Average build length

Average build time

  • Less than 1 year

    Votes: 4 7.7%
  • 1-2 years

    Votes: 9 17.3%
  • 2-3 years

    Votes: 14 26.9%
  • 3+ years

    Votes: 25 48.1%

  • Total voters
    52
Hi guys,

Just for interest i'd love to know how long its taken to build your cars.

Maybe you could reply with what kit you have and how much time on average you spend on it each week.

Cheers!

D.
 

Chuck

Supporter
Started our RCR in July 2007. Operational October 2008. About 750 hours, but we work really slow. The fun is in the build . . . .
 
SL-C Deluxe kit
Learned that getting off on tangents (just to be different) takes a LOT of time away from the basic build. I actually have only about 175 hours total time on the car, and twice that on tangents, changing my mind on additions/revisions, making additional pieces, overlaying carbon fiber on some, fussing about with my own seat designs,etc.

I am at the stage that a final assembly is nearing and will require about 80-100 more labor hours to complete (less paint). So, my total time is really expected to be around 255-375 hours to actually build the kit, less painting. I have been a bit slow too. Realistically, 200-250 true labor hours (without any changes or additions) less paint of course is about right. This assuming all goes well.
 
I tell people that I am on year 6 of a 3 year plan...., but then my project is not a kit

I reckon anyone who gets 10 hours a week in on a part time project is doing very well

Cheers

Fred W B
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
My car was bought in 1990 by the first owner
He worked on it for 15 years
I bought it in December 2005
18 months later it was roadworthy (First year not much done other than looking and buying bits) Then mainly due to Paul Walton doing a load of work on it 6 months to SVA!

Ian
 
Superformance, being a rolling chassis, only took me 3 weeks assembly. Biggest wait was 1 year on the RBT.
 

Russ Noble

GT40s Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
I shudder to think about the hours on mine. It's taken five years of fairly dedicated application to get it to the stage that it now is. I have probably averaged four hours most nights and all day Sunday except in the winter when it's bloody hard to get motivated. Lim has also done countless hours on the car, machining and other work. Also there is lots of time taken for research on the computer.

I publicly stated at the start of my build thread that I expected it to take about 2 1/2 years. Silly me, just as Fred said, I'm five years into a 2 1/2 year build! Unlike Fred we cheated by borrowing a body to take molds off! But then we've spent a lot of time making our own stuff so that I always have the optimum in lightness and function. I also work quite slowly and like to think things through before I do them. If I strike a problem I tend to sleep on it while all the ramifications sink in.

This past year Tuesday night has been a dedicated 'car night' when Lim and Leon always come round and we all get in about three to four hours work then spend an hour imbibing and talking BS. Quite enjoyable. As its a race car and there's always things to do I expect this tradition to continue for some time yet.

I have also had a lot of mates pitch in when we have been trying to make deadlines eg SFOS earlier this year. Horribly optomistic, as always, but you've got to have something to aim for...

Hours? I couldn't/wouldn't even want to think.......But now I'm driving it, it's all worth while!
 
I did a scratch build and it took eight years. I spent five months designing and researching before I ever cut my first piece of metal. I had the car running and drivable while I spent a year doing bodywork and paint! Just a note on the paint and bodywork, do it first not last. This was a wonderful learning experience and I would recommend it to everyone.
Steve26
 
Nobody told me I could just finish my Superformance, I thought you had to take it all apart, change a bunch of stuff and then start the build. Damn that wouldn't have taken any time at all.

Mine took around 18 months but I had to save up for the engine and ZFQ. Some build problems can only be solved with cubic money. I would do it all in a heartbeat but you can not be shy when it comes to spending money.
 
I love your replies, made me chuckle. I can visualise the problems and hours spent head scratching.

I've been with my girlfriend 11 years and she is still asking when i'm going to stop working Saturdays on my "special projects". For a long time she thought it was another woman. She very much looks forward to actually going out in one of my creations one day, i have a feeling that might be when i retire. It certainly won't be for another couple of months because the UK authorities are very kindly taking care of my licence at present.

D.
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
Ask yourself, how long would it take to build a house. Depends on the house.....right? Same sort of thing.

It is very hard to just put it together like it came in the boxes. Expect to spend three times longer doing ANYTHING your way instead of the "build as intended" way.

