reliant kitten

[scriv13]

Hello people,

Ive just been offered a reliant kitten, always wanted one lol, its not been on the road for a lot of years and is in a sorry state.

But before I buy it would like to know a few things!!

The engine is knackered, would like ti drop something newer in but don't want fancy electronics! Any ideas what will go in engine and gearbox wise?

And I would like to up date the brakes if I get itso ideas what can be used?

Cheers scriv13

[120y]

Why not try something like a Micra 1300 engine and box, k11s pre facelift don't have a lot of electronics they are pretty simple but good engines.
Failing that how about a mini/metro 1275 engine.

[glenanderson]

You want something compact and light from a rear wheel drive donor. The original engines have a good power to weight ratio and make such a light car surprisingly nippy considering they've only 35/40bhp or so. I'd be tempted with a 1.6 MX-5 engine and box myself. Or a K100 BMW bike engine maybe, coupled to the original gearbox.

Front suspension is the same as a Triumph Herald if I remember correctly. If so, then discs from a Spitfire or Vitesse should bolt straight on with the appropriate stub axles.

I've had several Robins and a Regal. Always fancied a Kitten or a Rebel. Good luck with it and keep us posted.

[composimmonite]

Front suspension of the Kitten is unique to that car. It's the earlier Rebel that is Triumph based. To fully overhaul the front suspension would cost an horrendous price so examine carefully. Don't dismiss "it's only a little play" as being cheap but rather "it's only a little play so that is a £75 ball joint". Parts are scarce so best source is club. Chassis rot badly. Not the exposed areas but the top face that the body rests. Also the rear seatbelt crossmember is a tube with open end that goes through the chassis rails. It rots and seriously weakens the main rails at the same time.
The doors have an internal steel plate that rots so the weight is then taken on the fibreglass and they quickly start to sag. I used to buy new as they were cheap from main agent but easy to make from scratch.
Club has various proven front disc conversions - I think Micra K10 discs redrilled to Reliant PCD and Fiesta callipers is the most common. You can get conversions to rear discs as well but not really necessary.
I had a Salamander (as well as Kitten & Fox) that was based on a Kitten chassis and had a Ford Kent 1100cc engine with autobox. Crossmember had to be modified (factory from new) to take the autobox but the engine fitted fine. Although people often wants as large as possible don't dismiss small capacity engines like the K11 already mentioned along with 1100 / 1400 K Series and 1400 Zetec. Personally I always wanted to fit a 930 Sunbeam engine as they are basically an upright version of the Imp lump so most of the tuning aspects are also applicable.

Have fun as a properly sorted Kitten is a nice car to drive

[froggy]

Going over to discs means 12" or 13" wheels and altering the top wishbone to get rid of the positive camber . Getting the right offset wheels helps as they will be close to poking out of the arches at the front . Gearbox is going to be the issue and the easiest one will be the fiat Fire engine as there is an adaptor to go from fiat to the reliant box .
Any thing with 100 hp will destroy the axle fairly quickly .
Early carb panda engine will be the simplest as its been done before

[composimmonite]

Dec 5, 2014 14:26:23 GMT froggy said:

Any thing with 100 hp will destroy the axle fairly quickly .

My 1100 Kent with autobox broke the rear axle. No idea why as it had only done low 20,000's and assume a duff unit. Problem now is Reliant rear axles are getting scarce / expensive so maybe consider a Midget item (same PCD)

[scriv13]

Cheers for the replys, I quite like the k series route.

thanks for your he heads up with regards to the rot as I know is been parked in a puddle!!

Going to give it a good look over vefore I bite the bullet. I'll let u know what happens.

[joe90]

Here's one on here with a bike engine retrorides.proboards.com/thread/122389/1976-reliant-kitten-cbr1000-engine

[colnerov]

Hi, one of the Beardmore brothers had one -

www.beardmorebros.co.uk/website%20pages/reliant_kitten.htm

Colin

[composimmonite]

Dec 7, 2014 0:31:58 GMT colnerov said:

Hi, one of the Beardmore brothers had one -

www.beardmorebros.co.uk/website%20pages/reliant_kitten.htm

Colin

Although I admire the Beardmore Bros work their car is basically just an identity donor with a stripped out shell over a dragster chassis & running gear.

[colnerov]

Dec 7, 2014 16:41:36 GMT composimmonite said:

Dec 7, 2014 0:31:58 GMT colnerov said:

Hi, one of the Beardmore brothers had one -

www.beardmorebros.co.uk/website%20pages/reliant_kitten.htm

Colin

Although I admire the Beardmore Bros work their car is basically just an identity donor with a stripped out shell over a dragster chassis & running gear.

Hi, Oh yes, it was done back in the days when you could do that without having to look over your shoulder. Not that long ago either.

Colin

[scriv13]

Thanks for the replys chap's. Had a proper look at it today, and to say the weather has not been kind to it is an understatement! ! Very rotten so I'm going to have a serious think before committing to buying it.

[scriv13]

Thought id resurrect this thread ive bought tge bloody thing! With a lot of dismay from the wife and kids lol

the engine hopefully will be a 2.0 pinto mated to a type 9 gearbox, the only reason being ive been offered a cracker at a price I cant refuse.

Does anybody know if there will be any issue using this engine box combination? ?

Juat need to source the bits for the brakes so any help there would be gratefully appreciated

as soon as I work out how to upload the pictures ill show u the little beauty!!

[composimmonite]

You say it's rotten therefore I assume new chassis is going to be required so forget Reliant front end and fit something more suitable with the brakes you need at the same time. What about looking at Locost wishbones, Cortina uprights etc ?
No way will standard Reliant axle take the power and torque of a Pinto - mine broke with a Kent ! That means an alternative axle will also be needed.
In fact what about transplanting the whole mechanicals of a MX5 ?

[glenanderson]

Mar 26, 2015 13:56:06 GMT composimmonite said:

In fact what about transplanting the whole mechanicals of a MX5 ?

This. So much. You could get everything you'd need from a single donor. What a cracking sleeper it'd make. 

By modern standards a pinto is a big and heavy lump, the Kitten's biggest advantage is lack of weight, better to play to that than shoehorn in a great big lump of cast iron. IMHO, naturally, don't let me wee on your chips if your mind is made up. 

And pics, please, I'm dying to see it. :-)

[froggy]

I've said this a few times before that using the complete mx5 drivetrain would be a great idea but the front and rear arches would need to be stretched to take the bigger wheels .
torque frame would need shortening along with the prop to fit the wheelbase but rotten donor cars are around for 3-400 quid .
I've got a kitten van with a rotten chassis with this in mind and I've helped a mate turbo his mx5 so it's fairly straightforward to get 250hp if you wanted to

[composimmonite]

With a Pinto you'd be sitting in the back as the Kitten engine bay is quite small plus weight of the huge cast iron lump compared to the original, "pick up with two hands", alloy Reliant engine would mean it's need to be mounted more rearward to avoid being badly balanced - ie all weight over front axle.

[johne]

Pinto is a very tall engine too. I remember back in the 80s reading in CCC that it weighs about the same as a contemporary Rover V8.