Series II Kit Car?

[EricTyrrell]

I know very little about kit cars, but with all the concern about the new Defender I starting considering other ways to obtain a "factory" new but basic overlanding vehicle without relying on the dwindling supplies of Series vehicles and parts. Is it legally feasible for a company to offer a kit car such as a Series II replica, but with no reliance on LR branded parts for the build?

 

[LR Max]

windling supplies of Series vehicles and parts

What? I bought a reman transmission with all new internals for my series 3 earlier this year. My new fuel pump is on the way. I put new axle shafts and drive flanges in my rear axle last year. Same with all new wheel cylinders and brake shoes. You can order complete galvanized chassis and body parts. The engines just last.

Or you can get yourself a mid 80s defender. That way you can get new factory parts. Just costs an arm and a leg.

Parts are still readily available here in the US. You ain't going to get it at NAPA but you can order it. Roversnorth and the like have all that crap...and in stock. Or they can get it.

Or if you are savvy, you can call England and order parts. They only have 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 crap tons of rover parts.

Get yourself an Austin Gypsy. Then you'll know what "rare" is.

 

[yloDiscoii]

http://www.icon4x4.com/

 

[EricTyrrell]

http://www.icon4x4.com/

ICON doesn't offer kits that I know of, but their products are impressive and very expensive, maybe a little excessively impressive.

 

[EricTyrrell]

What? I bought a reman transmission with all new internals for my series 3 earlier this year. My new fuel pump is on the way. I put new axle shafts and drive flanges in my rear axle last year. Same with all new wheel cylinders and brake shoes. You can order complete galvanized chassis and body parts. The engines just last.

Or you can get yourself a mid 80s defender. That way you can get new factory parts. Just costs an arm and a leg.

Parts are still readily available here in the US. You ain't going to get it at NAPA but you can order it. Roversnorth and the like have all that crap...and in stock. Or they can get it.

Or if you are savvy, you can call England and order parts. They only have 6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 crap tons of rover parts.

Get yourself an Austin Gypsy. Then you'll know what "rare" is.

I'm still considering the possibility that purchasing a theoretical Series kit could result in a new condition vehicle faster and for less money than doing a body off frame restore of a base vehicle in highly variable condition. Sure you can source almost any part, but you have to consider the time and money involved in shopping several vendors in geographically diverse locations with associated logistics and shipping costs for what may be dozens or hundreds of parts.

 

[yloDiscoii]

Yeah, no way I could ever see them doing kits, and there's nothing else I've ever heard of close to what you're describing, unfortunately. Redline Cruisers is working on a "ute" version of the FJ4-, but again, you're looking at $50K to get in the door, and it's also not a Land Rover.

 

[yloDiscoii]

Sounds good, in theory....My hypothetical question for this hypothetical situation would be : If it was so cheap and easy, why doesn't it exist already?


OR, are you asking because you want to create a LR kit car company?


How about a resto-mod? Find your Series III, strip it down to the body, and Frankenstein it together with non-LR bits?

 

[optimusprime]

I know very little about kit cars, but with all the concern about the new Defender I starting considering other ways to obtain a "factory" new but basic overlanding vehicle without relying on the dwindling supplies of Series vehicles and parts. Is it legally feasible for a company to offer a kit car such as a Series II replica, but with no reliance on LR branded parts for the build?

I doubt Land Rover would licence a replica .......

As for parts supply .... Not for a long time yet....

 

[zelatore]

I'd actually say it's totally possible, but I don't know that it's practical.

As for licensing I don't think that would be a deal breaker. Just look at how many "cobra" or "seven" replicas are out there. Now how many are officially licensed by Shelby or Lotus/Caterham?

Actually making it legal could be an issue as each state has their own rules regarding kits/replicas. Some will let you title a home built replica as the year it's copying, while others make you title it as the year of completion. Some go by the year of the motor installed and make you have all the smog equipment/testing based on that year. It can be very confusing to say the least.

 

[optimusprime]

Land rover went and 'told' a few independent garages, parts outlets and aftermarket specialists to remove the Land Rover name and badge from their businesses .....they like to protect their name.......

 

[Bigplum]

Buy one of these kits
http://www.ncfblitz.co.uk/page10a.html

Shipping will be a killer though