When responding to NEWS items please mention totalkitcar…

One of the my personal all-time great cars…….is the Alpine A110, and although never officially imported to the UK, the diminutive little rear-engined car is surely one of the best vehicles in French automotive history. Alpine founder, Jean Rédélé (1922-2007) based his company in his hometown of Dieppe from 1955 until 1994, although they became part of Renault in 1973.

Launched in 1961 and also known as the Tour de France Berlinette, the A110 was an evolution of the A108, although featuring Renault 8 rather than Dauphine parts. Underpinned by an immensely strong tubular central backbone chassis with beautifully stylish GRP body, the A110 has at various times been compared to Simca 1000, Porsche 911, Lotus Elan and even Corvette.

Original engine choices were 1100cc Renault 8 Major and 1300cc V85 Gordini, the latter delivering 95bhp and 130mph performance.

The A110 enjoyed plenty of early seventies rallying success culminating in Monte Carlo rally victory in 1971 when driven by Ove Andersson.

By the time the car went out of production in 1977 some 7500 had been sold, although that figure rises to over 10,000 if the variety of licenced examples are included such as the Bulgarian ‘Bulgaralpine’!

When it comes to replicas, Davrian offered a clone of the A110 for a while some years ago, although news comes of a new replica version, from respected tuners, DTMPower.

DTM’s chief engineer, David Wedge told me that a customer approached them to build him a one-off A110 replica, although that has now turned into a short limited production run, which although not available in kit form are sure to be sought after. With an estimated five period Gordini engines left in the world (DTMPower own THREE of them!), they have decided to use Renault 21/Fuego-spec turbocharged engine, which produces around 250bhp in this installation, meaning performance should be outstanding.

More information from www.dtmpower.com (you’ll have to search their site to find details!) or by calling 01865 407 726 ENDS.

New Alpine A110 replica from DTMPower

Kit Parts Direct is the place................for a whole host of parts that are bound to be of interest to kitcar enthusiasts.

The company are part of the Great British Sportscars and their incredibly large range of components ticks the boxes for several categories including lighting, exhaust, suspension, engine management and cooling systems.

As you’d expect, prices are highly competitive and you don’t have to be building one of the GBS range of kits (2B, Lightweight, SuperSpec or New Zero) to take advantage.

Plus, there’s a rather innovative idea called the Privilege Card, which entitles the bearer to a useful 5 percent discount each time an order is placed with GBS or KPD.

More information from www.kitpartsdirect.com or call 01623 860 990 or for the Great British Sportscars site visit www.greatbritishsportscars.co.uk ENDS.

Kit Parts Direct sell er, kit parts direct! A lot of different products in fact and they're part of Great British Sportscars.

As mentioned last week…………….the name Simon Armstrong, has been cropping up a lot lately when conversations turn to ace engine tuners.

Simon cut his teeth at Weslake either side of obtaining a degree in Automotive Engineering & Design at Loughborough University.

He then moved to Illmor Engineering being responsible for their Mercedes F1 programme firstly with Sauber and then McLaren. Simon founded Ultimate Performance in 2003 and since then a growing band of manufacturers have used his services, in addition to owners, and the Tiger R6 I drove recently had a 2-litre Duratec superbly breathed on by Simon and now delivering a tasteful - and usable - 250bhp.

Ultimate Performance’s services include CNC Heads, CNC Head Porting and of course, engine building.

Lots of superb engine work available from Simon Armstrong at Ultimate Performance, including Vauxhall XE...

Their CNC Porting services swerves around old-fashioned hand fettling and uses top notch CNC machinery and CAD-CAM techniques, using their own Ultimate Port Design machining technology and each head is bespoke to the customer’s requirements although can be turned round in 10-days or less.

All Ultimate Performance CNC heads feature CNC-profiled valve seats but a seat cutting and seat replacement service is also available for those wanting the best at engine re-build time.

As well as custom build and parts services, Ultimate Performance also has a ‘menu’ of stock components. Off-the-shelf cylinder heads are available for a variety of engines including Vauxhall XE 2-litre (£1992), Suzuki Hayabusa (£1522), Zetec E ‘Blacktop’ (£1169), Ford Cosworth YB Turbo (£1404) and Ford Duratec HE (£1169).

