Work Experience at GBS..... We welcome Students when we can.

We get a lot of requests for Work Experience here at GBS throughout the year, we do our best to offer work experience opportunities when possible weather it be for a week or just a day. As we manufacture and design a lot of components in house, students are able to see and gain full experience of how the Zero and components are designed and manufactured from start to finish and get to see what’s involved to produce a sports car.

Last week we welcomed 18 year old Reece to GBS for two days work experience, Reece is studying Level 3 engineering and A’ Levels in Maths and Physics at Doncaster UTC - (University Technical College) in Doncaster. Reece has a strong passion for cars and motorsport and enjoyed his time with us last week and will possibly being coming back to join us very soon.

We are a very popular choice with Schools and Colleges throughout the country for work experience placements and student placements. Places are limited and are allocated on first come, first served basis, to apply and for all enquires please visit our career page.

Nice Zero with us for our IVA Service in the workshop.....

This customers 2.5 Duratec powered Zero is now back with us for the IVA Service that we offer and we are currently preparing it for test which is booked for next month. This Ultimate Zero Build was collected in June last year and was returned to us in January and will be on the road and enjoyed this summer. Every Zero self build kit that we sell is different and bespoke to the individual, if you are joining us at our Cars & Coffee event next month then you will be able to see this build that will still be with us in our workshop.

Zero Specification:
The Zero Complete Component Build (Phases 1 to 5 / Standard body / Pre panelled prepared for paint / custom paint / GBS Black Instruments / Seats with Yellow stitching / Upgraded 2” TRS Magnum Ultralite 4pt harness / new GBS side trim set / Upgraded ATR suspension and Brakes. Click here to see more details and options on this Zero kit spec that we offer.
Contact us to discuss the Zero options and Workshop services we offer in more detail.

Painted: Detonator Yellow with 3 Black Stripes / Headlights Black.

You can make your Zero even more stylish with a full range of custom paint options which can be truly individual to you. Our paint service is fast becoming a popular option and is a service that we offer. We are able to colour match and design your cars paint effect with you from start to finish. The paint option is available on both Zero Self Builds and Factory Builds. Click here to read more here about our paint service here.

Recent Zero Duratec engine upgrade in the workshop.....

The GBS Workshop is always busy and recently we welcomed this customers LHD Zero back from Norway that was booked in to have an Engine upgrade that we then presented to the rolling road for the customer. This Zero was fitted with a brand New Duratec crate engine, that had only covered around 3000km prior to the Customer requesting the performance upgrade. This upgrade can now be purchased as a component of kits for you to install yourself from our parts website Kit Spares please see part number PAC0018, we are also able to fit this at an additional cost. Click here to see more details about the workshop services or contact us to discuss the options in more detail.

This Zero is now back on the road and being enjoyed back in Norway, whilst it was with us we did a short video talking about the upgrade. Visit our GBS Workshop YouTube channel to see more.

GBS Workshop YouTube Channel updated....

The new Zero Build Guide that we released last month has proven very popular and we have had some very positive feedback about it and are continuing to work behind the scenes to develop and add to it.
We also find that videos are a useful way and often easier way to give advise and guide you through certain areas of the Zero build, as we can go into more detail. So we are now working to produce and release regular videos on certain areas of the build via our workshop YouTube Channel.
We still have a our main GBS YouTube Channel that will still be updated with other videos that are not as technical, more about the cars, events, behind the scenes and other exciting projects we are doing. Our latest video that we released is a talk through the fitting of the seats & Seat Runners. Click here to see more details about the Zero Build guide and to request your copy, and click here to visit our GBS Workshop YouTube Channel.

GBS Workshop offerings.... Not just for the Zero.

Here at Great British Sports Cars we have a fully functioning Workshop offering a multitude of specialist services. These services certainly aren’t exclusive to the Zero or even Seven’s. We have the pleasure of working with lots of different specialist cars, including 1930 AC, Brabham 1960 F2 Race car, Several Porsche Speedsters, GT40, Electric Powered Passenger vehicles to name a few.

Our routes are deeply embedded in the seven market, therefore we have gained a significant knowledge and great reputation in getting hundreds of cars through the IVA process, from almost every manufacturer that has blessed the kit car market. Nothing has beat us yet! IVA Service: IVA Appraisal / Pre Check IVA Works: One stop shop for all CAD Cam design, CNC fabrication, Inhouse Fiberglass / Composite, great understanding of M1 IVA standards and creative problem solving solutions, in house auto electricians, Emissions tuning, Dyno tuning, 4 Wheel Geometry. IVA approved Wiring solutions. - Completion of all IVA Paperwork and Registration. - Specialist IVA related testing equipment.

