Having had another crap weekend - dive charter cancelled last minute, so landbound all weekend - I have taken the first steps towards kit-car ownership... by installing a loft in my garage, ready to put most of the crap into, thereby creating space for a project.

What this has taught me is that very occasionally I get 8 hrs or so of "free" time, but as MarkB (veteran of this parish) and GiffS2K (Hi, pleased to meet you) have commented, not enough to get the job done. I think that ultimately, the build will have to be postponed until the kids bugger off to uni and/or I incur sufficient wrath from her indoors to get divorced. Until then, it'll be tinkering instead.

I am now looking on Pistonheads and elsewhere at lovely shiny cars and fighting the urge to just buy a 2000 vintage Clio 172 for under £2k and just mod the hell out of it. Mrs_6301 was significantly underwhelmed with that idea and even more so when I pointed out that at that price, I didn't even have to sell the Landy...

Ultimately, it's a 7 that I want. There's nothing quite like it. But now SWMBO is starting to be picky about things like "it must have a boot big enough for a weekend bag, rather than just a spare pair of knicks and a toothbrush to share between 2" and "it must have a windscreen and full weather gear", blah blah blah. Any suggestions on how to avoid turning it into a mobile gin palace?

 

Don't take your partner out in it and have it as a fun toy!

 

You will find that the windscreen is all but useless on a wet day.Some sort of head covering is a must even on a dry day if you have hair. The boot on a Westfield is big enough for a weekend and the seats need not be carbon shells! However, comfortable is not a word that I would use to describe a 7.

 

Coming from a similar situation I think you consider a late model Elise, a fantastic little car that you can use all year round and tinker with to your hearts content.
Child seats fit nicely in the Probax seats too.

 

I know something like this might not be allowed but this must seriously tempt you? I was very close to getting rid of the s2000 for it but have decided I need a windscreen and roof.

S2000 powered Dax Rush built to the highest standard...
http://pistonheads.com/sales/3736537.htm

 

Save yourself 2 years and a tonne of aggro and buy one of these! http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3905417.htm

 

Must admit, my first thought when I read Ian's update was 'Has to be Lotus then'.

 

Hi Ian good to see you back ! and having some fun while your at it if your selling the landrover let me know as i and quite a few friends are landrover nuts and id prob be able to help you sell it

 

Why don't you buy a built one near to your spec,save a ton of time and cash, strip it down
make it how you want to with the mass of cash you have saved.
My mate did this he bought one near to what he would have built,uprated, repaired and titivated
it up,and got on the road / track 18 months quicker,and Ks in his wallet,he also said he was
glad he did it this way, as 18 - 24 months not being able to drive it would have done his head in

 

Ahoy Ian!!!

Have you considered an MX5 Westfield? Autolink uk ltd near Winchester have just started theirs...might be worth taking a look to see what's involved

...or have you sacked the idea off completely?