How Long Does It Take to Build a Kit Car?

Building a kit car isn’t like buying a new car off the lot. You’re not just picking a color and driving away-you’re putting together a machine, piece by piece, often with your own hands. And that takes time. But how much? If you’ve ever looked at a kit car on a website and wondered, how long does a kit car take to finish, the answer isn’t simple. It depends on your experience, the complexity of the kit, how much time you can spare, and whether you’re doing it alone or with help.

Kit cars aren’t all the same

Not every kit car is built the same way. Some kits are just body panels bolted onto a donor car-like a VW Beetle or a Ford Mustang chassis. Others are full roll-cage, tube-frame designs with custom suspension, fuel systems, and wiring harnesses. The difference in build time can be months or even years.

Simple body kit conversions, where you swap out fenders, bumpers, and hood panels over a stock chassis, might take 40 to 80 hours total. That’s a weekend project if you’re serious. But a full kit car like a Caterham 7 clone, a Factory Five Racing Cobra, or a TVR Griffith replica? Those can take 300 to 800 hours-or more.

Why the huge range? Because some kits come with everything pre-cut, pre-drilled, and labeled. Others? You’re welding your own frame, fabricating brackets, routing brake lines, and figuring out how to mount an engine that wasn’t designed for the chassis. The more custom the kit, the longer it takes.

Experience matters more than you think

If you’ve never touched a wrench before, your first kit car project will take longer-not because you’re slow, but because you’re learning everything at once. Wiring a dashboard, aligning a suspension, bleeding brakes, setting up a fuel system-these aren’t skills you pick up overnight.

One builder in Perth spent 18 months on his first kit car. He had no mechanical background. He watched YouTube videos, borrowed tools from friends, and made mistakes-like installing the fuel pump backwards and flooding the engine twice. He didn’t give up. But he didn’t finish it in six months either.

On the other hand, a mechanic with 15 years of experience building race cars might knock out a mid-level kit car in 200 hours. That’s about 10 weeks if you work 20 hours a month. They know where the hidden pitfalls are. They’ve done the same job on five other cars. They don’t waste time guessing.

Time commitments: Weekend warrior vs. full-time builder

Your schedule is the biggest variable. Most people build kit cars in their spare time. That means weekends, evenings, and holidays. Here’s what that looks like in real time:

• Working 5-10 hours per week: 12 to 24 months
• Working 10-20 hours per week: 6 to 12 months
• Working 20+ hours per week (or full-time): 3 to 6 months

There’s no magic number. A builder in Adelaide spent 18 months on his kit car because he had two kids and a full-time job. He only worked on it when the weather was good and the kids were asleep. But he finished it-and drove it to the local car show every month.

Another guy in Brisbane worked 40 hours a week as a welder and spent another 20 hours a week on his kit car. He finished in five months. He didn’t have to rush-he just had the skills and the time.

What eats up the most time?

It’s not the body panels. It’s not even the engine swap. The real time-suckers are the things you don’t think about until you’re halfway through:

• Wiring the electrical system-Every light, sensor, gauge, and fuel pump needs power. If you’re using a modern ECU, you’re dealing with CAN bus systems, ground loops, and fuse boxes that don’t come pre-labeled.
• Fabricating brackets and mounts-Most kits give you a general idea of where things go. But you’ll need to make custom mounts for the radiator, fuel tank, exhaust, and steering column. That’s hours of measuring, cutting, welding, and testing.
• Alignment and suspension setup-Getting the toe, camber, and caster right isn’t just about handling. It’s about safety. If you get it wrong, your tires wear out in 500 miles.
• Paint and bodywork-Even if you buy a pre-painted kit, you’ll need to sand, fill, prime, and seal seams. One builder told me he spent 120 hours just on paint prep. The actual spray job took two days.
• Testing and troubleshooting-You’ll start the engine. It won’t run right. You’ll find a vacuum leak. Then a fuel pressure issue. Then a bad ground. Each fix takes time, parts, and patience.

These aren’t optional steps. They’re the reality of building something from scratch. If you’re hoping to finish in a weekend, you’re going to be disappointed.

How to speed things up

If you want to cut down the build time, here’s what actually works:

• Choose a kit with a donor car-Using a common chassis like a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla means you can buy parts off the shelf. No custom fabrication needed.
• Buy a pre-wired harness-Companies like Painless Performance and Classic Car Wiring sell plug-and-play kits for kit cars. It cuts 50+ hours off the build.
• Get help-Join a local kit car club. Find someone who’s done it before. Pay for a day of coaching. It’s cheaper than wasting months on mistakes.
• Don’t paint it yourself-Unless you have a spray booth and experience, outsource the paint. A professional job costs $1,500-$3,000, but it saves you 80+ hours and looks way better.
• Plan ahead-Don’t buy parts as you go. Buy everything before you start. You’ll avoid delays from shipping, backorders, or wrong parts.

Real-world timelines from actual builders

Here’s what people in Australia actually experienced:

• 2022: A VW Beetle-based kit-A Melbourne builder used a 1972 Beetle chassis, added a fiberglass body kit, and swapped in a 1.8L turbo engine. Took 10 months working 10 hours/week. Finished in time for summer.
• 2023: A Factory Five Roadster-A Sydney builder spent $28,000 on the kit and spent 520 hours over 11 months. He had no prior welding experience. Took two years to get the suspension right.
• 2024: A TVR Griffith replica-A Perth mechanic with 20 years in racing built it in 6 months, working 30 hours a week. He had all the tools, a garage, and a team of three helpers.

There’s no single answer. But the pattern is clear: the more prepared you are, the faster you go.

What happens after you finish?

Finishing the build is just the beginning. In Australia, you need to get your kit car inspected and registered. Each state has different rules. Victoria requires a VASS (Vehicle Assessment and Safety Standards) inspection. You’ll need to prove the brakes, lights, seatbelts, and structure meet safety standards. That can take weeks to schedule.

And then there’s the break-in period. Your first 500 kilometers? You’re not cruising. You’re checking for leaks, listening for noises, adjusting the clutch, and making sure the steering doesn’t pull. That’s not part of the build-but it’s part of the process.

Most people who finish their kit car say the same thing: "It took longer than I thought. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything."

Final thought: It’s not about speed

The question isn’t how fast you can build a kit car. It’s whether you want to build one at all. Most people who start one never finish. They get overwhelmed by the complexity, the cost, or the time. But those who stick with it? They don’t just end up with a car. They end up with a story. A skill. A piece of themselves in every weld, every wire, every bolt tightened by hand.

If you’re ready for the long haul, the mess, the frustration, and the pride-you’ll get there. Just don’t expect it to be quick. And don’t rush the details. The best kit cars aren’t the ones built fastest. They’re the ones built right.