Some custom cars require a unique fabricated chassis to suit the concept the owner has in mind. Other applications require carefull modification of the original chassis to allow full rego.  Some custom cars will benefit from a stronger chassis from another vehicle swapped under them.  Either way Kustom Bitz is quite prepared to work with your ideas and make them a reality however it must be pointed out that considerable time has to be invested in nutting it all out and that has to be paid for. Some of the most successful jobs have been when the customer has done their homework with a tape measure and checking weights, strength of parts and wheel bases and come to me with a solid plan for the car that they want stiched together in a proper manner.

Custominsing an existing chassis typically have  an amount of hours in them that averages prices to start from $16,500 AUD + components and materials to modify your standard chassis provided it is in good condition. All custom one off work is done at an hourly rate and all time spent, discussing, designing and chasing up parts, trying out different components and rework is billed to you.  A one off design, hand fabricated from scratch chassis, will certainly be upwards of $50,000 + parts and materials. It is a time consuming process to do properly and very rarely does everything fall into place, so if these prices are scaring you or an open ended build cost is not for you then maybe scale back your ideas to what is realistically achievable for you.

All rolling chassis leave our workshop with the first stage engineering paperwork for Hot Rod rego from an independant automotive engineer recognised by VicRoads. All engineering inspections are at the engineers standard rates and is in addition to the cost of the chassis.  A Kustom Bitz chassis is manufactured to meet the Australian Street Rod Federation national guidelines for Street Rod Chassis Construction.


Double click on any of the pics on our web site to view a more detailed larger picture.

All custom chassis contruction is tig welded in our own jig developed by Kustom Bitz for one off customs to achieve an exceptional quality.  Chassis can be tailored to suit the style of rod you want to build for example they can be stepped in at the rear, stepped up, bobed, pinched, stretched, etc.  To the average punter they may think all chassis for the same model that they see at a hot rod show are all the same, this is just not the case.  The winning top hot rods are properly planned for the look and style that the owner wants to achieve.

Kustom Bitz makes and designs most chassis parts in house, we also use parts by others when practical to do so, or where those parts may be superior and it makes sense to use them, or because the customer has already bought parts. In addition to the chassis construction Kustom Bitz can set up the engine mounts, headers, exhaust, steering rack, brakes, tail shaft, diff, diff centre, hand brake, brakes lines, ADR approved braided brake hoses, fit the body, steering column and steering links. Kustom Bitz can take the Hot Rod from the Chassis conception, body fit out right up to painting stage if required. However we do not paint we are primarily set up for fitting, engineering and fabrication.

Kustom Bitz has a few brake options for both the IFS and I beam front ends. From our reliable street brakes using standard Ford and Holden parts to big brake upgrades and the use of Wilwood brake components right up to 14 inch diameter rotors and six pot calipers.

SAVE MONEY
The best way to save money building a hot rod or custom car is not to build one at all. The other way to save is buy something second hand but you may not get what you want exactly and you may be buying problems too. It can cost more to rework poorly designed chassis and shody workmanship than paying for a good one in the first place so beware. Everything on a hot rod has to be made and fitted by hand, they are labour intensive you cannot avoid that. To pass engineering inspections it just has to be right you cannot cut corners. If your budget is real tight you are better off building a late 1950's or 1960's car that is more about restoring, repairing and painting and not re-engineering the chassis and driveline from scratch like an early Hot Rod or heavily modified custom car requires.

If you know what you want and you want it done properly then Kustom Bitz should be high on your list of hot rod shops to visit. We are not a cheap backyard operation so bargain hunters need not apply.  If all you look at is the price then don't come here, good work takes time and effort, and requires well designed, good parts. We don't cut corners and we don't mess about. You will find our rates are quite affordable.

Think carefully about what you want and what parts you can afford.
Building a Hot Rod from scratch can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life and one of the bigger expenses you will ever take on so make sure you are well thought out and you settle on what you want and not what your mates says you need, if you like a particular trend then build it that way, even if it is an old trend, but don't try to follow new trends when it is half built, for that is the best way for an expense blow out and causes alot of projects to stall.  When it is finished you need to be able to look at it every time you walk past it in the shed and say .... "yeap that's what I always wanted".