A kit car is a car that is put together by the customer, rather than the manufacturer. The buyer purchases the parts and assembles them to make a working car. The contents of a kit vary depending on where you purchase them from;
some may be complete, but for the majority of kits the major mechanical systems such as the engine and other transmission parts, need to be sourced from donor vehicles and fitted in to the kit car. The end result should always be a fully functioning car.
Building a kit car can give you a great sense of achievement and pride and is a brilliant, cost effective way to end up with a model that looks like a Formula One car! It is a fantastic way to get yourself the car of your dreams without having to rob a bank first!
If you are a beginner to kit car building however, you will need to spend some time undertaking research and putting in some planning and preparation for the build. If you want to achieve great results with a kit car, then your planning needs to focus on the following:
Having the right resources & doing the right research
The kit you buy should obviously come with full instructions on how to assemble the car from start to finish. However, doing some research online and joining forums for kit car builders can yield you all sorts of useful nuggets of information, tips, and pearls of wisdom, along with ways to save money and get the best results.
There are many forums and websites for builders of specific models of kit car, but the following have some great general information for those starting out in kit car building;
Where can you get the car parts?
The parts can be expensive, and therefore it is very important to know where you can get them at a reasonable price. Here are a few options you have available when it comes to buying parts;
Buy a donor car
This is one of the cheapest ways for you to get all the parts you need for building your new car, but ensure that it is in good condition before making the purchase.
You don’t need to be too concerned about how the donor car looks, but rather how it runs. The aesthetics can be improved relatively easily, but if the other parts aren’t working, then you’ve got a big, expensive problem to fix.
Junkyards
Always a great place to find car parts! There’s usually one not too far away if you live in a town or a city, and hunting down the parts you need can be really fun. It’s like a great big scavenger hunt.
Once you have what you are looking for, you can sandblast the parts so they look as good as new. This way of finding parts may take time, but it will definitely save you money.
Parts suppliers
If you are not able to find a donor car or a junkyard near where you live, then you’ll probably need to contact a parts supplier. Online suppliers are often much cheaper than a retail store, and will usually present you with more choice of what you’re looking for.
Parts Forums
Alternatively, join parts selling communities online and interact with people who have done this before and know where to find the things you need. Make use of their wisdom and experience and it can also be a great place to pick up spare parts from other users.
Builder demands
Now that you have acquired all of the parts needed to start the project, it is important to prepare your building space and get your building tools together.
You want everything ready to go from the start as having to stop every time you haven’t got something you need will make it a long and frustrating process and makes it less likely you’ll complete the project. And a half-finished car is definitely not the aim of the exercise!
Tools
When it comes to tools, there can be no shortcuts. You need a good toolset, filled with all the necessary key tools for your project. Most of them are basic and easy to acquire, but further down the line, you may find that you need some specific tools for different tasks that cannot be handled by a basic tool kit.
If you have friends who can loan you some of their tools, to save you the expense of going out and purchasing everything new, then definitely make use of them.
You are likely to need all of the following:
A screwdriver and socket set – This is arguably the most important tool set when building a kit car, and all mechanics need a full set of these.
Pliers and wire cutters – Building a kit car comes with a ton of electrical jobs such as installing the stereo, wiring new headlights, installing the speakers, etc. For these jobs, you will need wire cutters and pliers, so ensure you have them in your toolbox.
Torque wrench – A torque wrench is used for tightening or loosening bolts such as those on the car’s wheels. Remember, each bolt and nut has a unique torque requirement and using the wrong wrench can result in overtightened, or undertightened bolts which can damage the car’s parts so use the right tools for each job. A torque wrench that can therefore be adjusted for different measurements is an invaluable tool to have in your home or garage.
Other tools you will need include;
- A deadbolt
- Work lights
- Latex gloves
- Cable ties
- Last but not least on your list of essentials to get started on your kit car, is patience. Building a kit car will test your patience to the limits at times, but it is every bit as rewarding and enjoyable when you work your way through a challenging element, as it is aggravating when you can’t get it right!
- Keep going, and make use of the friendly kit car building forums and chat rooms online where you can share your love of the hobby and pick up invaluable advice and moral support.
- Building a kit car is an amazing accomplishment and a great, fun, rewarding hobby. And at the end of it, you’ve got yourself a car that will draw attention everywhere you go, and that you’re proud to be seen in.