Job opportunity - Workshop Mechanic & Car Builder......

An opportunity has arisen for a Workshop Mechanic / Car Builder to join our team.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the enthusiastic and dynamic team at GBS. We are expanding our team this year and the ideal candidate will enjoy the challenge of working on a range of vehicles including the Great British Sports Cars Zero and have an interest in all things mechanical.

We are looking to significantly grow GBS in the coming year, this role will be based on site at Great British Sports Cars Ltd (NG22 9ZD) within the workshop facilities.

To apply for this role please forward your CV and a covering letter to the email provided on our GBS Careers page or click below for more details.


The First GBS Cars & Coffee event of 2024 is announced......

Saturday 9th March

We are excited to share with you all that we have now confirmed the date for the first GBS Cars & Coffee event of 2024, which is proudly sponsored by Howden Insurance and will be taking place on Saturday 9th March at GBS from 10am-2pm.

Sponsored By

 

As many of you know everyone at GBS has a strong passion for cars and anything to do with motorsport and we love our Cars & Coffee events and Track Days etc and we all love to host our Cars & Coffee days which are getting busier and attracting a variety of sports cars each time we host one.

After working with Howden Insurance formally known as A-Plan Insurance for several years now and promoting their Insurance services we are delighted that they are joining us again this year and will be sponsoring our first GBS Cars & Coffee event of 2024.

About Howden Insurance-
Formally known as A-Plan Insurance since announcing its name change in October 2023 has been providing a personalised service to over 600,000 clients since the 1960s. We have over 100 high street branches however, Thatcham branch is the specialist vehicle centre. It opened in 1994, focusing on private car, commercial vehicle and home insurance and offering an independent professional service with a dedicated in-house claims management team.

With a total of over 100 years of insurance experience in our Thatcham branch, the team are on hand to offer a professionally qualified personal service when you need it. Due to our enthusiasm for specialist vehicles, we have developed an experienced team dedicated to classic, kit, high performance and modified cars, as well as imported vehicles… and let’s not forget our track day cover!

We are proud to be associated with many car clubs and associated businesses within this specialist arena and we offer discounts and access to bespoke policies for car club members. So, if you own a specialist vehicle, or are thinking of buying one give us a try. To find out how competitive our prices are give us a call on 01635 874646 and we'll be delighted to discuss your needs. 
Great prices, great cover, great people - we're confident you'll agree!

The GBS Cars & Coffee event at GBS was created in 2016 and has since been a massive success & we have continued to hold the event again for several years. Its an event that we have created that gives the chance for you all to have a ride out in your sports cars / meeting point and enjoy a coffee (plus biscuits/ cake of course) and chat about your cars, all are welcome to join us in any car (modern or classic including bikes). Everyone is welcome to join us and this year we will have even more parking available!
Another great thing about our GBS Cars & Coffee events are that we raise more money for two great charities…. We collect for the Notts & Lincs Air Ambulance & Cancer Research, and will be collecting on the day. Refreshments are free and all we ask for is a donation to our chosen charities.

The Kit Spares shop and showroom ( www.kitspares.co.uk ) will be open on the day. Please feel free to call us or email and pre order and parts, ready to collect on the day to avoid any delays.

All of the GBS and Howden team look forward to seeing you and welcoming you to GBS on Saturday 9th March.

ALL CARS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US…..

More Zero Race Cars soon to be on the track.....

Every Zero that you see is different and bespoke to the individual customer, this Zero Race chassis the customer wanted painted blue, we can’t wait to see it finished and out on the track later this year.
The Zero is available as both a self-build and factory built option and also a Race chassis option is available which you can see here. We have recently had a lot of Zero Race Chassis in production that we look forward to following the builds off.

For maximum safety and rigidity our Race chassis comes with a fully welded integrated Roll Cage that is MSUK compliant or to full FIA Compliant spec. The custom Zero Race allows you to tailor the Zero to the engine and running gear configuration of your choice to suit the race series you are competing in, weather that is an already compatible engine or a completely custom engine installation.

