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petegossett
petegossett GRM+ Memberand UberDork
6/20/13 8:36 p.m.

I'd love to have many of these, though I tend to lean more towards the replicas. Though I readily admit I googled "deserter gs for sale" right after I made my post above.

oldtin
oldtin UltraDork
6/20/13 8:49 p.m.

oakbay
oakbay
6/20/13 8:49 p.m.

I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.

stroker
stroker Dork
6/20/13 9:02 p.m.
oldtin wrote:

Links? Where did THOSE come from?

turboswede
turboswede GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
6/21/13 12:22 a.m.

In reply to stroker:

http://www.gdcars.com/

GDT70 a UK-based kit/replica of a Lola T70 Can-Am.

Sultan
Sultan HalfDork
6/21/13 9:10 a.m.

The hard top version is awesome

Joe Gearin
Joe Gearin Associate Publisher
6/21/13 9:37 a.m.

Race Car Replicas certainly fit into the "Kickass" portion of the kit-car realm.

http://www.race-car-replicas.com/

They will be bringing a few cars to compete at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge, including this LMP1 car:

Yes, you should go to the UTCC!

carguy123
carguy123 UltimaDork
6/21/13 9:42 a.m.
oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.

Motorcycle engine?

SkinnyG
SkinnyG HalfDork
6/21/13 9:54 a.m.
oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.

My home-built Locost has been on the road for 7 years, 13,000km's, and has only suffered a clutch (I should have replaced when I built the car) and a fuel pump (yay Mr. Gasket crap). It rattles ~less~ than my daily driver Nissan. It cost $5700 to build.

And I'm building another.....

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
6/21/13 10:13 a.m.
carguy123 wrote:
oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.
Motorcycle engine?

I don't see how one bad experience can damn all kit cars for ever. I ran a kit car as the ONLY VEHICLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD for a couple of years. It's like saying you bought a new Camry and it was a lemon, so not only are you never buying another Toyota, but your never buying another car ever again as one bad Camry means everything from Toyota, Honda, Datsun, Ford, GM, Fiat are all crap.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson UberDork
6/21/13 10:22 a.m.
Joe Gearin wrote: Race Car Replicas certainly fit into the "Kickass" portion of the kit-car realm. http://www.race-car-replicas.com/ They will be bringing a few cars to compete at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge, including this LMP1 car: Yes, you should go to the UTCC!

You know RCR make some stunning looking products and their manufacturing quality looks to be amazing. But I've never been happy about some of the pictures I've seen of their suspension components with massive changes of section where rod ends are bolted in etc. Now maybe they’re so over built it's not an issue, but it's always bugged me. Do they have many vehicles out there that have been driven at 10/10th for thousands of race or track miles?

fanfoy
fanfoy Reader
6/21/13 11:06 a.m.
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
carguy123 wrote:
oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.
Motorcycle engine?
I don't see how one bad experience can damn all kit cars for ever. I ran a kit car as the ONLY VEHICLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD for a couple of years. It's like saying you bought a new Camry and it was a lemon, so not only are you never buying another Toyota, but your never buying another car ever again as one bad Camry means everything from Toyota, Honda, Datsun, Ford, GM, Fiat are all crap.

^^^^This.

And Deman's offerings weren't the best example. Saw one in the flesh last year at the track. Helped the owner switch tires so I had time to really look around it, and there were quite a few questionable design elements on that car.

For example, the steering rack was held in a clamp that was attached to the car by clamping one of the square tube of the frame. So it was stopped from moving side-to-side only by friction. Yeah, that's crap, it actually moved a bit during the day. There was also the front coil-over spring attaching to the middle (span-wise) of the control arm, etc...

As for crappy, see this.

kreb
kreb GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
6/21/13 2:39 p.m.
oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.

I built A Brunton Stalker (#24 if I recall). While it wasn't all sunshine and roses, I thrashed mine for three years of autocross, track days and such. I then sold it for roughly what I had into it with only minor freshening. I'd give the ownership experience a solid thumbs up.

FSP_ZX2
FSP_ZX2 Dork
6/21/13 2:48 p.m.
irish44j wrote:
Trans_Maro wrote: Worst: Excaliburs and that awful Ford / Mercury creation above have got to be the ugliest things the kit car market has cranked out.
Hah, I grew up 2 houses down from a guy who had one of those. I thought it was cool as hell....when I was 12, in the 1980s :)

Excaliburs were not kit cars...they were manufactured in Milwaukee...had Corvette drivelines.

