Can I do this?

[Scootin159]

I will admit right now I'm not really a mechanic at all, but would love to learn to be. If you give me something I can more than likely put it together, but I have like no experience with hardcore car work (I replaced my alternator & re-attached my clutch cable, that's about it).

Anyways, I want to build a 'custom' car. My main idea is to keep it incredibly simple. I also want to do it as cheeply as possible. My main idea is to have about 150hp, but more importantly <1500lbs. As you can tell I don't care about stuff like a radio, or even a interior at all. If I had a sheet metal dash I would be happy. What I don't want is piles & piles of 'stuff' to work around (basically no 'innovations' from the last 10 years). I would prefer manual everything, until I can replace it with my own electronic parts later on (for instance I want a toggle switch on the dash to turn the lights on & to start the engine, that's about it (+guages)).

Anyone have any idea what a good 'base' would be to work from? I was seriously considering starting right from a hand-welded tubular steel frame, but I really don't know enough to be couragous enough to invest $$$ into this right now. I was kinda thinking a 'old' VW bug would be a good base, but I was kinda hoping for some more HP (and a 5-speed would be nice).

 

[Scootin159]

BTW, I also want to go CHEEP - if we could keep this <$10k it would be great

 

[aphex]

ive actually considered takin a few classes at a community college about 20 mins south of my university about auto mechanical stuff... ive always been interested in stuff like that... One day i'll rebuild a 67 stang... one day

oh yea, bump

 

Kit Cars

Do a search,kit cars are all over the net

 

[Scootin159]

Has anyone built one of these? How hard are they to put together?

 

[DuffmanOhYeah]

<< Kit Cars

Do a search,kit cars are all over the net >>


Sweet! Go for the Raffo Belva man, that car looks nice!

 

[axelfox]

like when Homer tried to build his own car?

 

[yakko]

<< Has anyone built one of these? How hard are they to put together? >>

If you are not willing to spend the time to find a quality kit and then invest more time to build it right stay away from them. I have seen some many half assed kits that should not even be on the road.

 

[hollowman]

YES YOU CAN!!

 

[Looney]

Hey, i had a buddy that designed his own cars... even was competitive. He couldn't tell me much about the process, since he didn't speak much english, and i didn't speak vietnamese, but he had all sorts of pictures.

That was his hobby... what he did for a living was making convertibles out of cars that typically weren't convertibles (ie, the old Beetles, this was before the new Beetles was released... Accords, etc).