Our Race Car Specification of our Zero Race Demonstrator that was recently seen on our stand at the Autosport’s International show is a FIA Homologated Race Chassis Painted Gloss White / Satin Black 2.5 Duratec Engine / ATR throttles / Life ECU Power options 200 - 350 bhp 5 Speed gearbox / Quick shift GRP Dash with AIMS Dash Race Seats / TRS 6pt Harness Momo Steering Wheel Lightweight Floor & Bodywork ATR Adjustable Suspension ATR Brakes Sports Race Fuel Tank & Swirl Pot 4-2-1 Exhaust Manifold Team Dynamics Wheels & Yokohama Tyres.

The Zero Race car is ideal if you are looking for a track day car or a competition race car to compete at all levels. There are a range of optional extras and upgrades available along the way, so you will be building a truly individual race car that is unique and bespoke to you. We are looking forward to our first GBS Track Day of 2024 that is happening on Saturday 23rd March at Blyton Park

First event of 2024 for the GBS Team was a great success….

It’s been a busy start to the year at GBS as we were straight into preparing for the first event on the GBS Calendar which was the Autosports International Show at the NEC in Birmingham. The event started on Thursday 11th until Sunday 14th January, it was nice to see and catch up with so many customers and suppliers over the 4 days as well as meet many new customers that we look forward to welcoming to the GBS Factory over the next few months and new suppliers that we also look forward to working with.

We were based in Hall 3, where we had two very nice spec Zero’s on display, including our new high spec Zero Race Car which will be making its first appearance out on the track later this year along with our Zero demonstrator. Both Zero’s attracted a lot of attention and we were also delighted to have Tri-Tech 3D join us on our stand, who had one of the latest UltiMaker 3D printers on display. This printer is an affordable starting point for anyone looking to get into 3D printing, the UltiMaker S7 is built for a wide variety of applications (including End use parts, Tooling, Jigs & Fixtures) many of which are ideal for the Automotive industry.
The next event on the GBS Calendar is our GBS Cars & Coffee event that is proudly sponsored by Howden Insurance which is happening on Saturday 9th March at GBS. Visit our events page for more details and to see what other events that we have planned for 2024, its updated regularly so keep checking.

Students enjoy a factory tour of GBS before they start their very own Zero Build this year....

Just before we broke up for the Christmas holidays we welcomed a group of year 2 motorsport students from Stafford & Newcastle College (NSCG College) to GBS for a full factory tour. The College have an Ultimate Zero self build kit on order that these students will be building, they will be collecting their kit later this year and are ready to start the build and get it on the road asap. We look forward to following their build, and them joining us at our future events with their Zero.
The Zero build is an ideal educations tool in engineering and technical programs. Students gain practical experience developing their knowledge and understanding of engineering in a practical application. As well as being an exciting and captivating project for students a GBS Zero build maintains interest and enthusiasm with a real sense of achievement as each stage is completed. With the end result not only being an enjoyable sports car but a worth while asset too. Click here for more details about the educational builds we offer.

Tri Tech will be with us on our stand at the Autosport Show......

We are very much looking forward to being at this year’s Autosport’s Show happening next week. With our ongoing partnership we are delighted that Tri-Tech 3D will be joining us on our stand again this year.
On display, along with the Zeros including our new Zero Race car that is now ready for the track will be one of the latest UltiMaker 3D printers. An affordable starting point for anyone looking to get into 3D printing, the UltiMaker S7 is built for a wide variety of applications (including End use parts, Tooling, Jigs & Fixtures) many of which are ideal for the Automotive industry.
Not only will you will be able to see this 3D Printer on our stand, there will also be a selection of 3D printed models from market leaders Stratasys. Boasting five different 3D print technologies and an even wider gamut of materials, we have sample parts from previous use case projects that are sure to make you stop and look, and some that can be seen on our Zero Race Car.

We can be found with the Tri-Tech team in Hall 2 on Stand 3850 over the four days, follow us on our social media channels during the lead up to the show for more details of what will be on display on our stand over the 4 days.

Happy Christmas to you all and best wishes for the New Year.... From all the team at GBS

 
 

All of the GBS and Kit Spares  team would like to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas, and also like to take this opportunity to say thank you all for your support this year.

