Wha would you do with 16k?

[FlamesAreWicked]

A blueprint engines 408, TKX 5spd, and a rear axle that can handle both…

Or

Update brakes, suspension, heads/cam/intake/carb/exhaust, TKX swap, and an axle that car can handle it if it doesn’t already.

 

[MMissile]

Price GOOD materials. All materials. A friend just dropped 4K for his paint [color].

 

[PepperoniOlive]

I was thinking that. Like tremendo

$16k is a weekend of hookers and blow.

I’m intrigued

 

[jrc4y4]

People that quote rediculous prices to paint your car just don't want to do the job. But they figure if you make it worth their time in lots of $$, then they'll do the job. A body guy actually told me that straight out...

Go down to the barrio. Jose will paint whatever you want for $500 and two tacos. I've gotten some driver cars painted by them. They weren't perfect, but were perfect for the purpose I was using them for. I've also used Maaco with no complaints at all.

Don't forget the self painters who say they did a zillion dollar paint job on their own car are charging themselves handsomely for their own work. I could do the same on my project car if I wanted; charge myself $300 per hour for body work, so after my car is done I could tell everyone that it got a $15,000 paint job... But my labor rate to myself is $0, so I keep prices low.

Spot on. For every $15,000 all over job, they could do 25 $1,500 bumper jobs. They factor in opportunity cost and say it’s not worth having their good tech down for so long just for one job when they can get him to do many other jobs.

So in comes the side guy who will do a driver job. The reason good shops don’t want to do driver quality is their name is attached to it forever. I had to have some backwoods stuff done once by a good name shop and I just told the shop, “look. This is a $3k van. I’m not spending $1,500 on a proper repair. If you’re willing to do xyz, I won’t go run my mouth that you did it. I just need it functioning.” Estimate came down to $500. Paid cash and moved on.

 

[rmchrgr]

Gen III Hemi though they are really expensive overall. $10K will get you a 500+hp N/A crate motor. Unless you go with carburetor induction you'll need the rest for peripheral equipment like the wiring and controller, mounting, fuel system, exhaust, possibly a transmission... might be worth it though. Smooth, reliable power that runs on pump swill. the 5.7 in my 6,000 lb. + 2017 Ram moves it out pretty well. Put it in a car that weighs half of that and you'll never look back.

OTOH, for that kind of money you can easily build a stout, stroked 360 and use on the rest on the chassis. 422+ C.I. for big block level torque, hydraulic roller cam topped with Holley EFI...

 

[Yunick13]

Invest in another vehicle to flip,

 

[Cuda416]

I'm amazed at the numbers that people throw around when talking about paint jobs.
I can paint but I'm not good enough to do work for other people. I've done many cars of my own, I've done cars to sell too. Because my labor is free to me, I can't understand a $20,000 price quote to do a paint job that some people have said.
If that really is what the market is, maybe save this money to get the car painted if it needs it.
I've painted cars for well under $1000 in materials. Where does the rest of the money go? Is this $20,000 number one that means total disassembly, bodywork, primer, sealer, base coat, clear coat, reassembly and cut and buff?

Shop rates are upwards of $100-$200/hr depending on where you are and who you want to do the work. Adds up quickly.

 

[Kemper]

I'm amazed at the numbers that people throw around when talking about paint jobs.
I can paint but I'm not good enough to do work for other people. I've done many cars of my own, I've done cars to sell too. Because my labor is free to me, I can't understand a $20,000 price quote to do a paint job that some people have said.
If that really is what the market is, maybe save this money to get the car painted if it needs it.
I've painted cars for well under $1000 in materials. Where does the rest of the money go? Is this $20,000 number one that means total disassembly, bodywork, primer, sealer, base coat, clear coat, reassembly and cut and buff?

I think it is like a lot of other things. years ago I could find a body person, a radiator person, a transmission person etc. that did work without having a professional shop or business. Not so nowadays or at least not as common.

But the professional shops will do the same standard of work regardless of what they are working on.

 

[Cuda416]

IDK why most body shops won't do "driver" paint jobs.

I got quoted $6500 to 12K.....five years ago.

I had $400 in single stage acrylic paint and 7 dings I marked to be filled in. Zero rust repair.

I finally found a repair shop shop that was training a painter (the only painter for the whole shop, BTW) and got the consumables and labor for $1500.

At 100 an hour, that's almost two days, minus the consumables.

WTF?

No one else could do that?

What part of "driver quality" don't shops understand.

One place flat refused to use single stage, and when I finally got it through to them that I didn't want base/clear, they said they were gonna put clear in the final coat.

Nooooooo!

Idiots.

