Firstly, I have inherited some of Eddie's work in the shape of the restyled front end on my 2+2, and I can vouch for its quality. My best wishes for the future.
Secondly, I've thought about the subject of more modern donors myself, and here's what I came up with: 1) I wouldn't put a year's work and £10K+ into building a kit based on a 25-year old Fiesta myself, so I reckon that a donor update is a given. Although some of the competitors are based on some pretty dated technology too, I suppose. 2) Quantum appealed to the more conservative end of the kit market and were very successful, so the donor needs to be tough and low-risk. Also, the finished kit needs to have everything a mass-produced car would have (PAS, ABS, Air Con, Airbags, etc.). The older customer may need to persuade a less-enthusiastic spouse that the end product will be safe and comfortable. 3) Having bought the existing designs, it seems sensible to develop them, rather then start with something completely new. So RWD is a non- starter for a while at least? 4) Given the number of diesel Quantums, and 1.4s around, the donor needs to offer a wide range of options, not just high performance. 5) The use of the Ford interior was criticised, so I wouldn't go for the Puma just to get a smart interior. Put the Ford bits into a new dash to make them look different. People will use whatever seats they like and/or get them re-trimmed anyway. 6) Don't get too fixed into the idea of kits. Many of the manufacturers I spoke to at Stoneleigh seemed to be making smaller numbers of finished cars rather than large numbers of kits. Quantum seemed to have a steady business doing that in the old days too. (Sorry, I know about company law, but "Quantum Sports Cars" appeals to people that "Quantum Kit Cars" might scare off, and l would think carefully about the use of the word "kit" on the badges/publicity). So, my money is on a mild re-work of the 2+2 to take later Fiesta parts, maybe Focus, with space for RS turbo/2.0 Zetec engines. Which would be a nice car. I would have thought that there were sales in the H4 as it is for a year or two, but the work involved in creating a new set of moulds might be prohibitive. Not sure about the Coupe - maybe just a bit too dated now to encourage new builds? Or, you could completely re-design the floorplan, flare out the wheelarches and sit the 2+2 on the running gear from a 4WD, 350bhp Impreza...! Yahooo!! Would give that guy at Curborough a run for his money next year.........! All the best, Dave. On Dec 13, 9:57 pm, Waterboy182 <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Ed, > > My logic behind it all comes from a couple of different angles for > both you and the end user... > > In my humble opinion whatever you base future models on needs to have > a fairly modern and potentially powerful engine range, and an already > established reputation as a sports car will add much kudos if > possible. When looking at a potential base for any kit I always > thought commercially one of the most important things is affordable > donor availability for the immediate future, and of course it is handy > if the donor has a tendency to rust making the car practically > worthless! Hence previous succesful kit periods being mostly based on > Cortina's, Escort's and Mini's... with the occasional Spitfire, Rover > etc thrown in! > > There are masses of Puma's out there suffering badly from rot, and > regularly suffering from over exuberant driving so donor's are really > easy to come by and even the interiors are reasonably good, especially > if you can find the leather clad ones. The 1.4 powered version would > be cheap to tax and insure yet still pokey, and the 1.7 with it's > uprated gearbox is probably one of the best engines in some ways put > in a Ford in recent years. Obviously the Fiesta has similar heritage > but will be able to offer less in the way of interior 'cred' and the > engines aren't quite as desirable from the MK4 range which the Puma is > based on, hence the Fiesta boys doing Puma conversions... plus of > course you can take on the Puma's excellent reputation as a drivers > car and a proper fwd sports car! Much easier to appeal to potential > new Quantum enthusiasts by selling them a 're-bodied', tuned and > improved Puma than Ka I would think. I also fear 1.6 Ka donors may be > a bit thin on the ground, now and in the future i'm afraid. > > On the rwd Jap route, similarly there are 100's of MX5's, import and > UK, rusting away all over the UK but with very durable engines and > superb gearboxes! Spares back up is fantastic, and what with people > constantly crashing them as they are not used to a rwd sports car > there are even plenty of later ones coming up for salvage. > > Although i'm not much of a mechanic I am pretty ok on research, sales, > purchasing and marketing, if you ever need a hand or a chat please > drop me a line, would be happy to help in anyway I can. I admire you > for taking on a project/dream as big as this one, and thank you for > saving the parts back up for my missus' H4! > > On Dec 12, 11:02 pm, Eddie <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Good points that. > > > The Fiesta and Pumas do indeed share many similarities to the Ka. I > > will obviously be considering as many options as possible. The Jap > > route is indeed a nice thought and RWD would be fun, but it is often > > harder to find cheap sources of parts in the scrap