Idea & history

Great idea

Radio models - interesting construction/build etc
I received a fantastic Tamiya RC Truck kit for Christmas which kept me occupied for a good month...

When it was complete I was thinking about the next challenge, more kits, more RC or scale it up to something real and a project that will keep me occupied for more than a couple of weeks - kit car?

I looked at various options - motorbikes are banned (by the wife), trikes?, kits - style?  replicas?

It actually seemed like I was almost too late, looking into the scene it seemed the SVA transition to IVA  in the early 2000s had done for many of the kit car makers & financial changes somehow meant it was more expensive to buy kits than finished cars, however...  cars are never a financial investment... they're more about fun and a large dose of irrational decision making :)

Research begins...

When I was looking for my very first car in 1988 I picked up a brochure from Caterham - back then the basic Caterham kit was about 7k GBP!  -  which unfortunately I didn't have at the time.

In the 90s I picked up a second hand, I was the 14th owner, Triumph Spitfire IV from 1974. I ran and maintained her for 10 years - fantastic little car which made you feel like you were driving 100+ mph when actually bombing around at 50+. The best couple of grand I spent on a car!

I also had picked up a copy of the original Ron Champion 'Build Your Own Sports Car' when it first came out but that was only ever a pipe dream & read out of interest: (that £250 price point was never going to happen ;)

My focus & priorities changed over the years to family life & it was only fair to sell the Spit on rather than leave her languishing in a garage, she went via Ebay about 7 years ago.

The bug was always there - I've always liked my cars, nothing particularly outlandish - usually comfortable saloon/family tourers, love driving though, love karting & now luckily in a position to seriously consider a kit.


Perhaps this one will make the Monaco/Italian Job trip - i.e. mountain passes in the Italian Alps (Italian Job) , then round the Monaco Grand Prix circuit....