Register now to get rid of these ads!

Art & Inspiration Super cheap or free mods you can do to keep your project going

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hillbilly4008, Jan 25, 2012.

  1. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    So it's a pretty common occurrence to get balls deep into a project then run out of funds, get discouraged and quit working on it all together. How's about we start a thread showing all the small things that can be done on little to no budget so people have some inspiration to keep moving forward on their stalled project?

    When people tell me about how they can't afford to work on their car anymore I usually tell them to "do the free stuff" Such as rust removal, polishing trim, cleaning the interior, clean the engine bay.....

    How bout it everyone? Lets inspire everyone to keep working on their cars!
     
  2. when I have no money, I clean stuff
     
  3. XXL__
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 2,117

    XXL__
    Member

    I just look at it.
     
  4. old soul
    Joined: Jan 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,093

    old soul
    Member
    from oswego NY

    I know what this dude is saying. Im live in upstate ny and im working out of a pull barn that there is no way to heat. So while im waiting for warm weather I just take a break and catch up on stuff that i dont do when all I do is work on my car. Its kinda nice actualy. Sorry for the spelling im a car guy not a computer nerd.
     

  5. 31ford429
    Joined: Nov 13, 2011
    Posts: 83

    31ford429
    Member
    from Florida

    when i'm out of money i hang out at this place called the HAMB
     
  6. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    Spray paint is cheap. Detail paint. Clean. Admire. Brag. Visit other garage to see other projects.
     
  7. Energy
    Joined: Jan 30, 2010
    Posts: 156

    Energy
    Member

    I am at that place right now (for the time being) on my OT el camino (it is stored where I don't have access to it). I DO have some things to keep me busy tho.

    Made the patterns (using info from the HAMB on repairing steering wheels taken one step further) that I will use to make my own steering wheel.

    Have made the patterns and the mock-up of the new dash/console combo that I am gonna build for it when I can afford another sheet of 18ga.

    Still have 2/3 roll of wire in my Hobart 140, so am still making progress on moving the mirrors on both doors, and putting in flush door handles.

    Made a sheetmetal battery cover (there are rubber guards to protect the cable ends from shorting out).

    I will also be smoothing out the rear of it, and building a new grill, and both bumpers, so in the eves I play with designs for all that, and how to go about making it all. Sometimes that is just looking thru the HAMB or other sites for ideas. The bumpers should turn out REALLY snazzy, and I will post the build of those on here.

    And before the winter is over, I will end up with a shower curtain on the living room floor, under the doors/tailgate, while I hand sand them smooth while watching TV.

    :p
     
  8. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Clean, admire, clean.
     
  9. rancid737
    Joined: Feb 22, 2011
    Posts: 219

    rancid737
    Member

    I cut patterns and draw up different ideas for the next step. Sometimes it's nice to be stalled, 'cause it gives you more time to geek out on the little labor-intensive details and also come up with better solutions for steps down the road. I can usually find enough scrap to at least build motor mounts, body mounts, gussets, all the little stuff. also you can start pulling nuts and bolts and buff them out (if youre using stainless).
     
  10. fastcar1953
    Joined: Oct 23, 2009
    Posts: 3,567

    fastcar1953
    Member

    this and this
     
  11. Lots of stuff can be done with little or no money.Good ideas have been posted such as cleaning parts,stripping paint and rust-putting small parts or bigger ones in primer after stripping and "Planning"-Never under estimate the importance of this step in the build.
    A wise man once said-"Plan to Fail if You Fail to Plan!!";)
     
  12. I stop buying beer :p
     
  13. Master of None
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 2,279

    Master of None
    Member

    I take a look through my collection of old magazines and hot rod picture books. I look to see what I'm "missing" and to get ideas.
     
  14. 54 savoy
    Joined: Jan 10, 2009
    Posts: 424

    54 savoy
    Member

    i'll take my hubcaps off for awhile or put them on for awhile,go through the wiring and and clean it up,or my favorite take pics of it with savoy jr. and post on facebook.
     
  15. alaskaal
    Joined: Oct 19, 2011
    Posts: 65

    alaskaal
    Member
    from Delaware

    I take lots of pics for my "before and after"!
     
  16. My biggest problem is it's free to take it apart, but then as long as it's apart I should do this, and this, and this, and suddenly it costs way more than I planned to put it back together.
     
  17. Shaggy
    Joined: Mar 6, 2003
    Posts: 5,207

    Shaggy
    Member
    from Sultan, WA

    Chrome Prep!!!!
     
