What made you decide you wanted a Kitcar?

['Mendip Wurzel']

I thought it would be interesting to hear the story behind why individuals decided to build or just wanted to own a Kitcar.

My Story – I never made the decision that I wanted to own a Kitcar until I was searching for a Ford Focus for my daughter and there it was... a Kitcar appeared in the adverts that I was browsing. From that point on I lost interest in searching for the Ford Focus and concentrated on looking at Kitcars as they looked much more fun. Needless to say the Kitcar was purchased before the Ford Focus, and yes my daughter did eventually end up with her car.

Kevin

[YellaBelly]

Good idea chap

I originally got interested back in the early 80's and my dream kit was the Nova. Unfortunately, a guy I worked with was of the same mind and went to try one out at their factory. He was 6' 1" and struggled to fit. So I figured that at 6' 4" I was 'weeing into the wind'

The bug never went away, and as time went on, I looked at Cobra look-alikes among others, but never really saw the chance (financially or otherwise) that I could get one.

The fire re-lit when I bought Uncle Ron's book by Haynes back in 1996. I bought it, a guy at work built the car (in record time) and I kept looking around for the bits, time and money.

I finally managed to get my rear in gear and bought the steel for my Locost back in 2005, started slowly and stopped quickly when my divorce began! (not due to the build I might add).

I restarted back in 2007 and last year managed to get a real move on (by my standards ).

The rest as they say, is history.

JB

[Furore Phil]

Way back in my early teens I bought a kit car mag (allways liked building things). I loved the Lambo Countache, and they had some reviews. I guess it's also cos I hate modern cars, they all look the same and are just so boring.

My first house didn't have a garage, I couldn't afford a Lotus, so I had a TR7 instead.

When we bought a bigger house, I made sure it had a garage...

If I ever get enough cash together, I think it would have to be a GT40. I just hope that V8's are still legal by the time I can afford one.

[Dixie]

My dad restored mini Coopers.  He had a 1971 twin tank Cooper S mini that I always said I would have.  He is a panel beater and sprayer by trade, so I have always been around cars.  When I was 11 he brought a mini Marcos with a 1500cc Maxi engine , I helped him re-build it, then we restored a Hillman Imp.  Seemed natural to build kit cars.  When I was 30 ish I had enough money to by a Dutton Phaeton which I restored and saw at Stoneliegh some years later.  Then looked at a Brightwheel Cobra in Bournemouth, but it was jag based and didnt fit my garage.  A few years later I found the Viper, the rest is history.  Mark

[paintman]

I'm going through an old age crisis thats why I bought mine!!

['The Gaffer']

I always had an interest in Japanese imports, Nissan Skylines etc, but as my business developed I found I had no time to pursue my hobby, and what with a pretty quick van for work which is great fun to drive in its own right it seemed pointless keeping other cars that would hardly be driven.

What I wanted was something that was so different from a road car and thrilling to drive but not a bike. Speedy J, my missus, was not too happy about me getting a bike, and to be honest the appeal was'nt really there anyway.

Eureka!!! A kit car with a bike engine in. Did a little research and found the Toniq which ticked a few boxes on paper but was hooked when I saw and heared it in the flesh.

Next, having owned the car for a while, I wanted to share the experience with others but could'nt find a local kit car club anywhere - so with a little apprehension I formed the Bristol Kit Car Club.

The result? It's great having a true hobby again and sharing it with some great people.

['Mendip Wurzel']

I must say Phil that the Bristol Kit Car Club has been a real bonus for me in that I can share my car experiances. I think the BKCC has actually gone one step further in that we are slightly more than just a club, more a group of friends and a lot of this has been because of your efforts and ideas. 

[Bulldog Bri]

I started to hear about Kitcars when I started in Royal Mail back in the early 80's, (one lad there had a Dutton Pheaton).

My freind I worked nights with at the time mentioned the Pilgrim Bulldog, it must have been Aug '85 and the Castle Combe Kit Car Action Day was mid Sept, so went along to take a look and a ride around the circuit. Hooked! 

