Ulitma Spyder? Help...

Morning Chaps,

Just a quick one, I'm looking at buying an Ultima Spyder as a weekend car, the one i'm looking at is on Pistonheads (Blue one) and it's in West Yorkshire.

Does anyone have any experience of these? What to look for when buying? Is it a good price for it? I know it'll be a bugger to sell, but i'm hoping it won't loose much value?

I'm 6"3 so will i fit in it? Can you drive them in the rain and not get too wet?

I've got loads of questions, but no-one really knows anything about them...

Any help greatly appreiciated - and if anyone's over in yorkshire and can take a look for me before i drive the 300 miles in the TVR to find it's rubbish, that would be great!

Thanks

Craig.

I know a bit about them, depends who has built it and what care they have taken. I'll try and look at the ad later, but 90% of the long term reliability will come from careful assembly, a proper aircraft type wiring loom, and the right ancillaries. It's sometimes better to buy an ex race one and convert to road usage, as the race built ones should have durable bits on them. They are totally impractical as road cars, you will get wet, they need dry storage and a lot of fettling unless they are to be a horrible thing with all rusty bolts and unplated metal bits. On slicks, with a proper rear wing and brakes and suspension they can be very very fast. Softened off for the road on road legal tyres they are still very fast, but they deserve track usage, IMHO. Buy one that's been nailed together and you be forever fixing and patching things. For every well screwed together one there are probably 10 dogs out there.

Thanks Chris,

I've spoken to the chap who said it was proffesionally built for the chap who makes rollercoasters for Alton towers etc (he owned it for 8 years - then the chap selling it bought it). It's only done 3k, and car built from brand new parts. He's had a full tonneau cover for it to keep it dry should it get parked up somewhere and it rains. It's got drain holes apparently and a full alarm system. He's had it rolling roaded at just over 400bhp. Service history - chap said it's not got much as it's only done 3k.

Do you need a helmet to drive it? Does your head go above the windscreen when inside?

This is the add: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/290190.htm

Thanks

edit: ah you beat me to it

That would be this one then...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/290190.htm

3000 MILES ONLY

5.7 LITRE V8 CHEVY

PROFESSIONALLY BUILT 1998 USING NEW PARTS AND REGISTERED AS NEW.

PRIVATE PLATE INCLUDED

PORSCHE G50 5 SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX

HOLLEY 4 BARREL CARB

SUPERB ELECTRIC BLUE METALLIC PAINTWORK

COBRA RACING SEATS

FULL AERO STYLE HARNESSES

SECURITY SYSTEM

CUSTOM MADE TONNEAU COVER

EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION THROUGHOUT

http://images.pistonheads.com/aimg/290/290190-1.jpg

http://images.pistonheads.com/aimg/290/290190-5.jpg

sorry for the off topic but this add is very funny:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/540447.htm

Genuine reason for sale. If you had spent 500 hours and £ 59,000 building a once in a lifetime car would you want to sell it ? Of course not. But it's got to go. Will be building an identical one once my ex-wife and her solicitor have returned to Hell.

With the 5 speed boxes the gear stick tends to be on the right hand side which can take some getting used to

RH gearchange is no worries, you'll be used to it before you get home, but the stock linkage is dire unless they have improved it a lot recently. Legally you don't need a helmet, practically you definitely do. I am a short arse, I'd probably need a cushion to see over the dash, YMMV Sensible engine and box spec, ask what exactly the suspension comprises and the spring rates, get it up in the air, see how mangled the floor skins are.

thanks for the help, i'm basically looking at it, thinking it's not going to loose much money if any, as i only seem to go out once a week if that at the moment. With that as well, i can start doing track days which i've always fancied doing.

I've heard the engines are very reliable, and generally they are fairly cheap to maintain - not too sure about that - but has to be cheaper than the tvr right?

my only worries is being 6"3 my head will stick out the top of the car, and the thought of a wasp/stone going through the top part of my skull isn't very appealing at the best of times, let alone when doing 80 on the motorway.

the only other issue, is i don't know what the car is actually worth as i've not seen another for sale - so is it cheap/expensive/about right?

Oh the joys of being bored in the office and wanting a new car....

I don't get any problems with stones, insects in the Tiger and my head sticks over the top. The odd insect will hit you and it stings, just make sure your eyes are protected (sun glasses) and you're fine. That screen will deflect most wind and bits of crap quite well.

Short term ownership shouldn't see much problem. It looks cheap for an Ultimata - but be prepared to wait a while selling it. I don't imagine that buyers for these come along every day.

