GBS Zero Student Build - Tesla engine into a Zero.....

GBS Zero Student Build…… Earlier this year a college placed their order for their first GBS Zero Self Build Kit which the students will be building later this year. This wasn’t a standard kit as they wanted the Zero to be electrically powered by a Tesla engine. So the Zero chassis has had to be modified to suit their engine choice.

This complete custom engine installation is currently underway to accommodate a Tesla engine in our fabrication department. We look forward to following and supporting the students with this exciting build.
We are able to work with you to customise the whole power train and other aspects of the car. We recently completed a Zero build which you may have seen featured on our news page before that was powered by a Kawasaki 1400 GTR engine that is now complete and road registered and being enjoyed on the road. Before it left the GBS Workshop we made a short video talking through the spec of this Zero and this can now be seen on our GBS YouTube channel.

The Zeros can be enjoyed on the Road & Track, with the option to have this Zero kit with the Zero fully welded integrated Roll Cage, which are MSA Compliant and FIA Compliant.

See more details about the Zero Self Build options we offer including the Zero Custom kit here, or contact us to discuss your Zero build.

Q- Flow project continues to progress... Project partners visit GBS...

Our Hy-Value Recovery project continues to progress with Liron Issman
and Chris Mulkern from Q-Flo recently visiting us here at GBS to discuss the project. Both Liron and Chris enjoyed a full tour of GBS including our new fabrication department and were very impressed with our facilities and what the GBS team do.

”The purpose of our partnership with GBS is to develop Q-Flo's carbon-nanotube mat material, Torstran, as a lightweight component within GBS' high performance Zero car. This includes blending the CNT's with existing components for light weighting and EMI shielding purposes, along with developing and manufacturing an all new electric Zero”. - Q-Flo Limited.

Your can find out more about the Hy-Value Recovery project here.

Great start to the Bank Holiday weekend with our first GBS Track Day of the year....

Will orton - touring car driver in the GBS Zero at Blyton park.

Fantastic day at our first GBS Track Day of the year….. Last Saturday (29th April) we started of the Bank Holiday weekend with our GBS Track Day at Blyton Park, where we were joined with several other Zero owners some of which was their first time out on the Track in their Zero.

Out on track was our two Zero demonstrators (Mazda & Ford) unfortunately our new Zero Race Car was not quite ready for the event, but it will be seen and out on track at our next GBS Track Day. We were also joined by several customers who were spectating and also enjoyed passenger rides in our Zero demonstrators with 18 year old Will Orton who joined us for the day. Will is a Touring Car driver, racing cars in the JCW Mini Challenge. Will also instructs for Palmer Sport, Silverstone, Car Chase Hero’s and Touring Car Experiences. It was great to have him join us for the day doing passenger laps in our demonstrators and also offer customers with driver coaching to help them get the best from the day. See more about Will Orton here.

The Track day got booked up very quickly and we know that a lot of people missed out on booking a place, but we will be announcing the next GBS Track Day very soon so hopefully you will be able to join us. The GBS Camera’s were there capturing the action throughout the day, you can see a few photos below and more photos from the day can now be seen on our GBS Facebook page.

Bespoke paint options..... Behind the scenes at paint.....

Full custom paint for your Zero….

Our full custom paint option that we offer has become a very popular option and recently we have seen some very nice paint colour and options being chosen, as well as some that are scheduled for paint over the coming weeks that we look forward to sharing with you. Our custom paint option is truly individual to you, we work with you from start to finish to get your bespoke paint colour and design that you want.

Above is a recent Zero factory build at paint that is now back with us in the build bay for the build to continue, we will share more details on this paint colour and spec next month. A lot of preparation work goes into getting the Zero ready for paint, the paint process usually takes around 2 to 3 weeks but that can change depending on the paint design.

If you already have a Zero then we can do a full paint transformation, visit our paint option page to see an example of a customers paint transformation from orange to grey that we did. More details about our paint and vehicle graphics can be found here, or contact us and we can discuss the options with you.

Automotive Engineering Student enjoys work experience at GBS....

Last week we were pleased to have welcomed Matthew Davis Haller to GBS for a weeks work experience.
Matt who is in his first year studying Automotive Engineering at the University of Leeds, spent 4 days with us and spent time in various departments of GBS with the team to get an understanding of what we do and what we can offer. Matt already knows a lot about the Zero having built one himself with his Father.

