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Have got into Kit Cars in a big way but my knowledge of motor Engineering and Mechanics is very limited, basically, I can find my way around an engine but that's about it.
I'm interested in 4 Manufacturers:
Tiger
Robin Hood
Quantum
MK
I looking at purely 7 replicas etc.
Can somebody recommend teh best manufacturer, best kit to buy and comment on how easy/difficult the build is.
Am I better off buying a built & 2nd hand vehicle, stling it myself and changing the cosmetics ?
You've highlighted 4 seven manufacturers from different ends of the spectrum, Quantum being more of the top end budget, RH and MK being more the budget end with Tiger being both. As such I would also include the DJ Rush, Westfield and all the other locost style 7's unless you left them out of purpose.
I don't think you will find any of them particular difficult to build, really depends on your apptitude, commitment and desire to complete it.
As for the best manufacturer, well I guess you're not going to go far wrong with any of them but bear in mind RH is currently up for sale so it's future is unknown.
I'm sure you'll get more answers from people that have been there and done it with regard researching and building 7's so I'll let them get a word in.
This will at least narrow down the manufacturers / cars you can look at.
It is worth bearing in mind that in general (not always the case though) the more expensive the base kit the easier it will be to build.
For example you can build a '7' for as little as £1500 (including welding and fabricating parts yourself) or you can spend £15000 on a Caterham and it will assemble like an airfix model, with everything fitting perfectly.
As for buying a ready built car. You need to get evidence of how much care was taken in the build (things like diaries and photo records are good at showing this). Would you prefer to drive something you have built or someone else? I for one like the idea of saying 'I built it'.
I've recently sifted through the usual suspects for my son and we settled on MK or Luego, finally giving our money to Luego. His car, with some careful 'negotiation' and purchasing, plus the complete disregard for a windscreen is looking like under £3500 not inc SVA & registering.
As ex biker says generally the more you pay the better the quality. I know someone who has built an RH and he said that although it was well within his budget, since sold because of house move, some of the panels weren't the best fit and some "re-engineering" was required but i'm sure that is probably true of most cars at this end of the market.
Before you take the plunge I would suggest check out a few shows talk to some owner builders, not the same as an owner driver, and the clubs related to the manufacturer, check out the comments on this website, under the kitfinder section you'll find builders comments and realistic costings go on the web and find some online build diaries these will give you an idea of how easy or difficult the build would be and also are a source of problem solving tweaks that are sometime required.
is looking like under £3500 not inc SVA & registering.