If Ultima do another open day get your self down to them lots of ones to look at and sit in lol. Was going to build one myself until I added the price up! maintance wise cant imagine it being that expensive and the advantage they have is their designed to be taken apart (unlike Nobles)

How much is it? I wouldn't entertain driving without at least goggles, much preferably a full face helmet. having had half a brick through a laminated screenm thrown up by a twin rear wheel truck leaving a building site, and been hit on the helmet by an errant piece of exhaust in a single seater I am only too aware what kinetic energy things have at speed. Factor in fuel costs, that thing'll be in single figures on a track day, only just into doubles driven hard on the road. Has it got a decent LSD? It'll need serious brakes too, for track usage. If you were willing to trailer something you could go a huge amount quicker for a lot less monetary outlay and fuel costs.

I wouldn't entertain driving without at least goggles, much preferably a full face helmet.

No one owns a car like that and wants to wear goggles or even worse - not be seen at all!

Not being seen is better than a lifetime of not being able to see though Eye damage in something like that is a very real risk, IMHO.

the car i can get for 22k. And he'll give me a fairly decent part-x value on the cerbera of 11k. so i just need to the pay the remainder 11k.

I'm not that fussed about buying it, but i'd like to know that it's worth that, and i'd be able to sell it for pretty much the same money and not say 12k in 2 years time.

I know it won't be an easy car to sell, but i can just imagine the fun i'll have in it. Apparently it's got 2 fuel tanks :-(

Buy it then

One thing I forgot, if you track day it it'll need either dry sumping, a decent baffled sump, or (bit `orrible) an Accusump pressurised oil reserve system. The price isn't silly, I'd like to get it for under 20K really, but a TVR as a p/ex hampers things a bit What would he sell it for for cash? It will be hard to shift when you are sick of it, for sure. Have you asked what brakes it's got? You could blow a lot of money sorting inadequate brakes to something track useful.

well he's offered me 11k for the cerb, and 11 cash, so 22 in total..

MOT 11 months, and 5 months tax. Just had read pads, and the garage who fitted them said they were either from a granada or sierra ~(Not sure if thats a good thing or not as it sounds a little cheap!)

He's not sure if it has a dry sump or not, and doesn't know what suspension it has.

If i decide i want it, i'l pick it up on sat, and take it to Le mans, as a hot standby if the Humber Hotrod doesn't make it.

Just had some more pics of the car sent over - looks like the floor is unscathed at all, and still very shiney - not a mark on it to tell you the truth.

:-)

the standard GTR brakes are from a ford however you can upgrade them to

Twin brake servos kit for 260mm standard brakes. £351.00

Set of four 12.7" vented disc brake and callipers comprising X drilled

320mm x 30mm AP Racing curved vane vented discs with alloy bells

and AP Racing four pot callipers (1.5" & 1.625" pistons with double

seal) with Mintex 1166 pads. Complete with billet fixing kit, all bolts

and AP brake fluid.

£2275.00

Pair of separate handbrake callipers for above with all

fixing brackets, bolts etc. £275

That is of course if the GTR brakes will fit the spider hubs. I am pretty sure they will

The GTRs are great cars.

A friends Dad owned one and it was a superbly built machine.

As Chris said though...how well it has been built determines how good it is!

Nice fun car, if you dont mind being stuck with it for a while when you want to sell it on

Quite a while I would think to get that sort of money back for it..

Sell your TVR for cash, and offer him 20k cash

If you intend to use it as a track car you'll HAVE to budget fro better brakes, the stock ones you mention aren't up to it. It'll definitely need a well baffled sump too.

well, i went today, and took it for a spin. Absoloutly awsome. The advise for a helmet was good too, as within 10 minutes of driving a bug slapped the visor right where my eye would of been.

I've found 3 problems,

1, the alternator belt stinks, think it's loose as occasionaly squeaks and all you can smell is hot rubber.

2, The car is leaking something from the rear :-( it's a very clear red fluid (Think it's transmission fluid) so i think a seals gone on it somewhere - hopefully i can get this fixed tommorrow and it wont cost the world. It managed to cover quite a bit of the rear of the car in it.

3, Worst part - how do i tell the wife i don't think it'll fit in the garage as it's too wide - not tried yet!

All in all i think it's great - just hope the oil/transmission leak isn't going to be expensive and i've spent all my money now

sounds fun to me:d

Nice one, keep us updated on how you get on with it, out of interest whats the driving position like and how tall are you?

i'm 6"3 had to move the seat, but it's really comfortable.