Thread: Building a Rod on the cheap!

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I am a Young guy trying to build a rod for next to nothing.
I have a new Model A chassis with engine mounts and front drop Axle with leaf spring suspension but no rear end or rear suspension, it does have rear coil over and shock mounts though. my question is this:

Is there anyway to use ANY parts such as the suspension, electrical, or rear-end(shortend,) ect. from a 1979 mercury marquis without too many modifications or running into too many problems? I inherited a Marquis that's pretty clean With low original miles but I can't afford to drive it (it's got a 460 and weighs about a million pounds.) so rather than let it keep rotting like it has been, I thought I'd try to use what I could.

Any help would be Appreciated.

Hi RoscoeFink,

Used to live in Mackay back in '78-'80.

I'm always trying to do the same, build a ride with whatever I can get for free or next to free, only buy retail what can't be had otherwise. Don't know much else you could use from the 1979 mercury marquis except the drive train. If its a decent car you might consider selling it and use the money for what else you could dig up.
I remember seeing lots of ranches out there with old cars sitting out in the fields. Maybe able to make some deals with the owners if there are still those relecs around.

Roscoe,

There's no such thing as a "cheap rod". Rat Rods may look like they're cheap to build, but they're not. A lot of money is put into safety issues like brakes, steering, and suspension. When it comes to a rod, you get what you pay for. You've got a start with the model A frame. Sell or trade off the 460 for a smaller, more economical engine like a small block Chevy or Ford. Sell the body or body parts for cash, and put that cash into a rearend. Now spend some of your paycheck every week on a safety issues. Once that is complete, put your money in a safe place and start looking for a model A or B body. If you think that you can build a rod in a couple of days or weeks, you've been watching too much TV. Rods are built safely over a long period of time. And forget cheap, by the time you get it road worthy, you'll have spent a couple of thousand. At the very bottom of your toolbox hidden in the corner, you'll find your most important tool. It's called patience. Use it often.

I am in big agreement with the PATIENCE deal!!!! If you're a typical young guy, you don't have much of it. A year seems like forever. I've had my '71 pickup for 16 years and never got it finished and running yet. The Ranchero has been in the works for 3 years so far and the body is just roughed in and the frame started.

My best advice is take your time, save your money, and do it right the first time. If you don't have the time and money to do it right, when are you going to find the time and money to do it over????? Relax, enjoy the build...

As to the money, it takes money to build a nice car. Yeah, you can tack together a bunch of stuff you have laying around, and if that's all you want then go ahead and do it. But if you want a first rate Hot Rod, then it does take a considerable amount of money to do it right. The old "yeah, but it was cheap" excuse for having a less then desireable car is just that, an excuse.... Or, you can be like many others and drive a POS and call it a Rat Rod and try to convince the rest of us that that is how things used to be done./.......

You have hit on one key ingredient to building a low buck car........use a donor, preferably a running one. It is just that the one you are mentioning has big parts like the engine, trans, rear axle, making it a little too heavy duty for an A frame. It would work, but not as well as some lighter components.

I agree, if it is clean and running, sell it. 460 engines are starting to dry up somewhat, so some guys (me) would buy it from you just for the engine and tranny. Or, they make great drivers stock, if you don't mind the gas milage. Turn the money into some usable parts for your build, or to buy a lighter donor, like a mid '70's mid size Ford or Chevy, and use those parts.

I really like the concept of driving one car up and stripping all the usable parts off and then selling the leftovers like fenders, etc to someone fixing up their driver. You can get so many useful parts this way.

Keep after it, you'll get there.

Don

-shortyforty: Mackay, huh? I'm in Shelley. Yeah, the fields have alot of jalopies in 'em but the ones arround here are mostly so rotted that the bodies are barely salvagable, unfortunately. But That is where I will go lookin' for a body when I get to that point. Maybe pick one up free.

-Lakota & Dave: I'm actually not planning on building this in any specific time piriod. I was just wondering if any of my parts would fit. Also, I am a patient guy, I have a 1965 Malibu SS I've been working on for 6 years but the parts I need next are more expensive than I can afford right now. I love cars and just want something to do to kill time while I save up for the Malibu's gear. I'm not looking to make a "Rat Rod," or a "First Rate hot rod", I'm definately not out for turn arround value or anything. Don't think I don't appreciate all the advice you have given me, the suggestions about the safety stuff is good advice that I will keep in mind while I am working on this one.
So, Thank you.

-Itoldyouso(don): thank you for answering my question and giving me the usefull advice. the mechanichal stuff on the car isn't in bad shape, it has some furface rust, nothing that couldn't be taken care of before the switch. everything ran last time I fired it, it just needed to be jumped. maybe I'll look into trading some of the parts off. Seems logical to think that the stuff might be too heavy duty, but I might end up using some of them anyway if they fit. I was actually not planning on putting the 460 in this one. over the years I have been lucky enough to pick up a few random parts for nothing and was thinking of putting in a rebuilt Dodge 318 and new transmission I've got and haven't used.

Again, thank you all for the help. Any other advice FROM ANYONE HERE would be appreciated.

RoscoeF.

You sated that you have a Malibu in work and your waiting on the funds to complete that project. Starting another project will only prolong finishing the first one. Id advise you to stay with the Malibu and complete it. Possilby sell off the Marquis and other parts you arent using to make some funds. I wouldnt think that Malibu would require no where near the work that a Model A would.

I have aquired a 1986 corvette that is UGLY but the mechanichal is all nice and in good condition, anyone know if THOSE parts would be usable?

corvetts make great donor cars

without modification? not likely. If you expect to build a rod with donor parts MODIFY is the word of the day.

aS for low buck project, someone mentioned a couple thousand $$, and to me that IS a very low buck project.