David S

This is where I was coming from as well. When I picked up my 2468 kit, there were no tank straps and when I asked I was told it is OK to only bond the tank in. I think I will also make up some straps, just for the extra protection.

With the factory built cars, they only use the sikaflex type stuff to fit the tank, no straps are used and the cars go through the IVA OK. Now that may just be at the Nottingham test centre that they use, but I was told that this was sufficient.

The only way I could do it was to drill out the locking pin and then drill out the barrel and basically pull the whole thing to bits. Eventually all the internals fall out and you can grab the barrel and twist it until it comes out. There was no real finisse to the way I did it, but eventually it worked.

It will be a real shame if they do get closed down due to H&S. I got a steering column, stalks and cowling for my Zero and paid £20 for the lot from a local scrappy. I must admit to quite enjoying rummaging around to get the parts.

It will be Sikaflex or an equivalent. They use it at the factory to bond the sides of the Zero to the chassis and only put in a couple of token rivets to satify the IVA test. There was a Zero at the factory on my last visit where they were having to remove some panels and were having to use an air chissel to get them off. As you say, really good stuff.

The Roadrunner SR2 is based around an MX5 donor vehicle but the Zero isn't, well not yet anyway. I know that Richard at GBS is looking at other power plants for the Zero including the Duratec engins and also bike engines. As to whether he is looking at an MX5 based kit, only he can tell you.

Cheers Jamie. I keep adding to it for my own reference and in the hope that it may help others. When I was deciding on the Zero, one of the things I did was to look for build pictures or blogs to get an idea of the experience. As has been said, if this helps another person decide to build a Zero, then that is a good thing.

I am writing up my build in a blog. One of the things I have mentioned in there is that I haven't included hundreds of photos as there are other people who have put up a lot more than me and a lot better quality. I wanted to write up the build to share my experience of the build process but also to have a record for the IVA and to look back on. I will add a link to the blog to my signature but here it is for anyone who is interested http://gbszerobuild.blogspot.com/

I think I read somewhere that GBS are looking in to a bike engined version of the Zero, along with various other engine options like the Duratec etc. It might have heard it when I was last at the factory, I can't remember.

And here is a gem about inflationary language. Basically you add 1 on to any number in a word so 'once upon a time' becomes Twice upon a time' etc. Twice upon a time, there lived in Sunny Califivenia a young man named Bob. He was a third leiutelevenant in the US Air Fiveces. Bob had been fond of Anna, his one-and-a-half sister, ever since she saw the light of day for the second time. And all three of them were proud of the fact that two of his fivefathers had been among the crenineders of the US Constithreetion. They were dining on the terrace. "Anna," he said as he took a bite of a marininded herring, "You look twoderful threenight. You never looked that lovely befive." Anna looked twoderful, despite of the illness from which she had not yet recupininded. "Yes," repeated Bob, "You look twoderful threenight...but you have three of the saddest eyes I have ever seen." The table was tastefully deconinded with Anna's favorite flowers: Threelips. They were now talking about Anna's asseten husband, from whom she was sepeninded. While on the radio, an Irish elevenor sang "Tea For Three." it was midnight; A clock in the distance struck thirteen. And suddenly, there in the moonlight stood her husband Don Two, obviously intoxicnineded. "Anna," he said, "Fivegive me. I am only young twice and you are my two and only." Bob jumped to his feet, "Get out of here, you three-faced triplecrosser!" But Anna warned, "Watch out, Bob. He is an officer." "Yes, he is two. But I am two three!" Anytwo five elevennis? "All right," said Don Two as he wiped his fivehead. He then left and when he was one-and-a-halfway through the revolving door, he muttered, "I'll go back to Elevennessee and be double again. Farewell, Anna. Three-de-loo,

The other confusion is that some of the kit prices are plus VAT and the 2468 and Zetec kits are inclusive of VAT. I spent a lot of time with pen and paper listing the parts etc and trying to work out what else I would need to get an overall build cost. I also did this to try and compare kit prices from different companies as I was looking at other options. In the end I felt the Zero offered the best of all worlds. To me, it looked the best, proportion wise, prices were good, GBS could supply me with all the parts I needed, the car was undergoing continual development and most importantly, there was excellent back up from the factory. Add in the support of people on this forum and that really was the icing on the cake I can see how you can build to a budget by doing a lot of the work for yourself, but the costs go up very quickly when you start adding in powder coating the chassis, lowered floor, bonnet louvres, factory wiring loom, donor kits and so on, so even if you choose the Superspec kit, there is still a lot of money to spend. When I spoke to Keith at one of the shows, he said to budget about £10k for a new Zetec engined version although I am sure there will be some who have built a Zetec version for a lot less and there will be others who have spent a lot more.

