Anyone Built Their Own Car

[custardtart]

Posted originally in General Gassing but probably more relevant here!

Has anyone built their own car, one they designed themselves rather than a kit or restoration/modification? Or maybe you know someone who has and can pass a link on?

When I originally started to think about doing this a few years ago I was interested in it as a buisness idea and had discussions with a few people on this forum who were very helpful, but now it would purely be a one off and just for fun.

I'm thinking about a lightweight (circa(500kg) mid engined car that's road legal, waterproof but also quite track focused. I think the Lotus Exige would be similar to what I've got in mind but it's actually quite a heavy car so maybe something like a Pell Genesis or Taydec but with a better finish and some weather protection.

I had been thinking of restoring a TR6 and turning one into a lightweight, track focused version but when I put the figures together (around £30k) for the spec I was after it got me thinking I could probably design and build my own unique car for not too much more than that.

I seem to remember seeing a couple of projects in the US but couldn't find them again.....


Any help appreciated.

Cheers

[tribbles]

I know one day I will, but I'm just designing a new body for the Aeon (getting quite close to making it too).

I know Davi's started doing his own design, but best let him say how far he's got.

http://www.grabercars.com/ is one US build (although it might be Austrailian - there's a mix of US and AUS $ dotted around the site).

There was a discussion that started on GG about a guy in the States - FWICR his looked a bit like a Mustang at the front - but I can't remember the subject (so can't find it). I'm sure some eagle-eyed/elephantastic memory person will come along

[andygtt]

There are a few of us.

I'm building a GTT which is a mid engined GT car.
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/andycanam/GTTpage1.html

Davis building a lighter weight mid engined GT car... no web link yet I think.

Steve's hugelly impressive lightweight middi.
http://www.grabercars.com/index.php

There is also Alans midi but I can't find the link.


If you go to the locostbuilders.co.uk site and visit the midi forum you will find a load of like mined people doing scratch builds similar to what you describe.

[noneedtolift]

I did. You might recollect it, it was the "AS ONE" you'll find some info on here if you do a quick search. Great car, as many other's, despite numerous orders it failed commercially in the end. Was it worth it - yes, every penny

[Chad speed]

Built a single seat road car from scratch, 374kg all up none 'Q' plate and registered under my name as a manufacturer i.e. my name on the tax disc. Would post some pictures if I could work out how to (lost patience). If you would like to e-mail me I will reply with pictures attached.

[cymtriks]

A few
La Bala
DPcars
Meerkat

All great sites and projects in their own way.

All in the US aswell, must be due to the common adition of a big garage to every home, here in the UK we have an 8 foot 6 garage if were're lucky.

[FlossyThePig]

Have a look at the Tryane II

The styling shows the total influence of Frank Costin (looks like ****, but goes like **** of a shovel). Only a 600cc Citoen engine but lightweight and very low drag.

[custardtart]

FlossyThePig said:

Have a look at the Tryane II

The styling shows the total influence of Frank Costin (looks like ****, but goes like **** of a shovel). Only a 600cc Citoen engine but lightweight and very low drag.

That's really leftfield but kinda cool, like something from and old flash gordon movie set!

[Ferg]

Chad speed said:

Would post some pictures if I could work out how to.....

Allow me.

[fuoriserie]

Ferg said:

Chad speed said:

Would post some pictures if I could work out how to.....

Allow me.

Nice Ferg, is that yours ?

Cheers mate
Italo

[Ferg]

fuoriserie said:

Nice Ferg, is that yours ?

The Transit is, yes Italo!!!!
But the car is, I'm assuming, the car referred to by Roger (Chad speed) in his post above.
The car is now in the possession of TotalHeadTurners.com in some tasteless Ferrari livery..... http://www.totalheadturners.com/main.php?mod=indca...

Edited by Ferg on Wednesday 16th January 17:15

[Chris71]

I built a Locost (and co-built a second) whilst at uni. Haven't had the time to do anything like that since though, so my two subsequent kits have been second hand (and the Quantum was originally a factory build I believe)

[V8 GRF]

andygtt said:

There are a few of us.