Lol, used to be that "driver paint job" meant Earl Scheib, or a Maco paint job. Hell there was a guy in the old cuda-challenger site that did his own bodywork and prime job. Brought it to Maco and convinced them to do the single stage top coat for like $800 bucks. That was on a 70 Challenger vert he cloned into a pace car. Turned out really nice but... it was a 10-15 foot pain job. Not perfect, but good enough for him.

I think the shops are more worried about someone seeing the "driver" qlaulity paint job and thinking "That's all they do"... Not good marketing really and I think it's as simple as that. Plus, as I understand it, two stage jobs are easier to "fix" but I'm not a pro so don't take that as gospel from me.

 

[85glht]

Pay off bills.

And get a GOOD money guy to invest some of it

 

[AJ/FormS]

As for engine/trans/rear-end/suspension, steering, and brakes; I wouldn't change a thing on my combo.
But the car could use a lil rust repair and paint again.

Car only goes 93 in the Eighth, but it will spin the tires most of the way, goes straight as an arrow while doing it, and powerslides like a champ.
More power?
Not a chance; the 367 already has a preponderance of streetable power. My next cam, the fourth, will be smaller again, and the cylinder pressure higher.
I'm sortof an A833 specialist, I've rebuilt hundreds of them.

But if I had 16K to spend on powertrain, I'd probably remote turbocharge a 273/318, with bit of a cam, 3.55s, and say ~350 ish hp.
Why only 350?
Cuz I've had 430 and more, plus 335; and the 335 was more than adequate for a 12second streeter, that rarely sees more than 5 seconds at WOT.. and I can coax a lotta mpgs out of a Mopar. Sounds like a great street combo to me.
If I went Normally Aspirated, I'm keeping my Commando/GVod unit, and probably a 340 with a smaller, tighter than stock, narrow LSA cam, and for sure headers. I ran one of these at high cylinder pressure in my teens, and I remember how much fun it was, even with a push-button auto
But then, I've always wanted to try a 273 with a 3.58 crank= about 300 cubes. I bet I could get over 30 mpgs out of that on a regular basis.
Hmmmmmmmmm
I see your dilemma.

 

[YY1]

Lol, used to be that "driver paint job" meant Earl Scheib, or a Maco paint job. Hell there was a guy in the old cuda-challenger site that did his own bodywork and prime job. Brought it to Maco and convinced them to do the single stage top coat for like $800 bucks. That was on a 70 Challenger vert he cloned into a pace car. Turned out really nice but... it was a 10-15 foot pain job. Not perfect, but good enough for him.

I think the shops are more worried about someone seeing the "driver" qlaulity paint job and thinking "That's all they do"... Not good marketing really and I think it's as simple as that. Plus, as I understand it, two stage jobs are easier to "fix" but I'm not a pro so don't take that as gospel from me.

Funny- I "fixed" a spot on the inner fender.

1st time ever "fixing" paint.

I painted the engine compartment (forgot to mention that, so any place I went for a quote, didn't need to do that, either).

I had some stray sand from blasting that blew out and got in the paint where the charcoal canister goes.

I sanded that off, blew it out, shot some reducer on the area, let it tack, and then "feathered" a coat of paint.

Viola.

Can't believe it came out so you can't even tell.

Before that, the only things I had painted with a gun and reduced/hardened paint was a roof and a set of steel wheels.

 

[Cuda416]

Funny- I 'fixed" a spot on the inner fender.

1st time ever "fixing" paint.

I painted the engine compartment (forgot to mention that, so any place I went for a quote, didn't need to do that, either).

I had some stray sand from blasting that blew out and got in the paint where the charcoal canister goes.

I sanded that off, blew it out, shot some reducer on the area, let it tack, and then "feathered" a coat of paint.

Viola.

Can't believe it came out so you can't even tell.

Before that, the only things I had painted with a gun and reduced/hardened paint was a roof and a set of steel wheels.

Yeah I'm not a painter and didn't spend any time at a hotel chain so ... lol.

I'd heard at one point if single stage was messed up, it was a lot of work to fix. Sounds like the trick is to get tacky again? Seems legit to me. I remember something the shops I'd deliver supplies to as a kid ordering something specific to do something similar.

 

[44070dart]

I said I would stroke it and put in a 5-speed. Also, I'd look at after market suspension. I just bought a Buick, yeah Buick, and all the front and rear suspension has been done with a lot of very good aftermarket parts. The car drives better than anything I have owned. It is very quick, and the suspension upgrades make it a blast to drive. I have had a lot of straight line fast cars, but this is way above them. Just a thought.

 

[33IMP]

Sold my jeep and have 16k to put into my 73 dart. It has a 360 and a 904 transmission. But…it’s really not very powerful. Sounds good and looks good but I really want some decent power. What engine and transmission would you put in it? I’d really love a manual transmission. Maybe just wake it up a bit?

