Shelby Mustang Gt500e Eleanor
This is one absolutely fantastic recreation of the world famous 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500E Eleanor recently sold by Sunset Classics!
This car started as a ’67 Mustang Fastback and was meticulously crafted into a super high-performance Eleanor clone. It has a 385ci Stroker Windsor with 498 torque and a not-too-shabby 485HP. It’s not quite as good as the Carroll Shelby original, but it will still kick you in the pants!
Take a peek at all the high-performance specs on this stunning beauty as well as two photo galleries and even a video!
How Fast Can Kit Cars Go
The speed of a kit car largely depends on the quality of the engine, its model, and what you make of it.
Kit cars like the Caterham 7 160, which runs on a three-pot 660 cc turbo engine by Suzuki can accelerate up to 60 mph in 6.91 seconds.
Caterham 7 620 runs on a top speed of 155 mph and can hit up to 60 in 2.79 seconds.
The Factory five GTM-R can sustain a speed of 60 mph in 3.0 seconds. And lets not forget the UltimaGTR720, which is not just fast, but the fastest car in the world. It is capable of a speed of 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds and a top speed of above 230 mph . Isnt that wonderful?
But, can just about anyone assemble a kit car? How difficult is it? I mean
Are Kit Cars Legal
Wouldnt we all like to know?
In 2015, a bill was passed on the 4th of December to be precise. This bill granted right-to-sell permission to the manufacturers of Kit cars. So, if kit car geeks desire, they can purchase one. But, if not, theyre still allowed the DIY privilege of building one themselves.
For a long time, there were no separate regulations for low-volume kit car manufacturers. Such manufacturers were subject to a single multi-purpose regulatory framework.
Thankfully, those days are gone.
Low volume kit car manufacturers no longer need to adhere to this regulation. Particularly one that was suitably coined for large-scale mass-producing kit car manufacturers. The law now establishes separate regulations for them.
Since 2015 modern cars are different from archaic older 30s models, the lawmakers adopted an approach that regards the kit car as automobile equipment.
More so, the law was geared towards preserving Americas automotive heritage both locally and across the world. Including creating more job opportunities for citizens.
The law also addresses the realities of the supply-demand chain. That is where theres a very large base of vintage enthusiasts and a very limited supply of vintage cars.
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Kit Car Policy Supplement
The supplement contains definitions from the Clean Air Act and justification used to derive the position of the Kit Car Policy.
Section 216 defines a “manufacturer” as “any person engaged in the manufacturing or assembling of new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, or importing such vehicle or engines for resale.”
Section 216 defines a “motor vehicle” as “any self-propelled vehicle designed for transporting persons or property on a street or highway.”
Section 216 defines a “new motor vehicle” as “a motor vehicle the equitable or legal title to which has never been transferred to the ultimate purchaser.”
Section 216 defines a “ultimate purchaser” as “the first person who in good faith purchases such new motor vehicle or new engine for purposes other than resale”.
Section 203 prohibits “in the case of a manufacturer of new motor vehicles…the sale, or offering for sale, or the introduction, into commerce…any new motor vehicle…unless such vehicle.is covered by a certificate of conformity.”
Section 205 states “any person who violates Section 203…shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25,000…Any such violation…shall constitute a separate offense.”
Are Kit Cars Legal In California
Kit cars are street legal in California but achieving that status is a time-consuming adventure.
As you know, California has some of the strictest laws regarding emission standards, noise pollution, and transportation regulations.
But thankfully, the process is pretty straightforward.
Get ready for many visits to the DMVs office to complete several forms. It helps if you have the forms ready to save time.
You will complete the Application for Original Registration, a self-explanatory document that allows you to register the vehicle in the books of the state DMV.
You also have to complete the Statement of Construction which allows the department to determine the value of your kit car for tax.
And there is Verification of Vehicle form and many others.
You also need to get California Vehicle Identification Number among other documentation. Plus, the vehicle must pass emission tests and the brake and lights must be certified by a qualified workshop.
There is a lot to do before you California will allow your kit car to share its roads with other road users.
But with the right information, patience, and some luck, everything will fall into place.
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The Quintessential Kit Car: The Caterham Seven
When it comes to kit cars, there are few more iconic than the Caterham Seven. In fact, thats how the original Lotus design started out, Road & Track explains. As with the current model, Lotus founder Colin Chapman used British tax loopholes to offer a DIY sports car at a discount.
Today, the Caterham Seven isnt quite as much of a bargain. Even the cheapest version costs about $50,000. Building it as a kit car, though, does cut about $5000 off the price. However, as Top Gearand the Evening Standard discovered, a Caterham Seven isnt exactly as easy to assemble as the kit car name implies. At some point, a hammer will likely come into play. Its also not a quick process: R& T is currently assembling its own Seven and estimates a build time of 80-100 hours.