WITHOUT bodywork. I had about 3 years @ 10-20 hours per week in my GT40. Add another 8 months on the body prep to paint and you have about 4 years to completely assemble the car to drivable form.

I have then run the car on track a little more than a dozen days and taken another 2 years to fix things like the brakes (completely different), transaxle (total rebuild with Quaife diff and gears), lots of suspension modifications, and many hours of setup. Again at about 10-20 hours per week.

I would say that the car is 95% done as a combination street and track day car.

My car (GT40) is a GTD and most would agree that the current crop of GT40 kits are much more developed. You can purchase all of the parts you need to complete the car in whatever form you desire from the manufacture without upgrading and re engineering later so they should all go a lot quicker in that regard.

So figure about 1500-2000 hours and 2-3 years for a first build with a few personal touches. I AM CERTAIN others will dispute this....in both directions.

The SLC on the other hand is a completely different deal. I intend it to be an open track car only with the performance to put down NASCARS. We will see if I can do the required driving. So it will be my first racecar build. Lots of different issues on a race car. Some are much easier like the electrical system and interior finish. Others are far more complicated like the aero package, custon fittings and brackets etc. and chassis setup. I'll get there but I don't think it will be done until late next year and on track in 2011. That would be about 2 years @ the same number of hours per week.

I never seem to just put it together. I see changes everywhere. But then it's my hobby after all.

Kind of like a home remodel........ eh? How long would that take?
 
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Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
My build took just under two years until it was mobile and then about another six months getting it registered for road use.
 
I started with an RF rolling chassis and had it registered in 2.5 years. But is it finished? Still some things to do in the cabin.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
I've no particular time-table for my build now...

To put a date on it's anticipated completion, would turn a hobby into an obligation.

I don't know about you, but I have enough obligations and refuse to take another one on.

Besides - for me, the journey is the most enjoyable part of the build....
 
I agree 100% with Molleur, in that going off on tangents slows basic progess. My case in point - I cut the back section off my RF chassis because I didn't like the lower rear cross member, and to allow for a deeper diffuser. Big dent in the schedule.

Now I am fitting a completely different engine and sequential transaxle, it looks like that will all have to change again to suit the all new pick-up points. I'm doing it a little smarter this time though, knowing just how long this can take...

It's amazing just how long you'll look at something, thinking about how to do it, only for it to take 15 minutes to actually do.
 
Feb. will make 7 years. Hard to believe. I thought I would do it in one, but I quickly learned that teenagers and a budget that doesn't include them don't last very long. So I have taken my time. It is my first (and probably last) build. I have worked with cars most of my life, but never a complete build. I lost track of the hours many years ago. I have been learning about this car for at least 8 years. Bought it off the forum from Australia. The guy had it for four and gave up. Parts and suppliers have improved and increased in numbers over the years. It is that increase that has made building these cars easier and faster and better if your wallet can keep up. For me, after paying for many of my kids mistakes, I took it slow and did most of the work myself, and only farmed it out if it was outside my abilities or equipment.
If you have a couple of spare hours, go for it. Just don't let it occupy all of your time. Spend time with those you love and do the "other" things in life you want to do as well. they won't resent it or you. It will remain a family laughing point, that will be loved as much by them as you when you finally finish..... Did I say finish??? I don't think that ever happens.

Bill
 

Terry Oxandale

Skinny Man
January will be 1 year on my largely scratch-build CanAm project, with about 900 hours on it this year (planning, fabricating, and ignoring other priorities). I'm slowing down the time from here on out, so the progress thus-far indicates an easy 2 more years before the paint goes on.

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Ox
 
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If I was being honest, I'd say 15 hrs a week, But I work on a 5 week on 5 week off rotation for my real job so at times can spend 2-3 days full time when I'm home. I started to think and plan this build for 6 months before starting to make actual parts I think I have 1yr of building so far and Not a lot to show for it, but it is a scratch build and I'm also spending a lot of time building my own Transaxle and uprights etc. My expectation is 4-5yrs and this is largely depenent on Money availibility, anybobdy who has a youg family will know where I'm coming from.
My last project took 2.5yrs and 2000hrs and I started with a running vehicle that I had run for 3 years and thought I'd just redesign it abit and it just became a runaway train (that happens so easy)
Bottom Line is: How much money you have to start and what you start with (kit or scratch) and how much time you can give it consistently. Cheers and good Luck, leonmac
 
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