Perhaps you’ve always wanted a Cobra but knew you’d never find the one you wanted. Maybe you are simply mechanically inclined and looking for a challenge. You might even be seeking an opportunity to learn more about the whole of automotives. Whatever your motivation, you have decided to invest in a kit car, sometimes referred to as a replicar, and you need some guidance in selecting a kit provider.

There are scores of companies and individuals offering car kits. How can you decide which seller is right for particular needs? There is no easy answer, but there are certain considerations that are likely to lead you in the right direction.

When choosing a sports car kit provider, remember the following tips:

You don’t want to deal with a company or seller who is only interested in shipping you a kit without care for its quality or exact make-up. Honesty and integrity are essential.

Finding out about the integrity of a kit supplier is not as simple as calling them on the phone and asking! Instead, one needs to seek out the experience of third parties with whom the supplier has done business.

You can find a network of likeminded kit car enthusiasts in your area or via the internet. Ask others who have been there before about their experiences with various companies.

Were the promised items delivered? You don’t want to end up with the wrong items, mismatched parts, or something unlike your desired final product.

Were the manuals accurate? Inaccuracies in manuals and directions can create unneeded frustration and may even cause you to do something dangerous. Appropriate documentation and information is an absolute must.

Was the cost as promised? Beware of suppliers who pad their shipping costs to the point it becomes a secondary profit center. Also make buyers from a considered company received what they wanted at the price to which they had agreed.

Was shipping prompt? Long delays in order fulfillment can be worrisome. It could be a sign of inadequate resources on the part of the company. At the very least, it is certainly a sign of subpart customer service.

Was customer support and assistance available? One should be able to quickly call and get necessary information and support from the sports car kit supplier. Do not enter into a purchase arrangement with an outfit that cannot answer your queries or is unwilling to do so.

These questions will get you the kind of answers you need to make an informed decision about your sports car kit investment.

You can also seek out information from kit car publications. There are magazine titles devoted completely to the replicar industry, and they can be a tremendous asset when determining with whom you would like to do business.

Finally, one of the best ways to make sure you will be buying what you want is to seek out finished examples of the kits under consideration. By looking at the finished product, you can be sure you will be investing in the kind and quality of kit you that really fits your needs.

Although car kit hobbyists are not as common as other sports car hobbyists, this interesting diversion is populated by a collection of helpful individuals and is supported by some solid publications. One need not enter into the purchase of a replicar sports car kit blindly. Do your research by asking the right questions and by evaluating the right resources and your replicar buying experience can be a productive one.

North American car culture is dominated by SUV’s, family sedans, and economy cars. Sports cars stand out in this crowd. There are many selling points for various types of automobiles, but sports cars are uniquely attractive for at least five reasons. (more…)

I love these cars made by small companies that most of us have never heard of.

The Seven is the original British lightweight sportscar. Originally created by Colin Chapman and launched as the Lotus 7 in 1957, the car embodies the Chapman design ethos of ‘adding lightness’. The low mass of the car makes it inherently agile, gives startling performance and, most of all, imbues the driving experience with its unparalleled sense of purity, control and reward. It is, quite simply, a motoring icon.

Caterham Cars has been selling the Seven since the late 1950’s. In 1973 Caterham purchased the rights to manufacture the car from Lotus, and has been building and selling it ever since. Over the decades Caterham have continued to refine and enhance the design, whilst always respecting the brilliance of the original formula.

Visit their website at Caterham Cars.

Farbio Sports Cars, formed in late 2004, has announced the start of production of its naturally aspirated and supercharged mid-engined Farbio GTS models. . The company is base dat Dyrham near Bath, where production is carried out on-site. The company is led by owner Chris Marsh, who has an extensive career in the motor racing and British sports car industry.

More details and photos at Farbio Sports Cars.

Standard Specification

- Full carbon fibre body
- Touch-screen control with satellite navigation, radio and bluetooth capability
- Electric windows
- Electric folding wing mirrors
- 19″ Multispoke alloy wheels
- Toyo Proxes T1-R low profile tyres
- 6-speed manual gearbox
- 4 pot AP racing brakes with vented discs
- Power assisted steering
- Air conditioning with climate control
- Sparco Milano reclining seats
- Heated rear screen
- Twin Exhaust
- Remote central locking
- Immobilizer
- Bespoke Leather Organiser Pouches (designed by Bill Amberg)

Engine
- 3 Litre V6
- 262 bhp
- 24 Valves
- Mid Engine

Steering
- Lock to lock: 2
- Turning Circle: 12.8m

Performance
- 0-60mph: 4.8 sec (Est.)
- Maximum Speed: 160+mph (Est.)

On a crisp October Saturday morning, dedicated Lotus enthusiasts met at Lipscomb Lotus to celebrate breaking the Guinness World Record for the highest number of cars in a parade, a record that was set at Brands Hatch on Sunday 28th January 2007. There were 313 Lotus cars involved.

The Jaguar XK150 was a sports car produced by Jaguar Cars between 1957 and 1961. It replaced the previous Jaguar XK140.

For more info and photos of this classic sports car, visit MotorBase

For photos of new Jaguar XKs, visit the Jaguar website.

A lot of people think that caring for convertible tops is an easy task, but they really aren’t. You have the tops themselves to be concerned with as well as whether your convertible has glass or plastic window.

There are two main types of cloth used in convertible tops today, Haartz cloth and Cambria. Both of these use two layers of cloth with rubber sandwiched between them which actually gives the waterproofing effect. The main issue is to keep the tops clean and out of the weather as much as possible.

The following tips are good guidelines to follow when caring for your convertible: (more…)

Sports cars are widely loved, but a quick survey of one’s morning commute will show they are not the most popular vehicle type on the road. Four door sedans, SUV’s, practical pickup trucks, and small economy cars dominate the automotive landscape. Sports cars seem to be an increasingly rare commodity. This is because other types of automobiles are increasingly able to take the best aspects of the sports car experience while avoiding some pitfalls inherent to the smaller speedsters.

For a long time, high performance was ruled by sports cars. Manufacturers used their sports car line to showcase new developments and design elements. Today, however, it appears many of these great qualities can be easily adapted to other car types. (more…)

Many car enthusiasts today make their vehicle look unique by installing custom tires and wheels. These days it is not rare to see these combinations costing over $1,500 per WHEEL! Multiply that by four and you have made a sizeable investment that warrants protecting.

If you are detailing the entire vehicle, then the tires and wheels should already be clean. You will probably find that you will have to wash your tires and wheels more often than the rest of the vehicle since they suffer from far more abuse on a day to day basis from road grime, brake dust and road tar. (more…)

Waterproof car covers are generally priced less than water repellant covers. The difference in price is not a fluke, nor is it an indicator of greater value from a waterproof cover purchase for your sports car. Water repellant covers are priced slightly higher simply because they can do a better job of protecting your sports car.

Even those with enclosed storage locations can benefit from the use of a car cover when the auto is not being used. A covered car in a garage is much less likely to be subjected to an inadvertent scratch, a child’s greasy handprint or any of the other assorted minor hazards that might be present. Dust accumulation is also reduced, which is both good for the sports car itself, and also assists in making cleanup easier before the car is returned to the road. (more…)