From there on I hit the Overtime and saved hard. The kit only took 6 months to build and all that was needed was an engineers report and an MOT to get the car registered back then! On the road autumn '86. Kept that one till I got married in '92 

Now divorced, and all but finish rebuilding my new home. I was starting to get bored my mate from up the raod turns up with Uncle Ron's Locost book, with that the flame sprung into life again and the plan that we both build one. 

Mine got to rolling chassis stage before my mate started his but time and money soon stopped his car and it got scrapped 

Early '09 I got offered My Bulldog from a freinds freind at work as I'd owned one before I got first shout at a good price but was unable to come up with the funds and there was also someelse interested, after it turned out that this other bloke also couldn't find the money it was offered at even lower price as he now just wanted it gone as he needed the space, I couldn't say No! 

[YellaBelly]

I would just like to echo Kevin's sentiments in his second post.

Keep it up Phil.

JB

[Cob68]

I moved to Hong Kong had no house or bills to pay and decided I wanted to save for a fun car for when I eventually moved back to the UK, I looked at TR4's, TR6's and E-type Jags, then thought about restoring a classic, but decided did not fancy working with rusty nuts and bolts etc so started to research into kit cars, then decided on the cobra. After 5 years in HK, ordered the kit within one month of returning to the UK. Had a great time building and owning the car and never looked back. 

[lightauto]

When I was teenager a long time ago, I was in the ATC and managed to get a couple of flight"s in a Tiger moth, The ultimate wind in the face experience. I never forgot that and knew I would never be able to fly. So I though of an open sports car and when my family had grown up I built my Marlin.
Dave

[WALNUT]

Like Kevin, I was thinking of getting a motor bike, then I came across the buggies at Superbyke perfered the ideal of a wheel on each corner so got myself one. Big mistake, it was fun to drive when it was drivable, but it was in for repair more than it was on the road, so then I got myself a Robin Hood, I had never evn heard of them at that time. Paid to much for it, but thought it was worth every penny untill it came to a sticky end. Now I could not be happier with the car I have. Well thats not quite true, I really like driving the car, but if I had built it myself im sure it would be an even better experience.

[Quarrycars]

The beach buggy craze started in the '60s, most of them where horrible and I decided I could build something better.  I built a Renegade with a chromed and polished Chevy Covair engine, discovered how difficult it is to get satisfactory ride and handling when you radically reduce the weight of the vehicle.  Started building BMC 1100/1300 and Mini based vehicles, the hydrolastic suspension was ideal for modified vehicles, built a number of Rangers and Magentas, some with 6 wheels and a couple of twin engined versions (4 wheel drive and double the horsepower!).  Had lots or fun and never lost the building bug.

[Denzle]

My interest began many many years ago when I started as a young mechanic in my local garage.
Garages back then were not the high profile as they are today.
At the back of this nissen hut garage there was a large wooden shed in a state of disrepair, but the roof was good.
Tucked away in the corner was an old red singer sports car.  It belonged to the mechanic who was teaching me the trade at the time. 
It was covered in cobwebs and dust.  But what a fantastic car it was.  In my lunch hour I would sit in this Singer and eat my sandwiches and wondered if one day I would own a car like this.
Wages back then were very low and I couldnt afford to buy it.
Well 52 years later I did.  I was browsing eBay one day and clicked onto kit cars, and WOW there it was, or the nearest thing to it.   
Up for grabs was this beautiful bright red JBA Falcon sports almost how I had seen the Singer all those years ago.
That was it, I was hooked.   I bid way over the top to make sure I won it.  To my surprise though the owner had only a low reserve.    Bingo...It was mine.
Mangle wheels, wood steering wheel, wallnut dash,  Ford Pinto 2.0   3.200 miles from a build in 1991 by a Bristol man.  Last taxed 1999.   Still looked after with great care and not left to seize up.
I am now a happy old man with the heart of a teenager once again.    And the best thing about is......My missus loves every inch of it as well.   Or should I say, her.