Well my 73 swinger is going on 3 years now with no motor or trans, just a roller. I sold the motor and trans. back in early 09 to help keep my business going and to help out a friend needing a drivetrain for his roadrunner. Lost the business in late 09 and the car been sitting in the trailer since. Now I have considered building a new motor and trans. but with the costs of racing now a days and fuel costs, can't decide to press on or just sell everything. I have a street car thats done and don't even drive it. So guys just asking for some input on helping me decide what to do. My son passed away in Dec.:angel5: so trying to now get back into life somehow but as I mentioned earlier with the costs of everything just all seems to be depressing, so how do you guys afford the racing part of the hobby anymore? Used to race for points years ago but when I started the business in 2002 the points racing stopped to focus on the business. Now no business and the economy doesn't look to promising in the future, just can't decide on my mopar future.
to build or not to build
- Thread starter 75ddart
- Start date
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Wow,, Times are hard and it looks like you have your share. I want to share a little with you,, I started the racing hobby in 74 but was into mopars from the late 60's. I had a job at 4 bucks a hour and every penny went into the car(almost). I raced for 4 years, got serious with a girl and wanted to get married. I held on to the car till 82 but had no money to get back to it so it was sold.It took me 20 years to get back into racing,but I did always have some old low buck mopar to play with when I had the time on the street.
2002 I had enough money (what was left after a 1999 divorce) and started to race again but wth a 15 second car.The thought was if I suck at driving 20 years older than I won't be throwing away alot of dough. I did ok but was wiser as not to get too deep and boy did I have fun.Got the car into the 13's and said "Good enough for me"
Things change in life and now I only go to the track 1 maybe 2-3 times a year, and every year I want to just get rid of everything and do other things plus I ain't getting any younger.2012 and it's not in the budget for me any more.
So the point of all this is if you don't need the money,If you aren't paying storage and it's not costing anything or in the way, then hang on to it for awhile.Who knows what the future will bring. As time passes you will know what you want to do... 20 years went by fast.......The older you get the faster it goes,,,Sorta' like our old cars........
2002 I had enough money (what was left after a 1999 divorce) and started to race again but wth a 15 second car.The thought was if I suck at driving 20 years older than I won't be throwing away alot of dough. I did ok but was wiser as not to get too deep and boy did I have fun.Got the car into the 13's and said "Good enough for me"
Things change in life and now I only go to the track 1 maybe 2-3 times a year, and every year I want to just get rid of everything and do other things plus I ain't getting any younger.2012 and it's not in the budget for me any more.
So the point of all this is if you don't need the money,If you aren't paying storage and it's not costing anything or in the way, then hang on to it for awhile.Who knows what the future will bring. As time passes you will know what you want to do... 20 years went by fast.......The older you get the faster it goes,,,Sorta' like our old cars........
Darter 6 Thanks, some good points. I'm 50 now and have grandkids and one surviving child. I 've been into motorcycles the last 3 or so years, with gas prices, food, and just the monthly expenses just to live comfortably is quite disenchanting. Even having my street car and wanting to enjoy it some costs in fuel. Been riding my bike alot more and is enjoyable and uses less fuel, but still miss the racing and the friendships I've made over the years. Both cars are inside and the only cost for the one is insurance every year which isn't much. Trying to still get over my loss with weekly counsling and with that and all the doom and gloom on the news it's really hard to get motivated to do anything. Racing back here in the east is just getting started and I get the itch to do something but quite honestly at 50 I've been thinking of spending more time with family and just getting out of cars completely. I always ran bigblocks before and had thought about just building a cheap smallblock and run the times you mentioned just to see if it's fun again, if not then I don't have alot invested. Anymore it seems to cost a smalll fortune just to get to the track. Been thinking about this for about two months and still can't decide where to go with this. Thanks for your reply, gives me some things to think about.
Sounds alot alike,Just a bit older than you.Got 2 step daughters now that I adore. One 31 and the younger 26 expecting our first grandchild this summer.I enjoy the family thing and they come first.Maybe getting back on the track would do you some good. Maybe just for fun with your street car.You may find it is just the right thing or that it is meaningless anymore.Woulda,coulda,shoulda..Won't know till you try.
By the way,Born and raised in south western PA. Moved out west 20 years ago...
By the way,Born and raised in south western PA. Moved out west 20 years ago...