All prices include VAT and assume that the customer supplies their own cylinder heads although a brand new package for the Duratec costs £1757 inc VAT and depending on specification can allow for up to 310bhp!

Further proof of the expertise involved is that several of the UK’s top engine builders use Simon’s components and expertise and what’s even better are the prices, which offer superb engineering know-how for value for money real world costs.

More information from www.ultimatep.com or 01604 771 221 ENDS.

...and Cossie YB (pictured), Zetec E 'Blacktop' and Duratec HE.

Caterham RS Levante – Sold Out………………despite the recent decline in car sales and consumer spending, all of the £115,000 plus Caterham-based Levante supercars scheduled for production have been sold.

Launched in Spring 2008, the Levante is the most powerful production Caterham ever, with only eight being hand-built by Hertfordshire-based RS Performance (Russell Savory) in association with Caterham Cars.

The Levante boasts RS Performance’s unique, in-house designed supercharged 500+bhp 2.4 litre V8 engine, housed in a modified version of the lightweight Caterham SV chassis. With close to 1000bhp-per-tonne, the figure is nearly double that of the Bugatti Veyron.

With its modern and aggressive interpretation of the Seven’s classic looks, the Levante possesses a sophisticated electronics package, including traction and launch control, to allow drivers to get the most from the incredible machine.

All new owners of Caterham RS models are required to attend a two-day advanced driving course on delivery of their machines.

Caterham sales & marketing director, Andy Noble, commented: ‘The fact that all eight Levantes have been sold so quickly comes as no surprise. Over the last 51 years, the Seven has created and met the demand for those searching for the purest form of driving available. For drivers looking for the ultimate, the Levante facilitates that by taking Colin Chapman’s original design to a staggering new level.’

In parallel to the success of the Caterham RS Levante, Caterham Cars enjoyed one of its best ever sales periods this summer thanks to the arrival of the critically acclaimed Superlight R500 and the expansion of the Academy race series from two to three grids for the 2009 season.

For more information visit www.caterham.co.uk, www.rsperformance.co.uk or call 01883 333 700 ENDS.

All eight £115,000 Caterham V8 Levantes have been sold...

Let them eat cake! Owners enjoying the Vindi-birthday bash.

Due to the huge amount of kitcars..........running Ford Pinto engines this next item maybe of interest to many.

Burton Power has just launched a rod and piston combination that is more suitable to high revving versions of the engine.

The H-section EN24V rods are manufactured to Burton’s-spec by Farndon Engineering and have been extended by 9mm over standard length, while the forged Accralite pistons are also shorter by the same amount, resulting in a lighter more compact design.

A smaller gudgeon pin has also been used to save further on weight.

The end result is an assembly that reduces angular movement of the con-rod by 6.2 percent, essential for a freer, high-revving engine.

Con-rod part number – FT244/535 - £174.75 inc VAT each.

Piston part number – FT135 - £145 inc VAT each.

Pistons are available in 90.93mm, 92mm and 93mm sizes.

More from www.burtonpower.com/totalkitcar or by calling 0208 518 9136 ENDS.

Pinto pistons and rods from Burton Power for saucy, high revving Pinto engines

Although the UK’s domestic motorsport season……….is drawing to a close the action will still be alive and kicking at Brands Hatch on November 22/23 for the London Motorsport Show incorporating Race Car Live!

The London Motorsport Show incorporating Race Car Live! will see a vast array of motorsport series on display from Pick-up Truck Racing to MINI Challenge and from Formula Ford to Radical. There’s even something for the ladies as online magazine Girl Racer will be on track with their female drivers and in the paddock promoting their latest range of motorsport clothing.

A number of manufacturers will be making announcements and revealing new products at the show including Radical Sportscars, which will have its whole range on display. Formula Palmer Audi will have drivers and cars from its FPA Series.

Earlier this year ADR performance racecars introduced the ADR3 in four different engine and powertrain specifications to meet market demand. On display will be the TS equipped with two seats and a Honda K20 engine and the RS equipped with a Ford 3.5-litre V6 engine offering the highest level of performance particularly suited to endurance racing.

