how to save money building your car

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I know it’s hard, but running keeps the motivation going.
 
In our old car hobby , when it comes to restoring a car to whatever degree, it reminds me of some cowboy sayings : Success is not earned, it is rented, and the rent in due every day. Translation: Restoring car is made up of many small jobs/details..... it requires working on it often, even though in small amounts.
If you are training a colt and he gets just 1 % better each day, in 100 days he world be fully trained?? Unfortunately NO, just as if your car got 1% better every time you worked on it, in 100 days it would be fully restored!? NOT! LOL

ONe good thing about FABO, many people here share their work, effort, dreams, knowledge, opinions, disappointments, successes,,,,, motivation is given out in large helpings!
 
It's just not a cheap hobby to play in. I agree with those who said buy a finished car, that will always be the most car for the money. May not be the car you want though.
I found on all my builds they tend to evolve and expand to consume 200% of the available time and money.
My upcoming build idea is to make all the decisions first, spreadsheet the budget and try not to make any changes. We'll see how that works------------------
 
You can see in my "James' 1970 Dodge Dart build" thread, where I tried to get everything perfect, buy the best of the best....Well, that didn't work out so well...I went broke quick, and my stuff sat and sat for years in various places...It's a real motivational killer. Now I'm changing the build, throwing it back together, and gonna go racing. It doesn't have to be perfect anymore. I'd like to hear my now 10 year old, brand new 408 stroker fire up. LOL. Damn son, it's been a long time. I will wait no more.
 
Do not finance anything. The price you pay for the life of the loan is exponential when compared to the original msrp, which is already double that of the wholesale cost.
 
DesertRat said:
It's just not a cheap hobby to play in. I agree with those who said buy a finished car, that will always be the most car for the money. May not be the car you want though.
I found on all my builds they tend to evolve and expand to consume 200% of the available time and money.
My upcoming build idea is to make all the decisions first, spreadsheet the budget and try not to make any changes. We'll see how that works------------------
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Bahahaha thank you I needed that to get my day started! hahaha!
 
mopardude318 said:
You can see in my "James' 1970 Dodge Dart build" thread, where I tried to get everything perfect, buy the best of the best....Well, that didn't work out so well...I went broke quick, and my stuff sat and sat for years in various places...It's a real motivational killer. Now I'm changing the build, throwing it back together, and gonna go racing. It doesn't have to be perfect anymore. I'd like to hear my now 10 year old, brand new 408 stroker fire up. LOL. Damn son, it's been a long time. I will wait no more.
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Get moving! You better not be reading this! You better be putting that car together! 10 years with an untested stroker? that just doesn't happened in my world I'd lose my mind already!
 
T56MaxTorq said:
Do not finance anything. The price you pay for the life of the loan is exponential when compared to the original msrp, which is already double that of the wholesale cost.
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Agreed with that too. Is has actually never crossed my mind before to finance something for the duster.
 
When searching for my builder car, I wanted something that would end up lightweight with the factory good stuff to start and NO rust! I drove it back from Fresno to Illinois, but it had a V8, 904, 10" brakes, 8 3/4 back end, so I did not have to spend the money on some that and do a lot of panel replacement....saved a lot of time and money.
 
Great topic. I suppose if all of us were 'capable of' doing all (or most) of the work ourselves, that would help a great deal. However, knowledge is not inherited - it is developed, and IF we were all on the same level playing field, we'd basically all be in the same business. But, regretfully, our hobbies and interests often get delayed or derailed by real life's challenges and priorities. Some of the older members, with vast knowledge and experience, are either slowed by health issues - or - just not as eager and enthused as they were in the beginning.
But, having said this much, the affordable restos involve doing the 'leg-work' and little things - - that ultimately (and eventually) add to the total cost. Big things that pretty much have to be 'farmed-out' would be machine work, GOOD paint in paint booth, vinyl roof and custom upholstery and - - CHROME work.
I took my tech training 35 years ago and do my own engines and trannys. Some rear ends need specialty tools but steering and suspensions are totally do-able by you and me.
Wholesale parts are a no-brainer and stay away from expensive and needless 'upgrades'. Avoid (45 yr.old) NOS stuff - only to have genuine Mopar logo or PN on it. Case and point - - was searching on Ebay last night for replacement washer reservoir (for my Signet). I noticed one ad where gentleman has an OEM/NOS (yellowed and likely almost brittle with age) A-body tank for sale. His price? $500. (US) or - - $685. (CDN) !! Plus, another $65. shipping, etc. Who is going to buy this? I then search more and find better tank for (only) $49. US.
One more point is to never spend/invest (lol) more on a vehicle than you would hope to get out of it - - - IF you ever choose to sell it. And, if serial no. shows anything less than a 340, consider repairing and maintaining - instead of restoring.
 
