New help - kit and total cost

[scottuk]

Been looking for a cobra kit for some time now - main few I have noticed are the AK 427, Pilgrim Sumo and the Dax.

Now the AK gets a great right up in the whatkit magazine and seems bargain priced - infact so much so that a link on their website shows a guy who built an AK 427 for 11k.

Now 11k seemed immensley cheap to me to when you see 3-4 year old second hand AK's going for 25k on autotrader.

Also I have noticed newbie's on here that have budgeted 30k on building one.

Why 30k?

I thought you could build a pretty reasonable spec'd AK for 15k.

Help an Amateur out here.

[AKBandit]

Hi,
Having built an AK myself I would budget for £25 - £30k. It all depends how you wamt it to look at the end of the day. If you leave it in Gel coat you can sace £3k. Also what engine you put in and how many dress up bits you put on affect the price quite a lot. Also how much work you are prepared to do yourself will have a big impact. If you rebuild your own engine you will save a few £k. Also you can save if you overhaul your own running gear.

I would have thought that at a push you may get down to £15k, but realistically it will always cost more.

However the AK kit is superb and the guys are great and always willing to give advice and help.
Mark

[TheUnixKid]

Hi there, I haven't built an AK but hope my info can help you out a bit.

We're currently building a Pilgrim Sumo. People also say that you can build a car like this for around £10,000. However our car is looking as if it will be more like £25,000 to complete. This is because of the cost of getting or rebuilding an engine (it may be even more if you opt for a new one), and the cost of things like a good paint job, leather interior, hailbrand wheels and chrome finishing work.

I think it is possible to complete a Sumo for £10,000 but you will be limited to a gelcoat finish, possibily not halibrand replica wheels, and maybe not a big V8 engine. The cost of the chassis kit and body alone make almost £5,000 and that is without specialist tools etc that you are likely to need.

I suppose anything is possible though!

I hope this helps a bit,

John

[Warren]

I have an AK but with all kits the end cost will be relative to what you can do yourself and what kind of car you want to finish up with.

For example, it is possible to trim your own seats and interior but to have it done proffesionally could cost upwards of £1500 +

You could find a second hand running V8, do nothing to it apart from clean it and stick it in.

Underslung exhausts can be made cheaply, I did mine for about £450, but I know a good welder, in the end I will sell it as I can't resist the Ken's side pipes (AK) but they will come at a cost.

Gel coat? Only a small cost option but decide to paint it and look forward to a minimum of £2,750 for a good job done.

Mine will hopefully hit the road soon but I know for sure over the next few years I will be having the interior re done proffesionally.

You don't need to fit all bright work for the SVA so you can save a little there, and no one says that you have to fit Halibrands. There are cheaper wheels from Amercian car specialists (3rd of the cost easily).

What ever you decide, good luck and leave enough for your yearly subscription, it will be the best money you spend for the font of knowledge available. Also try doing a search on build budgets, I am sure one or two of the members have detailed their build costs. I'm just not organised enough.

Warren

[dave]

To build a "Like for like" good spec on either AK, Dax or Pilgrim you will not be much away from £2K in total in final price of all three.

[Robin427]

The beauty of a kit car is you can fit cheaper components to begin with and upgrade later. Nothing stopping you fitting steel donor wheels, using all donor gauges and a cheap engine and changing them further down the line when the funds become available...

[dave]

Originally Posted by Robin427

The beauty of a kit car is you can fit cheaper components to begin with and upgrade later. Nothing stopping you fitting steel donor wheels, using all donor gauges and a cheap engine and changing them further down the line when the funds become available...

Oh Christ there is! He might actually have some street cred and doing that would obliterate it.
I would say that I am surprised that anyone on here would suggest such a thing but then i read who posted it..The guy with the wrong wheels, the wrong colour scheme and no side pipes. really i shouldn't expect anything different from you Robin.

[Robin427]

Originally Posted by dave

The guy with the wrong wheels, the wrong colour scheme and no side pipes

Wheels: wrong? You mean they're not replica Hallibrands, then? Perhaps I should buy myself a fake Rolex and a knock-off Luis Vuitton handbag for the missus too, to complete the illusion?

Colour scheme: if you think that's wrong, have you seen the pink one driving about? I'm sure he'll be at Stoneleigh... sorry, I'll get mine painted Guardsman blue for your benefit, shall I?

Exhausts: yeah, really wish I had less power and ringing in my ears everytime I went driving...

Don't start yet another flame war, Dave... I can't be bothered...

[Grease Monkey]

Scott,

£15,000 eh?

Well looking at my list that bought me:

£3271.00 A turnkey engine
£2543.88 A Bodyshell with doors/boot/bonnet
£2328.82 New Gearbox/clutch bellhousing / flywheel
£2291.25 Chassis and related bits
£1222.00 4 Wheels
£594.11 VAT on the engine
£581.63 Pair of Leather Seats
£575.75 Carpet Set
£558.13 adjustable Pedalbox assembly (OK this bits optional!)
£540.50 Pair of SS rool over hoops
£528.75 Full set of 6 adjustable shocks with springs
------------
£ 15035

Best to keep saving.....

[Robin427]

What the hell did you spend £13.5K on, then? Electrics, fuel system, instruments...