I was thinking of building the Vigilante Stealth Chopper (https://www.atomiczombie.com/vigilante-stealth-chopper-diy-plan/), and I wanted to know what the estimated cost for all the building materials would be. Please be dead honest because if I build it and end up coming short I'm gonna have an unfinished project in my backyard.
Cost Of Build?
- Thread starter Jinn
- Start date
From the page you linked to:
"You can modify any size or shape of car wheel to create a truly radical chopper of your own design.
Every part on the Vigilante chopper is made from either square steel tubing or standard bicycle components, so you can carve out your own ultra stylish DIY chopper using materials you have on hand or acquire."
..So it will depened on where in your area you can get..
- 1x unwanted and over-used car tyre -car junk yard, online, possibly free.
-1x old used parts bicycle - online, 2nd hand shop, friend, possibly free.
-some steel tubing.. ~5m?? -Hardware store, junk pile - check hardware price.
-time.
-welding consumables- rods/wires/gas.
- a few grinder cutting discs.
"You can modify any size or shape of car wheel to create a truly radical chopper of your own design.
Every part on the Vigilante chopper is made from either square steel tubing or standard bicycle components, so you can carve out your own ultra stylish DIY chopper using materials you have on hand or acquire."
..So it will depened on where in your area you can get..
- 1x unwanted and over-used car tyre -car junk yard, online, possibly free.
-1x old used parts bicycle - online, 2nd hand shop, friend, possibly free.
-some steel tubing.. ~5m?? -Hardware store, junk pile - check hardware price.
-time.
-welding consumables- rods/wires/gas.
- a few grinder cutting discs.
Popshot
0
It's a question that's been asked before regarding other models. You can spend as much or as little as you choose to and depending on how good a scrounger you are. I appreciate that's a frustrating answer but it's true. I doubt any two similar machines built by folk here had similar cost lists. There really is no fixed answer. Freecycle.org is a good place to beg for donor bikes.
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Both the projects I've done (a Meridan and a Meridian-like trike) were around $300-400.
SirJoey
0
I ended up with around $800 in my Kyoto Cruiser, and that was back in 2008! But I went all-out
on it, buying 2 brand new bikes for donors, in order to have mostly new (and matching)
parts for both sides. I also added a canopy top, & nearly every accessory you can think of,
so yeah, it depends on how you source your donor parts, & how many "extras" you wanna add.
FWIW, it ended up being my most expensive build ever! Although that may sound like a lot of money
for a home-built, consider the fact that at that time, a similar factory built was around $3,500!!!
***
on it, buying 2 brand new bikes for donors, in order to have mostly new (and matching)
parts for both sides. I also added a canopy top, & nearly every accessory you can think of,
so yeah, it depends on how you source your donor parts, & how many "extras" you wanna add.
FWIW, it ended up being my most expensive build ever! Although that may sound like a lot of money
for a home-built, consider the fact that at that time, a similar factory built was around $3,500!!!
***
Yeah I'd just give it a go. I always start my builds when I can afford to buy the steel for the frame, then nickel and dime myself until it's done
The choices you make, make the price.
When I started my first build, I calculated it and I could have build it for under 250 euro. But I didn't like the parts I could get and went for new parts. So the price went up.
That was the choice I made and with the new build, the frame will be even more expensive. But I went all out this time. It could be cheaper than my first build, but I wanted to improve my first build and went for other parts.
When I started my first build, I calculated it and I could have build it for under 250 euro. But I didn't like the parts I could get and went for new parts. So the price went up.
That was the choice I made and with the new build, the frame will be even more expensive. But I went all out this time. It could be cheaper than my first build, but I wanted to improve my first build and went for other parts.
Well said, Emiel. I went on the opposite end of the spectrum. I bought new steel for the main parts, but ended up going to a local metal recycler and getting not just some 3/16" steel that I needed, but also a bunch of bike parts that I ended up using in my build. And I'd been saving scrap bikes, metal working tools, and spare bike parts for years. Part of my $300 for this build was a welder, supplies, cut off disks, paint... everything. I think I could build another, or rebuild this one, for around $150 if I did all the same things. I already have a proper welder now, etc.
