This will be the last ground up car for me.

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zhandfull

zhandfull

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Even scoring a few good deals this long term project is taking me to the poor house. Getting close to droping in the motor and trans in. It's only been 5 years since it was painted.

Makes me think about the thread will my early A ever be worth what I have in it. Seems like after I turned 40 I would really rather drive than work on these car in most cases.
 

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I know what you mean bro., sometimes it seems like forever getting things done. Good luck on your Valiant, it looks great so far.
 
Car and motor look real good, being everything is so expensive,it really burns you out sometime's. It has taken some of the fun out of it,if I WASN'T so into
these cars and parts I MAY DO SOMETHING DIFFERANT. but it is all I KNOW.
this site really has a lot of great people that has helped me out.
 
I'm 60, almost got the 70 Duster ready; laid off, so helped a bud do a full restore on a 69 Charger. Both of us say never again.
 
I am 41 and basically have hung the keys up on the Barracuda. I guess I will try to get into it later on but got the motorcycle thing going right now. I enjoy cruise ins but standing in a hot *** parking lot all day is not fun at all in 100 degree weather. I've done it however and burned up. At least riding motorcycle there is some air moving and get to see different places. I mean I rode to Kentucky last Sunday and made it back home around 8pm! I never been to Kentucky! lol

I don't think I will do any more cars myself. I had a 68 Charger for a long time ...off and on working on it. Got it finished then a stupid female African American ran a stop sign and totaled it out. Then I got the cuda and it has ate my wallet and still sucking money just sitting there. lol
 
Best of luck with your project. :)

I had my car for 7 years, I lost every penny I spent on the car,
except for 90% of the original cost.

I had Lots of people tell me Nice Car,
wow, that is rare a V8 2Dr HT Valiant,
A Valiant in the NY State area that is not rotted out!!!

ALL The money I spent on rebuilding a 318, to replace the bad 273,
the 4bbl, intake, cam, #302 heads, valve springs, brass frost plugs,etc,
the electronic ignition, small newer starter,
Dual Exhaust,
14inch rims and tires,
carpet,
sound deadner,
headliner,
windshield,
Alt. Voltage regulator, battery,
and more,

All gone, see ya. About $5000 pissed away,
because I wanted an Early Abody V8 car for years.

I would have been better off keeping my 1967 Camaro,
that had a non-stock 1969 427 engine in it.

You want a return for your money, buy a 1970-1974 Ebody;
and the way the economy looks that is not a sure bet either. :(

983634407_979420b3fa.jpg
 
Yeah, seems like most of us start slowing down around 45 or so. I have a 70 R/T Challenger that is still waiting for me to get going on it and just haven't found enough zip to get started. I'm still putting money in the Valiant, so they are really never done. And talking about money, if you think a A body is expensive, try buying parts for a E body. WOW$$$ Anyway, I still love most things about this hobby. Jerry
 
My duster will exceeded the cost of my 2009 Challenger when it is done, but hey I am not planning on selling it. So although I will never recover the money I will have spent on the car. I still enjoy what I have done although I will probably not do another build for myself again.

As for the E bodies Wow is right, Mopar parts are hard enough to get want an E body original part......Good luck, bring a fat wallet..
 
I hear what you are sayin'...
Beautiful car you got going.

I worked with my son and done a '67 Firebird. I had invested a lot of time (5 years) and towards the end, said never again also. Then I got to thinking, I gave the 'bird to my son and wanted a car for myself. I had invested all that time into learning how to do it, we had purchased tools like a welder and rotisserie and other body tools. I dove in and bought my Duster. I hope to finish it this year.

For someone just starting out, you might consider a later A body rather than the early models. More and better likelihood of finding parts, or complete parts cars. I have basically parted out three cars to get stuff for mine, selling excess items to get new parts as necessary. It has taken me 4 years so far, but in terms of money, I should get done for about 5 grand (at least that's what I've told the wifey...)
C
 
I hear ya. I just want to drive. I no longer get any enjoyment out of turning wrenches and the cursing and swearing that goes along with it. At soon-to-be 45, I just want to cruise.


Wylde1.
 
ow come on! I'm 51 and still have 3 (if I'm lucky 4 after this weekend) cars in my garage in need of a full restoration
I'll be done by the age of euh 70???
it keeps me young, well euh kinda youngisch (except when I try to get up again after rolling around under a car for a while, then its more a YouTube commic)
 
im 16 but im alreaady fed up with turning wrenches, my dart has sat in the garage long enough now its just a take it to cruise only to find 16 things wrong with it and a dam dumb blonde judge cracks my biberglass fender by leaning ove it and putting her leg into it, and then she docks me points for it, tell me im wrong for being mad about that and i will shoot you down, ive done it to three people already im still ready to do it again.
 
67 prostreet gt said:
im 16 but im alreaady fed up with turning wrenches, my dart has sat in the garage long enough now its just a take it to cruise only to find 16 things wrong with it and a dam dumb blonde judge cracks my biberglass fender by leaning ove it and putting her leg into it, and then she docks me points for it, tell me im wrong for being mad about that and i will shoot you down, ive done it to three people already im still ready to do it again.
Click to expand...

Biberglass?

You mean Fiberglass maybe?

the Damn Dumb Blonde Judge at the car show,
was leaning Over your Fender? Waah.

Steel Fenders and hoods, can support us old Fat people easier. ;)

Better luck next time.

Got any photos of your car with the Blonde leaning on your fender?

100_0401a1Small.jpg



70_dodge_dart.jpg
 
yeah they were cheap fenders, vrittle and very finicky, sorry for the poor spelling, people, sorry to give people laughs
 
Wow, you guys sound old!

I turned 57 last week and over the weekend I painted the tub on my 47 Jeep. If all goes well, what started out as an electrical repair, will be running by Labor Day. When that's done, my Duster needs a re-do and I have to assemble the 440 for my 75 W200 and get it back on the road after 6 years. Then there's the 69 Satellite that's a total basket case.
There are also all those projects in the back of my mind for "some day". After all this time, I still enjoy the build the most and the satisfaction that I get from every problem solved.


BTW, I build what I want and never think about the money!
 
I'm 68 and still turning wrenches. I don't want to waste away doing nothing. So I keep turning.
Getting out from under the cars is a litle harder now than it was years ago, but being retired I have more time to myself. The other part of retired is I don't have the income, to get all these fancy parts that are available now. Fixed incomes suck. But I remember the ole motto " Keep em Flying".

barracudadave67 aka Dave C.
 
I could have bought a brand new Challenger SRT8 for what I have in my Dart. But I think it will be way cooler and definitely one of a kind. I would love to do it again, just with someone else's money...
 
I have said that so many times that it is my last one.
The last time I said no more is when I finished my 48 willys last summer.
Come october a good deal came around on my duster so here I am building again.
 
When I did my first big restoration on my red Dart GT conv I said never again. But after finding a DartCharger hardtop I changed. Just that one. And after the DartCharger convertible...... And after over 1000 hour and the car doesn't have paint yet I'm not sure when this is gonna ends. But I really enjoy it!

I think you have done a great work on your Valiant. It looks clean. Good luck with it.
 
Key things that play a role into what we are discussing I believe rather than age.

1. Money (this makes the world turn)
2. Shop conditions (shop with lift or shade tree)
3. Tools (proper equipment or monkey wrench)
4. Time ( you got it or you don't)
5. Health ( you got it or you don't)

any others you would like to add?
 
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