Do the five speed swap.
Then , with the money left over, either a 408 shortblock with speedmaster heads (from black friday), or a turbo kit for the 360.
A turbo kit would/could make more power than the stroker.
I don't think a big block swap would have enough return on investment.
Nitrous for the current 360 would be the low'buck solution for more power.

 

[Dartsun]

I'd get a nice stoker kit for the 360, a TKX transmission. Then one of the speedway 9" complete rear ends. Upgrade the braking system.

 

[clementine]

If i had to spend the whole deal at once……

5-7K on blueprint engine

5-7 TKX

$700 on a welder to shorten a cheap housing once i blow up whatever is in the car now.

The rest in incidentals.

$0.02 (ill bill you )

 

[cosgig]

How about a rear gear upgrade, and if you don’t have one already, maybe invest in an 8 3/4” rear end setup.

 

[plymouth67]

Any decent painter won't do a "Driver Quality" paint job. As a guy who paints on the side I won't do it so, I don't blame a body shop for not doing. I also won't just paint over someone else's body work without blocking it myself no matter how "ready for paint" someone says it is. The finished job is that person's or body shops name all over it and, it's always assumed that whoever painted the car, also did the body work.

For those of you who think a car can be painted for a couple grand are dead wrong. If done correctly just materials will be double and some times triple that. Good sand papers, primers, paint, clear, buffing compounds, tape, plastic and paper,....etc...etc.

I have had people want a quote to paint a car for them. I give them a price and normally they are shocked at the cost. Then they always follow up with, "I don't need a show quality job" , in which i reply that I do one type of paint job because it's my name on that car.

For example there is somewhere around 6k just in materials in this one.

 

[Kern Dog]

I have seen several “driver” quality jobs done at shops in Northern California so to say that they aren’t done is not accurate.
Some people take a lot of pride in their work and refuse to scale it back for a customer on a tight budget.
By doing that, your pride and standards probably prevented people from getting their cars painted at all. You guys wonder why places like Graveyard Cars rarely feature A body cars? Few people are willing to spend $15,000 or more to paint a car that will be worth $12,000 when finished. Even if the guy is willing to spend the money, his wife will browbeat the poor dude about it every chance she gets.

 

[plymouth67]

I have seen several “driver” quality jobs done at shops in Northern California so to say that they aren’t done is not accurate.
Some people take a lot of pride in their work and refuse to scale it back for a customer on a tight budget.
By doing that, your pride and standards probably prevented people from getting their cars painted at all. You guys wonder why places like Graveyard Cars rarely feature A body cars? Few people are willing to spend $15,000 or more to paint a car that will be worth $12,000 when finished. Even if the guy is willing to spend the money, his wife will browbeat the poor dude about it every chance she gets.

It sucks for the people who can't afford but, I was once told by a friend...If your gonna ***** about the cost of doing things to your car, your in the wrong hobby...lol

 

[mopar head]

yeah Buick,

I dig those ol boys, 70 GS?

 

[Oldiron440]

Map out your plan for your project paint, drivetrain etc.. Me personally I like doing the drivetrain including front suspension, engine compartment repairing anything structural first. This includes all rear suspension and axle modifications.
You should have a running driving car at this point with all mods done then do the paint and bodywork.
I’ve done many projects for other people that have been just body’s to be assembled by others. It can be a pain in the *** because you have assembled everything you have only to be taken apart after paint so modifications can happen. It often happens that changes in the plan can occur and can fk up the process after paint is finished.
So I say build your car and take apart what you need to to paint.

I vote BB stoker five speed also but a
727 fits perfectly also but I don’t think you can do it with the budget you’re talking about.

 

[mopowers]

For those of you who think a car can be painted for a couple grand are dead wrong. If done correctly just materials will be double and some times triple that. Good sand papers, primers, paint, clear, buffing compounds, tape, plastic and paper,....etc...etc.

So, if a paint job doesn't cost at least $4k in materials, it was done incorrectly? I guess that means I've seen some pretty damn good "incorrect" paint jobs.

There's a time and a place for a high dollar paint job, just like there's a time and a place for a budget paint job. My '66 Dart will land on the budget end of the spectrum because it's just a hotrod and not a beauty queen. The great thing is, they all drive just the same no matter how much money someone sinks into a paint job.

 

[Kern Dog]

I haven’t looked around in my town lately but…
Aren’t there any of those quickie One Day paint shops in your town?
Earl Scheib. Miracle. CarCoa. One Day.
They used to be more common than the “collision shops” we see nowadays. I think we all knew someone that had a car painted at one of those places. I have had three of those paint jobs and they all looked presentable.