Had an offer and it should be gone tomorrow. A little sad to see it go.
Time has come to admit this car isn't going anywhere as I don't have time to spend on it so looking to sell it.
The good points -
It's a properly registered Dutton Kit Car (not still listed as an Escort or something odd like many kit cars).
Insurance is a pittance. We paid less than £100 through a specialist.
It's built to a decent standard
It's got a 1300 X-Flow GT engine from a Mk1 Escort so is decent power for the size and the engine is pretty desirable
Strong 4-speed box
It handles brilliantly. Done two track days and it was only really stuff like Elise that could keep up with it in the turns. On the straights everything beat it though as it's not fast!
Very basic so little to go wrong - no power assist on brakes or steering etc
Changed to modern post type battery from original screw-in ford type. Battery is virtually unsused for 5 years old so may or may not hold charge
Sports harnesses
Has a full roof and doors (small hole in roof that needs fixing)
Also has the shoulder level torneau thing
4x108 wheel fitment so any old school Ford rims will fit
It's road legal, has wipers, a (pathetic) blower, a window wash etc. MOT expired some time ago though.
Emissions are based on age so it's basically a no-visible smoke test. No CAT or DPF, EGR business to fail here
I 'think' there is enough original parts you could go through the process of getting an age related plate and be MOT and Tax free. I'm no expert on this though.
The bad points -
It's sat for a number of years. I managed to get it started recently with petrol directly into the carb but the jerry can of fuel in the tank didn't make it through to the front. Could be a blocked pipe, could be it just wasn't enough to reach the pick up.
It's a little buried in my garage at present (see photo at bottom) but in process of digging it out.
The exhaust manifold had a split so took it off to get welded (by high temperature coded pressure welders at work, it's probably the best welded exhaust you'll see) and it's only loosely refitted.
It's got a dynamo rather than an alternator. More authentic, but less power.
It's got drum brakes all around. To be fair with braided hoses and relatively skinny tyres they have no issue with the power, if you stuck a bigger lump in I'd look to upgrade.
It tops out about 70 or 80 so I wouldn't want to drive to Scotland in it
The rear leaf springs are on lowering blocks but BELOW the springs so think they're just to give the shock more room. Either way it handles well.
The radiator has a snapped bracket, needs welding back on
Couple of cracks to the body work we fixed to get it track legal. Not very pretty. Worse is the front left arch as below. We riveted a plate on to hold it together. We're not GRP experts.
The wiring is the original loom with some adaptations and original bullet style fuses. It all works but it's not the most pretty install you'll ever see.
The seats are narrow and low backed which works with the low level cover but you might like proper high backed ones instead
Being based on a very old donor car the gauges etc are more a general indication of what speed/fuel/RPM etc you're doing.
It's got pretty high side walled tyres on steel rims. Personally I'm fine with that and tyres are cheap and nobody is going to steal your rims but you might prefer some sexy alloy wheels with a bit less rubber to impress people as you do doughnuts outside McDonalds.
Handbrake isn't amazing, probably wants adjustment
Work needed to just get it MOT'd -
Charge battery
Work out why fuel isn't getting through
Reattach manifold
Fix radiator bracket
General check over, likely adjust handbrake
Work needed to improve it and make it A1 -
Repair body work better
Possibly some higher backed seats
Would be nice to rewire it all with one of those ready made kitcar looms
General blow over of bodywork to a decent colour
Work needed to go crazy -
The world's your oyster. People have fitted everything from Pinto to a V8 into these along with suitable wheel/brake/suspension upgrade and roll cages etc
Price -
I'm looking for offers around £1000. Sadly a lot of these are 'plate raped' and the ID used for unregistered kit cars to avoid the need to pass through IVA/SVA or whatever it's called these days so I'm wary if I sell for much less it's going to be used for dodgy purposes. Turning an unregistered, unchecked Robin Hood or similar into a 'road legal' car is the fate of many of these.
Please note it's registered in my mates name (it's a shared track car) but he can pop around with photo ID to prove ownership etc and that it isn't anything dodgy going on.
