David Jenkins
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:05 PM |
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A mixture of kits and self-builds. The main differences were the number of things they used off their donors, such as steel wheels instead of alloys
(you can usually get basic steel wheels for free! Narrower than bought-in wheels, so the tyres were cheap), donor switches, instruments, steering
wheel, stuff like that. Ordinary rubber brake flexible hoses, instead of braided teflon ones. All that sort of thing.
Just one thing: donor parts are starting to get more expensive now as the old cars get scarce, so those budgets may need revision.
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zxrlocost
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:06 PM |
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if you build a kit my answer is a straight answer I dont believe 3k at all but with loads of searching for parts swapping bits or whatever 4k is
possible Or there abouts. Simple!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:14 PM |
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Fair comment... 
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ned
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:22 PM |
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I won't even bother listing manufacturers as that's all been covered. The only thing i would mention is that luego also do a locost and
they didn't mention a special show price for that in the luego thread - worth finding out. Haggle a lot and get as much as you can at the show
for around £2500 would be my suggestion.
then use as much as is humanly possible from the donor - even things like hoses, jubilee clips, fuel and brake fittings as they all add up (I've
spent hundreds with thinkauto).
I found that a lot of things i 'thought' i needed i really didn't and i would do things differently which would turn out cheaper in
the future.
Another very good bit of advice (imho) don't buy something because you are on a budget and it is at a good price (ie cheap) - ALWAYS check it
will fit and is actually the part you want. Often making things you've bought cheap fit can turn out more expensive than buying the right bit in
the first place.
Also try and make purchases at the same time form the same place thus saving on delivery - the no of times I've put orders in then a few days
later had to order again and pay double on postage because I'd forgotten something. Also bear in mind delivery costs when looking for bits
cheaper. You may buy things from 3 different supplier because they were the cheapest, when actually buying from one supplier and paying a couple of
quid more might save you £10-20+ in seperate delivery charges.
I don't think £4k is impossible but you'll have to be very very careful with your penny's if using a kit.
I would personally suspect the majority of cheaper builds on here are scratch built locosts - not saying that you can't do it from a kit - just
buy your donor wisely and use as much of it as you can.
good luck!
Ned.
[Edited on 10/4/06 by ned]
beware, I've got yellow skin
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:29 PM |
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Scratch-builds are only cheap if you've already got the tools to build them with, like the MIG welder. If you've got to buy a welder, pay
gas bottle rental for all the time you're learning, wasting gas and wire, and all that stuff, you might just as well have gone out and bought a
kit!
Doing stuff over and over 'cos you messed up the first few efforts adds to the cost as well.
David
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EViS
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:36 PM |
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Right, so it may also be worth my while spending a bit more on a donor and possibly having a higher guarantee that more of it's parts can be
used...
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ned
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:39 PM |
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yes, but on the flip side its a balance of paying too much for a good donor where you could go and buy parts seperately with the difference if you got
a cheaper donor and didn't use as much!!
beware, I've got yellow skin
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Marcus
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 03:58 PM |
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Come to Stoneleigh, there'll be loads there, Locosts, MKs, Mac#1s, MNRs - you name it!
Most of us will talk money (as long as the wife's not listening )
I'm not bothered about pristine cars, they're for driving. Our 2 cost 3k between them on the road. (Locosts though - so scrounged
everything).
Marcus
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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Chazzy
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 09:27 PM |
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don't forget oils. brake fluid, g-box oil, deciding to replace that leaky seal on the gear box, then needing a new gasket set for it as well.
reusing as much as you can from the doner is cheaper but may not be as time efficient, will you be stripping it down before the 3mth build?
I bought a cordless drill to make the build easier less trip hazards etc, then lots of drill bits build cost depends on what you include in the
build.
get to a show for sure, speak to owners in the field, you'll get a feel for after sales.
chas
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Pezza
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 09:55 PM |
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I'm still aiming for a 5k build total on my mk indy r1, ok yes I got a part built kit on ebay for a grand.
But i'm trying to be as canny as possible on sourcing the other parts myself as cheaply as possible. like others have said, it's the odds
and ends that look like they are gonna add up, but if you can manage to wangle some major components cheap through friends atc you can slash a good
chunk off the budget.
I was figuring to pay around the 1k mark for an r1 engine with loom ecu clocks etc, few hours and a few beers later down my local and i've found
a likely suspect for 400 inc all the bits I want.
If you can afford to put the time in searching and haggling you can pick up some fantastic bargains on the more expensive bits and bobs.
When push comes to shove most dealers will haggle, it's just our british mentality seems to stop us form trying of late.
Ben
You couldn't pwn your way out of a wet paper bag, with "PWN ME!!" written on it, from the "pwned take-away" which originally contained one
portion of chicken tikka pwnsala and the obligatory free pwnpadom.
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zxrlocost
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| posted on 10/4/06 at 10:32 PM |
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ben hear the engine running beforehand
its a big must I think
otherwise you might have probs further down the line
chris
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Triton
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| posted on 11/4/06 at 07:39 AM |
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The best bet is to visit factories to see what's being done in the way of builds etc. Most make chassis in house and sub out the smelly/messy
bit some do it the other way round.
A show is always a good eye opener especially as there will be customer built cars outside, try to speak to those folk that have built them then go
and see the firm........make up your own mind after you have seen how enthusiastic the relevant firms have been with your questions.
One firm will shine for it's nuttyness.
My Daughter has taken over production of the damn fine Triton race seats and her contact email is emmatrs@live.co.uk.
www.tritonraceseats.com
www.hairyhedgehog.com
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NS Dev
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| posted on 11/4/06 at 11:57 PM |
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4K is a realistic total budget.
Mine will have set me back between £5500 and £6000 when I come to book the SVA, that's with 200hp, vauxhall XE engine, throttle body injected,
MBE engine management, IRS, narrow width, lightweight custom shafts, caterham sump, raceleda 4 pots on the front, discs all round, stuart taylor IRS
chassis, stuart taylor bodywork, blah de blah etc etc, i.e. not a budget build.
ps £600 is ballpark right for a good exhaust manifold. Two of the best manifold manufacturers in the country will typically quote you £700 ish for a
4-2-1 manifold for a 4 cylinder 7 type car.
I'm making my own which will cost me around £300 to make (allowing £100 worth of beer for my mate who will prob spend around 15 hrs welding on
it) but to the same std as the £700 ones from those manufacturers, the difference is the labour!!! VERY time consuming to do well
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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