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what the cheapest you ever got out with on a build?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by terrafirma66, Jan 23, 2008.

  1. terrafirma66
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 86

    terrafirma66
    Member
    from tampa fla

    A buddy is mopy about expenses..wants rat style has the kids/wife no real cash... etc .you know.. Offered him all the tools and the garage if need be plus I d wrech with him...we'll see..any how, what is the cheapest runnable rat build you ever rolled with or just built?

    p.s. watched mad fabricators society 2 last night. I am not sending it back to netflix for a long time. watching tonight with wifey just to help get her up to speed on whats what around here lol
     
  2. 067chevy
    Joined: Sep 18, 2005
    Posts: 2,073

    067chevy
    Member

    about 3500.00 a couple years ago[​IMG]
     
  3. Dave Woods
    Joined: Sep 25, 2006
    Posts: 94

    Dave Woods
    Member
    from SoCal

    This is kinda worthless, but since you asked... 1963 Chevy Nova 2 dr, purchased less engine/trans for $50...bought rolled Camaro, put engine/trans/rear/radiator/bucket seats in the Nova, sold salvaged parts and the scrap body from Camaro...net cost, running, driving, but not pretty: $7... yes, seven bucks.
     
  4. Thinking you've got the wrong idea about the HAMB
     

  5. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    We built the Flower roadster truck for about 8 grand, total. That's pretty cheap for something that runs every day, it's even won a couple of awards. The thing is....if you have some parts out in the shed, trade a few things with buddies, do a little side job here and there for parts instead of cash, you can build a rod for cheap. Anyone can sit and write checks, it's a real challenge and alot more fun to do it the hard way.
     

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  6. Rich Rogers
    Joined: Apr 8, 2006
    Posts: 2,018

    Rich Rogers
    Member

    " RAT"??? here we go again
     
  7. Harms Way
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 6,894

    Harms Way
    Member

    [​IMG]

    Don't look that expensive to build !
     
  8. premium
    Joined: Oct 2, 2006
    Posts: 393

    premium
    Member
    from Goergia

    haha. this should be good
     
  9. The Shocker
    Joined: Dec 30, 2004
    Posts: 3,538

    The Shocker
    Member

    You can get out cheap but it shows .I see this kind of shit at car shows all the time ,with a $25 dollar 7 cylinder running 350 and an s-10 rearend all mounted to shitty rails with dirtdobber welds and everything is all out of square looking and thrown together and do it for next to nothing .You can also do it top notch with metal finished body ,traditional drivetrain ,and perfect row of dime welds and everthing fabricated nicely and spend a fortune.The average moron at the Sonic cant tell the difference but most of the people here can ...
     
  10. T-Bone
    Joined: Mar 17, 2001
    Posts: 359

    T-Bone
    Member

    Indeed.
     
  11. oldspert
    Joined: Sep 10, 2006
    Posts: 1,263

    oldspert
    Member
    from Texas

    I built a 51 Chevy pickup for very cheap. I was given a running 51 that was my brother in law's truck. Tragically he had a massive heart attack and passed on. My sis gave me his truck. I swapped some labor for a complete 327 with a p-glide. Bought a 55 chev rear end for $50 and put the combo in the truck. Had to use wheel spacers on the rear for the rally wheels to work. Bought some 54 car front drums and hubs for the 5 bolt wheel pattern. Upholstery and paint by yours truly. All in all less than $1000 cash outlay plus lots of my labor. Drove this truck through the Dallas heat wave of 1980 with no air conditioning. Never had a problem.
     
  12. rodknocker
    Joined: Jan 31, 2006
    Posts: 2,265

    rodknocker

    The 999 rod in MF3 was pretty badass, just over a grand to build,and built right.Cobjob ratrods are worse than a car with billet parts in my opinion.Being in the right place at the right time is also a huge factor in pricing.
     
  13. SaltCityCustoms
    Joined: Jun 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,212

    SaltCityCustoms
    Member

    way back when I used to build plastic cars all the time, they usually didn't run much more than a couple of dollars and sometimes only took a few hours to build but if they were 24 times bigger then it would have been great!
     
  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Less than 500 1973 Dollars were in my 23 steel bodied T in 1973.
    that included a body drug out of a field in pieces, a 283 and glide out of a 61 Impala that I bought and drove home vor 100, I gave the body away to a friend though. 2x4 tube frame, 56 F100 rear. Drilled front Axle 10.00 f100 .
    Lots of swap meet and or traded for parts.
     
  15. $600 and a little trading.........It was fun to build and fun to drive.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. SlamCouver
    Joined: Jun 26, 2006
    Posts: 2,002

    SlamCouver
    Member
    from Brazil, IL

    ''$600 and a little trading.........It was fun to build and fun to drive.''

    Now thats just insane! iv got 3k into my hotrod project and it just looks like a pile of parts:eek::eek: haha maybe ill drive mine in 2 years? give or take acouple months.
     

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  17. Goztrider
    Joined: Feb 17, 2007
    Posts: 3,066

    Goztrider
    Member
    from Tulsa, OK

    I'm in the parts gathering phase along with some minor construction thus far, and I work my shoestring budget to the limit whenever possible.

    So far, I've spent/saved on the following items:

    350/700R4 combo out of an '89 Suburban - complete! - $440 total
    '46 Ford front spindles - $75 for the pair
    Speedway basic disc brake kit - $36 delivered
    9" rear end, springs, and brackets out of a 70s half ton - made $120 profit on that one!
    Front shock mounts off of a '50s F500 bus - free
    Mr. Roadster Spring - $80
    Price to split my front bones - $20 each
    'Bone frame brackets - $5 each

    The biggest part is all in finding parts when you not only don't need them right away, but when you also cannot afford them!
     
