- Thread starter mylesdw
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jpmillermatic
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very interested in this project to say the least!
bring it on!
JP
bring it on!
JP
You were in the U.K. at the Five Horsehoes for the World Horseshoe Throwing Final which had the first prize of an AC Cobra.
You won. But shipping to NZ wasn't included so you had to wait to get the car moved. In the meantime, it was used in a film as a prop and they spilt cocaine on the seats at the wrap party so it failed customs inspection for a bit longer and sat in an ISO.
Eventually, it shipped to NZ where it has lain dormant for a few years.
Am I close? I love guessing games.
You won. But shipping to NZ wasn't included so you had to wait to get the car moved. In the meantime, it was used in a film as a prop and they spilt cocaine on the seats at the wrap party so it failed customs inspection for a bit longer and sat in an ISO.
Eventually, it shipped to NZ where it has lain dormant for a few years.
Am I close? I love guessing games.
Pigeon_Droppings2
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I always wanted to build a kit car....just the thought of building something with all shiny new parts instead of dealing with other people's botches and rust. One day for sure...more cobra pics please
mylesdw
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The Five Horseshoes at Maidensgrove sits on the Chilterns just above Henley-on-Thames and like most country pubs survives now by being an expensive eatery.
In 1980 when I worked there it was very much a locals pub together with a good pub grub trade. Colin, the landlord was a bit of car enthusiast and he sold me this
mylesdw
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... at 137 mph!
Pigeon_Droppings2
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0-60 in 7.5 ain't hanging about...I know modern stuff can easily beat that but sometimes the real fun is in how it is achieved.....I bet there was plenty of "music" from that V8 
...137 and I bet you needed some skill to do it. Not like Mr modern fly by wire and,GPS,esp,dstc....back in the day it was pump the brakes and wiggle the steering wheel!
...137 and I bet you needed some skill to do it. Not like Mr modern fly by wire and,GPS,esp,dstc....back in the day it was pump the brakes and wiggle the steering wheel!CompoSimmonite
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With kit cars you have to recondition a lot of parts so are still working with other peoples bodges and rust
I went to the Spartan factory in early 80's and they bought brand new Cortina's as parts donors !I've got a Marlin Roadster that is currently stripped down to a bare chassis for total rebuild. It is based on a 1974 Marina 1800TC and built in 1985. Builder must have simply removed the parts from the Marina and put them on the Marlin chassis whilst nothing drastically horrible everying needs attention - hence easier to totally dismantle and start again ! Originally I just intended replacing the rotten ply floor and door frames then found dash timber rotten as well - it spiraled from there into a full rebuild
Thsi is pre strip down -
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Monkey Harris
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I had a Marlin 20 yrs ago..With kit cars you have to recondition a lot of parts so are still working with other peoples bodges and rust
I've got a Marlin Roadster that is currently stripped down to a bare chassis for total rebuild. It is based on a 1974 Marina 1800TC and built in 1985. Builder must have simply removed the parts from the Marina and put them on the Marlin chassis whilst nothing drastically horrible everying needs attention - hence easier to totally dismantle and start again ! Originally I just intended replacing the rotten ply floor and door frames then found dash timber rotten as well - it spiraled from there into a full rebuild
Thsi is pre strip down -
View media item 9721
8ob
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I built a Cobra about forty years ago, there were only two kits available back then and Dax were only in the making. I had a choice of a yank kit which was based on breaking an E Type jag 
or an xj12 based Autocraft which was made in Harlow ( just around the corner from Dax). The Autocraft was a bit longer in the door and gave a bit more leg room for lanky streaks like me. Anyway a long story short its was a five year build hampered by work and lack of spare cash, biggest problem was there were no sales gumph or price lists . I had grabbed the first chassis/bodykit they made/sold and every time I came to fit something it seemed to need another trip to Harlow to see or buy another add on type fitting kit, costs just ran away but largely my fault for jumping in so early and not waiting for them to develop sales/build brochures. Ran the thing for about fifteen years and got soaked to the skin most times out so it got sold.
Bob
or an xj12 based Autocraft which was made in Harlow ( just around the corner from Dax). The Autocraft was a bit longer in the door and gave a bit more leg room for lanky streaks like me. Anyway a long story short its was a five year build hampered by work and lack of spare cash, biggest problem was there were no sales gumph or price lists . I had grabbed the first chassis/bodykit they made/sold and every time I came to fit something it seemed to need another trip to Harlow to see or buy another add on type fitting kit, costs just ran away but largely my fault for jumping in so early and not waiting for them to develop sales/build brochures. Ran the thing for about fifteen years and got soaked to the skin most times out so it got sold.Bob
Pigeon_Droppings2
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8ob...well done for sticking with the build though and getting it done. In my head I was thinking a kit car would come in nice boxes all labelled up and I'd just have my white overalls on with a ratchet putting it together....with a cuppa in my hand!
I might be better off not having a go and just sticking with the dream....reality sounds alot like an average day in the garage!
I might be better off not having a go and just sticking with the dream....reality sounds alot like an average day in the garage!
Caterham come exactly like that - in Caterham branded boxes, chassis panelled, painted (if you specced it), wiring loom, clocks, fuel pipe installed. Everything else in boxes, with labeled bags of fasteners . . . and an instruction manual that doesn't stand comparison with a Tamiya kit instruction booklet :-) If you half an idea, it's dead easy, but of course they are trying to accomodate people who have never picked a spanner up before, and mostly manage it. They did forget to send bits on occasion, some of the parts seemed to have missed quality inspection, but all sorted with no real hassle.
You pay for it though - although 16 yrs later, I still commute in it in all weathers (snows a bug ger - the near vertical screen means it builds up and the arc the wiper describe gets smaller and smaller . . ) and it's still worth a considerable portion of what I paid.
Owned a fair few component cars, from a plan build seven look-a-like in 1992 which I built in my last year or two at uni, via westfield, Stratos replica, to the Caterham, with diversions into Marlin and Dutton for trialling. Caterham is a "kit-car" - a car kit.
Pigeon_Droppings2
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Bricol.that sounds more like the dream i had. It could only be improved if they store all the parts and then just send the box you need when you need it!
I will do it one day I think....and will just be for the fun of doing it.
I always wanted to restore a 911 but that's not likely since prices went crazy...this might be the next best thing.
Don't get me wrong...I also enjoy the regular restorations too...but a scratch build using all brand new bits would be very special I think.
I will do it one day I think....and will just be for the fun of doing it.
I always wanted to restore a 911 but that's not likely since prices went crazy...this might be the next best thing.
Don't get me wrong...I also enjoy the regular restorations too...but a scratch build using all brand new bits would be very special I think.
8ob
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It all goes wrong when a nice powder coated chassis and shiny fibreglass body turn up, you just cant bring yourself to bolt in all the rusty bits off the donor car. You will end up reconditioning the whole lot and painting it, you will also look at the engine and box and start thinking silly cams, induction,daft compression ratios, custom headers and it goes on £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££. Then when its all together you run it down to the paint shop and get another huge £ill which they will administer with no lubricant.Is it worth it ? Yes
Bob
