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Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Hi Everyone,
Before posting anywhere else I thought I would introduce myself and say hello.
After many years of car ownership I have finally decided it's about time I actually built one and so I set out last month to find a car and a kit that appealed to me. It didn't take long to come to the conclusion that a Strato's replica was what I really wanted.
I grew up watching the Lancia dominate rallying and had a poster of one on my bedroom wall so the shape and design of the Strato's has always been a favourite. Some online research confirmed my decision and I was then faced with the dilemma of a Hawk or a Lister Bell.
i was drawn to the Lister Bell and at the beginning of the week went to see Craig to talk about the car. I was hooked within minutes and by that evening had paid the deposit and am now facing the agonising wait for the chassis, engine and suspension packages to be ready.
The 9 month wait will be agonising but I have plenty to learn and parts to collect in the meantime to keep me busy. In fact, I am already the proud owner of an Alfa 166 3l 24 valve V6 courtesy of Ebay! Lucky for me I'm intending to use it as a donor as the Cat C repair was not entirely successful as witnessed by a cork screwing motion to the car at speeds above 60mph. Engine and gearbox are spot on though so I'm a happy camper:-)
So, I look forward to joining in on both on the forum and also at any events, meets etc that occur. I have a lot to learn as I've already said and any and all help will be gratefully received. I also hope I can contribute to the forum too and intend to document my build as a lesson on how not to do it for others to see!
Regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Welcome to the Forum & to Future Stratos Ownership. Good Choice of Kit - Definately the easiest one to build... Which Body Style are you going for or is that not decieded yet?
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
turbonutter
Welcome to the Forum & to Future Stratos Ownership. Good Choice of Kit - Definately the easiest one to build.
I'll second Neils comments. There's no end of things to be doing while waiting for the kit to arrive. Time will fly by.
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Welome to the group ; am just at one week to finish to wait on the delivery schedule and I can tell you that you can do a lot of sourcing during your wait time and this allow to spend less money in "ebaying " carefully and slowly not rushing into crazy bids for door handle or watever other rare parts
Are you into a stradale or GR4 project ?
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
turbonutter
Welcome to the Forum & to Future Stratos Ownership. Good Choice of Kit - Definately the easiest one to build... Which Body Style are you going for or is that not decieded yet?
Thank you for the welcome. Everything is still pretty much undecided as I want to make the right decision and do some more research. It won't stop me collecting parts though and the search is on for X1/9 parts in particular.
Regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
LM mic
Welome to the group ; am just at one week to finish to wait on the delivery schedule and I can tell you that you can do a lot of sourcing during your wait time and this allow to spend less money in "ebaying " carefully and slowly not rushing into crazy bids for door handle or watever other rare parts
Are you into a stradale or GR4 project ?
I'm not sure on my build yet. I will be very interested to see how your build goes and hope you post your progress on the forum.
Regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Hi Hugo
Suggest you checkout Mick's build of an LB, he will not be hanging around in getting it finished........... So you can see a complete build of a very recent LB kit.
See
http://www.stratosec.com/Forum/showt...ld-is-underway
Peter
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Yes Peter is right;
Mick thread is a good sample ( Paul's too= as they are assembling kickly and with no modifications from original kit delivered by Craig
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
People.....
I have moved the comments of what kit is right or wrong to a new post which is here:
http://www.stratosec.com/Forum/showt...ar-of-30-years
I don't think Hi-jacking this welcome thread was the correct place for it.
Personal opinions are welcome but in the correct place please.
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Slug
I don't think Hi-jacking this welcome thread was the correct place for it.
Personal opinions are welcome but in the correct place please.
+1
Peter
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
peteracs
+1
Peter
Ditto
Phil Dolby
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Hi Hugo
im in a very similar position as you, placed my order with LB about 6 weeks ago so looking at getting my kit early next year.
I've also bought a 166 that is currently in bits in my garage, scrapped the shell last week and am in the process of refurbishing the engine (head gasket + cam belt).
I've been looking at x19 bits but finding them very scarce, £180 - £200 for a pair of door handles!!!! I was wondering if anybody had looked at logistics of getting new ones made? No idea how you would go about it but with the orders that LB are now getting plus all the Hawk kits could be a viable option?
Good luck with the build, I guess you'll be starting yours around the same time as me..
Cheers Nick
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Have you tried ebay.it or .fr ?
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
red5
Hi Hugo
im in a very similar position as you, placed my order with LB about 6 weeks ago so looking at getting my kit early next year.
I've also bought a 166 that is currently in bits in my garage, scrapped the shell last week and am in the process of refurbishing the engine (head gasket + cam belt).
I've been looking at x19 bits but finding them very scarce, £180 - £200 for a pair of door handles!!!! I was wondering if anybody had looked at logistics of getting new ones made? No idea how you would go about it but with the orders that LB are now getting plus all the Hawk kits could be a viable option?
Good luck with the build, I guess you'll be starting yours around the same time as me..
Cheers Nick
Hi Nick,
Good to hear from someone who is going to be building a LB at around the same time, maybe we can help each other out along the way.
I am also at the start of the process of sourcing parts and finding the self same challenges, which is why in part I'm beginning to think along the lines of a bit of modern updating which should also have the benefit of making parts less of an issue, depending on where my thinking takes me.
