As a general interest post, I thought it would be interested in knowing how long it has taken for others to restore their car or build their projects? Weeks, months, years? Many are surely still in process. A photo of the project before and after would be cool. An idea of how much personal time was involved and an idea of the $$ cost they endured would be interesting. Also, how did experience, skill, and shop resources play in the picture? And the big question: Has anyone ever made any real money? Am I missing anything? When I purchased my 48 delivery, I had big plans. After I bought the car, I made some mental notes about what it was going to take to restore it. It was 100% rust free, running OK, and how bad could it be? I also had an opinion of the time frame required to do the job. I was willing to have local mechanics do most of the work, have the engine professionally rebuilt, slap a paint job on it, and actually thought it was going to get done in a month or two! And hey, I can always just sell it and get my money back! Oh brother! Newbies are somethin eh? I can hardly stand my own stink! In the end, will "I" make a profit? NO FRIGGIN WAY! Will I get my investment back? I doubt it! (Forget my labor!) Will I get a dependable driver and years of pleasure out of it? I sure hope so! What say Ye?
I've built a few cars and my build times have been all over the place. For me the biggest factor is the quality of the car when I started. The car that I'm building right now is a huge job, Bad floors, rusted out wheel wells, shot suspension, the list goes on. I figure that if you can put 30 hours in a car a week then 6 months to a year is more then enough time. A year gives you over 1500 hours there are people that can build a kitplane in that time. I find that money is more of a factor then time. As for making money I find that sometimes the less I do the more money I can make. A decent driver that had ok paint and an ok interior made me more money then a super nice build. Most cars that I've had less then 5 grand into I have sold for 10+ but on the flip side my luck has been that a car that is really nice that I have 12g's in I might only get 15-18 out of. Just my take and luck I'm sure others have been better off building higher dollar cars and making better money. It depends on were you sale and who you know.
I usually drive my fixed up cars around for a summer or two and if I break even or make a nickle an hour for labor that's OK. Just think of the fishin guy who bought a 30,000 dollar bass boat & tryed to sell it the next year = maybe get 15,000 for it.
My first project was a complete frame off, ground up build of a '51 F-1. It took me 3.5 years to complete, and since I was still in school, I could easily donate 60 or more hrs a month towards it. That truck was solid, nearly all the parts were there, and modifications (MII, 351W, 5 spd, Dana 44) were fairly straight forward. My current project is also a complete frame off build, but it is a bit more involved. A lot (and I mean A LOT) more rust repair was required, there is more customization, and the car is much larger. I am currently 3.5 yrs into the build, and probably have another 2 or so to go. But, due to my job (I travel a bunch), family, and other commitments I can only seem to get in 20 hrs a month. Here is when I drug the old girl home. And it's current status. Don't worry about getting your money back out of it. You won't. Build It, Drive It, and Enjoy It. It's a hobby, not a business. Good Luck
I bought my 57 when i was in 4th grade. I'm 32 now, out of high school for 12 years. I started the motor for the first time this Christmas. Maybe not average..... but LOOOOOOOONG
I have never seen ANY project done in 2-3 months or a week for that matter...TV has misled a lot of people, nobody witnesses all the behind the scenes work and the many workers you don't see on camera...It's all over the place from months to many years depending on the scope of the project. Many factors from budget to size of the project factor in. I have a restoration shop and we took a '67 Mustang down literally to nothing...started from 4 frame rails and built it from scratch...time frame 4 years...but understand most people don't want to pay someone to work on their car a steady 40-60 hours per week so most projects are not worked on full time unless someone has a ridiculous budget. From a personal perspective on a project other factors play in...for me being in the business I don't often get to work on my own projects because I am always working on everyone elses...but I am now making time for my own stuff. I've been trying to put together one of mine since 1987...I've been through 2 cars(first was just too far gone) and now the second gets picked at from time to time. I have another project which was a late model that didn't have rust or a ton of work that I finished in 6 months. Currently I have a '63 F100 that I have no intention of painting...just drop it and have fun with it that I hope will be just a couple of months in the end but that delay is based on my schedule which offers little free time. Some who have a job that allows them more free time can proceed faster. Rule of thumb though...always plan for a larger expense and longer time frame than you think....Murphy has a way of appearing all the time causing delays and expenses. In the end it's about having fun and enjoying yourself.....If you set a deadline you are really setting yourself up for disappointment...you can have a goal but deadlines are a recipe for aggravation when you are first starting a project IMO.
