LocostUSA.com

does anyone in america offer turnkey cars? Is it legal? whats most complete "kit" you can buy?

http://www.wcmultralite.com/

Pricey. Great numbers, looks though.

how are they able to do that? i was under the impression they had to sell it without the motor or something. or is that just for imported cars?

Flyin Miata does turnkey Westfield's. Or at least they say they do. I dont know if anyone has bought one or not. Keith will probably chime in on that.

well thats another good questions. how many of these have been sold? how many ultralights (kits or turnkey)?

there are a few companies that sell them like that. there are also shops that will build them for you

turnkeys seem to start at about 25k and go on up from there.

Heck, Kinetic would do one for 14 grand (10k for the kit bits and 4k for the labor) and a running Miata. Chassis in basic black, body parts unpainted, Oregon title and registration. There's a limit to how many the DMV will let us do a year, but it's more than we're capable of doing so that's not an issue.

If you're coming up from CA, it'll have to be a CA legal Miata and you'd better get your donor smogged first, 'cause theyll check smog when you reregister it down south.

14K plus Miata donor is a HECKUVA deal for a registered turnkey. I hope you sell a million of them, although that wouldn't leave you much time to win the X-Prize. Good luck with everything!

Thanks, Lucky7. It's the price CMC quoted when Kinetic was a CMC dealer and it's what I've quoted since. Might have a bit of trouble making shop rate on that but we wouldn't starve. As far as cost of registration goes, I don't know what it's like where you are, but here it's about fifty bucks and the only inspection is to verify the parts aren't stolen.

As far as winning the X Prize goes, winning it has never been in the plans. We're just going to show what can be done on the cheap and hopefully inspire others. There are a number of better qualified entrants, many who take winning this competition pretty seriously, and hopefully the Big Boys will be coming on board when the deadline approaches. If Detroit can't beat Kinetic (and if modern technology can't beat what the sports car folks were doing in the '50s and '60s), our planet's in big trouble.

Jack, you might want to check into CA emissions laws unless you're planning to keep all of the Miata emissions bits in place. I'm not sure that originally registering a car in OR will automatically make it suitable for CA registration.

Other than 1999-00 models, all Miatas have the same emissions controls country-wide.

To get back to the original question - yes, Flyin' Miata does offer turnkey cars. So does Caterham. And of course, WCM.

any idea how many turn keys are sold compared to kits?

I suspect that varies by company. Most Westfields are sold as kits in the US, while I believe that the majority of WCMs are turn-key. I might be wrong about that, it's mostly an outsider's impression.

I think that's the easiest way for a CA car. There are some aftermarket cats that would look nicer in the exhaust system that the Miata item, but I think California builders have to keep the standard emissions equipment in place unless they get one of the January1 waivers. But the turnkey deal is all pretty theoretical, since the pleasure and satisfaction of these things comes from building your own. "Turnkey Locost" is kinda missing the point, in my opinion.

carsonp The Ultralite is quite insane!

I have been involved with the Ultralite for years now. It had some teething pains as they figured out how to make the S2000 motor run due to the immobilizer but once that was figured out it has been a dream. It is pricey and you won't get the car (or kit) quickly but at 5 lbs/hp it is soooo much fun to drive - sooo fast it is a little scary actually. I love it! If anyone wants to build one I have a spare S2000 motor and tranny in my garage.

It is fabulous to motor around all the NASA Big Iron Mustangs and Camaros on the straights and just literally drive around them like they aren't there in the corners. The look on their face as that little car passes them is priceless.

It is RAW! even in the "street versions" but you can fit 2 people in the cockpit without them having to be married. No swapping of sweaty arms or juggling for space.

There is another kit that will be sold as a Turnkey - soon. My partner and I are in the process of finalizing the buy out of the rights to a British kit car and we are trying to do all of the "Americanization" right now. Americanizing it means finding engines and other parts that are available over here and making some other minor changes like adding a cage, some cockpit room and making it SCCA legal.

It will be sold in various stages of completion from the "box of parts" locost method to a turnkey. In any case, unless you decide you want a different motor, no welding will be required.

But we expect that most will be sold in a more complete kit form with wiring harness, bushings, brake lines, etc. already run with assembly (other than engine) able to be done in a couple of weekends by a couple of guys.

I'll probably get flamed but I don't feel comfortable giving out the name or posting pics yet simply due to the fact that the final signing can't be done due to everyone's schedules until the end of April. Last year we negotiated the purchase of an American kit car company and got down to the final signing and he decided not to sell. We hope that won't be the case here due to the amount of time and $$$ invested so far, but that's the only thing holding me back.

A friend of mine just ordered a WCM Ultralite turn-key last week and it is supposed to be ready for delivery some time in May. I am more than a little jealous, but I can't see my finances ever getting to a place where I could feel comfortable putting $40k on a toy.


Is this the same project that I heard a certain former Miata owner and owner of a popular Elise forum talking about?