Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Trip to Stonleigh ...

Yesterday Crunchie and myself drove up in his Mog to Reg's award winning cafe in Banbury and met with a smallish group of fellow minded individuals to attend this show - the National Kit Car Show.

Although we have built several kits in the past, and currently have a Westfield track car even though the model was only factory-built so is not strictly speaking a kit car, we were very taken with one new model that was launched at the show and the general standard of the kits now available.

There were still some real dogs being marketed, no names: no pick drill, but the serious companies are producing some interesting cars and are really quite interesting. Anyway we have a factory visit booked in June 2015, so watch this space!

Really enjoyed the Show.

And agree with Aeroman, there are some well designed and manufactured kit cars on sale. There are also some that are just for show! 500+bhp in a ladder frame but fantastic paint job.

The factory visit should be good! Really like what they are doing with their evolution.

i always go to this show but missed it this year. I've always had a hankering after building a kit car. If only I had more garage space. Interested in where you are going to visit Brian!

I would have liked to have gone but other things cropped up.
I did go about 6 years ago.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I agree about the range of quality of cars...some dogs there .
The top companies produce some awesome cars and kits though.
It was great to see Ultima cars on show, Gardner Douglas Cobra and Lola, Jaguar replicas, as well as the myriad of Seven types.
Overall the show indicates that there is a wealth of talent in the UK and a potential for providing fabulous cars.
If anyone is interested in building then provided you do your research you can get a superb car, avoiding the bodgers cas!
I came very close to a build but bought a Morgan instead!
Apart from the enjoyment of self build being lost a definite good move!

Ultima had their latest iteration under the Evolution moniker, same body shape as before, but a new chassis and many other changes under the skin. They seem to have perfected the production of fibreglass bodies, as their gel coat finish is now as good as a paint job.

The Evolution on show had a 1020 hp engine installed, with a claimed 0-150 in 8.9 secs and a 240 mph top speed, but any of the Chevy crate engines fit. As Sospan says most of the cars on display reflect the generally high quality of the kit car industry, but some of them are quite scary - Pilgrim Sumo anyone!

As I said we have a factory visit booked for next month, and in the meantime some severe man maths are required and even a pruning of the fleet, if we are to even contemplate going any further with this project.

Luckily did not come to the show so everything for now is under wraps...

My favourite is the Spyder. I remember travelling to Stoneleigh some years ago in convoy with a couple of other Caterhams, when an Ultima Spyder joined us, and I followed him for a few miles before he blasted past us and into the middle distance, never to be seen again. Very impressive.

If you are after an Ultima Brian, I'm sure we would all be interested to hear your views and how you would spec it up. I know one can never have enough power, but I fancy that 1020bhp might be getting there?

I passed the signs for the show on Saturday (A46/A45/A46 round Coventry on the way to Leicester.
I have been meaning to go to this show for a number of years, but the last time I went, I never got there, the weather was SO rough that I decided not to get cold/soaked and went back to Evesham Country Park for a bit of food shopping etc. instead... Not quite the same!! However the results were enjoyable
Maybe next year?
Perhaps a mini TM gathering??

I think the 1020 bhp is too much for me. I think it sounds great but, I cannot speak for Aeroman, but I am not as good as I once was and probably was never good enough to drive a car that fast.

The lead in factory build car is still 0-100 in 6.5 seconds which is nuts. I will have to sell the Zenos and I have not taken delivery yet LOL.

About 4 yrs ago I was in the 4/4 on the A40 llandovery to Brecon.
In my mirror a lime green Ultima came up.
I got a move on as I didn't want him to pass me until the Brecon bypass
On entering it he passed..........

What a sound!
I later saw his car pulled up just past Abergavenny......
Out of curiosity I went to the Ultima site on Pistonheads and got in touch with him.
He was headed home from an Ultima get together and needed a pee stop!
He liked the Morgan....it's looks and the way it moved( ), saying he was thinking of looking at one.
Didn't get his name or contact since.
Awesome looking and sounding car...I think it was the low power version...500bhp

The Evo has lost a little weight and is 930kgs or 950 for a supercharged engine! Good power to weight ratios!