Kit cars

Kit cars /kit karz/ noun (plural)

Kit cars are automobiles that are sold as a set of parts, which are then assembled by the buyer or a third party, rather than being sold as a complete, factory-built vehicle. This is the ultimate expression of shed-based automotive ambition, a particularly British phenomenon born from a love of tinkering and a clever way to avoid paying tax. The premise was simple: a manufacturer would sell you a swoopy fibreglass body and a chassis, and you would provide the engine, suspension, and many weekends of scraped knuckles from a rusty donor vehicle. It was a way to get a car that looked like a Ferrari for the price of a Ford Anglia, assuming your own engineering skills were up to the task.

The Full Story of Kit Cars

The British kit car scene grew out of the "specials" movement of the 1950s, where enthusiasts would build their own sports cars on the chassis of a cheap, pre-war Austin 7. Entrepreneurs soon realised they could sell ready-made fibreglass bodies and improved chassis to these builders, and an industry was born.

The real catalyst for the boom, however, was a tax loophole. In post-war Britain, fully assembled cars were subject to a hefty Purchase Tax, but component parts were exempt. By selling a car as a collection of bits for the customer to assemble, the final price was dramatically lower. For many manufacturers, this meant the "kit" was almost complete, requiring the buyer to do little more than bolt on the wheels to legally qualify for the tax break.

The 1960s and 70s were the golden age. Dozens of small companies sprang up, offering an incredible variety of fibreglass fantasies. The heart of the process was the "donor" car. The kit car builder would first have to acquire a tired but mechanically sound vehicle, typically a Triumph Herald, Morris Minor, or Ford Cortina. They would then spend weeks stripping it of its engine, gearbox, suspension, and wiring loom to transplant into their new, exotic-looking shell.

The undisputed king of the kit car world was the Lotus Seven. Designed by Colin Chapman, it was sold in kit form to make it affordable for club racers. It was no mere replica; it was a serious, high-performance machine and the purest expression of the lightweight sports car ethos. Other companies, like Ginetta and TVR, also offered their early models in kit form. The scene was a wild mix of genuinely clever engineering and frankly dangerous sheds on wheels, from sleek sports cars to bizarre VW-based beach buggies and comical Lamborghini Countach replicas with Ford Fiesta engines.

The abolition of Purchase Tax in 1973 removed the main financial incentive, and the introduction of stricter safety regulations in later years made it much harder for the amateur to get their creation on the road. The industry shrank, but it never died. Companies like Caterham, the spiritual successor to the Lotus Seven, and Westfield continue to thrive, selling sophisticated, high-quality kits to serious enthusiasts who still believe the greatest cars are the ones you build yourself.

For The Record

Why was it cheaper to build a car from a kit?

Primarily to avoid Purchase Tax. In the UK, new cars were heavily taxed, but component parts were not. By selling the car as a collection of parts for the customer to assemble, the final price was significantly lower. It also saved the manufacturer considerable labour costs.

What was a typical "donor" car?

The ideal donor was cheap, plentiful, and had simple mechanicals that were easy to remove. The Triumph Herald was a favourite because its entire body could be unbolted from its separate chassis, leaving a perfect rolling platform. The VW Beetle was the universal donor for beach buggies and other rear-engined creations.

Do you have to be a master mechanic to build one?

In the golden age, a decent set of spanners and a lot of misplaced optimism were often enough. Today's kits from companies like Caterham are highly sophisticated, with comprehensive instructions and well-engineered parts, but still require a good level of mechanical skill, patience, and a well-stocked toolbox.

Are kit cars safe?

Their safety record was, well, variable, and entirely dependent on the skill and sobriety of the builder. However, since the introduction of the Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) test, and its successor the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test, all kit cars in the UK must pass a rigorous government inspection of their design, construction, and safety before they are allowed on the road.

What is the most famous kit car of all time?

It has to be the Lotus Seven, and its modern descendant, the Caterham Seven. It is the perfect embodiment of the kit car ethos: a simple, lightweight, high-performance car that offers one of the purest driving experiences available, often assembled by the owner in their own garage.