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History Have you ever had to sell a car/ cars to help finance your project?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Nov 29, 2020.

  1. Unfortunately I fall into that group, The Ranch Wagon was a long term project and what started out as a just get it running and back in the road shortly after joining the HAMB morphed into a 7 year long love/hate relationship.

    The car had belonged to Brenda's grandmother and she had purchased it new from Blue Ridge Ford here in town but years of hard use had regulated it to the barn where it sat for many years.

    The first car to be sent down the road was my 1967 Chevelle, red, black vinyl top, 327, 350 transmission, that car helped get me rolling.

    A few years later the next car on the block was my old 1966 VW, it was a very nice car and I had no problem getting my asking price.

    Getting toward the end of the build paint and upholstery was not in the budget and knowing how I tend to get a car running and never finish it, I bit the bullet and offered my 1965 Falcon for sale, it too went fast and the wagon went to paint and shortly thereafter my pal Dave did his magic on the interior.

    I don't regret selling any of the cars but I have been happy with how the car turned out and it makes my bride happy every time she drives her wagon. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2020
    ladyhrp, 3W JOHN, jay t. and 5 others like this.
  2. midroad
    Joined: Mar 8, 2013
    Posts: 296

    midroad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Every time I start a new car the old one ends up paying for it even though I hadn't planned it that way.
     
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  3. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    I never had to before, but am in the process of doing just that. Upside is I’ll have space to work on what I need/want to work on

    I did have to sell a project I’d just gotten on the road before, due to other financial issues though.
    I envy the guys that have several running vehicles they can play with, I’ve run out of room for that
     
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  4. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,707

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Most of the ones I had to sell bought groceries or paid the light bill. :( I have sold non runners to buy parts a few times.
     

  5. brokedownbiker
    Joined: Jun 7, 2016
    Posts: 651

    brokedownbiker
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Unfortunately, it is part of my plan on the current project. When I get my '50 Fleetline ready for the paint I'll be selling the '51 Ford to finance it. If I could paint it myself, I would keep the Ford but I want the Chevy done in a very particular paint scheme at a quality level that I can't achieve myself.
     
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  6. I have sold a few to pay the bills, more than I like to admit in the last decade or so. I guess that is the same got to have the bills paid to have hot rod money.
     
  7. NO!! The only time I had to do that was very regrettable....sold my high school ride, '40 Ford coupe that I spent 3 years building, to go away to college. Promised myself to never do that again! Fortunately I have had great jobs that paid very well ........I sell cars only when I tire of them and totally lose interest.
     
  8. We have agree that both the Deuce and the Ranch Wagon are keepers and at this point in time funding a project with all the adverse effects of the pandemic I just don't see one in the near future.

    fortunately I do have a couple of drivers. HRP
     
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  9. You're lucky actually. When the Crosley left my options for a project were zero, just keep the bike and be happy with that (that really is not as sad as it sounds). Then out of the blue some rusty parts of a car just showed up. Nothing to brag about but I have something to keep me busy the rest of my life. ;)
     
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  10. Beano, I don't deny that, I have had a lot of projects and running hot rods over the past few decades, I'm now at a time in my life where we not only have Melinda to take care of but now we have our other twin and her teenage daughter living with us.

    My on and off again project for the past year has been turning our old attached 2 car garage into living space and I am enjoying that. HRP
     
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  11. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,173

    Budget36
    Member

    HRP, you have to do what’s needed, not always what’s wanted.
     
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  12. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,188

    clem
    Member

    Better off with one finished car (and happy wife), than 4 unfinished projects in the shed........
     
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  13. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,349

    -Brent-
    Member

    Yes. I have sold off a bunch of projects and flipped hot rod parts, tools, and equipment.
     
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  14. I sold my Corvette C-5 convertible to fund a glass '32 Roadster project. Don't regret it at all. First time in my life (I'm 73) I'll have all the big parts before I start.
     
  15. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,575

    Dave Mc
    Member

    Sold my 33 three window body , to help finish my 53 Coupe Deville
    IMG_0240.JPG IMG_0242.JPG IMG_1075.JPG IMG_1081.JPG
     
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  16. Every car I've ever built was sold to finance the next one. :(
     
    The37Kid, -Brent-, ladyhrp and 3 others like this.
  17. pigIRON63
    Joined: Nov 25, 2019
    Posts: 825

    pigIRON63
    Member

    Yeah, it happens. I actually bought a few projects this year with the plan to build one and use it to finance the next one. I get attached to them though. We'll see how that business model works out;););)
     
  18. partsdawg
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 3,503

    partsdawg
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Minnesota

    Everything I have ever bought was sold to buy the next ones. I have no keepers.
     
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  19. In 1966 I sold my first car to buy another car.
    I still do the same thing!
    Somewhere along the journey (I've had a lot of cars!)
    I made one rule: Don't buy what you can't drive within
    a few weeks. It helped a lot over the years, because
    I'd rather drive than wrench! and I can always sell it easier
    running and driving than as a big project!
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2020
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  21. 210superair
    Joined: Jun 23, 2020
    Posts: 1,952

    210superair
    Member
    from Michigan

    Yessir. Sold my slammed 68 c10 for house down-payment money. Had an absolutely beautiful 93 Mastercraft s&s anniversary boat I had to part with as well. Was worth it though. Got me a lake house for my family.
     
