I always do that. Maybe it's just the way I am. Here is the one I was keeping for my '29 RPU project. http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AqyBed7Pe3LNcG5FWGtMaGZsbkFSQTI2dVZpeHRPWVE&hl=en#gid=0
Hot Rods are like women. Don't worry too much about how much its gonna cost, just recognize it won't be cheap. When I swapped in my rebuilt 429 & top loader, 'glass front clip and 3rd cab on my '56 F100 I deliberately spread the cost between cash & credit cards and never tallied the receipts until the truck was back on the road. Expecting the total to be about $3000 or so, in 6 months I actually spent over $6000 on the project. Needless to say, some new skivvies were required after seeing that total. (And I did 95% of the work!) Probably the best way to do it is as others have said, break it down into subgroups, concentrate on each. If you have a skill someone else doesn't have trade work for work. That often works real well. Finally, remember the Three P's. Patience, Perseverance and Profanity. Works every time.
It could be worse. Do not, under ANY circumstance, tell the woman in your life what you have discovered. Whether it's your wife, girlfriend, sister or mother, it doesn't matter--NEVER tell her. If you have, you might as well sell all your parts and tools now. -Brad
If you do not go into a project with a realistic idea what it is going to cost you, you will never get the project done, but it will make a great start for some one else for a bargain price. And if you are not honest with your spouse about about it, you'll pay for it big time down the road.
I have a list in my mind as to what it will cost me to get my chopped '51 Ford Coupe project just to get it driveable and look OK at 10'. very tough when every other direction in life is costing me more $$. even value of house has dropped. looked at one receipt the other day and realized that my project has had very little progress since I bought it a year ago. have bought a lot of stuff for it, so for the most part not facing any major expenses. this is a project someone else started and gave up. know I would never get my investment out of it the way it sits. so, that is my motivator-get it running to sell, or just keep it and drive it. the other day started trying to figure out the aftermarket wiring that is partially installed. have no instructions or know exactly what kit is in it. have been selling stuff I have collected over the years laying around and taking up space to help fund this project. sell here, craigslist and swaps-like the big one next Sunday at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento. it is tough, but ya gotta keep going or just take the loss and sell it as is. sometimes a new toy will reignite the burned out flame.
You have to look at a build as a puzzle Fitting each peice as you find it.I admit sometimes you have to spend big money ,For me its gonna be my interior ,Ill probably sell the 69 Firebird to help pay for the interior ,But such is life ,I spent 7 years on that car bringing it back.Have 9,000 invested as a ball park figure ,Thats just in parts ,Not counting electric ,Kerosene ,Or consumables ,Thats just the price we pay .So dont let it get you down.Just think of it this way ,Whats the price of 2010 truck....
It could be worse, I kept every single receipt for my truck build, uuuggghh! I put them in a nice box that has a nice file folder in it, it makes it real easy to open the box and see the receipts uuggghhh!, well I didnt build a hot rod for ten grand, and I did a lot of crap my self too. Well you know when you do something expensive you really ought not leave a lot of evidence around uuuuggghhhh! So my wife goes looking through this box you see, uuugghh! And she finds all of these receipts for stainless steel screws and bolts and washers and on and on in stainless UGGHHH!, so she sits down with a calculator cause shes bored and adds up all these fluckin screws UUGGHHH! And all of a sudden I hear a shout, WTF! ARE YOU FLUCKIN NUTS? YOU GOT 3800 FLUCKIN DOLLARS IN FLUCKIN BOLTS HERE!! uuugghhh! HOW MUCH DID THIS GODDAM THING COST!!!??? So I grabbed the book and ran away up a tree, so I am sitting in this tree with my book of receipts and she is shootin me with a pellet gun uugghhh! So like I said, It could be worse. ooowwww! she just got me in the winky. Hide your receipts well.
I'm in a little higher hopes right now I talked to my guy and he quoted me $2300 to weld in the MII, tri-4 link with notch, install brake booster and run steel lines for 4 wheel disc brakes. The part that killed me was the $2900 he wants to install the air bags OUCH
Think of it this way...can you fork out the cash out to have someone build it for you ?(how fun would that be) or if you sold it how much would you get out of it? to put down on something closer to be done...not much huh....... keep the thing its already yours !!! and its paid for...
id hate to start adding up what I already have into my 32 truck and dont get me started on the ten years I spent at the bars or the five years I spent going through court over DUI's and fines and lawers... shit I could have built ten of these fucking things!!! my twenty's were fun but shit that was expensive!!! glad it over!! P.S. scottys dad's A smart man
buy the tools and do it your self. Thats how you learn if it comes out bad take it apart and do again till your happy with your work If I can weld anyone can. by doing this you will also love your car that much more and theres a pride in saying owner built. You have to have HAMB around you ask for help I have five six around me and there all there at request.
