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Nice Birkin


WestTexasS2K

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Have been considering this car also. Are these Birkins the same size as an original Lotus or regular size Caterham? It looks a little larger all around but could just be the photos. I don't want one of the larger cars - I like mine to fit like a glove! Thanks, Ron.

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Yes, the Birkin is dimensionally the same as a Lotus S3 or non-SV bodied Caterham.

 

Thanks MightyMike. With you being one of the resident "Birkin Experts" here, what do you think of this car? Ron.

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Thanks MightyMike. With you being one of the resident "Birkin Experts" here, what do you think of this car? Ron.

 

I'm by no means an expert on Birkins, but thanks anyway! I think most enthusiasts on USA7s have forgotten more than I know.

 

IMO, the price range as advertised on Ebay seems reasonable. Based on the photos alone, the car appears to be in average condition, but would clean up nicely. The Mazda engine could be turbo or supercharged.

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Owning a Birkin too this looks like a reasonably good price for the car, my guess is it's around 1996-1999 as it has the narrow track front end and the older style cycle guards yet it has the newer rear guards than mine (1998). If it had been SA assembled (pre 1999) it would have had a ford 1600 crossflow but ad it was shipped as a kit it more than likely would have been set up for a ford detect but instead had the Miata engine put in along with custom seats. Other things missing are the full windscreen but that's easy to fix and also vinyl dash ask easy fixed.

 

As for price in the US check out what a kit will cost you from the USA Birkin dealer and then maybe add $1000 (maybe way off the mark here) for the bits you need to bring the car up too what you would need/want and compare.

 

I love my 1998 Birkin it's built well and goes great.

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Thanks for the additional info KiwiBirkin. It is apparently factory assembled as it was shipped as a rolling chassis. It comes with the full windscreen, it is just not installed. No wiper though. Kit cars cost a lot to bring into Canada as they can't be brought in as full kits. No suspension or steering parts allowed to be in the kit. Could not build one for the asking price. I love the leather interior in it and the colour. Looks a little dated with the narrow front end but that could be a good winter project! Still thinking it over. Ron.

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I would imagine the wiper kit is there under the scuttle maybe just the wipers missing, honestly I wouldn't even worry too much about adding a wide track front end as it won't need it really the normal narrow track works well on the the car. Great thing about the Birkin is 95% of the new Birkin bits fit the older Birkin's as they haven't changed the car too much except In size and shape.

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I am wondering if there is a member who lives close to this car (Newport Beach) who has driven Birkins? I'd really like to get an opinion on this car, the build and its set up.

 

Maybe someone can do a pre drive before I considered going out. The car has been for sale for quite a while.

 

If someone can give it a once over, maybe they would PM me.

 

I am in Texas and will not buy a car without driving it. So I am in for quite a trip. The silly sales tax laws in CA make it more expensive since I would have been planning on driving the car back if it weren't for the fact I would have to pay CA sales tax. The only way out of this is to have the car shipped out of state by a commercial shipper. No bill of lading, pay CA sales tax.

 

Because of this CA punishment for taking a car out of state, I instantly have another $1500 in additional cost, and I am not happy about that.

 

I have driven several Birkins of the current type (2000+) and Caterhams and an original Seven back in the late 1970's - 1990's. I also drove a Super Stalker recently, but was not too impressed with that particular Stalker. In fact, I went out a drove a Birkin just to make certain whether it was me, or the car.

 

It was that particular Super Stalker, but it leaves me wondering if all Stalkers drive as twitchy, hard and unstable as the one I drove. It was not like any Seven I have ever driven. It felt more like a dirt track sprint car I drove back in the '80's. Transient handling was sketchy, at best. I don't really want to get into the subject of that car, because I think it was just that car. Please, lets try not to turn this into a discussion of Super Stalkers. I just need to drive another one.

 

If anyone can help with the Birkin in CA, I'd appreciate it.

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

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I am not sure how much help I can be since I never drove an Birkin. However, I do live in Irvine which is about 10 min from Newport Beach. Let me know if you want me to go by to take a look and take some pictures.

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First, I want to thank everyone who responded, especially those who offered to look at the car. Unfortunately, for me, the time ran too short, given this was an ebay auction. I would have had no time to go out to look at it myself.

 

It looks like the buyer got a nice deal, though normal in today's market. The car sold for $16,600.

 

Certainly, the following statement from the seller made all the difference:

 

"On Jul-20-11 at 13:20:36 PDT, seller added the following information:

Thanks very much for the overwhelming response. I have tried my best to answer your questions as completely as possible.

 

 

To those of you who asked, "when, where and under what circumstances was the Miata motor purchased," I finally have the answer. There is a VIN tag on the side of the block - it reads JM1NA3535S0605514. I ordered a CarFax which shows that the Miata was purchased new in San Jose, CA and remains in CA with just 19,000 original miles. Then I googled the VIN and found a classified ad from a year ago when the original owner sold his 1995 Mazda Miata which was powered by a 500+ horsepower Ford 302/331 supercharged V8. I sent him an email and he kindly responded saying that the Miata motor was removed from his car in May 2006 with less than 1,000 miles on it. So, if you add the 600 miles that are now on the Lotus odometer to the less than 1,000 miles from the Miata, we know there are less than 1,600 original miles on this drivetrain.

 

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask."

 

So I am still in the market, preferably closer to Texas.

 

I did get a chance to que the California DMV about the tax situation on cars bought in California to be taken immediately to another state. I am going to post a separate answer to this issue, because if it is done incorrectly, you do have to pay California sales tax.

 

But there are legal ways out of the tax.

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Twas me, I decided to bite the bullet and buy it. I have been casually looking for a 7 for almost 5 years - not too many that meet all my criteria have come up for sale - cycle fenders, low mileage, able to import to Canada, left hand drive, yada yada yada....

 

It will take a few weeks for me to have it delivered but I am very much looking forward to it! I have very fast cars all ready ( 360 whp Dodge SRT-4, 650 whp Dodge Viper GTS ) but I know this will be a totally different feeling. I have also had many British cars ( Mini, Lotus Europas, Lotus Esprits, Marcos Mantula (current)) but none as raw as a 7. :party:

 

Ron

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Hopefully you will tell us about after it arrives.

 

 

Probably won't shut up about it! :D

With living in Canada and all the cool cars being in the States, I have had to purchase cars sight unseen before and have made out all right. Hopefully my luck will continue. Ron

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