Thread: Anyone made a caterham style diy car?

As per title. Always been interested in them and with the internet it seems easier than ever!

Rather have an Ariel Atom with a blown Busa donk in it, I'd get in soooo much trouble!

I was chief apprentice on one of these builds in the 80s. Me, my mate over the road Daz, and our Dads. Both Daz and his Dad are now departed sadly. Though not because of the kit car. Haven’t thought about this for a long time...

The truth? It was great fun to build, loads to learn, but utterly shite to drive. Uprated 711M Ford 1.6L engine with decent carbs and a trick cam and various uprated parts, it was the Formula Ford favourite. Daz’s old man built it, very revvy. But.... much of the running gear was Mk4 Cortina and somehow the setup wasn’t spec’d to match the motor, highly likely because my Dad was a tight bastard. The steering was never quite right and snap oversteer on crap British roads was a constant menace. A bumpy road and a heavy foot would result in wheel spin in 3rd. The brakes weren’t exactly progressive, there was a point at which bumps in the braking zone would cause one or both front wheels (and sometimes all four) to suddenly lock up without warning, and cadence braking was impossible. On a smooth track it was great fun, but on the public road it was a deathwish. Everything to do with amateurs and almost certainly could have been so much better with decent suspension, brakes and steering.

My cousin in the UK then built one of these about 16-17 years ago, but with a Honda engine and far superior running gear. Unfortunately I never got to drive it, and I clearly recall he sold it very suddenly after what his wife later told me was a near death experience on the A51. Funny how I remember the road number. Cousin told me it was because he didn’t like getting wet, but she told me something quite different.

My view is that they are tremendous fun to build, less fun to drive on our public roads that you might think, and downright bloody dangerous when conditions are shite. A good one with decent running gear (expensive) and safety setup (expensive) is an awesome track day car.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

I was chief apprentice on one of these builds in the 80s. Me, my mate over the road Daz, and our Dads. Both Daz and his Dad are now departed sadly. Though not because of the kit car. Haven’t thought about this for a long time...

The truth? It was great fun to build, loads to learn, but utterly shite to drive. Uprated 711M Ford 1.6L engine with decent carbs and a trick cam and various uprated parts, it was the Formula Ford favourite. Daz’s old man built it, very revvy. But.... much of the running gear was Mk4 Cortina and somehow the setup wasn’t spec’d to match the motor, highly likely because my Dad was a tight bastard. The steering was never quite right and snap oversteer on crap British roads was a constant menace. A bumpy road and a heavy foot would result in wheel spin in 3rd. The brakes weren’t exactly progressive, there was a point at which bumps in the braking zone would cause one or both front wheels (and sometimes all four) to suddenly lock up without warning, and cadence braking was impossible. On a smooth track it was great fun, but on the public road it was a deathwish. Everything to do with amateurs and almost certainly could have been so much better with decent suspension, brakes and steering.

My cousin in the UK then built one of these about 16-17 years ago, but with a Honda engine and far superior running gear. Unfortunately I never got to drive it, and I clearly recall he sold it very suddenly after what his wife later told me was a near death experience on the A51. Funny how I remember the road number. Cousin told me it was because he didn’t like getting wet, but she told me something quite different.

My view is that they are tremendous fun to build, less fun to drive on our public roads that you might think, and downright bloody dangerous when conditions are shite. A good one with decent running gear (expensive) and safety setup (expensive) is an awesome track day car.

Ah. I had grand plans of finding some cheap turbo motor or something and just slapping it together to pass cert and then take it for a hoon. Seems like it might just be better to buy a factory car and do it up

A family member has built one. He's a very clever guy, tool maker by trade but spent a lot of time in the motor racing industry in the UK. Powered by a Honda Blackbird bike engine. He designed and built the chassis and suspension himself. Can't remember what front uprights he used but the rear are Subaru, independent rear. Goes like a cut cat but very scary travelling in traffic. Your head is at bumper level for most other vehicles. He uses it mainly on the track days and club racing. Good fun but do your research.

McGregor motorsport in chch and Fraser Cars in akl both do a lotus 7 replica kit car.
Think the basic McGregor kit without motor or gearbox was around $30k.

Had a kit car for a while - not a Caterham style though.

302 Ford and Celica five speed, plant foot in third on a wet road and wheel spin resulted - possibly dangerous in the wrong hands. ( but so are guns).

But for me?

Fun!

I built one from scratch, drew/copied plans and went from there, took me years and its not like putting a car back together you have to design every bit and then make sure it fits with all the other parts, took several attempt at some things. 4AGE and a T50 box, you do not need a lot of HP to scare yourself.Have plans if your interested.

There are good and not so good kits around, good ones do tend to be expensive though.

Ford running gear was common back in the 80s and 90s as old Rwd Fords were cheap and common and many kit cars were British designed. I think a few kit cars now use MX5 running gear instead which is cheap, reliable and good. MX5 engines lend themselves pretty well to turbocharging as well.

Originally Posted by ONYVA

I built one from scratch, drew/copied plans and went from there, took me years and its not like putting a car back together you have to design every bit and then make sure it fits with all the other parts, took several attempt at some things. 4AGE and a T50 box, you do not need a lot of HP to scare yourself.Have plans if your interested.Attachment 165818

The 4AGE ZE version of that engine was fantastic. Amazing how much power for something you could just about tuck under your arm.

Chasing cars (building, motorsport, restoration....you name it) is a recipe for ensuring you remain poor.
So much fun - but there is a bigger cost than just "opening the chequebook...."

Personally - I wouldn't do it - aside from track days, there isn't anywhere else you can really let loose (doing so on a public road is a road-map to even more poverty....loss of license). But hey, do whatever blows your hair back.

The advantage of small, light, nimble, relatively low powered cars (especially convertibles) is that they are still fun at speeds that won't land you in jail if you get caught, and generally have much less wear and tear on brakes, tyres etc.

No dispute about cars being an expensive hobby though! A wise man once told me the key to making a small fortune in motorsport... start with a large fortune.

I have been looking at these, mx5 based so should be fairly reasonable.

Although at the end of the day may just be easier to buy a lotus Elise and be done with it.


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Originally Posted by Nickoli

Chasing cars (building, motorsport, restoration....you name it) is a recipe for ensuring you remain poor.
So much fun - but there is a bigger cost than just "opening the chequebook...."

Personally - I wouldn't do it - aside from track days, there isn't anywhere else you can really let loose (doing so on a public road is a road-map to even more poverty....loss of license). But hey, do whatever blows your hair back.

Yep, i spent a fair part of my life quite passionate about cars. Mucking around modifing them from the day i turned 15 abd got my DL.

From turbo charging and intercooling classic mini's (circuit car) to classic widow maker 911 turbo 3.6 roadcar and everything inbetween.

Its awesome fun, but sure soaks up the time and money (makes full custom rifle builds looks cheap)

Nowadays im playing with building gravity soapbox cars for the kids and enjoying applying the science and physics to making them be fast. Still lots of fun seeing the kids be competitive in something ive built from sratch.

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I've chunks here n there on quite a few, never done one from start to finish though. A small motor gets you way more go than you might think, a 1600cc MX5 power train is frigging heaps of grunt. Think the open to airstream feeling of a motorcycle, but way lower to the ground, not unlike a speedway sidecar but less terrifying. They are fun but pretty impractical however. The better ones have front mudguards attached to the wheel, and move with them. Makes a much sleeker look and catches way less air.

Originally Posted by hamsav

I have a freshly rebuilt 3.5 rover v8 and toyo w57 5 speed up for grabs ,be ideal in a 7 kit car

Be mean in an MG