Building A Kit Car To Save Money? It May Cost You More Than You Think

We' all daydream sometimes, like when seeing an an iconic original Shelby AC Cobra on the auction block that sells for seven figures. In that moment you might think "I could build one of those. It's just a fiberglass shell and a big engine, how hard could it be?" 

The Cobra is a very popular kit car, but a little research will reveal that building one isn't a frugal endeavor. True, you won't spend over a million dollars like you would on a real Cobra, but building a kit car in your garage isn't a task to be undertaken if you're working on a tight budget. That's true even if the initial investments on a kit and a chassis don't seem out of reach financially.

No one here at SlashGear is saying that you shouldn't build a kit car in your garage; it's a great way for any gearhead to put their wrenching skills to use and yields a rewarding final product. I've been witness to and participated in many kit car builds, and they can be quite a bit of fun. In most cases building a kit car will be cheaper than buying a running original antique or classic, but it's not an easy or inexpensive process even with the right tools and know-how.

Factory Five Racing was founded in 1995 and sells reproduction kits for blasts from the past like 1930s hot rods and Shelby AC Cobras and Daytona Coupes from the '60s. Factory Five's least expensive kit is the Mk4, which looks like a Shelby Cobra roadster. The base kit is priced at a very tempting $14,990 and comes with the following: body and frame, chassis panels, brake and fuel lines, steering and cooling kits, lighting, seats, and a dashboard with gauges and switches. All you need to add is the running gear from a 1987 to 2004 Ford Mustang, which sounds simple enough from here. If you already have a beater Mustang laying around (lucky you) then the perceived cost of entry seems reasonable. 

But before you click "buy" and eagerly wait for that large crate to arrive in your driveway, there are a few other things you'll need to purchase or make arrangements for. A big garage is a must to house you and your project while you build it. A lift is also essential, and depending on the state of your donor you might also need an engine hoist. Kit cars are often unpainted aluminum or fiberglass, so a paint booth is also a big help. Whether you decide to rent or buy shop space and gear you're going to add plenty to the cost of your build.

That $14,990 will start to grow quite a bit, and quickly. You'll probably find yourself topping off your toolbox with some new purchases as well as spending to clear some unexpected snags once you start working. If that doesn't scare you and you have good friends to beg or barter time, equipment, or expertise from then we aren't going to stop you: by all means, buy everyone some pizza and get to work. It's important to note that building a kit car in your garage is probably cheaper than buying a running classic, but it will take many hours of work and probably several trips to an auto parts store and/or salvage yard.

If all this seems unmanageable then you might have to appreciate your dream cars from a distance like I do; playing Gran Turismo and hunting online for one of the classic cars that can be had for under $10,000. Also keep in mind that Factory Five is just one option for cool kit cars. Meyers Manx has modernized the dune buggy with a $6k kit and Shell Valley sells a '29 Model A roadster kit for $16,995 complete or under $5,000 just for the body. Regardless of which kit you buy and how much you spend, you'll still have to factor in dozens of hours for assembly, gathering parts and supplies, and troubleshooting. If you're taking unpaid time off from work to build your kit car you'll have to add that lost income to the cost of the project as well.