To save money start with a A-body, and YouTube can be very helpful saving money. Watch study and try it!
 
I agree with volunteer, never buy a vehicle that you would not want to keep forever!! It will make life's bumps and all much more manageable. I might have 4 or 5 mopars and I might wake up one day and decide I want to thin the herd, but if I love them all, I do not tend tmake stupid mistakes.
Yes it takes time and work to develop skills, but if you can find a friend to guide you along, the process is way faster than you learning all on your own!!
 
Decisions based solely on emotion almost guarantee failure.
Never mind your favourite...start with the most complete rust free car you can
find that you really like.
 
If retired find a pt job you like to help fund your project. I have made close to $8000 clear selling and repairing drones.
Auto parts places are always looking for help.
 
barbee6043 said:
I agree with volunteer, never buy a vehicle that you would not want to keep forever!! It will make life's bumps and all much more manageable. I might have 4 or 5 mopars and I might wake up one day and decide I want to thin the herd, but if I love them all, I do not tend tmake stupid mistakes.
Yes it takes time and work to develop skills, but if you can find a friend to guide you along, the process is way faster than you learning all on your own!!
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X2 my buddy says I will never finish my Duster because I am too "picky". I don't care, I did not buy it to sell.
I am down to exterior cosmetics, almost finished with the last 1/4 panel install.
I am in no hurry, but I did buy too many other projects, that I really need to get something done to them while the weather is still good.
But only 2 of them are outside.
Just yesterday there was a local add for a decent storage building 20' x 40' for rent, I told the wife I was going to look at it to rent.
She said if I had that much "junk" I needed to sell some stuff....
In a way I kinda agree.
 
[QUOTE="sireland67, post: 1972138403,
Just yesterday there was a local add for a decent storage building 20' x 40' for rent, I told the wife I was going to look at it to rent.
She said if I had that much "junk" I needed to sell some stuff....
In a way I kinda agree.[/QUOTE]

Just because the wife makes sense that is NO good reason to listen! I say keep them all, you never want to run out of project cars!!! Got a place for a pole shed?, I figure materials runs bout $200 per square ( 100 sq ft) with me doing all the labor! NO concrete!
 
ir3333 said:
Guys buy,build,and do a lot of things to their cars, but it doesn't have to be expensive.
How can you, or have you saved a few bucks on your build?
Click to expand...

Take 2, Make 1!

I was able to buy a rust free little old lady, 52,000 mile, 69 dart (2 owners, but just one family) with a badly smoking slant 6/auto, 9" drum brakes, and a 7 1/4 rear end; the only factory option, power steering, even had the heater delete, for $2400 & $1600 in back fees (they never turned in the plates, just parked it and forgot it for 6 years). 6 months later I found a rust bucket 74 Scamp that a young Marine tried built into a "rat rod" for his tour in Hawaii with a 318/auto, mild cam, new Edelbrock intake & Carter AFB, disc brakes, 8 3/4 rear end, Rally rims w/new tires, flowmasters, heavy duty shocks, a new interior, etc, etc.... Then when he left the island, he just gave it to the base Auto Hobby Shop to auction off instead of shipping it back to the mainland (did I mention the rust, the left rear fender collapsed when I tried to prop the trunk open). While waiting to be auctioned, someone busted the windshield. No one else seemed to look past the cosmetics so I was able to buy it for a mere $250 (the minimum bid). So after a year or so of work and about $600 more in new parts she may still look like a little old lady, and may not be a "real" hot rod, but underneath that "Lil' Scamp" makes a great little cruiser that's only cost about 5 big ones.
 
for me i have found good deals on forums, craigslist and the fb marketplace. can't be bothered with swap meets anymore especially mopar ones. .. takes up too much time and prices are usually on the stupid side.

i know what i want. sometimes i don't want that stock ign system. don't want that stock intake. i'll find it used or just pick up some OT at work.. i want what i want and i will buy what i want even if it takes some more time to gather those parts.. to me its not work skimping. do it right the first time.

i also will not if at all possible take a running /driving car apart until i have over 90% of the stuff to do what i want to it. once it comes apart and i don't have what i need my interest moves to a different toy.

to save the most you have to spend more up front for the cleanest vehicle you can get.. rust repair cost tons to do.. paint supplies are expensive as hell too..
 
Either you can do the work OR you pay someone to do it, that is a largest part of the equation. We buy projects because we can do and enjoy the work/process, or we can not or will not pat for a done car....... man times a restored car can be boght for way less than it takes someone to do the car, especially if they are paying for body/paint, extensive machine work.
 
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