MadaboutKitcars

Just awaiting my kit (hopefully tomorrow) so thought I'd start a build thread. Dont be expecting regular updates as I'm the worlds worst at these things!

I travelled over to the Stoneleigh Kit Car show specifically to see the Tribute stand and the Cobra looked as good as I hoped it would in the flesh so I started the search for a Z3 and then ordered my kit as soon as I got a car sorted

Car is a 1998 2.8, with a very recently fitted M50 manifold and remapped showing 205 BHP. Its a CAT D but has only 65k on the clock. Came with Hardtop. Heated seats, aircon, power hood, Becker stereo with Sat Nav (going for sale shortly). Very high spec!



Becker radio with Sat Nav, bluetooth and ipod integration


Not so nice interior - seats missing for a reason!!

That is a cool donor mate and to people like us CAT D is nothing!

Thanks Hammy. For sure CAT D is ideal for the likes of us. Knocked £500 off the price because of those four letters!


The interior looked very dated with the seats and side panels having this rather fetching speckled design


Bought a leather recolouring kit from Furniture Clinic. It involved scrubbing the seats till the surface colour starts coming off it with the specialist cleaner, rubbing the new colour into the joints and crevices, followed by praying on the colour till there is sufficient coverage. Then the front surfaces gets a sealer. By this point the whole seat looks very shiny so then a Matt lacquer goes on this to tone it down and give it a factory finish. Turned out really nice - got a few wee dust flecks in places but overall looks excellent!





Didnt have enough stuff for the doorcards so they got some Halfords Vinyl paint followed by Plasticote matt lacquer. Turned out well enough too!

Saturday I started the strip down and got the back end sorted without issue.


Yesterday I finished off removing the front panels. All very straightforward really!



Really impressed with how clean the car was underneath the panels. Only the very slightest hint of rust in one tiny wee place on a sill just in front of the rear wheel. Will scrub that down and rust proof it - likely will coat the sills completely whilst at it. Have some POR 15 on the shelf.



This evening I unbolted the front impact bar as well. Does the spare wheel have to come off too?

Yep I used Furniture clinic a couple of years ago to repair a damaged 944 rear bench seat, it was red leather and ripped I used their kit and instructions and it came out like brand new. I'll be interested to hear how the door cards wear mate. I have the same colour interior on my Zed and its the only bit I don't like

Funny enough mine has the black interior and I am thinking of changing it for a lighter colour. Probably not hearing aid beige though.

Looks like a good donor. Your seats look better and blacker than mine.

To be fair the seats were in good nick before i started on them.

I do like cream interiors but hearing aid beige would sum up the colour of mine quite nicely! Would be tempted to re colour the centre console too but can't be bothered trying to rip it out currently. Will finish the car and then see how I feel about it.

Kit arrived today while I was at work. Driver rang me asking for a hand off with it.. Good job my Dad was nearby to help!

A fair few chipped edges to sort and not overall sure of the fit so far but early days - reckon there will be some trimming required though! Main surfaces are good overall.

Just some pics of the mods around the front to make more clearance for a grill which intend adding rather than leaving it open.

You'll see the original hole for the bracket. I just bent the bracket around and drilled a new hole.


Then shaved off as much of the metal as i desired. Didn't need that much off but will give a nice bit of room for whatever grill or mesh I fit.

Test fitting lights

Picked the paint colour- originally was going to go for the classic blue with white stripes but decided to steer away from the norm and go for something different. Thought it might help to distance it from looking like I'm doing a replica!

Plymouth Prowler Orange

I love your colour choice, a break from the norm eace:

Snap, that makes two orange ones then, Although mine will be Nissan a17 Lemans sunset.

Here is the game plan.

Ah yes, saw that pic before which set me down the path of looking at oranges! eace:

It was a close choice,

also briefly considered something like that - but only VERY briefly!

At the start of this week I'd talked to Chris about how to best attach an Aston fuel cap to the BMW pipe. Chris kindly talked to Car Builder Solutions on my behalf and worked out what I needed. Quick call to CBS and wallet was lightened by over £200 to get the cap, piping and connections.

Not the most straightforward method of placing a fuel filler (or cost effective!) but 4 hours of labour this evening has connected the pipe to the BMW pipe and created the recess for the Aston cap to sit in. Still needs another go of filler and sanding to finish it off but nearly there.



And how the cap will roughly sit in it.

As I feared updates are few and far between. Got the boot locking mech sorted nicely. Will get pics of that at some point. Mainly been stuck in doing the bodywork and sprayed it yesterday. Got a couple of flaws that I couldn't live with in the bonnet so it's going to get redone. Getting close now. Would need to be as MOT is booked for 1st Sept!

Looking great!

looks very well done.

Some more pics - MOT this Thursday so need to keep cracking on now to get it finished. Paint was a hassle - kept making wee mistakes which meant respraying sections but its all compounding up well now!

Excuse the pic quality - just quick snaps with my phone




Wheels are Dotz fast sevens - gun metal grey - didnt want anything to retro looking as wanted to make it look like a 'modern' tribute. Standard cobra side vents.




Kept the standard mirrors as its a daily driver and wanted it as practical as possible - hence why I'm fitting two reversing sensors as well. Good quality chromed handle covers - not a perfect fit but look the when on.




Fairly standard rear arrangment of chrome numberplate light, T-handle for boot and chrome boot hinges.

Looking good, are you adding stripes?

I want to - possibly in gun metal grey but I'm fed up painting for now so might do it next year after getting use of the car for a while.

The colour looks great. i know your done with painting but If you have any paint left over then I think matching brake callipers would be a good touch!

Thats a good idea - but really cant be bothered masking off and painting anymore! Maybe save that for the Spring and do some more work on it. Still got a Hardtop to spray right enough!