WANT TO BUY: FORMULA SAE KART - will provide full release of liability

[Keisler]

I am looking to purchase a team car for use in solo autocross and road course. Car should be as close to complete as possible, preferrably turn-key. Older builds OK. Located in southeast USA, but any state in the lower 48 is OK.

Please provide details of kart, including pics, specs, any unresolved issues, repairs, or needs.

I agree to remove any/all markings, and sign a complete release of liability to the selling university or party.

Thank you for your consideration.

[Racer-X]

You can try and I wish you luck but most teams do not sell their cars. I know we would get in big trouble from the university if we did. The school just doesn't want to risk it.

[Keisler]

I am happy to buy an old kart. Or even a roller that I can provide an engine.

I've looked at some of the formula VW cars, but the power to weight ratio doesn't look to good, and they are heavy.

[Auerbach]

Hey Keisler, I just posted in the off-topic section about my car for sale. Have a look!

[MES-FSAE]

Keisler, Are you still interested in a retired FSAE car? I recently bought one and completely restored it. I raced it for a year in a sanctioning body similar to SCCA. But now, it is time to sell it and get the next project.
Just let me know.
Thanks!

[Keisler]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. I am still in the market, and have looked at several cars so far. However, there is a wide range of price, with some wanting as much as $15K. I don't have that sort of disposable funds to spend on a SCCA weekend warrior. For those of you that might have a FSAE kart, my price requirement would need to be under $6K. If you have something, please send me a Private Message and I will get back with you. Thanks!

[Adambomb]

I think there's a choice of words here that really describes your predicament: Kart.

Karts are cheap and simple. FSAE cars are not. $15k is a good asking price for a beat up, not all that complete FSAE car. It typically costs upwards of $40-60k to build an FSAE prototype, and that's assuming 95% of your machining is free. To pay a shop to build an FSAE car would be well into the 6 figure range.

I also wouldn't suggest seeking an FSAE prototype as a low-budget SCCA weekend warrior, because like other prototypes it will have "problem components" that will be very difficult to repair or replace. These cars are about 95% one-off machined parts. The only way I would recommend that is if it was a car that you yourself played a critical role in helping design/build...so you know what might go wrong, and how to go about fixing it.

FSAE cars are designed to a set of rules that are more concerned with solving a complex engineering problem than just making a true weekend autocross car, despite the intent of the competition. Would be a much better use of money IMO to look at something else, perhaps an actual kart or a locost. There's a whole lot out there besides Formula Vees... Shoot, ask around to folks running Mod cars at SCCA competitions, or check the SCCA classifieds.