  18. 1) Plan my next step(s), mocking up parts with cardboard if I haven't bought them yet.

    2) Drill lightening holes. :)
     
  19. whisky runner
    Joined: Feb 11, 2008
    Posts: 801

    whisky runner
    Member

    i go back to work on others cars..till i can afford a few more parts for mine.. cleaning and priming dont cost much and always plenty of that to do
     
  20. You and me both! HRP
     
  21. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

  22. Energy
    Joined: Jan 30, 2010
    Posts: 156

    Energy
    Member

    I've mentioned it before in another thread on here, but it fits here too.

    Go to Wal-Mart, and talk to the guy that restocks the toilet paper. The packages that have 36 and 48 rolls in them come in on pallets. Between each layer on that pallet is a 4 X 4 ft sheet of cardboard that is just slightly thinner than what you'll find on the back of a writing tablet. They just throw it away! :eek:

    These sheets are FANTASTIC for making mock-ups and patterns out of! Cut it with scissors, write on it with anything, can tape it back together if you cut too much, tape 2 sheets together for an 8 ft wide sheet, and you can bend/form it to any shape you want. It's stiff enough to keep its shape, and also stiff enough that you have to relieve it (like you would sheetmetal) if you bend it around corners/compound curves. PLus, once you get the pattern made in cardboard, is easy to lay it out flat on the metal, trace around it, and then make the metal part. They also lay flat against the wall, or rafters, for storage. These sheets are as big a part of my shop as my hammer or welder.

    :D
     
  23. badgeree
    Joined: Feb 6, 2009
    Posts: 339

    badgeree
    Member

    I try to make my Garage resemble a Garage, not a dumping ground for everything that "Doesn't fit in the house anymore." Clean all my tools, tidy up collections of bolt, screws etc. etc. Then start on some jobs around the house that I've been putting off, like painting, gardening etc.
     
  24. Smokeybear
    Joined: Apr 20, 2011
    Posts: 325

    Smokeybear
    Member

    Something I try to do is go back and check every inch of wiring I can. I've caught some pretty ugly cobbling that a PO did before it became a problem.

    Also doing prep work on things like cleaning the glass and polishing up brightwork make final assembly seem to go a lot faster.
     
  25. Sanding and prep work, sand paper is cheap, it costs nothing to do dolly and hammer work.

    Cleaning parts is tedious ans something that you don't want to have to do in the thrash. When your bucks down it costs little or nothing to get everything cleaned up and ready to go.

    Setup and designing of bracketry, a tape measure a pen and paper is all you need.
    I have a nearly stalled project that I have shoved 3 engines in trying to decide which is my best option. It finally occured to me that I have an engine that is running and ready that I can use in a pinch but have managed to design everything so that my optimum engine tranny setup will be a bolt in when I have it ready to run.

    I am in the process of building my dash and gauge setup now. I have junk gauges lieing around that I can use for mockup and the metal comes from the scrap bin. All it costs is time.

    Basically take what you have or can borrow to work with and just do something. it will help out a ton later when it come time to screw that bitch together.
     
  26. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    Block sanding!

    Clean the shop and when I come across parts I'll never use, I list/sell them to raise $$$ for the primary project.

    If I'm not motivated enough to hit the shop, I'll get other crap done around the house; minor repairs, maintenance, yardwork, etc. That leaves me free of any honey-do's on a day off that can be dedicated to shop time.
     
  27. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    This is a little outside of the "spirit" of this thread, but what I find myself doing frequently is starting something else... See, I have a bad habit of collecting old car stuff theat is free or nearly free 24/7 and dragging it home. When I get enough stuff that I'm tripping over it, the next step is to combine it into something that rolls. The only time I get to do this sort of thing is when I have no work to do for others and therefore no money to spend. Combine that with having some basic supplies like gas in the welders and steel leftovers laying around and with lots of labor comes something like this...
     

    Attached Files:

  28. ..if your paint is old & shabby, you can always draw flames or scallops on your project with a soapstone to kill some time.
     
  29. metalix_421
    Joined: Mar 24, 2010
    Posts: 890

    metalix_421
    Member

    I do rust repair and hammer and dolly work. also cleaning and painting all you rusty bolts is a very cheap way to spend the afternoon.
     
  30. Dan
    Joined: Mar 13, 2001
    Posts: 2,384

    Dan
    Member

    Blaspemous! Worst idea I have ever heard! :) :) :)
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.