How hard is it to build a car by hand?

Question

Is it difficult to learn how to build a car? Do you need special skills or certification to do it?

And is it cheaper to build rather than buy a car?

Not that I would ever do this......but i'm curious

Answer 1

if you build like a newer car i think it would be more expensive my dad use to build them back in the day but all the electrical stuff cost alot

Answer 2

That depends on what you're building.  There are many kit cars you can buy which has the pieces already made, you just have to assemble it.

Or you can design and build your own car from scratch.  Some people do this to build their own racing cars but they are not street legal vehicles.

Either way, it is cheaper to buy a new car.  If you take into consideration the time and effort it takes into building your own car, it costs way more than a new car.

Answer 3

Building a car from scratch is a real team effort. It takes 100's or 1,000's of people to design and build a car. rebuilding a car that was made in a factory is a different story. One person can do that over a period of months or years.

Answer 4

you would have to pass safety inspections but many people do it, you can buy an engine at most Auto Parts stores, most people do it as a hobby it would be hard but they love it cause its a hobby

Answer 5

well, if you know the neccessary skills to build, then go ahead,

but i buy cars

Answer 6

You can buy a car cheaper then you can build it. A "home built" car can cost as little as 2000 dollars  to 500000 dollars. It depends on what route you take for components.

Even when you "build" a car, you have to either invest in off the shelf parts, or do what is equivalent to "reinventing the wheel".

So things like the power train are most often bought as pre-made units.

As for skills, welding, mechanics, body work and hydraulic systems.

Then you face the problem of registration which depending on where you live,  can be easy or impossible.

Answer 7

Takes time and money but you can do it.  However, it is EASIER to buy a car, and costs about the same amount of money.

Answer 8

Can you weld? Then you can build a car chassis. Can you form sheetmetal by hand, or cast a fiberglass shell like a Corvette or boat, or have access to a sheetmetal stamping plant?  The car's chassis can be built crudely but safely, but trying to build a body is almost impossible for the lay-person without specialized big equipment. Same with upholstery, it looks "easy", but in reality, it's a major undertaking from scratch. Most race shops can build a car, but they have millions of dollars worth of equipment to do it. Do you? Then you could probably not do it, or only make an open-air car with a very crude frame and body.

If you make your own, it has to pass Safety Inspection ( in the USA ) but nothing prevents you from building your own, and you don't need certification to do it, just has to pass legal standards for safety. People build VW or Corvair-based sand buggys all the time for street use ( not useful in winter, though, no bodies! ).

Bottom line is, you have to be a good welder at least to even attempt to build a car, otherwise you will fail for sure. Can't glue-em or nail-em together. At least no one has done it yet. LOL. You could be the first.

  FInally, is it cheaper? Maybe, but then again, you won't get wholesale prices on engines, transmissions, etc. So you'll pay more for those items. In the long run, unless you are building a custom vehicle, it's cheaper to buy than build.

- The Gremlin Guy -  

Answer 9

yes its difficult to learn, no you dont need special skills just build it. no its not cheaper than a new car