MK Indy RX-5 Kit Car Build Costs and Hours Worked

Here is the detailed breakdown of the kit car build costs for the MK Indy RX-5 project to date. This includes the cost of the car build itself including the donor vehicle and the kit, as well as tools and consumables. It also shows the total amount of hours worked on the build.

I have logged costs and hours per post, which you can see on the individual post pages. These are all summarised here in one place. Hopefully by keeping track of exactly what I have spent over the time of the build will help someone else in the future with planning finances for such a project.

Cost and Hours Table

Car Build Costs£13,387
18 Mar 2021Mazda MX5 Mk2.5 Euphonic Donor Vehicle£700
18 Mar 2021Mazda MX5 Additional SVT Wheels and Tyres (for the Tyres)£65
10 Jun 2021Disposal of Mazda MX-5 Shell to Scrap Yard £40
11 Jun 2021Sell Donor Vehicle Part: Catalytic Converter£-580
09 Feb 2022MK Sportscars Deposit for the Kit£500
19 Feb 2022Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 15x7 Wheel in Anthracite£574
26 Mar 2022VHT Primer Paint 400ml (x4) £46
26 Mar 2022VHT Silver Paint 400ml (x4) £46
26 Mar 2022VHT Clear Gloss Paint 400ml (x4) £46
30 Mar 2022Powder Coat Camshaft Cover£60
30 Mar 2022Simoniz Gloss Black Engine Paint 400ml£9
30 Apr 2022Van Hire£152
30 Apr 2022Fuel£80
30 Apr 2022MK Indy RX-5 Module 1£2,200
30 Apr 2022MK Indy RX-5 Module 2£1,920
30 Apr 2022MK Indy RX-5 Options£6,490
27 Jun 2022Split Conduit 6.5mm x 6m - Amazon£20
27 Jun 2022Nylon P-clip 4.8mm x 100 - eBay£4
27 Jun 2022Nylon P-clip 8mm x 100 - eBay£4
27 Jun 2022Closed Aluminium Rivets 4.8mm x 12mm Pack 200 - eBay£16
27 Jun 2022U-POL Raptor 2K Protective Coating Black 400ml Aerosol = Euro Car Parts £31
27 Jun 2022FAE Brake Light Switch - Euro Car Parts£12
27 Jun 2022U-POL Tigerseal Black Pu Adhesive & Sealant - 310ML - Euro Car Parts£9
08 Jul 2022500x500mm Nitril Rubber Matting£18
08 Jul 2022Jubilee Hose Clips Stainless 10-16mm£6
08 Jul 2022Split Conduit 15mm Internal Diameter£8
08 Jul 202230x M5 x 25mm Stainless Button Head Bolt£5
08 Jul 202250x M5 Nyloc Nuts Stainless£4
22 Feb 2023A2 Stainless Steel Large Flat Washers M8 x 2mm Qty 50£16
02 Mar 2023CV Boot Clamps £13
02 Mar 2023Hammerite Black Smooth Paint£18
02 Mar 2023Diff Drain and Fill Plug Washers£4
22 Jun 2023U-POL Tigerseal Black Pu Adhesive & Sealant - 310ML£8
22 Jun 2023DONOR PART SOLD - Leather Seats, Steering Wheel and Door Cards£-200
22 Jun 2023DONOR PART SOLD - HSD Coilovers£-500
15 Oct 2023Caliper Paint Ral2009 Traffic Orange (2x cans)£32
15 Oct 2023Rear Caliper Rebuild Kit£33
15 Oct 2023Front Caliper Boots and Slide Pins£13
15 Oct 2023MTEC Black Drilled and Grooved 270mm Front Discs (Pair) £85
15 Oct 2023MTEC Black Drilled and Grooved 276mm Rear Discs (Pair) £75
15 Oct 2023Caliper Zinc Primer £12
15 Oct 2023Caliper Mazda Decals£7
15 Oct 2023Mintex M1144 Rear Pads£114
15 Oct 2023Mintex M1144 Front Pads£120
15 Oct 2023M12 x1.5 Fine Thread x 40mm Bolts for Front Bottom Ball Joint£7
15 Oct 2023Mazda Caliper Decals£7
20 Jan 20244x Toyo Proxes TR1 195/50R15 82V£252
20 Jan 2024Wheel Dolly's 2nd Hand£60
20 Jan 2024DONOR PART SOLD - Mazda MX-5 Euphonic Wheels£-135
14 Mar 202430mm Stainless Freeze Plug£3
14 Mar 2024Waterpump Inlet Gasket, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£5
14 Mar 2024Camshaft Timing Belt Cover, Middle, IL Motorsport, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£17
