Donor build first then upgrade

[smilyobo]

Wow, I would love to build a $50,000 car. IRS, crate engine, and all the other goodies. Then reality sets in and I think, "why not a basic donor car first and use as much as possible from this car." Decisions, decisions.

So here is my question, "What are the must install decisions when first building a roadster, and what can be converted later? Example: Install a solid rear axle and later convert to an IRS package. Start with 4 lugs and drums and later convert to 5 lugs and discs.

In louisiana I definitely need a top and air conditioning. To drive in rain you need a top and be able to defrost the windshield to be safe. So I need to plan this in the initial package.

Thoughts on conversions after completing an initial build?

Thanks for your comments :)

[edwardb]

A lot of ways this question could be answered. But I'll keep it simple and let others add on. I would not consider going from a solid rear axle to IRS as a reasonable mod. Yes, it can be done but I wouldn't recommend. If you really want an IRS car, order it that way from FFR and build it out. It is more reasonable to change solid axle after the fact. As I understand, FFR now sells the Mk4 as either 3-link or 4-link on the same frame. 5-link is another common solid axle mod, and many have done after the initial build.

Lots of other mods and accessories, especially appearance items, can be added after the initial build. So there's room for some savings there. As for the engine, for sure you can start with a basic donor engine and later either upgrade or replace. The engine is pretty easy to get in/out. While not mandatory, I would think about what engine you start with and have the same engine in mind for the upgrade, e.g. small block, big block, mod motor, etc. There are some differences in each with motor mount, headers, foot boxes, etc.

And, just for the record, you don't have to spend $50K to have a nice build, even for non-donor.

[Gale K]

Agreed with edwardb's comments above. Figure out the rear end choice and get it from the get-go.

A/C & heater, do it now. It's (relatively) inexpensive, and much easier to do it right the first time.

A lot of the other stuff is negotiable down the road. Want to change engines? Can do it. Tranny? Can do it. You can do the rear end down the road, but I'd start with what I wanted there to begin with.

Stuff like 4 lug vs. 5 lug will drive wheel choices. If you go donor route (like I did), use stock stuff until you figure out what you really want. If you are sourcing parts individually, if your "must have wheels" are 5 lug, go with 5 lug now.

[skullandbones]

You might consider the roads you travel on. I don't know about now but when I used to pass thru Louisiana to see my family in Lake Charles, the freeways were terrible and surface roads (I guess do to the weather or LDOT). So an IRS would be the way to go. I have not had a IRS in this roadster but I did in another roadster with a Corvette IRS. They are much better rides. So the above info is good. Also, consider difficult to get to areas like a heater, wipers, and AC install not just for the ease of install but planning where all the wires and tubes around them will route instead of finding a route through all the spagetti later on. A well planned build is going to save you so much time and rework so you will probably be glad you spent a little of it here and now. Good luck, WEK.

[Richard Oben]

Get the bones right. If you want IRS get IRS. Run the stock front set up and upgrade later. Get the short block right including cam and add the heads intake etc later. Do not paint it right away, grind the seams and shoot some red over them. The rest can be donor car all the way. Do as much as possible yourself, DIY wire diet, DIY clean and prep, DIY engine assembly if you think you can do it. Cheap wheels and tires (or none) until it needs them to run and drive. People get all excited about the roller phase, WHY? I have no idea. All it does is make the tires old until you get it done. Get the wheels and tires the day before you are ready to go cart. JMHO.

ALSO remember to just build the car. So many people get wrapped up in the minutia of the build, just build it safe and smart and drive the snot out of it. Richard.

[smilyobo]

Thanks everyone, this helps a lot !!!

[Jeff Kleiner]

I always applaud Richard's wisdom and candor ;)

Jeff

[Pierre B]

I built my MKII very successfully using a donor, making use of several critical bits. The one lesson I learned early though, often with the help of forums like this one, is that my upgrading process began while the build was in progress. With so many good vendors making such delightful items available, it was difficult for me to resist, so I didn't! Somehow I think I am not the only one who has suffered (sweet suffering) this fate. So be warned.

Basically, I came to FFR having lived and tinkered regularly for fifteen years with a Lotus Europa. I enjoyed that car but eventually grew tired of the tinkering, so I opted for a more reliable replacement ..one on steroids. And I wanted to only build it once.

[CapeCoralCobra]

I also built what I believe is a very decent donor, using many donor parts (Only after cleaning/rebuilding them-no worn out/nasty looking parts here). I thoroughly enjoy working on the car and have done several upgrades since getting it on the road just over a year ago; Complete donor 4 link to coilover 4 link, wheels & tires, and an engine swap, along with several smaller bits. I agree with those above, if you want IRS & AC/heat, do them now, but many other mods aren't much more difficult on a "finished" car. I don't think I've ever driven a car wth IRS, Mustang guy forever, so I guess I don't know what I'm missing, but I'm OK with that and have a blast driving mine.

[CraigS]

I agree w/ doing the IRS at the start.Not an impossible upgrade but quite difficult later.You could go 5 lug on the rear, so you don't need to swap flanges later,and 4 lug front to keep costs down.I have read several comments that,if you have to buy all the parts for either IRS or solid axle,the IRS isn't that much more expensive.I'd even put in a diff w/ the wrong gear ratio and no limited slip just to get IRS in the car at the start.Changing the diff later isn't a big deal so, at the start, you could get a donor diff that no one else wants for cheap. If you make your dash easily removeable(by setting up the wireing so you just need to disconnect two multi-pin plugs), you could even do AC later. I added AC to my MkI way after the fact.

[smilyobo]

Thanks for the tips everyone !!!

[Avalanche325]

I would also recommend getting the rear suspension that you want up front. I did a lot of agonizing and research. I have also read the occaisional coment that a 3 link and IRS are close to the same price. I certainly couldn't come up with numbers that worked out that way, and neither do the people at FFR. The IRS is going to cost you $3000+ more. But, if that is what you want, now would be the best time. This seems to be the biggest no solid answer subject on the forum. I would say, read everything you can, including the threads where people are having problems with one or the other.

You should also make the basic engine choice up front. You don't ned to be exact on the CI, just the block type. Small, big, or modular.

[smilyobo]

Thanks Avalanche