Sure, building a car model is fun, but putting together a life-size, working version of a car you can actually drive is so much more satisfying. Kit cars are essentially prefabricated parts you assemble yourself to build a car. Many kit cars are designed to resemble rare or far too expensive models that are usually out of reach for the average budget, such as the Ford GT40, Porsche 356, and Shelby Cobra. That said, a few are true originals that look and drive like nothing else on the road.
Building the car in your own garage eliminates the assembly cost, which makes it a lot cheaper. For some kits, you need a donor car, or a specific model and some of its major components. Donor cars don't have to be in perfect condition, and buying one cheaply can keep the price of building a kit car low.
Other kits provide nearly all the parts you need to assemble a working car model. Sometimes you can buy the kit in installments to help with affordability. Buying the parts this way also gives you time to complete each step as you go, so you don't get overwhelmed during the building process. Quite a few companies make kit cars today, but they don't all focus on high-performance models. Some of the top companies offering kit cars include Factory Five, Burton Car Company, DDR Motorsports, and Dakar Cars Limited. Here, you'll find details about some of the most affordable high-performance kit cars available and the companies making them.
Exomotive brought the MEV Exocet to the United States in 2013, but the company's founder, Kevin Patrick, took an immediate interest in the Exocet soon after it was released in 2010. Kevin built his own MEV Exocet and loved it so much that in 2011, he went to MEV headquarters to secure a place as the only Exocet provider in the U.S. But the Exocet required refinement before it could be brought to the country, which meant a collaboration between Kevin Patrick and Steve Mills, founder of MEV.
Touted as the easiest kit car in the world to build, even inexperienced mechanics and hobbyists can construct the Exomotive Exocet if they put in the effort. Build time is estimated at around 100 hours, and the starting price for the Exocet Base model is an affordable $7,999. You'll need a 1990-2005 Mazda Miata donor car (next-generation Miatas won't cut it) and a Mazda, Honda, or GM engine to complete the build. A mid-level MEV is available for $8,299, and it adds a roll bar tube, harness mounting tubes, and more front and rear downtubes. An off-road/race package can make it easy to wander from the pavement in your Exocet, but it will cost you $8,999 to upgrade.
Under the hood, the Exocet can support Mazda's 1.6- and 1.8-liter engines, Honda's K- and J-Series blocks, and the EcoTec, LFX V6, and LSX V8 powertrains from GM. The ultimate power, torque, and top speed for the Exocet depend on the engine equipped and other customization features and mods made during assembly, which might affect the car's weight. Output generally ranges from 100 to 700 horsepower.
Dedicated to supporting car lovers who want to experience the satisfaction of building their own cars, Speedster Werks is a kit car company that's been in business for more than 20 years. Although Speedster Werks is well-known for its Porsche 356 A Speedster replica kit cars, the company partakes in several other ventures as well. In addition to prototyping, Speedster Werks takes on bespoke and small vehicle projects, production of small-scale parts, and glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) repairs. The company is based in the U.K., but the 356 A Speedster kit car can be imported to the U.S.
Everyone's drawn to the classic look of the Porsche 356 A Speedster, but who can afford one? With fewer than 5,000 of this model produced, not only is it rare, but it also fetches a significant price at auction, with models selling for $200,000 and up. However, if you're willing to put in a little elbow grease, you can get a 356 A Speedster replica kit car from Speedster Werks for £6,750, which converts to about $9,120 USD.
Building the 356 A Speedster replica requires a shortened VW chassis, as the GRP body shell in the Speedster Werks 356 A Speedster kit fits perfectly on this frame. The kit includes the front and rear engine hoods, one-piece doors, headlight bowls, bumpers, and a prefitted front luggage area. It also comes with all the necessary hinges and an engine bay kit. All that's left to contribute is the engine, and this car's ready to build.
Bill Bonadio is a serious car enthusiast who began building his own cars when he was a teenager. Inevitably, this led to him starting his own kit car company, DioCars, in the '90s. It all started with two amateur car builders in the '60s who made a replica of the Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage" using a Triumph TR-3 chassis. When Bonadio came across a version of the Maserati replica in the '70s, he thought it was the real deal. After realizing it was a replica, he contacted one of the original builders about becoming a dealer.
It took some time, but eventually, Bonadio was able to build and sell the Dio Tipo 61 kit car, which can be built on the chassis of several models with anything from a two- to an eight-cylinder engine. The specifications for the chassis are pretty flexible for the Tipo 61 — a rarity for kit cars. Basically, any frame with a wheelbase between 88 and 102 inches will work, as long as the rear track is 45 inches and the front track falls somewhere between 45.5 and 52 inches.
