Do you "build your hot rod" or "buy and drive"

And if you ask if I built my latest A coupe....
no, Henry Ford built the body
Chevrolet built the engine, transmission and rear axle,
Chassis Engineering built the front axle and spring,
and a few other companies built some of the other parts,
but, ah, I put those parts together....
does that count?

 

I am at the frustrating point of my build where all I want to do is get in and drive, so right now I plan to buy and drive the next one. Well, trade and drive.

We will see if I change my mind as I finish this one up. I definitely plan to keep it for a few years before I start looking for the next one.

 

sometimes i would love to just get in a car a drive, but there is a certain satisfaction i get when i know that i did all the work myself. anybody can buy a car and drive it, only certain people can say they built one.

 

I've done it both ways and I always have a tough time establishing a "bond" with a "pre-built" car. I'l drive it for awhile but it never speaks to me. Who da hell wants a car that won't speak to you?
My old 33 ford pickup was for all intents and purposes a non intentional rat-rod. I mocked it up before final assembly and just begaan driving it as-is. We had a great relationship. I was comfortable in it because I built it from the frame-up. I knew the little truck like an old friend.
Conversely, I traded my 41 Pontiac coupe for a buddy's chopped 50 ford sedan. All the work was top-notch and the car went on to become a pretty famous car after I sold it. Yup, I sold it because when I drove that car I felt like I was out with my neighbor's wife! Didn't really feel any attachment to the car. weird.

 

Personally I have never bought one done. My buddy bought a black 55 Pro-Street car that was done and bitchin.
I am too darn cheap. Even if I had the money, I would still be too cheap. I never seem to like whats for sale unless it's a basket and I can do it my way.

 

There aren't too many folks casting their own block in their kids sandboxes. To some extent, we all "bought" our cars. I guess it really come down to assigning blame when it looks like junk. It safe to say that my car's condition is my fault.

 

Oh hell no, why would you want to miss out on the blood, sweat, tears, pissed off wife, back aches, metal shavings in the eye, stiches,band-aides, wrong parts, substandard parts, misordered parts, mismatched parts, empty welding tanks, uncountable sanding discs and pads, welding wire purchases, do-overs, SANDING DUST, GRINDING DUST, lost hardware, wrong hardware, lost receipts, trip after trip to the auto parts stores, ruined clothes, pissed off neighbors, etc etc etc.
Why would a sane person BUY a car, when that same person could go through all the aforementioned trials and tribulations for YEARS...... and build their own.
I just realized.............. I'm a dumbass. But, I can say "I built it".

 

I build cars for the guys that can't build them.....only problem is i never have time to build my own.....

 

If I didn't build it.....I won't roll it

 

I've always been lucky enough to build my own rides. The only time I didn't was a 57 Chevy fully restored that I took on trade. I drove it for a few months and became so bored with it that I made a deal for a project 31 roadster instead. The building process is always a big part of each vehicle. Luckily I have been able to have something to cruise while building the next ride....................I suppose if I didn't I might have found something running to drive in the interim. In the end it doesn't really matter to me if you built it or bought it, as long as you are driving the wheels off and having fun!

 

I feel your pain metal shavings in the eye and all

 

I enjoy the build more than the driving..did I just write that?

 

I learned that if you buy a car running and driving, it is inevitable that you will have to disassemble it anyways and fix the previous owners mistakes. I think a car is truly yours only if the blood from your busted knuckles is somewhere on the car, the build is half the fun.

 

I bought my sedan and had to pile on the pieces on my trailer to drag it home in 1997. I did every bit of work on it, I know every inch of the car. If something breaks it's my fault and you can bet I'll make sure it don't break again.

In 2009 the wife and I loaded the car up and did over 5,000 miles worth of Route 66 touring. All along they way people asked "did you build this car?" I don't really know what they expected me to say but were all surprised that we were this FAR from home.

Now as I advance well into my 60's...the car is beginning to look a little ragged, a little "worn" and...I just don't get much of a chance to work on it any more. I just drive the crap out of it! ( I like it this way)

 

Every nut ,bolt wire ,weld all by me and this is my first chop
all by myself even though my freinds were gonna come by and help

 

I've bought and finished a lot of partially done projects. Someone else dumped all the money and sweat into it and ran out of steam, I buy them and paint them the color I want, do the interior I want and have fun, and when I sell them I don't totally lose my ass.

 

I bought mine !! I drove mine !!! I broke mine !! I learned how to fix mine and change mine.

 

don't matter...if you buy one you will eventually be doing your own touches to it, maintaining it, hopping it up some more, fixing it....in the end you'll probably build it from the ground up and not even realize it....to hell with the consensus, do what you want...its still yours no matter what.

 

You can buy them cheaper now, Then building one now. I have done both. A lot of good deals out there.

 

For me i think the ride is more enjoyable if youve actually put your hands in it. Got a thing for home built or friends garage built rides. You always seem to cherish the car more when youve actually laid blood down for it rather than cash. But thats me.

 

Absolutely!!!

 

^^^x 2......
Although I would buy from some if I wasn't cramming all my money into my current car...

Nothing wrong with either way...

 

I put every bolt on mine. Was at the drag strip with a co-worker who has a bracket car and he picked up a big rubber body bushing off the pavement and asked me if it fell off my car.

I just laughed and said ..."No, I didnt put that on my car so it didnt fall off. However if you see any stainless bolts laying around, let me know"

 

I did everything I could, but when it came time for frame work, I had a friend who is a certified welder zap it together, because of the possibility of me screwing it up, and not knowing I screwed it up until it was too late.
I'm kinda like the guy that said
"Ford built the body, Chevy built the engine and trans, Super Bell built the axle, Posies built the spring, etc and I put it all together"
I also farmed out the body and paint, and the pinstriping, because I'm nowhere near good enough at either of those to try it on a car I don't mind being seen in.

 

I build my everything! I am almost done with my blown 392 Hemi powered 37 Plymouth 5w coupe. I build and drive everything I build.I enjoy never meeting myself on the road or parking next to another one like mine.I built mine with some really different ideas. Let me know if I peak your curiosity on my one of a kind Hemi valve cover dash. Maybe I will post a few pics. Coupes not on the road yet.Waiting for spring to debut it. But dam proud of my 45 year barn find coming together. I thinkit's a real hot one.

 

Just like any other subject, opinions are like assholes and everyone has their own. So do your own thing and don't worry about it. Have a nice day........

 

Yeah i built mine to drive every other day...But i would have payed to have it done ..

 

Weird ideas and a very small local scene leave me no choice but to build ... if I ever get there!

 

I bought mine finished,drove it for 15 years. Then blew it completley apart and redid it myself with my son ! (3 year build) we had a blast doing it togeather.

 

The build is what makes the car yours... taking something that was passed by for years and giving it new life... thats where it is at... anyone can write a check...