But, when its done, the Caterham Seven is just about the purest distillation of a sports car. The cabin is so compact, R& T reports, that the transmission tunnel can almost function as a secondary heater. The windshield is removable. Therere no doors or any safety features beyond seat belts. But the steering is sharp, and the lack of bodywork or pillars makes it easy to sight your driving line. And even the heaviest model only weighs about 1345 pounds.
What Is A Kit Car And A List Of Popular Models
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In the world of motorists, hand-built cars have always been valued. Often such copies were produced by automakers in extremely limited editions. The Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, for example, will be hand-assembled and only 12 examples of this elegant British convertible will be produced.
Sports and hypercars of the new generation, or those that have already gone down in history, always cost fabulous money. For this reason, only a very rich person can put such a sports car in his garage.
Despite the fact that rare cars are expensive, a modern motorist can buy a special kit and assemble a model that looks no different from the original. With such a car, you can show off in front of an admiring crowd or feel how it is to sit behind the wheel of a rarity. This review will focus on whale cars.
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Vivid Racing Sells Kits
Another great source is Vivid Racing, I just got an email from these guys so I checked out their site. All I can say is I wish I had about 10k to spend because it would be gone in, well, less than 60 seconds.
They have a great selection of car body kits that often go on sale. So hop on over quick if you are looking to shop for body kits, ground effects, spoilers, or carbon fiber hoods.
Where Can You Find A Donor Car For Sale
You can often find a donor car for sale for a good price at car auctions or online auction sites such as eBay you might just pick one up for a low bid if all the other bidders see it as too much of a project for themselves, or only see it as a rustbucket and not the potential it has.
The downsides to car auctions and auction sites are that theres often buyers fees and buying a car sight unseen comes with its own risks, ie: the car could be in worse condition than the pictures shown, with little to no salvageable parts left.
Another good place to find an ideal car through a private sale is social media groups. There are plenty of UK kit car groups or project car groups that sometimes have cars priced to sell. Oftentimes when people sell project cars they sell them cheap as theyre sick of seeing them gathering dust in their garage or on their driveway!
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How Much Should I Budget For My Kit Car Monthly
The cost of maintaining your kit car will depend on the kind of car and the type and level of maintenance required. According to the CAA, maintaining a car should cost about $500 to $700 annually.
Id recommend that you set aside about $40 to $100 dollars for maintenance monthly. You probably wont need to use it regularly, but its rather safer to have a maintenance budget for your kit car so that whenever there is a need for maintenance, youll be ready for it.
If you need more information on Kit Cars or you just need to follow automobile trends, check out our other articles.
Sources: axleaddict.com and images from Wikipedia.
Kit & Replica Car Insurance
Whether you bought your kit car as a project, a hobby or simply to have fun driving it, we understand the particular needs that kit car owners have from an insurance policy. Thats why we could offer:
- Agreed valuations can be arranged on application, depending on the policy taken. Many insurers will only pay out the market value of your kit car if you suffer a total loss. With a kit car, market value is often difficult to determine, and kit cars are often undervalued by non-specialists. We can assess your car and agree cover for its true value, so you wont get a nasty surprise if you need to make a claim.
- Goods In Transit cover to cover you collecting your kit car, parts and tools from the manufacturers.
- Multi-vehicle cover most kit car owners own at least one more car. We could cover all of your vehicles, for a single low premium, and because we know that kit car drivers are a good risk, we can usually offer a very competitive price.
- Build Up Cover so your kit car and its parts are fully protected from theft or mishap during assembly.
- Limited Mileage discounts the fewer miles you drive, the more you can save, from as little as 1,500 miles.
- Track Day / Rally cover can be arranged on application, depending on the policy taken.
- Owners Club Discounts If you belong to a recognised owners club or enthusiasts forum, you will receive a discount of up to 15%, depending on the policy taken.
Some of the many kit car types we can cover include:
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Realm Engineering Heritage C
Rare and stunningly beautiful, Jaguar’s road-going Le Man’s C-Type racer was only built between 1951 and 53, with a total of 53 cars completed. However, like all classic cars, time and money can achieve some amazing results. UK-based Realm Engineerings investment in both now means gearheads with a hankering for a classic Le Mans racer can finally recreate the ’50s icon.
Two kit packages are available, both required to complete the build, chassis plus a faithful space frame recreation in aluminum with steel bulkheads ready for a suitable donor 4.2-liter straight-six XK engines. Atop this sits the beautifully handcrafted replica bodywork, consisting of the main body and composite panels.
Special Requirements To Know About
Now, before hitting the road with your kit car, you should ensure that youre in right standing with the law. The first and most important consideration is a registration number and an insurance cover.
For your kit car can qualify as kit-built, all its parts must be new and from a single manufacturer.
In a kit conversion, the vehicle already exists, and the kit parts are added to make it look significantly different from the original appearance. A kit conversion could simply involve no other changes other than putting a new body on a cars chassis.
A radically altered vehicle doesnt require kit parts to change in appearance just a change of body paint is enough to qualify the car as radically altered.
