John Ryan Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Hi All. I'm picking up my new 11 at the factory on Friday. Bit scared looking at the build manual! I built a Caterham some 15 years ago, but that was from a wreck with a new chassis, this will be my first full build with SVA at the end. Hoping to get it on the road for next summer, time allowing. I have scrapped a very rotten midget to get the mechanicals which I will have rebuilt, as I want as many parts as possible to be new. You will see me on the technical forums! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewBClarke Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobMet Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Excellent, looking forward to this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Hi John, Welcome to the XI family! This will be a quite different experience as it's part restoration, part new build and part make it up as you go along as everyone's XI is slightly different even though they're all based on the same donor car, with the build manual being more of a guide than a manual. Any questions just ask away as there is a reliable band of past and current builders who will most likely have the answer. Btw, don't be disappointed if it takes more than one year to build (mine's taken three and a half years so far...). Morris. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ryan Posted May 18, 2022 Author Share Posted May 18, 2022 Thanks all! Looking forward to getting going. Some front suspension parts arrived from the MGOC today so I can make a start. I realise an 11 is more than a kit, will definitely need some help. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Welcome to the club! You’ll find half a dozen 11 build threads listed here, which will be a treasure trove of info and tips for you along the way. Good luck! 👍😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p k Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Welcome another 11 builder to the fold mine has been in progress just over a year . it's more a restoration in the early stages but most of the parts are easily available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIY-Si Posted May 18, 2022 Share Posted May 18, 2022 Hello from a fellow XI builder! I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience, as long as you can be patient. Not everything lines up first time, but I've always considered the odd modification, or total re-design, part of the fun. Will you be looking at a build diary of your own? There needs to be more XI involvement where it can be encouraged. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonjh1964 Posted May 19, 2022 Share Posted May 19, 2022 John, Welcome to the WSCC and the Eleven build, take your time and enjoy the build there's now a good number of blogs on the forum, please ask questions if you can find the answer and thanks for reminding me to get mine MOT/Tax ready for the summer. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ryan Posted May 20, 2022 Author Share Posted May 20, 2022 Many thanks all, especially for the list of build diaries. I might do one, but I fear my level of skills is far below other people here! picked up the car today, looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIY-Si Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 3 hours ago, John Ryan said: Many thanks all, especially for the list of build diaries. I might do one, but I fear my level of skills is far below other people here! picked up the car today, looks great! Skill is learnt, you'll be amazed at how quickly you can pick things up. There's lots of bits that most builders couldn't do 6 months ago! Photos, man, photos!! What spec have you gone for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Ryan Posted May 21, 2022 Author Share Posted May 21, 2022 Photos! i can't understand why they are posting upside down! Perhaps someone could enlighten me. In terms of spec, standard green with maroon. Le Mans tail, because I quite like the look. I have ordered an upgraded engine from MCCS with about 100bhp at the wheels, 5-speed gearbox. I am planning everything new or reconditioned, but I scrapped a very rusty 1967 Midget to get a V5 and donor parts. I ticked the polished option and the bodywork looks great, plus a wiring loom and anti roll bar. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIY-Si Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 The wiring loom and polished bodywork should really be in the kit, rather than options, as I'm pretty sure 99% of builders opt for them! Green and maroon is the usual choice, but it is also a really good one and the colours that virtually everyone knows of for an XI. I'd definitely suggest a build diary, as I've found it quite helpful for documenting my process as well as allowing others to chip in with advice where and when you need it. As for the photos being upside down, there's some technical thing that phone cameras apply to a photo to show which way is up. For reasons that I don't understand, forum's often flip them round. I found re-sizing the photos to 60% or 80% resolved the problem, but that is also very easy to do on my Samsung phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted May 21, 2022 Share Posted May 21, 2022 On 20/05/2022 at 18:45, John Ryan said: Many thanks all, especially for the list of build diaries. I might do one, but I fear my level of skills is far below other people here! picked up the car today, looks great! The whole point of starting a build thread is usually not to show off your build skills - it’s so others who have been there before you can help guide and advise to make the build easier and better. No one in here is going to be anything but supportive and helpful. This is where your membership fee is going to prove the smartest money you’ve spent. 😊👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 I can't think why anyone would really want to use the original Midget wiring loom that'll have 50 years worth of sticky grime covering it (and the WSC loom is not expensive). I've kept the old loom as it's been a valuable source of extra lengths of wire and those expensive instrument bulb holders. Interestingly I thought that the bodywork is supplied polished as standard now (mine certainly was!). I agree, the green bodywork colour works very well and can be accessorised strikingly with ye old yellow go-faster stripes... Oh dear, I think the build thread has sneakingly been started...😀😀! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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