Q: How do you get auto insurance for a Kit Car?
A: This will depend on a few things such as... How much will the car be driven, for
what type of use was it built, and is it a custom built or re-body. If it is to be
used for everyday use or off roading and is titled as a re-body, then your personal
auto insurance agent should be able to help you. Most insurance companies will
treat it as the make and model of the VIN # and you can add additional coverage
for custom treatments that you have done as a "rider" to the policy.
If the vehicle is custom built and has a state issued VIN # then a specialty
insurance is your best bet. Most of these companies have severe restrictions that
you have to meet. Some of these restrictions may include... 2500 miles a year
usage / All drivers must be over 25 years of age and had a licensee for 10 years /
Vehicle must be garaged / to name a few. However, if you meet their requirements,
the insurance is great! You can get an agreed on value of the vehicle for
replacement purposes and the rates are very reasonable. For instance...
Through Heacock Insurance Group Inc., you can insure a $35,000 dollar vehicle
With $100,000 dollars of Liability, Uninsured Motorist, Comprehensive and
collision deductible of $1,000 dollars and 2500 miles a year limit for $407.00
dollars a year! Not a bad deal at all! You will find some of these companies listed
in the "Other Sites" category and in the "Suppliers" Category under "Misc. other"
of Kit Car Building .

Q: What's the most difficult kit to build?
A: There is not much argument on this question. By far, the most complicated and difficult kit to build has to be the Lamborghini Countach or Diablo. From the scissor-like doors and multiple louvers, to the multi-faceted body angles (which are a body man's worst nightmare) the Lamborghini kits take the honors for "Most Difficult". A conservative estimate of all Lamborghini kits purchased in a kit form by an individual, at least 90% are never completed.

Q: How much will it cost to build a Replica Vehicle?
A: Many factors must be taken into consideration in answering this question…
What type of kit are you building? How exotic and authentic are you going to make the
vehicle? What type of  material will be used in the interior? What power train will be used?
Are you doing the work yourself or are you going to farm it out to professionals? If purchasing the unfinished kit from an individual, what will it cost to transport it?
   These are just a few of the questions that need to be addressed in estimating the cost of the project. Some kits can be completed for less than $10,000.00, and you can go as high as you want (and can afford) in making  the replica as realistic as you possibly can.

   From experience, it is safe to say the following …
If you have never done a kit before or about to begin on a kit that you have never dealt with, sit down and envision every single task that will have to be done in the building of the vehicle and put a price to it and then add it all up. Once you are sure that you have included everything in your estimate and have not over looked even the smallest detail such as every nut and bolt, every sheet of sandpaper, and every tool that you will need to buy or replace… take that final figure and DOUBLE IT !!!
You still may come up short but you will probably be closer to the actual cost than you originally estimated. Hopefully this may help keep you out of the "90% Club" of folks who never finish their Dream Car.


Q: What is the building sequence for a kit car to avoid unnecessary task duplication?
A:  Although Kit Cars differ dramatically, there are similarities shared by all of them in the building of the kit. Whether you are building a Countach on a Fiero donor car, or a Cobra on a custom tube frame, there is a basic building schedule that can be followed to help manage the tremendous work load before you. Pre-planning will help insure that the phases of the project are completed in such an order as to reduce the chances of having to undo work that has been completed because you might have over looked a step.
The most important part of any Kit Car assembly is PLANNING! There is nothing as disheartening as having to rip out completed work because something was over looked. The following is a general outline of a sequence of construction that may save you some time and heart ache.

• FACILITY- Have adequate facilities for the assembly of the Kit! Be sure there is plenty of room for you, the Kit, and the equipment you will need. Also, will the location where you are planning to build your Kit allow that type of work to be done there. Many a Kit Car builder have been stopped by zoning ordinances. Finally, will your use of the facility for this project over a long period of time cause any hardships. Your spouse may not take kindly to Loosing their parking spot for a year.
  
• FARM OUT WORK- Contact the shops you are interested in using for portions of your project that you will not be able to do yourself. Try to get an idea of what it might cost as well as what their schedule may be during the time you will need the work done and how long they might need to complete the work.
  
• TOOLS/EQUIPMENT- Be sure that if you don't have the required tools that may be needed in assembling the kit, that you have access to them when you have need of them. The same with equipment such as welders, and lifts to name a few.
  
• FINANCES- Plan for the unexpected! A good rule of thumb is... Think of every conceivable expense that you may incur and estimate the cost of the expense. Once you have come up with what you feel is a realistic figure, DOUBLE IT!!! It's better to be safe than sorry. Lack of funds and under estimation of the time needed to build a Kit Car are the two biggest causes of Kit Cars never being completed!
  
• CHART IT!- Put together a journal for purchases. Also, make a log of what you did on a daily basis and the time it took to do it, and a monthly calendar indicating your target dates for completion of various segments of construction and your actual progress. A photo album or video tape of the progression of your work is also recommended. Force yourself to up date and log in your progress after each work session. Time seems to fly and the memory of what you did last week and why you did it becomes muddled quickly. Record it while it's fresh in your mind.
  
• INPUT- Talk to others that have built Kit Cars. If you know of someone who has built the same kit or one similar to it, by all means contact them. They can be a wealth of information in planning your project, and they may well be able to help you in avoiding the mistakes and pitfalls that they had to over come during their construction. Manufacturers are also a helpful source of information. However, keep in mind that they are in business to sell you a Kit, so be aware of that as you question and receive information from them. What might be a simple and straight forward procedure to them, may be a very complex involved procedure that could very well be beyond you capabilities and expertise. Purchase the assembly manual or video from the manufacturer if possible.
  
• TRANSPORTING- Many people over look this portion of building. The cost of transporting a vehicle cross-country can become rather expensive. It's not unheard of to have costs in the one to two thousand dollar range if not higher when you are dealing with having to crate many parts up for shipping across country