KIT cars in India

canonball · 30th January 2009, 13:52

You can import a kit and pay 35% duty on the kit for certians makes. So for eg if you have a VW beetle registered in India you can import any kit from an offical manufacturer of kits for beetles. I have done all the research and almost shipped in a 356 speedster kit from Vintage Speedster in California checked all the formalities and got into it so deeply and blindly until I realised the impractical side of driviing and owning a convertible in Mumbai I figured it would just endup being a in my garage and a much talked about party topic than really being used. May be one of the reason it sells well in california open top climate/your face does not get black/environment conducive

So makes like ford cortina/VW/Pontiac Fiero - lambo...etc have registered kit builders for them and those can be passed through customs VW being the easiast of them all as customs widely accepts aftermarket manufactured parts as the beetle is not in production anymore

shindha · 1st February 2011, 04:30

Hello All,
I was wondering if there are any Kit cars (replica’s) in India. My interest in Kit cars is as old as I can remember. For those of you who might not be familiar with kit cars – let me explain / introduce kit cars, firstly they are not Toys or not in the sense of childrens toys, most kits are exactly as they say. They come in modules and are constructed in a similar fashion to an Airfix kit. Some kit cars are built from plans or ad-hoc individual designs and some are supplied by companies manufacturing everything for builders to put together in their own time and at their own pace – either with everything bought from one company or from any where the builder prefers to source the parts from new or second hand.

One of the most popular builds in the United Kingdom from kit is the Westfield 7 and from plans is the Locost seven based on a book written by Ron Champion. These are based on the Lotus Seven car which was made famous by the late sixties TV series called Prisoner.

I always wanted an AC Cobra replica when I was younger but gradually grew out of it and began my journey into Westfield’s. One of the main reasons that drew me to the Westfield seven was the beauty of the car and it being relatively easy to build, from readily available parts from Ford cars such as the Cortina and Sierra. The other reason being the company is based close to where I live, so one day I went to the company had a test drive and was instantly in love with the car, everything was great the way the car handled, looked and sounded.

I sourced a chassis; a Cortina and a Sierra started to build the car, and then sold it (part built) due to business and family commitments. Then when I had the opportunity bought a ready built car, which I still own. I recently bought a chassis that somebody had started to build but didn’t get very far with (in fact only put the aluminium panels’ on the chassis); this is for my son as he wants to be a mechanic.

This little intro is to get like minded people on Team- BHP interested and asking questions and giving their own opinions and views on this subject. I have hyperlinked to some relevant resources hope they work if not I will put some links up.

In the UK there is a whole industry based on these cars, they have to pass some very stringent testing and regulation before they can be registered and driven on the roads – the test is called the IVA test and is managed by VOSA.

Regards Shindha

Mpower · 1st February 2011, 05:48

Welcome to the forum. Been thinking of a Caterham myself.

Since there is no concept similar to SVA, getting one of these registered legally is impossible. Add to that, people generally prefer 4 door hatch/sedans that can give decent mileage. I am disappointed that we don't even have a 2 door hot hatch culture.

RS_DEL · 1st February 2011, 08:43

There is an outfit in Mumbai which per their website offers replica(correct word?) of the Caterham. I have no clue if they are a credible organisation or not and whether such vehicles are road legal. I am pasting below the url to their website for anyone inclined to investigate this company and it's offerings further.

Welcome to Chinkara Motors

indianv2 · 1st February 2011, 09:58

I had the experience of being driven in a Lotus Seven in Canton, Ohio. All office colleagues were going out for lunch that day. On knowing that I would be driven in the Lotus, people on their way out wished me luck. Only one word describes the experience... WOAH!

It was mostly hand crafted with all bits and pieces running really well. An office colleague owned it. He is an automobile enthusiast with a collection of over 8 cars including a FedEx van and a big big boat

He is a graphics artist with a passion for sailing!

ACM · 1st February 2011, 10:44

There is already a seperate thread on chinkara motors that also details why their products don't make sense.

There don't seem to be any legal kit cars out there. There through are many ATV options if this is just for the fun of it.

shindha · 2nd February 2011, 04:03

My message was put up to instigate some debate on the subject, but it does not seem to have the effect as most people seem to desire practical cars and cars from major manufacturers.

The kit car would require building (hand crafting) by people themselves and would be more for the driving experience. These cars would be mainly track weapons, this is what most of these are meant to be as affordable race cars or track day cars. There is a race series for the Westfield’s – organised and run by the club (WSCC) members, where cars with different engines i.e. car engines of differing sizes and configurations and bike engine cars all compete within different classes. I do feel that these are cars for the real hardcore enthusiasts – not about creature comforts at all.

