Kit car with good access to cylinder heads?

[John 90]

Which Air cooled based kit car has the best access to the heads, so I can take off the top end easily, ideally removing as little of the kit car bodywork as possible?

Ideally there would be space around the heads too for any mods I might bolt on.
Basically I would like a mobile test bed for heads, as swapping heads and then driving would be the main activity. A distant second here is that the kit car is cool looking and fun.

Thanks!

[hillmotorsports]

If it can be licensed in your area....UK regs are unknown.....a sandrail would be the simplest/cheapest/easiest to play with motor parts as there is nothing in the way.
My 2nd choice would be a Meyers Tow'd or Manx dune buggy. Almost as easy engine access but road legal almost anywhere.
_________________
Rosemarie and Paul Hill
Morrisburg, Ontario

(With way more projects than spare time!)

[rockcrawl]

Baja Bug.

[Letterman7]

Pretty much what was said already. Kits are still relatively common in the UK, but they suffer from the same ailment as US kits - bodies are usually one piece, and if you get something like a Nova (Sterling) or Manta variant, your engine access is very limited. Buggies, on the other hand, usually have the engines out in the open more or less, so you could pull the engine and swap whatever you needed with little issue.

[BL3Manx]

The heads are exposed in almost any buggy, however the component which is usually obstructed from removal from the buggy is the fan shroud and you can't remove the cylinder tins without first removing the fan shroud.

I would look at a design which mounted the vw engine out in front which got enough air flow while driving that a cooling shroud system isn't required. You can build your own

Or a Blackjack zero kit http://www.blackjackzero.com/mainindex.htm

[Petfisheric]

How about a GT40 based kit or an Aztec GT some of these have clam shell rear sections. You might have to modify the hinges to suit your needs.

[Wolfgangdieter]

Porsche 550 Spyder replica! Tail end opens like the old front ends of the AH Bugeye Sprite, TR Spitfire or E-Type Jag. Everything from starter to fan belt pulley nut is out in the open. The Perry-D fits a full sized VW chassis but most others use tube chassis and VW running gear.

A VW engine can be removed in under 30 minutes so I'd simply pick a body style you like or can find locally and go for it. Spare engines are inexpensive - so get a spare and swap them in and out.
_________________
CMC '57 Porsche Speedster Replica and Dolphin boat tailed full pan VW MOD-T Street Buggy

[hillmotorsports]

What seems like 4 lifetimes ago I had a GT40 style VW based Fibrefab Avenger. Engine access was total, from axles back if I recall.
Other than the style, the access and VW platform were the best parts!
_________________
Rosemarie and Paul Hill
Morrisburg, Ontario

(With way more projects than spare time!)

[jspbtown]

Avenger access is much better in the front than the rear....