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Old 12-08-2012, 06:10 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Eco kit car?

Hi all,

I was wondering, does anyone know if there's a company out there that makes an eco kit car?

Light weight, aerodynamic, with maybe a small diesel car as the donor... for example?

I've had a bit of a search and there are one or two where people who have put diesel engines in a kit cars but they were very custom affairs.

Anyone???

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Old 12-08-2012, 06:40 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Something like a Lotus Seven/Caterham kit car with a nice aero body? I've been thinking about for quite some time, dreaming more or less. Those things weigh almost nothing and I guess a small TDI will bring IT very goor mileage! And still pretty fast with it's aprox. 500 kilograms.
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Old 12-08-2012, 07:01 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Would anybody be interested in open source designing one?
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Old 12-08-2012, 07:13 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Jim, I think me and you need to have an email discussion, our minds seem to go the same direction as far as a custom build is concerned.

As far as an eco kit car, I don't think the ones that are produced would be within anyone's realistic budget, the few I've seen are $16,000 or so PLUS a Miata or similar donor car.

Have you checked out CAD Product Design Consultant | DIY Product Design and Development | Robert Q Riley Enterprises ?
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Old 12-08-2012, 07:36 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Hate to throw a wet towel on this, but liability issues in todays world would have you done before you begun.

Seriously, think about how things would go down when someone is hurt or killed in an accident while driving the Kit car, or the person hit by the kit car, or, anyone else within 30 miles of the kit car before, during, or after the accident....mental anguish and all.

Go ahead and talk to an insurance expert before you begin, make it your first stop. Make an attorney your second stop.
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Old 12-08-2012, 07:45 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChazInMT View Post
Hate to throw a wet towel on this, but liability issues in todays world would have you done before you begun.

Seriously, think about how things would go down when someone is hurt or killed in an accident while driving the Kit car, or the person hit by the kit car, or, anyone else within 30 miles of the kit car before, during, or after the accident....mental anguish and all.

Go ahead and talk to an insurance expert before you begin, make it your first stop. Make an attorney your second stop.
This isn't an issue, I live in the UK. After the appropriate tests, the car will be road legal and perfectly insurable.
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:25 PM   #7 (permalink)
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An eco kit car is in the works.

The Pursuit of 100 MPG: Meet Jack McCornack, DIY Car Wizard

Here is the link for the ecomodder discussion about the car.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ody-11009.html]

Kinetic Vehicles
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Old 12-08-2012, 08:34 PM   #8 (permalink)
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here you go
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...i-14154-2.html
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Third: Full underbelly pan
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...q45-11402.html

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http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post247938
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Old 12-09-2012, 11:56 AM   #9 (permalink)
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Simple.

Just sell the kit as "parts." Make sure the end purchaser (or somebody other than the kit manufacturer) does 51% of the work getting the vehicle roadable, and thus becomes the "manufacturer" of the vehicle, NOT the kit manufacturer.

This has been employed to great success in the U.S. "kitplane" experimental aviation segment, allowing for vibrant kit sales at a time when liability claims mostly shut down factory-built general aviation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChazInMT View Post
Hate to throw a wet towel on this, but liability issues in todays world would have you done before you begun.

Seriously, think about how things would go down when someone is hurt or killed in an accident while driving the Kit car, or the person hit by the kit car, or, anyone else within 30 miles of the kit car before, during, or after the accident....mental anguish and all.

Go ahead and talk to an insurance expert before you begin, make it your first stop. Make an attorney your second stop.
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Old 12-09-2012, 04:42 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcrews
here you go
New Kit Car for jetta w/ TDI
I'd found and read through that thread the other day. It seems like an excellent idea. No posts since 201102, have you heard any news?

I'd like to see the Venn diagram that sorts out Smyth Performance, Factory Five Racing and Local Motors.

Smurf & HydroJim -- ==>Local Motors<==

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