Kit Car

Tiff Needle: Now you probably know that I’m not very keen on old cars.  They’re usually uncomfortable, they don’t handle very well, they’ve got rubbish brakes, and they leak.  But there was one old design I was willing to travel 6,000 miles to have a go in.

Don’t be fooled by its diminutive size.  This Porsche-inspired two-seater from Vintage Spyder is made for the adrenaline rush of speed and hairpin curves.

When Porsche first introduced the 550 Spyder back in the ‘50s, it was the manufacturer’s first effort at an all-out, “burn up the track” racecar.  Its low slung design and beefed-up engine made it a natural on the racetrack.  In fact, during its racing reign in the mid-1950’s, the 550 Spyder beat everything in its class and even some much higher-powered racecars. 

While surfing the Web, I came across the news of a brand new car that is so hot and so incredibly beautiful that I fell in love on the spot. The name of my new amore is the Galmer Arbitrage GT, and it’s drop-dead gorgeous.

Manufactured in Thailand, the Galmer Arbitrage GT features a carbon fiber monocoque chassis. Additionally, the majority of its body is carbon fiber, making it an incredibly lightweight car.

The designers of the Galmer Arbitrage GT took a “back to basics” approach, and as far as looks and functionality go, it definitely works. This GT is sleek, aerodynamic and its cockpit is roomy enough to comfortably seat a basketball player.

Just in case you haven't heard the news that came from Factory Five Racing's Moochfest '08 (yes, you read that right), you'll undoubtedly want to know that the Massachusetts based kit car manufacturer strategically unveiled its fourth model at their annual owners gathering.

Said to be stiffer and lighter than the Cobra reproduction, the new '33 Coupe boasts a 22" longer wheelbase and can be easily fitted with a variety of motors.

What's more, Factory Five Racing's latest '33 Coupe has independent front suspension with clever control arms, and the prototype had 3-link rear suspension.

If you are building a kit car or replica, a milestone in the restoration process is when you have the vehicle painted. At this stage, although still far from finished, the project really starts to take shape. Depending on your skill level and ambition, you may wish to tackle the paint job yourself.

When's the last time you got a close-up look at a Lotus 7? Unlike the Lotus of today, which boasts a Ferrari-look, this Italian car has undergone multiple face lifts over the years and now you can witness firsthand these changes in this cool walk down Lotus memory lane.

So if you have a passion for kit cars, like 1950's race car developer Cholin Chapman did, you might want to check out this video.

It light's up!

Whether a Cobra lover or not (and whose not?), you simply have to take a look at the video above. Set to "My Favourite Things," which is a great song performed by a Swedish group called The Cardigans, a wildly versatile band known for its 60s-inspired "Indie pop" and rock songs.

In this Factory Five promo video, The Cardigans lead singer, Nina Persson, croons about her favorite things, in a voice that grabs your attention almost as much as the video itself. Of course, if you're a car lover, the song may take a backseat to the video, but both are equally good and when put together, make for a promotion like no other!

Here are a couple of quick questions for you. Have you built or started building a Cobra inspired kit car? If so, have you given much thought to tail lights?

That's right - tail lights. You do have a choice, you know. You can go with the 427's dual round tail lights or the 289's older, rectangle-shaped tail lights. But what if you could take it one step further and incorporate modern LED technology into your Cobra's classic good looks?

I've been reading a bit about a new prototype tail light that introduces an interesting new twist on the classic look of rectangular tail lights, and I really like the look.

I just read some really great news for Canadian fans of the Factory Five stable of kit cars.

First, a bit of background.  Unbeknownst to me (and probably the majority of kit car aficionados in the United States), very few U.S. kit car manufacturers have been able to successfully jump through the endless hoops that Canadian law has created regarding the import of what our northern neighbors call "starter car kits."  By the way, starter car kits are the same thing as our U.S. kit cars.  That is, vehicles built from the ground up using a kit.

If you made it to Anaheim CA this weekend to the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS 23), which showcased an array of battery-operated vehicles, you were undoubtedly as pleasantly surprised as I was to see a shiny silver Shelby Cobra kit car take center stage.

Boasting more than just unmatched good looks, this Shelby Cobra kit car may have looked like a freshly polished knife on the outside, but is was "green" under the hood, powered by K2 Energy Solutions batteries from SSI Racing.