Time taken

It's taken me over 1000 hours to build this car which far exceeds the usual build time of 300 to 400 hours. The reason it has taken so long is that this Tojeiro is more than just a road going replica, it was built as a show car. The attention to detail goes beyond a joke and the 300 hours I spent in the engine compartment alone pays testimony to this!

So what I’m saying is, don’t let the four figure build time put you off. If you go steady and source most of the components from DAX there is no reason why you can’t build one of these cars in a year of spare time. Work weekends (if her indoors will let you) and the build time could come down to four months.

The rule of thumb when building a kit car is, if you try and save money it will take you longer. For example, purchase a turnkey motor for £5,000 and it can be dropped in the chassis in an afternoon. Rebuild one like my Cleveland, and it will cost £2,500, but swallow up 100 hours of your life.

Cost

Readers of Kit Car and Cobra magazines who know me will understand second best will simply not do in my projects. I have accurately kept track of the costs involved during this build and included everything, even the SVA test, trailer hire and petrol to visit DAX on numerous occasions. My total outgoings have been just short of £35,000. However, this is a rather special car and a top flight Tojeiro could be on the road for mid to high £20,000s if you are careful. Compare this to other high specification 427 replicas and it’s neither expensive nor cheap. In fact, it’s right on the button.

Where did the extra £5,000 go? Well, £1,000 on stainless steel panelling and £1,000 on Aeroquip hosing and anodised fasteners to start with. Then add £350ish for the NOS, an additional £250 for 18 inch rims and tyres, £1,000 above normal for a concours paint job...you can see it doesn’t take much for your budget to run away!

If you are interested in the whole build

If this insight into Nigel’s build has whetted your appetite it may be an idea to contact the back issue department of Kit Car magazine and order the entire build series. Starting in October 2004 the build is covered over twelve issues and runs to almost sixty pages in total. Covering many tips and hints, it’s a must for any Cobra builder, particularly if the project is a Tojeiro. If you would like the entire series then Kit Car magazine is offering a special deal of £30 for all 12 issues including postage. If you are interested then visit the kit car web site www.kit-cars.com for details.

Thanks to Nigel for writing this piece. We wish him well behind the wheel of his NOS powered DAX Tojeiro.

Useful contact numbers

• RePower for engines and gearboxes: 01903 522900 or visit www.roadcraftuk.co.uk
• Kit Car back issues: visit www.kit-cars.com.
• Berkshire Body shop for the ultimate paint job: 01635 550665
• Paul Jepson of Kit Car Registrations: 0118 9842303