14 Mar 2024Thermostat Cover & Waterpump Outlet Gasket, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£4
14 Mar 2024Inlet Manifold Gasket, Mazda MX5 Mk2/2.5 1.8£9
14 Mar 2024Camshaft Timing Belt Cover, Upper, MX5 Mk2.5 1.8 VVTI£46
14 Mar 2024PCV Valve Grommet, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£4
14 Mar 2024Oil Filter, Genuine Mazda, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£8
14 Mar 2024Camshaft Timing Belt Cover, Lower, IL Motorsport, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£18
14 Mar 2024VVT Oil Pipe Gasket, MX5 Mk2.5 1.8£3
14 Mar 2024Camshaft Timing Belt Kit, Complete, MX5 Mk1/2/2.560£60
14 Mar 2024Throttle Body Gasket, MX5 Mk1 1.8 & All Mk2/2.5£5
14 Mar 2024Thermostat, Aftermarket, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£13
14 Mar 2024Waterpump, Genuine Mazda, MX5 Mk1 1.8 & All Mk2/2.5£68
14 Mar 2024Mikalor Spring Clips 14mm£3
14 Mar 2024Mikalor Spring Clips 20mm£5
14 Mar 2024Gates Alternator Belt 4PK868£11
14 Mar 2024Silicone Hose 90 degree 16mm£13
14 Mar 2024T Bolt Clamps Stainless 26-28mm £12
14 Mar 2024WAI Alternator £140
14 Mar 2024Skidnation Coant Reroute Thermostat Spacer£36
14 Mar 2024Skidnation Thermostat Housing£31
27 Apr 2024Exedy Clutch Kit Standard Three Piece, 1.8 Mazda MX5 Mk1/2/2.5£134
27 Apr 2024MX5 Clutch Spigot Pilot Flywheel Bearing£7
27 Apr 2024Clutch Alignment Tool£11
11 Jun 20244mm Aluminium Plate ate 300mm x 200mm£10
30 Jul 2024Gorilla Epoxy Glue£11
30 Jul 2024Big Head Studs M6 x10£14
30 Jul 2024Neoprene Rubber Tape 15mm x 1.5mm£8
03 Aug 2024Engine Oil Millers Competition Fully Synthetic 10W-40 5L£42
03 Aug 2024Transmission Oil Mix Part 1 - Red Line MT90 75w-90 GL4£24
03 Aug 2024Transmission Oil Mix 2 - Red Line Lightweight Shockproof 75w-140 GL5£26
03 Aug 2024Differential Oil - Red Line 75W-90 GL5£24
03 Aug 2024E-TECH Extremely High Temperature Spray Paint - Black£12
03 Aug 2024Exhaust Header Gasket£14
04 Jan 2025Wire Loom Tape 20m£10
Tools & Consumable Costs£470
29 May 20211/2 inch socket set 6 point 18pcs 10-32mm£34
29 May 20211/2 inch extractor set 17, 19, 21 and 22mm£22
29 May 2021Draper Flare Nut Spanner set 6-22mm£22
29 May 20214x Ratchet Axle Stands 2T£60
29 May 20214x wheel chocks£10
29 May 20212T Engine Hoist - kindly given to me by a friend£0
29 May 2021Clarke Impact Driver - kindly given to me by a friend£0
29 May 2021Electrical tape for labelling connectors£8
29 May 2021Cable ties£3
29 May 2021Zip Lock Bags£3
29 May 2021Plus Gas Penetrating Oil 400ml£6
09 Jun 20218mm x 5m Welded Chain, M10 and M12 Shackles for Shell/ Engine Lift£47
10 Jun 20212x Plus Gas 400ml£12
10 Jun 2021Hacksaw Blades£10
19 Mar 2022Gunk Foam Degreaser£14
19 Mar 2022EPDM tapered plug kit£15
19 Mar 2022Blue 3M masking Tape (3x rolls)£11
19 Mar 2022Gunk 733 Engine Degreaser£8
19 Mar 2022Brake Cleaner (2x cans)£7
19 Mar 2022Wire Brush Wheel Set for Drill£9
19 Mar 2022Dremel brushes£13
27 Jun 2022ASTA Brake Flaring Tool 3/16" SAE - eBay£40
27 Jun 202210x Drill Bits 4.9mm - Amazon£15
08 Jul 2022Pipe Cutters£14
08 Jul 2022Evo Stick Glue£6
02 Mar 2023Comma Bearing Grease£8
02 Mar 2023Comma CV Joint Grease£10
02 Mar 2023Clic Hose Clamp Pliers£17
02 Mar 2023Torque Wrench 3/8 10-60Nm£35
19 Jun 2024Loctite 243£11
Person Hours Worked445 hrs
07 Jun 2021Donor Strip Day 1 (3 people) - Remove All Body Work and Lights32 hrs
08 Jun 2021Donor Strip Day 2 (3 people) - Remove Dashboard, Wiring Harness, Radiator, Air Ducting31 hrs
09 Jun 2021Donor Strip Day 3 (3 people) - Preparation and Separation of Shell from Roller Skate31 hrs
