New Cornish Atom 3 300
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:33 pm
As per my post on the wanted section, I am now the proud owner of AlanP's old 2008 Atom 3, which I picked up 16th September from the factory and drove the 130 miles South down to Truro. What a cracking car! It replaces a lovely Zanzibar Red 996 C4 which, although it looked beautiful, wasn't very exciting to drive. I have previously owned a couple of VX220s and a Westfield, and whilst the Atom is on a different level in terms of performance, it can still potter around quite happily too.
The previous owner bought it from AlanP last Summer and he only managed 600 miles in it - he has sold it to make way for a new Lamborghini Huracan Performante. He had just sent it down to the factory to have a service, MOT, new Kumhos all round and a handbrake fitted - a total of £2400. Steve Rooke at the factory spent well over 2 hours with me in total when I went up to the factory to look at it and then again to collect it, having done a very good deal with the last owner after he settled the bill with Ariel. Steve collected me from the station and even fitted a new crankshaft pulley for free as the old one was rusty. Steve is great guy whose passion shines through.
The car's spec is as follows (around £57k in total):
• 15,750 miles with full Ariel service history
• Big Alcon brakes front and rear (with newly fitted handbrake)
• Brake bias adjuster
• Quaife LSD
• Dymag wheels
• New Kuhmos all round
• Carbon factory Tillet seats
• 5 point Willlans harness for driver and passenger
• Factory Carbon front and rear wings
• Cat by pass and original cat
• Adjustable Bilsteins
• Two piece spring kit
• Stainless fixings
• Aero deflectors
• Battery charger
• Passenger foot rest
• Lockable fuel cap
• TomTom Rider sat nav
• 12v lighter socket
• SPA steering wheel with shift lights (which unfortunately obscures my view of the top half of the instruments)
• Immobiliser
• Intercom
• Protection kits to nose, roll hoop, chassis and wishbones
• 3.5 steering upgrade
• 3.5 carbon dash panel upgrade
• 2 bonnets & 2 air boxes - one set black, one set purple/green reflex paint
Since I bought it, I have added:
• Raffenday self-cancelling indicator kit, which was supplied by the previous owner. This was very easy to fit and looks factory.
• Clear fog light - I bought a full reversing light unit for £15 from Amazon (HELLA 2ZR 003 315-041 Reverse Light) as I couldn't find just the lens, and bought the red 382 bulb from Euro Car Parts for £3.
• Wipac smoked LED light set - Steve mentioned these and a few owners have fitted them (both the smoked and clear versions). I bought these via eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263427235755 for £108. To fit these I drilled the light mounts (I used the old lamp holders as templates) with a 3.5 mm drill. I cut off the connectors on the LEDs so I could solder them to the wires on the car. As per the factory, I used heat shrink to cover the joins.
Since I bought it the weather has been lovely and so I have been driving it as much as I can and have added 750 miles to it! I have to say it is so nice to be back in a car where you can smell, hear and feel what it going on around you. I am also delighted to be back in a British car which is built down here in the South West.
Are there any other Atom/Nomad owners down here in Cornwall?
The previous owner bought it from AlanP last Summer and he only managed 600 miles in it - he has sold it to make way for a new Lamborghini Huracan Performante. He had just sent it down to the factory to have a service, MOT, new Kumhos all round and a handbrake fitted - a total of £2400. Steve Rooke at the factory spent well over 2 hours with me in total when I went up to the factory to look at it and then again to collect it, having done a very good deal with the last owner after he settled the bill with Ariel. Steve collected me from the station and even fitted a new crankshaft pulley for free as the old one was rusty. Steve is great guy whose passion shines through.
The car's spec is as follows (around £57k in total):
• 15,750 miles with full Ariel service history
• Big Alcon brakes front and rear (with newly fitted handbrake)
• Brake bias adjuster
• Quaife LSD
• Dymag wheels
• New Kuhmos all round
• Carbon factory Tillet seats
• 5 point Willlans harness for driver and passenger
• Factory Carbon front and rear wings
• Cat by pass and original cat
• Adjustable Bilsteins
• Two piece spring kit
• Stainless fixings
• Aero deflectors
• Battery charger
• Passenger foot rest
• Lockable fuel cap
• TomTom Rider sat nav
• 12v lighter socket
• SPA steering wheel with shift lights (which unfortunately obscures my view of the top half of the instruments)
• Immobiliser
• Intercom
• Protection kits to nose, roll hoop, chassis and wishbones
• 3.5 steering upgrade
• 3.5 carbon dash panel upgrade
• 2 bonnets & 2 air boxes - one set black, one set purple/green reflex paint
Since I bought it, I have added:
• Raffenday self-cancelling indicator kit, which was supplied by the previous owner. This was very easy to fit and looks factory.
• Clear fog light - I bought a full reversing light unit for £15 from Amazon (HELLA 2ZR 003 315-041 Reverse Light) as I couldn't find just the lens, and bought the red 382 bulb from Euro Car Parts for £3.
• Wipac smoked LED light set - Steve mentioned these and a few owners have fitted them (both the smoked and clear versions). I bought these via eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263427235755 for £108. To fit these I drilled the light mounts (I used the old lamp holders as templates) with a 3.5 mm drill. I cut off the connectors on the LEDs so I could solder them to the wires on the car. As per the factory, I used heat shrink to cover the joins.
Since I bought it the weather has been lovely and so I have been driving it as much as I can and have added 750 miles to it! I have to say it is so nice to be back in a car where you can smell, hear and feel what it going on around you. I am also delighted to be back in a British car which is built down here in the South West.
Are there any other Atom/Nomad owners down here in Cornwall?