I'm building a GTT which is a mid engined GT car.
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/andycanam/GTTpage1.html

Very impressive and it looks very attractive.
For once someone's designed and built a car that doesn't look like it was build by one man in a shed.

[fuoriserie]

Ferg said:

fuoriserie said:

Nice Ferg, is that yours ?

The Transit is, yes Italo!!!!
But the car is, I'm assuming, the car referred to by Roger (Chad speed) in his post above.
The car is now in the possession of TotalHeadTurners.com in some tasteless Ferrari livery..... http://www.totalheadturners.com/main.php?mod=indca...

Edited by Ferg on Wednesday 16th January 17:15

Ferg,

Sorry,.....I meant the yellow formula,.... the new livery looks more like the old Gold leaf Formula 1 livery of the 70's....

The Transit looks good......

Ciao
Italo

Edited by fuoriserie on Thursday 17th January 14:16

[Dave Dax builder]

Building your own car taken to a whole different level.
Redefining the word "Dedication"
:-
http://members.aol.com/COUPECHUCK/

[Chad speed]

fuoriserie said:

Ferg said:

Chad speed said:

Would post some pictures if I could work out how to.....

Allow me.

Nice Ferg, is that yours ?

Cheers mate
Italo

Thats my baby as intended, I.e. styled loosely on the March 731 sponsored by BETA. Sadly now been CHAVED up to look like a Ferrari - oh the insult. It is a true special, designed and built from scratch - space frame, suspension, chain drived diff, body, exhaust, silencers, seat, mudguards etc many, many hours cutting, welding, folding, turning, making moulds, laying up GRP etc. The 'CHAD'as it became known only used front uprights and brakes from the automotive world, everything else was either bespoke, racecar or motorcycle (it's impossible to achieve an all up weight of 374kg with too many car parts). Still cant beleive they changed it from this http://www.totalheadturners.com/main.php?mod=indca...
to this http://www.totalheadturners.com/main.php?mod=indca...
Good to see enthusiasts still out there building away despite the nanny state. Since selling the CHAD I have gone back to re-building classics from the 60's and now get my petrolhead fix from a TVR Griff.

[Ferg]

Dave Dax builder said:

Building your own car taken to a whole different level.
Redefining the word "Dedication"
:-
http://members.aol.com/COUPECHUCK/

Good grief.....

[peterpsg]

andygtt said:

There are a few of us.

I'm building a GTT which is a mid engined GT car.
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/andycanam/GTTpage1.html

So when's the next piccy update? The last was a while ago now!

[Ferg]

Chad speed said:

Thats my baby as intended,

Hi Roger,
The pics were taken in David's yard not long after he bought it from you. I recognised it from the Kit magazine article. David loved it, but he does tend to move onto something new quite quickly. He currently has a Europa with an RS Turbo engine. Yours was certainly an awesome machine!!

[Chad speed]

Ferg said:

Chad speed said:

Thats my baby as intended,

Hi Roger,
The pics were taken in David's yard not long after he bought it from you. I recognised it from the Kit magazine article. David loved it, but he does tend to move onto something new quite quickly. He currently has a Europa with an RS Turbo engine. Yours was certainly an awesome machine!!

Ferg
When I sold the car to David one option was to p/x it for the Europa which was in a sorry state at the time (if its the same one), in the end I bought a 1969 Maserati Ghibli in a sorry state and it's still my current project. I dont know if there is anyone still building scratch specials with the current SVA rules, I had enough of a job getting the CHAD through under the original scheme. I guess it's almost impossible now to register a car under your own name, at the time the rule was that only one component could be secondhand, in my case the engine/transmission unit. I very much appreciate the photo's you posted, in hindsight I was so involved in the design and build of the car I took too few, it was pre Internet days for me as well. I would like to see the car again even though it's somewhat removed from it's original concept. Out of interest the original registration was V208 ENJ (a Brighton number)and if the new owner would like to get in touch that would be great.
My project before the CHAD was a 1960 Berkeley B105 with a Kawasaki Z1100R engine, reg No. XCY 887 which could spin its front wheels changing into 2nd at 70mph, had contact with the current owner about 2 years ago but nothing since.
If someone could point me in the right direction on where the instructions are on how to include pictures in a posting I would be grateful.