Fibreglass reproduction cars... Where did they go???

[quackshot]

Not too long ago eBay was filled with fibreglass knock offs of all sorts of cars... Now if you're lucky to find one they fetch crazy money.

Also I remember seeing insane full fibreglass body beetles for sale in magazines. Roofchopped, wide and generally looking bada$$. Not talking about wizards, talking about stock style early bodies buy heavily modified.

Where did they all go? Smashed up and used for landfill?

[AtomicRooster]

They still exist to a degree. Theres the sammio spyder, a triumph vitesse rebody, and theres a company called tribute automotive who makes rebody kits for mx5's and bmw z3's as well as a couple of triumph kits.

they're alright, but they cost a fortune to buy outright, the triumph kits for example are around 1700 quid from memory, and i have no desire to own a modern car on account of the z3 rubbish.

Always liked the beetle kits, but they had one downside, it meant you had to drive a beetle everywhere.

I want to rebody a vitesse, sounds like a great idea, but with a 1700 quid asking price i think i'll make my own buck and moulds, how hard can it be!

[ferny]

I'm surprised they exist at all, they must only sell one every few months! Still, far cheaper than buying new body panels for the whole car though... I did consider one once but I've not seen a triumph one I can use which looks exactly right to my eyes. Somehow there's always one proportion of the car off just enough to make me not want the whole thing.

[DWDarkWheels]

Kitcars used to be the cheap option when there were no specialist cars readily available at reasonable money. It's all flipped around now : there are so many fun cars around, some of them so niche, that kitcar manufacturers have retreated to low-volume expensive niche models.

Drop-on GRP bodyshells continue, but the few remaining base models ain't much of a draw any longer.
Modifiying seems to be the way it has gone - at least modifying morely subtley than changing all the body panels.

[fogey]

Perhaps the market has collapsed because many of them have not been correctly registered (SVA/BIVA etc) and are in effect worthless. Therefore, those that are correctly registered fetch good money.

Just a theory.

[tom83]

There was a company doing mini sprints again in the 90s, but BMW apparently sued him for image rights. Shame as they looked fantastic.

[edwell]

Oct 27, 2014 5:10:06 GMT AtomicRooster said:

theres a company called tribute automotive who makes rebody kits for mx5's and bmw z3's as well as a couple of triumph kits.

I agree they are a bit pricey but this looks fairly awesome

its call an A352, spitfire based.

[AtomicRooster]

Back end is too high, the wheelbase is too short and it needs a roof

[quackshot]

But the bodys never rust so they either are parked up somewhere or scrapped. If I recall most Novas were worthless when the windscreens cracked as nobody was making them for a long time.

[R3TR0_R0B]

I like that A352 thing, looks pretty good actually. The bulge on the bonnet should give some space to fit a big engine too I think.

There is a guy doing a build thread; www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3908

There is one with a roof too.

[redratbike]

There's a few options he also will sell you a mistral body cheap..buts it's more basic but is a great looking car



media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/20/20/fb/2020fb7dea4249157c76e0db99a57637.jpg


www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4132&highlight=mistral

[ToolsnTrack]

I have a locost chassis... that Mistral is giving me the naughties....

[Mercdan68]

Some of the sixties and seventies ones are very sought after now I like the clan crusader and the jago jeep now looks appealing they weren't a few years ago

[redratbike]

You could have got a cheap start on ebay today

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191386768552?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[Smiler]

Oct 28, 2014 6:07:55 GMT quackshot said:

But the bodys never rust so they either are parked up somewhere or scrapped. If I recall most Novas were worthless when the windscreens cracked as nobody was making them for a long time.

That's the best picture I've seen of a Nova in a long time. I wonder how easy it would be to re-engineer one with modern donors and know-how. Assuming that the SVA wouldn't kill it dead...

[doobie]

Tribute Automotive are literally just down the road from me and i always have a good look at whats out front and inside if the doors are open when i drive past... judging by the number of different cars i see i think they are doing ok as there are always 2 or 3 new projects being built or waiting to be collected or delivered...

[DWDarkWheels]

I agree, updated grubby bits under that would be epic. A team turned up at a kitcar show 10 years ago or more with a space-frame chassis version with XR3 drive-train out back. Not an exciting prospect today, but at the time I thought it was a very worthy idea. I mean, when you find out there's a Beetle under that dramatic bodywork, it's kinda disappointing.

[tarmacadam]

My mate had a dutton Rico was ugly as hell but it had a roll cage so we thought it was ace and we were only about 13 lol think it had mk2 escort running gear never seen another one so must have been bad lol