Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: unlucky mark mv6 on 20 July 2010, 16:52:36

Title: Buggy survey
Post by: unlucky mark mv6 on 20 July 2010, 16:52:36
Just a quick one,to see how much interest there is on this forum for the on and off road buggies,as i am in the middle of setting up a partnership business,manufacturing em.Any feedback and suggestions appreciated. :y
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: r1 on 20 July 2010, 18:21:28
off road there are only a few places you can go  so if you have a list of places where you can use them this would help,also maybe look at trailers[cost and supply]
on road i would think insurance might be a proplem so a few insurance numbers would help.
people might also be concerned where they can get spares /parts from.
good luck i wish you well.
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Nickbat on 20 July 2010, 19:10:40
Quote
Just a quick one,to see how much interest there is on this forum for the on and off road buggies,as i am in the middle of setting up a partnership business,manufacturing em.Any feedback and suggestions appreciated. :y

Oh. I thought this was going to be about Maclaren buggies. Typical parent, that I am.  ;) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Omegatoy on 20 July 2010, 20:21:23
lot of it depemds on price obviously,

then engine size

then transmission auto?manual>cvt?

number of seats?1 or 2?

2 or 4 wheell drive?

need more info but there is a booming market here for them!!
most are piaggio if you want to look at them :y
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: unlucky mark mv6 on 21 July 2010, 13:52:35
Quote
lot of it depemds on price obviously,

then engine size

then transmission auto?manual>cvt?

number of seats?1 or 2?

2 or 4 wheell drive?

need more info but there is a booming market here for them!!
most are piaggio if you want to look at them :y
Hmmm interesting,you say theres a booming market in spain for them.Have you possibly got any contacts mate for distributers etc.Help is greatly appreciated.We are looking mainly at the donor converted buggies,e.g fiat cinqucento,sciento,metro etc,mostly 2 wheel drive,with manual boxes.using the donor bikes was something we thought about,but decided against it after,as they are going to be a bit costly to make. :y
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 21 July 2010, 13:59:52
Theres allways a market, but sadly like kit cars, they often depend on how they look.

If it has the wow - I want one of those factors then no doubt you will be on to a winner.

A road legal version of the old beach buggy may well be a good seller.

http://www.mellowwave.co.uk/surf%20wagons/empi-beach-buggy.jpg

http://www.miltonsandtoys.com/images/beach%20buggy.jpg

and my wow thats nice - http://avto-easy.ru/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/lotus-430r.jpg

Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 July 2010, 14:30:44
This is what you want.  8-)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHENOWTH-Road-Legal-V8-Twin-Turbo-Sandrail-Buggy-/140429697398?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20b2432176

 ;D

Quote
Brakes – Front, VW Beatle drum with hand brake modification.

Rear, Vented disc, again not certain but I believe they came of a Vauxhall Carlton.

So.. Erm.. <cough> What's the brake balance like, then? :D

Kevin
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 July 2010, 14:38:49
On a more serious note..

What is your competition like and what USPs can you bring to the market?

IMHO, it's a waste of time making a kit that can't be built road legal, as, even for the practical purposes of getting it to the beach, it needs to be used on the road for most who will build one.

Getting a vehicle on the road these days is a bit of a minefield with IVA testing. Not necessarily difficult but you need to be supplying a kit which will pass this without too much of a problem. If you leave this to your customers to get right the phone won't stop ringing - and not in a good way. ;)

Kevin
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 21 July 2010, 14:46:16
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lYlrA6mipE[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2qPi-ImcKQ&feature=related[/media]

Some interesting stuff out there. ::)
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 21 July 2010, 14:49:10
Quote
This is what you want.  8-)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CHENOWTH-Road-Legal-V8-Twin-Turbo-Sandrail-Buggy-/140429697398?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20b2432176

 ;D

Quote
Brakes – Front, VW Beatle drum with hand brake modification.

Rear, Vented disc, again not certain but I believe they came of a Vauxhall Carlton.

So.. Erm.. <cough> What's the brake balance like, then? :D

Kevin

Is that a parachute mount on the back for added braking or is that where the anchor os attached.

Wouldnt mind borrowing that for a couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: unlucky mark mv6 on 21 July 2010, 19:43:58
Quote
On a more serious note..

What is your competition like and what USPs can you bring to the market?

IMHO, it's a waste of time making a kit that can't be built road legal, as, even for the practical purposes of getting it to the beach, it needs to be used on the road for most who will build one.