You can read the full thread here -
forum.retro-rides.org/thread/88591/1985-dutton-phaeton-series-1300gt
Time has come to admit this car isn't going anywhere as I don't have time to spend on it so looking to sell it.
The good points -
It's a properly registered Dutton Kit Car (not still listed as an Escort or something odd like many kit cars).
Insurance is a pittance. We paid less than £100 through a specialist.
It's built to a decent standard
It's got a 1300 X-Flow GT engine from a Mk1 Escort so is decent power for the size and the engine is pretty desirable
Strong 4-speed box
It handles brilliantly. Done two track days and it was only really stuff like Elise that could keep up with it in the turns. On the straights everything beat it though as it's not fast!
Very basic so little to go wrong - no power assist on brakes or steering etc
Changed to modern post type battery from original screw-in ford type. Battery is virtually unsused for 5 years old so may or may not hold charge
Sports harnesses
Has a full roof and doors (small hole in roof that needs fixing)
Also has the shoulder level torneau thing
4x108 wheel fitment so any old school Ford rims will fit
It's road legal, has wipers, a (pathetic) blower, a window wash etc. MOT expired some time ago though.
Emissions are based on age so it's basically a no-visible smoke test. No CAT or DPF, EGR business to fail here
I 'think' there is enough original parts you could go through the process of getting an age related plate and be MOT and Tax free. I'm no expert on this though.
The bad points -
It's sat for a number of years. I managed to get it started recently with petrol directly into the carb but the jerry can of fuel in the tank didn't make it through to the front. Could be a blocked pipe, could be it just wasn't enough to reach the pick up.
It's a little buried in my garage at present (see photo at bottom) but in process of digging it out.
The exhaust manifold had a split so took it off to get welded (by high temperature coded pressure welders at work, it's probably the best welded exhaust you'll see) and it's only loosely refitted.
It's got a dynamo rather than an alternator. More authentic, but less power.
It's got drum brakes all around. To be fair with braided hoses and relatively skinny tyres they have no issue with the power, if you stuck a bigger lump in I'd look to upgrade.
It tops out about 70 or 80 so I wouldn't want to drive to Scotland in it
The rear leaf springs are on lowering blocks but BELOW the springs so think they're just to give the shock more room. Either way it handles well.
The radiator has a snapped bracket, needs welding back on
Couple of cracks to the body work we fixed to get it track legal. Not very pretty. Worse is the front left arch as below. We riveted a plate on to hold it together. We're not GRP experts.
The wiring is the original loom with some adaptations and original bullet style fuses. It all works but it's not the most pretty install you'll ever see.
The seats are narrow and low backed which works with the low level cover but you might like proper high backed ones instead
Being based on a very old donor car the gauges etc are more a general indication of what speed/fuel/RPM etc you're doing.
It's got pretty high side walled tyres on steel rims. Personally I'm fine with that and tyres are cheap and nobody is going to steal your rims but you might prefer some sexy alloy wheels with a bit less rubber to impress people as you do doughnuts outside McDonalds.
Handbrake isn't amazing, probably wants adjustment
Work needed to just get it MOT'd -
Charge battery
Work out why fuel isn't getting through
Reattach manifold
Fix radiator bracket
General check over, likely adjust handbrake
Work needed to improve it and make it A1 -
Repair body work better
Possibly some higher backed seats
Would be nice to rewire it all with one of those ready made kitcar looms
General blow over of bodywork to a decent colour
Work needed to go crazy -
The world's your oyster. People have fitted everything from Pinto to a V8 into these along with suitable wheel/brake/suspension upgrade and roll cages etc
Price -
I'm looking for offers around £1000. Sadly a lot of these are 'plate raped' and the ID used for unregistered kit cars to avoid the need to pass through IVA/SVA or whatever it's called these days so I'm wary if I sell for much less it's going to be used for dodgy purposes. Turning an unregistered, unchecked Robin Hood or similar into a 'road legal' car is the fate of many of these.
Please note it's registered in my mates name (it's a shared track car) but he can pop around with photo ID to prove ownership etc and that it isn't anything dodgy going on.
You can read the full thread here -
forum.retro-rides.org/thread/88591/1985-dutton-phaeton-series-1300gt
