Building from scratch ... what do you get?

[Eliems]

I asked the question, "What do I have?" in another forum and they directed me to this excellent thread. I must say this site is going to be invaluable to me.

The question is below but another question I wanted to ask of you ... When you are finished building from scratch, will you expect your creations to be of equal or greater value than kit cars in the market place?

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I have owned a big block cobra for a month now, and I must admit, having hung around this forum and the BCCobra Club reading all your insightful posts ... I still don't know just what I own!

I bought the car because it was a dream-car suddenly made affordable (I paid $28K Canadian or 22,500 US for what amounts to a new car with 200 miles on it) as the builder needed quick cash.

I say I don't really know what I have because this is not a kit but a unique custom build. I know it was well built and has great components like a (now freshly re-built) 429 Cobrajet, a nine inch posi ford rear end and top loader 4 speed, tubular frame, sweet Coroplast fibreglass body and Aluminum cockpit, trunk , and inner fender wells, Moto Lita Steering wheel, Autometer pro guages, Conneley Leather seats - black Wilton wool carpets - Corvette front discs - dual piston Lincoln Rear discs, 4 speed top loader transmission, Halibrand wheel spinners BF Goodrich tires - rear 10" wide ...

It is a gorgeous (I will figure out how to post a picture),yellow with cream stripe and stainless sidewinders, roll bar, it drives like nothing I have ever experienced and sounds like a harley on each side of me, but ... what the heck is it?

Normally I could say, "Hey I bought a Corvette Convertible" or "Look at this TR6" and people would think GM or Triumph and the mechanics could look up all the parts and wiring etc. Even with a kit car you have a defined product but just what is it that I have? What is it worth? What do you compare it to to arrive at a value?

There must be other "Unique Customs" in this forum, does anyone else have an answer to the question?

Thanks, Greg.

[Three Peaks]

That is a pretty general question and doesn't really have a set answer. Like many things, it all depends on the buyer.

Obviously, quality of the work will be a determining factor in valuation, but other things will come into play. If the potential buyer is looking for an original style build, the closer to original, the more interest he may show. OTOH, if all he wants is a good driver with lots of horsepower........ if your car meets his needs then the value is what you agree on. I know this isn't much of an answer but there just isn't a lot of history on scratch built cars to answer definitively.

If you're happy with the car, what else is important? -

As far as what car you have, it would be difficult to tell without taking a good look at the car from all angles- especially from underneath so the frame, suspension, drivetrain, and type of build has been accomplished.
Somewhere he must have had a set of plans to go from, so the previous owner is probably the best person to answer your question. - Bob