Getting Started

[Jimmer]

Well this is my first message to the forum. I'm currently thinking about starting a pilgrim sumo. Trouble is my knowledge is fairly limited....ok, it's limited........ok, it's none existent. Where do I start? If anyone can spare a few moments to help me get started, I would be very appreciative.



Many Thanks

[kdavies3]

Hi Jimmer and welcome,
You made a very sensible choice to come onto the froum before you start as it may save you a lot of mistakes and therefore money. :thumb:

Are you going for a Pilgrim purely on budget or because it appeals to you? There's plenty of choice around.

[crendonman]

Where are you located Jimmer?

[Jimmer]

Thanks for the replies. Been in town looking for related material and as I suspected, very little is available. In fact the only thing was a book on maintaining Rover V8's.

In reply to the questions. I have been interested in pilgrim as it is probably the most well known "A Car Is Born" - You guys probably get loads of people coming on to he forum saying this, sorry. I really don't know, is it a good budget package or is it an unadvisable option? What are the other options? I really don't know, hence I'm here asking your advice. As for am I building to a budget, I have just finished 5 years of university, doing Mechanical Engineering!!.....so yes, you could say it is to a budget. However, I don't want to compromise! A real pickle!

As for location, I am up here in sunny Scotland, where I have not once seen a cobra. So there is real appeal to being one of the few up here.



So what do I do first? Are there any important things I should know? What do I steer clear of with regards to donor cars? Are there any recommendations to kitting out a garage with anything worth while?



I think I am now asking for more than a moment to answer all these questions, so your time would again most appreciated.



Again many thanks as to the help and replies so far. It's eased the nerves with starting a project like this knowing people are willing to help out.



Cheers

[tonym]

If you're working on a budget then a Pilgrim is an excellent choice. There are several other marques but they will cost you more money. It's up to you which kit you buy and the majority of people here will support you although some idiots will tell you that only "there" brand is the one worth getting. At the end of the day the average man in the street will look and admire your car no matter which marque you buy, only the anal idiots will try and deride the "budget" brands :thumb:

[kdavies3]

I totally agree with Tony's comments and all kind of folks will drool over your car as long whatever it is, as you put it together correctly, that shouldn't be hard with an engineering degree behind you. :thumb:

There have been many similar threads in the past as to which kit to buy, if you do a search you should find them.

In summary other kits around include.

Pilgrim (nice kit at an affordable budget)
Dax (nice kit but quite expensive)
GD (Great chassis and company, expensive)
Fiero (reasonable budget but not popular for some reason)
AK (I personally think they're great value for money and a great company to deal with)
Crendon (great kit very original, in the same price bracket as GD and Dax)
Ther are others around like Magnum, Viper (oversized front arches), Southern Roadcraft and LR Roadsters Ram (again excellent kit great handling).

Apologies to any one I haven't mentioned.

Before you commit get a good look at as many different ones as you can and give your budget some thought, and time scale over which you're going to spend it.


Hope that helps.

[Grease Monkey]

Toally agree with what Kev posted,

I guess you could split kits into the 'high end', GD, DAX, AK, Crendon and the ally shelled Kirkhams, where you're looking at 20-30k, and the budget kits which include the Sumo which you can build for a lot less.

Saying that, from a few feet you really can't tell the difference visually between one and another. The main benefits of the more expensive kits is the handling and the ease of building.

Whatever you choose, have fun!

[Miket]

I agree with Grease Monkey

I had a Rover engined Sumo, which I was perfectly happy with till I went out in my mates 400 bhp Chevy AK, the difference in handling was so noticable, that I went out and bought one, AK that is, good kit at a reasonable price.

If you can stretch to a Jag based kit, then go for it, the extra cost of the basic kit isn't a lot more than a Sumo.

[Jimmer]

Ok guys thinking about an engine! Don't laugh, that's the boss job! Fortunately, from reading a lot of the comments on the site, it is not the wife! Still young and free! No, the boss is the paw, as it will be his garage I will do the build in. The other problem is the MGB sitting in the garage, which has an identity crisis (Thinks it's a shelf and storage unit.) and will have to be found a new owner. With that problem sorted out I can really get started. As I said I have found an engine. Chevy 350 (69 - 80). Big thanks to miket for the enthusiastic response, which is driving this possibility. What do the rest of you think? The rebuild kit is in the region of £200 for all the guts.



