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An Elio Kit?

Burg

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Just mentioned in another thread. If Elio's plans for the mass market production model fall down, would you consider a limited production Elio custom car or kit car like a Acme or Factory Five? I know it would be more expensive, but I really like the simplicity of the Elio. I can work on it. Maintain it. It wont get hacked as mentioned on another thread. If you drive allot, you wont stress for charge stations. I could walk down to the local auto parts place for a new "whatever". With a little TLC, an Elio kit car may cover the ever shrinking gap between the EV revolution and the ICE denouement. I mean really, we only have about a decade to go before this is all a non issue, but that's still allot of miles for me.
 

84mpg

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Good chance I'd buy a kit. I'd certainly give it strong consideration. I'd make a father/son project out of it.

It could very well come down to a kit. Goodness knows, the big guys aren't going to make a vehicle like the Elio.
 

Maurtis

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I would be 100% down for a kit, especially if it could use a more modern powertrain than a Geo setup. My son is 12 right now, so that would be a great project to work on with him before he is out of the house for college and then on to his adult life.
 

RSchneider

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I would be 100% down for a kit, especially if it could use a more modern powertrain than a Geo setup. My son is 12 right now, so that would be a great project to work on with him before he is out of the house for college and then on to his adult life.
Then watch this series of videos. Just imagine building an Elio and then sticking in a Ford 1000cc, 3 cylinder Turbo Ecoboost crate motor that has a plug and play harness and ECU along with yanking parts from various Metros in the U pull it junkyards. Talk about the ultimate father child project where the child goes off to college with something they built and then can fix because they built the darn thing.
 

Made in USA

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I remember giving my 1996 CJ-5 Jeep to one of my nephews back in the early nineties. It needed a new body but otherwise was ok. My brother bought the fiberglass body and my nephew worked with his grandfather putting it all together. Turned out nice and he had to learn to drive stick. He learned a lot working with his hands.
 

TexasTesla

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About 15 years ago I built a Marauder based McLaren M6B GT style Can Am coupe...

It was a labor of love... about a four year project...most components had to be fabricated or adapted. A lot of the fabrication was beyond my level of expertise, thus it was farmed out to top notch Hot Rod builders.

The body is made from the original molds by Specialize Moldings, Ltd. of England that originally supplied McLaren Racing, so it is not a knockoff style (i.e., Tornado, Coyote, Manta, etc.)...

Building a kit car that is operational in the real world is very difficult. It’s a never ending process of refining and revising. At end of the day, most kits builds never have the sophistication of a modern production vehicle.

...
 
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Burg

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Building a kit car that is operational in the real world is very difficult. It’s a never ending process of refining and revising. At end of the day, most kits builds never have the sophistication of a modern production vehicle.

...

I beg to differ. Kits car complexity is largely based on the kit. I believe an Elio kit would be two steps harder than your first go-cart built from scratch. I dont see how the complexity of the Elio off a line would be any more complex than a kit. Remember, the only reason the Elio hasn't gone into production is because of Funding, not because of Engineering.

Those look like some old photos. How long ago did you build that car? Ive never hard of Specialize Moldings, Ltd. Did a google search and they don't seem to exist any more. That must have been a PIA to build in that tiny garage. I doubt you could even open the doors when it was inside. What kit company did you use? Whats the chassis base? Looks like a nice build. Did you sell it?

I would be 100% down for a kit, especially if it could use a more modern powertrain than a Geo setup. My son is 12 right now, so that would be a great project to work on with him before he is out of the house for college and then on to his adult life.

My thoughts exactly. Unlike every car that rolls off the lines these days, the Elio would be that perfect car for a Father son or daughter build. Heck, It would be great if they brought back shop classes in high school and built them. Its relatively simple. The PCM would have to come programmed but Im sure there would be performance companies that would flash it for you as well. Plus the end result would be practical for a while.
 

RSchneider

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My thoughts exactly. Unlike every car that rolls off the lines these days, the Elio would be that perfect car for a Father son or daughter build. Heck, It would be great if they brought back shop classes in high school and built them. Its relatively simple. The PCM would have to come programmed but Im sure there would be performance companies that would flash it for you as well. Plus the end result would be practical for a while.
What you do is what these guys did to a Metro. Install a motorcycle driveline. If it fits in a Metro, it'll fit in an Elio:
 
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