Skip to main content

MadaboutKitcars

Build Stories are assembled automatically from a build thread's own author, in their own words and order — see all featured builds.

1st kit car Fiorano

By Car photographer · 213 updates · Jul 2015 to Sep 2023

Read the full original thread (with everyone's replies) in the archive →

July 2015

15 Jul 2015, 2:37pm Getting Underway
Hi everyone,
I'm just in the process of possibly purchasing my first kit car a Fiorano Type 48 spyder .... if it all goes through I'll post up some details etc, but for now - fingers crossed :)

Here's what it currently looks like -

... and for anyone who hasn't heard of this particular kit before - here's an example of what it should hopefully look like when it's done -
15 Jul 2015, 3:52pm General Update
Yes must have been the same one I guess - I'd wanted one for a while but couldn't afford it until I noticed this one.
But I'm new to this and just hope it's not too difficult to put together (also I currently have no where to keep it!! :(
15 Jul 2015, 4:01pm General Update
Cheers
15 Jul 2015, 10:52pm General Update
Yeah there don't seem to be many people building them at the moment - and I keep looking for them every year at Stoneleigh and never seem to find any
Has the company gone out of business now?
Has anyone here ever built one?
16 Jul 2015, 9:43am General Update
Yes that's what I thought
16 Jul 2015, 11:36am General Update
Yeah I found that - there used to be a forum on there but it seems to have gone now - might just try emailing them :)
19 Jul 2015, 8:38am General Update
Ok so I emailed the site and got a reply back - it seems that they are still selling the kit if people want them so that's good news, but alas there isn't a forum anymore - but then we do have this great forum anyway :)
22 Jul 2015, 9:27am Engine Electrics
ok, I've got a bit of a dilemma - I'm confused as to what type of electrical loom to try and fit.
the car does not come with a loom, so presumably I could fit whatever I wanted to?
I was talking to a spitfire parts dealer and he mentioned that older spitfires like the mk3 - that had a dynamo, had a 12 volt system .... but the later mk4 cars had an alternator and a 6 volt setup but with 12 volts on startup (or something like that) - because of the points always burning out on the 12 v systems.

now the car i've bought has a 1500 spitfire engine and appears to have an alternator with it.

the question is - should I try and get a spitfire loom and then have the dilemma of whether to go 12v or 6v system, or should I get a generic kit car loom which would be much cheaper - and if so, will it affect the points or any other systems on the car adversly?

thanks

Paul
22 Jul 2015, 8:37pm General Update
cheers guys
23 Jul 2015, 4:56pm General Update
Yeah I saw that green one too - still trying to decide what colour to go for myself - but it's a long way off yet :)
24 Jul 2015, 8:24am Engine
Thanks Paul,
I've got another issue now though, I looked up the engine and it turns out that it's not a 1500 spitfire one afterall but a 1300 dolomite one - prefix is ' DH'
But the number seems to be crossed out with 'x' over every letter - is this normal?
24 Jul 2015, 9:25am General Update
24 Jul 2015, 6:23pm General Update
weird - it says 'FMHE' - what does that mean?
25 Jul 2015, 7:31am General Update
Thanks
27 Jul 2015, 5:45pm Mechanical Overhaul
Got the brake lines fitted today .... and so the brakes now work :)
27 Jul 2015, 5:46pm General Update
.... and got my old mk 3 spitfire MOT'd ready to sell it.

August 2015

1 Aug 2015, 8:06pm Engine Interior & Trim
Steering column located and fitted this week and today we got the engine started for the first time :)
7 Aug 2015, 11:59pm Engine Mechanical Overhaul
So today we got the exhaust in place - sounds pretty good! used a mini sports backbox and fabricated a pipe from the down pipe to the backbox
Also, got a set of old MG TF wire wheels from fleabay for £200 - used some specially made longer adapters Recommended by the samio / ribble builders to fit them to the spitfire. hubs
8 Aug 2015, 12:02am General Update
sorry - still can't seem to get the pics to show for some reason ?!?