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I'm proud to call mine a "kit". Or as I tell some that ask, "it's a custom, hand build, high performance replica". How many of these guys have personally put every bolt and screw, connected every electrical connection, personally performed all the body work and painted it and installed the interior. Spent the time to work out all the kinks. And now have a personal high performance sports car built only for them!
This fits a rare few of those that are at these car shows or other places! Expecially not those at the gas pump beside you that may use the term "kit". And if I did have a "real one", it wouldn't be as nice or drive as good as mine. And I'd be a lot poorer! I'm not ashamed to call mine a kit! |
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Back in the '60s the Shelby Cobra was the equivalent to the Superformance of it's day. Clear parallel. Roller imported plumbed and wired and engine and trans installed and sold to customer. Yes you can argue some minor variances but overall not much. If the Superformance is a kit to some the that puts the original car in that same basket does it not? Therefore, the continuation series rollers too..some here will love that notion :LOL: Moreover, back in the 60s it was an oddity with foreign manufactured body and chassis and domestic power plant dropped in by a small race shop in California... Finally, I'm not looking for a bare knuckle fist fight..... but there are some here still stuck in the third grade that are.:JEKYLHYDE |
I don't really have a problem with people asking if my car is a "kit" - for me, it really has to do with their demeanor and the voice inflection.
Had one of my most embarrassing moments at a local Ford dealer a few years back. Drove my ERA to the dealer to pick up some parts. Several mechanics & customers came out to admire the car and ask questions. After I answered their questions I walked into the Service write-up area on my way to the Parts counter. There was a nice looking '57 Thunderbird sitting there in the entryway. I stopped to check it out, as I own a '57 'Bird myself. It needed a little TLC, but, was basically in pretty good condition. I thought to myself "I'll have to introduce myself to this person, and share some T'Bird stories". On my way back from the parts counter, I saw the T'Bird owner, a little old lady all dolled up in her pillbox hat and white gloves, talking to the Service Write-up guy, and overheard part of their conversation. He says to her "...did you see that little red Cobra parked outside?". She replies, in a totally condescending tone "...yeah, I saw that KIT car out there...." Even though it was obvious she could use some help with that T'Bird...I knew right then it wasn't gonna be me..... |
I try not to get offended, I try to educate people to the fact less than 1,000 were ever made. It's just such an iconic car, people just don't know. When asked if mine is original, I respond, "No, it's a Factory Five Racing Replica that I built in my garage." Oh sure every now and then I'll run into "that" nimrod, but I have to say its been few an far between.
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I don't mind the Kit question so much and I usually respond that it is a Factory Five Replica that I built, but when they ask "what chassis / frame is it?" my enthusiasm drops. Some even say "Oh yeah, is that a Mustang II?" then I really start getting agitated. :JEKYLHYDE
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My wife and I stopped at a VisionWorks to pick up our new glasses. The front of the building is glass so everyone in the store was looking at the car. When we got inside, one of the optical technicians had told everyone that it was a vintage Ferrari :LOL:
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True story. |
I got asked if my 289 FIA was a "Triumph Spitfire".
I prefer something like that instead of "kit", uhh, as long as they don't think it's a Buick... I rolled into the local Starbucks and a crowd across the way stopped to look at my Cobra from afar. My older brother rides up on a bicycle and purposely asks loudly, "Is that an MG?' "Yeah, it is, but it's got a Honda engine in it. I cut off the exhaust with a hacksaw. That's why it's so loud." The crowd didn't seem to get it. We went to get our coffee. DD |
I got asked if mine was a Mazda once. Priceless.
Told home it was a limited edition Miata in limited numbers. Better get yours fast. He left. Sometimes ya just got to be a smartass. |
I can see I am going to have problem if I ever finish my car. I am scratch building a coupe. I have been asked if I was building a kit car when someone drove by and my wooden buck was outside. Other have asked "a wooden car how are you going to get inside to drive it". When I explained that it was a buck to build an aluminum body over it. They wanted to know how you get the wood out after it was done. I ended up telling them I was using the lost buck method and when I was done I would burn the wood out.
Other have asked if I was building a kit car . I had to tell them yes. I then went on to tell them that I did not own enough land to harvest enough trees to make my own plywood . I told then the same thing about not enough land to mine the ore to smelt my own steel and aluminum to make the tubing and sheet metal to build it. I had to buy those items so I guess I am building a kit car! Mark |
In my experience, it seems most people who use the term 'kit car' aren't using it to disparage the car, it just happens to be the term they know. They're almost universally curious about what it is and how it came to be built, what's in it, what's it like, etc.
I don't take offense, but I usually respond that "I prefer the term replica" and, if they're interested, engage them in a discussion to answer their questions and satisfy their curiosity. I'd much rather have them walk away muttering "that guy sure likes to talk about his car" than "wow, is he a snob (or smartass)". |
I used to be patient and nice. As my beard has gotten more grey, I find my best response is to simply stare at stupid people and say nothing.
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I have a t shirt that says "BUILT NOT BOUGHT". Need to wear it more. Classic to me is the Superformance GT40 owner who had the hood open exposing the beautiful engine. A small block Ford. I asked what engine it had he said a 427. I asked a 351W based stroker? His reply; I have no idea!
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My response is based on the person who is asking the question and what mood I'm in. I've told people it cost $200,000 and I've told them it was an antique Honda S2000. Generally if its a family with a kid they get a friendly reply. If its a guy with 22's on a crown victoria or some jerk off wearing a airbrushed Jeff Gordon T-shirt they are in for it.
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I always get people asking [with a smirk on their face], "is it real". I reply, "is yours"? Sometimes I just say, "yep, its as real as it gets", and let them ponder it. |
Attended an enjoyable Cars and Coffee last Saturday morning with a 200+ cars and talked to car guys all morning. It was a beautiful morning so I decided to stop at a local Hot Rod store to pick up something. I was about 30 feet from the counter looking at some parts, when I heard one on the employees tell another one "Mike's outside drooling over that Cobra". I know Mike (employee) and the comment made me feel good and I was about to go outside and talk to him, based on this comment. Then some a$$-clown at the counter says "Yeah, but it's just a Kit Car" in a condescending tone. I said "Excuse me, it's a Factory Five, I built it. It has a custom designed chassis and suspension. It's not a Kit". (I could already feel this wasn't going to go well with THIS guy).
He said (again in a demeaning manner "Well, does it have a CSX number?" I was done and left. I let him get to me. And I didn't talk to Mike (I really regret that). I think he was driving a Monte Carlo "Intimidator"(?), wonder if it was real or a sticker, don't know. but I allowed him to ruin my morning. |
I have a theory as to why the term "kit" rubs some of us the wrong way. When I was a kid, I'd go to K-Mart and buy a plastic model kit and glue it together. The parts always fit and no real expertise was required to build it. It was "child's play" to make a car out of those kits. With our replicas, building them into a highly capable and functioning automobile is a bit more of an accomplishment. Perhaps we just don't want someone thinking we simply had to glue part 11 onto part 16 and brush on some paint. Maybe.
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