Dude, One of my car building carnals once asked me... Do you know how to eat an elephant? One friggin' bite at a time. Set your budget and try to stay less than 30% over it. TB
There is a big differance between what you need and what you want. If the $$$ you think you need to come up with is too high, figure out what you need and what you can do without. Almost $3,000 is a lot of coin just to be able to flip a switch to change the ride hight, unless its something you really need. I'm betting that is something that can be added latter for about the same money, and maybe you can learn to do it yourself and put that money into something else. You won't need that air ride until your ready to drive, get the things that you need first. Cars have never been cheap. I dropped almost $5,000 (in parts only) a couple years ago just repairing things on my old truck so I could keep driving it. Compared to the $30,000 + they get for newer trucks, the money I spent was a great deal, and this truck will do whatever I need it to do for several years. Figure out what has to be done now, and what can be done for the same money later, and what doesn't need to be done, and make a plan. One step at a time when it needs to be done is how cars get finished. Gene
Thanks 50 I went thru my list again and I did that I took out all the engine dress up parts along with the engine hop ups. I figured it would be better to have it running than having the engine look nice sitting in my driveway. As for the bags I need them the MII A arms are setup for them. But I did think about just putting in the bags hooked up to a schreador valve leaving the tank and compressors out and that save me a bunch too.
For every $100 you spend on the truck put $1 in the bank! This will help you feel better about spending the money because you're saving for the future at the same time. You'll have that truck done in no time.
I keep a whiteboard in my garage with a list of what I need to complete the next step. Parts by name only, I know the approximite costs. When there is car money there, I buy the next part. The wife knows I have car money. It's ok. It's seperate from what keeps a roof over our heads and food on the table. I just bought a glass hood for an o/t project. It's a running driving car. I've needed more hood clearance for years. I made some money at a swap meet this weekend. She says, "why don't you just do it right and buy that hood you've been wanting for 10 years?" So now it's the hood. And springs. And gaskets for the manifold I'd like to use. And the rear main seal is leaking, might as well take care of that too....I'll spend $1000 because I bought a $400 hood. That's just the way it works. I have a book of reciepts for that car, that I've had now for 20 years. I know better than to add them up. I'm not building it for resale, just my own pleasure. Devin
Best advice I ever got was just make sure that every week you either buy something for the car or do something to it, eventually you'll get there.I don't make a lot of money and Ive got 2 kids and a house loan,so its been real slow. Ive spent 3 times what I first thought I would and I'm not finished yet but I'm still enjoying the build! on weeks when I cant afford to buy anything I sort out some of the small jobs or do some body work. Just have fun with it. Its better than watching TV!
You're depressed only because your appetite exceeds your budget. I get that way at car shows and cruise nights, too. You should count your blessings and not count your shortcomings. There are lots of guys here that would be thankful to have your ride "as-is" and you're distressed about a $4,000 air ride system. Buck up. Bring what you got to the party and enjoy yourself.
Skip the airbag system and lower it a more traditional way. That will save ya a ton of dough. Or do you you have your mind set on it? Just get low at a ride height you are happy with and deal with it. Just a thought.
It's all about patience. I've been working on my truck for two years, but haven't really done much but collect bits and pieces. For instance - I needed to box in the original frame, move the axle out for a nice suicide setup, etc, etc. And then I came across a guy with a brand new Tbucket frame for almost nothing. So, for half of what I'd have had in the original frame I have a brand new frame all ready to go. Everything else has gone the same way. Already chopped, sandblasted '41 cab? $75 rifle trade. LT1 motor that needs a rebuild? $150. If you keep your ear to the ground the deals will come. I'm just about ready to build my truck and I'll have a little under $4k invested to end up with a '41 Ford cab, chopped, on a Tbucket frame, LT1 motor, TH350 with shift kit, brand new front end / spindles / etc with disc brakes, 8.8 posi disc brake rear. I'll do all the work and painting myself, and by the time this year's snow clears I should be rolling. It's worth the wait.
The Jalopy Journal
