Good times

-
I feel like that will always be the case, the problem is finding people to do those jobs. The skilled work force is so thin right now, if you can find a guy to do what you need when you need it, he can charge whatever he wants because there are no other options. They are always in demand, its the one thing you can't outsource to China. Even the car dealerships by me are charging $168 an hour for labor now. They wanted over $800 to replace broken exhaust manifold bolts on my Ram, luckily I can do my own work, it only cost me $75 in parts and about 3 hours of my time. Most fast food places here are all paying $18 an hour too, only $4 less than the assembly plant workers get.
 
I have a set of heads in the machine shop now. I dropped them off Dec 30. Haven't heard a word. the guy is busy mainly because he's on e of the last in the area. I am contemplating buying my own cylider head equipment and takiing it up. I took the class years ago in trade school. I remember enough to be able to regrind seats and repair guides. I just need the equipment, and I still have my trade school books. My mom made me take care of books LOL!
 
Im
I'm having this discussion at home right now. Kids grown just 2 of us but I'm asking the wife "is there way way to do this cheaper?" for example don't buy brownies buy the mix and bake 'em at home, same with other things that can be made from scratch. Scratch cooking is better health wise because you control what goes in, its just that people have become lazy don't want to cook. we both work but on the weekends things can be made. It has always been either you have time or money if you have time do things the long way its cheaper. The way to survive economic hard times is to change habits. I can always revrt to drinking cheap beer when I have to and I have a few recommendations, Yuengling Lager and Hamm's, but thats as cheap as Ill go LOL!
I'm guilty of buying only name brand milk, with tax it's right at $7 a gallon. We've tried the store brand and it always went bad in a couple of days. Prairie Farms is what we get, I've already had it a week passed it's expired date and it was still good. It's just the wife and I so we get what we want. I'm not a fan of equate brand either
 
Might be a good time to start saving for my 68 AMX.......since people are needing to sell.
Yes. If you are serious and know what they go for save that amount and be ready with cash, anything is possible and you could get it and save a few bucks. I have been looking at 47-53 Chevy trucks and if I played my card right may be able to get a 10,000 truck for 7500 :)
 
Yes. If you are serious and know what they go for save that amount and be ready with cash, anything is possible and you could get it and save a few bucks. I have been looking at 47-53 Chevy trucks and if I played my card right may be able to get a 10,000 truck for 7500 :)
Spendy little biscuits arent they? Who knows, might find a wrecked EV and scab it into the 34 project.....put a playing card in the spokes and call it good. Good times
 
Spendy little biscuits arent they? Who knows, might find a wrecked EV and scab it into the 34 project.....put a playing card in the spokes and call it good. Good times
I was a dumb kid at 19 could have had my Grandfathers 51 Chevy 5 window truck but passed on it because my uncle had it in pieces. i wish i had taken it but who know if id still have it now if I did. I remember riding in it when I was 3 or 5 LOL! I remember the sound of the clutch pedal when he shifted gears. The pedal went through the floor and it had a sound when the return spring kicked in. LOL!
 
I feel like that will always be the case, the problem is finding people to do those jobs. The skilled work force is so thin right now, if you can find a guy to do what you need when you need it, he can charge whatever he wants because there are no other options. They are always in demand, its the one thing you can't outsource to China. Even the car dealerships by me are charging $168 an hour for labor now. They wanted over $800 to replace broken exhaust manifold bolts on my Ram, luckily I can do my own work, it only cost me $75 in parts and about 3 hours of my time. Most fast food places here are all paying $18 an hour too, only $4 less than the assembly plant workers get.
A Lincoln dealer in our area hasn't posted labor rates in years, it simply says labor based on the job. Remember, the guy's doing the work aren't the reason why the dealership charges outrageous prices
 
Yes. If you are serious and know what they go for save that amount and be ready with cash, anything is possible and you could get it and save a few bucks. I have been looking at 47-53 Chevy trucks and if I played my card right may be able to get a 10,000 truck for 7500 :)
That price will get you a project truck at best
 
A Lincoln dealer in our area hasn't posted labor rates in years, it simply says labor based on the job. Remember, the guy's doing the work aren't the reason why the dealership charges outrageous prices

I understand that, corporate greed is the main reason. They claim it's not, and that it's inflation driving new car prices, but then keep posting record quarterly profits, not earnings. It's that same guy working at the place charging $160+ per hour that is struggling to get by as well.
 
I understand that, corporate greed is the main reason. They claim it's not, and that it's inflation driving new car prices, but then keep posting record quarterly profits, not earnings. It's that same guy working at the place charging $160+ per hour that is struggling to get by as well.
Awhile back there was a article on how much CEOs make, I picked one and I figured his pay on a 40 work week and it came out to $9,000 a hour. There's no reason why you can't leave your job after 30 and have a pension and your medical benefits when you retire. I think that when the hourly workers lose their retirement benefits that the top brass should too. There's not a person on this earth that is worth 9k a hour.
 
