Exeter Kit Car Show 2009

Despite the recession and continuing economic gloom, the 2009 Exeter Kit Car Show at the West Point Exhibition Centre was still upbeat. Some people pointed to vacant spaces in the exhibition hall and maybe the weather did put some people off but there was still loads to see.

This machine is the KZ1 and is a one off, although there are plans for production. Apparently, there has already been strong interest in the car from Middle eastern customers and although the designer is British production will probably be in Eastern Europe. I don't know if there is any link to the Ascari KZ1 but it looks superb.

I went with Peter Tuthill, author of (among others) Cornwall's Motor Industry. He's currently working on a similar book on Devon's motor industry and needless to say that I've put my name down for one. As soon as it's out, you'll hear about it on this blog. Peter is another self publisher like me, so has to do practically everything himself but it'll be worth the wait.

Every year the quality of the kits seems to get better. There was the DNA 4Thirty, which is a replica of the Ferrari of that name and certainly had me fooled. Even the Ferrari cam covers under the transparent engine cover were there. It's based on the Toyota MR2 and some of us (like me) would be quite happy with one of those as standard. The finish - in red, naturally - was superb.

Replicars were well represented with the usual Cobras and Locost Caterfields. Car of the show for both me and Peter, though, was this lovely Jaguar C-type replica by Nostalgia cars.

Here Peter is in full rapturous flow to the reps about how much he liked their car. The trouble with this sort of enthusiastic outburst, as I well know, is that the reps think that you're a rich toff and a dead cert for a sale. You have to disabuse them early on to avoid any embarrassment but everyone was very helpful and you never know - our eulogies might convince a passing waverer to make up their mind and whip out their cheque book as soon as we've cleared off.

But only an expert would be able to tell a car like this apart from the real thing - and when was the last time you saw one of those outside a museum?

A car like that would own you - go for the replica, I say.

There were also many "exo-skeleton" designs, no doubt inspired by the Ariel Atom but not costing so much. making its first appearance at the show was the SDR V-Storm with not the usual Aprila Vee twin but Subaru Imprezza power. The central driving position allows a single pilot to enjoy Formula 1 style performance but also to terrorise two other victims/enthusiasts behind him/her. There's over 500 bhp per tonne and 0-60 can be achieved in 3 seconds.

Just the thing for the family man...

On the other hand, Vindicator had stretched a Locost Caterfield design to make a full four seater. I wish them luck with this. I suppose it makes sense to those of us who have to negotiate a compromise on enjoying ourselves but, as far as I can tell as a disinterested observer, kids piss off after a few years so maybe it's better to wait until you can have the two seater you really want and the little ones can have their Max Power Novas and Pugs.

The two seater Vindicators have more of their own identity than most Locost Caterfield variants and I like them much more.

There were two jet fighter inspired machines. The Top Cat is not a car you can build yourself, though, but one you can hire. It was built in the 90's by Bill Carter using a cockpit inspired by the Tornado jet and the engine from a Jaguar XJ12. This ran on sextuple down draught Webers and boasted 600bhp. It a kind of cross between Lady penelope's Fab 1 and an Angel Interceptor.

The other jet fighter look-a-like was the Vindicator F4. This was at last year's show and the first example is now running on the road. Although it looks a little too tubby to me the driving experience must be close to taxiing a glider (although perhaps noisier). You can build one yourself if you ask Vindicator nicely.

The weather was actually quite pleasant at mid day, despite dire warnings and in addition to the stunt bike show and the Westfield drift exhibition there were many older kit cars outside that had turned up. If you arrive in a kit car on the day you get in for nothing - now there's an incentive to get the Llama back on the road. And the Ashley. And Kermit. More about those another time.

As we walked in to the show, Peter and I saw what looked like an old Ford side valve kit on a trailer behind a van. This turned out to be a new venture, the Sammio Spyder. It's based on a Triumph Herald and made in Poole by Bay Area Rods (07970 636986) and costs 675 quid. The handout described it as a no frills, single skin, doorless, one piece shell and that's pretty much what it was but it still appealed to me. It looked like back to basics, easy SVA fun to me. The lines grew on me as the day drew on although I heard some 11 year olds saying loudly how much they disliked it. I doubt if it's designed for them, although some surveys suggest that most kids influence their parents in major purchasing decisions. That's why some off roaders were advertised as being Daddy Kool.

It was surprising how many people I knew. Or how many connections were made when talking to complete strangers. This kind of thing always amazes me but the west country car nut community is actually quite small so I shouldn't really be surprised.

One guy I saw was Glen with his Blackjack Avion. This is a well travelled car and the latest Moto Guzzi variant was on display in the hall. Designed by Richard Oakes in Helston this manufacturer is featured in Peter's book and very much alive and kicking. The Guzzi engine looks like the hi-tech love child between a 1930's aeroplane and a Morgan three wheeler and ticks all the boxes for me. The Guzzi engine uses a special adaptor to fit to a reversed VW Beetle 1303 gearbox. But it's the Blackjack Zero, with its front mounted 1800cc Beetle engine that Glen and I always end up talking about (if it's not one of Glen's international adventures in his Citroen powered car.

I was pleased to see the Toniq R at the show. I had a long chat with the team at last year's Royal Cornwall. The thing I like best about this car, apart from the performance, is that it's a completely new take on the Lotus 7. I featured it as a Vintage Thing (No.21) once before and it's still made in Cornwall as part of the Adrenaline set up.

Needless to say it's in Peter's book and the Williams family welcomed him like an old friend. This was pretty much the theme for Peter - he may be there just for brochures but no-one can object to talking to such a knowledgeable enthusiast.

The word on the other car that I saw at the 2008 Royal Cornwall is that it has unfortunately gone under. I believe the Jetstream (Vintage Thing No.20) suffered cash flow problems. This was a shame because it belonged to the track day variety of component car that seem to be in the ascendant and the guys I spoke to about it were able to explain to me about rapid prototyping and the latest techniques in GRP moulding.

The Jetstream website is still active with a cracking video. I fear the worst, though, because there's no more up-to-date news after Sept 2008.