Bragging about build cost

I've got $4200 in my 28-29 Tudor sedan which I haven't touched except to move it since buying it in the early 90s. It is the best original body, fenders, aprons, etc. I had ever seen at the time. Someday I hope it will be worth what I paid for it even after I've worked on it some.

 

I keep every receipt to keep the wife off my back...she acts like I'm spending millions until I show her the tally. She gets glad again.
Wait till she see's the price for my Ad-a-dick-to-me!

 

I have no idea what my truck has cost so far. I try not to spend too much but it has cost more than it should probably should. For me, it's not about money and I'm not building it to make a profit, so I don't bother keeping track. I'm doing it 'cause I like doing it.

I really don't give a rat's ass what someone else spent either.

 

if I'm within ear shot of my wife, I have less than $4k in my car. just like how she lies about how much shoes cost.

 

Here's what i know... Ive got a little more invested than what i'd really like. (i'm not afraid to admit that i am cheap) but i am really happy when i find a part/piece that i consider to be a steal. Im thrilled that i can accomplish something that many friends can only wonder about, and i get to drink beer doing it all... Life is good !!

 

whats the tolerance on that thing?
+/- 9" !


my weekly metal work blog,no meat used in building process. www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

I keep spread sheets for every build, I like to know what I spend on a project. I do include consumables and run two money total lines, one with everything including the value of "free" parts I had around and one with just what I had to spend out of pocket. It isnt for anyone else to see, but I do challenge myself to get the money spent more in line with each build because every one ends up with parts I bought that I ended up not needing or didnt use. I dont include labor, I do this for fun and not a job.

 

Yea and I once said and lost an aquaintence over it that the first liar never stands a chance.

That said I only got 5" but some girls like 'em that big around.

 

Dammm i got the short end of the stick...

 

If you build a car that has a title fine, but in my state if you need to get the car inspected and O Kd by the MVD you better have reciepts for the stuff you bought because they want to see them. They want to know where you got the parts, so not keeping reciepts is a bad idea in Wisconsin. I have every reciept for every part that went on my car, Although I have no idea how much I've spent so far, don't care either. But I think the reciepts are important.

 

That's why I keep it tied to my leg. I had to learn early on!

 

There is the other end of the spectrum. There are the fellas that brag about how much they have invested in their as in I spent 200K or 350K. I once read a story written by a fella who spent 200K to a friend of his to build him a '56 Chebby. If that was the friends price I would hate to have that professional builder help me out.

Truth is that it doesn't really matter how much it cost to build something. it costs what it costs, if you don't want to know or you are going to be offended by the answer you are probably way better off not to ask.

 

In Califoria you need the receipts. I have all of mine and everththing entered into a spread sheet. You have to show the parts that you paid sales tax on and any parts bought out side of Cali that you did not pays sales tax on, you will have to pay sales tax on when you go and get that special; build regestration ( No Vin Number). I also like the idea of a challeng of keeping in a budget. Like a few others on here I have my own hot rod checking account for my build. It get money from side jobs a small amout from the pay check and even a birthday present or two.

 

Car show lurker sneaks up sideways (why is it always sideways?) and whispers conspiratorially out of the side of their mouth....

Question #1: "What year is it?" - not what is it, when they have no clue what type of car - just what year is it?

Question #2: "What's a car like that worth?"

Car owner's response "Well what would you offer me for it?"

Lurker: "About $3000.00"

Car owner's response: "Well that settles that one - it's worth $3000.00 to you then"

Lurker "But how much did you pay?"

Car owner's response "Well let me see now. It was a rusty pile when I got it and there are about three thousand parts in it - can you spare the time to listen while I tell you the price of each and every component? Then you can add them all up and we'll know how much I paid"

The value is really only important for insurance purposes and when it is for sold - what you get for it is what someone is prepared to pay - that is the value. So what it cost to build is really not relevant to value. Some make money, some lose money. Ultimately the market determines what it is worth at any given time.

 

I don't know...I'd rather be caught bragging about something like building a car on the cheap....than whining and complaing. These days the HAMB seems more like a place to bitch and moan than a place to show your cars and help people.

Isn't anybody building cars anymore??

Clark

 

Paul's got it: everything in this world is costed, not valued. Any jerk who wants to share with the world at the top of his voice how much he's spent is officially a wanker.

 

Best post so far. When I first came here, I used to learn something every day. I still do, but I have to weed through a lot of the crap first. We've ALL lost site of the mission.

Bragging about cost? I'm too busy cruising and having fun to screw with a calculator.

 

Can't put a price tag on cool.


And I agree with Paul and Clark 100%

 

Damn.....the HAMB is just full of PURE GOLD threads lately......

