Robin hood kitcars identification
| Triumph Dolomite based S7 (Information is that the front suspension isn't that good, and eats the matalastic bushes. Narrow cockpit so aftermarket seats are hard to get and are expensive) |
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| Cortina subframe S7 (Monocoque tub with ugly Cortina front suspension actually works quite well. The rear suspension can "knock" with the diff rotating slightly under load, and requires a torsion bar fitting to stop this. Again the cockpit is narrow with the usual seat problems) |
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| Mark 1 Sierra S7 Very similar to the previous Cortina model, except that we have now gone to Sierra components. With a large portion of the sierra front suspension used, complete with the sierra rear axle etc. Also using the sierra springs onto the rear wishbones, which can be seen to have a piece of rope through each spring to stop it coming off it's seating on full rebound) |
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| Mark 2 The mk2 is very similar to the mk1 but if you look where the bottom radius arm attaches, on the mk2 it attaches to the RHSC frame, whereas in the mk1 it's still in the Sierra framework. (The top wishbone on these are RH design, and need modifying by fitting a grease nipple into the pivot to regularly grease this. Further inprovements can be made by changing the sierra anti-roll bar for tue bars, and reducing the front spring strength) |
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| Exmo with McPherson struts. (Similar bottom radius arm connections, but with the McPhersons type front suspension, mounted onto buttresses, this mounting is prone to cracking up where the strut connects. The other drawback with this type of suspension is that it is nearly impossible to fit cycle wings, due to the buttresses. A plus on the cockpit on these is that it's considerably wider than the previous models, so the narrower "Clubman" type aftermarket seats can be forced to fit) |
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| Mark 3 (&3A) with inboard
coil-overs. (Front suspension is similar to the mark 2, except that the top wishbone now mounts into a formed channel part of the monocoque chassis, the greae nipple mod still applies, but the channel where the pivot bar mounts, is a weak spot, and after a while the holes will wear or even cracks can appear, suitable strengthening is required. The cockpit on the Mk3 has gone slightly narrower than the Exmo, but not as narrow as the earlier cars. The rear suspension is the sierra components, now hung onto RH coil-over shocks.) |
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| New mark 3 with outboard
coil-overs. (Not a lot of these cars were made) (Comments as mark 3)
It is worth noting that all the stainless monocoque models suffer to some extent or other with the tub cracking at stressed area's, especially at the corners of the engine bay where the vertical welds are. At suspension mounting area's, both front & rear. |
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| 2B sliding pillar. Both top
& bottom anchorages are fixed, and the hub slides up & down a shaft. (RH's first round tubular chassis 2B, there were numberous problems with the sliding pillar system, some because aftermarket components had been used on the donor car, and the pieces required weren't up to strength. Basically it wasn't the success that RH thought it would be, but saying that, there are some good ones out there that have covered some good distanced without trouble. The cockpit on the 2B is the largest 7ish available, and can take the standard sierra seats [with the plastic trim removed] so most aftermarket seats can fit) |
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| 2B sliding pillar with modded
suspension. Available as a kit, from one or two suppliers. (this car was modded, and the new suspension transformed the car) |
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| 2B wishbone Chassis. The
wishbones pivot in the ends of box channel sections. (Excepted as the best 2B kit produced yet, with the suspension working fine. Although like all the cheap suspension units {Zemmeride, or some like that!} issued by RHSC for previous models, they will literally fall apart after a few thousand miles, an upgrade to a good well respected make is a must) |
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| Sub K, was available with mild
steel panels or s/s panel option. Became the 2B/04 in 2004, when only available with S/Steel panels. (Note that the top anchorage of the spring is fixed, and a McPherson strut type of unit, similar to the Exmo, provides the suspension, and we're back to the sierra anti-roll bar stiffness problems. The headlights are somewhat higher than on the wishbone 2B. I also believe that there is some difference in the size/strength of the tubing around the rear boot area) |
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The Lightweight was first
shown in 2003, but it was only in 2005 that it actually went on sale,
due no doubt to the modifications needed, as it was panned as being
flimsy to say the least. Since that, it has been strengthened around the
main suspension components, and RHSC are supposedly running one in club
races. The lightweight hit a serious snag with the SVA, when a poorly built one was submitted for inspection, this put the model under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and lightweights in the original design will now fail the SVA on major issues. Anyone thinking of buying a none-SVA'd Lightweight kit secondhand needs to know the problems beforehand.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS L/WEIGHT HAS BEEN SVA'D AND IS OF GOOD ORDER.
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| In the past RH have always tried to keep the price of their kits as cheap as
possible, it has in the past reflected in the design of the cars, and the
quality of some of the components supplied, this then brings further
problems with use of the built car, especially the older models. It is
however, true to say that since GBSC have taken over the business, customer
satisfaction is a top priority, now with of good reports of assistance and
help to builders from GBSC. However, I would advice anyone thinking of building or buying a Robin Hood to first of all visit one or two of the usual kitcar shows, and talk to the Owners Club members. also it's an advantage to join the Owners Club, then you would have access to the local Area Sec. who can put you in touch with members close to you. A link to the Owners club is on the front page of this website. |
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A list of models produced by Robin Hood Engineering (now GBSC) is as follows. Some of them were one-off's and are unheard of out of the factory itself.
1983-84 Rover SD1 Daytona panel kit
1984-87 Jaguar based Daytona kit
1987-88 Triumph TR7 Daytona kit
1988-91 Robin Hood S7 TR7 based (spaceframe chassis)
1989-91 Robin Hood S7 Triumph Dolomite based (including same monocoque version)
1990 Robin Hood The Unique
1990-91 Robin Hood S7 Jaguar V12 engined
1991-94 Robin Hood S7 Ford Cortina
1991 Robin Hood Barrelback Series 6
1993 Robin Hood Donington
1993 Robin Hood Series 1 'Cheven' (Chevette Based)
1994-95 Robin Hood Ford Sierra based
1995-96 Robin Hood Series 2 Ford Sierra based
1996-98 Robin Hood Exmo
1997-98 Robin Hood Series 3
1996 Robin Hood Go
1998 Robin Hood Series 3a
1998-99 Robin Hood Traditional
1998-99 Robin Hood New Series 3
1997 The Kaig (Marketed under the Kaig Motors banner)
1998 Robin Hood Metro mid-engined
1998 Robin Hood 2.0 Rover mid-engined
1999 The Kaig Vamp (Marketed under the Kaig Motors banner)
1999-2003 Robin Hood Project 2B
2000 Robin Hood One-O-Sax
2001-to date Robin Hood SubK, became the Project 2B/4 in 2003
2001 Robin hood DOHC Sierra kit
2002-to date Robin Hood 2B plus
2003-to date Robin Hood Superspec
2003 Robin Hood Rager
2003 Robin Hood Lightweight
2006 Robin Hood ferrenzo 360 roadster (Ferrari Daytona replica)
2006
Robin Hood "The Hood"
2007
Robin Hood "ZERO"
2008 The BULLET (3 wheeler, Scooter engined)
Please note: I take no responsibility for the accuracy of this list, it is only meant as an insight into the numbers of models that Robin Hood have produced over the years. (most of it is information from other sources)