For the sake of discussion - What is most important 2 u?

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moper

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So we see a ton of posts on what someone wants to do... How they ran... what's wrong...etc. When there is work to be done, and I'm talking large... like a paint job, and engine, a rear axle... What is the most inmportant and biggest factor going in?
Some examples:

Primary Usage
Ease of procurement
Source of the component(s)
Bling or Wow factor
Overall quality
Cost/Budget
 
I would like to say over all quality but most times I think Ease of procurement or cost/budget wins.

I have to say, Im lucky to be working at a small resto shop otherwise I dont think I would ever get the Dart painted.
 
Cost/Budget

Is always the controlling factor with me anyways. If I had all the money in the world I would have pulled my car all the way down and worked my way out. Instead of having $20k invested it would have been a quite bit higher than that.

Overall quality

Comes in 2nd.
 
For the sake of discussion? Like talking here?

I'd say better discloser of intended purpose and/or parts on hand for the intended purpose or goal of question asked.
 
I really doubt that many people here have a bottomless wallet so budget has to play into just about everything. BUT, IMO, quality comes first on so much of any build. Like with body work, if its not good or better quality then why bother? A less than perfect paint job will still look decent over great body work. But a perfect paint job over less than decent body will always look like crap and I guarantee its the first thing that everyone will comment on.
 
My feelings are that budget does the most definition. Otherwise we'd all be driving exactly what we wanted. but i know in my case, budget is a restriction, not the primary concern. I want it to do what I expect. I also know for others, they can't feel good unless they know they got it for nothing or next to nothing, regardless of result. This is more of a random thought type thing... Just morbid curiousity on my part.
 
I Kinda gather good useable parts and rebuild,repair and restore them and add them to my projects,I'd never have enough money to buy new everything so I just have to be happy with what I have to work with.If I got to do everything I wanted to the "waggin" then it wouldn't be as far along as it is now,the things that bolt on to the car can be changed at a later date,for now I'm Happy with the outcome of the car except finding time to finish it but I will after the holidays....for now gotta make a living and get ready for santa clause,the kid's have earned it so that's how it goes.
 
Budget allways rears it's ugly head with me but I put quality before bling so I spend more making it solid than fast or perfect looking. I figure I can always go back later and make it look good and update speed parts.
 
If ya have ever seen pic of my Duster you will see that I am very much
Bling or Wow factor and Overall quality

-RPM
 
bling bling. if i didnt want to look good i could drive a foriegn crap box.
 
Budget has always been a primary concern for me because I don't have a lot of extra cash kicking around to throw at my car. When I bought my 55 project it was a really rough and rusty roller with no front sheet metal, interior, bumpers, or any trim, inside or out. It took me 5 years but I managed to find just about 95% of the parts to put it back together and it was all swap meet finds, local guys, and a few parts I got from across the country from my Chevytalk.com buddies. It still bugs the hell out of me to this day that I had to sell the 55 (a 55 Chevy will always be my dream car and I WILL get another one) and my 69 P/U for financial reasons just to make a couple of mortgage payments when times were tough. I sold them both at about 50 cents on the dollar to what I had into them.

My Cuda will be and is being built on a tight budget but that doesn't mean it has to look like you cheaped out. Mine will be flat black on the outside for now but there will be a lot of attention to detail as far as other areas of paint goes and some other subtle details. I can't afford a big dollar paint job and don't know if I ever will but when I'm done with this car, it will still turn heads and be able to fry the rear hides like there's no tomorrow.:-D
 
If money didn't count, you wouldn't be worried. If you find a car that has all an new mechanical build but you are good at body work, you know you can save a lot of money and have some fun. Same goes for if it has fresh body and paint work. Wish I didn't have to worry about budget, I wouldn't be working, well when I get back to work.
 
I hear the money thing thats why im on the 3rd year of my latest build. Sacrificing to get it done is not an option. At 50 i,ve slapped a lot of cars together with shortcuts due to budget and believe me,you regret it because you see your flaws and shortcuts everyday. Then you start feeling like you built a crap pile. Its not worth it. Even if my car takes 10 friggin years so what,thats what it takes. We,re not all rich or crew chief caliber mechanics so be true to yourself. dont shortcut due to budget or you will regret it later. IF ITS WORTH DOING ITS WORTH DOING RIGHT.
 
bugdet?????hhhmmmmm
can we still use 2 x 4 blocks for motor mounts.
some one had a pic posted of one recently.
 
enjoying it. cause if I cant or dont enjoy it, it aint worth it.
 
duckbuster said:
enjoying it. cause if I cant or dont enjoy it, it aint worth it.
Click to expand...


Who cares what it looks like is my theme. Make sure the car isnt going to twist in half, make it fast and drive it. I got the new mopar muscle last night and there was a "all motor dyno challenge" My fav was the duster with 4 different color panels kicking out 750hp!!!!

I live in the middle of nowhere leaving home means driving on gravel.
I drive in the rain, park in parking lots next to other cars. A little character never hurt anybody.
 
Functionality. I don't want a 10k paint job where I freak out when anyone comes near the car. Frankly, a Maaco paint job would be best suited for me. I like to drive my car, enjoy getting the Mustang guys all riled up, having other old guys comment on the car and swap stories. If I had a expensive paint job, I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy the car nearly as much. I'm not doing Maaco, that was just a point of reference, but it will probably be a pain old urethane job.
 
I.d have to say quality.I would take a rustfree body over a running rotted car.That,s just me,everything can be bolted on after the body.I just hate bodywork.Next would be Budget,I try and work with what I have and if that does,nt happen then I look for used parts clean them up and install.Thank god I don,t have to pay someone to work on my cars.
 
In my case budget has to be the #1 factor in my '69 Dart build. But at the same time, I've always operated under the philosophy of "Just because you're lowbuck doesn't mean you have to look lowbuck".
It may take a bit longer (or sometimes quite a bit longer) but you can make or break your project with the time and effort you're willing to put in.
It's all about the details.
 
If it cant be done over a winter its not happening!! I get the feaver in the spring so there will be no Rotisserie for the dart unless chip and his team swing by!

A little rust never hurt anybody, my dart didnt come with a/c so a little breeze through the floor helps cool down the hardy boys. haha
 
The car has to make you "feel" good when you see it from a distance, walk up to it, open the door and get in, and when you drive down the street in it.

If you can accomplish that (and it's up to YOU to decide what that means), then you've done well..........That is, if it's a safe and sound car (not perfect necessarily, but safe and structurally sound).

I remember back in the 70's when fresh aluminum paint on my steel wheels made me "feel" good about my car....... (a 67 Satellite Convertible comes to mind....ran P/Stock-A if I remember correctly...........no money, very little bling, but what little I could do made me feel great!).

Today however, for me, it's being sure that it's mechanically sound, and that it's a work of art.......again, not necessarily perfect........but a work of art, utilizing what the car has to it's full potential without breaking the bank.....it has to twist necks, or I'm not satisfied. :toothy10::toothy10::toothy10:
 
All of the catagories listed. Some parts I wouldn't have anything but the best. Other parts I was able to help the budget with. In the end I ended up with a safe, solid, quick and good looking car. I did blow the budget a little, but I think that's normal. If you don't think bling is important, just go for a cruise with a buddy that has a very good looking car and see how the comments would make you feel. The IDIDIT factor comes to the forefront then.

Jack
 
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