|
|
|
|
Redlands, Lindridge Lane, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0JJ, United Kingdom |
|
|
Tel: 01580 891309 or 07964
336183 | Fax: 01580 893733 | International tel: #44 1580 891309 | International fax: #44 1580
893733 |
|
  |
|
COMPANY REPORT
by
ADAM WILKINS
REPRINTED FROM WHICH KIT? MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2001
It's a fascinating industry that surrounds kit cars. Quite how such
automotive works of art such as the ForemanMk4 and CanAm come from such humble workshops seems
almost impossible to fathom. Adam Wilkins looks behind the scenes at N F Auto Development.
For many of us, operating from a workshop in our back garden, modifying and building kit and classic
cars, manufacturing what is probably the most evocative kit car on the market and making precise
components is a dream. Sadly, though, for most of us ambition will outweigh the necessary skill. Not
so for N F Auto Development's Neil Foreman and his son, Matthew. Private enthusiasts and kit car
manufacturers alike have been beating a path to the door of their Staplehurst, Kent workshops to
take advantage of their fabrication services, purchase their products and sample the Ferrari P4 and
CanAm replicas.
N F's unit comprises a series of small workshops, all of which serve specific purposes. The first one you reach contains all the heavy industrial tooling: Mig, Tig and gas welding equipment, plasma cutting and so on. Moving on through, there's a single unit currently filled by a Lotus Esprit (more on that later). Out back is a large barn-sized building that can easily house three or four cars.
There's also a spray shop where N F paints its own demonstrators and any customer's cars whether they're N F or any other marque. Another separate building is split into two 'rooms'; one a single garage housing N F's current demonstrator, the other is a workshop where the company does such work as its flocking service, grit-blasting, glassfibre moulding and sheet metal cutting. There's plenty more space for development and expansion, but as it stands, it gives a tremendous impression of the efficient, well-equipped small business that it is.
N F Auto Development founder, Neil Foreman started out as a P4 customer purchasing his kit from the original designer, Lee Noble. Previous to that, he honed his skills training as an apprentice in the aircraft industry. More recently he was involved in the Kent Kit Car Club (of which he is still a member) acting as Chairman, but had to give that up to concentrate on the business.
As well as manufacturing theP4 replica (officially called the Foreman Mk4, incidentally) in both Berlinetta and Spyder forms, N F launched a CanAm variant in 1998. Additionally, there are two other main lines of business: designing and fabrication of special components and modification of cars, the second being a line of products under the Car Builder Solutions Ltd banner.
Taking one at a time, the former brings all manner of interesting projects into the workshops. In at the moment is one of N F's most difficult projects to date: a Lotus Esprit being fitted with a Rover V8 to drive through a Porsche gearbox. Every stage of the transformation is a hurdle that requires lateral thinking and a heap of practical skill to leap. One of the biggest tasks is to convert the Porsche gearbox to carry an inboard disc braking system but there's a whole host of other things to be considered as well: a new adapter plate, flywheel, clutch, driveshafts, water pump, exhaust system and more all have to be fabricated from scratch or seriously modified. On top of all that, it has to fit within the confines of the car's engine bay! N F aside there are few companies suitably equipped to take on such tasks and fewer still that would consider adopting them.
Also nestled within the workshops are an E-Type Jaguar, a Covin 911 replica and Transformer Stratos replica (N F's work is split about 50:50 between kits and classics). The E-Type has been in a fire and will be with N F for about a year before emerging, phoenix-like as a rebuilt, air-conditioned, XJS powered, 5 speed, luxury Jag complete with electric windows. It's at the early stages at the moment and there's about a week's work just drilling out bolts seized as a result of the fire. Still, The N F team have made the work as light as possible by mounting the whole body on a frame, meaning the whole lot can be spun over at will - just a hint of the company's thoroughness.
The Covin belongs to Matthew Foreman and is in for build completion while the Transformer was bought in by a customer who had built it to the furthest stage he could and has asked N F to complete the work. The Covin has already progressed well and it's clear that it's going to turn out absolutely immaculate judging by the photographs we've seen of N F's previous projects. The Transformer is further from completion but the owner has come to the right place.
On the day of our visit and Aston Martin had just received a fresh coat of paint in the firm's spray booth. Immaculately finished, the surface was mirror-like and, judging by the indifference of the N F team, this is the norm.
As Neil shows you around the various workshop buildings it soon becomes clear that this quite unassuming collection of units is home to loads of automotive delights and is fully equipped with pretty much every tool needed to build a car from scratch. Of course, you don't have to have N F build you a complete car - you could just use some of their engineering services.
Grit blasting is a particularly useful one for the home-builder and is ideal for preparing donor components. As mentioned earlier, a recent addition to the company's range of services is Flocking. This created a velvet-like surface which can be applied directly to steel, aluminium, glassfibre and so on and creates a hard-wearing surface ideal for any interior panels which are difficult to trim using conventional methods - a Banham 550 hardtop was in for this service at the time of our visit.
The Car Builder Solutions Ltd section is there to serve the self-build enthusiast and provides all kinds of hard-to-find tools and accessories. Amongst which are a handy Rivnut Kit and N F's own Air conditioning package. The range covers a whole host of varied products, and most builders would find at least one or two products of use. A full catalogue containing details of all the products is available free of charge from N F on request.
In conclusion, Neil and Matthew Foreman's workshops are a hive of busy activity carefully making, modifying and marketing cars and precision components to the highest standards. There's a real sense of pride in the work that goes on here and if it's not the best you'll find, it's pretty close to it.