10 Jun 2021Donor Strip Day 4 (3 people) - Prepare Shell for Scrap, Separate Sub-frames, Engine Removal32 hrs
11 Jun 2021Donor Strip Day 5 (3 people) - Sub-frame teardown, Tidy up28 hrs
10 Oct 2021Remove Sump and Differential Housing for modification by MK Sportscars7 hrs
19 Mar 2022Dismantling of Engine10 hrs
19 Mar 2022Cleaning and Masking of Engine18 hrs
19 Mar 2022Prep of Engine Parts for Paint8 hrs
26 Mar 2022Engine Paint - 3x coats primer, 3x coats silver, 3x coats clear gloss7 hrs
30 Mar 2022Paint Gearbox and Engine Parts8 hrs
27 Jun 2022Pedal Box Adjustment and Fitting and Brake Lines Install (2x People 2x Days) 32 hrs
27 Jun 2022Floor Fitting and Painting (2x People) 6 hrs
27 Jun 2022Fuel Filter, Fuel Line Brackets and Fitting of Hard Fixed Fuel Lines11 hrs
08 Jul 2022Fuel Pump Modification and Install2 hrs
08 Jul 2022Make and Fit Fuel Tank Straps2 hrs
08 Jul 2022Fit Flexible Fuel Lines2 hrs
22 Feb 2023Prepare Seats, Mount Runners and Drill Mouting Holes (2 Persons)8 hrs
02 Mar 2023Clean, Paint and Rebuild Driveshafts6 hrs
02 Mar 2023Clean, Paint and Assemble Differential7 hrs
02 Mar 2023Clean, Paint and Assembly Front and Rear Uprights15 hrs
09 Mar 2023Fit Drive Shafts and Build Rear Suspension (2x people for 6hrs)12 hrs
22 Jun 2023Cut and Dry-Fit Side Panels (2x people 6 hours)12 hrs
22 Jun 2023Cut and Dry-Fit Rear Tub7 hrs
22 Jun 2023Bond and Rivet Side Panels and Rear Tub (2x people 5 hours)10 hrs
22 Jun 2023Tidy Up Panel Gaps1 hrs
15 Oct 2023Clean and Prep Front and Rear Calipers for Paint3 hrs
15 Oct 2023Paint Front and Rear Calipers3 hrs
15 Oct 2023Fitting Front Suspension4 hrs
15 Oct 2023Rebuilding Rear Brake Calipers 2 hrs
15 Oct 2023Fitting Front and Rear Brakes4 hrs
16 Nov 2023CAD Design of Clock Spring Adapter Bracket 2 hrs
16 Nov 2023Fitment of Clock Spring1 hrs
25 Nov 2023Clean, Paint and Install Steering Rack and Column4 hrs
20 Jan 2024Install Wheels and Rear Arches10 hrs
14 Mar 2024Engine Rebuild Estimated Hours20 hrs
27 Apr 2024Fit Clutch1 hrs
27 Apr 2024Join Engine and Transmission1 hrs
27 Apr 2024Fit Engine and Gearbox in Car1 hrs
11 Jun 2024Make Fuel Filler Bracket1 hrs
11 Jun 2024Fit Fuel Filler and Fuel Pipes1 hrs
19 Jun 2024Fit Flexible hoses and Cut Holes1 hrs
19 Jun 2024Fit Steering Rack Stops1 hrs
30 Jul 2024Fitting Scuttle2 hrs
30 Jul 2024Fitting Dashboard3 hrs
03 Aug 2024Engine Oil, Gearbox Oil and Diff Oil Fill (2 people) 1 hrs
03 Aug 2024Clean and Paint Exhaust Header1 hrs
03 Aug 2024Prep for engine start and first start (2 people) 8 hrs
04 Jan 2025Strip Out and Adaption of MX-5 Wiring Loom26 hrs

The Aim of This Log

The aim of my MK Indy RX-5 kit car build blog is to be as helpful as possible to others considering doing such a project. I want to provide information that I have struggled to find myself in all the research I have done on kit cars. It has been quite difficult to properly work out a budget for what a kit car will cost to build. What I mean is the true cost of building a car, not just a theoretical cost for just the kit. I have read many kit car build blogs which are rich with detailed information on the build itself. However, none of the blogs actually stated what they planned to spend on the build vs reality.

I want this blog to actually take time to log the costs of the build. This will include all of the tools and consumables purchased and hours worked. I will then compare this to the budget I set at the start.

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