And so it begins!

Hello all! Welcome to my blog for my latest project - I'm building a kit car!!

First let me take the opportunity to explain why I'm embarking on what would seem to many as a bizarre and bewlidering past time...

I'm completely bonkers on Engineering, and have been all my life. WIth my day job as a Chartered Engineer I love solving problems and working on Engineering projects, but as you progress up the greasy pole of Management, you find yourself further removed from the exciting stuff, and instead get buried in strategy meetings, spreadsheets and project plans!! So what better way to keep in touch with your roots than have a go at something like this. As an avid builder of lego technic as a youngster, I see this as nothing more than a natural extension of that childhood fascination with technology, and a kit car certainly fits the bill as the ultimate "grown-ups" lego kit. 




My long-suffering (but beautiful and intelligent ... thank you dear, keep reading) fiancé would blame Mark Evans and "a racing car is born" for this endeavour...

I've been keen on cars for as long as I can remember, and I started along the DIY motorsport craze with 4x4 and offroad vehicles. Whilst I've still got my various Land Rovers and I'm still heavily involved in www.plymouthoffroad.net ( I do love charging through a muddy field with the glorious sound of a V8!!) I fancied a different challenge. Something different to welding a rotten Discovery chassis!!




I'd done quite a bit of homework and reached the conclusion that I think everyone will do soon - traditional Ford-based kit cars are going to become very hard to get donors for; thanks to the demise of the Sierra. I've seen some interesting new ideas based on using the FWD Zetec powertrain and mounting it behind the driver, but I really fancied a traditional "sevenesque" kit, with an up front North-South Engine and RWD. So what other high-powered 90s rep mobile offered a ready supply of cheap donors? The answer was simple, BMW E36.

And so I got onto the idea of the GKD Legend - proven and reliable BMW engines, with a glorious 6 cylinder, superb handling, very good write-up both on the track and the road; and the staff had an excellent reputation for great customer service. What's not to like!

So this will be my attempt at a blog, build diary, memoirs, insight into insanity - call it what you will... but I hope you enjoy it.

End Goal - a GKD Legend: