[ChrisZT190]

I have found the manufacturer of the above body kit, and am trying to gague interest for front and back bumpers, left and right sills, and the six pieces to makeup the arch extensions.

The kit was made for the mk1 front end, and so mk2 cars will require a change of headlights back to the mk1 units. The front fogs still need to be sourced, and the costs of fitting, and spraying need to considered as well as wheel changes / spacers and exhaust extension work.

I am looking to get one of these kits for my mk2 260 but the manufacture will want to make up a run of the parts. The costs for a run of ten are likely to be around £2150 per kit, but it should be remembered that the parts are being produced from prototype tooling, and as such will require some degree of work to fit the car.

Please let me know your interest levels in this kit, and bear in mind i am not looking at this as a way to profit from re-sale of these kits, but simply as a way to create enough demand to source the kit for my car and at least 9 others.

Pictures are of examples of the kit, which may differ slightly from what would be produced, but obviously any changes would be clarified first.

I would be grateful if people would give me a genuine opinion on their interest and opinions in the kit, and the sort of price mentioned.

Thanks

Chris

 

[CHARGER]

I doubt many will be interested because of the cost.

Most zt`s are now able to be bought for below 2k, so a bodykit for sale for as much as the cars worth just in my view will not attract punters.

Its a shame, as it would be nice to have seen a few of these on the road.

The other aspect is the cost of fitting the kit and painting, as thats going to add another grand to the initial purchase cost.

Good luck though.

George

 

[dave mgt]

The only other issue I can see is the track would have to be widened about 40mm or the wheels would sit right inside the wheel arches.....

 

[ChrisZT190]

Yea, the cost is high, but would make for a few amazing looking cars. It is a shame that the high cost may just put an end to the idea before its even off the ground.

The track would have to be widened, and i don't know much about this, but i assume that wider and different offset wheels and / or spacers could achieve this. I'd want to go for wider rims and tyres anyway at the end of the day...

What is the rough value people would put on a kit like this if £2150 is too high?

 

[DeMoNPauL]

Have you posted it up on the 260s forum?

 

[redzs180]

if i had a 260 i'd buy it. maybe £1500 tho not £2000,

 

[ChrisZT190]

I've asked the manufacturer if there's any movement on price, but the long and short of it is no. The only way it becomes cheaper is to have more produced, and the setup and tooling work is a significant cost.

Have posted on 3 other forums 260's, .org and 75&ZT, and the general opinion is 'lovely kit, too much money'...

Looks like i'll have to go sulk in the corner...

 

[GTMSpyder]

Are the parts glass fibre? If so see if they will sell the mounlds (it doesn't sound like they are going to sell any of the finished product so the moulds are useless)....I know a few very good laminators that would make up a set (if the moulds are serviceable) for a lot less than £2500....

 

[ChrisZT190]

They have stated that the parts would be made up of polyester resin and glass fibre. The also mention that these are prototype components, and that the tooling (moulds) require work to prepare for processing, which i believe is because they have been stored outside but under cover, presumably for a few years now....

 

[GTMSpyder]

If the moulds aren't cracked or damaged all they should need is polishing and a new layer of release agent. I'd ask them if they are interested in selling the moulds and what other work needs doing to make them useable.

 

[MGR Boy2]

Hi all

Is there anymore news on this kit, please ??

Thank you
Kevin

 

[scooter]

When we got the prototype 385 from the factory the quality of the body kit was not good. I took moulds of the car to make the parts for our race ZT520. I have moulds for the front wings, side skirts and bumper extensions and all the other parts but to make a kit for a car would cost over £3000 and you would still have to spend another £1500 to fit and paint it.

 

[The Express Valeter]

When we got the prototype 385 from the factory the quality of the body kit was not good. I took moulds of the car to make the parts for our race ZT520. I have moulds for the front wings, side skirts and bumper extensions and all the other parts but to make a kit for a car would cost over £3000 and you would still have to spend another £1500 to fit and paint it.

Problem is also insurance would then go up due to modifications and in the event of an accident I doubt that the payout will be much more than the value of a standard car.

 

[Simon L]

Ah but if car was on a modified car policy with a specialist insurer (ie Flux), then you could have agreed value.