Other Services that we offer include: Servicing / Maintenance & MOT’s, Upgrades Repairs: From minor body work repairs to full restorations and crash repairs. Including chassis, panel work, body work and mechanical works. Build Completions & more.....

Click here to see more about the other Workshop Services we offer and to book your car in with us!

We offer Geometry Set Up & Corner Weights which can massively improve the handling of your sports car….

Zero powered by a 2.5 Duratec engine goes to Rolling Road.....

GBS Zero goes to rolling road…. This GBS Zero which many of you may have seen last year on our stand at various shows and events was back with us last month for an engine upgrade and then Rolling Road.

The 2.5 Duratec engine on ATR Throttle Bodies with a Life ECU was with us for development on a new cam, rods and pistons upgrade, then taken to Rolling Road where we were testing the trumpet and inlet extension tubes. The Rolling Road map session made 252 bhp which the customer was very pleased with and is now ready to start enjoying more miles in his Zero this year, and will hopefully be joining us on Saturday 18th March at our GBS Cars & Coffee event. (See more details on our event page)

If you are interested in booking your car in with us for any upgrades, rolling road or any other of our workshop services then get in touch.

The new GBS Manufacturing department is well underway - All elements of our production will soon be under one roof.....

Earlier this year we announced that we are expanding with the doubling our current site here in Nottinghamshire with the purchase of premises and the adjoining site. 
Since getting the keys just before Christmas we have all been extremely busy getting the new facilities ready. We are pleased to share with you an update and some behind the scenes photographs of how it is going as we are now very close to having all of our production under one roof. A lot of planning and preparation has gone into the move to reduce the down time of our production in our manufacturing department. This move has given us room to grow and expand our business and is allowing us to bring all elements of our production under one roof. We look forward to sharing with you more photographs and videos next month of the new department up and running.

We are not exhibiting at this years Race Retro Show that is happening this weekend. But we look forward to seeing you all next month at our GBS Cars & Coffee event that is happening on Saturday 18th March at GBS. More details can be found on our event page.

This could be the year to build your dream Sports Car at home in your own garage?

The Zero is a constantly evolving to make it easier for the home builder to build in their very own garage workshop.  With our new build guide soon to be released and the support from the team it couldn't be easier to build your own sports car. The GBS Zero is available as both factory build and a self build assembly kit for you to make your very own sports cars.

Building a Zero will be to your very own individual specification with the enjoyment of the build continuing all the way through till its on the road for you to enjoy for many years on both the road and track. Below are just a few questions that we often get asked……

Can I try before I buy?
Yes come and have a test drive in our Zero demonstrator with one of the team. We have two demonstrators available a Ford Duratec and Mazda based Zero. - Contact us today to book your visit and test drive - Click here

Which kit do I go for?
There are several options to consider and every kit that we supply is different as customers have different budgets, specifications, options and requirements. So contact us to discuss or why not arrange a visit to see us then we can show you all the options and help advise on the best route for your Zero build.

Are any specialist tools required to build the car?
No, you should be able to build the Zero with a good general tool kit consisting of a range of spanners, sockets, drill etc there is no welding or cutting required. This is tool kit that we recommend that has a good range of tools for the build. - Visit www.kitspares.co.uk

Where can I buy spare parts and extra parts for my build?
All parts for the Zero build can be bought from our Kit Spares online shop. Kit Spares stock the full range of parts for the GBS Zero and a comprehensive range of parts and spares for many other kit car makes and models. If you can’t find what you are after on there please give us a call or come and visit the Kit Spares shop and showroom.

I live outside the UK, can I still purchase a Zero?
Yes, the Zero range is available in both right and left hand drive. The Zero has already been sold into France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Portugal, Greece, Siberia, South Africa, Australia, America and Southern Ireland. Contact us for more details.

How do I register the car when its finished?
We offer support throughout your build including our IVA and registration service. Our workshop team offer an IVA Pre Check Service, Full IVA Service where we prepare and present your car to test, including all of the paperwork for both IVA and registration of your car. Visit our after sales page for more details on these services and others that we offer.

