kitcar2 (Home Built Kit Car)

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 11:30:11 -0800

Here is a beauty shot taken about a year later (~1978), soon after completion. It was an interesting looking sports car that got a bit of attention when I drove it. But the 1970's was a decade of kit built cars, so not really all that unusual for the era.

It was a fair-weather vehicle because it had an open T-Top roof. Getting in and out required stepping over the doors.

It was fun to drive and quickly accelerated because it was quite light. But not a great everyday driver because I felt every bump in the road.

It wasn't long after finishing the project that I decided to buy my first house. So my little sports car was sold to help fund the down payment. I think I got about $2,000 for it. In 1978 that price seemed like a good deal to me. BTW, the house I bought was only $29,950.
Date: Oct 07, 2025

kitcar1 (Home Built Kit Car)

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 11:28:52 -0800

Here I am sitting on my new project car, at the seller's rural property, on the morning I bought it. I hauled it back home using a rented towbar and a friend's van. Where I spent about a year completing the build in my spare time.

When I got it, it was basically an empty shell with rotting tires on rusting steel wheels. It barely rolled.

The fiberglass body was already installed on a shortened VW type 3 pan (squareback frame). It didn't have a motor and the interior was missing.

It needed a lot of parts. All acquired from auto junkyards, the local newspaper's classified ads, and J.C. Whitney's mail order catalog.

And at the time, the local area had a half dozen auto-parts stores that specialized in VW stuff, so finding what I needed was not a big problem. Plus it seemed there was a auto machine shop at every corner, so getting skilled work like valve grinding was painless.

A very tired VW motor was bought and soon rebuilt with "big bore" 1700cc size cylinders, new crank and camshafts. It was fueled by a Holly Bug Spray carburetor. The high-performance exhaust system was noisy, which is just what every guy wants.

It was painted by one of Sacramento areas Miracle Auto Painting shops. Despite their bad reputation, they did a decent job.

When it was finished I had to register it with DMV as a new vehicle. That process required getting a full inspection at the main CHP office. During the inspection, most of the officers came out to the parking lot to take a look.

I passed inspection without any issues. And as I drove away, the steel wool I covertly packed into the muffler to silence it, completely blew out. Fortunately it lasted long enough for me to get the officer's signature on DMV's paperwork. :)
Date: Oct 07, 2025

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kitcar2 (Home Built Kit Car)

kitcar1 (Home Built Kit Car)