Getting a vehicle on the road these days is a bit of a minefield with IVA testing. Not necessarily difficult but you need to be supplying a kit which will pass this without too much of a problem. If you leave this to your customers to get right the phone won't stop ringing - and not in a good way. ;)

Kevin
Totally agree with you kevin.Unique selling points would be obviously our own unique chassis design,and thought about designing some kind of universal,maybe adjustable engine cradle.As for iva testing,we wouldent dream of letting one through the door without,that would be totally stupid imho.Kevin i have noticed your in to your kit cars,dont suppose you have a copy of the iva regs by any chance. :D :y
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: dad1uk on 21 July 2010, 20:26:57
Try this Mark - it takes a while to open but there is loads of info.

http://issuu.com/completekitcar/docs/sva_iva?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fcolor%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=000000
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Omegatoy on 21 July 2010, 20:35:51
Quote
Quote
lot of it depemds on price obviously,

then engine size

then transmission auto?manual>cvt?

number of seats?1 or 2?

2 or 4 wheell drive?

need more info but there is a booming market here for them!!
most are piaggio if you want to look at them :y
Hmmm interesting,you say theres a booming market in spain for them.Have you possibly got any contacts mate for distributers etc.Help is greatly appreciated.We are looking mainly at the donor converted buggies,e.g fiat cinqucento,sciento,metro etc,mostly 2 wheel drive,with manual boxes.using the donor bikes was something we thought about,but decided against it after,as they are going to be a bit costly to make. :y

trouble is here in spain they all have to be homologated or they cant be used !! the spansh authoiteis refuse to allow modified vehicles of any type, so ifr it started life as something else then it wont be allowed , that not to say they arent used here but the market for purely offroad would be very very limited
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 July 2010, 23:42:10
Quote
Totally agree with you kevin.Unique selling points would be obviously our own unique chassis design,and thought about designing some kind of universal,maybe adjustable engine cradle.As for iva testing,we wouldent dream of letting one through the door without,that would be totally stupid imho.Kevin i have noticed your in to your kit cars,dont suppose you have a copy of the iva regs by any chance. :D :y

I notice the new front end of my Westfield chassis has bolt-in engine mount carriers now so they are obviously going down the route of making the basic chassis "engine agnostic". Makes sense if you can avoid having too many variables.

I'm sure I did come across an IVA manual...

Look here for starters: http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/repository/M1%20Inspection%20Manual%20May%2009.pdf

Kevin
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Entwood on 21 July 2010, 23:47:21
Quote
Quote
Totally agree with you kevin.Unique selling points would be obviously our own unique chassis design,and thought about designing some kind of universal,maybe adjustable engine cradle.As for iva testing,we wouldent dream of letting one through the door without,that would be totally stupid imho.Kevin i have noticed your in to your kit cars,dont suppose you have a copy of the iva regs by any chance. :D :y

I notice the new front end of my Westfield chassis has bolt-in engine mount carriers now so they are obviously going down the route of making the basic chassis "engine agnostic". Makes sense if you can avoid having too many variables.

I'm sure I did come across an IVA manual...

Look here for starters: http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/repository/M1%20Inspection%20Manual%20May%2009.pdf

Kevin


Only 282 pages of light reading !!   :D :D :D :D :D

 :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 July 2010, 00:31:18
Quote

Only 282 pages of light reading !!   :D :D :D :D :D

 :) :) :) :)

.. and a lot of it incredibly anal - like making sure you don't have any sharp edges on your exhaust in case someone injures themselves on it. Someone with heat resistant hands, presumably, who won't have been discouraged by the fact that it's f'kin hot. ;D

.. or on your suspension wishbones in case someone survives being flattened by your tyre only to receive an uncomfortable experience from a sharp edge on a passing suspension component. Sorry - am I starting to sound cynical?

Actually, it's mostly common sense, and you can appreciate the improvements SVA and IVA have made to the kit car industry when you look at some of the deathtraps that were rubber-stamped onto the road beforehand. :o

Kevin
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Omegatoy on 22 July 2010, 08:02:26
this is what sells here!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=0OcZGs5_cqM&feature=related
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 July 2010, 09:47:20
Quote
this is what sells here!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=0OcZGs5_cqM&feature=related

Damned good fun they are too. Had a session on those for one of my mates' stag do's.

Kevin
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 22 July 2010, 11:15:32
This looks nice.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PogWNYFkNMA&feature=related[/media]
Title: Re: Buggy survey
Post by: Mysteryman on 22 July 2010, 16:06:19
Quote
Quote

Only 282 pages of light reading !!   :D :D :D :D :D

 :) :) :) :)

.. and a lot of it incredibly anal - like making sure you don't have any sharp edges on your exhaust in case someone injures themselves on it. Someone with heat resistant hands, presumably, who won't have been discouraged by the fact that it's f'kin hot. ;D

.. or on your suspension wishbones in case someone survives being flattened by your tyre only to receive an uncomfortable experience from a sharp edge on a passing suspension component. Sorry - am I starting to sound cynical?

Actually, it's mostly common sense, and you can appreciate the improvements SVA and IVA have made to the kit car industry when you look at some of the deathtraps that were rubber-stamped onto the road beforehand. :o

Kevin


Well? It is a buggery survey. ::)