Are there any amateur race series run in India?

I like what Chinkara are trying to do, but they are not offering true kits. But I do not know about much of the registration procedures in India but as mentioned using the ID of another vehicle for registration would be a good route, this used to be done over here as well a long time ago.

Please have a look at the hyperlink destinations as I think they are very informative, and I hope they may stir that petrol in your veins and cause explosions in the cylinders of your heart to go and have a go at something different.

Mpower · 2nd February 2011, 05:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by shindha

Are there any amateur race series run in India?

I like what Chinkara are trying to do, but they are not offering true kits. But I do not know about much of the registration procedures in India but as mentioned using the ID of another vehicle for registration would be a good route, this used to be done over here as well a long time ago.

I think it has to due with cultural & socio economic and differences. Labour is cheap in India and middle class people dont have large garages/barns to wrench on their cars. Forget building, enthusiasts generally do not even bother changing oil by themselves.

I would like to at least see fully built cars sold to customers and like you said for a one make series...but not much market for that either.

shindha · 2nd February 2011, 14:46

I for one have been meddling with anything mechanical since I could hold a screw driver, I would love to see people more envolved in improving the cars and generally having a go at making them handle better and go faster. You don't need a big garage or a lot of money just love, passion and enthusiasm.

The Dictionary definition of Enthusiasm
en·thu·si·asm

–noun 1. absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies.

2. an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown: Hunting is his latest enthusiasm.

3. any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.

foby.sebastian · 2nd October 2012, 11:53

Not so commonly seen in India as far as my humble little knowledge is aware of. Thought of having a thread on the topic Kit Car.

Mods : - please merge the thread if it already exsists. I was not able find one on my quick search.

A kit car, also known as a "component car", is a vehicle that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf. Usually, many of the major mechanical systems such as the engine and power train are sourced from donor vehicles or purchased from other vendors new. Kits vary in completeness ranging from as little as a book of plans to a complete set with all components included.
There is a sub-set of kit cars, commonly referred to as a "re-body" in which a commercially manufactured vehicle has a new (often fiberglass) body put on the running chassis. Most times, the existing drive gear and interior are retained. These kits require less technical knowledge from the builder and as the chassis and mechanical systems were designed, built and tested by a major automotive manufacturer can also lead to a much higher degree of safety and reliability.
The definition of a kit car usually indicates that a manufacturer constructs multiple kits of the same vehicle which they then in turn sell. This should not be confused with 'hand built cars' or 'Special' cars, which are typically built from scratch by an individual.

To start with a typical and beautiful looking Kit car a replica of "1942 Model Morgan" spotted at vagamon(Kerala) there is also one more which i have seen at Changanassery(Kerala).

There are few more kit cars in kerala.

Also I have seen one in Bangalore.

foby.sebastian · 2nd October 2012, 14:04

Missed this Snap of the Kit car based on 118NE platform

2nd October 2012, 15:03

Wow...Nice stuff man.
Now i see my dream comming true. i can get a Mustang body with a 1.6 TDI engine of vento or 1.3 MJD

but i have lots of questions...

WHo will give the guarrentee or warranty?
what about extended warranty?
Who would be the authorised service station?
How will the RTO approach these vehicles?
in case of theft, they can be dismantled easily. isnt it? how will the insurance companies react?
Will the ARAi permit these sorts of vehicles? homologation process and other stuff...

The concept seems good on paper. however in reality, it has too many complications which might not permit it to the real worid. Lets wait and see.

FourWheelDrift · 3rd October 2012, 13:11

@foby.sebastian : you should have a look at the following 2 threads ...

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ars-india.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...i-seaface.html

v12 · 24th November 2016, 15:59

Saw this modified Zen today (guessing the base car is a Zen based on the interiors).

Rehaan · 10th February 2020, 16:29

Spotted this in Mumbai a few weeks back.

Apparently has a BMW V12 under the hood!

