i recently got the book, and have decided that i am able to build a locost (or part locost), albeit with my friend doing the welding for me. i have a question, ron says to build everything first, then have all the parts and build for the final time. is this the best way to go about it. i was thinking about building as you go.

Welcome to the madhouse!

Build as you go.

With a pile of parts you'll find half of it doesn't fit!
You'll probably change your mind about loads of stuff as you go too.
What I would recommend is buying a few key things as early as poss: (in addition to your donor), shocks, radiator, seats and bodywork. Unfortunately, these are by far and above the most expensive and hardest to store parts! But I recommend getting them as they affect other bits early on in the car (the chassis) and so changing after you've painted etc. is a pain.

Make sure you download a correct chassis plan from: http://www.mcsorley.net as the book has many errors.
Also, triple your predicted build cost and probably the time taken too.

Finally, keep it as simple and straightforward and don't deviate too much- the more changes you make from a basic Locost the longer it all takes. And a finished car is better than a complex pile of bits in the garage!

All the best,
James

I'm 100% with James on this one, Build as you go, there are many time I have had to change something slightly because the fit was not right whicdh I put it together. These changes are easy to do on a one by one basis, but if you wait until the end to assemble everything then you can be faced with the sitaution of having to change everything to make ANYTHING fit.

I also go with the idea of buying the bodywork, shocks & seats as these are a real pain to find or make.

Good luck, oh and delifnatly use the mcsorsley plans.

i was thinking of buying the frame, i know then its not technically a locost, but it will be in spirit. everything else will be made or scrapyard sourced as far as possible. but going to build as i go now.