Ginetta Cars will have its full model range present including its new car launched for the 2008 season, the 300bhp Ginetta G50, which has been one of British motorsport’s success stories with its own single-make championship, GT4 honours in British GT and success at Britcar including conquering 24 hours at Silverstone. Visitors will be able to take the car on track along with the Ginetta Junior and G20 cars.

Tiger Racing will be exhibiting their full range of seven models including the ERA30, so named because it measures a mere 30in in height. With its design inspiration taken from the Lotus 23 this is a modern day version of a racing classic.

Any visitor holding a current MSA licence (senior or junior classes) can go onto the circuit, while those without a license can still enjoy the thrills and speed of motorsport with a ‘hot ride’ where they ride in a car with a driver or they can test their skills on the kart track, both for a nominal fee.

The London Motorsport Show incorporating Race Car Live! is open from 9am until 5pm each day. Ticket prices range from £12 for an adult and £8 for concessions when purchased in advance. For the latest updates or to book tickets, visit www.londonmotorsport.co.uk. Companies interested in exhibiting should contact Philip Bunn on 01444 246 446 or email info@londonmotorsport.co.uk ENDS.

This year's London Motorsport Show incorporates Race Car Live! and takes place at Brands Hatch.

A manufacturer keeping a low profile of late……..Aero Cycle Cars, run by Arthur Rayner were in touch recently with news of developments and a bit of an update.

Formerly known as BRA Merlin Cars, the company’s range consists of the glorious CX3 and the MG3, which differs in using a Moto Guzzi engine in lieu of a Honda CX500.

With Honda units un-available new the only option is to obtain a secondhand one, which is why, according to Arthur, the majority of customers now opt for the Guzzi unit, which can be had for circa £2400 re-conditioned or from £4000 brand new. Alternatively, if Honda CX is a must-have, the well-known V-Twin tuner, Sam Day, can build you a Honda CX motor if you desire – ask for details.

Kit prices for both models start at £6456 inc VAT with fully built CX3s from £8995 and MG3s from £12,995 and various upgrade options are available including a Bailey Morris propshaft and Nova Racing reverse gearbox, which adds £725 to the bottom line.

For more details contact the company via www.aerocyclecars.com or 01273 849 749 ENDS. 

Aero Cycle Cars supply the BRA CX3 and MG3 kits and fully built cars.

For those of us who have spent much………..time and effort trying to install difficult to reach bulbs or fuses, this new tool is a must.

Agriemach has introduced the BULB AND FUSE PLIERS into their ever expanding range of specialist tools. The pliers are specifically designed to remove and install hard to reach bulbs and fuses and are ideal for servicing small instrument cluster bulbs, as well as xenon, halogen and filament bulbs.

By using the pliers, damage to the bulb or fuse is avoided, which fingers and thumbs or screwdrivers can cause. Also avoided is the danger of dropping the bulb as you struggle to fit it in a confined space.

The pliers feature a moulded plastic body with cushioned inserts embedded in the tips to protect the bulb.

At only £9.87 incl. VAT it is a must for any vehicle restorer or workshop (PMD3060).

More information from www.agriemach.com or 01342 713 743 ENDS.           

Handy bulb pliers from Agriemach

Bosch is claiming a world first…….with its launch of the ingenious UNEO - a cordless screw-driver, drill and rotary hammer all in one tool.

Weighing only 1.1kg and no bigger than an A5 sheet of paper, this compact power pack makes light work of screw-driving, hammering and drilling - even through concrete - thanks to its pneumatic hammer mechanism and lithium-ion battery.

Fitting a curtain rail, installing a light fixture, assembling kitchen furniture or putting up shelves usually demands several different tools plus a mains cable: a drill for drilling holes in wood or metal; a rotary hammer for fixings in hard concrete walls;  and a screw-driver for joining the parts together.

The cordless UNEO completes all of these drilling and screw-driving tasks in one - it will cover 90 percent of all DIY jobs in the average home and tackles masonry, concrete, metal, wood and plastic with equal ease. And you don't have to get off your stepladder mid-job! It’ll also come in handy for automotive jobs, too.

Moreover, there is no trailing cable to trip over because the UNEO runs on a powerful 14.4 Volt lithium-ion battery.  Lightweight and small, it recharges as quickly as a mobile phone and is protected by Electronic Cell Protection (ECP) to guard against overload, overheating or total discharge.  The charging process itself prevents any overcharge of the cells, extending battery life.

