Good point. The most frustrating thing for me was running across a great deal on something I didn't need yet, but had to buy because it was so cheap. The 305 I have in mine was given to me with the car body when I bought it. Everything was full of carbon and sludge and had to be cleaned out, but the bores looked real good. That took a lot of time cleaning that engine and heads up. New crank and gaskets+ new carb probably ran me close to $800. Bought the intake for $40 and 350 trans for $60. Rear end is stock 66 Bronco for $150. Found the rear tires like new shipped to my door for $150. Wiring harness, gently used aftermrket for $50. Heck, even the paint is some old laquer found in a dealership building my company was going to demolish. I got 2 steel cabinets, and all the 1 quart containers of various colors of paint. I remember i was coming across good deals on stuff I didn't need yet when I was wanting to order suspension pieces. Seemed like I never had enough cash left over to make the call, but overall ended up coming together pretty cheap.
Well, so far, im at 3550 including tags and title. Replaced all brake parts and soft lines, tires, having tank reconditioned, tuned up and few other things. I will have 5000 in it once I do the rest of the things on my list, but its running and driving and is very solid bodywise and the interior is prety clean. Found in a garage, sitting for I figure about 10 years. Had some rust replaced in about 1991...Lady just needed it out of her garage and I brought a deposit...had to buy it quick, but glad i did. Got it a month ago, BTW. Oh, and DO THE WORK YOURSELF. If you don't know how, read, read,read. If you still arent feeling safe about it, find someone to help with the skills you need.
$1600 on my 46 international and $43.00 on my 58. if you spend more than 5 g's on your rod then your building a trophy /trailer queen.
Watch the cars that are for sell. Prices can drop real quick. I bought a 64' Chevy II that the guy wanted $8000 for (way high) for $3300 (it was a steal) when he needed cash fast. My brother just bought a 49 Chevy for 1/3 the guy's original price and it could be a great car for well under $5000.00. Some guys hold out for a inflated price for too long and then have to almost give a car or project away to get rid of it. I know everyone hates e-bay, but there can be deals too. I bought a car that I thought would be full of Bondo for $2500. When I picked it up it was spotless and onlt needed a couple of rebuilt carbs. I doubled my money on that one and drove the hell out of it!
Had about 3500 in this '62 Studebaker Lark including a '66 327, th 350, disc brakes, tires etc. The paint is Rustoleum royal blue ($9.95 a quart) used about a quart and a half. I installed a shift kit in the tranny with a floor shifter. This was used as a wedding car in four weddings including my own! I sold it last year to fund a new project.
our economy hasnt gone for a dump as hard as yours has most old cars are still considdered money in the bank. Old is still gold up here in my part of the country
Paint can be a night mare. One of the two things that are budget busters in my book. I got 5 pints of metalic Gold Laquer for 35 bucks. Its not enough to paint my car but I wasn't even ready for paint yet. Couldn't pass it up. My original color scheme was black and either gold or copper. That sealed the deal. My neighbor up the street is giving me most of a gallon of black laquer. His daughter works for the garbage company and she found it on the curb. He painted the fenders on his old sedan with it, then crunched one so he needs about another half pint before it lands at my place. But the only reason I have it is because I waited until something came along. Paint is always last for me. Patience is the name of the game. If you hang in there the right pieces will come along.
From what I've seen online Ontario seems to have some vintage T clubs, maybe join or find their classifieds/newsletter. The VCCC chapters have classifieds too. Just don't tell them you're building a rod! ha I also think building up your savings till pre and post christmas is a really good idea, then put ads on CL, kijiji, etc looking for an unfinished project or parts. I might end up in Ont because of the wife's job and that is my plan for the next toy, my scooby van won't be making the trip.
Picked up my first project, a 54 GMC 5 window 1/2 ton for $800 with a clean title and an extra parts chassis. Complete minus the motor and tranny. I've got about $900 in it so far and I'm thinking I'll have it up and running (only because of knowing people and some bartering) for less than $4k.
