THE PROJECT INGREDIENTS

Kit In Australia we have a variety of kits which makes choosing one the first hurdle in a long project riddled with hurdles. All of the kits look similar but they do have their distinct differences and reputations.

My choice will largely be dictated by the following -

> Quality | It must fit well and be made up of as many new parts as possible.
> Weight | It's all about the weight. Quick and nimble is the order of the day.
> Suspension | It must have an ideal platform for quality suspension to excel.

With that in mind I have narrowed my search down to two kits and I would be happy with either of them sitting in my garage. The price for either kit comes to about the same empty pocket. The only difference being the suspension which might be the deciding factor. Both kits look fantastic and are made up of high quality parts although some second hand recondition parts are used as well. A decision does not have to be made immediately so for now I'll keep reading and looking out for track days I can attend. Who knows, I might even find a second hand car which could be too tempting to overlook...
Engine After balancing budgets, researching a variety of engines and almost purchasing one I have come full circle to my original choice, the venerable Toyota 4A-GE 20 Valve Black Top.

The cheap thrills these engines provide is irresistible - much like their throaty, one could say almost sensual, induction noise. Used in all manner of conversions they are one of the most popular engines of choice for the budget conscious racer with a multitude of readily available performance parts. No one can doubt, they truly are a road version of the Cosworth BDA racing engine.

Displacement - 1587cc
Valve train - DOHC 4 Cylinder, 20 Valve, 1.6L
Horsepower - 165 HP @ 7800 RPM
Torque - 120 LBS-FT @ 5200 RPM
Compression - 11.0:1
Fuel - EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection)
Bore - 81mm Stroke: 77mm
Gearbox The Type 9 was the first 5 speed RWD gearbox built by Ford. Its small size and readily available parts makes it a suitable and popular choice for kit car builders. There are all sorts of gears in a variety of ratios. Fancy a sequential Quaife? The T9 weighs around 33kg without bellhousing.

Other possible gearboxes for my build include the popular Toyota W55 to W58 range. They have an all alloy casing with proven strength. The major difference between them is the ratios with the W58 being the pick of the bunch and known as a close ratio. Certainly Toyota favours this gearbox as they've used it in some of their more powerful cars. Dry weight comes in at around 35kg.

Yet another Toyota option is the T50. These are rated lower than the examples above but their attraction lies in their weight and the fact that they are an original fit to the 4AGE engine I will be using. They use an all alloy split casing and weigh a mere 27kg!
Suspension Suspension text
Brakes Brakes text
Interior Let us not kid ourselves. These cars are not meant for comfort. With that in mind I fail to see the point of things like carpet. If I can get away with it I'll run a stripped interior with glass bucket seats. The weight saving is not going to be huge but that's besides the point. I will not be touring across Australia and I will not need sound deadening because... well, there's no roof and I can literally touch the exhaust if I hang my hand out the side. OK so maybe some trim will go a long way in making it look good as it will hide the chassis but then again showing a bit of chassis might look good as well.

Initially I was concerned about not using a windscreen because of the increased amount of wind and the possibility of flying objects hitting you square in the face. Happy to report that after a ride in a car without a windscreen I wouldn't have it any other way. It is so much fun! That and it saves a lot of weight by not using the heavy glass and required motors for the wipers and water bottle.

I can already picture the dash in carbon fiber with white dials much like the one to the left. I really love the clean look of white dials surrounded by black. The contrast is second to none.
Kit Engine Gearbox Suspension Brakes Interior

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