Just wanted to say Hi and ask if a locost really is achievable by anyone...?

I'm a 27 year old IT worker with a passion for just about anything petrol engined... I have done some minor welding before (owned a 71 beetle for a couple of years) and I am familar with cars that demand love and attention (owned various Fiats, Lancia's and currently an Alfa !!) I can do my own servicing and bits (brakes etc) but I have never really delved much further than that....... primarily because the car in question has always been my only vehicle and needed for day to day travel (not in bits in the garage )...

I have always fancied building a 7 replica of some sort then a couple of weeks ago whilst surfing Amazon for Alfa literature I stumbled across across "the book" ... and couldn't resist ordering a copy.... now I'm all inspired and reasonably confident that I could succeed at building a locost...Question is with only a single garage and a limited mechanically skill (I'm sure practice could improve) I'm not sure whether I'd be biting off more than I could chew !!....

Any advice greatly appreciated !

DJ

I would say - deffinately yes - go for it...

Invest some time having a good look back through the archives on here - you will find a few posts similair to your own! and also a lot of your questions will be answered.

Don't know where in the country you are but you will probably find that there are other builders near you and most people on here are very helpful, together there is not much that can't be solved on here!

The main issue to be aware of is cost... forget the £250! from what I have seen the true cost seem to average 2-3 grand - but it all depends on you of course...

Anyway welcome!

HTH

Dave

I too would say yes go for it but be prepared for it to take you a year + and to have good days and bad days where you love the project or want to bang it on the for sale board as a going concern.

The best advice i could give is to buy a part completed project, they sometimes go for silly money (have a look through the for sale archives on here) it will still give you the freedom to personalise it to your own tastes and cut out the first 4-5 months work (if its rolling) maybe more depending upon if the engine, brake and fuel lines, intrernal and external panneling is fitted/included.

but yes it is definately achievable, as you will see mentioned her many times deviate from the book as little as possibe and you will encounter far less problems than if you try to make it wider - longer - deeper or chage the suspension design etc.

Good luck reasoning with your conscience/bank manager/wife!

I'd most definately say GO FOR IT, start from scratch and get it done

It's possible to get it built within 3 months (Rob Lane) although me and my brother have been building ours for 3 years The main reason is time and lack of a permanent home for it. It's had 5 homes in the last 3 years

Take a look at my website and you can see what can be done with basic tools, a single garage and no welding experience.

Best of luck.

roll on geeza, i say! a year or two ago i was in your shoes, except i had no welding experience and very limited mechanics, now its nearly finished! gonna be driving it within a few days!

I wouldn't suggest taking a year like me, but do recommend using a little time to see what others are doing, check out suppliers, and see if you get hit with a lightning bolt of your very own (Alfa drivetrain? Hmmm).

The cars may look about the same, but they're about as different as snowflakes, it seems. It's a great hobby.

BoL,

Pete

Thanks Guys... I'm gonna keep reading and I plan to surf a lot more of your websites........... then a couple of weekends sorting/clearing the garage......and by the start of summer I'm going to have started a Locost build.....
I think It'll probably end up taking me about year of mainly evenings and weekends at it... but I aim to truly keep it as lo-cost as possible....

Pete.... Rear-drive 3.0 V6 Alfa 75 drivetrain had crossed my mind !!!!......... but then Alfa lot would kill me if I stated chopping up an aged Alfa !! ..... probably end up with a nice ol' Sierra !

Thanks again and I'll be back !

If you fit this, there would be no room for your bum!
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I wouldn't get a part built as you need to know how good the previous persons work is. Worth doing for spares and parts though, but not the chassis.

By the sounds of you're expecience you'll find it relatively easy, and a year should be no problem (anybody who takes longer is just faffing about!!), as for budget, anything from £2k - £8k!

Go for it, best thin I ever did (apart from marry the wife)