Rebody Z3 Donor - Options and other rebody questions

[ruan]

Hi, Searching for a donor for a tribute build, should I consider a CAT N ? I have seen one online that has damage to the front driver side quarter, it is 3.0, low mileage with a good interior, unfortunately it is an auto, I am concerned that the damage maybe more than just the front wing, bumper, lights and bonnet - awaiting more info. How much cheaper does a CAT N need to be for it to be a viable option ? I guess like everyone else my preferred donor would be a 2.8 manual with all the bells and whistles, but should I consider a 2.2 if it is cheaper with a lower mileage ?
Thoughts?

P.S. Also hoping to see some of your cars at the national kit car show in June.

 

[Duncodin]

Hi, Searching for a donor for a tribute build, should I consider a CAT N ? I have seen one online that has damage to the front driver side quarter, it is 3.0, low mileage with a good interior, unfortunately it is an auto, I am concerned that the damage maybe more than just the front wing, bumper, lights and bonnet - awaiting more info. How much cheaper does a CAT N need to be for it to be a viable option ? I guess like everyone else my preferred donor would be a 2.8 manual with all the bells and whistles, but should I consider a 2.2 if it is cheaper with a lower mileage ?
Thoughts?

P.S. Also hoping to see some of your cars at the national kit car show in June.

Most people on here would go for big 6 cyl. But I'm doing it to my 1.9 M44. I've had the z3 for 18 years before deciding to use it as a donor.

 

[DaveP]

Answering your first question I would stay clear of any Cat- cars as that would, hamper you at resale should you go down that path.

obvious choice is the 2.8 manual as there are enough about to make them viable financially and from a performance point of view. Mine is built on a manual 2001 2.2 and I'm happy with the performance. I never drive over the speed limit so don't need any more than that. I wouldn't go for a four pot because that may hamper you on resale again.

Good luck with the hunt.

Dave

If you do FB then there is a Rebody Kitcar Group and Tribute Owners Group to go look at and find where and when people are going to shows etc. I won't personally be going to the kitcar show as too far for me. Whereabouts are you ?

 

[ruan]

Thanks , I'll expand my search to include the 2.2 as well.

 

[DaveP]

Another point to note that if you are in the south of England there are two events, not kitcar specific, where you will find some tributes. The Tribute agents 2ill be there with some 9f theirs and customer cars.

They are Basingstoke Festival of Transport May 19th and The British Motor Show Farnborough 15th - 18th August.

 

[ruan]

Thanks, this is really good news as I can go to both.

 

[Pond]

Here is my thoughts on 'donor' cars (maybe not popular but...)

Whatever you 'dress' a Z3 as; it will still be the Z3 car underneath. Doing a 'rebody' is not cheap by any means, even if the advertised kits are £5k ish. You will spend much more than the kit to get it to a respectable standard, so scrimping on the donor is a false economy and will result in a sub-standard end product IMHO.

My car is going to to cost in excess of £30k (not including the donor), so buying a clapped out insurance write-off is, frankly, stupid to me as it will de-value the money, time and hard work put into it.

I went for the best condition, low mileage, 3 litre I could find. It had a few scrapes on the bodywork which didn't matter for me and had been a bit neglected mechanically, but that was all sorted easily and fairly cheaply. My thought process was what was the point of buying a high mileage, rusty (they do go rusty!) old Z3 with 150hp when I am trying to replicate a V12 3 litre piece of 1960s Italian exotica?

If you are going to spend £15k on doing the rebody (which is cheap), why spend £3k on the car itself? Doesn't make sense, either financially, or to achieve a decent finished product.

IMO if you are trying to do a rebody on the cheap....don't bother. It will be a waste of time and effort.

 

[Duncodin]

On a 20 year old Z3 it really doesn't need much damage to be an insurance write off. Broken bumper, light and a scratched bonnet and it's a write off. All parts the rebody doesn't need anyway.

But if you think you might want to sell one day then I wouldn't go there.

Talking of engines. You could build a Tribute Kobra using a 2.8 a 3.0 or an M and many would still reject it because a cobra just has to be a V8. Should a Tribute Kobra have a V8? So doesn't matter what engine your donor has it'll still be wrong.

My Tribute 507 needs a V8. Not a straight 6

 

[Pond]

My Tribute 507 needs a V8. Not a straight 6

Unfortunately BMW didn't make a V8, or V12, Z3. so you have to make do as these kits are based upon a Z3 (for better or worse).

Therefore IMO you find the nearest thing. TBH I don't think a Z3 M roadster is really viable, so the next best is a 3 litre M54, or possibly an M52 2.8.

Everybody has their own reasons for doing these kits, and what they want to achieve. But if you want to achieve something that other people will deem as valuable it needs to be decent to start with.

My take on it is that I want to make the best 'replica' I can do; which includes the best car underneath. I would not be happy spending multi-thousands dressing up an insurance write-off.

I wonder what the legals are with a write-off, aswell, when it comes to re-registering with the DVLA?

 

[Duncodin]

Unfortunately BMW didn't make a V8, or V12, Z3.

There's no z3 with V8 from the factory. But you could do an LS v8 if you really wanted.