  18. temper_mental
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 2,718

    temper_mental
    Member
    from Texas

    I try my best to not worry about the money it takes the fun out of it for me .my 2 cents
     
  19. NeilageInc
    Joined: Jan 6, 2008
    Posts: 29

    NeilageInc
    BANNED

    $2500 for me. Built this car about 80% done in around 4 months. You justhave to find the deals and do all the work on your own. I sold the ca for $3500. It came with a 400 hp 351W, C6 and a lot of old original parts. I should have asked for more but oh well. Just tell him to build what he really wants and take his time.
     

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  20. The Shocker
    Joined: Dec 30, 2004
    Posts: 3,538

    The Shocker
    Member

    I think you hit it right.I used to try to do it as cheap as possible and i got by with it until i started drag racing with my hotrod .There is no way around it "Speed Costs Money".I know of lots of people that buy speedy parts and high strength componets for their hotrod and never use them .I finally figured they do this for the wow factory ,and to impress folks .You can build a basic rod for cheap if you do your own work ,but you also get what you pay for in long run...
     
  21. Rusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2004
    Posts: 9,473

    Rusty
    Member

  22. JOECOOL
    Joined: Jan 13, 2004
    Posts: 2,771

    JOECOOL
    Member

    It's kind of a trick question. How much equiptment do you have access to? What is your skill level ? How patient are you?
    I built Model A for a little over $2000. It is not traditional ,it will never win anything. It took over a year to get the parts I needed at what I wanted to pay.
    Now after driving it some I have decided to change some things and will probably put another Grand in it.
    Just do what makes you happy and don't worry about others opinion's.
    best of luck
     
  23. beauishere
    Joined: Mar 17, 2004
    Posts: 607

    beauishere
    Member

    You guys must be all smarter than me...or crazy.

    I have a few hot rods and I'm currently feeding a money pit project 5W.

    The cheapest I've ever got out of a build in todays dollar value is the 36K I dropped on my new F-150 back in 2002.

    I try to get the best deals on parts and labor. But I read a few years ago that keeping a running total on a build sucks the fun right out of it. I couldn't agree more. I put the receipts in a file and move on. Bookkeeping is for business.

    I'm afraid if we thought too much about the common sense of hot rodding, we'd all quit. Same goes for marriage. And kids. None of it's dollar wise.

    Damn. I need a drink already. Now let's see...5.50 out of my weekly pay, minus the gas it took to get here...subtract a tip....
     
  24. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    I don't know what years of car he is after, but it can be done cheap. If he's looking to make a pre-war car the best thing you can do is stay away from Fords. Model As, '27 Ts along with all the fords from 32-40 are more expensive than other brands. If you can fabricate and weld you can build something out of a cowl and back half of multiple cars. and it can look good too. If Patch panels and fabricating floors and frames is not your thing then you better go with a post war vehicle. '47-'54 chevy trucks are common and cheap, '55-'59 seem to be affordable too. '49-'52 chevy cars are not too bad either.

    recently I've had a '50 Plymouth Wayfarer that was free.

    A '54 Chevy Panel truck that I bartered the wayfarer for and currently have about $1k in and it is almost done.

    Bartered a $250 elcamino for a '53 victoria hardtop.

    You can get good deals if you are patient and don't mind doing a bit of trading.
     
  25. RacerRick
    Joined: May 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,756

    RacerRick
    Member

    I forget how much, but it was around $2500 after I sold off all the leftovers after selling the car....dumbest thing I had done recently. Should have kept it and finished it.

    [​IMG]

    But I bought this for $1800 and am dropping in a new engine, some rims, and lowering it. If I dropped in a good running used 350, it would be a driver for under $2500.

    But I am building a new engine for it that is more trad looking, and its getting some new rims, and some lowering. I will probably have around 4K into it.

    [​IMG]
     
  26. bcharlton
    Joined: Sep 13, 2006
    Posts: 427

    bcharlton
    Member
    from Buffalo NY

    [​IMG]Now, That is truly a "rat rod"
     
  27. WildWilly68
    Joined: Feb 1, 2002
    Posts: 1,727

    WildWilly68
    Member

    It all comes down to how good you are at finding/making deals on parts and how much you do yourself. My coupe will cost me no more than $5000 when I am done and it will be painted. So far with the parts I have sold off that I didn't use combined with some trades I'm in it for about $500. [​IMG]

    Bill
     
  28. sociallydistorted
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 291

    sociallydistorted
    Member

    Why do you think he has the wrong idea? Maybe he used the dreaded "RAT" term but he's talking about budget. Who doesn't want to spend the least amount possible?
     
  29. Retrorod
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 2,034

    Retrorod
    Member

    We could have done that roadster truck for alot less if we hadn't dumped a ton of money into NEW flathead parts.....cam, lifters, all the valve train, oil pump, reconditioned crank & rods, all the bearings, fresh bore, new pistons and a balnce job. Of course we did all the labor but $2500 in other stuff gets us a motor that's ready to go coast-to-coast without even blinking an eye.
     
  30. v8 Bake
    Joined: Dec 23, 2007
    Posts: 296

    v8 Bake
    Member

    I finished the last one CHEAP then sold it on epay to finance this one. I have found that the more you build the better you get at it. My oppinion is to build what you can afford until you can afford what you want.I also understand his problem,I have younger kids and recently started my own shop so family time and money are both snug at times.Just get him to hang in there.
     

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