If you haven’t heard about the Vaydor G35,you’re in for a treat! Forget spending a few hundred grand to make a statement on the streets. When this car first came out, you could have your very own for just $15,000!
The Vaydor has been driven by NBA superstars and big-screen supervillains,and although it seemed like the Vaydor disappeared from the face of the Earth for a while,I’ll let you in on a little secret…THE VAYDOR IS BACK BABY!
We’re going to tell you everything you need to know about how this badass body kit was born,and how you can get your very own supercar kit on a budget that’ll make your friends think you won the lotto!
Seriously, this thing’s gonna blow your mind.So sit down, strap in, and keep reading,because here’s everything you need to know about the Vaydor G35!
The Beginning
Let’s start at the beginning. In 2013, Designer Matt McEntegart had a dream of making that exotic supercar style affordable for the average person.
But he didn’t know how to draw… so with a few bucks, a lot of foam and a dream,Matt miraculously sculpted the design of the Vaydor himself, and designed a way of mounting it on a used Infiniti G35 to transform it in to a supercar. Matt started mass producing these kits so that other Infiniti owners could get a taste of that supercar style without breaking the bank.
When they first came out, the Vaydor kits were selling for just $11,000! And they could fit a Infiniti G35 chassis that was built between 2004 and 2007.If you were buying a used G35 back in 2013, you could easily get one for just $4,000.That’s a total of $15,000 for a car that looks like this!RIDICULOUS!
It’s easy to see why this badass kit caught like wildfire among Infiniti owners.Who wouldn’t want to own the sleekest car on the streets for the same price as a Honda Civic?This kit even became so popular that it was featured on the Netflix show Car Masters: Rust to Riches,former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal owns one,and it was used as the Joker’s demonic driving machine in the movie Suicide Squad.
And the producers of the movie didn’t just settle for your average Vaydor G35 (as if there even such a thing),they had their souped-up Fini painted a magnificent magenta and had the interior outfitted with custom white leather.I must admit, I’m a little jealous of Jared Leto for getting to drive that thing.
But as you know, all good things must come to an end eventually.No, the Vaydor G35 has not been wiped off the face of the Earth,contrary to what car guys worldwide thought for a while, but its price tag has jumped up way out of most peoples’ budgets.
The Buyout
Back in 2019, McEntegart and the other guys over at Vaydor Bodykits made the decision to sell the design to Custom Crafted Cars,who is now the sole manufacturer of the Vaydor. I guess McEntegart’s dream to deliver supercar style to the world at an affordable rate had a price on it.But whatever Custom Crafted Cars paid for this dazzling design,they’re definitely making a KILLING on it now… at the expense of the rest of us.
Sadly, no, they don’t offer the kit for a mere $11,000 anymore, but actually sell Vaydor G35’s as entire turn-key sports cars, with their fancy engine configurations and range of other top-notch features,for around $150,000.Yeah, prices went up by 1,000%.
It would seem that the dream of a neck-breaking supercar for less than a new Camry had died… well… more on why that may not be true in a minute.
Let’s talk about what you get for that $150,000. What does the Vaydor G35 actually bring to the table with its custom kit?No, it’s not just your dad’s G35 with a couple cosmetic touches.Let’s take a look at what the Vaydor is really made of.You might be surprised.
Even though you’ve got to pay a whopping $150,000 to drive one of these bad boys,90% of the parts used to build one of these villainous supercars are recycled from the original body of the base G35.That being said, there are quite a few modifications made to these parts before they slap them back on the original chassis.And if you’re wondering why McEntegart decided to build his imitation supercar on a G35,it’s because that chassis is like the Holy Grail of budget-friendly base frames. The perfect foundation for this badass body.
The main body modifications include a rear main body shell, fenders and bumper, 2 door outers and 2 door inners, a hood skin, a rear floating wing, and a pair of lower rocker splitters.These are the bread and butter of what gives the Vaydor G35 its signature supercar style.
But the sugar and spice on top is all the sweet little features that complete this kit.DOT headlights, a center tail light, 3 rear exit vents, 2 fender vents, 2 after-door vents,and 2 side roof rails.
It’s the conscious combination of a charged-up body design with the attention to detail in the minor features that makes this recycled supercar so special.Oh! And I forgot to mention that if you plan on drifting this thing around turns like you’re running from the Batmobile,the Vaydor’s got an 8-point roll cage that’ll keep you safe even if you tumble down the Grand Canyon.But… yeah, I wouldn’t suggest it.
And IMAGINE! There was a time when all of these features were offered for a lot less than $150,000!But the main difference between the Vaydor body kits that were selling for $11,000 and the pre-made Vaydors coming out of Vaydor today,is what’s going on under the hood.They offer a range of different engine configurations to make your Vaydor actually perform more like a supercar.
You can get a 6.2L V8 supercharged Corvette ZO6 that hits between 600 and 800 horsepower, a 6.2L V8 Built Twin Turbo LS3 spitting out between 800 and 1000, or an electric motor. But that’s not all.They let you choose between automatic, 6-speed manual, or paddle shift transmission,
So if you thought you were paying over $150,000 for just some body modifications,THINK AGAIN! But if you really want a Vaydor, and you really don’t want to pay that much,you may be in luck.
The Comeback
A company called Carolina Vaydor has recently begun offering just the body kit on their website.So if you’re a serious D.I.Y. guy,you might be able to get your dream car a whole lot cheaper.
The kit they’re offering costs $15,000 for just the exterior body.If you want the other optional features like interior fiberglass, custom upholstery, Lambo-style hinge doors, or Amani Forged 22-inch wheels,that’s going to cost you a couple thousand extra.But still certainly less than $150,000.
And they even have a handy little assembly guide to walk you through the steps of assembling your own Vaydor G35.BUT REMEMBER!This process involves taking your perfectly intact G35 and completely dismantling it.So if you aren’t super confident in your auto body skills,I wouldn’t even attempt it.The worst thing would be to have a naked G35 chassis sitting in your garage,and a feeling of regret and defeat in your heart.
But if you got the knowledge and the skills required, GO FOR IT!With $15,000 and a bit of elbow grease, the Vaydor is still a cheap car that makes you look rich!
But before you go clicking all over the internet like a madman looking for your very own Vaydor kit, you should know that these cars may not be as great as they look.It tends to feel like you’re steering a large marine vessel when you’re going around a turn,it’s pretty hard to see out of them,and all things considered, they’re pretty much all bark and no bite when it comes to power unless you get a Carolina Vaydor with one of those Built Twin Turbo LS3’s.
If you’re expecting supercar performance,you’re going to be a hater of the Vaydor.
The Future
BUT HOLD ON! There’s a new pseudo-supercar taking to the streets that gives the Vaydor a real run for its money,and it’s called the Gagliardi Vex.This body kit, built by Gagliardi Design, is meant to transform a Porsche 986 or 987 into a wide-body beast that’ll make everyone assume you made a deal with the devil.
This custom shell is made purely of sheet metal,and sits about 6.5 feet wide and about 3.5 feet tall,and it’s built on that super-sturdy chassis of the 987 that makes the Vex feel a bit more like a supercar than the Vaydor does.
And the best part?These pimped-out Porsche’s are going for as low as $45,000 fully made! That’s right, no assembly required.
However, if you’re into the idea of building up your own Vex,unfortunately, Gagliardi Design is NOT offering just the body kit to the public right now.But hey, maybe send them an email and try to do some convincing… could work… maybe.
But even if you buy the pre-made Vex, you’ve got to admit,that’s a whole heap of style for just $45,000.