If anyone has a suggestion for a better thread the share this in, please report this post

30th January 2009, 13:52	#16
canonball Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,466 Thanked: 205 Times View My Garage	You can import a kit and pay 35% duty on the kit for certians makes. So for eg if you have a VW beetle registered in India you can import any kit from an offical manufacturer of kits for beetles. I have done all the research and almost shipped in a 356 speedster kit from Vintage Speedster in California checked all the formalities and got into it so deeply and blindly until I realised the impractical side of driviing and owning a convertible in Mumbai I figured it would just endup being a in my garage and a much talked about party topic than really being used. May be one of the reason it sells well in california open top climate/your face does not get black/environment conducive So makes like ford cortina/VW/Pontiac Fiero - lambo...etc have registered kit builders for them and those can be passed through customs VW being the easiast of them all as customs widely accepts aftermarket manufactured parts as the beetle is not in production anymore
	() Thanks

1st February 2011, 04:30	#17
shindha Newbie Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 14 Thanked: 5 Times	Kit Cars Hello All, I was wondering if there are any Kit cars (replica’s) in India. My interest in Kit cars is as old as I can remember. For those of you who might not be familiar with kit cars – let me explain / introduce kit cars, firstly they are not Toys or not in the sense of childrens toys, most kits are exactly as they say. They come in modules and are constructed in a similar fashion to an Airfix kit. Some kit cars are built from plans or ad-hoc individual designs and some are supplied by companies manufacturing everything for builders to put together in their own time and at their own pace – either with everything bought from one company or from any where the builder prefers to source the parts from new or second hand. One of the most popular builds in the United Kingdom from kit is the Westfield 7 and from plans is the Locost seven based on a book written by Ron Champion. These are based on the Lotus Seven car which was made famous by the late sixties TV series called Prisoner. I always wanted an AC Cobra replica when I was younger but gradually grew out of it and began my journey into Westfield’s. One of the main reasons that drew me to the Westfield seven was the beauty of the car and it being relatively easy to build, from readily available parts from Ford cars such as the Cortina and Sierra. The other reason being the company is based close to where I live, so one day I went to the company had a test drive and was instantly in love with the car, everything was great the way the car handled, looked and sounded. I sourced a chassis; a Cortina and a Sierra started to build the car, and then sold it (part built) due to business and family commitments. Then when I had the opportunity bought a ready built car, which I still own. I recently bought a chassis that somebody had started to build but didn’t get very far with (in fact only put the aluminium panels’ on the chassis); this is for my son as he wants to be a mechanic. This little intro is to get like minded people on Team- BHP interested and asking questions and giving their own opinions and views on this subject. I have hyperlinked to some relevant resources hope they work if not I will put some links up. In the UK there is a whole industry based on these cars, they have to pass some very stringent testing and regulation before they can be registered and driven on the roads – the test is called the IVA test and is managed by VOSA. Regards Shindha Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

1st February 2011, 05:48	#18
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,729 Times View My Garage	Re: Kit Cars Welcome to the forum. Been thinking of a Caterham myself. Since there is no concept similar to SVA, getting one of these registered legally is impossible. Add to that, people generally prefer 4 door hatch/sedans that can give decent mileage. I am disappointed that we don't even have a 2 door hot hatch culture.
	() Thanks

1st February 2011, 08:43	#19
RS_DEL BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: N Delhi Posts: 407 Thanked: 201 Times	Re: Kit Cars There is an outfit in Mumbai which per their website offers replica(correct word?) of the Caterham. I have no clue if they are a credible organisation or not and whether such vehicles are road legal. I am pasting below the url to their website for anyone inclined to investigate this company and it's offerings further. Welcome to Chinkara Motors
	() Thanks

1st February 2011, 09:58	#20
indianv2 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 61 Thanked: 25 Times	Re: Kit Cars I had the experience of being driven in a Lotus Seven in Canton, Ohio. All office colleagues were going out for lunch that day. On knowing that I would be driven in the Lotus, people on their way out wished me luck. Only one word describes the experience... WOAH! It was mostly hand crafted with all bits and pieces running really well. An office colleague owned it. He is an automobile enthusiast with a collection of over 8 cars including a FedEx van and a big big boat He is a graphics artist with a passion for sailing!
	() Thanks

1st February 2011, 10:44	#21
ACM Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,745 Thanked: 4,361 Times View My Garage	Re: Kit Cars There is already a seperate thread on chinkara motors that also details why their products don't make sense. There don't seem to be any legal kit cars out there. There through are many ATV options if this is just for the fun of it.
	() Thanks

