Cabin fever, and the mind wanders--to kit cars?

paredown · #1 03-31-2020, 07:41 AM

I have no idea why this popped up on my feed, but I thought it was pretty cool--convert your New Beetle to a mini-pickup!

(I've occasionally been looking at New Beetles because they seem so cheap right now--which is kind of what the guy selling the kits noticed)

https://www.smythkitcars.com/new-bee...uck-conversion

Youtube:
https://youtu.be/6BGIginGgOg

texbike · #2 03-31-2020, 10:18 AM

Interesting...

However, if I were to have a VW based kit car, it would be one of these.

Texbike

gbcoupe · #3 03-31-2020, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texbike

Interesting...

However, if I were to have a VW based kit car, it would be one of these.

Texbike

Check please!

gbcoupe · #4 03-31-2020, 10:24 AM

Not a kit car, but I've always wanted one of these. One of the few older VW models I never had.

carpediemracing · #5 03-31-2020, 11:01 PM

Before stuff got really locked down I brought my 8yo son to Factory Five in MA. Although I'm more of a GT car kind of guy, their GTM super car was not on the showroom floor (they were redoing the showroom and the GTM was on a lift). I wanted to sit in it but it'll have to wait.

The owner Dave greeted us. It was close enough to virus time that it was an elbow greeting, not a handshake. Later he gave my son so many stickers my son went and put all but three back in their respective piles.

I got their brochures etc a number of years ago, and used them to show my son pictures of chassis, suspension, etc. When we went into the show room he immediately saw the Roadster rear suspension display. "This is Number One! And this is Number Two!" He remembered the rear axle options from the brochure. We got a newer brochure (all in one) along with some miscellaneous brochures. I went looking for it a little while ago and they were gone. Ends up my son has them all in his home desk.

My son in a Roadster. Although designed for use with a single Mustang GT donor car (88-92?) I think nowadays most buyers are buying all new parts for it. Those Fox body Mustangs are pretty scarce now:

The GTM, based on a single Corvette (slightly older version) and a specific transaxle. Honestly I think I'm too old for this now, after sitting in the Daytona Coupe car. This this is really low, and if it was that hard for me to get in and out of the Coupe, this will be worse:

thirdgenbird · #6 03-31-2020, 11:28 PM

I’ve been wondering what I could put a 1UZ and CD009 into. Maybe an XJS on turbomac wheels.

oliver1850 · #7 04-01-2020, 12:29 AM

The pickup looks nice. I saw a Meyers Manx on craigslist the other day, still looks like fun 50(?) years later.

wasfast · #8 04-01-2020, 11:42 AM

I love the SL-C (http://www.superlitecars.com/slc) and the Ultima GTR (now superceded by the EVO Coupe) https://www.ultimasports.co.uk/Models/EvoCoupe

Plenty of time thinking about them and zero chance I'll ever buy one. Fun to dream.

Ozz · #9 04-01-2020, 11:49 AM

I've always thought the Superformance GT40's were cool.

"Built from Ford Advanced Vehicles blueprints, the semi-monocoque chassis and pressed steel roof spider are an exact replication of the original..."

"...there is no more correct GT40 manufactured anywhere."

paredown · #10 04-01-2020, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpediemracing

Before stuff got really locked down I brought my 8yo son to Factory Five in MA. Although I'm more of a GT car kind of guy, their GTM super car was not on the showroom floor (they were redoing the showroom and the GTM was on a lift). I wanted to sit in it but it'll have to wait.

The owner Dave greeted us. It was close enough to virus time that it was an elbow greeting, not a handshake. Later he gave my son so many stickers my son went and put all but three back in their respective piles.

I got their brochures etc a number of years ago, and used them to show my son pictures of chassis, suspension, etc. When we went into the show room he immediately saw the Roadster rear suspension display. "This is Number One! And this is Number Two!" He remembered the rear axle options from the brochure. We got a newer brochure (all in one) along with some miscellaneous brochures. I went looking for it a little while ago and they were gone. Ends up my son has them all in his home desk.

My son in a Roadster. Although designed for use with a single Mustang GT donor car (88-92?) I think nowadays most buyers are buying all new parts for it. Those Fox body Mustangs are pretty scarce now:

Cool--the VW conversion posted is by the guy that started Factory Five--which he sold to his brother whom you met (sounds like).

Kids and cars--one of my favorite moments--tried for a picture but it didn't really capture the mood--was we were in Germany for a time, went to the Frankfurt Car show (a peak thing if you are a car guy)--the year that Porsche introduced the Caymen.

It was surrounded with people trying to get a good look--and there was one guy there with his son, and all of these middle aged guys looked at each other and moved aside so that the kid could be the next one to sit in it, and all of us old-timers watched with smiles on our faces. Truly a wonderful moment!

(I still have the cheesy lanyard they were giving away...)

Dave · #11 04-01-2020, 12:46 PM

I can advise folks to stay away from kit cars. They can turn into a nightmare. The FF5 GTM is one of the worst. Getting the windows to work and the body to fit together well enough to paint might cost an unexpected 10K or hundreds of hours of your time.

I built and still own an Oze Rod Shop '37 3-window coupe that took 3000 hours and over 60K to build, with me doing 100% of the labor. Body work alone probably took 500 hours. It's not really a kit car. All you get is a body and chassis for 20K. Getting the doors fitted with power windows required at least 200 hours.

In the end you'll have a car with a stiff ride, a lot of wind noise and not fully water proof, but it looks cool.

I was banned from both FF5 forums for telling the truth about what you get.

72gmc · #12 04-01-2020, 12:50 PM

And I thought I was bad for peeking into sim racing rigs ...

m_sasso · #13 04-01-2020, 01:55 PM

This could be fun!

https://youtu.be/h4tyqq8ip9I

kingpin75s · #14 04-01-2020, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

Not a kit car, but I've always wanted one of these. One of the few older VW models I never had.

LOL. You didn't miss much other than the fact that the diesel version may have been the slowest vehicle ever built. The gearing was so low that you pretty much floored it every time and you still could not keep up with those zippy 3 cylinder Yugos.

choke · #15 04-01-2020, 05:11 PM

When I was in high school my Dad purchased an automotive business and one of the assets was a Kelmark GT. It was a blast to drive, not a lot of power but it cornered like a go-kart. The only downside was that it didn't weigh much and with a lot of rubber on the road (E60-14 front, G50-15 rear) it hydroplaned very easily.

Not my pic but it was this bright yellow...