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
the question here i think is this. do you have the passion and drive for it that you once had ? a little tid bit here from my perspective. i have owned/built/driven/raced nothing but chryslers my entire adult life (25+ years).i was born into dodges, my dad bought a 68 hemi coronet R/T brand new. he has been passed for many years now, mopar is in my blood. i have had the baddest cars in the land. i fell into a bad gig with a woman, and in the process i managed to piss it all away, and sell everything because i thought i was doing the right thing for my future with this lady. WRONG. now i find myself with the burning passion for these cars that had really never faded but i had ignored for many years. i dont have much money, but i dont have someone over my shoulder criticizing me for every part i buy or for the time i spend outside wrenching. it has been so hard to get back into this hobby due to people trying to make a fortune off of every nut and bolt that has a pentastar stamped on it and i am still kicking myself in the *** for every car and part i sold off. but my passion for these cars keeps me driven. if you have no passion to drive you, and you dont see yourself ever getting it back, then its a wash. just remember every nut and bolt you have now, is going to cost more to replace down the road if you ever change your mind and come to the conclusion that getting rid of everything was a mistake. its all about the passion for these cars, and unfortunately, so many people are only in this to get rich and only care about what these cars are worth, and not what they are about and what they represent...my $0.02
South central pa here. about 30 miles from the mason dixon line. I saw you live in nevada. I lived in vegas while in the actice military. Got out in 86 and moved back here. Didn't want to but came home to be with the rest of the family. Yea I could run the street car but it's a numbers matching car and just don't want something stupid to happen. Since the racing is just getting started here I think I will make a few visits to the track and see how the interest is then. Yes, family is important and as I get older it's definitely one of the things to cherish. You'll love having grandkids, easier to spoil them. I guess at this point I'll take a wait and see position and see how things are later this year and with the economy, the race car isn't costing anything sitting in the garage, but it's been sitting for almost 3 years now and had plans but with the economy I can't bring my self to put money into another motor, so I guess I'll be patient, Thanks...
moparlover
Well-Known Member
same here bro. she obviously missed the fact that i liked cars when we started dating. runnin' solo now and gettin back into the mopar hobby
Amazing what some of these women do to a relationship. My wife is supportive but with the recent loss of my son, I'm thinking of just being patient and waiting it out some more. Agree I don't want to move my cars and later on find out that mistakes were made. I still do have the passion and I grew up in a mopar family as well, and will continue to be all mopar. Converted my wife from fords years ago. Told her if she bought another ford I wasn't driving, riding or ever working on it, she seen the light. I have most parts to build a bigblock other than having machine work done and some small items to purchase. May not be this summer but may be by fall for next year, don't know. Will wait to see what happens in the future. Sorry about the wife issues for some. I've seen this many times over the years, all is well untill you get hitched and then they try to change you and expect you to give up things you enjoy, noy just cars, I've seen it affect other hobbies, hunting,fishing, ect. I will also agree that it would cost more to get back into the hobby and even building a new car, than keeping what I have.
keep pressing on......if mopar is in your blood your going to be incomplete without a project car even if it just sits there....if you sell you limit your options as far as having a project for the future......i have 9 cars and im a "young gun" mopar girl, and already there have been times i thought i would have to sell everything, but i feel if i sell everything then i wont have my idenity anymore.....bcoz this stuff is running through my veins. now that the economy is bad .....its like gas over the flame for me bcoz right now is a good time to buy....so i say start buying parts if you can and they will come in handy later. i just picked up a 72 Demon and i have a feeling it will come in real handy later..... you might just be going through a phase, bcoz i often get bored with a particular car, and find a different "high" with a different car. but as long as you always come back thats all that matters......right now my 67 cuda got pushed back to the barn bcoz i got bored with it but i will come back later....when i get bored with the demon...LOL
Bulldozer
free ice cream sandwiches
you are definately a rare breed for sure. and i couldnt agree more ^^^^. it is hard enough to find something you love and that identifies you , only to have it lost through other circumstances, and then to struggle to regain it back , after losing it.
75, are you working now?
It was said earlier, the car costs nothing to sit. Let it sit. Do little inexpensive things to it. Make it look pretty, fix a dent, repaint it cheaply yourself.
When it comes to the engine/trans, a junk yard engine/trans is a good starter. If possible up north. A Magnum is a good start from a Durango. 2 wheel drive will have the long trans at least.
Get the wife out of the house with you and into the car a little bit. Likewise with yourself and her Hobby, or get her a hobby. It is a team effort for the team. Lean on each other a bit and go forward!
It was said earlier, the car costs nothing to sit. Let it sit. Do little inexpensive things to it. Make it look pretty, fix a dent, repaint it cheaply yourself.
When it comes to the engine/trans, a junk yard engine/trans is a good starter. If possible up north. A Magnum is a good start from a Durango. 2 wheel drive will have the long trans at least.
Get the wife out of the house with you and into the car a little bit. Likewise with yourself and her Hobby, or get her a hobby. It is a team effort for the team. Lean on each other a bit and go forward!
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