Hello from South Oxfordshire
Hello from South Oxfordshire
Recently, in an unexpected turn of events I became the owner of an Ariel Atom 3. Not something I'm going to complain about!
The car has a reasonably interesting history, as it was originally bought by Williams F1's Advanced Engineering department for a project commissioned by Nissan.
The project involved buying two Atoms, using one as a nigh-on factory spec reference car and one as a development mule / PoC for the Nissan Bladeglider narrow front track configuration. The car I’ve ended up with was the reference (un-modified) car. I say unmodified, however both cars has a fairly substantial roll cage welded to the original chassis. Presumably as the narrow-track car may have needed it, and the reference car needed one to make the comparison fair.
Here’s a link to a magazine article about it: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a9769/exclusive-sort-of-driving-the-nissan-bladeglider-concept-16178124/
After the project completed, the car became available for purchase, and with a family member being a W-F1 employee, I was able to take advantage…
The car was built by TMI Autotech in 2013, and is spec’d as a LHD chassis, with a K24Z motor, LSD and Wilwood Dynalite ’Track' spec brakes. With only 780 miles on the clock, it’s all pretty much box fresh too…
As the car was only ever used on closed circuits, it was never registered for road use. A few calls with Henry at Ariel and the guys at TMI and it was clear that getting the car IVA’d wouldn’t be a problem. All that was missing was a pair of headlights and the handbrake setup. Both of which I have now fitted to the car.
It should be getting IVA’d by Ariel mid-June and fully road-registered by mid-July.
Sadly, due to pending building works at home, I’m not sure how long I will be able to the wife will let me hold on to the car, but if I can get a few months of summer driving I’ll be happy enough.
The car has a reasonably interesting history, as it was originally bought by Williams F1's Advanced Engineering department for a project commissioned by Nissan.
The project involved buying two Atoms, using one as a nigh-on factory spec reference car and one as a development mule / PoC for the Nissan Bladeglider narrow front track configuration. The car I’ve ended up with was the reference (un-modified) car. I say unmodified, however both cars has a fairly substantial roll cage welded to the original chassis. Presumably as the narrow-track car may have needed it, and the reference car needed one to make the comparison fair.
Here’s a link to a magazine article about it: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a9769/exclusive-sort-of-driving-the-nissan-bladeglider-concept-16178124/
After the project completed, the car became available for purchase, and with a family member being a W-F1 employee, I was able to take advantage…
The car was built by TMI Autotech in 2013, and is spec’d as a LHD chassis, with a K24Z motor, LSD and Wilwood Dynalite ’Track' spec brakes. With only 780 miles on the clock, it’s all pretty much box fresh too…
As the car was only ever used on closed circuits, it was never registered for road use. A few calls with Henry at Ariel and the guys at TMI and it was clear that getting the car IVA’d wouldn’t be a problem. All that was missing was a pair of headlights and the handbrake setup. Both of which I have now fitted to the car.
It should be getting IVA’d by Ariel mid-June and fully road-registered by mid-July.
Sadly, due to pending building works at home, I’m not sure how long I will be able to the wife will let me hold on to the car, but if I can get a few months of summer driving I’ll be happy enough.
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
that looks hilarious with the roll cage.......... you need to get a grinder on that pronto
early nomad prototype ?
early nomad prototype ?
ATOM 4
DEFENDER 90
CROSSTURISMO 4S
911 991.2
R1250GS
DEFENDER 90
CROSSTURISMO 4S
911 991.2
R1250GS
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Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
Alain
I take it from your post that the lights worked OK!!
I take it from your post that the lights worked OK!!
Atom 3.5R (Cyprus)
Honda CRV 2.2 Ex Auto i-DTEC (Cyprus)
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ4 (Cyprus)
Honda CRV Ex I-MMD eCVT Hybrid (UK)
Honda CRV 2.2 Ex Auto i-DTEC (Cyprus)
Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ4 (Cyprus)
Honda CRV Ex I-MMD eCVT Hybrid (UK)
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
[quote="justin swift"]
...you need to get a grinder on that pronto
[/quote]
There's a good chance that will happen!
[quote="autobackup"]
I take it from your post that the lights worked OK!!
[/quote]
Like a charm - thanks Paul!
...you need to get a grinder on that pronto
[/quote]
There's a good chance that will happen!
[quote="autobackup"]
I take it from your post that the lights worked OK!!
[/quote]
Like a charm - thanks Paul!
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
Hey, well done on getting not only an Atom, but one with a great tale behind it.
I'm also in South Oxfordshire (just round the corner from the Wiliams Factory), so hopefully see you around in your Atom.
I'm also in South Oxfordshire (just round the corner from the Wiliams Factory), so hopefully see you around in your Atom.
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
Great bit of history
Do you know what happened to the other one just curious
Thanks Ian
Do you know what happened to the other one just curious
Thanks Ian
Ferrari 328 Audi A5
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
That narrow track concept is really, really interesting. It's bizarre as well as the Atom 4 is almost identical in concept*
*this may not be entirely accurate
*this may not be entirely accurate
'he was reet fast'
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
[quote="justin swift"]that looks hilarious with the roll cage.......... you need to get a grinder on that pronto [/quote] Classic
Cheers,
Hedge
Cheers,
Hedge
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
THAT
CAGE
IS
HIDEOUS!
Get that off pronto!
CAGE
IS
HIDEOUS!
Get that off pronto!
Atom 4, Clio v6, & some other cars obviously.
Re: Hello from South Oxfordshire
Well, after a few weeks with the guys at the factory, my TMI built Atom 3 is now a fully road-legal UK registered car!
I removed the front part of the cage before it went down to them, but have left the rear roll hoop for now.
It got a thoroughly good going over by the factory, and as a result had a nice long work list to bring it up to IVA spec.
Aside from adding a few lights, re-routing a few cables/wiring looms, swapping a few US spec things for UK versions, and mapping the K24Z7 motor to a UK spec map, the car also got an 18k mile service, an upgrade to the 16'' wheel package and full 4 wheel alignment.
I picked it up this morning and had a very enjoyable (grin filled ) drive home, despite the humid / damp conditions.
Anyway, I'm a happy boy now!
Roll on the 7th of August, when I'll be popping along to Bedford for a track day.
I removed the front part of the cage before it went down to them, but have left the rear roll hoop for now.
It got a thoroughly good going over by the factory, and as a result had a nice long work list to bring it up to IVA spec.
Aside from adding a few lights, re-routing a few cables/wiring looms, swapping a few US spec things for UK versions, and mapping the K24Z7 motor to a UK spec map, the car also got an 18k mile service, an upgrade to the 16'' wheel package and full 4 wheel alignment.
I picked it up this morning and had a very enjoyable (grin filled ) drive home, despite the humid / damp conditions.
Anyway, I'm a happy boy now!
Roll on the 7th of August, when I'll be popping along to Bedford for a track day.
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