Is this a really stupid idea? I mean I don't even have the donor package or know what type of kit to go for!



I might need brought down to the old “tera ferma”, which is usually the dad's job as well. Or am I on to something? I have another thread in the general discussion area that contains the link to the engine. Have a look.



Any advice would be great especially if someone has this engine.



By the way, have been looking at all your cars, very nice!!!!! You shouldn't put them up as it is only driving me more towards getting stuck in, and I need to think of the old mans health when I break the news to him!


Again many thanks.:thumb:

[Bowtie]

I know your feelings because I was in the same situation some years ago. I knew I wanted to build a Cobra but how to proceed and limit the risks? Do I have the right basic conditions to pull it of, and if not, how to manage the damage?

This is based on my own experiences. Buying the wrong engine or gearbox is not such a high risk. It won’t ruin you neither buying it nor rebuilding it and there is a fair chance that you get your money back (at least for the material) if you have to sell it.

Buying a kit and then having to sell it because you can’t finish the job (not enough money, loosing interest, finding the job harder than expected, not the right prerequisite etc.) is a greater financial risk. The kit cost more and you might not get the money back if you have to sell before the job is finished.

Buying and rebuilding engine, gearbox, and running gear will also give you some valuable feedback. Like what is going on to a build like this? Do I have the tools, garage, skills, stamina, and interest etc. needed to pull this off?

My strategy was that if I wasn’t able to buy and rebuild the engine then what are the chances that I am able to build the whole car? Starting with the engine was the smallest risk. It came with a reasonable price tag and I know that I always could sell it and get most of the money back.

Starting with the engine also gave me some valuable time for research of which kit that would suit me best. It has already been pointed out that there are several good kits available. I would take a look at as many as possible if I were you.

What I decided before I went for a specific kit was that I wanted it to be a Jag-based and to have a Chevy 350. I wanted Jag-based because my father has a Jag-garage, he could provide me with both bits and valuable knowledge. I also knew that the Jag-bits would give me a good ride. Chevy 350 is maybe the most common engine core in the world. There are tons of used and after market parts but more important, endless combinations, options and opportunities, often to a reasonable price.

I also knew that I always could work on the chassis if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted but that it would be much harder to modify the body if needed. I therefore favoured a nice looking body over the chassis when I evaluated kits. Other considerations were that I would drive the car mostly on public roads and very seldom on the track and that I wanted a “clean look” (genuine 427 shape of the body but without of the fancier details like side pipes, roll hoops, multi colour trim etc.).

Every Cobra is unique (even the originals) and I guess that they often reflect the builder or owner’s view of what it should be. Knowing what you want out of your car will help you with the selection of a kit that suits you.

I initially went for a SUMO but it didn’t impress me as a Jag-based kit at that time. The fitting of the body and doors also scared me a bit after reading endless threads on the subject at this board. The SUMO looks like a kit that offers a lot for its money but it wasn’t for me.

The GD is a fantastic machine (especially for the one that seek high tech solutions and track handling) but I just can’t get used to the shape of the body.

DAX seems to be rock solid choice but I often find them a bit too fancy for my taste. I can’t get used to the broad scoop on the bonnet for instance. It also seems like you get a bit more dependant on the supplier when it comes to bits and solutions, often at a quite steep price.

I found my kit at AK Sports Cars. I had read a lot of good thinks about their operation but the body was what made my mind up. The shape is exactly what I was looking for and the design with an inner tub is genius. Pre-hung doors and hassle free sills was also tempting after all I had read about how hard it is to get it right at some other kits.

I have now worked on my AK for more that two years and it has been a joy all the way. I live in Sweden but I still get fantastic support from AK (support calls by phone and mail). I had to adapt the kit for Swedish regulations and left hand drive. I also have a lot of my own ideas then it comes to technical solutions. The AK hasn’t failed me yet in that aspect. The chassis is straightforward and not as advanced as the one on the GD for instance but it is easy to work on and it suits my needs. The body is a joy and I love working on it. The Jag and other bits go together fine and hassle free.

I am a happy and proud AK owner and I therefore speak in favour of AK. You will find other members of this board that will speak as highly of their kits. The lesson learned should be that there are several really good alternatives out there and that it is worthwhile to take the time to investigate which one that would suit you best.

Good luck with your build / Bowtie