JayCarr
Member
Registered: 19th Dec 02
Location: Cambs Drives:M3 & X3
User status: Offline
|
Been thinking of buying a 7 type kitcar for a while now. My main issue is my height and not fitting into one. I sat in a Westfield at the weekend and got in with the steering wheel off but couldn't get it back on again! 
A friend of the family has a larger version of a 7 type kit car for sale which I fit in. (luego viento) The only trouble is, when its next to a normal 7, it looks pretty big! The other thing concerning me is it's got a rover v8 engine in, which I'm guessing is around 180-190bhp and it weighs around 700-750kg (finding out exact weights & power) so the power to weight ratio isn't as great as that of a smaller 7.
Do I accept the fact I don't fit in normal 7's and think of a different car all together, or do I go for the bigger one that is a bit slower/heavier/may not handle as well but I know I fit in?
Does anyone have any experience of the Luego Viento?
|
Chris C
Member
Registered: 2nd Jan 05
Location: Hemel Hempstead
User status: Offline
|
Why not go for the big car but consider another engine ? Aren't the v8 rover lumps a bit old hat now ?
Lot of them use for zetec's now don't they ?
|
Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
|
You won't fit into a narrow body Seven, they're tiny.
|
RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
|
go for a different car altogether IMO; I've never liked any widebody '7' inspired car
[Edited on 30-08-2013 by LiVe LeE]
|
taylorboosh
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
User status: Offline
|
Arent rover v8s very light because they have ali blocks? Can pretty easily get 300 bhp from them too
|
JayCarr
Member
Registered: 19th Dec 02
Location: Cambs Drives:M3 & X3
User status: Offline
|
Yeah they're light engines. I think people use the v8's in them because they're a big car so a 4pot would look lost in there!
Here's the spec of the car;
Engine: Fully dressed Rover 386 (3.5 block 4.2 crank) by Oblic engineering, rebuilt 8000 miles ago (whilst in my Range Rover), ported, bespoke cam, honed, new valve gear, new bearings all round.
Edelbrock 500 carb and Performer manifold, Lucas electronic dizzy. Carter fuel pump all from Dave Ellis at DJE.
New steel TVR flywheel, HD clutch, SD1 bellhousing and recon LT77 'box all also from Dave Ellis at DJE. Custom prop from Recoprop in Luton.
Remanufactured 3.62 viscous slippy diff from Phil Jones Engines this spring.
Remanufactured Sierra XR4i corners from Kit Fit Parts.
Superlite 'Ultralight' split rims on Toyo R888s
Cobra Monaco seats and Sabelt harnesses.
The Westfield I sat in was very snug! I really like the look of this one, but I haven't seen it parked next to a normal size 7.
|
Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
|
That'll be more than 190bhp, probably 220-230.
Drive it.
|
taylorboosh
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
User status: Offline
|
I bet it fly's will be like 300bhp per tonne
|
Ben J
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
|
How big are you? I'm 6ft and about 11.5st and our Birkin is pretty tight.
|
Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
|
Jay is about 7 foot 27 iirc.
|
Ben J
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
|
Anything over 6ft is pushing it tbh.
Also if you've got big feet your fucked too.
|
Ben J
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
|
Sod the 7 rep. Get a GTM Libra.
|
JayCarr
Member
Registered: 19th Dec 02
Location: Cambs Drives:M3 & X3
User status: Offline
|
As robin says, I'm not the smallest bloke in the world, 6ft 8", size 12 feet. So gettin into a 7 is pretty much impossible. Which is why I like the idea of the viento as its big enough to get me in!
I've been out as a passenger in the car quite a few years ago and it felt pretty quick down the lanes from what i can remember. I'm just concerned on the handling and performance on track as I'd like to do some track days in it. Can't see it being bad to be honest, but I don't know. Driving it on Wednesday evening.
|
taylorboosh
Member
Registered: 3rd Apr 07
User status: Offline
|
Im sure it will be fine
|
Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
|
Just because its not an R500 won't make it crap, its still got decent power to weight, tyres and suspension, it'll be good fun!
|
Ben J
Member
Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
|
As above.
|
Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
|
I'd be going to a kit car show if I was you and having a sit in the many cars out there.
I know the wide body GBS Zero GT looks good and is built for bigger people. they will really look after you if you call them and ask for a test drive.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
|
JayCarr
Member
Registered: 19th Dec 02
Location: Cambs Drives:M3 & X3
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Robin
Just because its not an R500 won't make it crap
This is what I need to try and get out of my head.
Ste, I went to a kit car show last weekend at Donington and I didn't see anything that looked like I would fit into. Sat in a Westfield, but other than that you could tell that I wasn't going to fit in anything! Just had a look at the GBS Zero and it looks good but quite a few bad opinions of the car/company kicking about.
|
Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
|
Only live-lee thinks all kit car companies are crap. The kit car mags are loving the new zero right now. The westy is quite small too.
btw, ian and I were at that same show last week
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
|
Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
User status: Offline
|
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Unfinished-Project-Kit-Car-one-of-Subaru-WRX-Turbo-/161096455510?clk_rvr_id=516523104389
?
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
|
Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
|
Top marks for effort but that's going to understeer like a motherfucker with upper wishbones that short.
|
RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ste
Only live-lee thinks all kit car companies are crap. The kit car mags are loving the new zero right now. The westy is quite small too.
btw, ian and I were at that same show last week
I've only ever said that Road, Track, Race were awful so I don't really understand where I've said that they're all awful!!
|
Ste
Premium Member
Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
User status: Offline
|
RTR and every wide body 7 covers 80% of the market
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
|
SVM 286
Member
Registered: 13th Feb 05
Location: pain
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by JayCarr
Been thinking of buying a 7 type kitcar for a while now. My main issue is my height and not fitting into one. I sat in a Westfield at the weekend and got in with the steering wheel off but couldn't get it back on again!
A friend of the family has a larger version of a 7 type kit car for sale which I fit in. (luego viento) The only trouble is, when its next to a normal 7, it looks pretty big! The other thing concerning me is it's got a rover v8 engine in, which I'm guessing is around 180-190bhp and it weighs around 700-750kg (finding out exact weights & power) so the power to weight ratio isn't as great as that of a smaller 7.
Do I accept the fact I don't fit in normal 7's and think of a different car all together, or do I go for the bigger one that is a bit slower/heavier/may not handle as well but I know I fit in?
Does anyone have any experience of the Luego Viento?
Jay i'm about 6' 4'' and have size 11/12 feet. I tried getting in a Caterham, YEARS ago when I was slimmer and it was like trying to get into a mouse.
I then tried a Westfield, which was marginally better but not as pretty, so I gave up on the whole 7 idea. I've never tried a wide body car. And, after finding that I could fit VERY comfortably in a 4.5 litre Cerbera, that's all i've wanted in death trap transport ever since.
Never had the money for one yet mind you.
Would love a proper 7 though. Just wish they did them in adult sizes and for less than a trillion billion pounds.
|
SVM 286
Member
Registered: 13th Feb 05
Location: pain
User status: Offline
|
Just did an image search for the Viento. Good looking motor. Definitely looks roomier than the usual 7 inspired fayre.
People do seem to be addicted to putting shit awful wheels on em though. 
And some of the colour scheme and wheel combos. 
|
