Smartuki Kits Now Available
March 13th, 2006 by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"
The very popular Smartuki is now available in kit form. The Smartuki, as you’ll recall, is the GSX-R powered Smart car originally built by Z Cars for Peter Bee. Although the Smartuki was an incredible little beast, Z Cars didn’t have the time to turn out a kit and sold the whole project to Bill Allen. Allen, who was involved in building the original Smartuki, took the time to get everything sorted out and organized into a kit so anyone with the time and desire, plus a little cash, could now do it himself.
The Smartuki kit looks very well finished and once you close the rear hatch, no one knows what lurks inside. The engine bay is covered with sound deadening foam and closes around the engine and you still have a package shelf in the rear. You don’t need decals and racy paint, just don’t start the engine before placing your bet. Hey buddy, wanna race?
The Smartuki is available in four optional levels, from the basic level of almost totally doing it yourself along with finding most of your own parts to the highest level of drive in-drive out after writing a check. Prices range from £2000 to £9000, convert to your own currency for your cost. He will ship all over the world, too, so if you have a Smart and want to buy the kit, give Bill a ring and let him know.
The Kneeslider: Smartuki
The Kneeslider: Smartuki to be made by Bill Allen
The Kneeslider: Motorcycle Powered Cars
Posted in Motor Vehicles, Workshop & Tools
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19 Responses to “Smartuki Kits Now Available”
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March 13th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
here’s one for ya…..
motorcycle powered cars = cool
diesel powered bikes = cool
suzuki engines going into smart cars = smart’s 600cc turbodiesels coming up for sale? I’m already checking for motors on ebay…
March 14th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
It’s too bad they aren’t available over here in the US. I heard that Daimler Chrysler sued a company for importing a couple Smart cars and selling them. I know there are some companies working on bringing them up to US standards but with a lawsuit against anyone who tries we may never see them stateside. I guess Daimler is worried people will start bringing them in for service and they won’t have support. I think this also is similar to gray market KTM imports where the official importer is the only one allowed to import and sell the vehicles.
-todd
March 15th, 2006 at 7:33 am
todd, they may be closer to the US than you think. Smart cars have been available and selling well in Canada for over a year:
First Drive: 2005 smart fortwo cabriolet
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/05smartcabriolet.htm
Smart sells out in Canada:
http://www.zapworld.com/about/news/watch_smartcanada.asp
March 15th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
yes but I don’t want daimler to sue me for bringing one in the US and later selling it…
-todd
March 30th, 2006 at 1:57 am
If you guys are serious about buying smarts I can get them for you right now! I work for the first zap! smart car dealer in the U.S. and we just got a shipment of fortwos in. call me at 480- 228- 3375 martin
April 12th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Its nice to see a very small economy car that does a terrific 12.4 in the 1/4 mile! Numbers like this will silence the critics that think all ultra small cars are junk. As a motorcycle rider, I would be interested in owning a car like this in the future. P.S.- the Honda S2000 is another small car with impressive preformance numbers that has been selling well the last few years and also qualifies as an “ultra high efficency” vehicle.
April 20th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
Zap is now importing FORTWO’s with DOT and EPA certification….Available at Zap of Phoenix… The premier USA Dealer…call 480-212-0002…Ask for Ryan Haskins or Martin Grant…
April 21st, 2006 at 6:31 pm
Does ZAP have California approved “FORTWO’s”? I assume the fortwo is a Smart car.
-todd
May 4th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
So very tempted to buy another Fortwo for this reason.
May 14th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
There seem to be two guys in Phoenix (Martin & Ryan) at Zap who claim to be selling Smart cars. Their website says nothing but “coming soon”. Looks like the old come-ons we’ve been seeing for years now. The proof would be in the pricing, the service/parts picture and the ability to get them registered/insured in the various states.
June 10th, 2006 at 1:10 am
They are here in the us heck i have senn three on the road’s in the mooresville area of nc just two week’s ago, I beileve they are from the lake norman area zap world.com based dealership, you can also get them imported to the us with out a motor and save a ton of money as a glider than add your own like the one above
June 27th, 2006 at 3:48 pm
The 2 seat Smart car is available in 46 states of the USA through ZAP dealers. The conversion by ZAP is not EPA legal for new cars 4 states: Mass, Maine, New York and Calif. After 7500 miles the cars are legal in Mass as used vehicles. I have seen one in NH. ZAP has sold about 200 cars so far. They sell for about $25-28K (US). Both coupes and convertibles are available. They buy cars off the lots in Europe and ship and convert them in the US. All are two seaters
Big announcement expected this week (June 27, 06) by Diamler Chrysler (DC) on offically importing cars through DC dealers starting in 2007 for about $13K. If it’s a go, should kill Zap’s current efforts.
July 31st, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Haha….haha…HAHAHAHA!!!!
I NEED a SMART car conversion.
It would complete my life.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
i think it is cool and i want to do it to my smart car 2four pulse. i was just woundering how much it will cost to transform.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Zap home base is Santa Rosa, CA they are electric Smart Cars are gas.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
anyone know if a smartcar can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground, as behind a motorhome or similar.??
January 27th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Wutta car!!! it would be kool to have on a track at an amusment park. Id deffently wouldnt put that on public roads or wunna be aproching one.
It would be just as safe as a Mattel PowerWheels.
I hope the US bans anything like that being regesterd for public transit.
March 5th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
When will the US get the Diesel ver? Projected 70mpg
April 4th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Haha! Billy sorry to break it to ya but those smart cars are tough little things. They stand up to impacts nearly as well as anything on the road. Bar the obvious exceptions such as trucks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s if you watch this vid just check out the damage on the merc but incase i sound like i’m saying the smart is invunerable the rest of the video puts it all in perspective. I’m willing to bet that if they’d crashed a full size car the results would have been similar.