How Much Have You Gone Over Budget?

+1

Budget?

 

Pretty much the same story here. The racing bug bit me 27 years ago. I've had to learn how to build everything (including wings) to be able to do it. Luckily I've been able to do some pretty nice customer work along the way to help pay for the addiction.

The "budget" has always gone like this:

Monthly income - monthly bills = race car money.

NEVER build a car that isn't what you really want, or isn't done the way you want it. That will make the investment way too hard to stomach. If you're whining because the car was a bigger piece of shit than you first thought, well there's a HUGE support group for that. It meets every day, right here...

 

In the old days 70s/80s I always used the addage take what you think it will cost and double it. Today I think triple might be a little conservative!

 

Now i'm curious as to the OP's vehicle, maybe billet??? sounds more like bragging than bitching, LETS SEE IT!!!... I'm sure a lot of us even wish we had 30k to drop on our cars and unless it's filled with vintage speed parts my guess is still on billet

 

Ha Ha, you said budget!!!! bwahhhh!!! Throw that idea right out the window!!!

 

My 270 hemi is going to finish at $7000 but my pistons were half price. I don't even have a car for it yet

 

((shaking head)) Its not about the money...

 

I learned this lesson long ago, the quickest way to stall a project is to itemize your spending and track the financial progress mid-way through the build! It's just a hobby it always takes twice as long as planned and costs twice as much, just the facts!!!

 

I went over budget just getting the car! after that i just stopped giving a crap, it takes what it takes.

 

Proof is in the pictures,
I smell a rat.

 

The beer fridge in the garage is for this exact reason...drink those budget blues away...although it take a crap load of beer to take the sting out of paying some dude 30 g's to cut and grind the rust out of yer ride.

 

My golfing friends don't count up how much they spend in a year on travel, greens fees and equipment. It's a hobby

My skiing friends don't count up how much they spend in a year on travel, lift tickets and equipment. It's a hobby

I don't count how much I send a year on hot rod stuff. It's a hobby.

 

I was right on budget with my 64 F100, Until we had the body and drive-line back on for (what we thought) the final time. I don't like the way it sits. So after much $$, spent on parts and paint, not to mention time, it's being torn down and reworked. I ain't a happy camper. I'm thinking I will consult with my buddy, Molson's.

 

I have all My receits in a big envelope, but I wouldn't dare add them all up!!! My hotrod is a lifelong dream, how do You put a price on a dream

Buzz

 

TO THE OP....

... 10K!!!!

YOU BUDGETED 10K FOR A CUSTOM 1950 MERC!!!! AND MORE THAN THAT YOU WERE SURPRISED WHEN YOU WENT OVER BUDGET!!!

Ok i'm not normally like this but what the f*ck were you even thinking???

 

Hey Tony...man I feel your pain, but you are definitely not alone. I did the EXACT same thing. I paid too much for my car to begin with and found out it was nothing but a rusted out turd. It's my first build so I have learned a lot. I easily have over 30K in mine, but I have since quit counting. I no longer want to know or care.
Any nice car requires $$$$$ and plenty of sweat to come together. Most assinine thing someone could ever ask is ,"How much did that cost?". Only a bonehead would do that. EVERYONE spent alot of dough on their rides, but only the builder knows if it's too much. There for a while I thought I had lost my mind, but now I feel pretty good about it all. Once I finally go for that first ride I'm convinced the money spent will be meaningless compared to the joy of fulfilling my dream. Keep dreaming man.

 

I've never had much "spare" money. The usual case is if I can't make it myself I do without it. But I have managed to race since 1963. I love motorcycles and I budgeted $2000 for a build on an LSR sidecar. I did it for $1600 pus a couple of hundred for misc. bits. Its got an LSR record at El Mirage and that is priceless. I'm now trying to figure out how to get to Bonneville. Donations accepted!!

If you want to work it out exactly my record cost $14.75 for each MPH. I'd call that cheap racing.

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Over Budget..
found the best way to stay on budget was set a unreal over an beyond
what i would ever spend on a car or house lol and the rest is all good

 

If you have a budget, you are into the car for the wrong reason, or haven't owned it long enough for value to rise above investment.

 

I've known a few people who have ruined their lives gambling, drinking, or drugs( take your pick).
Hell, I'm doin' better than them!
Forget the budget.

 

Jay Leno was having one of his cars done for Pebble Beach, he told his guy Money Is No Object. The guy still went over budget.

 

I have no money so I have no budget so I have no budget problems...

 

enjoy the fact when you sell it you'll never recoup the money you spent

 

Agreed. I keep all my reciepts in a folder but don't have the nerve to add them up.

 

if i have ever thought about what i spend on my cars i would probably drive a toyota instead...but that would kill me...and i love life..so just do what ya want..budgets are for accountants and housewives..and im neither

 

100%

 

If it makes you feel any better you can buy a new diesel pickup for $50K, drive it around for 5-6 years and it will be worth $15K and you can take comfort in the knowledge that, for the 5-6 years you were as individual as an ant in a colony. I think trying to build a rod for <$10 is what spawned rat rods.

 

Is this the sidecar bike?

 

I'm so tight that I squeak when I walk. I've made money on most everything that I have built. Part of it is due to the inflation in the value of the cars that I work on and part is just smart shopping. The money is no object guys have inflated what is accepted as a reasonable investment and dragged us pikers into regions that we never anticipated being.

It takes me a lot longer because of my paltry discretionary income. I never keep a formal track record. I do keep my home runs in mind. I use the perceived savings on a good deal to justify a higher price on another item that is important to the build but higher than I think is reasonable. Averaging the prices so to speak.

I never had a budget for any build. It costs what it costs. I don't know how you could have a serious budget for a hot rod. Unless you are buying a kit car with known prices and using paid craftsmen with given hourly rates, there is no way of knowing what you will be forced to pay for that perfect part or the once in a life time bargain deal.

 

"I really enjoy the building. It makes me feel whole. Pretty sure I would go crazy if I didnt build. So if it costs me a couple hundred bucks a month, its cheaper than therapy" Crease Quote.

I hear ya brother. This whole thing has kept me from going off the deep end for a long, long time. When I get out there nothing else matters. As for my budget, I wasn't going into this with budget in mind. I just didn't want to spend a ton. For one it's a four-door, two, I like to have a good time at shows and not worry about my car when I'm on the other side of the show grounds. 3k so far with purchase price of 2k.