...including, well, you name it, really!

One hundred screws can be driven with one battery charge. There is a red and a green LED light to help check the charge levels - red indicates low battery, green is good to go. Two further LED arrows show whether forward or reverse operation has been selected, handy when screw-driving.

The multi-functional Bosch UNEO boasts a pneumatic hammer mechanism with the smallest ever dimensions, giving you maximum power in extremely small spaces.  The single impact force of 0.9 joules at 4800 blows per minute speaks for itself.

Another new feature is the drill bit holder:  the SDS-Quick system for fast bit changes.  Drill or screw-driver bits can be inserted quickly and conveniently - simply insert the drill bit, let it engage and off you go. 

The innovative, miniaturised UNEO comes ready for use with two masonry/concrete drill bits (6mm and 8mm); two hex-shank drill bits for wood and metal (5mm and 6mm); and four long screwdriver bits.

The UNEO set is available at B&Q NOW at a recommended retail price of £119.99 inc VAT. The perfect Christmas gift for the DIY-er in the house! For more information visit: www.bosch-do-it.co.uk/diy or call 0844 736 0107 ENDS.

New Bosch UNEO tool is useful for a multitude of jobs...

As the crunchy credit bites……………..fewer motorists are buying new vehicles. Keeping your old car on the road and fitting re-manufactured car parts for repairs can save motorists a small fortune on motoring claims a new report.

A new power steering rack for a vehicle can cost over £1000 from a dealership, while a re-manufactured unit can cost under £250.

The product guarantee is the same. Similar savings can be made on other vehicle parts such as driveshafts, alternators, starter motors and brake calipers.

Fitting re-manufactured parts not only saves cash, it helps the UK economy as most parts are produced in the UK.
Mail order specialist, Car Parts Direct supplies one of the largest ranges of re-manufactured car parts in the UK. Sales of their range has more than doubled in the last year.

Growth has been helped by increasingly expensive new parts arriving from Europe where currency exchange rates have made imported car parts even more expensive.

According to Car Parts Direct, it’s not just the price. Obtaining a new part for some vehicles can prove difficult at any cost. Mark Cornwall of Car Parts Direct said: “We regularly supply re-manufactured parts to franchised dealers because they cannot obtain the part from their own dealership network. A power steering rack can costs upwards of £1000 from a franchised dealer – a fully re-manufactured part carries the same guarantee and costs around 75 percent less – when the part comes out of the box you would never believe it’s been re-manufactured!”

Car Parts Direct uses six dedicated re-manufacturing plants in the UK. If the part required is not available a customer's existing part is collected, delivered in to the factory, fully re-manufactured, then returned back to the customer on an overnight courier service – the part is covered by a full two-year manufacturer's warranty.

The Car Parts Direct ‘round-robin’ re-manufacturing service usually takes three days and is used regularly by franchised car dealers, garages and even motorists carrying out their own repairs. A full range of remanufactured steering racks, driveshafts, brake calipers, alternators and starter motors is available to buy online at www.carparts-direct.co.uk or call 08719 181 800 ENDS.

Car Parts Direct sell all manner of value for money re-manufactured parts...

In a market full of ‘me too’ wheels…………the latest design from Fondmetal’s Technology Line, the stunning Tech 6, comes as a breath of fresh air. Once again the Italian wheel maestro’s have turned to their F1-winning knowledge and design capabilities to add a sharp new twist to the classic five-spoke genre.

While the looks, clean lines and flawless build quality are what driving enthusiasts have come to expect from Fondmetal’s finest work, the unique detachable chrome highlighted trims with their stainless steel inserts add a degree of personalisation and stack of style. Many hours and miles of extensive testing ensure that these inserts can handle any amount of extreme temperature abuse, even if handed out by the hardest of high-performance brake kits.

Available in black and silver diamond-cut finishes and in 17in, 18in and 19in almost all five-stud applications are covered. An extensive array of widths are available to cater for all tyre requirements and to allow staggered RWD fitments.

Prices start at just £185 inc VAT for the 17in version. One of the easiest ways to get Italian style on your driveway.

For more information on the Fondmetal range, contact them on 01530 517 920 or click to www.fondmetal.com ENDS.

Sexy new wheel range from Fondmetal