How to respond to- kit car huh.

[spike]

People must think that when building a kit car, you recieve a box with all the parts in it & with a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench, you put it together step by step following the easy to understand instructions that came with it. This can't be farther from the truth as any of us that built one knows. I often thought of putting a plate on my car that says " this was a kit, nothing fit!" Anyone have a good comeback for when you get that "kit" question that sounds like you really built something that anybody could have done?

 

[RPM]

The term kit car does not bother me too much. It when they say oh a "cool dune buggy" ! What are they thinking?

 

[butch27]

I just tell them " I built every part on this car including half of the body".

 

[Lee_in_KC]

Here is a previous discussion on this topic...

http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f17/your-car-kit-car-1164/

 

[VegasBruce]

The term kit car does not bother me too much. It when they say oh a "cool dune buggy" ! What are they thinking?

I tell them its not a dune buggy, its a sandrail. Its great for getting a deer in the headlight look.

 

[Leon renaud]

I tell them its not a dune buggy, its a sandrail. Its great for getting a deer in the headlight look.

If you see pictures of the very early" water pumper" dune buggies from the 50s to early 60s when the VW became THE car for duneing they look very much like our T buckets! As for a "Kit"just carry a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles when someones says "Is this a kit "hand them the yarn and needles and say "yes it's as easy as this "sweater kit" to assemble too!

 

[mikesplumbing]

Ask them what kind of car they own! I have done body off restorations and it's nothing more than a "KIT" if you think about it. It's sometimes the easiest kit because it gives you the ability to understand it when your taking it apart.

Even custom hot rods are really kits because todays generation just looks at magazines and orders parts that fit and put them together in a prescribed order. So even most of them become kits so to speak.

The real Hot rodders, the type that build from scratch, are mostly humble and quality people and rarly make childish remarks to anybody that has a hot rod car of any type.

Then of course you have the people who are still building the "Ultimate car" in the garage but have never completed a darn thing in their entire life. These people are always quick to give advice.

So lastly, it boils down to the morons in society that are magazine mechanics and dreamers who never end up with anything, much less a hot rod.

In the end all that matters to me is taking my kids for a ride in one of the sweetest hot rod cars of all time, going to car shows and traveling around visiting other T Bucket folks and having great conversations over a beer and a burger. Any moron that wants so say something that stupid can go pound sand.

I guess it depends on how you look at it, Just my two cents

Mike

 

[Youngster]

I simply as them, "why do you ask?" I've found a lot of customers that way.

I think it's funny when they ask ... kit car? ... dunebuggy? ... POS? ... rat rod? ... etc, cause they just told me how uninformed they really are. They are usually a slight shade of green anyway.

The conversation I thought was the funniest was when a 21 year old kid's dad was asked how long it took to build the "kit car". He said his son built the car over 5 years. The guy said "That long huh. I would have thought a month or so like on overhaulin." geesh!!!!!!

Ya gotta be patient with the unwashed public guys and at times thick skinned.

Ron

 

[LarryH]

My usual response is "I didn't build it, i bought it. But yeah, it's basically a big model car kit except they don't come with instructions and it has parts missing. And you get to use tools instead of glue to put it together. After you add all the missing parts"

And i'm not a bit insulted by the "Is that a kit" question. Maybe they're just asking because they would like to build one someday but aren't really sure weather they have the skills to actually build a car from a giant pile of parts. Or maybe they're just curious.

 

[Hot Rod Todd]

Just smile and say "its great fun to drive" :shrug: and you will probably find them agreeing with you

 

[iajjpop]

I go to car shows & set in my lawn chair & listen to peoples remarks. Like I didn't know you could order a 1923 ford with all that chrome on it or in a convertible model. Did they really put a V-8 in them cars when they were manufactured . Then I tell them it was a special order, with A 305 chv-vy motor. One lady says is that kit car ? I said yes , she said oh, like putting a puzzle together. I told her something like that. Where have these people been all there lives.

 

[HAceT]

well, I haven't been asked that yet but when and if they do I'll say "no it's a one off".....but if you want one I can build it for you...

 

[Duke]

The last time I was asked, I looked at the person and said " Define what you call a kit, if you mean - did I buy most parts and make some parts - then I guess it is ". Most times after that they don't say much.

 

[Telman2]

I've never been asked that question. In the 41 years I've had my bucket I've been asked what it is, where can you buy one, is it fast, why is it so loud? Where did they hide the door, why are the back tires so big, do you get wet when it rains? A lot have asked how long it took to build and over the years I've had 3 ladies offer to buy it for their husbands birthdays but I've never been asked if it was a kit.

I think these cars are kits like a pile of 2x4's is a house kit.

 

[tfeverfred]

I think these cars are kits like a pile of 2x4's is a house kit.

And that, my friend, is that. Nice job.

 

[eafree]

My father always told me, "Those who know the least, always know it the loudest". When it comes to building a car, most people are toatally clueless, they have know idea what all goes into building it. Just tell them for the right price you will put together a kit for them. Then smile real big.

Eric

 

[spike]

I want thank everyone for their great responses along with the telling of their encounters with this question. My favorite comeback is Telman2's 2X4 analogy! Thanks again.

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"Anything can work in theory.... Reality takes experience."