Hello all, possible F5 GTM owner here.

[Avi8or]

Hey everyone,

First off, a little about me, I am 29 years old, and currently a private contractor here in Afghanistan. I have recently became VERY interested in picking up a GTM kit when I get back home next year. I have some questions though and was hoping ya'll could help me out.

1. Average build cost using a donor car. I plan on attaining a Corvette to use as my donor car, I know the prices can vary but my dad deals with whole car dealers and can usually get cars for pretty cheap (about 10k) So is thinking a build range of 40, 45 or 50k about right? My buddy is telling me about 85k is the average and that just seems a little high to me and not very smart shopping.

2. This will be my very first build of a car from the ground up. Taking in the possibility of spending an hour or two a night turning the wrench on this beautiful car, what are average build times? I know this is very broad.

3. How does the car come shipped? Is the body and frame shipped as a whole? Or do you have to build literally everything from the ground up including body and frame assembly?

4. Are there wait times for the vehicle? I don't plan on being back in Arkansas until June or July of 2014, but if there is a year waiting list I would like to go ahead and put my deposit down (pending a good overall estimated build cost) so my order would be ready to ship by the time I got ready to leave Afghanistan.

I realize these are newbie questions, but I would really like to become a member of this elite club. Any and all help and or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

[68GT500MAN]

Welcome to the forum. I can't answer your questions, but this will get your post back to the top.
Doug

[Kalstar]

Hey everyone,

First off, a little about me, I am 29 years old, and currently a private contractor here in Afghanistan. I have recently became VERY interested in picking up a GTM kit when I get back home next year. I have some questions though and was hoping ya'll could help me out.

1. Average build cost using a donor car. I plan on attaining a Corvette to use as my donor car, I know the prices can vary but my dad deals with whole car dealers and can usually get cars for pretty cheap (about 10k) So is thinking a build range of 40, 45 or 50k about right? My buddy is telling me about 85k is the average and that just seems a little high to me and not very smart shopping.

2. This will be my very first build of a car from the ground up. Taking in the possibility of spending an hour or two a night turning the wrench on this beautiful car, what are average build times? I know this is very broad.

3. How does the car come shipped? Is the body and frame shipped as a whole? Or do you have to build literally everything from the ground up including body and frame assembly?

4. Are there wait times for the vehicle? I don't plan on being back in Arkansas until June or July of 2014, but if there is a year waiting list I would like to go ahead and put my deposit down (pending a good overall estimated build cost) so my order would be ready to ship by the time I got ready to leave Afghanistan.

I realize these are newbie questions, but I would really like to become a member of this elite club. Any and all help and or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Ok let me see what I can answer.

1). My GTM was built with a crashed 2003 C5 Vette from and insurance auction. I paid 5800.00 but I sold over 13K in unneeded parts (that is not the norm). Usually you can sell enough parts to pay for your donor and get your parts free. If you get the right donor (good bags, good headlights, black or red interior and a stick shift much more $$ can be made. Can you build one for 85K sure, but realistically 45K is a good starting point if you are starting with a new kit from Factory Five. If you go used then that number can drop. I built mine for far less but understand I am far from the norm and I went to extremes to build a low cost (but safe) GTM.

2). Average build time for a novice is 1000hrs on the low side to "skies the limit". Budget $$ to pay professionals to do the part(s) of your build that will cause your ambition to waiver.

3). The frame comes as one piece with the main body loosely attached on top. Most loose body pieces are tabbed to the main body (only for shipping). The rest of the parts are in a pallet of about 3'x3'x5' sq that is shipped with the body.

4). There is about a 4-6 week wait on the GTM. The 818 is back over a year. Some of the other kits timelines will be slightly extended as they ramp up the production of the 818.

Hope this helps and look forward to hopefully seeing you start your project.

Jim

[Avi8or]

Ok let me see what I can answer.

1). My GTM was built with a crashed 2003 C5 Vette from and insurance auction. I paid 5800.00 but I sold over 13K in unneeded parts (that is not the norm). Usually you can sell enough parts to pay for your donor and get your parts free. If you get the right donor (good bags, good headlights, black or red interior and a stick shift much more $$ can be made. Can you build one for 85K sure, but realistically 45K is a good starting point if you are starting with a new kit from Factory Five. If you go used then that number can drop. I built mine for far less but understand I am far from the norm and I went to extremes to build a low cost (but safe) GTM.

2). Average build time for a novice is 1000hrs on the low side to "skies the limit". Budget $$ to pay professionals to do the part(s) of your build that will cause your ambition to waiver.