This will be a lo-buck build-up. Freebie body, $ Free! Super-rough Body $650 Patch Panels $550 Dropped A Axle/Spindles $450 Wheels $400 Tires $200 Steel $150 Radiator $135 Front Spring $400 Windshield(unless I find a used one for less) $ 50 Front Half '32 Frame Rails Free! Crossmembers $300 Transmission $ 25 SBC Engine $200 Rings, Bearings $ 50(?) Gaskets $ 50 Header Flanges $100 F1 Steering Box $ 25 Steering Wheel $ 75 Carb & Intake Free! Dual-point Dist. So far $3810. Some stuff not here yet, but you get the idea. Paint and interior will be buddy/home shop stuff as well. Should be around $5000(probably end up double!). I realize there are a few freebies in there, but those were returns from favors, buddies helping each other out, etc.
Im at about 3200 including all types of small shit, 12v swap, tires, brake parts, lights, etc. and that includes the price of the car itself.
I'm just a plain old tight wad. You just have to be selective about your expenditures. I have no qualms about using a good used engine on a build in stead of tying up a whole lot of cash in a rebuilt engine or a "crate engine" I'm only going 70-75 MPH. I always bought donor cars for drive trains. Buying the right one and parting out the rest has often got me a free drive line and all the brake components. Hot rod kits are easy but they always cost way more than digging up your own parts. Specialty parts houses always charge more than a regular parts house. Scouring Ebay for the deals that do slip through can save a bunch. I am always looking and if a deal shows up on a clutch kit that I don't have to have for several months, I buy it. I cherish the good deals and I use them to justify stepping up to the plate for those special high dollar parts that you just have to have. So I just hold my nose and buy it. The big mistake is saying I have to have it now when it might not be needed for months.
I needed a truck, was building a '27 Hiboy roadster, no truck to bring stuff home in when I found it. (I used to get 'gifted' stuff nobody wanted, it was 1970 and hot rodding hadn't re-awakened yet in Santa Cruz, CA.) I'd take the passenger and back seat out of my raked '57 VW, brought my engine, trans, and rear end home in 3 trips! I found a '55 F100 sitting in a friend's tow yard, it was a theft recovery. No engine or tranny, wheels gone, tailgate gone, and windows smashed. One dent, from when they pulled it out of the ravine where it had been pushed over. My friend agreed to sell me the truck, for wages paid to his recovery guys. $60. And the metallic blue paint was still shiny. Hood was in the bed. A customer had a flat cam in his '69 Vette. He bought a new crate engine, and gave me the core. (12K miles and a flat cam. My lucky day! My Dad gave me a 30/30 Duntov and a set of solids, my girlfriend bought me an aluminum intake & Thermoquad. I did a VW engine for a fellow BMW mechanic after work evenings, and he gave me his deceased Mom's '66 Chevy Bel Air. Sold the front fenders, grille, hood, radiator for $400, the 283 for $250, used the powerglide (freshly rebuilt!) I bought four '50 Merc wheels from friend Larry Fuller at Tex's Auto Wreckers for $3 each, and reversed them. I used some of my '50 Merc 'ash can caps' on it, (I had a large collection) Reversed front spring eyes, hammered leaves flat over two 24-inch lengths of railroad track, with a sledge hammer. Nice rake, bought used tires (big & littles) almost new! $10 each, because they were in pairs. Hooker headers from the Watsonville swap, $40. Made the rest from cutoff pieces of 2", thru a pair of Grand Auto Supply 'cherry bombs' in the $4 bin! (cherry bombs were 40" long, "mouse" quiet.) My brother ragged on me for the SBC under the hood, but I reminded him that for all the wheeling-and-dealing, I probably was PAID to have this truck! Still have it, and it's in primer again! Bonneville, Drags, L.A., it's been everywhere! I still love it.
You have seen enough of my projects to know it can be done ....but ya gotta do it all yourself...I had the 48 Chevy on the road for less than 3K, prolly closer to 2k ....and Ol rusty the Ford coupe , I have way more money into welding gas,wire cut off wheels etc etc than I do in the car itself about a grand as it sits.... Forgot about the old Plymouth wagon , less than 2K in it on the road...you can do it Pete but ya gotta have the motivation to keep at it...how badly do you want something I guess is what it comes down to for me, I cant afford to buy anything decent so I have to make it myself or it wont happen ...lifes to short to spend to much time thinking about doing stuff , just get out and try and do it...
budget ! Have you ever been to stuckin , kansas ? The whole town is cheap. Just keep it safe brother.
