DEEP CLEAN
Apr 28th
When you want to give your car’s bodywork a thorough cleanse and wax, it’s important that you remove all traces of old wax and polish from its surface. Lots of IPAs and panel wipes claim to get rid of it, but don’t.
You can always ‘clay’ the surface and that will do the job nicely but can be a bit time consuming. Autobrite Direct’s Wax Off strips off all traces of old polish and wax and a little goes a long way as depending on the levels of crud you can dilute it 10:1.
A word of warning though it shouldn’t be More >
OOOH NICE – ANOTHER TKC MAG EXCLUSIVE. OH YES IT IS…
Apr 20th
The Peter Stevens-designed Barchetta 595 is a little gem of a kitcar and is soon to return in kit form. We’ve been keeping you updated with developments over the recent months and will have the EXCLUSIVE FIRST ROAD TEST FEATURE in the July/August issue of TKC Mag.
New company, Bespoke Vehicle Developments, has been busy on the re-named 595S, aided by the engineering expertise on the new chassis by Steve Milburn of Speed 3 Automotive and as a result although the footprint is shared with the original and visually you’d find it hard to tell the two apart, under the skin More >
SPIT AND POLISH
Apr 20th
Regular reader of TKC Mag and totalkitcar.com, Tomasz Ferdek is an enthusiast from Poland who has managed to overcome some real health issues showing incredible strength of character and resolve.
I first met, Tomasz, who hails from Poland at our totalkitcar LIVE event at Brands Hatch in November 2014 when he also told me about the kitcar that he was building with the aim of offering commercially available ‘replica’ kits.
Well, he’s only gone and finished it and what’s more will be proudly showing his ‘Kozmo’ demonstrator at this year’s National Kit Car Motor Show. It features an original design, which is More >
3D PRINTING. NOW THAT’S TRICK
Apr 20th
If ever a process was ideally suited to the world of kitcars it has to be 3D printing. Small batch components, or obsolete stuff that’s rarer than a quarter light for a Gordon Keeble.
Brilliant. So, what’s the catch? Well, price. It is still unbelievably expensive. Or is it? Work out the cost of a one-off component that has to be tooled-up for or cast or is completely unobtainable and the cost per unit can be more palatable.
One kitcar manufacturer, Vortex Automotive, run by Chris Greville Smith has really grasped 3D printing and has had some new mirror casings made for More >
ITS NAME IS LEGEND
Apr 20th
Swarfega’s products have been giving a helping hand to the hard workers of our nation, keeping skin in good nick and keeping generations of trades people hard at work for the past 70-years.
To celebrate this milestone, Swarfega has launched a limited-edition range of products, ‘Tough by Swarfega’, designed and built to work as hard as the people it’s made for.
The limited-edition range includes:
Hand cleaner: Swarfega knows a thing or two about getting hands clean without trashing the skin. This handy 250ml tube of hand cleaner is perfect for people on the move, it’s heavy duty and takes no prisoners; grease, More >
THIS STUFF WORKED FOR ME
Apr 20th
There are plenty of companies selling two-stage paint protection systems although I’m sure many of them have a ‘D Holliday’ as their director. Being cynical for a moment, I’d love to know how many new car dealers make a killing on selling a magic coating to their customers and charging up to a Monkey for the privilege.
Fact is that some of these processes do work, but let’s not get silly with price eh? Actually, this real-world solution from Airglide Ltd is a really high-quality product at a pocket-money price.
Their Single Car Paint Protection process is an acrylic polymer-based product applied More >
PROPER MINI TYRES
Apr 20th
In 1974 with the introduction of the bigger disc brakes on the 1275 GT, the Mini began to move away from it’s cute little 10in rims, and fitted 145/70 boots, onto 12in wheels, instead.
For some considerable time now, a proper tyre has not been available to compliment the handling of these sporty and fun little cars that are such an endearing part of the British driving culture, not to mention the thousands that have been used as kitcar donors.
The good news is that Michelin has stepped up to the mark and filled the gap with the reintroduction of the perfect More >
YEP, THIS IS COOL! WAY COOL
Apr 20th
It’s not every day we get a product press release like this….VW Heritage has managed to turn up five new old stock Brazilian Beetle chassis that have been gathering dust in a warehouse for the past twenty years!
We’re not sure how or why they’ve spent this long hidden in the dark, but it is great news for those with Beetles with flaky floors or those who want to build a Beach Buggy or Speedster replica from the ground up.
Complete with brakes, ball-joint front axle, and a gearbox already in place, it only needs some wheels, a steering column and an More >
GRIP LIKE A TYRE-FITTER’S HANDSHAKE!
Apr 20th
Invented by a United States Air Force aircraft mechanic Grypmat could just be a very special product that will greatly help you in the garage and/or workshop.
Fed up with not being able to reach tools and nuts and bolts to hand while working on jet aircraft, he decided to create his own tool-tray, which has ended-up winning crowd-funding and entering production as Grypmat.
It’s a funky, orange-coloured non-slip, non-magnetic and chemical resistant anti-static rubber tool-tray that keeps your tools and fasteners in place. It’s really advanced stuff and it can be placed at any angle, with not so much as a More >
MIRROR-FINISH
Apr 20th
Top Gloss from car care product specialist’s Autobrite Direct is pretty self-explanatory if you think about it although it’s worth taking a closer look at it, I think.
It gives a mirror-like finish to your car’s bodywork and can also be used on glass, rubber and plastics. No effort is required aside from tipping the prescribed amount into a bucket or soap dispenser from a pressure washer.
I tried both ways and I have to say it worked like Autobrite said it should. A 500ml bottle costs £10 and other sizes are available, right up to 5-litres.
More information from www.autobritedirect.co.uk or 01782 623 More >
