Let's see some real world budget rods(under6k)

thats a bad ass picture

 

I commend everyone that can build a car cheaply, but I don't think prices paid in the '70's is really in the spirit of the thread.

 

I am not sure what it is, but I freaking love this one.

 

Nice!

 

See avatar at left. Never kept any records on what I spent over the years, but I doubt that I've got more that 3K-4K in Henrietta the '38 Ford pickup. I did have the advantage of low initial investment (gave $15 for the truck in 1966), and my favorite brother-in-law donated the engine. Ozelle the '55 Ford is a work in progress, but again the advantage of low initial investment (free--inherited from parents who bought it new). Had Ozelle fixed up pretty nice when I was in high school, but most things need to be redone now. Amazing thing is that the headliner and black roll and pleat seats look as good as the day Horace Shelton did them back in '68.

 

Well, here is my budget build so far about $3000. 1954 Stude p.u. 363ci, 700r4, 8" w/3.55 speedway mustang frontend, 2x4 and 2x6 frame, air all around. Plenty to do still, but runs and drives great.

 

I should make it under 6 K once I sell off a few stock parts....

 

snelson
That is cool!!!!

 

With break job, convert to 12 volts and rims and tires....$2500

my ROCKHELL!

 

$5400.00 to get it running and driving...So far

 

Here's mine- $4800- 65k on the flattie, original interior in great condition. I'm gonna have to do a little bit of bodywork to make it perfect (few hundred bucks I hope) and plan 4 my buddy to paint it with his HVLP (hopefully under $500, not including beer). But she drove like a dream on the 5hr ride home, and has been running great for the last year and a half.

This thread is great- it really gives a newer guy like me hope to have a killer car on not a lot of $$$.

 

under 6 k...does that include the original purchase price? hahaha. gen 6 bbc 2500, dn 5 speed 1500, ford 9 disc brake posi 1500, bodywork 0...ability to drive anywhere at anytime...priceless!

 

I like your work .....

 

Gotta do things like this.. cut width down on leather mercury marquis seat. Sewing machine needle in a tap handle.

Bottom half of suspension is tubular frame member from a race car, swapped a IH cub cadet mower for it, top half is out of the Mercury Marquis, (was mcpherson strut) Now converted to normal coil aframes.

Tilt front end.

Tube grille..

I spent $400 on new rubber brake lines, wheel cylinders, shoes, pads and the price has went up now to near $2k. I gave $500 for the truck originally, and probably should have sat a engine in and drove as is.. but..

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this comment is directed at me, re: my '48 Pontiac. That's the advantage of age, and having bought stuff good enough to keep for 35 years.

If you want to get picky about it, consider my roadster, the body of which I paid 300 bucks for in '05. The 472 Caddy is the one which had been in the '48 since '79. I spent about 2K to rebuild it and the trans for this project, so that's real "today" money. The front axle/springs were $100.00, complete with the steering box, and column. The rear axle I paid $150.00 for, originally supposed to go in the '51 wagon, but I hadn't gotten around to install it. I had the shocks, springs, and misc. hardware for the rear axle left over from other projects, but lets say that stuff was worth $50.00.

There's probably $500 in steel for the frame and body, and the aluminum was $100 for the seats and interior panels. The wheels and tires were $950, but I sold the two extra artillery wheels for $300, but I won't even count that, as I didn't really keep any reciepts and spent $$ for little stuff along the way.

The windshield frame was $75.00, and I had the sheet of 5/16" Lexan for the "glass". I spent $150.00 for the cloth wrapped wire and spark plug wires, and $60.00 for the headlight lenses, halogen adaptors, reflectors for the headlights. Switches from tractor supply, $25.00.

My buddy made the stainless gas tank for me for $250.00, and I put a $35.00 sending unit in it. It cost roughly $600.00 for paint and supplies, and the driveshaft was, if I recall, $375.00. A long, skinny tractor battery was $90.00, and cables were probably $50.00.

I spent 150.00 for the Mustang radiator, $50.00 for the fan, and then another $300.00 for the Neon radiator and copper tubing to plumb this second radiator under the floor at the back to keep the Caddy cool.

So, let's see, if my math skills are correct, that's $6,360.00. Give or take a couple of hundred here or there. I never really added it up before, so I'm a little suprised it was that much. So, I'm over the 6K limit, but I'm just say'n...

OOPS! Forgot the top, which was $300 bucks from my buddies "automotive recycling center" (I know Brad doesn't call it a "junkyard"!), so the total is now, lets see, $6,660.00. I stand corrected!

 

These are race cars but neither cost $6000. Of course if we paid ourselves for the time since we made everything possible it would have cost us ten times as much. I am not going to give exact costs because we might want to sell one someday. I already sold the Jeep altered but we finished it working together.
Don

 

My intention when starting the thread was 6k that's purchase price, parts, farmed out labor nuts bolts paint etc. My thinking was that is a prettuy relistic number to build a decent car in. Man you guys have sure proved that it can be done and done well

 

Little less than 4k when finished

 

looking at the car, I think we'll let your overage slide. besides, 6k-7k isn't much of a difference. my 6k goal isn't in stone especially if I het results like half these guys

 

Just bought this '59 in the late fall for $1000. Already had disc brakes and also power steering added from a 66 pickup. Also had the original 292 3speed replaced with a 390 with edelbrock intake and carb that is backed by a C6. Tune up parts from a friend that works at autoparts store. $50
I will be painting it in the spring and all I have to do it the prep work. One friend is getting me paint and materials at cost and another friend is going to paint, lay down scallops and pinstripe it for some beers and a grilled steak dinner. <$300>approx.
I bought a set of 16"ford spoke rims($300) that were cut down to 15" and widened back in the 60s that still have rubber circa 1966 on them that I plan on having media blasted and painted along with stainless trim rings.
Recently found a set of 32 ford hub caps for the rims for $60.

So I figure at minimum I will have $2000 or so total in it by spring when I start hitting up the swapmeets and carshows looking for a dual quad or three deuce setup.

Oh and a question for everyone out there, I have an opportunity to buy an older supercharger for $500 that is currently on a running vehicle and was wondering if it would be a good or bad thing to try and set up that 390 with it.

 

Some nice work, and real bargain builds in here so far.

As for the comments on '70s prices and stuff, it reminds of the old Hot Rod magazine features like the "$5000 9-second Chevelle" where they already happened to have a Chevelle, engine and parts in the garage, so the $5K was just the paint and tuning parts (bought from their advertisers!).

 

I have about 3,200 into mine including the price of the car.

 

very cool!

 

This is a great thread and well worth the inspiration. Would love to see more of these type of discussions on the HAMB.

I've been looking at late 40s and mid 50s budget cars for some time now. Makes me really want to watch the cash on my current 28 project.

Thanks for sharing......

Rod

 

subscribed

 

$5000.00, totally done.

-Owner built, owner painted, everything was done by me.
-289 Ford, Toploader 3 speed. Ford 8" with 2.79,s.
-Tube chassis, '37 Ford front axle, Model A front wishbone,F-100 front brakes.
-Speedway body, Speedway Track nose, Guide 682 C headlights.
-All new brakes and chassis components, new clutch assembly and hydraulic throw out bearing.
-Too many one off built items to list.

 

Must be nice!

 

That's what I'm talk'n about. It can be done.

 

What make of truck is that you started out with?

 

I have $4,500 total in this truck including maintenance over the last 26,000 miles.