The "awful" Ford one was a Zimmer Golden Spirit...they were not "kits" either.

Lugnut
Lugnut Dork
6/21/13 5:07 p.m.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: I don't see how one bad experience can damn all kit cars for ever. I ran a kit car as the ONLY VEHICLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD for a couple of years. It's like saying you bought a new Camry and it was a lemon, so not only are you never buying another Toyota, but your never buying another car ever again as one bad Camry means everything from Toyota, Honda, Datsun, Ford, GM, Fiat are all crap.

Yeah, I know way too many people like this. "Oh, I bought a 1992 Camry with 424,000 miles on it and the thing fell apart after EIGHT YEARS!! I AM NEVER BUYING A TOYOTA AGAIN!" and, "I bought a Camry brand new and within three months it needed a water pump. I ditched it and I AM NEVER BUYING A TOYOTA AGAIN!"

oakbay
oakbay New Reader
6/21/13 9:44 p.m.

Sorry; let me rephrase: They can be built by people who are not professional mechanics or engineers, but they usually turn out like crap. My car certainly looks good, and holds the road well, but there is more to a car than that. They are not for the faint of heart, or weak of skill. Don't underestimate what goes into a good one.

Gasoline
Gasoline Dork
7/3/13 8:29 a.m.

vw kit car - $1500 (rome)

NO MOTOR OR TRANS JUST ROLLING CHASSIS 813-802-4283 if interested not sure of year or make but think its a Amante GT its rare will trade

carguy123
carguy123 UltimaDork
7/3/13 8:39 a.m.

Rare doesn't always equate to good or expensive. It could be rare cause no one wanted them so they didn't sell.

kreb
kreb GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
7/3/13 9:06 a.m.

Most kit cars stand out like sore thumbs. After a while the stares and questions get to be tiring. One of my basic criteria for any kit car is whether the car's inherent goodness is enough to be worth the scrutiny. Most older kit cars (Usually based on air-cooled VWs, Pintos and the like) are inherently crappy vehicles in many ways, and any knowledgeable enthusiast is likely to snicker at you. Whereas if you put me in a good Sevenesque, FF, Ultima, Noble or the like, enthusiasts will give respect, and any other attention is worth it.

Gasoline
Gasoline Dork
7/12/13 9:21 a.m.

I do like the general shape, sidepods, top.....NMNA

1969 Deserter GT dune buggy with brand new floor pans. Comes with removable hard top. Includes glass windshield, new emblems, front beam, steering box, pedal cluster, wiper motor and gas tank. No transmission or engine included. Bill of sale. No trades accepted. Thanks!

VW Dune Buggy - $1250 (Marietta)

ian @ Jewel Or Jalopy
ian @ Jewel Or Jalopy New Reader
7/12/13 5:06 p.m.

I've always wanted a GT40, the kit is the closest I'll likely every get. Love this thread.

emodspitfire
emodspitfire Reader
7/12/13 5:21 p.m.

The yellow Deserter/Corvair is owned by Chuck Riblett in Loveland CO. He is on Facebook. He may, or may not, respond......

Rog

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
7/12/13 6:41 p.m.
bravenrace wrote: In reply to MadScientistMatt: IIRC, the first fiberfab kits for Mustangs came out before the Superbird.

That is correct. I've got an original ad for them somewhere.

blueafro
blueafro New Reader
7/13/13 2:15 a.m.
Joe Gearin wrote: Race Car Replicas certainly fit into the "Kickass" portion of the kit-car realm. http://www.race-car-replicas.com/ They will be bringing a few cars to compete at the Ultimate Track Car Challenge, including this LMP1 car: Yes, you should go to the UTCC!

Joe, is RCR still entered in the UTCC? Over on the GT40 site, Fran Hall mentioned dropping out of most racing for a few months to catch up on customer backlogs.

racerboy000
racerboy000 Reader
7/13/13 2:19 p.m.

What are you building?

SkinnyG wrote:

oakbay wrote: I just sold my Deman SR7. Why, you ask? After 6 years, road licensed and everything, 3 engines, I had enough with repairing for 150 hours for every 20 minutes of driving. Things rattled apart way too easily. OK, it was my fault, but I couldn't get anybody to do a better job when I paid them either. I did lose money, in case you want to ask. I will never have another kit car again. They are crap.

My home-built Locost has been on the road for 7 years, 13,000km's, and has only suffered a clutch (I should have replaced when I built the car) and a fuel pump (yay Mr. Gasket crap). It rattles ~less~ than my daily driver Nissan. It cost $5700 to build.

And I'm building another.....

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