This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.
I took the car out for its maiden voyage yesterday... and it was AWESOME!!! Very short drive just up and down the road a few times as currently not MOT'd.
Few points:
- Its not nearly as rattly as I expected it to be.
- The bonnet is really flimsy and wobbles about so will have to see if I can strengthen or support it in some way.
- I didn't build it so that people would look at me... but I was disappointed that no-one looked at me.
- Can't see anything out the back.
- Racey wing mirrors are useless.
- The steering is a bit... vague. Not sure if this is due to lack of weight at the front or maybe the UJ needs replacing.
Great to have that first drive isn’t it... on the vagueness of the front and steering the front end is lighter without the MR2 panels. I’ve left the space saver in mine and doesn’t seem too bad at 30-40 but mine also still isn’t MOT’d so haven’t had it any higher speed than that. Worth checking tyre pressures as well as UJ especially with the cold weather.
I also can’t see a scooby out the back of mine - even worse on mine with the intercooler piping! But hey as long as you can see forward :-)
With the bonnet you may want to look at making some support pieces for the front arch areas - that seems to have helped on mine as when it’s locked down it doesn’t move at all. I’ve also got my bonnet prop clipped in underneath but don’t think that will do anything for rigidity. If the bonnet panel itself is flexing a lot you could try bonding in some thick hose pipe - I’ve done that before on other kits and it’s helped.
As for the attention.....just go to a petrol station - I’m sure you’ll be there ages as people ask you if it’s a real one!
Have you set yourself a date for the MOT yet? I’ve done hardly anything to mine since Christmas - need to pull my finger out!
As Dave says, keep the spare wheel in the car and also regarding the steering, i did not have any issues at all so could be UJ.
Make sure that you also allow air to get to the front brakes (the bumper stops the flow) as i cooked mine in the Isle of Man when giving it some over the mountain
As for the looks, just wait and it will happen haha.
I stuck with the standard mirrors and visibility was ok.
Keep up the good work guys
Thanks chaps, I suppose step one will be to buy a spare wheel then... or a bag of ballast.
Dave, when you say side supports, do you mean your perspex bits? It bounces up and down from the center of the rear edge so was thinking I could glass in a bit of steel rod behind the return edge. I do need to fill that gap behind the front arches too but had hoped I could do without for now. Maybe I can knock something up next week. Also, regarding the exhaust noise, it seems noisy enough when you give it a bootful so am pleased with that... might see about a decat as well though.
Wozzy, i'll see about some ducting for the brakes, thanks for the info. Main problem with the mirrors is each time I put the car to bed, I cover it up which invariably gets hooked on the them and shifts them about, but they're tiny. I didn't want to see what was behind me anyway.
Do you know, I'd forgotten how quick these little cars were. I mean its not a rocket, but its quicker than I remember. I can't imagine the exhaust and filter have done much for it but I've got the MAF mod and injectors to add at some point which should help a little bit.
With the turbo on mine it spins the wheels in third gear in the damp, it's scary, but it sounds the dogs nuts
Do you know, I'd forgotten how quick these little cars were. I mean its not a rocket, but its quicker than I remember. I can't imagine the exhaust and filter have done much for it but I've got the MAF mod and injectors to add at some point which should help a little bit.[/QUOTE]
I think I'm finally ready for the MOT. Aimed the headlights and am hopefully in the ballpark, filled in the bottoms of the doors, made a new dash panel and added some gauges because rally car, and reinstalled the interior. It's been a productive day! Very proud of this.
Swifty, date for the MOT will be the 1st or 2nd of March. I was going to go with the end of feb but realised I'd lose a month of road tax for the sake of a couple of days. Flipping archaic DVLA. Plus, it gives me an extra couple of days to do a few more bits.
I feel like the gauge panel needs a couple of switches or something... maybe a light.
Thanks for that Dave, actually not a million miles from the original switch panel in an RS200. It would also mean I can install my fridge and depth sounder and i'll have some buttons to turn them on and off with Seriously though, they look pretty cool! The ones in the sponsored items below look good too with the USB and 12v socket. It'd definitely be worth having the 12v socket actually as I have a slow flat.
I was thinking of having a horizontal panel starting under the stereo to where the gearstick is. Maybe something like that could fit in there. Think i'll order one
This so reminds me of the Madadash I installed in my Mini in '72. £11, half a week's take home at the time.
I ripped this picture from the cloud, but it shows the model I fitted. Having moved the switches for the lights; reversing light; wipers etc. to the upper strip of the long panel at the bottom, with a totally unnecessary warning light beneath each, it was still less than half full, so I fitted both boot and under-bonnet lights, but it still wasn't full. I next fitted a switch to isolate the brake lights, and another to operate them without touching the pedal (I know!). There was still room to shoehorn in two more switches, whose sole function was to operate their associated warning lights. A good friend at the time, now sadly deceased, said: "Mick, your car's a Tart Trap". I was actually flattered - the follies of youth!
A couple more little bits sorted out, aerial extension fitted so now I have a radio (not that you can hear it), passenger door speakers now work, couple of little brackets fitted to stop the wheel arches catching every time you put the bonnet down, and door seals partially refitted. Going to have to put some thought into how I can seal the rest of the door up so it doesn't fill with water in between the two windows. Maybe I just shouldn't drive it in the rain... ever.
Seriously though, they look pretty cool! The ones in the sponsored items below look good too with the USB and 12v socket. It'd definitely be worth having the 12v socket actually as I have a slow flat.
No one needs to know that the switches turn on lights and nothing else. 