3). The frame comes as one piece with the main body loosely attached on top. Most loose body pieces are tabbed to the main body (only for shipping). The rest of the parts are in a pallet of about 3'x3'x5' sq that is shipped with the body.

4). There is about a 4-6 week wait on the GTM. The 818 is back over a year. Some of the other kits timelines will be slightly extended as they ramp up the production of the 818.

Hope this helps and look forward to hopefully seeing you start your project.

Jim


Hey Jim,

Thanks for all of the helpful answers, you calmed me down a bit on what to expect cost wise. My father deals with whole sale car dealers so I should be able to find a donor vette for fairly cheap. I am like you though, I am going to try to keep my cost down as much as possible and still come out with an awesome, beautifully fast car. I currently own a 2003 Roush 380R Mustang #26 of 2003 model, so I will be trying to sell that to essentially nullify the cost of the GTM kit...so basically all I'll be spending is 20-30k on the build and motor + power adder....which I plan on going supercharge.

I have a lot of haters right now telling me that this build can't be done for under 50k, and all that is doing is motivating me to do just that....so it's not of a matter of IF I start my GTM but WHEN I start my GTM build and when I complete it. Criticism is a strong motivator for me. I appreciate your help, I look forward to making myself known in the community. Attached is a picture of my 380R, she's a beauty with only 38k miles on her. :)

-Mike-

[michael everson]

You really will be hard pressed to stay under 50K
Kit $25,000.00
Air conditioning (a must) $2000.00?
Donor $10,000.00 to free depending on selling parts
Porsche trans and related parts $10,000.00
Paint $5000.00 to $10,000.00
Tires and wheels. min of $1000.00 if not using donor stuff
Radio, battery, wear items, tools, glass install, etc $2000.00
There are tons of little thing that will cost big money over time. Its the little stuff that adds up.
You talked about a motor and power adder. Do yourself a favor and stick with the stock drivetrain for now.
Plenty of power for that car.
Mike

[LCD Gauges]

You could probably squeeze out a GTM for under $50K, but you'll find that once you're into this project your goal(s) may change.

My gameplan was similar to yours until following everyone's build thread. You will also take pride in your car, and when you begin
shopping for parts, your decision to buy on the cheaper side will likely slide to wanting the best-of the-best.

Mr. Everson has listed all of the car specific items, but there are many hidden costs if you build everything yourself. Tools, supplies,
shipping, etc. It's a b^&ch.

[Kalstar]

Nice car.

I would forget about the power adder. I have a 491whp C6 and this GTM would take its lunch money any day, every day. I have (I believe) the smallest engine installed in a GTM. I used a 5.3 all aluminum truck engine. I did change out the cam and intake. She put down 358/339 wheel on the dyno which is about 420 crank. The P/W is slightly better then a Ferrari 458. When I say it is quick I mean it. Mike Everson was the first person I let drive my GTM (he deserved it, if it were not for him I will still have pieces laying in my garage). I am sure he would pipe in how impressed he was with that little motor. He has a C6 Z06 so he knows quick cars.

[Avi8or]

Wow, I appreciate all the insightful feedback. I know there will be a lot of hidden cost, stuff I am not expecting to pop up. I do have some aces in the hole when it comes to keeping the build cost down. Like I said, my father deals with whole sale cars, he got his 2004 Z06 with under 50k miles for 11k, which is ridiculous. So there's that aspect of possibly getting a donor car for pretty cheap, not to mention selling the parts off the donor I don't use to recoup some of my losses. I have also came across some pretty good sites that sell palatalized C5 parts, some of them everything I need for the GTM build minus the engine and transaxle for 4k or so....so that is also another option. He also owns his own body and paint shop, so anything in that department would simply be at cost. I will take y'alls advice on leaving out the power adder, but I can't say that it won't resurface later ;)

I know this build is going to be the biggest thing I have ever undertaken, I am still young (29 years old) but I have a really good job as a private contractor and I have always wanted to build a kit car with my father, and I feel like I will never get this chance again. I am already so dedicated to actually doing this that I have extended my tour in Afghanistan to June-July of 2014, when I was due to leave in February of 2014. To be honest I probably wouldn't attempt this build if not for my father's experience in building kit cars / IAMA race engines and cars / and just general support and advice, so he is my ace in the pocket for me...but I want nothing more for this project to happen between me and him because that day we get to take it out on the road together will be one of the best days of my life. I have gone through a lot to be at the position where I am today in my life, and I don't see me giving up on this one. I appreciate all of the advice, I will gladly accept more!! :)

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." -Calvin Coolidge