Few words from Matt about his week with us…. “My work experience at GBS for an engineering degree was perfect – so much design and production under one roof, and to the standard of engineering excellence the company adhere to is a rare thing in the UK. It was great to get away from the theory of my degree, and see some practical engineering in real life. My previous knowledge about the Zero allowed a hands on approach to different parts of the manufacturing process that included cutting chassis members, an introduction to both Mig and Tig welding, and GRP bodywork production.
I also spent time in the workshop help preparing a car for IVA and help build the GBS race car. This brought back many enjoyable memories of when I built my own car with my father.
Richard also helped me understand the ECU they run on many of the cars (including my own), and the tuning/calibration aspect of it. Something I’m very interested in as it brings together many aspects of engineering. I look forward to working with GBS more in the future, to learn more about CNC machining, the CAD design and ECU aspects of the business.”

January 2019 was the start of Matt and Father Jerrys Zero build when they first visited our GBS stand at the Autosport’s Show at the NEC in Birmingham. They have been enjoying their Zero on road since the beginning of 2021 and have also enjoyed several road trips and track days in it. The Zero self build is an ideal project for a Father and Son to enjoy together, and also enjoy together once its on the road on both the road and track.

We are a very popular choice with Schools and Colleges throughout the country for work experience placements. We try to accommodate students for work experience when ever possible weather it be for a week or just a day. To apply and for more details please visit our GBS Career page.

Are you getting your GBS Zero ready for the summer months ahead.....

Are you getting your Zero back on the road and ready to enjoy the summer months ahead?

Then visit our parts website Kit Spares - www.kitspares.co.uk to see a full range of parts and spares that we offer, including some new products and upgrade options that we have available for the Zeros and other sports cars.

Below are just a few of our favourite and popular products we offer, our Kit Spares shop and showroom is also open Monday to Friday and occasional Saturdays, so why not call in and see what we have on display.
Keep checking our GBS Event page to see what events that we have planned over the next few months with more new exciting events being added soon.

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Easter Opening Times:
Over Easter GBS and Kit Spares will be closed for the long weekend from 7th - 10th April and be back to normal opening hours on Tuesday 11th April 2023. You can still order online from our Kit Spares and all orders will be processed and dispatched on Tuesday 11th April.

Thank you for joining us at our first GBS Cars & Coffee event of 2023.....

Big thank you to everyone who joined us last Saturday (18th March) at GBS for our first Cars and Coffee event of 2023…….They just get better and better each time we hold our GBS Cars & Coffee events, and what a fantastic day we had with a car park full of sports cars, even the rain held off for the morning. We would like to say a big THANK YOU to you all for joining us and helping us make it such a great event and enjoyable day, its always nice to see so many Zero’s together in the car park along with a wide variety of other cars. The gates opened at 10am and by 10.30am the car park was already getting full.

The GBS and Kit Spares show room was very busy with people and the Kit Spares   was also very busy with sales and enquires. As usual the cakes attracted a lot of attention and certainly went down well with not many left along with the unlimited supply of tea and coffee. We would also like to thank A-Plan Insurance for sponsoring and supporting our event, you can see more about their insurance they offer on our Insurance page.

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.
The next GBS Cars & Coffee date will be announced next week.

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Join us at our next GBS Cars & Coffee event…..

The Zero can be seen at this years Kit Cars Shows.....

We are pleased to confirm that the GBS team can be seen with the Zeros at the Malvern Kit Car Show and the Newark Kit Car Show later this year.

The National Kit & Sports Car Show at Malvern, Worcestershire is taking place on Saturday 3rd June and Sunday 4th June and the Newark Kit Car Show is happening on Saturday 22nd July and Sunday 23rd July at the Newark Showground.

We will confirm nearer the time what Zeros can be seen on our stand along with a range of parts and spares from both Kit Spares and ATR Products.

We have also reserved a GBS Owners area for Zero owners to all park together at both shows like previous years, details on this will be released soon on our event page.

Visit our GBS event page for more details about these events. The next event on the GBS Calendar is our GBS cars & Coffee event which is happening this Saturday 18th March at GBS - All cars are welcome to join us, gates open at 10am. #GBSCarsandcoffee

Contact us today to discuss your Zero Self Build…..

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.

Not long until our first GBS Cars & Coffee event of the year....

ALL CARS ARE WELCOME….

Not long now until our first GBS Cars & Coffee event of the year which is proudly sponsored by A-Plan Insurance that is happening on Saturday 18th March at GBS. All cars are welcome to join us, and we are pleased to hear already that many of you are planning to join us in your Zeros and other sports cars.
Like all our Cars & Coffee events we will be offering free refreshments on the day, but ask for donations to help raise more money for two great charities…. We will be collecting for the Notts & Lincs Air Ambulance & Cancer Research.

The Kit Spares shop and showroom (www.kitspares.co.uk ) will be open on the day. Thank you to those that have already pre ordered items to collect on the day, please feel free to call us or email and pre order so they can be prepared and ready for you to collect on the day to avoid any delays as it can often be busy. For more details about the event and to let us know you are joining us please visit our event page.

