Should I buy a Factory Five DIY Car Kit?
A lot of people have their dream of building their own custom car. Some may build a car, while others a boat. And these dreamers also name their cars or boats. Sloto, ChittyChittyBangBang, Striker… the list goes on.
My father always had a dream of owning his own boat, and he wanted to call it “The Rugrat Five” — there were five kids in our family.
For me, ever since I saw an episode of Rust Valley Restorers were they built a car using a DIY car building kit, I started thinking about it.
A large percentage of people who build custom cars with DIY car building kits are doing it to enter motorcross races or to have a cool looking sports car. But I had different plans in mind.
How do a find DIY car kit?
The first step in trying to find a DIY car kit is figure out how to search for it on the internet. Using the keywords: racing car DIY kit -toy
The “-toy” is very important in order to not get results of toy car kits.
Here are a list of some articles about DIY car kits that can help get you started:
- 10 Awesome Car Kits that won’t cost you a fortune (hotcars.com)
- Factory Five Racing
- DIY Dreams: Our 20 Favorite Kit Cars (AutoWise)
- 15 Complete Kit Cars You Can Buy Right Now (HiConsumption)
What was I looking for in a DIY Car Kit?
Around 12 years ago, my husband and I started to do some testing with hydrogen mixed with gasoline. Our car was an old Ford Taurus Station Wagon, so we brought a kit to do some experiments. At first it was working fantastic, and we were getting phenominal gas milage. Then all of a sudden, we took our car in for standard stuff at the Ford Dealer, and they did an “update” to our car’s computer. After that, the hydrogen kit mixed with gasoline did nothing.
It made no sense that the hydrogen mixed with gasoline would work fine, and then all of a sudden, after the Ford dealer installs an “update” to our car’s computer, nothing.
At first, we thought it was us. Maybe we broke something in our car. But then we started to talk to other people, and they were saying the same thing. A bunch of us, after discussing things and comparing notes, decided that the computers in the car were adjusting things to prevent hydrogen gasoline mixtures from working. Since almost all modern (or even semi-modern) cars come with computers, it would almost impossible to get around these computers unless you build a car from scratch with a DIY kit.
So I was first looking at DIY car kits, I was looking for a more traditional car, that would represent a standard “family car”, were I could do these experiments. I still have not found the exact kit that would meet my needs, nor do I have the space to work on a DIY car kit. But I wanted to share what I have found.
How much does a new standard car cost?
In order to get an idea of how expensive car kits are, I wanted to see how much ready made cars cost. A 2020 Ford Explorer costs $33,215 (SUV / CROSSOVER category). 2021 Mustang costs $27,205. 2022 Escape Hybrid costs $28,030. A 2022 Escape Plugin costs $33,075. 2022 Mustang Mash-E (electric) costs $42,895. 2021 Mustang Shelby costs $72,900.
How much does the Ford Racing School cost?
Ford hosts the Ford Performance Racing School.
- The Ford Performance Racing School One-Day program is $1,695.00, with the option to purchase Limited Liability for $200.00.
- The Ford Performance Racing School Two-Day program is $3,695.00, with the option to purchase Limited Liability for $200.00 per day.
How much does a build school cost?
Are you interested in building your own car, but (like me), you have zero idea of where and how to exactly begin? Join a “Build School class”.
The cost of the class is $999, but upon graduation from the 3 day school, you get a $250 rebate towards the purchase of a Factory Five Kit. Face it. We have all done it. The saying for building anything from a bird house to a real house, “measure twice, cut once”, but most people fail to follow this simple logic (even the so called professionals). As a result, a lot of money gets wasted correcting mistakes. So although, on the surface, it may seem like adding another $999 to the cost of your custom car kit is a lot of money, since it will, in all likelihood, protect you from making stupid mistakes, you will saving a lot by doing things right the first time, in the long run.
