design process

I was wondering what kind of engines can be used in custom cars. I was thinking of making my own car, not a kit car just my own car with a bunch of friends. Can you order new engines and other parts directly from a manufacture? We'd like to make one design, the 12 of us, and then each of us modify it to our own likings. Right now it's just a dream kind of thing we're still pondering the possibilities, but I'd like to start with the following questions if at all possible. I'm only 15 going on 16 so I'm still learning about all of this stuff but I grew up with a large family of engineers which kinda gave me a problem solving "it can be done" mindset. The questions I have not been able to find answer so far are as follows:

What does it take to make a car legal in CA?

Where can you get engines, tranny's, and other misc parts? I know where to get like rims and stuff but as far as other things go I'm not sure. I guess and auto store would be a good place. Can you just buy a replacement engine from a manufacturer?

Has anyone here custom built their own cars?

What tools would you need to build a custom car beside the obvious: Tube bender, Welder, and other hand tools.

How about fiberglass for the body, The way my dad has always done fiberglass is by making a mold first or fiberglassing over something else. Isn't there an English wheel or something that can be used to make body parts for the car which you can use to make a fiberglass body?

Do you guys recommend any books for this particular endeavor? I've already started reading "Chassis Engineering" and "RAce Car Design", at least that's what I think the last one is called.

How do you fit glass and whatnot to the body? Surely there's got to be a way to do all this.

See right now I'm just in highschool, but I've had idea's to make my own custom car one day and I'm just elaborating on it. I'd like to become an engineer of some sort, almost all my friends are engineer type people whow want to become engineers. There's one that's an artist, anyway. I suppose I have a billion more questions to ask and whatnot. What I'm really looking for I guess is hope, something to look forward to as I go through highschool and college. Something to look forward to when I get out. I'm going to take up kart racing soon as well, I'm almost done saving up my money to buy a used kart.

I appreciate all the help thank you very much. ONe last question:

Is this the right place to ask for this kind of help?

I have been drawing up plans to make myself a car recently. its going to be very basic just for racing but not in any class or organization. Kinda jsut a thing to see if i can. i dont know if you plan on making a car with passenger seats or anything fancy like that but i had planned on just making a basic frame with roll cage out of steel tubing ( or aluminum if i can find it cheap and learn to weld it) and then jsut bolt or weld on steel or aluminum body panels and then put a little motor in it like from a honda like a b18 or maybe a 80's VW engine and carbeurate it or even a I4 motorcycle engine so i could use a cool sequential gearbox. I'll pobably get the engine from a junk yard but you can order them from places like summit depending on what you are looking for. thats for muscle cars mostly but you can get honda engines from japan and they are pretty cheap. I plan on using plexiglass for the windows to save weight and because it's easy to work with. I am mostly doing this so i can learn more about aerodynamics.

Oh, an english wheel is used to form metal to curved shapes. It cant be used on fiberglass because it is not maleable like metals. it is basically a steel ball with an axle through the center horizontally with a steel wheel above it held together with pressure and then you put the metal between them and work the metal back and forth for a long time to get the shape you want

To build a car is very expensive and complex.

There are several ways to design a chassi, basicly a monocoque or a tubular frame are the options if we want a strong light chassi. A monocoque chassi can be made in carbon fibre and a honeycomb material (like aluminum) or simply in aluminum. Tubular frames are done in steel, usually T45 or Cr-Mo tubes, aluminum can be used but has large problems with fatigue so the chassi must be replaced/heat treated with calculated intervals.

Body panels can be made from carbon or glass fibre, all panels need their own molds so for a complete car there will be a few molds.

Windows can usually be made in Lexan plastic screwed into the body (plexiglas should not be used).

Not knowing how CA law works, you need to find your equivalent of PA's Title 75 (vehicle code). In there are all the rules and regs you need to know to build a car that will be inspectable and registerable. Its not hard technically, its not even all that costly. 'Kit' or 'Replica' cars are built all the time (here a Kit car is a unique creation, a Replica is the same, but it is designed to look like another vehicle but may not conform to the same standards)

For example, the PA code defines the minimum braking performance, lighting color, position, intensity and location, basic framing parameters like bumper hieghts, scrub lines, noise, width, mud flaps, glazing etc.

since you build it, a kit/replica is exempt from emissions, 5mph standards, rollover, roof crush, side impact etc (this changes DRASTICALLY if you intend it for public sale other than a replica/kit)

As for drivetrains, dont reinvent the wheel (literally) just graft something from a fine GM or ford and keep the ECM intact, not only will it start and run well, but it will be environmentally responsible.

Thank you guys all. The project is still a long way away, I don't have a place to build, my education, or funding yet but that will all come with time. Right now I've got to get my A+ certification for computers so I can work odd comp jobs. I used to work them but I found out that you can get paid a bunch more just by showing your A+ certs...