MadaboutKitcars

You don't think a Saxo based kit would work then?

I'm not thinking a rebody now, more a plentiful, single donor vehicle.

What if 'younger generation man' smashed his car up, then instead of getting a loan for another one, he got a loan for a kit? Or better got a loan so a manufacterer could build his 'kit' from his old car?

If average 'younger generation man' spends £4k on his car and he could get a unique car for this cash, wouldn't he at least consider it?

This brings us to the point of bringing down the cost of a kit. After all how much does it cost for a piece of fibreglass?

A metro rebody, but it could be a peugeot 106 or saxo rebody,

http://www.356sports.co.uk/356_sports-speedster-gallery.htm

But in case you wanted to update the design of the 356 you wouldn't encounter design infringement laws.....

That is the old banham speedster conversion....

and the pricing for their more complete is very interesting:

Stage 2
GRP bodywork in grey gelcoat finish consisting of front and rear body halves, pair of double skinned doors, bootlid, engine cover and headlamp buckets - £1595


I could immagine a complete build for 4000 to 5000 P., maybe????, but if you updated the design a little you would have a very interesting speedster for the price of a lame hatchback!!

Maybe conversions could be one a solution....

I consider myself in the "younger generation" bracket as I'm 26, my brothers 22

I personally dont like max power cars, very few are tastefully done.

I started with no mechanical knowledge of cars other than the very basic pressure and fluid level checks. I decided to build a kit mainly for the experiance and then have a excellent weekend/summer car when its done. It also gives me a test bed to experiment with tuning when its done - nothing worse than having your daily driver on axel stands when you need it! Insurance also seems a bit more lenient towards power modifications and the whole thing is custom anyway!

Electric kitcar conversions:

http://www.acpropulsion.com/tzero_pages/tzero_html_home.htm

try this one:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/07/diy_electric_ca.html

alternative fuels :

http://www.greasecar.com/index.cfm

A fantastic looking Dakar 4x4 , Discovery conversion:

http://www.dakar4x4.me.uk/

great design and conversion, I'd like to have one

Don't get me started!!!.......if it costs say £20K in time & materials to develop a body shell (a not unreasonable amount...) and you sell 50 (a good number) it will still be £400 per body in development costs.

Perhaps Kitcarman can give better detail on this....

And the complete project was recently available on Ebay.....perhaps you could become a manufacturer Italio?

naaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not good with math !!!!!

Just in case you had n old mercedes laying about in your backyard....

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=848531&page=1

Nice, but you would want to pay £1500 for the kit, Italio......

If we were talking about £1500 on top of the car you have just written off being the total cost, then I think you'll find people who are interested.

If a kit company could offer 'Mr I've just written off my Saxo' driver a full kit build service inc the new kit for £2500 - £3000, I think they'd be on to a winner.

Can I refer you to my earlier post.....



I think a 'Banham' style cheap kit is the future.....BUT.....I dont think this is the right target market....they want the car instantly, not spend a year building it.

3 weeks build time?

Rant warning.......

£2500 - £3000 including build!!!! Have they put something in the water down there in Cornwall!!!!!

Lets do some basic figures......

Say you want to earn £18K per year doing this....thats £1500 per month.

If you build one every three weeks, that is £1125 per car.

Plus workshop rent......say £400 per month (v cheap) thats £300 per car.

Heating, light, business rates, phone, etc..... say £200 per month...., thats £150 per car.

Car development cost.(inc moulds).....say £20K (again....v.cheap), and you produce 50 cars, thats £400 per car......

So where are we......£1500 + £300 + £150 + £400 =£2350

Thats without actually making a body, etc, marketing, profit.......see where this is heading?

Sorry, it just ain't gonna happen.....

Trevor,
I agree with you.
There’s no way I can see that any kit car can be supplied assembled for anything like a realistic price.
Labour is too expensive and expectations too high.
Den.

I agree with what was said by Kartman and Kitcarman,
but that is why we need some creative marketing to bring kitcars or conversions, to this new crowd of potential owners.

How to, I don't know, but I can only draw...........

Judging by the crowds at the recent Stoneleigh show do we need to. It seemed in fine fettle to me.

John

Really?????

Not what I saw......and the general vibe in the industry.

Ok, what I meant was that from the publics point of view the interest is still there judging by the amount of people that turned up on the Sunday so all hope is not lost. (can't comment on the Monday as I wasnt there)

Where there is interest there is hope.

John

Would be interesting to compare the numbers over the last 5 years.

I think I'd have to agree with John, Trevor.
The show very rarely gives me a major buzz...hasn't since the halcyon days of the eighties when there were always loads of new kits to see, but this year I spent longer in the halls looking at cars than the last three years at least. TeamGTM was very busy and although we had a couple fewer cars this year at the maximum of 36, they came and went continually. Pehaps they couldn't find the factory stand........

...and 20 odd people camping!!!

OK Ferg......so you spent a lot of time in the halls compared to previous year.

What NEW stuff did you see? What I noticed was that there was a lot more accessory stands in the main hall than previous years - for example the stand I had last year was now occupied by an accessory company, PPC mag had a large stand in one hall, etc.

This means there was less manufacturers, which is not good news.

There may be a 'buzz' from the number of people attending, but if manufacturers don't feel it is worth attending to show their products, something is wrong.