Do-it-yourself car building needs to make a comeback

Before going any further, I want to define the kit cars I’m thinking about. Unfortunately kit cars in the United States are usually synonymous with turning Fieros into Ferraris (remember the Audi R8 made from a Ford Probe?) These are not the ones I’m thinking about. My thoughts are about the great European tradition of using everyday car parts to create a small and light racer.

“To add speed, add lightness” was to motto of one of the most successful kit makers, Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus. There’s plenty of fat to be cut because today’s cars are heavy. The masses want creature comforts and safety features; two standards real drivers are willing to relax for a great car.

There will always be the simpler route of just modifying existing components on current cars, but that’s no fun. A real kit means weekends and late nights spent in a garage building a custom machine for one purpose, driving pleasure.

The timing is right because there is a new generation of enthusiasts out there who got their first taste of automotive passion watching the Fast and the Furious. The next generation of fanboys grew up with tuned cars and won’t be satisfied with doing the same level of customization that was done by their older siblings or possibly parents. For them a do-it-yourself job goes beyond just turbocharging and reprogramming a Japanese engine. They are going to take it one step further. Gone will be the useless massive rear spoiler, in its place will be a whole new car body.

Instead of adding parts to a Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit or Honda Civic, the next generation could buy cheap but good car and strip out the unnecessary bulk. Instead of adding wide fenders and ground effects, the whole body gets the axe and replaced with a sleek two-seat open top roadster. New companies will form to build fiberglass bodies to replace the old sedans, and because its fiberglass, it can easily be modified by the end user. It’s the ultimate form of customization.

Kit cars are far from perfect. If a donor car is used, metalwork will be needed to reinforce the frame because the body is an integral part of modern car’s structure, and disassembling sensitive technology such as air bag sensors will be tough. Even when it’s all done, the cars still have to pass safety tests that usually consist of checking for adequate brakes and seat belts. Finally once the car is deemed roadworthy, there are always problems with fit and finish not being up to production standards. But all this can be forgiven for one reason: you are a driver, and you escaped the status quo.