After a successful and busy year, we are now looking forward to a continued busy & successful 2024 with many new and exciting plans ahead for us. We will be announcing some very exciting news in January.

But for now we are all looking forward to a well earned break and rest over the Christmas period and we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. Don’t forget you can still follow us over the Christmas break on our social media channels for updates – Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We have created a short Christmas video that reviews what we have been up to this year and what are plans are for 2024. Please visit our GBS YouTube Chanel or click here.

Happy Christmas Everyone, Stay Safe & Have Fun

Best Wishes From
Richard and all the GBS & Kit Spares Team.


GBS & Kit Spares Christmas & New Year Opening Times….
Both GBS and Kit Spares will be closed from Friday 22nd December and we will be open again and back to normal opening hours on Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

You can still place your orders online from our parts website Kit Spares but please note any orders placed after 22nd December 2023 may not be processed or dispatched until 2nd / 3rd January 2024. www.kitspares.co.uk

Happy Christmas & Happy New Year

Always great to see and hear from customer out enjoying their Zero....

Last month this Zero was collected from the GBS Workshop that we prepared and presented for IVA. It was a Mazda based Zero kit which is now registered and being enjoyed on the road, below is the spec of this Zero Build and few words from Martin & Jane who have built the car, we look forward to them joining us next year in their Zero at our events

Mazda Zero Spec: Mazda Zero Plus Kit / Standard Chassis / ATR Throttle Bodies / 1.8 Mazda engine / ATR Suspension / Momo Quick Release Steering Boss / GBS Logo Seats / LED Style Headlights / Rear Diffuser / Boot Cover / Painted Nardo Grey with the GRP Bonnet Scoop / Registered as an age related plate.

In between the snow, ice and rain we have just managed to get our first run out after fitting the windscreen & doors. Got to say it was all we expected and more, handles perfectly, great acceleration and the sound of those throttle bodies sucking air in on acceleration is addictive. Me and the Lancashire Constabulary are probably going to get to know each other well if I’m not careful.

Massive thanks to all at GBS from the first visit through to to helping us during the build process and getting to our first run today. Fantastic company to deal with always willing to do that extra bit and this shows through the enthusiasm of all the staff we have met on this journey. Will hopefully get to one of your events at some point next year but in the meantime we both would like to wish you all the best for Christmas and the New Year.

Once again a big thank you and we both wish you well for the future.
Martin & Jane Cordeaux.

See the link below to a video we did of this build whilst it was with us in the workshop.

Pleased to welcome another Student to join the GBS Team on a placement…..

We are pleased to have recently welcomed Dexter to join the GBS Team on a one day a week placement over 2 years. Dexter is a first-year student at Lincoln University Technical College, studying technical level engineering on a 2-year course. The T Level Technical Qualification in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing is a qualification for 16-19-year-olds who wish to work in the engineering and manufacturing industry.

Dexter has a strong background and interest in motorsport and engineering and working within the motor industry, designing and manufacturing components is a passion that he would love to turn into a career. So we think he will enjoy and learn a lot from his time with us here at GBS. Dexter is spending his time with us spread over various departments with the team to get an understanding of what we do and what we can offer. Many of you may have met Dexter earlier this month at our Christmas Cars & Coffee event, and you will be able to meet him next year at more of our events.

We always try to accommodate students for work experience /placements when ever possible weather it be for a week or just a day. Places are very limited but you can see more details here.

Something for the Kids to do..... FREE GBS Printable Colouring Book now available.

FREE TO DOWNLOAD….

Now available is a GBS Zero Printable Colouring Book that we have created of the Zeros.
This is free and can be downloaded and printed from our Kit Spares website. It has 5 Zero images to colour and is ideal for Children. Many were handed out at the Classic Motor Show and it was very popular and we have seen some great creations already.
We always like to see them when coloured, so why not send them to us or share them on your social media with us. We look forward to seeing your creations!
This is free to download and we hope you enjoy it.

The first event on the GBS Calendar for 2024 is confirmed....

A BUSY START TO 2024….

The very first event on the GBS Calendar for 2024 is confirmed, we are excited to be exhibiting at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham in January where the GBS team will be with the Zeros.
Make sure you follow us on Instagram to see more details of what we will be revealing on our stand. We can be found in Hall 2/3 on stand 3850, we are all looking forward to being there with the Zeros.

