Is it possible to assemble a kit-car / locost thing for $0?

If there was one good thing that came to my mind in History today it's this: Would it be possible to build a homebrew locost for $0? It seems very plausible. If you buy the donor car, sell off all the stuff you don't need, and use that to offset the cost of building the chassis you should be able to (theoretically) zero out your budget... right?

There is most likely painfully obvious wrong with this plan that I missed, but I thought I'd throw it out there. If it is possible how cool would a "$0" class be for the challenge.

Only problem is this rule.

The GRM gods said: Eligible Vehicles: Any four-wheeled, production-based vehicle that was originally sold as a passenger vehicle is allowed. (You know what this means.)

My interruption of that is you need to at least have the original frame and/or body. For example I can see a Bug with a custom frame and I can see a Justy body mounted on a Mustang frame. I don't think taking the drivetrain, front and rear suspension, and building a custom body and frame would count. But they do leave interpretation open with "you know what that means".

As far as building it for $0, I'm sure the right deal on the right car could make it possible.

Theoretically, yes. Practically, no

Zero dollars and infinite time are both constructs that every unfinished project used at one time to make them seem plausible.

i imagine if you found a good enough deal on a C4 vette then building something like the vette kart would probably be plausible. Or really any 'ghettocet' type build would get you pretty close to a $0 build if the initial purchase price was right.

so what we need here is a class for run what you brung,still within budget.

GTXVette wrote: so what we need here is a class for run what you brung,still within budget.

How is that different from the Challenge, fundamentally?

You can build a Locost for $0 outlay. Heck, the book that named the creature was called "Build your own sports car for 250 pounds or less". It involved Challenge-esque activities like harvesting sheetmetal from vans. Get creative enough and you could make it happen. May not be Challenge legal, but it can be done.

I had written we could call it the challenge,but its already been taken,so I took it out. I have an ERA 427 cobra frame and 0 invested, Not really Fair but that is what most losers would say, or at least the First loser(2nd place)

Don't forget that fair market value applies to parts you already have.

I advertised it for sale here, not even 1 response so what IS it Worth. Ya'll throw out a number, we'll talk.

What about a ghettocet class? Hacked up miatas...

man that worked up near Jon Kasse shop with a 351 in a miata, I still don't want one.Plus I already own this one,and not to be wierd but you won't see one in my Driveway.

Here's my point. I speak from experience. So you find a a 500 or $1,000 Corvette C4 Corvette. It will likely be pretty trashed. So what can you sell off of it? In my case the interior was trashed the air conditioner didn't work comma brake lines rusted, abs was shot calipers are frozen up only the passenger window am windshield was Unbroken. What are you going to sell off of it? In my case I've sold some small interior switches, the cruise control door lock solenoids, hood struts, engine compartment lights, etc.

It really did surprise me that I was able to sell 3 or $400 worth of little pieces at 10 and $15 a pop. But nobody wants a air conditioner compressor nobody wants the heater core nobody wants trash door cards. You get my idea? There's not a lot of meat on the bone for 30+ year old parts.

So....I've sold a little but have spent $400 replacing oem brakes, calipers, mzxter cylinders, etc. The shocks were shot so cheapo replacements were $20 each. Plug wires shot....tune up parts an order 50 or 75$. A decent set of tires was an order $550. All suspension bushings shot. Power steering seals leaking. See where I'm going?

I may roadkill kart it after challemge. But keep in mind the HRM Roadkill vette kart has about $10,000.00 invested in it at at last count.

Sure you can defray some costs by selling off stuff. But be realistic. The stuff people want is the stuff you want to keep. Cracks me up when I see people say I bought $100 car but I sold rear seats for $300 and the headliner for $100 and the spare tire for $50 etcetera etcetera etcetera. Makes you wonder if it really was $100 car in the first place

When we ran our salvage operation, we always got a higher rate of return on the higher priced cars. The $300 ones were usually completely trashed and only worth scrap metal prices. The $5000 ones were full of parts people wanted. Even keeping the big money parts like engines and transmissions, we could still make them worth our while. The big thing is body panels. You don't want them for a Locost, but there's a lot of demand.

Knowing the car well (these seats are only found in the Ricardo Montalban edition!) helps a lot.

I paid a grand for my C-4 (84)but in the end I wanted a DD. as hard as I tried I can't keep it under $2016. My desire to make it a driver has taken it a little over budget. I really have sold more stuff than I paid for the car but what I am using for engine/tranny/ wheels and oh God The body work.It will Be Fast It will be wicked looking,but it is over budget.Now anyone need any c4 parts.

Not $0 but I could probably get pretty close....

Trailer park cet parking lot build

I bought 2 Subaru WRX wagons for $500 each, fixed the 05 up with the 02's engine and sold $1650 worth of parts off the hulk. Even with the retail parts that I had to buy, I am very close to $0 and may have even made a few bucks. So yes, it maybe possible with the right car. But it was not thrashed, the body was rusted badly.

I also have a bunch of spare Subaru parts in the garage that are going to the dump soon. I can't even get people to make offers on them.

I'm another vote for possible? Yes.... Practical? No...

Parting out a car is always a tempting thought: "Well -I- need this... but I can sell the rest" but then you end up sitting on stuff looking for someone to buy it. Like others have said if the buy in is low enough, there is a reason for it. I have made a little over half of my $600 C4 back and I am still sitting on body parts.... and heard similar stories from many others who have done the same. There just isn't the market, but your mileage may very.

EDIT: That being said, I still keep my eyes peeled for another one cheap enough to build a vette kart!

selling my engine and tranny,and a buttload of parts had me in the black for awhile,I had a used boat motor(454) and an old powerglide.but went for more power.rebuild parts cost me a bit and like I said "trying to keep it a Real DD" required stuff I would not keep normally.I have as much in Machine shop work as most put in the whole car,If I could find another 750-800 bucks in sellable parts would have a legal car.

How's about a break (a grand?) if you drive it in with tags.

Should be able to do it for less than $0 there is a reason that there are auto salvage businesses. I can say it is not to lose money.

Madhatr wrote: Parting out a car is always a tempting thought: "Well -I- need this... but I can sell the rest" but then you end up sitting on stuff looking for someone to buy it.

I did that once.

After that experience, all I have to do is utter the phrase in quotes within earshot of SWEETA and I practically get handed a blank check to just buy the specific part(s) I need.

I broke even on a 91 brg miata I parted out.. I wanted the interior and exterior panels and was able to part out the rest of the car to break even, but I got really lucky!

Ive learned you really have to start with a popular car. Good interior and body panels seem to be were the money is. I got 400 bucks for the interior out of an 88 mustang i paid 600 for because it was in great shape and i was willing to sell the entire interior including dash. But foxbodys are popular! If you find a fox body with pristine quarter windows there worth alot. Exspecially coupe versions.

I lost money trying the same trick with a grand marquis.