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Old 17th March 2019, 07:40
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K.C.NewbieUk – Welcome to the forum Andy.

It is definitely a good idea to do your research before you buy any sort of kit.

You will pick up a lot of information on this forum if you look through various build threads.
( Have a look at builds in other sub-forums too. )

My first reply in this Lambo thread includes links to two detailed Lambo builds on here.
( Whilst these are not Diablo VT Roadsters, they will give you a good idea. )

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=6669

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Your post covered a lot of things, so here are some quick(ish) answers to some of your questions.

I’m a welder by trade if that can be of any use?

Knowing how to weld properly is definitely a plus.
(Just don’t look at my early efforts to learn this skill. )

If you read the build threads, you will see where additional welding has been required/done.

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I do know that there is a company “D.C. Supercars” that provide the chassis, and the body shell etc etc.

Have you got a link to this company? As I couldn’t find any current info after a very brief Google search.

As type of kit you buy will determine whether you need the final car to pass the DfT’s IVA test.

AcC8braman put his Lambo through this test (see his build thread in the link above).

There is also some great practical advice on how to pass this test in this thread.

https://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/to...gh-biva-405393

In my case, I picked a kit that didn’t need this test on purpose.

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What I perceive as a complex build as I don’t have any previous build experience.

Generally speaking, unless you are building a complete kit of new parts, such as a Caterham or Westfield, where every last nut and bolt is supplied along with a comprehensive build manual, most builds are complex.

Unfortunately, Lamborghini kits are notoriously complex as the original cars set a very high standard of finish to live up to. As what would the point be of driving a ‘cheap and nasty’ replica?

Whereas, I built something that just had to evoke the general spirit of the 1950s, not a specific car.
(See photos below.)

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I do have a budget for the project. The powerplant, wheels I would like to incorporate into the build.

Linked to the answer above, you will also need to budget for a leather interior, nice mirrors, the ‘correct’ style of lights, etc.

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Has anyone with no previous build experience had success building… / Would this be quite possibly too much for a newbie to build.

I’m an accountant by trade and, prior to my own kit car build, I had never welded, worked with fibreglass, used rivets, painted a car, sewn leather, etc. Also, I didn’t have a garage, so most of my build was done outside.

Yet, despite all this, I was able to build my first kit car to an acceptable (to me) standard, so anything is possible.



So the good news is that if you want it bad enough you might be surprized at what you can achieve.

The bad news is that my build took almost 5 years and almost broke me. The sheer scale of the task of building a car is the number one reason that kit cars are started, but never finished. Well, that and the fact that “life” has a long tradition of getting in the way of a build and you should always put family before a kit car.

I found this photo summed up the feeling of a never ending “To Do” list.



So do your research and do not underestimate the amount of time you will have to spend on the build.

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And finding the right suitable place to take on such a project.

Do you mean somewhere for you to work on the car, or finding a professional garage to build the car for you?

As the cost of paying someone else to build a Lambo for you would run into tens of thousands.

Or do you mean finding somewhere for you to build the car like a lock up garage?

Whatever you mean, under no circumstances think it is a good idea to build a car on your driveway.





Without doubt, this was the dumbest idea I’ve ever had and I have done some dumb things in my time.

Jokes aside, if you do not have a suitable garage near your house you are making like difficult for yourself.

As you will need to add the travel time, plus think about security of parts and tools and will the lock up have power and light?

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Sorry for such a long reply, but I hope it helps.

Good luck, Paul.
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