General rule is, it is going to take twice as long as you thought and cost 3 times as much. We've done one as quick as 88 days and others as long as 6 years. A lot depends on cash flow. The one we did in 88 days had every part down to the smallest fitting already purchased and sitting there waiting to be used. My own 27 took 6 years to build the first time because I had to pay bills first and use whatever was left over to buy parts. (Hiding all those receipts from the wife takes some creative bookkeeping. ) Don
49 Merc = 9 years on and off. 48 Chev Aero, = 5,200 hours so far and it ain't ready for paint yet. Guess I'm just really, really slow.
im right there with ya man. got mine when i was 8, im now 24. still haven't driven it, should be LOW by spring tho.
"Slap a paint job on it, and actually thought it was going to get done in a month or two!" You're so funny!!!!
You should make this a poll, and see statistically what it averages out to. 1 year, 2, 5 10, and 10 plus. I bet the average is around 3 or 4 years.
I had a very well organised, well thought out, concise, well budgeted and nicely timed project plan for my '51. And to date, I'm happy to say I'm perfectly on track, schedule and budget. Then again I'm also perfectly content to lie about being perfectly on track, schedule and budget. (I'm 2 years and 2 grand over, and counting)
I've been redoing my car, and I don't do all the work on it. I'm figuring I will have it all done in 5 years starting from 2008, so 2013. More of a factor of money than ability.
The 1932 Ford pickup was started and finished in a little less than 6 months,, From an original roller,, To this,, On the other hand the "Ranch Wagon" was started in 2003 And 8 years later it still isn't on the road but getting closer.HRP Just to add a update to the story,the wagon is finished..it took 9 years and one month to the day! HRP
In my experience, a driver can be had in a matter of weeks/months, but for a "done" car 5 years is a fair time frame. ...Unless you're Jim Sibley!!! By the way, done is a four letter word!
Start: Current: I'm about 600 hours in of an expected 1500 or so. It took the longest to find all the parts for good deals. I've spent 3738.43 dollars and still have lots of extra parts I don't need, that came with some of the lots I bought. I plan to sell stuff to offset the cost. Hoping to be around 8000-10000 when finished in the next year or so. Was hoping to have it done in 2011..... But customer work kept me from it.
My most recent was a 5 year build- but it drove me nuts that it was in primer for just over 2 years before the final block sanding and paint. Had the logistics been less of a struggle, and the tools been more on-hand- and family illness not gotten in the way- and I didnt have a 40 hour per week job to WISH my ride was being worked on- it would have been done in only a couple years. The variables are infinate and the money is not- usually. A poll would be interesting Another poll idea- how many builders have had thier projects last longer than their marriage- Im in that mix--- but it wasnt caused by the project-
I pulled the motor out of my old Jag to fix an oil leak, then started seeing all the rust in the floors..... 4 years and $20K in parts and paint to get it running and driving. That's all the money I could put into it, and it's still not really done .....probably never will be, that costs way more than I have to spend.
I'm taking a different route on my 51, trying to have it done this year. Had the top and initial body work done last year ( build thread on here) want to finish by sept this year. I'm combining a lot of the work and farming it out. While we are in final paint will be having the seats and interior panels done, after final paint will have headliner installed, then glass. I'll do all the electrical, engine and stuff prior to final paint. Did the brakes and fuel lines with the body off the chassis so thats all done. Will be at Chris Carlsons shop, "Chaotic customs" next couple of months towards the end of the week.In comparison my 30 coupe which i did every thing except upholstery took 6 years!
well I tried to make a poll and screwed it up.....lol I will try and fix it! Geeesh....again newbie syndrome If anyone can tell me how to erase the poll I will try to make another??? Help!!
I spent 16 years on mine. I lost interest for awhile, had no money for a time, went to school, bought a house, got married, started a family.... And I finally got it done enough to drive last summer. Shiny paint, shiny chrome... Its not totally finished yet, but at least I can enjoy it as is for now. Money and time? I never kept track since it really is just a hobby and not my business. I understand guys that flip cars, but I really don't have the space, time or money for that. The best advice I would give is to have a designated day(s) and time you work on it. Take all those mental lists, write them down and cross things off as they get done. Even if there is only small things getting crossed off, it's progress. Focus was key for me. Dump all the parts and pieces and projects you can live without and focus on one thing. It was a grind at times for me, but the results are worth it.
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