Has anyone here ever made a kit car?

"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
05/10/2014 at 14:43 • Filed to: None

I'm curious. I know there are a few books out there on the subject - for making something like a Lo-cost/Super 7, but I'm curious to know if anyone here on Oppo has actually done it before.

DISCUSSION (14)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 14:45

Kinja'd!!!

Kinda...

f86sabre > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 14:50

I haven't done it, but I'm looking at an Exocet in the future perhaps. What kit are you looking at?

PowderHound > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 14:51

Yes. Not me. But there is at least one person on here who has built a Lo-Cost but I can't remember his name. I'm such a big help

BaconSandwich is tasty. > PowderHound
05/10/2014 at 14:52

No worries. It's still good to know that there is someone out there.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > f86sabre
05/10/2014 at 14:55

Nothing in particular, right now. I just really like the idea - especially something small with a 3 cylinder Ecoboost in it (that is, if Ford ever releases it as a crate engine).

Eventually I think it would be fun to do an EV conversion to Locost. I think doing that right now would definitely be biting off more than I could chew, so it makes sense to do a gas version first.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
05/10/2014 at 14:56

Ha ha! I love it.

(That reminds me: in my youth I did a few of those. An Oldsmobile 442, Lamborghini Countach, and a Ferrari F50).

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 15:03

I did quite a few when I was younger then saw this recently for next to nothing and couldn't resist. It's awaiting clear coat at the moment

Eazy-O > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 15:17

I dunno mate, unless you have experience building internal combustion powertrains, EV stuff shouldn't be more complicated to set up.

Eazy-O > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 15:19

I think this might be SteyrTMP you guys are talking about: http://steyrtmp.kinja.com/

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Eazy-O
05/10/2014 at 16:19

Well, there's still quite a bit more to a car than just the power train - suspension, steering, brakes, interior trim, body work, etc. With something like a Locost, at least it'd be a bit simpler than some of the newer stuff out there.

Either way, I think it'd be great to get the experience of working on one.

Eazy-O > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 16:36

Of course, of course. But for a an EV, if you really wanted to get basic, you don't need much more than a DC motor, Hall effect throttle pedal, deep cycle lead acid batteries and a management system. All can be bought off the shelf.

The more efficiency and complexity you want, the more stuff you can change in the system - AC motor with controller (regen!), LiFePO4 batteries, cooling systems, insulation for said batteries, solving the problem of heating and ancilliaries...

As for ICE... I'd say it's a bit more complicated. ;) Though, I suppose you could go with a two stroke, two cylinder, no fuel pump, no water pump, no camshaft, no radiator, no timing belt/chain, 26HP, 650cc engine? It's a real thing, too.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Eazy-O
05/10/2014 at 16:40

I like the way you think. :P

With building something like that from scratch (which I would LOVE to do!), I'd be afraid of getting all the bits together, and not having it work out because of some obscure issue. At least with an ICE, there's a few more people out there who might be able to point me in the right direction when something isn't working like it should.

Eazy-O > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/10/2014 at 16:44

That is fair enough. :)

I think I have one of the Locost books scanned & pdf'd at home, I can take a look monday-ish if you want.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Eazy-O
05/10/2014 at 16:48

Sure.

If all else fails, I can probably get something like it through an inter-library loan. A few weeks back I managed to get a rather interesting book about composite fibers that was ordered in from a city 500 km away. Yay for libraries!