Nubodi Automotive - Reading

[Nubodi Automotive]

Yes they are good cars but personally I prefer Z3's, they are faster and feel more solid and the panels just unbolt. Horses for courses though. Would not do to all be the same.

[Nubodi Automotive]

Progressing with Geoff's build. The wing vents are cut now, the door skins are fitted properly now (they were hanging off when the car arrived) and the gaps are coming along nicely. Due to go to paint next Friday 11th. Long way to go yet though.

[casamolino]

Richard thanks for the update , Geoff .

[Danny_HUFC]

Originally Posted by Nubodi Automotive

Yes they are good cars but personally I prefer Z3's, they are faster and feel more solid and the panels just unbolt. Horses for courses though. Would not do to all be the same.

The 1.9 Z3's are not faster than an MX5! They are painfully slow!

[Nubodi Automotive]

True but it would be madness to build on such a model. My 3.0 Z3 has 231 BHP as standard, now nearer 260. This is more than a standard Chevy V8 5.7L.

[Lucky@LeMans]

I wouldn't consider a 1.9 as a donor . The 2.0 , 2.2 and 2.8 straight six engines are the best of all and cost hardly anything . The donor car is the most important aspect of these cars. Small engined , high milers and autos should be avoided !

[Mister Towed]

Originally Posted by Lucky@LeMans

I wouldn't consider a 1.9 as a donor . The 2.0 , 2.2 and 2.8 straight six engines are the best of all and cost hardly anything . The donor car is the most important aspect of these cars. Small engined , high milers and autos should be avoided !

Yes, huh, 1.9's eh. I mean, remember this -



1.9 auto with cruise control? Terrible choice of transport for a road trip through the Italian Alps. The driver looks ashamed to be behind the wheel and the onlookers are clearly thinking 'Oh mio Dio, e solo un patetico 1.9!'

Who'd want to have been on that trip...

[WorldClassAccident]

That makes me Oder about getting mine resprayed silver. It would still look great but I would have an enjoyable drive rather than enduring the hateful 1,9 four pot with everyone wondering why such a beautiful car sounded like it did and was being overtaken by Fiats on the winding hill roads..

[Nubodi Automotive]

Perhaps we should start a petition to get them banned in the UK then?

[IanA]

Interesting contrary views in the What Car review here

I have to say that seeing WCA's car at Stoneleigh 2014 with the kit price displayed and then seeing the under-bonnet area full of engine sold me on the concept. And having it realised in <2 months was a bonus.

[WorldClassAccident]

No need, you pass them quick enough and they never keep up long enough to bother anyone.

I am getting seriously tempted to respray the car silver though. I guess I better get it finished before worrying about the colour.

What do you recommend - a thin smear of filler over the low spots or a coat over the entire panels and then sand back until you hit the panel high spots?

[Roadster]

I love this debate about donor vehicles.
I myself have the 16v 1900 and I bought it because it was dirt cheap, full service history' relatively low miles and all reviews say the car handles better with the 4 pot way back in the engine bay.

If the right 6 pot had been around at the right price I would have bought that.
But the 6 pots weigh lots more and power wise there is not much in it until you get into the 2.8

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/review...roadster-1996/

I used to drive a Westfield with 160 bhp a fun car that you could drive anywhere anytime and when you wanted to you could take it to the edge.
There is a lot of chest beating amongst westfield owners and I eventually changed the engine for a more powerful unit.
The car with 250 bhp was no longer a fun drive it anywhere car. You had to pay attention to it continuously or it would bite you.

Kit cars are supposed to be fun, if you cant afford to fill it with fuel then whats the point.

My advice is to buy the best donor that suits your need, choose the style of body that inspires you the most. Get it built and drive it.

[Nubodi Automotive]

Well said Roadster. My wifes Z300s is a 1.9 auto and it sounds glorious, is great on fuel and it does her for 'pottering' around. It cost £725 to buy and I got back £1097 in parts I did not need on ebay. Hard to beat that. If you can live with lack of performance?

[Roadster]

Originally Posted by Nubodi Automotive

Well said Roadster. My wifes Z300s is a 1.9 auto and it sounds glorious, is great on fuel and it does her for 'pottering' around. It cost £725 to buy and I got back £1097 in parts I did not need on ebay. Hard to beat that. If you can live with lack of performance?

If your driving a beautiful car whether it be a Kobra ,250swb or z300s its not all about straight line speed most will get a blat through the country lanes and then cruise by where everyone can stop and stare.

Roll on Summer

[Lucky@LeMans]

Originally Posted by Roadster

I love this debate about donor vehicles.
I myself have the 16v 1900 and I bought it because it was dirt cheap, full service history' relatively low miles and all reviews say the car handles better with the 4 pot way back in the engine bay.

If the right 6 pot had been around at the right price I would have bought that.
But the 6 pots weigh lots more and power wise there is not much in it until you get into the 2.8

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/review...roadster-1996/

I used to drive a Westfield with 160 bhp a fun car that you could drive anywhere anytime and when you wanted to you could take it to the edge.
There is a lot of chest beating amongst westfield owners and I eventually changed the engine for a more powerful unit.
The car with 250 bhp was no longer a fun drive it anywhere car. You had to pay attention to it continuously or it would bite you.

Kit cars are supposed to be fun, if you cant afford to fill it with fuel then whats the point.

My advice is to buy the best donor that suits your need, choose the style of body that inspires you the most. Get it built and drive it.

I agree , highly tuned , highly strung engines are no good for the road . If you can live with just pottering about or simply going round the local B roads thats fine too.
If you want GT performance you need a bigger engine with more torque. You get a combined effortless drive , can over take with easy , the six sounds sublime , simply more refined . That was the 250 SWB in a nut shell.

As far as donors go , £2500 will buy a good six cylinder car with a manual box and reasonable miles. The engines are bullit proof and so is the running gear and chassis. You can sell on the parts ( wide body parts go for more ) and you will see at least a grand back. The resale price of the finished car will be better as its a better spec etc etc !

[Nubodi Automotive]

The dream one to have would be the Z3 fitted with the lovely BMW V12 which the M division did just to prove it could be done. Unfortunately they only made one so is definitely out of my price range! Shame.

http://www.topgear.com/car-news/v12-powered-bmw-z3

[WorldClassAccident]

It look fairly easy to swap engines anyway. It only took this guy about 4 minutes : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtKnuM15DB0

[Lucky@LeMans]

The M3 engine should be an easy swop on the six cylinder cars . An easy way to 300BHP but I would say the 2.8 is plenty in the real world !

[WorldClassAccident]

The Z3M had a habit of ripping the rear suspension apart because of too much torque/power.

[Nubodi Automotive]

I wish my workers were that fast, if you played that video at normal speed then slowed it down you would have their work speed!

The M3 engine swop would be a nightmare. Ive done similar and would not advise it. Ecu's loom sensors etc etc etc better to buy one as a donor.