New build confusion

[anton]

New to the forum and can't wait to build my 1st car...sooner rather than later hopefully! I ordered the GTM manual so I can start getting familiar w/ what to expect when I order the car. However, my confusion is w/ the donor car. The 1st 100 and something pages are dedicated to finding a donor car and removing parts from it. I thought all I needed was the engine, transmission, and rear end but it looks like I need a lot more than that. Is that the case? I didn't like the idea of a donor car since I'm not very trusting of used parts. If this is the case, has anyone built a GTM w/ only new parts? If so, how much should I expect to spend?

[ArtGirl]

Minimum $12-$13k for new parts not including motor.

[keithinspace]

It's a bunch of odds and ends, but not the transmission or rear end.

There are ways to build it using a mixture of refurbished used parts (really, why get a NEW a-arm? Just replace the consumable parts...) and new parts where it counts. Why pay for an off-the-shelf Corvette steering column? You know?

I'm looking hard at the "palletized" donor where they give you only the parts you need (less engine and transmission ) for $4,500. Then get an E-Rod engine for $6k (brand new), a Mendeola transmission for $8.5 (brand new...hopefully...some day...), and a few other new parts where it matters.

I'm sure folks have built these with 100% new parts, but most seem to go with a mixture. I'm looking hard at a mixture similar to the above. More cost effective. Allows you to put real money where it counts (500+ hp, as an example...)

[anton]

Wow! That helps a lot! Thanks. Are you looking at one of the recommended companies in the manual for your donor parts or did you find another vendor? That's definitely something I'd be interested in as well.

[Kempo]

Wow! That helps a lot! Thanks. Are you looking at one of the recommended companies in the manual for your donor parts or did you find another vendor? That's definitely something I'd be interested in as well.

I got many of my parts new from SMC performance which is listed on the manual. Everything was in stock and was shipped a few days after I placed my order. I got all the suspension components used from a forum member, fuzzyjk on the FFcars forum. Check out the classifieds here at the forum and on the other forum you may find very good deals.

Welcome to the forum.

[keithinspace]

There was another link somewhere in another thread that pointed me to "F-Parts" on EBay. When I looked, the "Component Kit" was $4,499. Looking today, it is $4,899. Perhaps it goes on sale every once in a while? Dunno.

If you're not looking at using the engine, this looks like it would be a fairly cost-concious way to get a bunch of the necessary parts without going through the effort of finding a donor, getting it in your garage, stripping it of what you need, then disposing of what remains, trying to get enough money back on the 'carcass' to make your net cost less $4,899.

Of course, this all blows up if you ARE using the donor engine...then it'd probably be cheaper to get a wrecked donor and GIVE the 'carcass' away when you're done.

I haven't purchased a kit...yet...but I'm leaning toward the non-donor route. I'm not sure I'd be able to afford all the upgraded brakes and other bells/whistles, but those are easier to fit later than, say, replacing the 80,000 mile donor engine with an E-Rod engine 2 years after the car is completed. Put another way, I may give up $4k in 'goodies' to put toward a new engine from the get-go.

[VD2021]

Welcome to the forum.

If what you spend is not an issue new parts are great. No cleaning/refurbishing and everything should work.

If you want to keep cost down the donor route has been proven to pay for itself in most cases and in some bring a profit in exchange for your time and labor. My donor is about $1000 from paying for itself and I still have quite a few items from it that I need to sell.

You can save the tear down time and labor by purchasing a donor pallet. But you still have used parts that require cleaning/refurbishing.

As you study the manual you should also read the "Links to $64K Questions" on the other forum. It will answer a lot of the questions you may have and give you a very realistic view of what to expect and prepare for.

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

IMO, most of the used donor parts you are using are not parts that are going to "wear out". Steering columns, wiper motors (how many 'Vette owners are going to take their baby out in the rain?) window regulators, door handles, hood latches, etc..........those are parts that typically you're just not going to "wear out" on a car. Why pay GM $2500 for a new steering column or a couple hundred dollars in hood latches and strikers when you can get all of that used for a tiny fraction of that? As Keith said above......it's going to be pretty hard to wear out an aluminum A-Arm.....or a door handle.

So as ArtGirl said above.....why pay $12-13k for new parts when you can buy a wrecked 'Vette and nearly break even or even make money if you strip off all the parts you need and sell off the rest?......or pay $4500 for a pallet? As I've also said before....yes, you can buy all new parts, but you will spend a lot more than $12k in the end and a ton more time by the time you run all over searching for bolts and nuts and misc small items to mount those components.....parts that you would have kept if you used a donor.

[anton]

Excellent information! Thanks to all for your input!