I would have to agree 12g's is a LITTLE much... I know, I could do it for a lot less than that. I am sure they figured their time into it too...
You can build this sled, using all NEW parts for a "lot less than that"??
I'm impressed... you get that good of deal on new parts?
I'm counting
Brand new donor UNUSED 440 IQ Sled complete at $6000 (which is a conservative #)
EVOL shocks $1300
RMK Holz (or any other Cromo parts with spindles) $800
Anodized (or cheaper powder coated) tunnel.. not an add on extension, With cooler and bumper $1400
Bigger fuel tank $300
155" series 5.1 track $550 (conservative price for comparison to Challengers)
Driveshaft and extros $400
HRP, EZ, Fabcraft or other comparable rear skid WITH rails $2300
Thats $13,000 for the parts above alone.
Sell the 440 engine, track, skid, shocks etc and other misc parts to cover the cost of the "miscelaneous" parts left to build including powdercoating
PLUS add 40 hours to build this if you are efficient...
Looks like a deal to me. And Mark Holz personally assembling this sled, his stuff is top notch (not to say that yours isn't... I just have not seen your work).
I'm sure it could be done for less if you had a USED sled donor, scrounged around and got some good used parts, and took a month of weekends 9-5, you could do it for less.
Now, to build this as a cat 900 or bigger, you'll be looking at putting some serious $$ into the install for a custom pipe that no one has a pattern for, all of the trimming and fitting,
custom motor plate, airbox??? (pods??)
for an engine that wont make much more power than the 860 Struthers....which is a bolt in motor package that will run with the basic 440 electrical on Premix, off the shelf
pipe from SLP, Factory airbox that flows enough air for the engine from outside of the engine bay,
and be about 20 lbs lighter than the big cat motor... HMMM. That Holz would be right at 415 lbs dry with coolant and shock oil, or less.
With the Polaris HO smallblock this sled would look like it was built by the Factory Polaris race shop... all of the geometry for alignment would be a home-run [first inning],
with a completely unmodified bulkhead.
If you did your shopping, you could get into this with engine, exhaust, clutches.... ready to run for less than $18K.... I'd bet you that Mark and the crew up at Holz
would help you get it there in short order.