2nd February 2011, 04:03	#22
shindha Newbie Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 14 Thanked: 5 Times	Re: Kit cars in india? My message was put up to instigate some debate on the subject, but it does not seem to have the effect as most people seem to desire practical cars and cars from major manufacturers. The kit car would require building (hand crafting) by people themselves and would be more for the driving experience. These cars would be mainly track weapons, this is what most of these are meant to be as affordable race cars or track day cars. There is a race series for the Westfield’s – organised and run by the club (WSCC) members, where cars with different engines i.e. car engines of differing sizes and configurations and bike engine cars all compete within different classes. I do feel that these are cars for the real hardcore enthusiasts – not about creature comforts at all. Are there any amateur race series run in India? I like what Chinkara are trying to do, but they are not offering true kits. But I do not know about much of the registration procedures in India but as mentioned using the ID of another vehicle for registration would be a good route, this used to be done over here as well a long time ago. Please have a look at the hyperlink destinations as I think they are very informative, and I hope they may stir that petrol in your veins and cause explosions in the cylinders of your heart to go and have a go at something different.
	() Thanks

2nd February 2011, 14:46	#24
shindha Newbie Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 14 Thanked: 5 Times	Re: Kit cars in india? I for one have been meddling with anything mechanical since I could hold a screw driver, I would love to see people more envolved in improving the cars and generally having a go at making them handle better and go faster. You don't need a big garage or a lot of money just love, passion and enthusiasm. The Dictionary definition of Enthusiasm en·thu·si·asm –noun 1. absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies. 2. an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown: Hunting is his latest enthusiasm. 3. any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy. Last edited by GTO : 3rd February 2011 at 17:22. Reason: Removing formatting errors
	() Thanks

2nd October 2012, 11:53	#25
foby.sebastian Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Thrissur/Kochi Posts: 2,693 Thanked: 2,836 Times View My Garage	Kit cars spotted in India Not so commonly seen in India as far as my humble little knowledge is aware of. Thought of having a thread on the topic Kit Car. Mods : - please merge the thread if it already exsists. I was not able find one on my quick search. A kit car, also known as a "component car", is a vehicle that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf. Usually, many of the major mechanical systems such as the engine and power train are sourced from donor vehicles or purchased from other vendors new. Kits vary in completeness ranging from as little as a book of plans to a complete set with all components included. There is a sub-set of kit cars, commonly referred to as a "re-body" in which a commercially manufactured vehicle has a new (often fiberglass) body put on the running chassis. Most times, the existing drive gear and interior are retained. These kits require less technical knowledge from the builder and as the chassis and mechanical systems were designed, built and tested by a major automotive manufacturer can also lead to a much higher degree of safety and reliability. The definition of a kit car usually indicates that a manufacturer constructs multiple kits of the same vehicle which they then in turn sell. This should not be confused with 'hand built cars' or 'Special' cars, which are typically built from scratch by an individual. To start with a typical and beautiful looking Kit car a replica of "1942 Model Morgan" spotted at vagamon(Kerala) there is also one more which i have seen at Changanassery(Kerala). There are few more kit cars in kerala. Also I have seen one in Bangalore. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by foby.sebastian : 2nd October 2012 at 12:14. Reason: adding one more snap
	(3) Thanks

2nd October 2012, 14:04	#26
foby.sebastian Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Thrissur/Kochi Posts: 2,693 Thanked: 2,836 Times View My Garage	Re: Kit cars spotted in India Missed this Snap of the Kit car based on 118NE platform Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

2nd October 2012, 15:03	#27
gemi_kk Posts: n/a	Re: Kit cars spotted in India Wow...Nice stuff man. Now i see my dream comming true. i can get a Mustang body with a 1.6 TDI engine of vento or 1.3 MJD but i have lots of questions... WHo will give the guarrentee or warranty? what about extended warranty? Who would be the authorised service station? How will the RTO approach these vehicles? in case of theft, they can be dismantled easily. isnt it? how will the insurance companies react? Will the ARAi permit these sorts of vehicles? homologation process and other stuff... The concept seems good on paper. however in reality, it has too many complications which might not permit it to the real worid. Lets wait and see.
	(1) Thanks

3rd October 2012, 13:11	#28
FourWheelDrift BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mumbai/PNW Posts: 630 Thanked: 555 Times	Re: Kit cars spotted in India @foby.sebastian : you should have a look at the following 2 threads ... http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ars-india.html http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...i-seaface.html
	(1) Thanks

24th November 2016, 15:59	#29
v12 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 6,739 Thanked: 7,212 Times View My Garage	Re: KIT cars in India Saw this modified Zen today (guessing the base car is a Zen based on the interiors). Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

10th February 2020, 16:29	#30
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,039 Thanked: 34,069 Times	Re: KIT cars in India Spotted this in Mumbai a few weeks back. Apparently has a BMW V12 under the hood! If anyone has a suggestion for a better thread the share this in, please report this post Last edited by Rehaan : 10th February 2020 at 16:31.
	(2) Thanks