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What's the lowest cost I could finish it for?
John P - 22/6/09 at 12:54 PM

I started building a McSorley +4 when I was working for a fabrication company and could easily get hold of small pieces of steel, get machining done etc.

Last year I was made redundant and being 60 years old I can't even get interviews so it begins to look as though I may not work again.

So far I've welded up the chassis (altgough I haven't yet got the round tubing for the rear bar around the back of the luggage area).

I also have the engine (not checked or re-built), diff and drive shafts, gearbox and front hubs but not much else.

I need to decide if there's any hope of finishing it or whether I need to accept I'll never have the money to do so.

Bit of a vague question but whet do you think it would cost me to complete to a reasonable standard? (I can do most of the work myself).

John.


Mr Whippy - 22/6/09 at 01:02 PM

The best way to do it on the cheap is to simply raid the scrapyards. I’ve been doing that for years. Almost new tyres for £5, engines for £50, gearboxes for £20, good whole interiors for £30 etc etc. that’s how to save money

but only go to ones that you are allowed to remove the parts yourself, the other ones just rip you off


Jasper - 22/6/09 at 01:07 PM

Whatever it costs to finish, and you could probably do it for a few hundred if you go with Whippys plan, you'll have to add on another £1k to get it registered, taxed and insured, or thereabouts.

Hunt ebay/here for body work too, as that will probably be the largest chunk.

If you need them I have some undrilled perfect front cycle wings in blue, yours for £20.


omega0684 - 22/6/09 at 01:23 PM

get a job in B&Q, they are always on the look out for older generations with bags of DIY experience etc, they prefer to hire older generation to younger for reliability purposes


cd.thomson - 22/6/09 at 01:25 PM

or the NHS, its cushy as..


omega0684 - 22/6/09 at 02:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
or the NHS, its cushy as..


and that is why its in such a mess! people like you that laze about should get fired!


Steve G - 22/6/09 at 02:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by omega0684
quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
or the NHS, its cushy as..


and that is why its in such a mess! people like you that laze about should get fired!


He's not lazing about mate - he's really busy................. on here WHEN HE SHOULD BE WORKING!!


Confused but excited. - 22/6/09 at 02:59 PM

John, don't get disheartened mate. Just take your time and do it as you save the pennies (it's how I'm building mine).
It may take longer than you planned, but doesn't everything at our age ?
Time is what we have plenty of.
You can find bargains if you are patient as Mr Whippy said.
I got a Westfield SEi nose cone ( I love the shape) off ebay for £10! Mind you I waited almost two years for it.
Stick with it mate.
I have been 'building' mine for years (minus a two year break) and I still get excited when I get another part of the puzzle.
More important it keeps the grey matter active as well as the muscles.
DO NOT GIVE UP.
ATB, John.

[Edited on 22/6/09 by Confused but excited.]


cd.thomson - 22/6/09 at 03:02 PM

its a mess because of the bureaucracy that allows my job to even exist. I'm a systems administrator for a system I dont have top level access to.

If it was private the whole thing would be streamlined in the blink of an eye.

On a side note, I dont actually work in the hospital or even influence any wards so any horrific anecdotal stories have nothing to do with me!


swanny - 22/6/09 at 03:08 PM

just a thought...

if you used to work at a fabricator, maybe you could take on small fabrication jobs for fellow lowcosters, either in exchange for a few quid, or for any parts they may have that you need?

paul


gottabedone - 22/6/09 at 04:30 PM

now ^^^ a good idea, especially if you could do some fab work in exchange for the bits that you need. Shame you're not a bit farther south!

good luck though

Steve


JeffHs - 22/6/09 at 04:48 PM

Keep at it! I took 9 years from buying the chassis tube to SVA. I bought as little as I could, made everything I could. I deliberately didn't keep track of the cost, but it's easy to tot up the major chunks - tyres, coil overs, lights, mirrors, etc.
You can make almost everything else or get it from the donor or scrappy. What you've got now is time!


BenB - 22/6/09 at 06:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by cd.thomson
or the NHS, its cushy as..


Not at the rock face it ain't!!!
Unless cushy can mean "harrased continuously by a load of civil servants who appear to not have a clue about either healthcare or management"

I'd go for B+Q anyday