A Dio Tipo 61 car kit costs $9,500, but this only gets you the front and rear body sections, lower body panels, and the molded door sections and two doors. Other components, such as the windshield and hood hinges, cost extra but won't add too much to the overall price. An original Maserati "Birdcage" from the '50s has an estimated value between $5 and $6 million, making the price of the Dio Tipo 61 kit car even more appealing.
DF Kit Car got its start all because of the immense satisfaction that comes with building a car from the ground up. After the company's owner completed his own car build using a Chevrolet Cobalt donor car and parts he fabricated with CNC equipment from his family business, he wanted to share the experience with others. So in 2015, DF Kit Car was born. By focusing on creating an easy-to-build, fun-to-drive kit car, DF Kit Car is making a name for itself in the kit car community.
The DF Goblin V1 is the first kit car to come from the company, but a Goblin V2 is on the horizon. For now, you'll need a 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt or Pontiac G5 donor car to get started with the Goblin V1 build. The kit is sold in three stages, but you only need the first two to build a working Goblin V1. The third stage is optional, as it only includes accessories and other parts that allow for customization, no critical operating components.
A base Goblin V1 kit will run you $9,950 for both stage one and two, plus the cost of the donor car and, if needed, the engine. Of course, the price of the kit car varies depending on the donor car model, drivetrain, and powertrain. If you want options like a new parking brake, customized steering wheel, or tow bar, it will cost a little more. The Goblin V1 can support engine blocks with outputs that range from 140 to 260 hp and either an automatic or manual transmission, putting you in complete control of the final outcome of your Goblin V1 build.
In 2001, Diego Grullon combined his 25 years of experience in the racing industry with the talent of a team of car specialists to launch DDR Motorsport. The goal was to create an impressive component kit car that could rise above the competition. Innovation, quality craftsmanship, and a focus on supercar design elements make the kit cars from DDR worth buying and building. Based in Florida, DDR Motorsport fabricates a lineup of relatively affordable GT kit cars, as well as doing some prototyping and manufacturing for customers.
Although the base price for the Grullon GT8 high-performance kit car is almost $20,000 — which could buy you a great used car — the car that this kit is based on, the McLaren F1, typically sells for $20 million or more at auction. When put in perspective, DDR's self-build version that uses a Corvette C5 donor car is certainly, and it sure looks more expensive than it is. An upgrade to the Grand Prix version will jump the price of this kit car to between $23,000 and $26,000.
With the kit, you get the components to create a sophisticated supercar, including a welded tubular steel frame and hand-laid fiberglass body. In the engine bay, any of GM's longitudinally mounted LS1 to LS7 V8 engines will fit, so you have a few choices. A six-speed transaxle, shifter, and cables from a 2000-2004 Porsche Boxster S donor car provide smooth gear changes, but you'll need an engine-to-transaxle adapter plate to mate the gearbox to the engine.
Factory Five is a big name in the kit car industry. It is, after all, the largest kit car component manufacturer in the world. Located in Massachusetts, Factory Five has a massive manufacturing facility dedicated to creating the parts necessary to build each of its exceptional kit cars. While many kit car companies have limited model options, Factory Five offers hot rods, coupes, roadsters, and trucks to appeal to a wide customer base. The company provides top-notch customer service, ensuring an enjoyable kit car experience, from building to driving.
A complete Factory Five Mk4 Roadster kit is affordably priced at $20,990. You can pick up the base kit for $14,990, but the complete kit is a better deal because you need fewer donor parts to finish the build. Going with the complete kit means you really only need to supply a working Ford engine, transmission, fuel pump, battery, and rear end with brakes, wheels, and tires. Everything else comes with the kit.
The Mk4 Roadster is modeled after the Shelby 427 Cobra of the '60s, an iconic yet extremely rare model. During the Cobra's production run, fewer than 1,000 models came off the line. At auction, a 427 Cobra can bring in more than $1 million, putting the car well out of reach for pretty much everyone. With the Mk4 Roadster, you get to put the car together yourself, which makes driving the kit car all the more enjoyable when you finally get to take it out on the road.
Kit car companies strive to make their products easy to assemble, but that doesn't mean just any gearhead has the fortitude to build a car from the ground up. Yes, you might start with a donor car, but there's a lot of time and effort that goes into putting all the pieces of a kit car together. So the main thing it takes to build a kit car, aside from the burning desire to drive a car you built yourself, of course, is the determination to see the job through.
Having a garage with enough space to strip a donor car and then build a kit car is another necessity if you want to build your own car. You definitely want to keep the parts out of the elements as you work, and a place to keep everything organized is also nice. Mechanic's tools are a must, but you can also check the kit car maker's website and building guides to see if you'll need any special tools or equipment to complete your car.
Don't overlook finding a solid community of kit car builders who can help and support you through the building process. Many kit cars take about 100 hours or more to finish, and knowing people who have built a kit car can encourage you to keep going with your project.