Is the Zero expensive to insure?
No, the Zero is remarkably cheap to insure considering their spec and performance. There are many specialist kit car insurance companies who offer a good price for insurance. (Price depends on status and history of driver).  Please click here for more details on the Insurance Companies we recommend and for our Dealer codes.

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Not everyone can say they have built their own Sports Car…..

Take your time, look at the options that we offer, do some research and come and visit us and we will show you everything, answer all your questions then the fun starts and we can start planning your build with you. Please also visit our FAQ page for more answers that you might be looking for.
We look forward to welcoming you to GBS.

Customers Zero Mazda Build progressing well....

We always like to hear from customers and see how their Zero Builds are going and we recently received some photographs and build update from GBS customer Marin Cordeaux and his wife Jane who collected their Zero Mazda Kit from us in October last year.

Martin said they ”Spent the first couple of weeks just getting familiar with the car and going over all the parts that we collected along with working through the wiring harness, brake pipes and fuel lines. We started with the differential and lifted that into place using the engine hoist which made the whole job a lot easier picking up on the locating point on the chassis. Once that was fitted we fitted the low pressure fuel pump and some of the associated hoses and fuel lines. We then moved onto the rear wishbones which then allowed us to fit the drive shafts and rear hubs. We located the prop shaft and made up a mounting bracket for the speedo pick up sensor.

So far so good, had a few technical questions which Matt from the GBS Workshop kindly resolved and we are progressing well to date”.

We look forward to following Martin and Janes Mazda Zero build and sharing their progress with you again later this year.

If you are near the completion of your Zero build and looking to get it IVA tested and registered then please see more details here about our IVA Service we offer for the Zeros and other sports cars.

Motorbike engine - Kawasaki 1400 GTR powered Zero leaves the GBS Workshop....

This Zero that we prepared and presented to IVA is now registered and is leaving the workshop this week. The Zero Custom self build option that we offer allows you to tailor the Zero to the engine configuration of your choice, whether that is an already compatible engine or a completely custom engine installation. Allowing you to customise the whole power train and other aspects of the car. This customers Zero build is powered by a Kawasaki 1400 GTR Motorbike engine, and will be enjoyed on both the road and track, see below more about the spec and performance.

Engine - Kawasaki 1400 GTR / 140bhp, 6 speed sequential gearbox, Fuel injected. / Controlled by Emerald K6 Ecu and Custom wiring harness / Quaife reverse Gearbox / Custom equal length 304L manifold / 2” stainless exhaust system with built in CAT / Accusump 3pint Oil accumulator and surge protection / Temp controlled Oil cooler / Custom shortened sump /
Custom Clutch with upgraded ZR1400 plates, and HD Springs / Drive system modified to accept prop shaft.

Zero Chassis - Lowered floor & cobra hoops / Custom Zero chassis adapted for bike engine, custom qualify gearbox mounts / Custom Proshaft / Full ATR spec, ATR Front end, ATR Rear upgrade, ATR Suspension. / Full Carbon pack / GBS Heated Seats / AIM MPS IVA compatible display, with additional sensors over Canbus from Ecu. / Momo Steering Wheel and Quick release boss / AEM Fuel / Air gauge / Custom Boot cover / Full wheel upgrade – Sparco 7x15 front and 8x15 rear / Painted kawasaki Purple.

Behind the scenes Factory Tour at GBS..... See what we are upto.....

We are always busy here at GBS and we often have some very interesting cars with us in the workshop and are involved in some very interesting projects. With full in-house design, development, manufacturing and testing we manage projects through the full product life cycle from concept to final production. Our capabilities range from less complicated prototype fabrication to complex composite structures. 

At GBS our philosophy remains to design and manufacture critical and custom components in-house. This ensures the highest quality, control of costs and lead times. For those parts we do not manufacture and wherever possible we select local sources to streamline the management of our supply chain and our delivery commitments. Click below to see a short video behind the scenes of what we are upto at GBS.
We have created a short video that shows Behind the Scenes of what we are upto. This short video shows an insight into the GBS Showroom and Kit Spares Shop, Kit Spares Stores, Engineering, Clean & Assembly Room, Design Room, Fabrication, Workshop, Composite and bodywork and an overview of the Zero.

GBS ENGINEERING

ATR PRODUCT RANGE

GBS WORKSHOP

GBS DESIGN ROOM

GBS FABRICATION

GBS COMPOSITES

Stocking Sealey Tools & what tools are required for your Zero to be assembled.....

