Ever built a vehicle from scratch?

[BizCat]

I don't have the know-how or all the necessary equipment but I would LOVE to one day just go out and buy all the parts and build it myself one step at a time (picture Tim Allen here ).

I mean, I go just go buy a junky late 70's truck and buy a new engine to drop in and find parts, and I definitely might just do that.

OR.. just find a chassis, all the panels, all the parts, etc.

Anyone ever built something??

[sk33tr]

never built one from scratch....but i'd love to build a '63 vette that way.

*find a body-on-frame that's in decent shape (small amount of rust is acceptable)
*buy an old 427 and rebuild it from the ground up
*buy an old 4-speed and build a bullet-proof tranny that can take a beating
*put on a really tight suspension so it handles like a sports car should
*put on some slotted/drilled rotors and 6-piston calipers
*buy rims that look close to stock, but definitely aren't so i can put some meat on them

[Scarriere]

I haven't either and would love to.
The Haynes and Chilton manuals would be a great help.
LMC Truck and Classic Industries have parts for older vehicles.

My dream project would be an '80 Silverado. I'd update the suspension, beef up the chassis, drop in a modern crate engine like the LS7, and have a top notch paint job(that would be done by professionals).

It would be fun and very satisfying.

[Scarriere]

There's also those kit cars where they have all or most of the parts and they ship it to you and you put it together. I think I saw a '66 Shelby was the common car to build. I wonder how a modern 3.5 Ecoboost would work with that lightweight chassis? It'd probably be a screamer!

[noeljon]

Never tried building a car from scratch but I would love to.

[Wingman1977]

That's a herculean feat.

[LordSummerIsle]

Would it be street legal is the question that comes to my mind.

[Wingman1977]

Originally Posted by LordSummerIsle

Would it be street legal is the question that comes to my mind.

That's another issue.

[eat808]

Never built one from scratch but I did convert a Honda beat into a high performance electric vehicle, had about 50 mile range lithium batteries, went like a rocket, drove it as my daily short work commute for around 2 years, totally converted me to electric vehicles, dumped the diesel 2 years later, never looked back.

[curlyben]

You might find the series "A Car Is Born" interesting. If I remember right that follows building a Caterham Seven style car from a kit