yards on these > > cars. > > > Eddie > > > On Dec 12, 10:23 pm, Waterboy182 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hi Ed, > > > > I would like to also wish you all the best with the new venture and > > > look forward to seeing the new models however (and I apologise if this > > > is taken the wrong way)... > > > > with SVA the way it is would the newer mark fiesta's, or even a Puma, > > > not be better for the future? With the KA only having a 1.3 as > > > standard won't single donor status be tricky unless the original > > > engine is used, and the rest of the components are a little suspect > > > too (brakes, suspension etc) in comparison to the readily available > > > Fiesta or Puma donors? > > > > I for one would especially welcome a move towards a jap based Quantum > > > based on the Almera, or maybe a rwd mx5? Just thoughts, probably on my > > > own with the jap route and may be too much work to achieve! > > > > I'd especially love to see a new saloon/coupe, minus sunroof and pop > > > up lights! > > > > On Dec 12, 5:21 pm, Eddie <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Hi all > > > > > Thank you for the kind words that have been expressed here about my > > > > taking on Quantum. Some of the comments have been quite humbling. > > > > > I have given much thought about taking on Quantum, this decision was > > > > not taken lightly. > > > > > I must thank John & Rosemary who have been very suportive of my taking > > > > Quantum on. > > > > > I wil now have everything I need to support all of the older models > > > > from moulds to spares. > > > > > It is important to now progress Quantum, and to that end I have > > > > decided that the 2+2 model will have an update. It is looking likely > > > > that it will be re engineered to run on a Ka donar and also have a > > > > styling update. Don't worry, the styling update will be more evolution > > > > rather than revolution. > > > > > I am planning on a factory open day towards the end of June / begining > > > > of July so that you are able to see the progress. > > > > > I look foward to working as closely as possible with the QOC and > > > > giving new life to the cars that we love. > > > > > Eddie > > > > > On Dec 10, 2:18 pm, vince <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > I would just like to add my best wishes to Eddie on his new venture . > > > > > We all know things are "safe" in Eddie's hands. > > > > > Well Done > > > > > > Vince [The Merchandising man] > > > > > > You know where to come ! > > > > > > On Dec 8, 1:59 pm, "Hamish Freeman" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > How nice for once to see a logical progression such that someone > > > > > > who has made an effort to provide updates and improvements for the > > > > > > Quantum Marque for some time now has actually been able to buy the > > > > > > company - a touch of Victor Kiam? > > > > > > > Congratulations and hope you are able to make a thriving business > > > > > > of it! > > > > > > > Hamish & Trish > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > > From: Andy Heaton > > > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > > > Sent: Monday, December 06, 2010 9:11 PM > > > > > > Subject: [Quantum Owners] Quantum Kit Cars is born. > > > > > > > Hot off the press.........Quantum Kit Cars is > > > > > > born..........and the new owner lives in Bristol.........often is > > > > > > accused of loosing the plot.......but we no him better as Eddie > > > > > > Ruskin. > > > > > > > Eddie and I have had many discussions over the last few > > > > > > weeks and with a little bit of help, Eddie has completed the > > > > > > purchase today........well done and good luck and all being well > > > > > > you should have a smooth handover on the 18th Dec.... > > > > > > > Eddie will fill you in with further details of what's to > > > > > > happen later. > > > > > > > I shall look forward to Saturday Evening when we can open a > > > > > > bottle of champagne at the Southern Area Xmas Bash. > > > > > > > Best Wishes > > > > > > > Andy Heaton > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the > > > > > > Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group. > > > > > > To post to this group, send email to > > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > For more options, visit this group > > > > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en > > > > > > > IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on > > > > > > an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. > > > > > > Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with > > > > > > the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above > > > > > > information shall have any liability to any person or entity with > > > > > > respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be > > > > > > caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within > > > > > > this or related message(s).- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Quantum Owners Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quantumowners?hl=en IMPORTANT NOTE: All information presented herewith is provided on an "As Is" basis, without warranty or the implication thereof. Neither the Quantum Owners Club nor the individuals associated with the Quantum Owners Club or in the preparation of the above information shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained within this or related message(s).