In both cases , depending on the number and type of original parts that were retained, such an owner may be able to keep the cars original registration.
As for cars that have been issued a Certificate of Destruction, there are special rules provided by authorized treatment facilities for scrapped cars. So, if your kit car is made from used components of a scrapped vehicle, the original car registration number wont cover your road trips.
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Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance For Your Kit Car
If your kit car sits in your garage 99 percent of the time, you may want to think about short-term car insurance: try weekly or even 24-hour car insurance. You can also get month to month car insurance in some places or daily car insurance. However, some of these companies are not very reputable, so its best to use caution.
Lister Bell Lancia Stratos
What could be better than your own Lancia Stratos? For most gearheads, driving one of these legendary rally cars will remain a dream that never turns into reality, seeing as prices start at $550,000. Original cars are known for their many flaws, and this is where Lister Bell comes into the picture, offering a full kit, minus the original’s quirks, for just $35,000. Sure, it’s not pocket change, but it’s definitely a bargain compared to the original.
Keep in mind that this is a full kit with absolutely everything you need to build a modernized working Lancia Stratos rally car, complete with a 2.5-liter Alfa Romeo engine. Of course, other engines are available for a price.
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How Can You Make Your Kit Car Street Legal
The process for making your kit car road legal depends on the requirements in your state of residence.
The car you want to make street legal is vital.
Most states are lenient if you are registering a kit car based on the chassis of old vehicles such as those before the 1950s. The reason is that vehicles from that time are still allowed to ply the roads with little scrutiny.
So if you can get an old pre-50s cowl or frame for your dream car, you may skip rigorous inspections. The process becomes more arduous and lengthy if you are using a new chassis or the car is a recent model from a major manufacturer.
You may be subject to stringent emission standards, crash tests, and several other energy-sapping formalities.
Depending on your state, making your kit car legal will look like this:
If your states requirements are too unfriendly, you can register the car in another state with more favorable laws. Hopefully, the reciprocity of laws will allow you to use the car on public roads in your state of residence.
Are Kit Cars Street Legal Rules Explained
Do you have a passion for kit cars and have the engineering skills to build one?
Before you decide to order one, check whether the car you are trying to build is street legal.
So are kit cars street legal?Kit cars are not street legal by default. You will have to fill out documents about the tax value of the vehicle and the emission levels. The rules vary per state in the U.S.
In this article, we look at the legal issues with kit cars and how to get them on the road in the USA.
Regardless of the difficulty facing kit car enthusiasts, there is often a way around the bureaucratic bottleneck.
This article will show you how.
Some states have stringent rules regarding the use of these vehicles largely because of safety and pollution concerns.
Thankfully, even states with a Draconian perception of kit cars provide loopholes in their vehicle classification rules that allow you to register and use your beloved automobile.
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Cool Kit Cars And Body Kits For Sale
I am an artist, writer, and web developer who dabbles in the art of dabbling . . . in other words, “I live in a van down by the river.”
1967 Ferrari P4 Replica
If you’re looking for fiberglass kit cars for sale, check out this selection. Whatever your flavor: VW, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Cobra kit, or a classic Speedster Porsche.
We love them all, so take a look for your favorite. Kit cars are the exotic car lover’s ticket to luxury without the luxury expense. Currently featured is a wicked 1966 Ford GT40 replica signed by Carol Shelby!
There is nothing better than sliding into a $500,000 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 knowing you are the center of attention, not to mention the feeling of power trembling beneath your fingertips. But let’s face it, not many of us can whip out the ‘ol wallet and shell out that kind of change.
But we can live our dream by buying or building a kit car version.
Ai Personality And Communication
According to the series, the original KITT’s main cybernetic processor was first installed in a mainframe computer used by the US government in Washington, D.C. However, Wilton saw better use for “him” in the Foundation’s crime-fighting crusade and eventually this AI system was installed in the vehicle.
KITT is an advanced supercomputer on wheels. The “brain” of KITT is the Knight 2000 microprocessor, which is the centre of a “self-aware” cybernetic logic module. This allows KITT to think, learn, communicate and interact with humans. He is also capable of independent thought and action. He has an ego that is easy to bruise and displays a very sensitive, but kind and dryly humorous personality. According to Episode 55, “Dead of Knight”, KITT has 1,000 megabits of memory with one nanosecondaccess time. According to Episode 65, “Ten Wheel Trouble”, KITT’s future capacity is unlimited. KITT’s serial number is AD227529, as mentioned in Episode 31, “Soul Survivor”.
- Dashboard equipment
KITT has two CRT video display monitors on his dash. KITT later only has one when his dash was redesigned by Bonnie for the show’s third season. Michael can contact home base and communicate with Devon and others by way of a telephone comlink using KITT’s video display. The video display is also used for the Graphic Translator system , as well as for scanning or analysis results. KITT can also print hard copies of data on a dashboard-mounted printer .
- Scanning and microwave jamming
- Features
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