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 Topic  |
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dsmdude
USA
37 Posts |
 Posted - February 16 2004 : 10:42:24 PM
i'm looking for info from people who have put together compleate projects. i've wanted to build a lambo or ******* based kit car since i was a kid and now finally feel i have the knowlage, time, and money to put a project together. i have about $10,000 - $12,000 budjet to get started on this project and would like to keep the final cost under $15,000 when finished if possible. i would also like to compleate 90% of the project within 12 months (drivable car) i have alot of experience with working with fiberglass- molding, sanding, finishing, etc that i have done for customers in the aftermarket sport compact field. i also have alot of experience with welding, machining, and custom designing and building of suspensions (hydraulic and air suspensions) i can also do auto body and paint. i've put on suicide doors and aftermarket "lambo" style doors on vehicles. i've done body drops (channeling) built custom body kits for cars, rebuilt engines, and can wire pretty much anything. i'm good at finding solutions to problems. i guess what i'm getting at is what kind of work and skill am i really looking at? like approx how many man hours are required to finish a project? what kind of kit did you first build and how long did it take? how much money do you have invested into your project? i was also thinking of the possibility of buying a project that is already started- that way alot of work is done already and i can concentrate on perfecting whats left. thanks in advance for all help!! |
dave114
195 Posts |
Posted - February 17 2004 : 04:40:13 AM
By the sound of it, you definately have the skill to build a kit. Car modifying is very similar to building kit cars, especially the work you've said you've done. If you have some experiance with auto electrics, that would be a bonus. Go and look at a www.powerhousesports.net and their MR2/355 kit. Very reliable car and right in your field of expertise.Hope this helps Your mate in OZ Dave 
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Darrel
64 Posts |
Posted - February 17 2004 : 4:01:45 PM
I built my first kit car 32 years ago when I was 17 years old. Back then the instruction manual was a cartoon book of drawings and I had an 800 number for the manufacturer. I spent many nights upside down, talking on the phone, while troubleshooting the wiring harness. Even with all that going against me I had a decent Bradley GT within about 4 months that summer. I am just finishing up my Super Stepside truck project now. This is my 7th project. It took me about 8 weeks of 30 part-time hours to go from car to primered, driving down the road, legal vehicle. I have about 80 hours of fine bodywork left to do and I figure about 1 week of painting, cutting & buffing the clearcoat, and final careful assembly. My total cost, I am a scavenger and fabricator though!, is about $11,000. This is probably on the cheap if you are considering doing some type of exotic car but it sounds like you could easily handle the assembly and also keep your cost down by doing some of your own scavenging and fabricating. I still think you could do somewhere between $15,000 to $25,000. With your background I'd say go for it!
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Darrel
64 Posts |
Posted - February 17 2004 : 4:02:28 PM
I built my first kit car 32 years ago when I was 17 years old. Back then the instruction manual was a cartoon book of drawings and I had an 800 number for the manufacturer. I spent many nights upside down, talking on the phone, while troubleshooting the wiring harness. Even with all that going against me I had a decent Bradley GT within about 4 months that summer. I am just finishing up my Super Stepside truck project now. This is my 7th project. It took me about 8 weeks of 30 part-time hours to go from car to primered, driving down the road, legal vehicle. I have about 80 hours of fine bodywork left to do and I figure about 1 week of painting, cutting & buffing the clearcoat, and final careful assembly. My total cost, I am a scavenger and fabricator though!, is about $11,000. This is probably on the cheap if you are considering doing some type of exotic car but it sounds like you could easily handle the assembly and also keep your cost down by doing some of your own scavenging and fabricating. I still think you could do somewhere between $15,000 to $25,000. With your background I'd say go for it!
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Darrel
64 Posts |
Posted - February 17 2004 : 4:03:24 PM
I built my first kit car 32 years ago when I was 17 years old. Back then the instruction manual was a cartoon book of drawings and I had an 800 number for the manufacturer. I spent many nights upside down, talking on the phone, while troubleshooting the wiring harness. Even with all that going against me I had a decent Bradley GT within about 4 months that summer. I am just finishing up my Super Stepside truck project now. This is my 7th project. It took me about 8 weeks of 30 part-time hours to go from car to primered, driving down the road, legal vehicle. I have about 80 hours of fine bodywork left to do and I figure about 1 week of painting, cutting & buffing the clearcoat, and final careful assembly. My total cost, I am a scavenger and fabricator though!, is about $11,000. This is probably on the cheap if you are considering doing some type of exotic car but it sounds like you could easily handle the assembly and also keep your cost down by doing some of your own scavenging and fabricating. I still think you could do somewhere between $15,000 to $25,000. With your background I'd say go for it!
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flyingdutchmen
37 Posts |
Posted - July 10 2005 : 05:41:50 AM
@ Darrel (or anyone wo maybe can help me)Hello People, first off all sorry for my bad English, I live in the Netherlands. I have a question for those ho ever thougt about building the Super Stepside or
Maybe already have built the Kit I also like the Super StepSide Kit very much but unfortunately American Vehicles
Are very rare over here and therefore expensive, not speaking about spare parts, if it needs new brakes or shock absorbers
one hardly comes at spare parts. There for my question….. Is there a slight chance that the Kit will Fit an European Donor car same size as the GM Caprice or other 4 door American Cars ? Maybe a Mercedes W124 or BMW E32 E34 The Kit fits a lot of American Donors I have read so maybe there is a slight Chance ?
Or maybe someone haves some good advice for my in building this project.
Maybee first buy the Kit and then looking for a fitting Donor Car ? Thanks in advance
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what does it take to put a kit car together?
