New Forum Member

[neilp]

Hi all,

I currently own a Tiger Avon (2lt zetec, twin 45s), which I bought built. I have changed bits and pieces on it but would like to built one. I have looked at most of the kit car manufacturers (tiger, mk, mnr, etc) but quite fancy building a haynes roadster.

I've just ordered the manual, hoping to get it in the next couple of days.

A few questions to the folk who have built them!
Whats the average weight of one (say with zetec or similar)
Whats the best engine choice as I was quite fancying a rover V8 or bike engine
What are they like for getting through the IVA.

Cheers in advance,
Neil

[Talonmotorsport]

Welcome to the forum! I'm not sure there is a 'best' engine choice to be honest as it depends on your budget and what to want to use the car for.
A ford engine and gearbox is probably the most logical way to go as thats what the chassis was designed for and it's easy build, tune and live with.
A V8 sounds good for showing off and getting attention, a bike engine is ideal as a blastic track day tool but could be a pain to live with every day or take your pick of the readily availably 4 pot 1.6-2ltr lumps with added goodies such as twin carbs,megasquirt,turbo and super charged.
All I can say is research,read, ask questions get sensible answers not just power is every thing and research some more!
If you don't fancy making all of it or non of it there are a few suppliers on here who will sell you every thing you need and give you lots of help and advice as and when you need it.
Good luck!

[gingea1pom]

Neil,

Welcome, in answer to your questions.

The weight of a Roadster comes in anything between 500Kg (if you are really carful) to 600kg (if you are not too fussed on weight saving), I must add that is from reading on here I haven’t got that far yet!

The ‘best engine’ is up for debate, the book car is designed for a pinto and type 9 gearbox, having said that there are people building with every sort of engine you could think of, BMW, V6, Bike the list goes on. I am using the 1.8 CVH from my donor to ease the IVA process, then see how I get on with it.

We have just had two or three Haynes Roadsters get through the IVA first time so defiantly doable.

Hope that helps.

Cheers Ginge

[drury318]

Hello Neil, welcome to the forum mate,
My Roadster has just passed & I did notice the weight on the certificate was around 645kg which apparently inc a 75kg addition by Vosa I think he said, so it should weigh around 570kg? I didn`t pay any attention at all to weight when building, and it is built using 2mm wall tubing & a 1.8 Zetec/type 9 combination. My certificate has gone off into the depths of the DVLA at the mo so I can`t check it exactly until I get it back, but that`s another story!

Dennis.