szig,

As everybody else has pointed out, there's no standardization for "short" kits. At best, a good one will have plans, all the curved parts,(ribs, formers, wing tips, etc) and if they don't provide a cowling or canopy, they'll point you towards a source for one that should fit. As for hardware, a lot of builders use their own specific favorite type of hardware, even if there's already a hardware package in a kit.
A lot of people like short kits because it enables them to be more picky about the sheet and strip wood they use (that is IF you have a well stocked LHS or some other good balsa source close by). With most full kits, they supply sticks and sheet and you have to cut it to length and width anyway, so why not use the stuff you hand picked? I'm not sure a short kit actually saves you money, but it gives you a bit more control over what you put into your finished product, which we all want to be the best airplane it can be. It's worth having a go at, and a lot of fun to boot.

papermache