More events will soon be added to our 2024 calendar including the GBS Cars & Coffee dates and GBS Track Days will be announced very soon, so make sure you keep checking our GBS event page to see what we are up to and have planned for 2024.

The mince pies didn't last long at our GBS Christmas Cars & Coffee event.....

Last event of 2023……. Think Saturday was the coldest Christmas Cars and Coffee event we have ever had, but still a great turn out and not many mince pies left! Big thank you to everyone who wrapped up warm and joined us, it’s always good to get together and have a car park full of so many different cars. The mince pies went down very well, with only a few left for the GBS team to enjoy. Thank you also to everyone who donated toys for the Santa Bikes Toy Run we are supporting that is happening later this month.

The GBS and Kit Spares show room was very busy with people and the Kit Spares  Shop was also very busy with sales and enquires. The GBS Workshop was also open on the day for viewing, to see more about the workshop services we offer click here.

Another great thing about our GBS Cars & Coffee events that we love, is that we are able to raise money for our 2 chosen charities which are the Cancer Research UK and The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance. We all feel and hope you agree that The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance is a fantastic service and has helped & will continue to help many people, as well as the Cancer Research UK that is again a fantastic charity that makes a big difference to so many people and their families. Thank you for your kind donations, we will let you know soon how much money we have raised.
Follow GBS on Facebook and Instagram to see more photographs from the day.

The 2024 GBS Cars & Coffee dates & Events will be announced very soon…..

GBS & Kit Spares 2023 Christmas Opening times & Gift Ideas….

All of the GBS and Kit Spares team are all looking forward to a well earned break over the festive period, below are our Christmas opening times.

The GBS Factory and Kit Spares Shop will be closed from Friday 22nd December and we will be open again and back to normal opening hours on Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

You can still place your orders online from our parts website Kit Spares over the Christmas break, but please note any orders placed on or after 22nd December 2023 may not be processed or dispatched until 2nd / 3rd January 2024. www.kitspares.co.uk Don’t forget to follow us on our GBS, Kit Spares & ATR Products Social Media Channels and over the Christmas holidays to see what we are up to!

Its also our GBS Christmas Cars & Coffee event this Saturday (2nd December) at GBS, we hope you can all join us. More details can be found on our event page the Kit Spares Shop will also be open on the day, if you need any parts to keep you busy over the Christmas holidays or are looking for some Christmas presents.


Christmas Gift Ideas

Below are just a few Christmas Gift Ideas for you and your Zero’s, visit our parts website Kit Spares or contact us for details.

A Kit Spares Gift Voucher could make the perfect gift….

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.

Christmas Cars & Coffee supporting the Santa Bikes Toy Run....

Its not long now till our Christmas Cars & Coffee event that is happening on Saturday 2nd December at GBS and we are pleased to be supporting the Santa Bikes Toy Run that is happening on Saturday 16th December. Lauren our Fabrication apprentice has supported the Me&Dee Hospital Run for several years now with her dad on their motor bikes. This charity is a self funded charity which provides the much-needed memory holidays and days out to families to ensure the families going through difficult and uncertain times are gifted with memories they can treasure, never losing sight of what truly matters. Please click here to see more details about the charity.

On the day we will collecting new toys for the charity that Lauren and her dad will then be taking down on the toy run on 16th December.

We are pleased to be supporting this fantastic charity and hope you will join us by donating some toys on the day. Please ensure all toys are new and unwrapped that you are wanting to donate. Lauren will be here on the day collecting the toy donations and will be able to answer any questions about the charity. We look forward to seeing you all, there will be plenty of mince pies to enjoy!

Book now..... Full GBS Factory Tour Opportunity.....

We are pleased to offer this opportunity for a privileged insight into everything that goes into creating the GBS Zero and associated products that we manufacture. If you are thinking of buying a GBS Zero, have one already or if you are into your motorsport and engineering and would love to see what we do then this is the event for you.

This is taking place on Saturday 3rd February and Thursday 8th February with various times slots available. Places are limited for each time slot so book early to avoid disappointment, this could make a perfect Christmas gift for someone!

