Hot Rods Do People Really Spend like This?

I believe it with Custom metal work.
I remember watching the 1934 Dodge sedan build on Bitchin Rides. They struggled like hell on a roof filler panel. I believe they took a couple of swipes, then settled on a custom mold to shape the final filler panel. I'm pretty sure they said it took 4 workers 2 full weeks. That's 4 Men x 80 hours x (approx) $100 hr. =$32,000 for a filled roof.

I've maintained there's 2 types car guys when it comes down to talking about how much $$$ they have into a car;

1) The low ball bullshitter- He'll tell you he bought the 32 three window out of a barn for $500 and doesn't have more than $10,000 in the entire build.

2) The goldchainer highball bullshitter- He'll tell you the ($10,000) paint job cost him $100,000 or that he has $500,000 into the build ( including $100,000 in chrome) and expect you to be impressed.
This is decades old. Remember reading about "35 coats of hand rubbed lacquer" or diamond dust mixed in the paint, etc? Yawn-check please.

 

BS is traditional

 

Naw! I've done so much with so little all my life, I can do almost anything with a little of nothing! lol

 

I used to work part time at a place where we worked on Luscombe airplanes. We worked on one for over 3 years. At last guess, over $400,000 was invested into it, and at least another year of testing and work was performed on it. It is a beautiful plane, fully polished. You could buy a light sport category plane for less than $100,000. This plane had so many mods performed it was ridiculous, Flat dash panel, cargo restraint, seats, engine, foot pedals engraved, and the list goes on. The owner knows what he wants, and he got it. He wanted to go to air shows and win lots of awards. He did win 3 different awards his first air show with the plane.

All that I can figure about that grill shell, is the owner know what he wants and he is going to get it. I fell that that much time and effort is excessive, but who am I to say otherwise.
Mark

 

The owner is a local guy that drives the car. I first saw it in Ft Worth in primer, driven there. I don't personally know him but those that do indicate he is a hard core hot rod guy. This spring, while DRIVING to the Stray Kat 500 in Dewey he blew up the hemi. Sat at the side of the road and waited for the rollback like we all would have done. Maybe three weeks later he had it back on its feet. He has a few cars and I have been told he did build at least some of them. Seems to be a hard working guy that has just been successful in his business life. You can't fault that. Fantastic car for sure.

 

The one that I always wonder about the value of was evident by the custom liscense plate on a NICE 60 model vette I seen at the 91 St machine nat's in Duquoin, Illinois ......... It simply read "LFT NUT" I'm betting those bring big bucks over here ..... Flux

 

The TRJ article mentioned he has a road trip to Vancouver planned, I wonder if he is going to come up for Deuce Days? I would like to see the car in person, the fit and finish looks very impressive in the photos in TRJ. I am not totally nuts about some of the features, but the execution looks to be flawless. I guess it should be if there are 300 hrs in fabbing and fitting the grill shell and insert.

 

If the guy really drives it I think that is great! Most people that own cars of that kind of stature & value do not though. I do applaude the man for driving it. I like the car and have nothing against the car or owner. I admit to being jealous, but if the grille cost that much I would hate to front the cost of the whole build not to mention the Loyds of London insurance coverage. Bill

 

I think it is safe to say that during the build nobody ever uttered the line that always drives me nuts, "It's OK, good enough, nobody is ever going to see that". Bob

 

I say that when it's a customer that don't have much money or when the customer has a wallet made out of sea urchin skin.

 

Sometimes that's the case.
Other times the line is "we will get this right- even if it takes the last dime he has"

 

Kiwijeff, killer build. Having completed many such projects as a kid, I can really relate to this one.

 

I probably had thought like the OP until I first went to the Detroit Autorama and really examined the cars that compete for the Ridler. I was having a conversation with Troy Trepanier and we were discussing the total cost involved in his build. It was well into 7 figures (in front of the decimal point). Is it excessive? Sure. Especially since that car didn't even win that year. But when the sole objective is to push the design and custom envelope, totally one off parts don't come cheap.

