Custom body...

Author
Discussion

Mr J

Original Poster:

257 posts

258 months

Friday 11th February 2005
quotequote all
Wondering what I'd cost to get someone to build a one off custom body. GRP, high quality, size and shape is similiar to a Mclaren F1. I've seen quite a few sites where guys have built their own bodies and it's interesting, but I'd probally just get it done by a professional if it didn't cost an arm and a leg. Just looking for a rough figure.

Mr J

Original Poster:

257 posts

258 months

Friday 11th February 2005
quotequote all
I saw the thread one page back but it seemed pretty vague. Is 10k-15k reasonable?

D-Angle

4,468 posts

249 months

Friday 11th February 2005
quotequote all
Do you mean this thread?

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=150932&f=30&h=0

It is a bit vague, but then it is a 'How Long is a Piece of String' question. 10-15k is pretty good compared with what some people charge (bear in mind that most people who are set up for this are aiming at companies rather than individual enthusiasts, and their running costs and prices reflect this).

If you're serious, drop me a mail and I'll ask around for you.

cymtriks

4,561 posts

252 months

Saturday 12th February 2005
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I've asked this question here, as you know, and on other forums and have had a wide range of answers from several tens of £k to the cost of wood and plaster!

I just can't get my mind round some of the very high costs bandied around. Surely the process is make buck, make moulds, make bodywork and the only really big variable is the labour costs. DIY and the labour cost is zero. The materials cost is not cheap as there is so much of it but it hardly seems ruinously expensive either.

Possibly some of the higher costs assume moulds capable of making hundreds of parts and employing stylists etc.

I'm curious as to what drives the cost assumptions behind some of these estimates.

There was a thread on this section a while back about how much it cost to introduce a new kit car model, "are kits overpriced" link below-
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=118183&f=30&h=0

Mr J

Original Poster:

257 posts

258 months

Sunday 13th February 2005
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I've thought about doing it myself, I have the time but I don't have any room. There are plenty of websites out there with build diaries for this sort of thing and I'm sure I could do it. I would prefer to pay a pro to do it though. I guess cost really depends on the methods they use, and whether it is a one off or for production.

Mr J

Original Poster:

257 posts

258 months

Sunday 13th February 2005
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Unless I could get it done for 15kUS or less I'd either do it myself or just build an ultima.

sgraber

38 posts

256 months

Monday 14th February 2005
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I've been trying to build my car for as little as possible and everything except the bodywork can be done pretty cheap. Under 5K USD. The bodywork is a WHOLE 'NOTHER ISSUE... I am deep into the late stages of building a body (again trying to do it as cheap as possible) and it just seems like it won't happen for under another $10K. And that's me doing all of the work myself.


If you want a replica of the F1, then take a look here:
New Kit being developed in the Dominican Republic base on MKII MR2 Mechanicals.

www.ddrmotorsport.com/

Steve Graber

dilbert

7,741 posts

238 months

Monday 14th February 2005
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Of course you could always do it the old fashioned way, like an aeroplane.

Section the whole thing out, drape aluminium sheet, and rivet.

It's no good if you want to build something to impress the kiddies, you'll almost certainly end up with a cigar shaped car, but there isn't an engineer anywhere that wouldn't be impressed.

I reckon you could still build a pretty impressive motor that way, without needing too much space, and without breaking the bank.

Just look at the Aerial Atom, it's basically the cigar idea, but without the panels.