MadaboutKitcars

Thanks for the tips and pics Nick. Really neat job. Got some prep work done on the front last night - headlights and indicators cut out, first of the 3 vents cut out and shaped. Now just waiting for a full day of good weather to get the front end off, all the trimming and shaping done, front wiring and then hopefully back on. Thanks again.

Hi folks. I am looking at changing my insurance to reflect the kit as i reckon i will be ready for a 1st drive by mid / late June. I remember reading on someones thread about an insurance company who specialise in kit cars and are doing MX250's for about 200 quid a year, limited mileage. Problem is i can't find it again - any pointers? Cheers guys.

Start with Adrian Flux, but try google too.

Adrian Flux..................... that was the one.

Cheers dude!

Mention that you are a member of the Tribute Owners Club and there might be a discount too.

Hi guys, I have had a good couple of days on the car and things are progressing quite nicely. Front end came back off, all electrics for the front lights extended, then set about front end off, on, off, on for trimming to get the height right. Got that to where I am happy and then got the front bonded, bolted and riveted on:



I will wait for tomorrow to take the screws out, give the glue time to go off. Then will get my first skim of chopped strand on there.

In the mean time I got all the front lights wired in and mounted. Had a drama with the left hand indicators - every time I indicated left it didn't work and the wipers came on! Took me over an hour to trace the problem. I took all the heat shrink off my splicings, re-did them, still the same! Turned out to be a bad earth and the indicator was trying to find an earth through the wiper motor???? Anyway all sorted and in.



Tomorrow the forecast is good, so hoping to get a skim of filler on, the other 2 vents cut out on the front and then start shaping an filling ready for the bonnet hinges. All good!!!!

Hi folks. I haven't been on here for 6 weeks or so for one reason and another:

1. We had family visiting from Cape Town so she who must be obeyed had a long list of stuff that needed doing - decorating the downstairs toilette, the dining room, cleaning all windows inside and out,

2. Then we had the 10 day visit of family (my family so I shouldn't complain).

3. The weather in Belfast has been awful - after a fantastic spring the weather in the last month has been s***e, barely a day without rain at some stage or another.

Having said all that I have still managed to do a bit and have the all the front lights in and vents cut:



I have some very nice windscreen washer jets in (and working):



All 3 front vents cut and a test fit of the chrome surround:



The bonnet hinges fitted (needs some filling and smoothing to fit correctly):


Really hoping it will be on the road in the next 2 weeks so I can visit some paint shops and get quotes for paint!

Exciting times, it looks like a lot of work,I'm glad I favour the z3 options.

Hi guys, need a bit of advice on wheel spacers. Due to being on a budget I opted for a second hand set of 16x8's. Front end are spot on (see pics), however the rears are lost in the rear arches (even with 25mm spacers). I am contemplating upping the tyre width from 195 (on the wheels when bought) for 225, but am also thinking I should go for wider spacers. Is there a max width you can go to over 25mm (safely)? And does anyone know of a stockist? Cheers.

Smash knows about this stuff i believe

50mm seems to be what several people have done, including me.
I got a pair from freaky parts, about £70

Excellent!!!! Thanks mate, appreciated. Off to look at 'freaky parts'.

Ordered, 90 quid (including postage). Result!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Landmann. Pictures will be up as soon as they arrive and are fitted.

Took about 3 weeks to come for me, but included a free Freaky Parts sticker!

Result - you cant knock a free sticker!!!!!!!!!

Well the last week or so has been quite busy (in between LOTS of rain showers).

50mm rear spacers for the rear ordered (thanks for the pointer landmannn), however the engineer is on leave so 4 weeks to delivery.

Been working on getting the car legal ready for hitting the Ulster Kit Car Show on the 06 August as I have got friendly with a guy who is a member and is building one himself. He is nowhere near finished his and has asked me to take mine to the show:

So bonnet pins fitted, boot locking mechanism 'sorted' (more about that later).
Started thinking about getting the car water tight (although that will be difficult as Chris still owes me a rear window), so need to source some rubber sheeting to manufacture arch liners from. Started waterproofing the 'boot extension'.
Side repeaters fitted.
Changed the drivers door window (chipped it due to door shut needing shaping I forgot and had the window all the way up and swung the door shut).
Wing mirrors fitted.
Battery charged.
Confident that (weather permitting) we will be legal and water tight by the end of this weekend (less the rear window - clear sheeting and duck tape here we come).

