txhokie4life

Trying to decide if I want to buy a car knowing that I'll still have to do some things to it (or at least double check things), or build one from scratch. I've got a year plus until I could realistically even consider campaigning.

Let's assume I have a donor car with a hard top. High mileage, so the engine should need a refresh.

What's the cost to build a Spec Boxster from there assuming
you're willing to do the stripping and reassembly.

Anyone have a build sheet?

thanks,

Mike

Greg Holmberg

Here's my spreadsheet of parts costs for Spec Boxster.

txhokie4life

thank you Greg.

ace37

I think you'll be able to build a car you're happy with for similar money to buying a race car that wasn't fresh from a shop build and didn't win nationals last year. This assumes you do most of the labor for free.

If you have a shop do it all you'll spend $40k or more for a basic new build (local shop quoted that figure) and I've heard as high as $55k around here for what I assume is a high overall state of prep and a lot of refreshed components.

A year is plenty of schedule if you have the space and can find a few hours on the weekends here and there. You can always pay labor rates to have a shop help get you through a few steps quickly or to do something you don't enjoy. I recently paid a shop to run down a brake wire fault and was happy to not troubleshoot it. And almost everyone pays for the cage work. I'm enjoying the building process.

Good luck deciding!

Lemming

I decided to build because I like the process. Bought the car in January and started testing it two weekends ago. It was a busy late winter/spring as for as my work, thus I was slowed on the car. At the start, I planned on 2017 being a build and test year, with the real racing beginning in 2018. Having said that, I'm planning to go to the NOLA race in September if my schedule works out.

I've not yet added up all my receipts, need to do that soon.

txhokie4life

I recommend not doing that :-)

Good luck at NOLA -- when my daughter heads off to college, I hope to be able to make it to NOLA. For the moment, I'm limiting my travel to maximize family time.

Mike

TJA1

Another perspective. Having zero experience with race cars I elected to buy from TuneRS Motorsports. 57K and I got a car built to a much higher level than I could have achieved doing work myself and outsourcing work locally. My friend owns a shop and doubted even he could build himself a car to the same level himself for the same budget.

Since getting the car I've added shift light, additional gauges and a Vbox data system. Couldn't be happier, best money I've ever spent and I've learned more about driving in the last 24 months I've had it. One thing one does lack by not doing the build oneself is that deep knowledge of how the car is put together. To date that is the only thing I "regret"?

One day I might even race it - I'm just doing trackdays right now.😀

choeglund

Here's another DIY build list for you, total comes to $29,385. My donor car already had IMS done and a fresh clutch. I still need transponder, camera and roof net to be race-ready. Add some money for tires, alignment, another set of wheels and you're still under $32k. Cage and paint costs include labor; everything else I did myself. I'll probably add more cooling and LWFW at some point. For me, DIY is a big part of the enjoyment.

Base Car 8500
986S oil cooler 169
spin-on adapter 149
Magnetic Drain plug 26
brake pads+fluid 615
Two 8.5" wheels 300
Wheel Studs and rear rotors Sebro 335
braided lines Goodridge 135
Seat 773
Seat Hardware 189
Underdrive pulley & Belt 218
hard top 700
lexan rear window 158
hood pins 27
Harness 395
Exhaust 299
Cage + harness mounts + net mounts + seat mounts 6410
track mat 38
Battery mount 86
Battery 94
Kill switch 79
roll bar padding 70
strut top mounts 226
paint 1233
Mesh 30
DZUS wrench 8
Steering wheel adapter and quick release 432
Windshield visor 27
tow hooks 258
steering wheel 184
Tarett suspension kit 2445
Bilstein dampers 2048
Swift Springs 318
LCA shims (need 15-17mm per side) 74
Pedal hinge 55
Trans mounts 320
deep sump 844
Lexan windshield 599
fire ext 62
rear view mirror 63
Net straps 24
raised shifter 54
Ignition switch 20
Shifter 258
brake ducts 38

txhokie4life

Went the buy route... many factors -- but I would never have built a car this nice regardless of $$.