As to the costs of the kit, from the pics I can see wheel arches, maybe a bonnet scoop etc. Prob £500 at the most. Have a look around the kitcar products and see how body prices work out eg


GTR bodywork in GRP with Isophthalic high heat
distortion resin comprising front and rear sections, side pods,
cockpit, doors, dashboard, headlight and instrument pods.
All in coloured gelcoat.

£4165.00

Three grand for a bodykit is ridiculous

ATB

Simon

 

[scooter]

Ah but if car was on a modified car policy with a specialist insurer (ie Flux), then you could have agreed value.

As to the costs of the kit, from the pics I can see wheel arches, maybe a bonnet scoop etc. Prob £500 at the most. Have a look around the kitcar products and see how body prices work out eg


GTR bodywork in GRP with Isophthalic high heat
distortion resin comprising front and rear sections, side pods,
cockpit, doors, dashboard, headlight and instrument pods.
All in coloured gelcoat.

£4165.00

Three grand for a bodykit is ridiculous

ATB

Simon

How long do you think it takes to make 22 different parts and dress the moulds after every use and then add the cost of resin,glass and gelcoat. I have no intention of making a kit and have already refused one order.

 

[Ritchy]

How long do you think it takes to make 22 different parts and dress the moulds after every use and then add the cost of resin,glass and gelcoat. I have no intention of making a kit and have already refused one order.

quite right, must be an unbelievable amount of work involved

 

[Simon L]

Well, in my avatar pic you'll see toy car I built from scratch - including all the
bodywork. Total cost for (bodywork) materials (matting/resin/gelcoat/brushes/mixing pots/gloves etc etc) was approx £150 quid - if you were to buy trade quantities you could get materials for prob less than half what I paid.

Laying up (for eg on toy car) one wheel arch inc gel coat, matting and resin took under 30 mins, so I suggest if you had an experienced fibreglass man, who got all the mould lined up; did mould prep then gel coated, resin/matted production line style, then I think probably two days per set, inc demoulding, deburring etc so £2-300 labour/£100 materials so being pessimistic £500/set, treble it as you have to make a profit etc. If you were doing this commercially, you'd be spraying the gelcoat etc. Should be a very quick process.

Have a look at the Ultima bodywork and tell me your 22 piece kit amounts to anywhere near that amount of work. My £500 est might have been a bit lighthearted but I still think £3k of massively wide of the mark.

But then, if you've turned people down it's all a bit of a pointless debate.

ATB

Simon

 

[scooter]

Well, in my avatar pic you'll see toy car I built from scratch - including all the
bodywork. Total cost for (bodywork) materials (matting/resin/gelcoat/brushes/mixing pots/gloves etc etc) was approx £150 quid - if you were to buy trade quantities you could get materials for prob less than half what I paid.

Laying up (for eg on toy car) one wheel arch inc gel coat, matting and resin took under 30 mins, so I suggest if you had an experienced fibreglass man, who got all the mould lined up; did mould prep then gel coated, resin/matted production line style, then I think probably two days per set, inc demoulding, deburring etc so £2-300 labour/£100 materials so being pessimistic £500/set, treble it as you have to make a profit etc. If you were doing this commercially, you'd be spraying the gelcoat etc. Should be a very quick process.

Have a look at the Ultima bodywork and tell me your 22 piece kit amounts to anywhere near that amount of work. My £500 est might have been a bit lighthearted but I still think £3k of massively wide of the mark.

But then, if you've turned people down it's all a bit of a pointless debate.

ATB

Simon

How long did it take to make your moulds ?

 

[Simon L]

I cheated making the moulds for the wheelarches as I used 2 pieces of mdf with slots cut in them, into which I slotted ally sheet of the correct width(the scuttle was done in a similar fashion). Used plaster of paris to create contoured shapes on sides, though only one side required "shaping on the rear as other side was flat and bolted to chassis. The mould for the bonnet was slightly more convoluted as I to make the buck up too.

ATB

Simon

 

[scooter]

I cheated making the moulds for the wheelarches as I used 2 pieces of mdf with slots cut in them, into which I slotted ally sheet of the correct width(the scuttle was done in a similar fashion). Used plaster of paris to create contoured shapes on sides, though only one side required "shaping on the rear as other side was flat and bolted to chassis. The mould for the bonnet was slightly more convoluted as I to make the buck up too.

ATB

Simon

How long