Building this car is not particularly difficult. You don’t need to be an engineer or a rocket scientist. But it’s not a Snap-Tite model either.
Some parts don’t fit as well as I’d like them to. And some parts actually need to be custom built. You’ll need some imagination and basic fab skills.
You will need some specialized tools. A welder comes in really handy. I use a cheap wire feed MIG welder I bought more than a decade ago. Not fancy, but it works. My welds are not pretty, but they’re strong. I do not have the capability to weld aluminum, yet.
Some basic sheet metal fab tools are necessary: shears, hammers, files . But you don’t need anything specialized unless you want to. I have a bead roller and a couple of flange punches that come in handy for an extra flare. but they’re certainly not needed.
Planning on doing some metal work here and there. I use just basic hand tools for most everything. If I need a really a straight cut, I’ll drag out the chop saw. Otherwise it’s all hand tools.
You could paint everything with spray cans. But I purchased a jamb gun from Harbor Freight for $6. That’s right, $6. Works pretty good, too. I can powder coat anything that fits in a standard kitchen oven.
General build tips:
- be patient. this is time consuming.
- if something doesn’t fit or work right, step back and think about it
- plan ahead.
- be flexible and imaginative. Be a problem solver.
- most importantly, have fun! This is a hobby, not a job.