Q. What does a
Vigillante cost?
Q. How long does it
take to get a Vigillante?
Q. Is the Vigillante
classified as a motorcycle or a car?
Q. Can you provide us
with more information?
Q. How many vehicles
have you built?
Q. How much room does
the Vigillante have inside?
Q. What does a Vigillante cost?
Each Vigillante is a custom, hand-built vehicle. No two are exactly alike, and the price is negotiated separately for each vehicle. Vigillantes are built like a race car, and no expense is spared to ensure that every component is the finest available. Depending upon the equipment, interior and finish selected by the customer, prices can vary anywhere from about $55,000 for a roller chassis, with no exterior paint, interior or motor / trans, to about $175,000 for an all-out 700 plus horsepower racer. A complete, turn-key Vigillante with a 345 hp small block Chevy street motor, similar to the prototype shown in the web site pictures, will run about $125,000. These prices are based upon a build rate of approximately one vehicle per month. If our orders increase beyond this rate, we would be able to buy components in larger quantities at lower prices, so the price of the Vig could be reduced. Every bolt that we buy for 25 cents at jobber prices can be bought by a major auto manufacturer for 4 or 5 cents. Our parts costs for a typical complete vehicle is about $60,000, and it takes about two man years to build. When a racer builds a modified, he will end up having $50,000 to $60,000 into it in parts when he's done. For a sprint car, he will end up with $80,000 to $100,000 into it. Our economies of scale are similar to building a race car like these, but we also have to pay for the labor. The price might seem high until you know what it costs to build race cars. A roller Indy car (without engine or trans) will run $350,000 to $400,000. That's what it costs to get this kind of ultra light weight and ultra high performance.
Q. How long does it take to get a Vigillante?
From the time that an order has been placed and accepted by Vigillante, it takes approximately a year to build a vehicle. We do not build for inventory. Each vehicle is built to order. Also, we prefer to batch a few orders together so we can build a group of tubs while we have those fixtures out, then build a batch of front subframes and front wheel assemblies while that tooling is out. The same with the rear subframes. There are no fixed rules on this, but we try to improve efficiency as much as possible to keep costs down while still meeting the customers needs. If you have an urgent requirement, please let us know.
Q. Is the Vigillante classified as a motorcycle or a car?
As stated in our web site, three-wheeled vehicles weighing under 1,500 pounds are classified under U.S. Federal regulations as a motorcycle. The Vigillante prototype was inspected in New York in February 1993 as a motorcycle. It is licensed and insured as a motorcycle. The Vigillante complies with all Federal regulations as a motorcycle. Also, as a domestically manufactured motorcycle, it uses the same exemption that was written into the emissions laws for Harleys, and requires no emissions equipment in most states. Because the Vigillante can be shipped to customers anywhere in the world, it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that it complies with all of their local regulations and requirements. There is no way that we could attempt to determine and keep up with local regulations around the world.
Q. Can you provide us with more information?
We are in the process of preparing a 30 minute video that will show the Vigillante in action on the street. You'll take a ride in the Vigillante. Great fun! The video will be available for $25. Postage will be more to foreign addresses.Send us letter with your address or call so we can determine how much the postage will be. Then, you can send us a check for the items ordered, plus the postage.
Q. How many vehicles have you built?
The Vigillante shown on our web site is the 28th vehicle we have built since 1974. This is the first vehicle we have built with the Chevy V8 engine. Our patterns are currently made for the small block Chevy, so that is the only V8 engine available at this time. If you want something else, call me.
Q. How much room does the Vigillante have inside?
I am 6' 4" and 240 pounds, and I am very comfortable in the Vig. I have plenty of leg, hip, elbow, shoulder and head room. I can even wear a hat inside the Vig. The driver's seat has more room than most full size sedans, without a wheel well encroaching into your left foot area. There is a very comfortable dead-pedal for your left foot at just the right angle for your ankle. The steering wheel is absolutely dead center, not offset to the right from the driver's seat like so many mass production vehicles. The driver and passenger seats are in tandem, and the rear seat has more than enough room for a large adult to ride comfortably for long periods. The tub is 8 feet long inside - huge compared to most sedans. Driving the Vig is as comfortable as cruising down a freeway in your recliner, with your arms resting on top of the padded sides of the monocoque tub. Very comfy!