We are pleased to have partnered up with Sealey Tools are a now stocking a range of their tools and products on our parts website - www.kitspares.co.uk or please contact the Kit Spares / GBS Team with the Sealey product code then we can get you a price for the item(s).

We recommend the 144pc tool kit that has a comprehensive range of premier hand tools that are ideal to have at hand when building your Zero is now available from our Kit Spares website.

Sealey Tools will also be with us at our GBS Cars & Coffee event next month, see more details here about this event - GBS Cars & Coffee Event.

The Zero has been designed so that it can be assembled with simple tools, that you most likely already have. If you do not, it may be possible to hire what you need from tool shops. If you decide to purchase them, bear in mind that it is not necessary to have professional grade tools as the workload for them is very small.

Another Zero on the road this Summer & more Zero Self Build Kits collected......

Its been a busy few weeks with Zero Self build Kit collections and we have several that are currently being prepared for export to the USA and others that are panelled and waiting to go to paint. We look forward to sharing with you over the next few weeks the Zeros that are coming back from paint, if you follow us on Instagram we will share a little preview of them on there first. Click here to follow us on Instagram @gbs_cars
Last week we welcomed GBS Customer Dan Wilding back to GBS to collect his Zero Mazda Self Build Kit, we look forward to following Dan’s Zero build as it progresses. Also last week GBS Customer Phil Roberts came to collect his Zero that earlier this month passed its IVA Test. Phil ordered his Zero Self build kit and started the build in 2019 and is now looking forward to getting it registered and enjoying it on the road this summer. Phil’s Zero is powered by the Ford 2.5 Duratec engine on the ATR Throttle Bodies, with some very nice optional extras and upgrades like the ATR Suspension, Heated GBS Seats and more. Phil always joins us at our GBS Cars & Coffee events and now looks forward to joining us at the next one in his very own Zero. We will soon be announcing the next Cars & Coffee date, so keep checking our GBS event page.

Investing in machinery with new Miller Welders and more.....

Investing In new machinery for fabrication……
We design and manufacture as much as we can and with full in-house design, development, manufacturing and testing we manage projects through the full product life cycle from concept to final production. Our capabilities range from less complicated prototype fabrication to complex composite structures.

We are always looking to improve techniques and move forward with the latest technology and are pleased to have recently invested in some new machinery to improve our fabrication and time saving with two brand new Miller Welders that were delivered to us just before Christmas.

The New Miller Dynasty 280 Tig Welder. The Dynasty 280 Series is a powerful combination of capability and portability, which is ideal for our fabrication site. Weighing only 52 pounds, it can weld up to 3/8" thick material. TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding is used to make precise, critical welds when joining metals such as mild steel, aluminium, or stainless steel. Which we use for the fabrication of components that we manufacture like the Fuel Tanks, Plenums, Sumps etc which are available from our parts website Kit Spares.

TIG welding is a two handed process (one hand holds the torch while the other feeds filler metal) and commonly involves a foot pedal or fingertip remote to control the arc amperage while welding.

We also have a new Miller Mig Matic 260i welder which we use for the manufacturing of the Zero Chassis and components, these machines will improve productivity, precision and overall quality of our products. Miller have spent some time with us setting up the machines and guiding us through the set ups so we can make the most of them.

We also have some more new machinery that we are expecting any time, so keep a look out on our Instagram for a preview of what that might be and we will share more with you on that very soon.

Transform your Zero with bespoke Vehicle Graphic Design.....

Eye catching graphics can transform your Zero and make it stand out from the crowd even more with bespoke vehicle graphics which can be truly individual to you.
We are now working with a local Graphic and printing company and together we are able to offer this bespoke design service for your Zeros.
This Zeros vehicle graphics was designed between the customer and ourselves and the influence came from the customers Yamaha motor bike which he wanted to feature in the same style and keep the same colour scheme. This Zero is now back in the GBS Workshop and will soon be back with the customer for the build to continue, this Zero build is the Ultimate Self Assembly kit which which will be powered by the Ford Duratec engine.

You can now see more about this service on a new page on our website or Contact us today with your enquires and design ideas. We have also created a short video which shows the process on our GBS YouTube Chanel. We currently have some very nice Zeros that are at paint and more waiting to go to paint that we will share with you on our GBS Instagram @gbs_cars

Busy GBS Workshop is here for all your required works....

The GBS Workshop is currently very busy with lots of cars with us for various works including build completions, servicing, IVA preparation, upgrades and more.
We are able to offer a full range of workshop services for your GBS Sports Car and also other cars. Below are a collection of photographs of some of the cars that have been with us this year for work.