This tour will be led by Richard the Director of Great British Sports Cars and the team, which will include a Tour of the GBS Workshop, Parts Department, Engineering and Assembly Area, Fabrication, Composites and more.

Cost: £20 per person
Tour Time: Approx. 1.5 to 2 hours
Tour Size: Maximum of 8 people per tour with refreshments available on arrival.
Booking: You can book your place online via our our parts website Kit Spares.

If you wish to enquire about a larger group, car club, students, bespoke corporate or private individual booking, please contact us with your requirements and we will get back to you.

Busy weekend at the Classic Motor Show with the Zeros….

We had a fantastic time this weekend at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham. Thank you to everyone who visited our stand over all 3 days this show is one of our favourite shows of the year. The GBS stand was busy all 3 days particularly the Friday, its always great to see so many customers over the weekend as well as meet many new customers who we now look forward to welcoming to GBS over the next few months.

On our stand this year was our GBS Demonstrator that is powered by the Ford 2.5 Duratec engine along with a range of Kit Spares and ATR Products on display attracting a lot of attention particularly the popular Ford 2.5 Duratec engine. Visit our parts website www.kitspares.co.uk or come and visit our showroom and shop that is open Monday - Friday to see more products and details. The Kit Spares shop will also be open next month at our Christmas Cars & Coffee event.

This was our last show of the year but we still have one event left, which we are all very much looking forward to which is our GBS Christmas Cars & Coffee event that is happening at GBS on Saturday 2nd December please click here for more details.

The GBS calendar for 2024 is looking very busy with lots of new and exciting events scheduled in, the 2024 GBS calendar will be released very soon. We hope to be at more events, do more track days and much more! So make sure you keep visiting our event page.

GBS Christmas Cars & Coffee is happening at GBS on
Saturday 2nd December.

Hand Built - Let us build your car to your very own spec....

The turn key fully built Zero option is a popular choice. Our top of the range Sports Car offers exceptional value with bespoke specification and customizable performance. In the UK the turn key car is fully registered and ready for you to drive away to enjoy the thrill of the Zero.

Each Zero is tailor built to your specification with your choice of appearance trim and accessories making each car truly unique to its owner. Customers are invited to visit our workshop to see how their car is progressing, with virtual updates documenting the cars progress provided on a regular basis.

Powered by a 2.5Ltr normally aspirated Ford Duratec engine which offers 230Bhp as standard fitted with a set of our ATR Throttle bodies and an engine re-map Using a Life ECU which is future proof for further engine upgrades. With 400+ Bhp per Tonne this car can propel you from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. With the ATR Shocks and LSD fitted as standard this car corner’s like it is on rails. The car has unparalleled levels of grip & balance, handling in a very controlled & precise manner, resulting in a drive of your life.

The styling on the interior of the Zero is unique ensuring you never see two the same. From the choice of seats, floor mats, and indicator stalks the options are endless. The seats are suitable for all occasions whether you use your Zero for track days or just road use. You can make your Zero even more customised to you with a full range of paint options. Paint is a popular option and we are able to colour match and design your cars paint effect with you from start to finish.

Hand Built bespoke to your specification, enjoyed by you....

Another nice Zero Mazda Build recently with us in the workshop for IVA Service.....

A very nice GBS Zero Mazda build has recently left the GBS workshop that was with us for the IVA Service that we offer, it is now waiting for its age related registration to come through before it can be enjoyed on the road. Whilst it was with us we did a short overview video of the car that can now be seen on our GBS YouTube Channel. Below are more details on the spec of this Mazda build:
Mazda Zero Plus Kit / Standard Chassis / ATR Throttle Bodies / 1.8 Mazda engine / ATR Suspension / Momo Quick Release Steering Boss / GBS Logo Seats / LED Style Headlights / Rear Diffuser / Boot Cover / Painted Nardo Grey with the GRP Bonnet Scoop / Registered as an age related plate.

The Mazda MX5 / Miata serves perfectly as a donor for the GBS Zero, 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. We offer 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. Click here to explore our Zero Self build Kit options.

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.