tom132
Part of things
Posts: 78
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Jun 22, 2021 11:28:06 GMT
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Hi all, So bear with me here- this is a highly speculative thread, it's by no means a commitment to complete or even start. However I've been mulling this over of late and think at least it might be the basis for some good discussion! I have been documenting my Yaris track build lately on Youtube and am approaching a bit of a stalling/committing point which has led me to quite a quandary (basically either I just track it as is, or I go full send and buy a corolla t-sport and stick the engine out of that in a Yaris). Flip side is I play/drive "simulators" quite a bit and recently one of them released the Formula Vee (pic below for context). For those who don't know it's a beetle based single seater that has/had it's own race series. I have very much fallen in love with, the small-ness, lightness, momentum focus and simplicity all seem great and it has begun an internal monologue with my inner lunatic. I have no doubt there are some people here who will be able to shed some light on the following questions. First- Questions are: If one took some brave pills and started building something dimensionally similar to this from scratch in the garage including some Caterham like arches and maybe lights (with a daytime MOT is the latter necessary?) Is there any feasibility of something like this passing the relevant tests and being deemed road worthy? Via similar channels to other kit cars? Or is there a huge financial penalty or other rules which make a totally custom car impossible to get legally on the road? A donor?! I don't want to butcher a beetle but there are a whole host of issues I can already foresee here. Something like an MX5 would lead to a mighty long rear end, even with the prop basically replaced by a direct coupler- there are also issues with changing gear.. A FWD donor seems a better option though the weight is going to be significantly further back, and you'd almost want (to my eyes) two donors here a RWD car for majority of the chassis bits to be pilfered, and then the FWD car for engine and transmission?
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Jun 22, 2021 11:44:46 GMT
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in line VW/audi units would be perfect for the engine and box, but I'm not sure how happy the Biva inspectors would be with the mostly exposed wheels. As Caterhams pass it must be possible. the Beetle beam is simple, but there are much better options now.
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Jun 22, 2021 12:26:11 GMT
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-( 2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap V8 Humber Hawk 1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD 1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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Jun 22, 2021 16:18:15 GMT
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I know it’s not single seat, but ariel atom?
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Jun 22, 2021 16:26:43 GMT
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Stick with the yaris and enjoy low cost low risk track fun.
Build a single seater, buy a trailer and a car to tow it, get crashed into/crash into someone and feel sad/skint.
How much would the engine cost for the yaris? Compare that to the cost of building a whole car.
Say the single seater costs 3 times as much as the corolla engine, would it be 3 times more fun than the yaris?
Master the yaris and then have this discussion with yourself
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Jun 22, 2021 16:41:03 GMT
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Stick with the yaris and enjoy low cost low risk track fun. Build a single seater, buy a trailer and a car to tow it, get crashed into/crash into someone and feel sad/skint. How much would the engine cost for the yaris? Compare that to the cost of building a whole car. Say the single seater costs 3 times as much as the corolla engine, would it be 3 times more fun than the yaris? Master the yaris and then have this discussion with yourself ^^^ what he said (however I am biased, as you already know!)
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Jun 22, 2021 16:43:30 GMT
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gte86
Part of things
Posts: 611
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Jun 22, 2021 19:59:29 GMT
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tom132
Part of things
Posts: 78
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Jun 22, 2021 20:25:57 GMT
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Stick with the yaris and enjoy low cost low risk track fun. Build a single seater, buy a trailer and a car to tow it, get crashed into/crash into someone and feel sad/skint. How much would the engine cost for the yaris? Compare that to the cost of building a whole car. Say the single seater costs 3 times as much as the corolla engine, would it be 3 times more fun than the yaris? Master the yaris and then have this discussion with yourself I agree, I think the term here is pipe dream really. It's a topic I'm pretty interested in though, and perhaps one for when I get a bigger garage. It's fun to speculate and discuss though.. Right? Anyway who just bought that celica..