Each class works together to build a car, so you choose the class, based on what car you want to build. The three choice of car building classes are the following:
- Mk4 Roadster Class
- ‘33 Hot Rod Class
- 818S Class
Plus, the $250 rebate toward the purchase of a Factory Five Car Kit can be combined with other offers. Yes, you read that right. This rebate can be combined with other discounts.
“Two Guys Garage” host Willie B attended the Factory Five Build School at Mott Community College and spent the weekend working with the class to build a Mk4 Roadster in three days. Check out the video above for an inside look at what taking the Build School class is like.
Review of Mott Community College
Mott Community College is located in Flint, Michigan, and it is the community college that hosts the Factory Five Build School 3 day program.
Mott Community College also has a A.A.S. Degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. This program is designed to develop the skills and knowledge needed by students who want to start their own business, work in a family business, expand a current business, or seek employment in a small business.
Courses in this degree include a solid base of business, analytical, personal, and problem-solving skills. This program will also provide students with basic knowledge of accounting, law, marketing, and management.
Do you or does somebody that you know interested in a job in the automotive industry? Doing a combination of the Factory Ford Build School in addition to getting an A.A.S. Degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management is a good place to start.
You can also get certificates in “Automotive Undercar Repair Certificate” and “Automotive Alternative Fuel Certificate”.
How much does a DIY car kit cost?
Here are some examples from a variety of sources:
- Lister Bell Lancia Stratos – $35,000
- Factory Five Cobra Mk IV – $11,000 (my choice)
- Race Car Replicas RCR40 – $46,000
- Caterham Seven – $38,000
- Autotune Aristocat XK120 – $20,000 (my choice)
- Bauer Catfish Roadster – $14,000
- Factory Five Daytona Coupe – $22,000
- Pilgrim 356 Speedster – $6,800 (good choice, if you are looking for an inexpensive frame)
- Prova Design Countach – $20,000
- DF Goblin – $10,000
But to be honest, if I had never built a car from a car kit before, I would attend the Factory Five Build School and then purchase one of their car kits to build myself. Going through the motions of building the car with a group, and then repeating the same project by yourself would be a learning experience. And adding courses like this is a lot different than it was 30 years ago (when I attended college).
Today, every single class has a WhatsApp (or similar group) connected with it, and a lot of times, the students keep the group active even after the group is finished. So although, the second time around, you working on your project on your own in your own workshop, you will still have that support and connection with your classmates.
How many times have either you or somebody that you know purchased a DIY kit and 20 years later it is still in the original box or 10% done? Yea, I have done it. All of us have done it. But doing it with a group, and have the support of the group, the project will actually get completed.
How much does the “other stuff” cost?
If you go onto a website, like the Ford High Performance website, you find everything for building a car, except for the frame of the car. Just look up Ford Performance Parts to start your search for what you are looking for.
The Factory Five website has the kits. All of the other stuff that you are listed in the addons.
What types of DIY car kits are available from Factory Five?
The MK Base Kit costs $12,990, and $19,990 for the complete kit. Don’t ask me what exactly is the difference between the two, because I do not know. But all of the details are listed on their website.
33 Hot Rod costs $9,999 for the base car for stage 1 and stage 2 and $19,999 for the complete car.
65 Coupe (looks like your traditional racing car) costs $16,990 for the base kit and $21,990 for the complete kit.
GTM Supercar (another racing car design) costs $24,999 for the base kit, but the 2021 and 2022 production lines are sold out.
Of the ones from Factory Five, my personal favorite is the 33 Hot Rod. There is just something about the 33 Hot Rod Roadster that I just like.
Summary
Just like “riding a bicycle”, once you learn how to build a car from a DIY kit, it is life a skill that will always be with you. Are you into racing cars? Are you interested in automechanics? Are you into science experiments? Are you into custom designs? Or are you just looking for a fun summer family project? Investing in a DIY is something to consider. And if it is you first DIY Car Kit project, I would personally recommend investing in the Factory Five Build School and a Factory Five kit.