 

this has been beat to death, and this troll posted it on KB today as well. You gotta wonder what bug crawled up his butt to post it on two forums??/

http://www.killbillet.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=266554

 

i'm still building mine.....but i will add that the few things i need to have all the major components are pricey...for me at least....and they are things that can't be traded for, cause they are specific to this car...nothing will interchange to do the job....not bitchin, just a bit disappointed in what it costs now compared to what i paid in the past....

 

That link only goes to the sign up page, but I get what you're saying.

 

Well said. People who don't know me who ask the price of something that I have irritate the hell out of me. The question is usually followed by some inference that either I paid too much or that they doubt the number that I may have given them. I usually respond to the question of "how much?" by just saying "enough" and leave them hanging.

A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. - Oscar Wilde

 

I keep a tab, just for my own curiosity sake, not for publication. Way over budget.

 

I totally agree with you.
I hate it when people asks me how much i spend on gas or how much is the car worth, orhow many hours/money i wasted in that POS.
I too have no idea how much deep im into it, and i have no wish in finding out....for my sanity

 

Clark
Some of us still build. Sometimes we even manage to ppst something of value. I don't think it hasd as much to do with show and tell as it does with a bitch post will recieve more attention.

So the question becomes isn't anyone intetested in what is beig built any more.

Just being the devil's advcate here.

 

1st, I'd like to say that there's so much more than welding, sanding, searching, etc in this life. Each builder/owner here has a unique vision on 2 or 4 wheels and all of the intrinsic values it took to get there. Cost to build, cost of labor, cost of gennie parts, all of it hits every one of us. To say these types of posts are worthless might be a stretch. Some of the replies are chapped-ass elitist in nature, some are worthy of something, be it entertainment or a different way to look at what you're doing.

All of that sanctimony out of the way, I have a level of disdain for someone who needs to know "how much" for no reason at all. Usually it comes from a sour individual who can't afford used tires on his rusty Taurus 4dr, but he's at your gathering anyway. Then there's the one who resents your profit margin on what you're selling. But there is the one who really wants to know for all of the right reasons. After you've been in this a while you can see it right away. I guess many of my builds were nearly free over the years. I have a personal rule to never spend my monthly income on my toys. Sleds, cars, bikes, all what I call "hustle money". You get it from side work, flippin cars and parts, or good ol trading up and down. True enough, it's a matter of perspective, but the time I've invested over decades in this life would have otherwise been spent bowling or golfing or cutting the grass and sittin on my fat ass in front of a football game. Not many of us in this gig are like the latter, but I don't sweat those who are that way either. FWIW, I have a standard answer for the empty "how much did you pay" question. "Nothing. In fact, if you must know, I actually got paid to get this shit pile out of some old lady's yard." The other was the guy who exclaimed that the restoration cost of one the Packards "...woulda paid for a few college educations, wouldn't it?" "Fuck yeah, it paid for mine!"

I know the topic was about how cheap, but it's all relative to your final goal. In a perfect world, they're all priceless.

 

Building has changed over the years. Like when I was in my early 20's I bought a 69 imp. with a 300 hp. 350, 400 trans. 12 bolt for 25 bucks for the motor and trans. Not bragging, it was just the way it was. A person could then drop that into an older body and be half way there and scrap the imp.

Now a person can spend just about as much in gas to go get a part, as the part costs.

So yes it costs more now, but it didn't years back.

 

So what is wrong with posting something on more than one forum? I do that because their is a different audience and different people may want to discuss or be aware of something. see nothing wrong with that at all.
If I am wrong, explain why so.

 

The car hobbyis full of proud, boasting men. some so much, I am sure they can only wear buttom down shirts.
As much as I have, I try very hard not to be that way. I build my stuff because it brings enjoyment to me, not to impress others.

When someone says they spend a billion dollars on a paint job, I realize he does not know how to paint. Even though I am not a painter, have always painted my owns cars.

When someone talks or boasts about their 'crate' engine, I realize he does not know how to build engines and is missing some of the best parts of the hobby. Cannot imagine owning a car where someone else built my engine, that will never happen.

Not bragging in any way, just saying others are missing out on the hoy and satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Yes, many peole ask how much did you spend, etc. But, who asks now much someone pays for their late model? I do not mean sticker price, I mean- "how much ARE you really dropping on this late model?"
Cost of vehicle
tax on vehicle
plates
'doc fees'
interest on auto loan, etc

Now, with all that factored in...how much is the depreciation costing you?

Now, all of a sudden, that old car or truck is looking like a pretty smart thing to do!

Finally, when someone talks about how little they may have in their ride, it may not be boasting. They may simply trying to let others know that a cool ride can , indeed, be built on the cheap if they would just apply themselves. They can be an influence to others about how affordable something can be.