That's the budget for my 56 chevy. Motor runs well but needs to made cool with dual carbs, split manifold and shiny bits etc. for the straight 6. Engine budget is $800, 1400 for interior, 600 to drive line, 1200 to the body some new tires and a DIY paint job. Bought the car 10 years ago for a very fair $ so I choose not to count that, different fiscal decade. I think I am a good ebay shopper, I watch it closely and get good deals.
so I failed at the 5 grand mark, but I am still just a couple of bucks over 6k. 13 years to complete to this stage.
We are doing a chopped 51 Merc 2 door for a friend that should be a driver for around the $1500-$2000 mark, purchase/travel to get, everything included.
I know it not truly old but I'm happy with it and I have right around $1500 in it 1971 Ranger XLT, 302/Auto/3.25 gear Runs good, has a bad lifter but no miss Replaced Plugs/Muffler so far Removed western jr mirrors/bed rails Removed dash pad/will fill in holes later/doesn't look too bad like it is. Painted stock rims 1 1/2 coil cut off front springs/Half flip on rear Painted the front rims and found some 15x8 and painted them New BFG's on the rear
$1000 for the derelict sedan. Sold the old flathead motor, front fenders, door latches, handles, etc. got more than enough from those sales to buy the 292 Chivvy inline 6 motor/bell housing/tranny, fabricate driveshaft, new battery/clutch/starter/alternator, reline brake shoes, etc. $1000(mol) for Tires/flaps/tubes. Firestone and Escelsior bias-ply tires are expensive. $60 for a spool of welding wire. $500(mol) for steel tubing and wood; A year or so cutting, gluing and welding. $300 for getting glass cut. $200(mol) for fabric, snap fasteners, etc for tonneau cover. $$??? for beer, but I'd have used that anyhow, car or no. $350 for paint(Omni MAE MAROON in color) & supplies; sandpaper/tape/thinner, etc. The money has been spent, just ain't got around to doing the hard part.(prep) I've been drivin' it now for a couple of years, pure kick-ass enjoyment. Update; I've given the car to my son, I'm keepin' driving rights. He will be changing things, of course, being a typical 40-something kid. No skin off my ass as long as he's paying the freight. Any parts he takes off, I'm scarfin' up.
I have a 56 chevy that I overpaid for. My plan is to put this car back on the road for 5000.00 nothing will be hired out. I will do all in house. Should be interesting. Just keep your eye open. The 56 had the entire floor gone. Rufused to pay 1200.00 for a damn floor. Low and behold went to a farm sale and They had a lot of trifive stuff and for 90.00 pick up a used floor bets 1200.00
Hey, I'm on a budget. I found a body off a 1948 Chevy pickup in a field in barrie, ontario. I bought from the guy for $100.00. Heres some pictures of what I started with. One year later and I've only spent about $1000.00. I will have this truck on the road for about $3000.00 Its alot of work and time but it can be done!
all together less than 3 grand in my 46....hell yea...do it on a budget...its alot more fun...who wants to drive a 401k around anyway
My build has to be a budget build, I just spent the day sand blasting the frame and will be finishing tomorrow. Then I'll do the body. If I had the money I would farm this job out in a second, I hate sandblasting.
Ol Green, your truck sure reminds me of a build by a friend of mine, done back in the 80's. It was a real sleeper, with a twin turbo big block. Screwball, I would think searching out a less rusted vehicle, from the prairie provinces, would be more cost effective than the high cost of rust repairs. Contact someone reputable, like "fordnutz" here on the HAMB. The cost of shipping on a carrier, or a road trip to pick up, might still be cheaper than extensive repairs. A better starting point, may make for a good driver, that can be built in stages while enjoying driving it.
$1250 running, driving, registered. Some red paint, used rubber. Only limit is your imagination. Its gone to Florida. I am looking for my next one.
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