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Author Topic: New First Time Kit Builder  (Read 6169 times)

01Lambiero

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #22 on: September 29, 2012, 10:42:37 AM »
Welcome Fasteddy.  Listen to RT.  He is knowledgeable and honest.  The 3% club is reserved for the Elite.  If you want it bad enough, it will be there at the end of the rainbow.  Take one step at a time.  Read the forum items and study the pictures on the forum and build sites.  You might want to save hundreds by purchasing a unfinished project such as on Ebay.  This route can be great OR a disaster unless you are very smart about the quality of welding.  Ask Nobull for advice. ::thumbup
Jim
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Jackal

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #21 on: September 19, 2012, 07:22:38 AM »
When building your own car and you are anything like me.... it becomes a bottomless pit.... :)
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Tusabes

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #20 on: September 19, 2012, 04:08:25 AM »
Good idea. We don't want you to start off with unrealistic expectations like the price quotes you see on cki website.   Now you've seen how much real builders have spent so you have a better idea of what this costs in real life.

I bought my Ferrari 355 replica already built, because I knew about how easily and quickly the costs grow when building it yourself .  Even though it was finished , I wanted to add my little touches- so it was $50 for gauges, and $50 for badges , and $100 for an intake , etc etc etc.  Just buying little accessory items, for an already completed car, I spent $3000!!! It adds up so quick you don't even realize it
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FastEddy

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2012, 07:31:29 PM »
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I really appreciate and value you expert info. You have given me more to think about.

I am in no hurry and plan to take my time. I will most likely be doing the project in stages, first being to complete the engine swap in the donor car. After that, I'll upgrade brakes and suspension. Once that is all sorted out and running good, I'll decide where and when to go from there.
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lambo_sam

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2012, 12:55:41 AM »
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madmods

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2012, 12:38:32 AM »
Some advice I can give you is save your money at first. What I mean is you do not need to buy rims, brakes, replica steering wheels at the beginning of your build. Concentrate on the stretch, mounting doors and glass, and the body.  I remember being at inland exotics and some guy had brought a replica steering wheel while is fiero just layed there uncut-unstretched. The truth is that 3% of these cars get built and people give up on them after awhile. Save the expensive stuff for final build in case you have to sell the project. What good is spending money when you cant recoup it later. You should also look at half done projects out there. I love being the 2nd or 3rd owner.   I come in with a fresh mind, wallet and energy. I can tell where the builder gave up or got frustrated.
Just my 2 cents brother.
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RT

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #16 on: September 17, 2012, 09:59:45 PM »
FastEddy,
I'm not sure what it is that you don't "get".  You came here for advice from those who are or have been through the experience of building one of these.  We have all been where you are now with your desire to build a Lambo.  Many have told you, and I will repeat, you will not build a Lambo replica for 10k or less.  Anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you.
If you truly want to build a car for the experience and to have your son understand all things automotive, go with a true kit car.  Look at Factory Five's offerings.  Build a nice '34 street rod or a Cobra replica.  Even there you will not be under 10K but it is a kit and you will finish and you will have a very nice car.  MOST who try to build a Lambo don't finish.  There is a very good reason for that.  Yet everyone who starts their build expects to finish.  These are NOT kits.  They are  very difficult to build.  They will CONSUME you and most give up and sell off the uncompleted project at a great loss of money.
You came here for advice.  We do not want to sugar-coat the process and lead you down a rosy path.  Build a kit car first.  Then if you feel ready for something much more difficult the Lambo will be there.

RT
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Tallon

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #15 on: September 17, 2012, 09:51:23 PM »
As for cost, you'll eventually get it done, right? It's only a matter of time. That's what I always tell myself. Not to say financial troubles won't come along. I wouldn't expect any specific time frame hell no.
You don't need close to oem to get noticed there's some low quality reps out there that still draw crowds it's crazy. Throw in carkitinc interior and people think it's real :S I do hope you get the mercy 2 and not mercy 1, though. It's worth the price difference to just avoid it and you probably won't have as much resources for #1 anyway as most of us have the mercy 2.

Standup comic?? Never met one of those before! Tell us a joke :)
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 10:08:18 PM by Tallon »
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Flying_Roadster

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2012, 08:02:49 PM »
With this being for your son, I am sure you will but, don't skimp on metal (chassis). Make it as crash worthy as possible.
I am making mine exact with 98% OEM parts and I have around $24k in mine. that included a lot of ebay and salvage exotic yards. I wont say it can't be done, but don't be surprised if you will need some extra money. You will need glass, window motors, wiring and a lot of other things not thought of.
Don't get discouraged and keep us updated.

Grant
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SchulzeA

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2012, 07:44:34 PM »
Keep in mind that you won't build it over night, so it's not like your spending the total cost right off the bat. The total will slowly build over time and may not seem nearly as bad as it sounds. And even if it cost 50k +, what does it matter. You will have a ::LAMBO2 !!! ::rocker ::headbang
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 07:46:31 PM by SchulzeA »
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FastEddy

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2012, 06:01:31 PM »
Thanks again for all the feedback. The amount of work and money ahead makes me a little nervous, but I am ready to get started. All those who say it can't be done cheaply just provide extra motivation. Also, they have never met my wife. Hahaha

Afterall, history is full of men doing things that others said could "never" be done.

I'll make sure to post a running total.

As soon as I get my donor, I'll be posting pics. Thanks again.
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usmc_butler

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2012, 10:29:04 AM »
Welcome to the forum ::wave Guess ill put my .02 in on this a agree with everyones post here I do really agree with Tusabes post about building a driver and then going from there, at least if you decide to go another direction you have a good car that will be worth decent money. Another thing a Murci can be built fairly cheap depending on what you decide to do with it. You don't need oem grills, switches, tail lights, headlights, etc. For all purposes you can just do minor metal work on a stretched Fiero mount the body and hinge the doors and you have a replica Murci. The closer you make it to OEM the more money you are going to have in it bottom line. You can have $15 thousand or you can have $80-$100 thousand depending on who is building it and what parts you put into it. Don't get discouraged, look at build threads on here to see how others have over came there obstacles and if you can fab it stay away from OEM parts, they will break the bank..
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 06:10:16 PM by usmc_butler »
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Tallon

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2012, 07:06:03 AM »
 ::duh so you won't find a sc800 car through copart for less than a grand like you can any other car?  ::scratch
and most of the cars on there seem to come from CA
« Last Edit: September 17, 2012, 07:08:26 AM by Tallon »
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No Bull

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2012, 11:37:17 PM »
I saw a 3800SC Fiero on Craigslist a couple of months ago.  It was a high mileage series one with a broken belt for $2500.  It was gone within an hour of the post going live.  A grand for a 3800 project is a steal and you should jump on that ASAP.

It's best to determine what you want to build now and hold yourself accountable to it.  Make the decisions now how accurate you'll want the interior, trim, rims, etc to be.  OEM and "detail" costs money whether you are buying real or replica parts or even trying to make them yourself.

I started with a $30k budget and I'm tracking now at around $55k when my car is finished.  ::LAMBO2 

Chris 
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Tusabes

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Re: New First Time Kit Builder
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2012, 10:25:44 PM »
Never ever gonna happen at $10k. Never . Even buying an incomplete project at a steal and finishing it you can't build for $10k

Just some obvious categories
Lights $1000+
grilles $1000+
and about a dozen other $1000 extra categories
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