I'm not sure where it all goes to be honest, we are starting to track it closer this year due to how high it seems. I was lumping all food into that total, whatever my credit card spit back as groceries and restaurants. We were shopping at Kroger and Sam's Club primarily, since Kroger is the only thing close to us, however, we have recently switched to the local Target. Their meat is considerably cheaper, and usually cooks up better and their produce is also cheaper and lasts close to twice as long as Krogers. The best part is, you order online and they bring it all to your car! Super convenient. We eat dinner out at a sit down joint occasionally, maybe twice a month tops, but we do grab lunches and quick dinners occasionally. Our kids are both into sports and have practice 5 days a week, they get home from the bus stop at 4:45, which is also when I get home from work, and 2 of the days each week they both have to be at their practices by 5:30, so it's cutting it close as is. We try to cook at home those early start days, but it's hard to squeeze a meal in unless we crock pot something, so we do hit Jimmy Johns or Subway and eat in the car instead of at home. That adds up fast, 3-4 sandwiches at either place is easily $25-30, do that 3-4 times a month, there's an easy hundred bucks plus. Breakfasts are usually eggs, which are now insanely priced and we easily go through 3-4 gallons of milk a week. Somehow we drop an easy $350-400 a month at Sam's in addition to that as well.
ok, i see how yours is forming
the number i gave you was only groceries but it sounds like your 2K includes fastfood and eating out

if i were to figure that number out we would be a bit closer i think



the days of the dollar footlong are well behind us

when me and the wife started dating we would pick up a bag of burgers from hot-n-now, i believe it was 5 burgers and 5 fries for 5 bucks

having said all that, the money we use for "meals not cooked at home" comes out of a different account altogether
im not the greatest at budgeting so i use 5 different accounts for all of it, 6 if you count the credit card


i have not darkened the door of a target store since they decided it was ok for perverts to use the little girls room, but we do the same thing with meijers, do all my shopping on the phone and pick it up when it is convenient for us...which works out to once a week, usually on monday

we only need 2 gallons of milk during that time

how does your boy like the swim team ?
i got a feeling my middle girl would do real well at that
 
I looked at a '53 Chevy truck last summer, guy was asking $12,000 for it and it was a project truck. Your not going to find a running / driving truck in those years for under 15k and then it probably will still need a restoration. One thing for sure, parts are widely available and affordable for them
 
I looked at a '53 Chevy truck last summer, guy was asking $12,000 for it and it was a project truck. Your not going to find a running / driving truck in those years for under 15k and then it probably will still need a restoration. One thing for sure, parts are widely available and affordable for them
Yeah you're right. Project trucks are ok its just that for 12 grand there had better be a bunch of parts coming with it new or good stuff. spare engine etc.
 
Yeah you're right. Project trucks are ok its just that for 12 grand there had better be a bunch of parts coming with it new or good stuff. spare engine etc.
It was a complete truck, but still needed a complete restoration. Supposedly the rust was minimal. It still had the 6 banger in it. I think that there was spare bumpers and a tail gate.
 
He is not right. Dont feed the bear. Stuff is out there. If you are taking advice from a guy that can't find a running V8 Abody with A/C in over 9 months to a year with a bunch of people helping him......well .....ya wont find one. Yes I know, its not a chevy, but I spent all of 30 secs looking. C'mon....

1950 Dodge Pick Up - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive...
 
He is not right. Dont feed the bear. Stuff is out there. If you are taking advice from a guy that can't find a running V8 Abody with A/C in over 9 months to a year with a bunch of people helping him......well .....ya wont find one. Yes I know, its not a chevy, but I spent all of 30 secs looking. C'mon....

1950 Dodge Pick Up - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive...
Sorry, but I am right. I've seen a couple of A bodies with ac but they were project cars and I've stated several times that I do not want a project car. Just like the 69 dart in foristell, a couple of guys on here have said that it's not worth the money. One even mentioned the over spray under the hood. Just because I won't buy just any old thing doesn't mean that I'm not looking.
 
He is not right. Dont feed the bear. Stuff is out there. If you are taking advice from a guy that can't find a running V8 Abody with A/C in over 9 months to a year with a bunch of people helping him......well .....ya wont find one. Yes I know, its not a chevy, but I spent all of 30 secs looking. C'mon....

1950 Dodge Pick Up - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle automotive...
I forgot to mention that the people who helped me, most of those cars were out of my budget
 
@Dartswinger70

To be clear, I am trying to be an *** to you. I am trying to illustrate (again) to our good buddy in MO that it can be done. Good luck in your search for the truck.
 
-
Back
Top