It's also important to remember that expensive is relative. $35,000 for a grill shell may seem ridiculous to some (as it would to me), but for some, it's like buying a cup of coffee. Some people are just operating on a different level, and that's cool. It doesn't make the guy a jerk, or a scourge on the hobby. Hopefully the dude is cool and knowledgeable and would be happy to talk to you at a show about all the nifty custom parts on his car. The hobby needs people like that, that have passion for high quality builds, and the money to fund it and keep food on the tables of builders.

 

^^ Well said '57Joe. While I'll never be in that league (or universe for that matter) I can still appreciate what those who are can do. And that's ok by me. It's cool to see what happens when unlimited funds meet unlimited talent. OTOH, I get just as big a kick seeing what can happen when very limited funds hooks up with exceptional talent.

 

It said the shell took over 300hrs to complete, it didn't say the owner was charged for 300hrs of labor. A craftsman may not charge for all the effort for a bunch of reasons.

 

spend some time comparing the front end of this car to the front of Jake Jacobs car. Look at the way the grill shell and hood fit and flow, right back to the cowl, and you can start to see where the 300 hrs went.
May not be everyones cup of tea (mine included), but you can start to see what was done. They sure as hell didn't just hang a truck grill shell on, make a grill insert and hood, and call it done.

 

How many of us have spent untold hours on something in our home shops that when you were done, (1) it didn't turn out all that great, or (2) you think, " I could have bought something just as nice for 1/2 as much as I have in making it? I have seen this car in person for several years, long before paint, being driven, and it is spectacular. Could I ever ever spend this kind of money on a hot rod? Of course not, but I can sure appreciate the beautiful work that has gone into it.

 

The insurance adjuster will give 1.2 on repair, 0.3 on refinish and maybe 1.0 blend time! And that will be at $42/hour

 

Amen.....hell they might even want ya to blend within panel ha ha.....cause working on that ain't no different than a Kia....ohhhh I can hear it now!

 

Back in the 70's a good friend had a van shop. He had made the cover of Truckin magazine & got a page in Hot Rod during their van coverage days. He was doing a big job for a local business man, showing him top shelf items for a tricked out interior. The guy looked things over & then asked " this is all very nice, but don't you have anything more expensive?" Bragging rights at the local club?

 

I guess shag carpet and wood paneling weren't up to his standards huh!

 

ROFLMAO! Those were the days...

 

Well people like me don't, but people like me may spend the time on it for themselves and consider it to be a free part. LOL

Yes there are people out there with too many dollars and not enough sense. Back in the '90s I shot a Willys for a magazine article that the owner had the builder use a CNC machine to carve the grill insert out of a 400 pound block of billet. parked next to any other Willys you really couldn't tell the difference but he was proud of his ignorance. LOL

My mom and dad is my uncle and aunt, and I'm proud.

 

Cars like that are not driven......... I DRIVE mine!

 

Those two pics speak volumes. Lot more done there than first meets the eye, isn't there?

 

@31Vicky with a hemi . both good looks, one a little more elegant and refined, obvious one not finished, but not as different as the prices.
like two bottles of wine is the $110 Opus one, really THAT much better than the $25 Earthquake cab

 

I am just not surprised anymore by the disposable income some people have. I just want to have a classic car to drive. work on and hot rod it like I did when I was 17 years old. I feel my car is a time machine.

 

I look at spending 35 grand on a grille as completely out of line BUT! I think with the brain of a poor man. I think small.
If I had that kind of disposable income, I'm sure my entire attitude would be totally different. Not sure but I would certainly like to find out!

 

That's the mind-set in a nutshell.... But let's face it, there's always been the 'If you have to ask, you can't afford it' contingent in the car hobby, it's just that it's leaked 'down' into hot rods; this used to be the Pebble Beach/exotic crowd but no longer. Some groups have pandered to them (ISCA, Good Guys), some haven't (Billetproof). But once the 'checkbook' boys showed up, it was inevitable....