Many new builders

[SDMC001]

David

I have just finished building the 16K, it goes quoite well, I too have considerd a more powerful engine at some time, but well, got to think of the financials. If you want an 18VVC, I would suggest you explore that at first.

Steve

[alackofspeed]

It'd be interesting to see how predicted budgets align with actual spend. I know Craig is well through the £20k barrier, and I'm not far from it. If someone were to suggest the type-r is 50% more expensive than the roer k-series option, I wouldn't be surprised one bit - there are lots of bits and bobs required to make a (hopefully in my case!) decent job of the type-r which even with the best planning you'll not include for.

John.

[limpabit]

I would suggest go have a ride in each (type r, T series turbo, 1.6 VTEC and 1.6 K) before you decide. There is enough of us about now to give you a choice (well maybe not enough type r's & 1.6 VTEC on the road to try). Put your location on your profiles and see who's the closest. And try each.

I went for the turbo. What a pain in the arse for a newby. But worth while once finished.

Heres's a list from the conclusions I've seen.

1.6 K series - Easy build. Nice and fast.
1.6 VTEC - Not tried so can't comment.
2.0 turbo and Type R - Pain in the arse and costs more for all the "extra" bits. Plant the thottle, and it's even more fun to drive.

Speaking to Marlin. Comparing the 1.6 K V Turbo on the track. 1.6 K would lose on the straight. But on the corners, the K would gain due to the weight of the engine.

Marlins choice is the 1.6 VTEC. Not sure how much and complecated the 1.6 VTEC is compared though.

[Jon@JNRacing.co.uk]

Sadly on the budget side of things I cant really compair as we have decided to spend the extra money to develop parts of the car, so its not standard by no means and wont be much like an exi when finished.(depends how hard you look).

When we placed the order a year ago, we were racing the the 750mc with a Honda B16 with twin 40 webers, after already collecting the kit, 2 days later Mark metioned that he was moving to the castle combe championship, so once we found out that the exi was going to be slow in class then we decided to change a load of things, biggest one was the engine from b16 to the k20, huge price difference but is well worth it if you can afford to. As we then went for more power, Mark @ Marlin was adiment that the driveshafts would not go straight with the engine still being foward, we poved him wrong., But over the year that we have been building the car within 3 months of saying yes we will order it, we had doubled our budget.

What ever you plan on spending add 5 Grand to it as new bits and piece come out and you then want the latest gadget to be fited to the car. Even though ours is a race car it is still going to be finished off as if it was going on the road, saving costs where we can but as we have spent so much already doing it the way we have, then we are going to stick with it untill this one is finsihed.

If we end up building a second car then it will be probably the most expensive exi built, with costings estimated at 35K but that is down to us (well me) wanting the best money can buy.

If i was any builder Honda K20 is the way to go, but build it to take a supercharger, (pm me if interested in any of our development work, i.e Honda runing gear & Body etc)

Jon