with today´s kitcar regulations there arent much loopholes in the law:
on 1st view, body conversions are the easiest and cheapest way for the builders and kit-supplier.
but here also the problem starts: you need a donor with an independant chassis. surplus, this car should not be too expensive.
unfortunately the car industry has stopped buildng cars with independant chassis long, long time ago. so all donor cars suitable for a body conversion are minium 30, more likely 40 and more years old. so itselves already collector cars.
we are talking here about?? hmmm ...triumph, maybe triumph...or a triumph?? hmmm, looks that there isnt much too choose?
but exactly those cars are becomming rarer, and more expensive.
if we are honest to ourselves ( talking to triumph specialists they also confirm it):
a herald chassis is very weak, prone to severe corrosion with a questionable rear-suspension layout.
the same triumph specialists confirm that spitfire´s are totally different cars and much better.
the problem here is: Herald cheap --> from this aspect, perfect donor. but not from chassis & suspension --> finally not a perfect donor...also prices for complete cars are rising too.
spitfire --> more expensive (prices rising) --> on 1st view not a perfect donor- from chassis & suspension much better than herald --> at the end of the day, thats the better choice.
but as you see, we are turning in a circle....a good spit cannot be bought for a few 100 quid...and a cheap herald is mostly a wreck.
building a 50ies style car with a good built quality and a perfect spit-chassis, incl. several technical improvements (uprated engine, T9 conversion, CV driveshafts, uprated suspension etc) will rise the total built price in a dimension where you already might be able to built, for example, a MEV RepliCar. Due to its MX5 base it does everything better, with its "modern" suspension & "modern", also reliable drivetrain.
at the end of the day...the problem here lays in lack of suitable donor cars for doing a body converion, instead building a new car, which has to pass IVA.
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