent article on LCB about how to make a half hood for under £50 – and it’s even within my capabilities, so I’m making one myself. As for side screens, I’m using the GBS ones & they work very well. If you go for the Zero & want to make your own, I can send you a full-size template. Thanks - I'll bear that in mind.. Only 5 horrendously long weeks until Stoneleigh and I'll make a decision then.

Annoyingly, they don't do wet weather gear at all, not even the windscreen now. They reckon they only ever had 6 windscreens fitted on 238 builds and 4 of those were removed because of buffeting. Is the aeroscreen that good that you don't get any buffeting? Seems unlikely... I'll have a word at Stoneleigh and if I go for them, hopefully I can get them to do one last windscreen. I'd want doors anyway, which should help with any buffeting...

Hmmm, the MNR seems well priced, although I'm not sold on its looks....is there any advantage to the inboard suspension it has?

I know, I know, you're right.....very sensible.....but 6 or 7 weeks!? Seems like forever....

I contacted Roadrunner but the problem is they do not do a wider body. I only just fit in the Zero GT chassis and the wider bodied Tiger... Darn these big bones

[quote name= Chappie' timestamp=1426929306' post='329488] Just to confirm what happened for me. I asked GBS to source a certain model of car, they did and I paid them what they paid for it. I then paid for 8 hours labour to strip all the required parts from it. I then also paid a bit more to swap the propshaft, driveshafts and steering column switchgear for modified and reconditioned units ready for the Zero. Nothing else was reconditioned, just given to me in boxes. So far, doing the reconditioning myself has been quite a lot of fun, although it is time consuming, but then, what isn't? Hmmm, thats interesting - I was told any modifications were included in the cost and all parts given to me would be refurbed first. This is the problem with talking to a salesman rather than the people actually doing the work.

You'll be glad to hear, Richard, that I've read your entire blog from start to finish, including those videos I meant to ask - do you think the heater was worth it? Does it work well? Every time i asked about a heater at Tiger and GBS, they all laughed...

Yeah, I know, thats why I used quotes

Thanks all - interesting points... GBS basically will take any MX5 you give them and strip it down (for one days labour=£250), refurbing the bits you need for the kit. I gave the price of £1k because they had just bought a V reg MX5 for a customer that cost £850. The refurb cost is included in the main kit price. So I guess if you could get hold of an MX5 for £50, you're laughing.... Even if the 'new' Zetec is 10 years old, thats still much newer than a 15 year old MX5 engine and, obviously, it hasn't had the stress of 100k miles. Doesn't matter how bulletproof an engine is, you cannae change the Laws of Physics, Jim... Basically, for the same money, I get a kit with a 10 year old, zero mileage, 160bhp engine or a kit with a 15 year old, 100k miler, 130bhp - no brainer, surely? Note that the cost of both kits supposedly includes 'everything'...required modifications, TBs, all parts refurbed etc, etc. Sorry but I'm not up for stripping my own donor - this is supposed to be a fun project and that doesn't sound like fun to me

Thanks Chappie - coincidentally, I went up to GBS (and Tiger) today - very interesting. I got the grand tour of GBS from Wayne - a very good salesman and he then scared the **** out of me in their demo car! Before the visit, I was less likely to go for the GBS because the Mazda kit required a donor and i wasn't keen on doing that myself. But, as you say, Wayne said they could do all that for me - about £1k to buy, strip and refurb all the bits I'd need. That has thrown the cat among the pigeons.... However, and it's a biggie IMO, for about the same price as the GBS with a 10 year old, 80k mile, 130 bhp Mazda engine, I can have a Tiger with a brand new, 160bhp Zetec engine. I much prefer the ally bodywork on the GBS but is that enough to compensate? I'm really not sure.... The GBS premises is much larger and more professional looking than Tiger but I liked both sets of staff and Tiger seem to provide a slightly better service, going by build blogs and other comments on here.

I've just bought Kitcar mag and they have an article in there about Tiger cars. In it, they mention that Tiger often do 'spectacularly discounted kit deals' at shows - is this true? Like most blokes, i have the patience of a lottery winner in a Ferrari showroom, so waiting until Stoneleigh in May to order is going to kill me. I hope to be going up norf on Thursday to see Tiger and GBS...

TG may be a little repetitve but at least it's repeating good stuff - the item where they made their own ambulances recently made me laugh hysterically....I'd miss it badly if the beeb do can it. Watching Classic Car last night was a perfect example of why JC is so good. Jodie was ok but QW trying to do those humurous chats with her was just cringeworthy. I actually don't mind him when he just talks normally but he was trying to be like JC and failing miserably. Fifth Gear was just as bad - Tiff and VBH are interest-free zones for me. Tom Ford was good...he could be a JC replacement IMO. Admittedly, one of the best items on a car show was when Fifth Gear raced an F1 car against a MotoGP bike - genius. It is strange, considering how ingrained into society that cars are, that there are so few car-related programs.

Definitely windscreen...I've got my motorbike for any helmet fetish. My hope is to eventually get my wife involved and for that i definitely need a windscreen -and a heater - and aircon, a stereo, heated seats, hair tongs, back massager and various mirrors for make-up application There may have to be some compromises....

The Tiger demo car looks pretty good, no?

Actually, I've had almost exactly that. Decided my bike brake caliper could do with a refurb (the bike had done about 60k miles at the time) so stripped it all of and spent ages with a wire brush, tooth brush and brake cleaner - nada!! After about an hour, it hardly looked any different and after putting it all back together, it didn't seem to work any better either! Put me off, slightly

The problem even with getting my own parts is having to refurbish them which, going by blogs, involves lots of wire brushes and painting. If I get them from Tiger, say, that will hopefully have been done. Then there's the issue of getting working parts - if there's a problem with the engine, I can go back to Tiger - not the case with an eBay purchase. Tiger have also just emailed to say they now do a wider chassis and body and sent me a pic of their demo car - looks great! Going to try go up there next week...