Newbie Donor Car Question

[h2obum]

I'm gathering info. b4 purchasing a kit. For example the FFR, as well as others, is based on the concept of using a donor mustang. What are anyone's thoughts good or bad on this? I can see using some of the parts as no problem, but on an affordable donor the engine and trans I would think are trashed. I was hoping to use either the 5.0 or 4.6 and stick a supercharger on it until I can afford to build a nice motor. Is it ok to pump up an engine with 100K on it or am I asking for trouble? Thank you in advance for any help you can provide me.

[jarendall]

the one advantage of a donor car is the vin number, you will need it to get a title, I wouldn't waste my time with putting the donor engine in as is, get a good engine builder to build it up for you, before you put it in the car, or just buy an engine already built, the time saved will be worth the money spent, if you use a Mustang GT 5.0 the transmission and rearend will work fine, just have them checked and make any nessary repairs and improvements, coilover shocks and so forth will help also, no two cars are the same, do what ever you like, but do it as you go, it is much eaiser than redoing

[JayBar]

Originally Posted by jarendall

the one advantage of a donor car is the vin number,

I think that statement is "state" specific.

I fact in all the years I followed this forum I don't remember hearing of anyone taking the Mustang Vin number and assigning it to the kit. Plus why would you want to register a car as a '87 or '95, when in a lot of states you can register it as a '65.

[jarendall]

federal laws require states to use the vin numbers on engines, transmission and drive chain, of a donor car when building a kitcar or rebuilding a car from parts, this is supposed to stop the chop shops, it doesn't work but it is the law, maybe your state doesn't require the vin number, but it is federal law, my car is registered as a 2004 66cobra replica, manufactored kit car

[xracerbob]

After building a FFR with a donor car, I probably wouldn't do it again that way. Although I actually made money parting out the donor, the parts I did use I either rebuilt, ended up replacing, or just chose to upgrade. If you are trying to stick with a firm budget, it still may be the way to go, but these end up being like house projects-they always cost more and take more time than planned.

Another aspect of the donor is space- where do you keep it when disassembling and what do you do when your done with the carcass.

[1bad66]

Using a donor car, you are just building a "used" car. Get a kit that has all new suspension parts, that way you know you are getting good stuff from the start.

[mj_duell]

Originally Posted by 1bad66

Using a donor car, you are just building a "used" car. Get a kit that has all new suspension parts, that way you know you are getting good stuff from the start.

This is true. Now for the shameless plug. Check us out, we use all new parts in our rollers:

www.turntenracing.com



--Mike / Turn Ten Racing, Inc.

[jarendall]

I used all new parts, except for the transmission and rearend, had the transmission upgraded and rebuilt the rearend myself, Alabama required that I had to have a vin number for the donor car that the parts came form, the parts came from a Mustang recycle parts supplier in Texas, he said he didn't know the vin number, so I gave a man $50 at a wrecking yard to write me up a bill of sale for the parts with a vin number from a Mustang and this made the DMV happy, after dealing with them for six months, they finaly sent me my title

[Juggernaut]

Originally Posted by 1bad66

Using a donor car, you are just building a "used" car. Get a kit that has all new suspension parts, that way you know you are getting good stuff from the start.

I agree, by getting all new parts, you know what you have from the beginning. The one thing I learned from my Cobra build so far is "do it right the first time" so you don't have to do it over again when its done. That's the time to have fun with it!

Randy

[wtm442]

H2Obum

list of mnfg's .....
List of Manufacturers

[J Persons]

I used mostly new parts, except the IRS and the gas tank. My engine is built from a Ford motorsport block, and carries no VIN number, only a casting number with the date and the block part number. It's the same for my aftermarket T5 Z trans.

[Excaliber]

What do you do with the chassis?

When I was in college I 'parted out' an MG to build another MG in the backyard of a house on a quiet street (under a tree no less). When I was done I literally chopped the chassis into smaller pieces with an ax, and slowly hauled it away, sections at a time. And thats what you do with the chassis.

[G.R.]

An axe? Never heard of a cutting torch "way back when"?

[Excaliber]

Poor student, was lucky to have an ax!

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by JayBar

I think that statement is "state" specific.

I fact in all the years I followed this forum I don't remember hearing of anyone taking the Mustang Vin number and assigning it to the kit. Plus why would you want to register a car as a '87 or '95, when in a lot of states you can register it as a '65.

The local authorities didn't care what the title certificate said, I had to register my car as a '1991 Kit Car / Replicar' - the year it was completed and first registered. And, in a nasty twist, it had to meet 1991 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

[patrickt]

Dang, for a second I thought ol' Ernie (Excaliber) had come back to the fold. Then I saw this thread is eight years old....