I remember when my kids were at school they were often told that it was the content of what they wrote, and not the way they wrote it, that mattered. I think things may have improved a bit since, but it is still not the same as when I was at school. I also don't think text speak helps, substituting numbers and letters to abbreviate things (m8 for mate, thnx for thank you and so on). I always pick my daughter up when I ask her if she wants a drink and she replies "I don't want nothing". So you want something then? She can't quite grasp the double negative connotation. The most common error I see is the correct use of there, their and they're, which is like the where, were or wear referred to in the advert. OMG, I am starting to sound like my Dad!!!

I am sure I read somewhere that a typical build will take around 120 hours, although this may be a little conservative for the home builder. The problem is where you get the 120 hours from and, as mentioned above, if you have all the parts or the funds to get the parts as you need them. I have been at mine since early December but have only had the odd day at weekends to do things. I have probably only spent spent about 20 hours in total so far, but I am progressing nicely. I hope to be on the road for next spring, so a lapsed time of about 15 months. This is more a financial matter than anything else. Like most people, I have to put money to one side for the parts I need.

James, as already said, welcome to the house of fun! I picked up my Zero kit in December so, like you, I am in the early stages of the build. As mentioned, some is fun, and some will drive you nuts. Everyone is really nice on here and you will always get a good response to any question. As they say, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!!

The Westfield I part built 15 years ago had no column stalks, so it is possible to do away with them. The indicators were a 3 position switch, left, off and right.

Only the factory can tell you 100% but I am 99% sure it is steel and not stainless steel for the box section. As a matter of interest, what are you trying to weld? I thought everything that needed to be welded on a Zero chassis was done at the factory before collection.

That's brill, thanks John.

Fortunately I had cleaned up the insides of the wishbone tubes so I won't have to remove the bushes all that was missing was the copperslip and the use of the nut and bolt method to push them into place. Next job is to push in the inserts. Are there any things I should look out for with that? Should the insert tubes be exactly the same length as the wishbone tube and bushes?

The 'never go in dry' comment nearly made me spit out my coffee ... fantastic I must admit to not trying either of those options I'll get some copperslip and also a drill attachment to de-burr the inside. The option of using a long bolt and washers is also one that I never considered. Many thanks for the advice. Happy New Year to you all.

I have just started to try and fit the bushes to the suspension parts on my Zero. To do this I am trying to use a bench vice which has the word 1 tonne on the side, so I assume this is the maximum pressure it can apply. Anyway, a couple of the bushes have gone in fairly easily, not quite ‘hot knife and butter’ but not far off. The others, so far, have been far from easy. I have put a breaker bar on the vice arm to apply more ‘clout’ but they are still not easy and I am bending the vice arm in the process!! Perhaps I need a more manly vice!! I wondered how others who have built Zeros have managed? Am I doing it right and just need to persevere, or am I doing something wrong? When I enquired about this at the factory, Richard told me it was something that could easily be done at home. Are there any tips to help? Any advice would be appreciated.

I wouldn't have thought that Zara was any where near high enough up the food chain for it to be anything other than a private affair. Between Tindal, Zara, 'Mummy' and selling the rights to Hello Magazine, I am sure they have enought money for it not to burden the tax payer. There will also be no bank holiday for it.

2 arials met on a roof, fell in love and eventually married. The service wasn't very good but the reception was brilliant!

Steve I would also be interested in joining you on the tour. I would still be in a tin top as I doubt the Zero will be finished by then. David

I paid by PayPal a couple of days ago before the changes (as we were told we could) so just waiting for my account to be updated to show I am a new paid up member for 2011

Congratulations. A first time pass is impressive, but then so is the build quality. It gives a new builder like me something to aim for.