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How Long does it take to build a Locost? http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=4233	Page 2 of 2

Author:	Driven5 [ April 19, 2013, 5:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
chetcpo wrote: It depends on a lot of things. How much time can you devote to working on it per week? How deep are your pockets. (buying things you would otherwise have to make will speed things along) How far outside the "norm" has your design strayed? Using an obscure donor or plans that are a radical departure from what is usually done will likely slow things down. Even more fundamental than this, how exactly are both the 'start' and 'finish' of the project to be clearly identified? There is no line that even crossing in the slightest results in one or the other occurring, thus it extends infinitely as each instance becomes the causation for the next...But that starts getting into the 'string theory' of projects.

Author:	benny_toe [ April 20, 2013, 4:14 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Just licensed mine. Still some details to finish up. It's only been 7 years ;<}

Author:	GonzoRacer [ April 20, 2013, 10:25 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
I started cutting metal on or about February 2010 and drove the Slotus (semi-) successfully in December of 2012. Actually drove it both off the trailer before the event and back onto the trailer afterwards in February 2013, so about three years... Not that I'd say the car is "finished" by any means. I don't really expect it'll ever be "finished." I may be "finished" myself before the car, if ya know what I mean... JDK

Author:	john hennessy [ April 20, 2013, 11:26 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
i bought my steel for the chassis and downloaded McSorley plans in February 2009 and immediatly started cutting and welding, then the rot set in, change this and change that and i can do better than this so bits were cut off and redone several times. maybe i chose to deviate too much from the original but that was part of the plan from the start. i registered my car in May 2012 and drove it within days. with no paint and no upholstery. in that time i had two 6 month breaks due to lack of funds, so just over two years worth of time. the paint and upholstery were done over the next year. now i am modifying some parts, i need to reduce the master cylinder size and change the rack, so is it finished, in February it was 4 years from buying the steel. when you get older, time flies by at an alarming rate, maybe it's because you are not as quick as you were when you were younger but i think it's because you are making a better effort and being more dilligent, prepared to do something over and over again until you believe it's right or exactly how you want it to be. remember, it will be Christmas in 8 months!

Author:	nick47 [ April 20, 2013, 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
2-4 years is probably typical. That's a long time for your life to remain stable enough that you can get out in the garage 3-4 times a week or more. I'm not sure how well you can trust hour estimates. I've got over 1700 hours in now, and about 600 to go. It doesn't surprise me at all when people report over 3000 hours. The two things I think can make a big difference are tools and experience. Even then, a 400 hour build would be pretty amazing.

Author:	johnnybusa [ November 28, 2013, 4:58 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
About 6 months but it might have been what drove off a fiance and 2 girlfriends

Author:	wayne-o [ November 29, 2013, 4:50 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Far too f_____g long..mines on phoenix craigslist for sale ..I figure im better off selling it and buy a motorhome so I can actually enjoy time with the family.

Author:	Vladik41 [ February 8, 2014, 11:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Getting ready to start my Locost and was wondering if anyone else lives in the St Louis area. Would like to pick your brain.

Author:	benny_toe [ February 10, 2014, 1:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Vladik, Close to you and timely. http://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=15697

Author:	FieroReinke2 [ February 10, 2014, 12:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Not in STL, but I am only an hour or so down I44 in Cuba. PM me if you are ever down this way.

Author:	thegarman [ July 2, 2015, 6:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
53 weeks until licensed & titled. That's working pretty much full-time as a retirement project. I tried to make it in a year flat, but the summer heat zapped my energies! It was the most comprehensive obsession of my life! When I wasn't cutting, welding or wrenching, I was planning, researching, reading, tracking down parts, seeing what other builders have done on locostusa.com, running for parts, calling Jack, etc. I woke up every day thinking about of the day's build schedule, worked on-and-off on the car and on the computer (always researching), went to bed thinking of the next day's schedule, then dreamed about the car all night! For me, it was a passion, mania, compulsion, addiction and obsession. Most of the build was very fun and challenging. The electrical aspect was my nightmare, but I got through it. I've read about guys taking 5-7 years to finish their car, and I'm pretty sure I would not have the patience for a multi-year build. With a job and kids...wow...I can't imagine! But "Kate," my car, has been street legal now for 1 1/2 years and it's a rewarding experience every time I take her out of the garage! I never tire of all of the "thumbs-up" I get from kids and adults, positive comments, smiles and double-takes, people taking pictures and the endless questions. I compare the experience of having my car in public to having a puppy in front of a sorority house. So if you don't relish the idea of being the center of attention, don't drive a Super 7! Kate has also been pretty impressive on the race track and at auto-cross events. I have always been the fastest and best handling "built-from-scratch" car on the track! I would recommend you build one and see for yourself! -Gar viewtopic.php?f=35&t=14227

Author:	KB58 [ July 2, 2015, 8:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
So for easy figuring, say it's 50 weeks x 7 days x 6 hours a day = 2100 hours. Yup, 2000-3000 is about right, no matter how the time is divided up.

Author:	wrightcomputing [ July 2, 2015, 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
How long to build a Locost? About 3 Miles.

Author:	hilux [ July 25, 2016, 10:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: How Long does it take to build a Locost?
Started in October, 2015 by purchasing a donor and tearing it down. Road-ready, inspected, painted, etc in July 2016. 9 months total give or take. No idea on hours. I have a full-time job and most weeks, I worked on it at least 6 days a week. Everything was done by myself. To be fair, I worked in an off-road shop building buggies and custom vehicles for a spell, so I already had quite a bit of fab experience. I also have a CNC plasma, but I was using an unconventional donor which required one-off parts. I did work on other projects during the 9 months: built an off-road truck, built a utility trailer, took a vacation, etc. My recommendations: Buy a plasma cutter Buy a port-a-band Buy a drill press Buy a HF throat-less shear Don't follow the plans too closely. Make the basic chassis, and then put the drivetrain in and build around it. Keep things simple If you aren't keen on fabricating everything from scratch, or tend to get burned out on a project that lasts too long, use a Miata donor and buy the hard stuff from Kinetic Vehicles.

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