All the GBS and A-Plan team look forward to seeing you and welcoming you to GBS on Saturday 18th March.

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.

The NEW MSA & FIA approved Zero Race Car.....

The new FIA Zero Race Car was seen for the very first time at the Autosport International Show at the NEC in Birmingham last month, and its now back in production for the build to continue and will soon be ready for some track days later this year.

For maximum safety and rigidity our Race chassis comes with a fully welded intergrated 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. This allows you to customise and optimise every aspect of the car for ultimate performance and enjoyment.

The NEW 2023 Zero Race car specification can be seen below:
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 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.

Chassis package prices start from £5,500, click here to see a short overview video and more details on the Zero Race Car.

Great to see the Zeros being enjoyed in all weathers all over the world....

We enjoy our Zero demonstrators all year and its great to see that many of you do too! GBS customer Jacob Dowling sent us these photographs of his Zero out in the countryside in the recent snow fall that we had in the UK. While over in USA GBS customers have been out enjoying their Zeros together meeting in Saratoga for a run up Highway 9 and 35.
Another GBS Zero self build kit was collected last week that is now on its way to the USA which is going to Seattle Washington, where the owner is looking forward to enjoying it on the beautiful Cascades mountain roads. Two more shipping crates are also expected to be with us later this week for more Zeros that we will be preparing that will be going to USA over the next few weeks.
There are now GBS Zero’s on the road or under construction in many USA states. Contact us if you are interested in a GBS Zero in North America and Click here for more details about the Zero Self Build options that we offer.

The first event of 2023 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 12th until Sunday 15th January, it was great to be back there as it was 2019 since we were last there due to Covid. It was nice to see and catch up with so many customers 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.

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 along with a Gen 2 factory built Zero that GBS Customer Robin Copley kindly let us have on display for the show. Both Zero’s attracted a lot of attention and we were also delighted to have Tri-Tech 3D join us on our stand. On display, along with the Zeros was one of the newest 3D printers from Stratasys – the F370CR. Built for robust applications and ideal for the Automotive industry, this industrial FDM printer 3D prints in ABS-CF10 and Nylon-CF10 materials – perfectly suited to supplement traditional fabrication technologies. Tri-Tech 3D also bought with them a host of 3D printed models & previous projects that attracted a lot attention including some components that were created and displayed on our Zero Race Car on our stand. We will share more details on them later this month.

The next event on the GBS Calander is our GBS Cars & Coffee event that is proudly sponsored by A-Plan Insurance which is happening on Saturday 18th March at GBS. Visit our events page for more details and to see what other events that we have planned for 2023, its updated regularly so keep checking.

The first event on the GBS Calendar for 2023 is confirmed & announced....

BUSY START TO 2023….

The very first event on the GBS Calendar for 2023 is announced, we are delighted 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 3 on stand 3642, we are all looking forward to being back their as it was 2019 since we were last there due to Covid.

More events have now also been added to our 2023 calendar and the GBS Cars & Coffee dates will be announced very soon, so make sure you keep checking our GBS event page to see what we are upto.

GBS Christmas Competition - WIN a Sealey Mechanic's Tool Kit 144pc....

COMPETITION TIME……WIN THIS SEALEY Mechanic's Tool Kit 144pc.

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We have teamed up with Sealey Tools and are giving you the chance to WIN this Red 144pc Mechanics Tool Kit worth £225….

One of a comprehensive range of Premier Hand Tools, suitable for daily professional use.
• Comprehensive range of frequently used hand tools.
• 1/4" and 1/2"Sq drive 72-Tooth offset comfort grip ratchet wrenches.
• Includes 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2"Sq drive sockets, hex keys, spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, bits and accessories.
• Housed in a sturdy storage case with reinforced corners, aluminium trim and lockable metal catches.
• Lifetime guarantee*.

Ideal to have in the Workshop and for anyone building a GBS Zero or something similar. For the chance to WIN head over to our GBS Facebook page to see more details.
*The Winner will be picked at random and notified on Friday 16th December 2022. Good luck!

Visit our parts shop Kit Spares to see our range of Sealey Tools or contact us with the part number and we can give you a quote. www.kitspares.co.uk

This competition is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered.

The mince pies went down well at our GBS Christmas Cars & Coffee event.....

Thank you to everyone who joined us last Saturday (3rd December) at our GBS Christmas Cars and Coffee event which was our last event of 2022……. We had another fantastic day with great weather, cars and mince pies, it was great to have a car park full of so many different sports cars. We would like to say a big THANK YOU to you all for joining us and helping us make it another great event and enjoyable day, the mince pies went down very well, with only a few left for the GBS team to enjoy.

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. Or click here to visit our GBS YouTube Chanel to see a video from the day.

The 2023 GBS Cars & Coffee dates will be announced very soon…..