Nigel Dean, Kit Car magazine

Spreading the load

To those hardened kit car builders out there this will be second nature, but for the rest of us this tip is worth mentioning. When dealing with materials such as fibreglass and aluminium you are up against a problem. Both are relatively soft materials. Hence when dealing with either it’s essential to spread the load. Taking aluminium first, be it an inlet manifold or suspension upright, you must use large washers. That means under the head of the bolt and under the nut if one is present. Some builders like using spring washers rather than nylocs, which is fine, but remember to put the plain washer next to the aluminium surface. Most kit car bodies need bolting or riveting to the chassis. In other cases panels need bolting together. It’s best practice to make a steel strip to sandwich the fibreglass. This again acts like a large washer and avoids stressing the body and the possibility of cracking the gel coat.

Period switches

With the onset of SVA we saw an end to those lovely toggle switches across our dashboards. The problem was that they failed the minimum internal protrusion tests. This is why most kit cars are now equipped with Lucas style rocker switches as fitted to Minis in the 1980s. Read the SVA rules carefully and you will discover that use of the older style switches is still possible. Providing you place such items behind the steering wheel, almost anything goes. So if your replica has a large diameter wheel you still have the option of using those lovely chrome toggle switches.

Releasing Horsepower

Many builders will spend thousands on their engines to produce a few extra horsepower. However, many of us are strapped for cash and are looking for cheaper ways of making our chariots go faster. If you read any engine tuning book it will stress the importance of gas flow. In simple terms it’s referring to the ease at which inlet and outlet gases can get into and out of your engine. The smallest of obstructions can have considerable consequences! This is often seen when an aftermarket exhaust system is offered up to a cylinder head. Unless they have been matched by an engine tuner, which is unlikely, there will probably be a mismatch. However small this is, the end result will be lost horsepower. If the match is very poor you can easily be looking at double figures!

You should see this as an opportunity to invest a little time and reap some benefits at no cost. First make a paper template of the exhaust ports on your cylinder head. Offer this up to the exhaust manifold and any overlap will be immediately seen. Mark the areas that need fettling with an indelible pen. Using a file or miniature grinder, remove the areas marked with ink. An evening’s work and you have just released a few extra horses!

Setting up Suspension

It amazes me that we spend thousands of pounds building our cars and don’t go the extra mile to get them set up by the experts. Elsewhere in this issue I talk about rolling road sessions where power, fuel economy and emissions can be optimised. Another area often overlooked is suspension set-up. We like to brag that our cars have rosejointed wishbones, adjustable dampers and variable spring rates but who actually bothers to perfect these settings? Get any one of these wrong and the driving enjoyment can be totally ruined. Some manufacturers, such as DAX, offer a set-up service. This means that a customer’s car can be accurately measured, adjusted and then driven by the people that designed the car in the first place. The principle behind the idea is that all DAXs that have gone through this process will drive in a predictable and rewarding manner. In my opinion this is worth its weight in gold. Most manufacturers will offer such a service. If not, you should ask why.


Spreading the load To those hardened kit car builders out there this will be second nature, but for the rest of us this tip is worth mentioning. When dealing with materials such as fibreglass and aluminium you are up against a problem. Both are relatively soft materials. Hence when dealing with either it’s essential to spread the load. Taking aluminium first, be it an inlet manifold or suspension upright, you must use large washers. That means under the head of the bolt and under the nut if one is present. Some builders like using spring washers rather than nylocs, which is fine, but remember to put the plain washer next to the aluminium surface. Most kit car bodies need bolting or riveting to the chassis. In other cases panels need bolting together. It’s best practice to make a steel strip to sandwich the fibreglass. This again acts like a large washer and avoids stressing the body and the possibility of cracking the gel coat. Period switches With the onset of SVA we saw an end to those lovely toggle switches across our dashboards. The problem was that they failed the minimum internal protrusion tests. This is why most kit cars are now equipped with Lucas style rocker switches as fitted to Minis in the 1980s. Read the SVA rules carefully and you will discover that use of the older style switches is still possible. Providing you place such items behind the steering wheel, almost anything goes. So if your replica has a large diameter wheel you still have the option of using those lovely chrome toggle switches. Releasing Horsepower Many builders will spend thousands on their engines to produce a few extra horsepower. However, many of us are strapped for cash and are looking for cheaper ways of making our chariots go faster. If you read any engine tuning book it will stress the importance of gas flow. In simple terms it’s referring to the ease at which inlet and outlet gases can get into and out of your engine. The smallest of obstructions can have considerable consequences! This is often seen when an aftermarket exhaust system is offered up to a cylinder head. Unless they have been matched by an engine tuner, which is unlikely, there will probably be a mismatch. However small this is, the end result will be lost horsepower. If the match is very poor you can easily be looking at double figures! You should see this as an opportunity to invest a little time and reap some benefits at no cost. First make a paper template of the exhaust ports on your cylinder head. Offer this up to the exhaust manifold and any overlap will be immediately seen. Mark the areas that need fettling with an indelible pen. Using a file or miniature grinder, remove the areas marked with ink. An evening’s work and you have just released a few extra horses! Setting up Suspension It amazes me that we spend thousands of pounds building our cars and don’t go the extra mile to get them set up by the experts. Elsewhere in this issue I talk about rolling road sessions where power, fuel economy and emissions can be optimised. Another area often overlooked is suspension set-up. We like to brag that our cars have rosejointed wishbones, adjustable dampers and variable spring rates but who actually bothers to perfect these settings? Get any one of these wrong and the driving enjoyment can be totally ruined. Some manufacturers, such as DAX, offer a set-up service. This means that a customer’s car can be accurately measured, adjusted and then driven by the people that designed the car in the first place. The principle behind the idea is that all DAXs that have gone through this process will drive in a predictable and rewarding manner. In my opinion this is worth its weight in gold. Most manufacturers will offer such a service. If not, you should ask why.