What's the cheapest model Caterham in kit form and how much?

[anthony1956]

What's the cheapest model Caterham in kit form and how much?

Guide info for a foreigner. To see if it's even worth exploring.

He's a mechanic so I'm thinking he could buy a dud and fix it easily in his case.

I mean heck, start with Arch and work outwards 😉

Edited October 3 by anthony1956

[CAT170]

The Caterham website configurator will show cheapest kit being the 170 but not particularly cheap at £29,500 plus £500 delivery in UK. Only £2000 more for them to build it and put it on the road with IVA completed, registration and car tax. In reality it would have been cheaper to have had them build my 170 than doing it myself, but not as much fun and personal pride.

If I were to do this again (and I'm very tempted!) I think I would go for a 20-30 year old car that is basically sound but could do with a complete strip and rebuild. Cost would be less than £10k and should not cost more than another £3-5k to rebuild and respray.

[OldAndrewE]

4 minutes ago, CAT170 said:

and should not cost more than another £3-5k to rebuild and respray.

You would be surprised what you can spend on a full strip down and refurb 😱🤣

[anthony1956]

1 hour ago, CAT170 said:

car that is basically sound but

well of course with our friends at Arch still around it doesn't have to be sound at all. 

[Guy Lowe]

1 hour ago, CAT170 said:

should not cost more than another £3-5k to rebuild and respray.

A re powder, new skin, respray etc. etc. will be quite a bit more, I know 😉

[Iamscotticus]

A 90s DeDion 5spd 1700 Ford Crossflow.  With clams.  All you need.

Imperial or metric, there is a question.

[Iamscotticus]

Like this. It will sell for around 25k usd, or less

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1996-caterham-seven/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_2648441

[Iamscotticus]

Don't reccomend a stripped hulk for a novice to these cars.  Too many parts have to come from too many different sources.  As simple as these 7s are, they often end up as abandoned projects. 

[anthony1956]

an abandoned project might do nicely

[anthony1956]

LHD would be possibly preferred

[Iamscotticus]

5 hours ago, anthony1956 said:

an abandoned project might do nicely

Projects are like gift cards. On average, they don't get spent.  On average, projects don't get built, unless that is your skill set and have the energy.  Life gets in the way.  Guys run out of time, money, motivation, health and even life and the project languishes.  The cost to build is the same as buying a built car.  The cost in time lost is not worth it.  Spend the time driving, not building.

[anthony1956]

do we know how to track them down? 

[Iamscotticus]

There is always the Lowcost forums. Maybe some kit car forums.  Amazon marketplace,  Ebay.

[Miker7]

I started building my locost (now Lowcost - eg locostbuilders.co.uk) in 2000. I learnt to weld, setup the local club meet and learnt to change my mind, different axle, different gearbox, different .... etc Every time i took on a new area i had new problems to understand and figure out how i wanted to work around them. Frequently I decided not to do it the easy way (Which was a mistake). The locost isn't finished, it lives next to the Caterham that I drive. Now i get the choice potter with something on the Caterham and drive it or work on the locost ...... the Caterham invariably wins as the effort to reward on the locost is so much lower.