Speedster Kit Cars

[Hog Head]

I have the moulds to produce fiberglass bodies for a Speedster kit car designed to be mounted on a shortened Beetle chassis. Using the Beetle chassis allows keeping the existing Thai Beetle registration, and noting a body change in the registration book. I suspect that one could drive it with the new body and get away with it until some cretin hit you, but the legal process involves noting the change in the book, just as if you changed the engine or colour.

Registering a scratch built kit car like a Super 7, Cobra, etc is next to impossible, however using an existing chassis and engine is the only way I know of that one can build a kit car. In fact there is a Thai guy doing this with Mecredes SSK's

When rebodying, you will need an engineering inspection to show that it has been done correctly and this is not a big deal.

The VW aftermarket is huge and by no means would this Speedster need to be a gutless and poor handling Beetle. Big 944T/996 brakes, coil-over suppensions, Porsche gear boxes, Porsche rear suspensions, A-arm front ends, rack and pinion steering, 240 - 300 Hp Subaru engines etc abound. If one desired you could go low budget with a rebodied Beetle or hog wild using all the good kit on a tube frame.

I am trolling for input on if there is any intrest in such a car kit, and opinons on if the market would be for the kit components only, rolling chassis, or turnkey.

No idea of total cost as of yet, but needless to say that is would be cheaper than importing a kit. The deal killer on import is 80% duty + 7% VAT on the CIF value of the body - parts are 30 + 7%.

Not only would bodies made here be much cheaper, but there would be a ready supply of replacement hoods and fenders for the inevatable damage repairs.

In any case I am doing one for myself anyway, but may either do more bodies or kits if there is a demand.

[LivinLOS]

Would be interested if the numbers make sense.. Essentially it would still be a toy car though so would need to remain in the affordable range..

Had buggies and was looking at rodding a beatle recently myself..

Edited February 6, 2007 by LivinLOS

[Firefan]

SOunds like a good idea. I agree with Livinlos that price will be a concern as the target group will be younger people looking for a "toy".... and make me one too!

Any pics of how it might look?

CHeers!

[Firefan]

SOunds like a good idea. I agree with Livinlos that price will be a concern as the target group will be younger people looking for a "toy".... and make me one too!

Any pics of how it might look?

CHeers!

[Hog Head]

Finished product cost would depend on the level of build, and differ greatly if it was all out P car based components, or a Beetle in fancy dress.

Beetles are not cheap here and no one seems to want to sell a POS. Budget 100K for the donor, plus rebuilding brakes, suspension, engine, box etc and hot rodding to suit. A really good donor would cost twice that, but who knows about the quality of work. I think you would be better to buy cheap and know that it is rebuilt right. High HP ACVW engines are expensive and do not like heat. You may wish to use the gutless Beetle engine if cost is an isue, but the Subaru is also a boxer design and the same external size.

BTW I am looking for a POS in Chiangmai.

The Speedster body and all the fancy bits and pieces in the States cost 14,500.00 from someone like this:

http://www.thunderranch.com/356.html

I would think that it could be done here around the same or maybe a bit more depending on the mix of imported parts VS what can be made here. Either assemble it yourself, or pay a local shop to do the work as they are cheap.

All the verbiage about the tube frame has some merit, however is a bit misleading. It is not a full on custom tube frame, but they recycle the rear VW section that carries the VIN, and manufacture a front tube section using the VW beam. I am taking this approach for my own personal car, and going a step further with A-arm front supsension with rack and pinion steering. Other approaches are possible from the frame ranging from a shortened VW pan to a 2x4 frame bonded to the body, and welded to the VW pan. Using a shortned standard VW pan is the cheapest method.

Key to it all is retaining the Thai chassis VIN, and "repairing" the rusty bits.

Here is a Thunder Ranch frame:

This bit in the States costs 3000 USD but needs hinges, doors bonded together, holes cut, crateing, bumpers, etc etc. By the time it lands here it is 303,000 B thanks to the obscene duty. I will build these bits in Thailand to keep cost under control.

[Hog Head]

An expensive component is the soft top. It might be better to forget this item as it is never used, and squander the dosh on a hard top instead. That allows AC to keep the wife out of the sun and from roasting.

Side windows are the old side curtian design and no good in pissing rain whatever the top.

OTOH go topless and just blast out the aircon

[LivinLOS]

I was thinking beetle with 1303 twin webbers.. Thats fast enough for thailand and rear wheel drive could be 'fun' enough..

However your build / kit price just dumped it right out of what I would do for a kit / toy.. Had a few kit cars over the years and none were key turn tools all were lots of work..

At over 1/2 mil baht thats more than I would do for a toy.. I have followed a few VW forums where similar kits were done for +-2k GBP.. I can get a 'complete' buggy kit with gel coat finish for 1800 GBP to add to a beetle donor.. Thats more my kinda pricing.

[Hog Head]

A simple buggy body and a Speedster body is comparing apples and durians. Speedsters have a much more complicated body with an internal steel frame structure, doors, bumpers, and trunk

1800 GBP is about 3600 USD and the Speedster bare gel coated bodies go for 3000 USD ex works. By the time you land this "cheap" body here it is 303,000 B

That is the rational for producing the bodies here and I do not see why the more complicated gel coated Speedster body would be more than your 1800 GPB buggy body. In fact I have noticed that this type of kit is way more expensive in the UK.

Add a local interior, and a Beetle donor and it is a reasonably priced toy. Yes you could build a buggy cheaper as the Speedster interior and bespoke trim bits are more expensive. I think that the extra money spent on the Speedster would end up as a far cooler toy - YMMV.

Take a look at Speedster replicas and if 500K B is too expensive you will be shocked about what companies like Platinium Speedsters in NZ charge. Vintage Speedsters in the US is probably the largest vendor US as is Chesil in the UK - both are indicitative of the market pricing.

I think one could build a basic VW based car here for 500,000 B or about the same as buying a US kit. More for really nice car but still in the affordable toy range.

However your build / kit price just dumped it right out of what I would do for a kit / toy.. Had a few kit cars over the years and none were key turn tools all were lots of work..

At over 1/2 mil baht thats more than I would do for a toy.. I have followed a few VW forums where similar kits were done for +-2k GBP.. I can get a 'complete' buggy kit with gel coat finish for 1800 GBP to add to a beetle donor.. Thats more my kinda pricing.

[Firefan]

200k Baht for donor and $14500 for kit+ a refurbishied Subaru engine - that is about 800k Baht? And guess you need some profit too? Unless already in the 14500$ mentioned. Not too bad - but will not be a huge market...(I am still tempted! ).

Cheers!

[LivinLOS]

A simple buggy body and a Speedster body is comparing apples and durians. Speedsters have a much more complicated body with an internal steel frame structure, doors, bumpers, and trunk

OK sure.. However I have seen speedsters done on beetle chassis.. May not be to your standard and component spec but it was done in the price brackets I was talking about.. I saw one home project done by a UK VW'er and it came out great.. That was comparable in price to a beach buggy..

Add a local interior, and a Beetle donor and it is a reasonably priced toy. Yes you could build a buggy cheaper as the Speedster interior and bespoke trim bits are more expensive. I think that the extra money spent on the Speedster would end up as a far cooler toy - YMMV.

I find trimming very cost effective here.. All depends on finding some classic styled donor seats for recovering..

I agree that a speedster should or could be cooler than a buggy.. But only by a slim margin (in fact a well sorted buggey would be great fun down on the island here.