Hi Rick,
Sorry I didn't reply sooner; I don't come to this site too often and I overlooked your post the last couple of times I was here. Anyway, I don't know how the NECA rules differ from Electrathon America, but to get an idea of what it takes to build a car from scratch, take a look at my build thread here: electrathonoftampabay.org/www/ Scroll down the left column until you see "Building an Electrathon" and click on it. There are 13 installments with lots of pictures and text. Or if you want to read the same with lots of discussion and good-natured kibitzing, go here: www.clubhotrod.com/hot-rod-talk/41183-electrathon-different-kind-hotrod.html You may have to join the Club Hot Rod site to see the pictures, but it's free.

I also somehow missed your post so sorry I did not reply sooner. At Willamette High we have never built a kit car as I think the prices are more than they are worth and I think the learning is better if the students design, build, modify, etc. their own cars. 20 years ago we started with 5 cars and now build 15 to 18 each year and cut them up and build new ones the next year. We have built a very competitive car is as little as 3 days of nearly 20 hours a day work with 3 motivated and talented students. Others have taken over 8 months by lazy, not motivated or interested students. All of our 1st year students start their actual cars on the first day back from winter break (~Jan. 3rd) and our first race is the first weekend in March so nearly 2 months. This is a two period block class so we have 3 hours every other day with 42+ students in each class and build 7 cars. We have had all 7 of those cars able to race...not finished as far as final bodies, and still needing modifications.... but at least able to participate in the race and sometime they end up in the top 3 of the 30-40 car field. The first semester we work on teaching metals and working with light steel tubing, and semi engineering projects (mag lev racers, build electric motors-test HP, race logo solar cars, and 1/10th scale electrathon car with working steering-driver-fiberglass body-mock up of motor & batteries) so they are ready to start to work running when we let them start cutting metal. My seniors have a single period class and they start their cars in mid-October and hopefully have them drivable by winter break and totally finished by the first race and on to other projects. The last two years I have had less motivated students and less cars ready than I used to--so I am working on getting things done faster again this year.
*Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you get started in any way. mike.hodgert@bethel.k12.or.us
Mike