 

[Pond]

There's no z3 with V8 from the factory. But you could do an LS v8 if you really wanted.

It has been done to a Cali in America. He put an LS7 in it and sold it for $270k. It lasted 7 miles before it was written off. The Z3 chassis wasn't designed for that amount of power, or torque.

If you wanted to go down the LS route (which are mega money to ship to the UK), surely you would buy a 'proper' Cobra replica, of which there are many options (AK, GD, Dax, etc, etc)? All using big old Jag running gear and chassis designed for the task.

 

[DaveP]

I do know of one kit with a 351 Cleveland in it. Last I saw it was a kobra.

Sounds awesome.

I don't care that I don't have a v8. A 6 inline Sounds pretty cool for a "60s car"

 

[t-tony]

I've followed a V8 Z3 and it did sound great. Mainly slowing down (as I caught up) and speeding up ( as it disappeared out of sight).

Tony.

 

[Duncodin]

I'm actually happy with my M44. (1.9) at 140ish HP it's not that far off what the original 507 had. The 507 was a tourer not a racer.

One thing in the back of my mind - it'll probably not get any further than that - is the idea of chucking out all the tech. All the computer stuff. Abs, traction control, ecu, zke, everything in the bin. Make a good old fashioned car. . . . V8. . . with carbs. It's gotta be possible.
Oh no. Now that I just said that the idea shifted a little.

 

[ruan]

Just found this on an auction site, will watch to see how much it goes for.

https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1999-bmw-z-gt-tribute-recc32097-1-tatton-0624?pn=1&el=6490&pp=100

 

[DaveP]

Just found this on an auction site, will watch to see how much it goes for.

https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1999-bmw-z-gt-tribute-recc32097-1-tatton-0624?pn=1&el=6490&pp=100

That was built by the Tribute agents and was also covered in Complete Kitcar Magazine. Nice car in the flesh.

 

[Pond]

Just found this on an auction site, will watch to see how much it goes for.

https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1999-bmw-z-gt-tribute-recc32097-1-tatton-0624?pn=1&el=6490&pp=100

Not the best job from the photos. Interior looks decidedly 'bodged' IMO. Uses the Z3 gear knob and some switchgear.

MOT history check is not good; it looks like it was an import in around 2019, as the (limited) history is in Km.
Still registered as a Z3 so God knows how they got an MOT. Oh hang on...it doesn't have one and hasn't for 18 months!

Obviously 'finished' in 2021 then took for an MOT where it failed on multiple issues of not being finished properly.

Around £15k auction price for that IMO (and that's a huge risk for the buyer). If that's the case, then someone is losing an awful lot of money.

 

[DaveP]

Not the best job from the photos. Interior looks decidedly 'bodged' IMO. Uses the Z3 gear knob and some switchgear.

MOT history check is not good; it looks like it was an import, as the (limited) history is in Km. Around 80k miles.
Still registered as a Z3 so God knows how they got an MOT. Oh hang on...it doesn't have one and hasn't for two years!

Around £15k auction price for that IMO (and that's a huge risk for the buyer). If that's the case, then someone is losing an awful lot of money.

I'm sure there is a tale to tell on this one. I like the interior personally. It is quite unusual for tributes to have a different set up inside. Always compromises to be had with Z3 electrical snafus and ease of change.

Agreed on the risk though. Looks like it has been in storage for some time probably explaining lack of MOT. Should have had re-reg done too.

 

[Pond]

I'm sure there is a tale to tell on this one.

I agree. The tale (from the limited info) looks like a conversion done on the cheap and for some reason hasn't been on the road for a good while. Which rings alarm bells for me.

Chances are the Z3 was a South African import which are dirt cheap as there is no history when imported.

Without a current MOT a car should be sold as 'spares or repair' IMO as it is not roadworthy.
These auction sites really should not be allowed to bullshit like they do IMO. It is mis-representation.

There was a Z3 rebody sold at auction late last year which, in the blurb, said it had original Borrani wheels. It didn't. It had the same Chinese replica wheels as everybody else's just with £5 eBay stickers on. They also stated it has an Ansa exhaust system. It didn't. It had an exhaust from John Smith down the road with some Ansa eBay stickers. It also said it had bespoke wool carpets. It didn't. It had Woolies carpets which were definitely not wool.

We all know these rebodies are fake, so why try and pull the wool over buyers eyes? It is not on IMHO.

 

[Brocky61]

Hi, Searching for a donor for a tribute build, should I consider a CAT N ? I have seen one online that has damage to the front driver side quarter, it is 3.0, low mileage with a good interior, unfortunately it is an auto, I am concerned that the damage maybe more than just the front wing, bumper, lights and bonnet - awaiting more info. How much cheaper does a CAT N need to be for it to be a viable option ? I guess like everyone else my preferred donor would be a 2.8 manual with all the bells and whistles, but should I consider a 2.2 if it is cheaper with a lower mileage ?
Thoughts?

P.S. Also hoping to see some of your cars at the national kit car show in June.

Don't be put off by it being an auto. the 3.0 is tiptronic just like most top of the range sportscars these days so you can have it as either auto or manual, should you desire