After seeing a few Polaris Slingshots and Locusts, my wife thought they looked cool (open concept fun summer day etc) and said "I bet you could build your own". Bad thing to say, now I added this to my project list.
Going cheap, GRM style, what would you buy and build?
I'm thinking 3800 5 speed Camaro/Firebird or really cheap Cavalier/Sunfire 2.2 5 speed. All body panels come off, weld up a cage, add lights and mirrors and done. Add circle track wide wheels and sticky DOT tread.
3800/5-speed F-body sounds like a solid idea. SLA front suspension and torque-arm rear suspension means it'd handle really well and the 3800 is peppy in a full trim F-body so hack it down to 2500lbs and it oughta be fun.
Audi 1.8 fwd non-transverse motor?
Subi FWD? lower hood height...
Just add boost for an E ticket ride!
Or this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLj0SQrYJqk
Or this?
http://angloisrael.com/reversetrike/lazareth-wazuma.html
The 3 wheelers are silly. They use motorcycle safety rules to get around the government or they would all have 4 wheels. They perform like a lousy car with too little grip in the rear. It's a motorcycle that doesn't lean or a car that doesn't handle... either way it's goofy.
A locost will be the better driver. If I was the one building - it would be a middie locost using the entire powertrain from a FWD car just moved to the back. Design the chassis forward from there. Plans abound. There is someone on here that has one he wrote a book on.
First thing is to find out your local regulations. Then build from there.
What is the end goal, ballistic street machine, or fun open cockpit driver, that happens to haul ass.
Cheap, easy, GRM ghettocet. Done similar to the eliminator chassis. Cheapest way to a fun street machine like you mentioned.
I've wanted a locost for ages. Id build one with a (get ready for a surprise) s2000 engine (gasp!). Even the stock 240hp would be a hoot in such a light car.
I've been a member at the locost forum since... 2004 i think? i'ts been a long time.
still never started... Life always seems to get in the way.
The Locost forum is full of like minded people.
When it comes to the Ghetto-cet approach where you just strip a chassis to the bare essentials, a lot depends on whether you are going to drive it more than once or twice, and whether it will be off or on road use. I see the idea much the same as I see the challenge cars: good lark for not much money, but not something I would want to drive on a regular basis. And its too much money and parking space at that point.
Build an Exocet since it seems to offer the best value in this niche.
Don't forget about the DF Goblin:
I lean toward a locost or midlana. I'd like to do a cyclecar replica with a bike engine, but my skill/experience quotient says stick to a tried and true formula first. For a challenge type build I think a lexocet (chassis only LS) would be fun, but the reality is that it would probably look like a rolling reject from the local junkyard where a locost/midlana/exocet would look like a toy with some sort of purpose.
Here is the car that I'm building. I was progressing well with it but I its' been about 3 months since working on it. I had a full knee replacement recently that put me out of commission for awhile. When I was ready to go back to work I helped my son rebuild his Dirt Modified race car. I'm hoping to get back on my build this week.
The details:
-Style inspired by Lakester/Track Tbuckets. This makes it easy to register it in most states as a Street Rod. The equipment requirements are minimal. I also like the fact that I'll be able to go to Hot Rod events with my friends and fit in.
-Uses all aluminium independent suspension from a C4 Corvette. The parts are readily available at reasonable prices. They look good, the geometry is pretty good, and the pick up and mounting points are easy to fabricate.
-Uses small block chevy power. Cheap reliable horsepower.
-I'm building the frame out of 1.5 by 1.5 by .083 square tubing. I'm trying to achieve a relatively light but stiff frame. A roll bar or full cage can easily be added.
-I'm 6'2 and weigh 230lbs. I need to fit comfortably in it.
-I mounted foam panels to the frame, shaped the foam, and glassed it. I'm in the process of of smoothing and final shaping the body. The body is 1 piece and simply slides on and off of the frame.
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Ive wanted an exovette or an exoviper since forever. That's my vote.
exogto?
Whenever my thoughts stray this direction (which has been happening off and on for the past twenty years) I am drawn to the ultra-lightweight options (Colin Chapman would be proud.) 
I want the wind in my hair, an involving driving experience, skinny tires squealing, engine revving, and I've barely broken the speed limit but feel like I am going faster than I am.
So, I think about rusty Spridgets, cheap Toyota Starlets and Datsun B110 (AKA 1200,) a mix and match of Suzuki Samurai and Suzuki Swift parts, and lately I have been wondering how cheaply one could get a Suzuki kei-car van. I know the kei vans aren't super-common here, but I have seen them as farm vehicles and maintenance vehicles for some college campuses or golf courses and the like...and those have to get retired at some point, right?
im a huge fan of vettecart/ghettocet type builds. but i think it can be hard to make the unibody look decent once chopped down and caged. I think using something with a full frame that you could build a whole tube body over would be cool, like a street dune buggy. here is a thread I had a while back about using a crown vic frame.
crown vic frame with generic frame idea drawn on top:
I have also though greatly on using a 4wd s10 frame, bravada/astro AWD transfer case swapped in, a couple suspension bits added, SBC/LS varient, and some tube and you would have a ~2500 lbs v8 AWD street monster.
s10 frame with generic frame idea drawn on top:
both are easy to find, cheap to get (especially if you can find them with cosmetic damage), parts availability everywhere, and good aftermarket support (maybe not much for crown vic suspension-wise, but plenty for the 4.6)
In most states the street rod laws will let you get away with a LOT, so I would be looking at grafting on just enough pre-1975 (or whatever your local law says it needs to be) bodywork to register as one.
In reply to jmc14:
Why do I not see a build thread for this?! Looks AWESOME.
My thoughts on this matter have drifted to the VW sandrail frames....
In reply to jmc14:
That is awesome. It looks similar to the Speedway Kit.
I'm considering also the 3rd gen Camaro (cheap).
Or, I do have a 76 Olds Cutlass with T Tops I bought a long time ago for $400. This is full frame with an automatic. If I take off the hood, fenders, doors and weld in a cage.
I have seen a couple sprint car chassis for sale cheap lately. If I could get one registered and take the offset out it could make an interesting commuter.
java230 wrote: Why do I not see a build thread for this?! Looks AWESOME.
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