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gte86
Part of things
Posts: 611
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Jun 22, 2021 20:54:37 GMT
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Stick with the yaris and enjoy low cost low risk track fun. Build a single seater, buy a trailer and a car to tow it, get crashed into/crash into someone and feel sad/skint. How much would the engine cost for the yaris? Compare that to the cost of building a whole car. Say the single seater costs 3 times as much as the corolla engine, would it be 3 times more fun than the yaris? Master the yaris and then have this discussion with yourself I agree, I think the term here is pipe dream really. It's a topic I'm pretty interested in though, and perhaps one for when I get a bigger garage. It's fun to speculate and discuss though.. Right? Anyway who just bought that celica.. Was just an example of what you can get cheap. That could supply some bigger calipers, seats, engine, gearbox. All wiring needed and still pull back 100 scrap value. The cat alone is probably worth a small fortune. Keep your eyes out and you can get a donor car bargain
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Jun 22, 2021 21:03:38 GMT
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Got a UVA fugitive, which is beetle based (but conventional engine layout) in a spaceframe with a few panels. It looks nothing like a formula vee, is pretty big actually, has 2 seats. But if the formula-V uses a standard beam as a base is similar width, and it wouldn’t be impossible to flip the transaxle and run mid engine, or as said run a different transaxle. The main advantages that spring to mind from starting with something like the Fug though are that it was already registered (on a Q plate too) so we got our first MOT without mudguards (because they aren’t required for MOT, only to comply with C&U regs) and didn’t have to worry about getting a beetle beam and front suspension to pass the sphere test for IVA They are pretty rare nowadays, but other spaceframe kit cars may be suitable
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jonomisfit
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,746
Club RR Member Number: 49
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Jun 22, 2021 21:13:29 GMT
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Haha, snap.
I've been looking at hillclimb cars recently and thinking. "that would be mental fun on the roads round here" (Cumbria).
I've seen a number of genuine single seaters converted to be road legal. Ford even made a one off road legal formula ford for promo reasons
Cassey putsch has some videos now and again of him building a road legal (American legal) single seater.
For me, I was thinking something relatively modern (90's+) should be "more" straightforward to get through BIVA. Based on the fact the surfaces will have relatively gentle curvature on front / top edges for aero reasons.
Something like a jedi or OMS would probably be ideal, although it'd need a bigger fuel tank as hillclimb cars are likely only 1.5ltrs or so.
I like the idea of the furore, for me though it needs quite a bit of styling work.
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Last Edit: Jun 22, 2021 21:14:23 GMT by jonomisfit
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sonus
Europe
Posts: 1,386
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I quite like Ants Tipo184 which uses MX5 as donor tipo184.com/
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Current 1968 TVR VIXEN S1 V8 Prototype 2004 TVR T350C 2017 BMW 340i
Previous BMW 325d E91LCI - sold Alfa Romeo GTV - sold Citroen AX GT - at the breakers Ford Puma 1.7 - sold Volvo V50 2.0d - sold MGB GT - wrecked by fire MG ZT 1.8T - sold VW E-golf Electric - sold Mini Countryman 1.6D -sold Land Rover Discovery TD5 - sold
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i didn’t know they came with a 190bhp engine that’s bargain power right there learn something new everyday
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Bear in mind that Mark did not build for BIVA and had to redo a fair bit of the car. Building for it makes it somewhat easier.
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-( 2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap V8 Humber Hawk 1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD 1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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I know this is possibly outside the realms of being made UK legal but... Boxsters are cheap..... P.
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Jun 23, 2021 10:19:52 GMT
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Possibly...!!!!!!
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Proton Jumbuck-deceased :-( 2005 Kia Sorento the parts hauling heap V8 Humber Hawk 1948 Standard12 pickup SOLD 1953 Pop build (wifey's BIVA build).
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Jun 23, 2021 10:35:34 GMT
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Well, you would have something unique, costly( money and time), difficult to get through IVA unless a track car and then you've got the 'Blue Book' to follow (costly) and more difficult to develop ... Where as with the Yaris, you would have something (fairly) unique, huge fun, reasonably practical, cheap(by comparison) and almost endless relatively cheap development opportunities ... did I say huge fun ?
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gte86
Part of things
Posts: 611
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Jun 23, 2021 10:38:46 GMT
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i didn’t know they came with a 190bhp engine that’s bargain power right there learn something new everyday They do a 140 and a 190. They also love to rust. Everything seizes so it's soon not cost effective to repair them. Bargains to be had for sure
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Jun 23, 2021 15:56:07 GMT
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140 isn’t to shabby either if transplanting into a small car
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