For more details on our workshop services and to get your car booked in please get in touch with us.

NEW Motul Car Care Products tested on the Zero.....

We recently received some test and sample products of the New Motul Car Care product range which we have used and tested on the Zero demonstrators. Our apprentice Will is responsible for keeping the Zero demonstrators clean and he put the products to test. He was very impressed with them especially with the Glass Cleaner, Insect Remover and Express Shine which left our demonstrator looking like new. Will said “ I will be buying some this to use on my own car”.

The Motul Car Care range can be seen and purchased online from our new Kit Spares website or directly from our Kit Spare show room shop.
Click here to see more details on the product range.

Talk through Customers Zero Mazda build that we recently presented to IVA......

We often have some very nice Zeros and other sports cars that are with us in the workshop for various works like the IVA Service, MOT Testing, Track Day Preparations and more. Including this very nice Mazda Zero build, that was built by GBS Customer Kevin Broomhead. Which is a great example of a Zero Mazda build, and we wanted to share more with you. So whilst it was with us in the workshop, Matt our workshop manager talks you around it in detail. Click here to watch the video on our GBS YouTube Chanel.

The Mazda based Zero kit uses the Mazda MX5 as a donor. The Mazda MX5 (Miata) serves perfectly as a donor, and is readily available worldwide with over 900,000 donor cars produced. The Mazda MX5 donor Zero utilises (Mk1, Mk2, Mk2.5) from 1989 through 2005 in either right or left hand drive.

You can select from a variety of packages to suit all budgets from our starter kit through to a complete kit of components that can be assembled easily by yourself. More details can be found here on our website about the Zero self build options.

Kevin is now waiting for the age related registration to come through anytime, then he can enjoy it on the road. Hopefully Kevin will also be joining us at our Cars & Coffee event, so you can see it there too. Click here for more details about our GBS Cars & Coffee event that is taking place on Saturday 26th June at GBS.

Behind the scenes of how the Zero Chassis is Powder Coated....

The Zero chassis is powder coated as a standard option on all self build kits and factory builds and is a very important part of the Zero build. The powder coating process makes the chassis and components more resilient, gives a superior finish to paint, is long lasting and hard wearing and offers excellent corrosion protection. Here we share with you more details on the process and a few behind the scenes photographs of the process in action.

Once the Zero Chassis production is complete and all the required welds are flattened off, the chassis is now ready for the Powder Coat process to begin. Here you can see the process of what happens when a Zero chassis is powder coated.
The chassis is placed in the Shot Blasting Chamber where it is blasted, the chassis is then blasted, the blasting process removes any dirt from the chassis. Then the powder is applied using static charge. This is a two stage process first being primer, and the second black satin top coat. The Chassis is then placed in the oven and heated up to 200 Degrees. This allows the powder to fuse and bond with the chassis, this process is done over a period of time. Whilst the chassis is still hot from the primer, the final top coat is applied using the same electro static process. Once again the chassis is placed back in the oven for the final time to be fully baked and hardened. Then we have a finished Powder Coated Zero Chassis ready for the build to begin.

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Book your appointment to see the Zero…..

The GBS and Kit Spares Shop and Showroom are now open, we are still operating appointment only visits to see the Zeros, so please contact us today to book your appointment.

Testing at Blyton Park with a customers Zero and other performance car....

We always have a workshop full of Zeros and often have other interesting cars with us that we are doing work on and bespoke fabrication. One GBS Customer has a Zero and also owns this Repco Brabham sports car which some of you may have seen in the workshop when you visited last year. It was with us for engine, electrical and custom works and earlier this year it was back with us for the geometry set up and to prepare it for its test and set up day at the track.

Where last month we booked a test day at Blyton Park for the Brabham to be be put through it paces on the track to see how it performed, some of the GBS Workshop team also attended to make sure the set up was correct and to make any required adjustments to the setup. It was a successful and enjoyable day and the car performed well with only a few minor tweaks required. Denis also enjoyed several laps of the track in his Zero too, and can’t wait to join us on our next GBS Track Day. The Brabham is now all set up and ready for its Hill Climb event which is happening later next month, we look forward to hearing how it gets on.

Its always great to see what customers also have in their car collections along with the Zero, and we are pleased to offer a full range of workshop and engineering / fabrication services for the Zero and other sports cars. Click here for more details about what we offer including our IVA Service.