Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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I'll call you tomorrow Kurt to work out details. I googled your address, it's only 2 hours from home. I won't have to borrow Dans truck, the back seat in my Honda folds down and we have hauled some amazingly big stuff back there.

Thanks,

Don

I put a fully built 351W in the back of our 86 hatch back Camaro.
It fit right down nice and snug in the pocket side ways so it didn't even slide around
or anything. Kurt

This is a really kewl and interesting thread. I didn't read it all and maybe don't have all the facts on it. I wonder what the cost might be on a bare bones, use what you have, cheapest rod possible. I built a Cobra and spent $40k on parts alone. A guy gave me this '28 pickup as a big pile of parts. I thought I could build it for 5k. I have at least 10k in it now probably more. I think that what happens is we get in to the project and if it goes good we just can't resist making it better, and better, and better and bett...

Tom, you've pretty much captured the essence of it. It comes down to what the builder values and knows (some inexperienced folks don't know what they don't know and end up making decisions they learn to regret, but that's learning). Without getting too wonky about economics, money is just an IOU for value exchanged from one person to another. For some the best use of their value production is scrounging stuff, spending time rummaging through wrecking yards, dumps, barns, whatever. For others it might be inventing a new design of trailer that meets a market need and lots of folks exchange money for the trailer. If you're better at making the trailers for others, then you employ the value you earn that way. If you're better/more willing at rooting through the discards of others then you employ that value. Some folks are very creative and skillful at fabrication, others need the help of those kind of folk. Different roads to similar destinations.

I was surprised to see Don's old thread pop up again but it is a great one, and I'll let Don reply regarding the costs of a bare bones build. From my perspective, the biggest reason for cost escalation in a build is 1) not enough detail in the plan for the build (failure to consider all of the "little" things that add big bucks), and worse 2) failure to stick to the plan once it is set and the build has started. The key to a budget build is to have an accurate budget estimate at the start, IMO - and that's easy to say, but hard to accomplish! My budget "plan" was to use a donor engine & tranny from a Mustang, but I decided early on to go with a custom engine and new Tremec, along with a hi-buck EFI on top - a factor of ten+ to my original salvage yard donor cost.

Well, I guess the cost is reliant on how many pre-fabbed parts you buy and how much work you do yourself. Don will be the first to tell you his 3K project far exceeded the original plan. I'm sure the guy who bought it paid way more than 3K also, but, having seen it in person, I can honestly say it was one of the nicest T-buckets I've ever seen...

As for my own projects, I've always been too poor to buy a lot of high-zoot crap, so I had to learn to make it myself. I build or fabricate virtually everything I can including frame & suspension, and do all my own welding. I also do all my own bodywork and paint, wiring, and upholstery. My son and I built his sedan (below) for under $4,000. Since the pic he has added a tunnel ram and different front wheels. I built my coupe (bottom) for about $7800 using parts from 32 different vehicles. Now I am working on a '23 T track roadster; about $3000 in it so far. Here's a link to the build thread:
Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

I would think 4K is probably the lowest you could get away with and have a safe reliable rod.

well I finally read all 221 pages in my christmas holiday. I'm the new owner of Don's T bucket. I bought it off a guy that bought it off Don. Man, After reading this post I feel like I got the deal of a lifetime. I restore Motorcycles and I know that you never get the money you put into a project thus the reason I restore motorcycles, because sometimes I can make a couple buck ...Only sometimes. I look forward to coming on this forum in the future.

Welcome to the site speed8988, maybe share a pic of the car as it sits now? Ans I'd say you got a good deal too! A great car for sure!

Many of us were drawn to this site following Don's thread. I hope you are enjoying the car, he sure did a nice job on it!

I'm on vacation in New Hampshire. Bought the car 3 or 4 weeks ago and parked it in the garage. took all the neighborhood kids for a ride first. Getting insurance was a pain since only a few companies do collector insurance. I finally got my insurance car on Thursday emailed late and had to work on Friday. didn't matter though because the tag office was closed and when I come back it will be closed too. I'm chomping at the bit to drive this car. It sits in the 3rd car garage which is where I was working on a 1975 Enduro I'm restore for a customer, so I had to look at it a lot. It pretty much looks the same. The guy I bought it from never drove it only about 500 miles. I have emailed Don and I think The guy he sold it to bought it to resale it and make some $$$, but I got it for the same price he paid for it 1.5 year later. I found the Bill of sale under the seat. I will attach some pics once I get home.

Welcome aboard speed, the old guy did a nice job and you should have a great time with the car.

When you get to picture posting, don't forget to post up pics of your cat(s) too.

Welcome to CHR speed enjoy that hot rod

Yeah,speed,,welcome from the south,,the deep south that is..Its a nice lookin rod,,only ever seen pix of it,but its kool..Enjoy it..

Speed,
I never got to ride in Don's (now your) roadster, but I saw it in person twice, once at the Turkey Run and once at the first Billetproof Florida. It's an absolutely beautiful little car. I have a picture on my other computer of that roadster with my Model-A and Bill Skirvin's Deuce...