Very conscious that I have been quiet the last couple of weeks, so thought I would update you all with my progress and some pictures - we all know a picture paints a thousand words.

So, as previously mentioned I got the bonnet pins fitted, and by setting them quite low I was able to pull the bonnet into line quite well.



By using the rubber bump stops from the slam panel removed during the strip the back of the bonnet is sitting quite well at the shut line.

I then set to getting the side repeaters sorted. As a quick, cheap fix I wanted to use the originals, but didn't want them sitting so proud. So I drew around the indicator, cut out the hole, then cut and shaped some plate steel to be riveted behind the hole. Some underseal on there, and I am quite happy how my recessed / flush (ish) side repeaters look.



Got my wing mirrors fitted - very nice if I do say so myself.

Got the drains in the boot trough sorted.



Then decided I didn't like the bonnet pins - personally I thought they looked a bit scruffy. No disrespect to anyone who has used them, they just didn't do it for me. So I replaced them with some flush mounted ones.



And as we all know, you change your mind with GRP - you just fill it, problem solved!

So that was me up to this week. With the Northern Ireland Kit Car show this weekend I was really keen to get everything finished to get the car on the road, so tonight (taking advantage of the first dry day in weeks I got the following sorted:

Front and rear plates temporarily fitted. Rear reflectors fitted (just in case Plod wants a chat).



The outside de-dusted, glass cleaned and the car as good looking as it can be.




Temporary home made Perspex rear window fitted (Chris still owes me a rear window, even if it was here I wouldn't be fitting it until after it is painted).



Seats fitted, rear shelf carpet back in (short term) and the interior cleaned.



All in all just about ready for the show on Saturday. And as an extra bonus the 1mm sheet rubber I ordered to make arch liners from arrived today. So that is tomorrow afternoon / evening sorted. Watertight and on the road on Saturday! Happy days.

Looking good.

Did you make it to the show?

Good luck, Paul.

Cheers Paul. Yep I made it there. Due to unforeseen circumstances I never got the arch liners made yesterday evening, so was extremely glad to wake up to a dry warm day.

So the first run went well, I had the Mrs following behind just in case something went wrong. But everything was fine - although the 30 mile round trip did identify a couple of things that need tweaking:

1, I have positioned the wing mirrors very VERY badly. The drivers side isn't too bad, but the passenger side has the quarter light frame right in the middle of it, so the wing mirrors need moving back a bit.

2, A lot of road noise from the rear wheels. Some of it due to the rear window being a temp Perspex one, and the fact I haven't finished expanding foam filling the rear end, and the fact I haven't got any door seals fitted yet.

3, My exhaust is LOUD, again due to the temp rear window, foam etc. But also now it has been run and everything has settled / moved, one of the exits is now rubbing on the back end, so a further bit of trimming / shaping required.

4, I have a very light coolant leak from the bottom hose where it hasn't quite seated properly after I took the radiator out to weld the chassis legs.

Other than that the car ran sweet as a nut. Made a lot of heads turn on the way in fact the Mrs reckons I am about to face the worlds largest group whiplash claim!!!!

My escort and fan club:



Not bad from this angle:



From this angle I definitely need the wider spacers on the rear, although looking good in the grey / red colour scheme!!!







A lot of interest in the car, and not many people over here in Northern Ireland had heard of Tribute Automotive. Having said that loads of people very impressed in a 4 month build so far.

hi , just joined the forum and hope to get an mx250 as soon as the garage is built.... you've done a cracking job in just a few months, well done , looks great so far

Cheers mate. If you do decide to go for a Tribute kit you will not be disappointed with the help / tips / willingness to share information on this forum. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. There is no way I would be so far on without the help and tips from guys on here. Hope you do decide to go for it, and good luck.

Hey Craig what spacers are on there at the moment? And what et are the wheels?

Your wingard mirrors look perfect, they are the best choice IMO. I'm still shopping around for a cheap enough pair