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  22. AVater
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,147

    AVater
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Connecticut HAMB'ers

    ^^^Yep, sold my 50 Merc Coupe 40 years ago when Barbara and I were getting married to have some money for a house. Wish I had it back but other than that, it all worked out pretty well.
     
  23. Up until 2013, that was the only way I operated. Since then, there has been one large project and several smaller ones. The smaller ones were sold at the funds reinvested (I use that loosely) for the next one. I sold my 32 a year ago and have been trying to decide if there is such a thing as an ultimate hot rod that would be the one that you will keep forever. If that happens, I might sell the other big project to have enough money to get stupid. :)
     
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  24. chop&drop
    Joined: Oct 11, 2006
    Posts: 668

    chop&drop
    Member

    Sold my ‘32 Tudor to finance my current project ‘32 5 window.
     

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  25. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Have bought and sold and built well over a hundred cars. some finished some not.
    I have a few that I would like to have back, but once they are done they become assets to be sold to finance the next one.
    My avatar was built and taken to the race track twice . I proved to myself that I could still build a car from 4 chalk marks on the floor. Building every thing from the frame to the motor , trans rear end.
    Once the engineering is done and the fabrication is done . I am ready to move on to the next one.
    At 71 I don't how many more there will be , but as long as I can I will keep on selling and building.
    My present 65 Comet SEGA Super Stock will give me a chance to chase a points championship one last time.
     
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  26. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I sold my 51 Merc when a guy caught me at a vulnerable time when I really needed the money. I did sell the Model A Vicky body and frame I had a few months ago to finance buying a different project that I wanted a lot more and then that fell though.
    Right now I need to do the put something together and sell it thing just to have the money for my 48. I've got a warehouse full of parts for it that I bought while I was working but right now money is a bit tight.
    30 years ago I had a buddy who built a car a year, Always the latest trick street rod pieces and the next one just a bit better than the last one and each one was for sale soon after he finished it with the stipulation that he drove it for that rod run season and you got delivery when the season was over. Each one financed the next one. He moved out of the area and I lost track of him over the past few years.

    I'd say that some of us want to build certain vehicles that we have had in the back of our minds to build for years but aren't as interested in driving them or keeping them after they are done. The finished build is the actual accomplishment and the driving or keeping isn't too important once it is done.

    I keep looking at a truck that is a few miles from me and is for sale for more than I want to pay that combined with pieces I have laying around would make a nice rig to drive to an event or two and sell for enough to finish my 48. I'd have to sell off a lot of stuff to buy it though.
     
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  27. 40Standard
    Joined: Jul 30, 2005
    Posts: 5,963

    40Standard
    Member
    from Indy

    44 yrs ago I sold a 40 Ford coupe to get central air in the house for my new born son
     
  28. Not exactly, but in early 1990's I was building a 29 closed cab pickup and needed cash to finish the build. So I sold Apple stock I had paid $6,000 for a couple years earlier and the stock would be worth $4 million now. Can't change the past and can't predict the future. No regrets.
     
  29. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,040

    gene-koning
    Member

    Early in my adult life (after 18) I did some work on a guy's project, and along with paying me for the work, he also gave me the left over parts. I put those parts together, and ended up selling a car to pay for my wedding (still married, 44 years in May).

    Then another chance to do some side work, get paid, and also get left over parts came along. It wasn't long before I realized I could have a driver for my wife, have a driver for me, have a hot rod, and have money in my pocket! The extra work on the side was in addition to my full time job, which always paid all the bills. That turned into a 20 (or 30?) year crazy cycle in my life. Selling something always meant having money to get what ever I wanted. If I wanted a part, a car, or something else, selling a car or parts always provided the money, I had a pretty big stash. For many years, building a new to me hot rod always involved using money selling something from my stash (my hot rod fund) too build the ride, then when the new ride was road worthy, the old hot rod was sold to replenish the " hot rod fund".

    The last several years I have been building a lot of stuff. Between my, my son's and my grandson's projects the parts stash is dwindling, and the ability to sell the few parts that are still here has become more difficult. Retirement has put a restriction on my cash flow. I was able to build the 39 Dodge pickup. That was suppose to be my last build, but I didn't fit in that so well, so I bought another project. I was able to sell the 39 to fund the build on the current (last build?) ride. Getting this one to the finish line with the remaining funds is going to be close. When its done, all that is left of my stash will be sold off or scrapped, I'm done, the desire is no longer there. Doing another would probably have to be funded by selling everything that is here, and with the current cost of parts, selling what is here probably isn't going to put much of a hot rod together. That would be beside the question of if I really want to do that much work at this point in my life. Its been a great ride so far! Gene
     
  30. LOL we are finally empty nesters for the first time since we got married this time (25 years ago). My on going project is keeping a small gaggle of dirty no good in line and trying to make this 100 year old derelict house livable. I am not sure which which is more enjoyable.

    Of everyone reading this, I know that your caring for Melinda is extremely commendable. I am proud of you and Brenda. If they ever hand out awards for doing good in this lifetime you guys will get that really tall one (mine will be a broken piston :oops: )
     

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