I am a very big fan of the Strato's shape (and I am now running the risk of upsetting the purists which I seem to already have done with choosing a LB in the first place) but have had a good look online at the now abortive project from a couple of years ago to re release the Stratos and am wondering if there are some of the design elements that could be combined with the LB car.
All just ideas and musings at the moment to be honest but the challenge of sourcing parts from an X1/9 donor car that is getting on for c. 40 years old poses 2 particular quandaries. Is it going to continue to be realistic and/or viable for any significant period of time to rely on the X1/9 as the donor car for steering column, handbrake lever, external door handles and overcentre catches? Also, is it right to take parts for the X 1/9 away from those looking to keep the X1/9s themselves on the road when it is a classic car in it own right and has it's own place in the automotive history books?
I appreciate it is probably not financially viable to expect LB at this stage in it's growth to consider redesigning it's product to give alternative options for key donor components and there may also not be the demand for a Strato's that does not look period correct but Craig has already made significant changes to the chassis, suspension, interior space and so forth for me to wonder if it would be a logical progression at some point in the future.
In the meantime I am trying to source the self same donor parts as you and doubtless a number of other budding builders. I had thought at some point in recent months that I came across a Stratos forum where over centre catches had been re manufactured but for the life of me I cannot find the web page again. It was right at the start of my research and I hadn't realised the significance of the availability of donor parts or re manufactured versions and didn't think to bookmark it.
If I come across any parts surplus to my requirements (as unlikely as that will be!) I will be happy to let you know and fingers crossed that after 9 months of scavenging we have what we will need.
Regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bernard
Have you tried ebay.it or .fr ?
I haven't as yet, but Italy was certainly going to be my next port of call.
Regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
red5
Hi Hugo
im in a very similar position as you, placed my order with LB about 6 weeks ago so looking at getting my kit early next year.
I've also bought a 166 that is currently in bits in my garage, scrapped the shell last week and am in the process of refurbishing the engine (head gasket + cam belt).
I've been looking at x19 bits but finding them very scarce, £180 - £200 for a pair of door handles!!!! I was wondering if anybody had looked at logistics of getting new ones made? No idea how you would go about it but with the orders that LB are now getting plus all the Hawk kits could be a viable option?
Good luck with the build, I guess you'll be starting yours around the same time as me..
Cheers Nick
When I put My order onto the LB kit ; I have bought all parts needed from X 1/9 from a sort of France Ebay and was lucky to find so many pairs or door and over catch centers at really good prices ,so acquire all those ; but now all vendors are aware of the final use of these rare parts and evidently prices are now more than crazy
So to help SEC I did a study in redoing parts project including door handles and more others ; door handles need so much tooling, casting ,and machinig that if it is not done a minimum serie of 100 pairs !!! cost wil be equal to the prices found on the bay now .... so who is able to invest so much money for so many parts in one batch = NOBODY
At the moment am working in redoing inside chromed button and spacer in black ertalon for the windows stopper and I have too in hand the GR4 specific illuminated puch button done that am showing to members at Silverstone
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Just a quick question about door handles, I know the X1/9 were the original ones from various discussions, but given the similarity of the Beta ones, could they be a possible source?
Peter
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Not without a lot of fiberglass mods. Cheaper to buy the expensive Fiat X19 ones...
Guy
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
For re-made X1/9 parts including Door locks and Targa catches try http://www.alternativeautos.demon.co.uk/
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
I reckon door handles could be done using a combination of a moulded housing made with a pre-preg, laser cut handle and a suitable production lock and latch mechanism. Easy to say of course, not easy to carry out, but certainly attainable without committing massive costs to a production run.
They might not be totally accurate but certainly acceptable in appearance and function.
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Just keep looking regularly at ebay Italy, France, Germany, and UK, plus some of the X1/9 suppliers in the UK and Bayless in the States. You get a bargain sometimes, and you won't need them as soon as your kit arrives. I'll keep my eyes open down here too and grab anything that comes up. Some just wrecked a 1300 down here recently, I got the last of what I needed luckily but all the rest was already taken.
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
To be fair I bought a complete car, took off the bits I needed and sold on the rest, mind it was a pile of rust when I bought it so I don't think I was depriving anyone of useful bits!!
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Thanks for all the pointers, I have been checking various European eBay sites but nothing has come up as yet. I'm at least 12 months away from needing most of the parts so plenty of time.
I have considered buying a complete car and breaking as Ian, there was a bit of a wreck on Gumtree the other week and I guess the owner just wanted it out of the way for next to nothing but problem is having space and time to strip and scrap another car!!
Ill keep on looking, all part of the fun of building kit cars.
Hugo, if you find a stash of rare X19 bits let me know and I'll do the same, cheers.
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bernard
Good evening Phil,
I have trawled back through various threads and posts and in respect of X 1/9 donor parts think I have come to the following conclusion from the comments I have read:-
Steering column, stalks and shrouds : need to be Series 1 1300
Handbrake lever and assembly : need to be Series 1 1300
External door handles and assemblies : any year, chrome for Stradale, black as an option
Overcentre catches : any year
If there are any alternative views to the above I would be happy to be corrected.
regards
Hugo
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Re: Newbie about to attempt a LB build.....
I have to say that I think the early stalk's do not have the symbols on them if you need to go through IVA, afte the test its up to you what you put on, so just bare this in mind when shopping..
