Under $3000 Builds?

[ravedodger]

I've read another forum's $3000 build thread and thought to myself that it would be near impossible to do, unless a person were to take a worthy pick up cab and drop it on a running S-10 chassis. I noticed in another thread here that others may not believe that it's possible either.

I'm building a little Model A based project and almost have $1000 into it without building the motor or buying a body. I've paid for each part excluding the motor, which was given to me. My goal from the start has been to keep it under $4000 and lately I think I'm being unrealistic.

Not to rain on their parade, but is it possible to really build a car for under $3k these days without inheriting a pile of parts (not that it's bad--free parts are good parts.)? Have any of you done it within the last 5 years? Gimme some hope!

Just looking for something to talk about.

 

[Reverend D]

In a lot of those cases they already had the truck/car and parts, so yeah sure its possible. If you have to buy all the parts probably not. Although, I think theres a few guys here that have done pretty good getting cheap things on CraigsList and then pulling what they want and flipping the rest sometimes for more than the item they bought, so in reality they are making money and still getting what they wanted for no dollars out of pocket. So a crafty person flipping parts and buying everything for cheap or next to free could probably easily get a rat on the road for under 3k. Seen quite a few of them on that site your referring to I think.


Regards,

Rev. D.

 

[billy]

i have wondered the same thing.
i bought junkyard parts at rock bottom prices and a body for $60.
now i am almost halfway done and it has already cost way over $3000.

i am starting to think that if you exclude a guy already having a donor car and a barn full of parts.
it is more like an under $10,000 build,
and thats iffy...
welding rods
electricity
grade 8 bolts
all that stuff adds up



p.s.
at very least double that 10 grand if you count your time.

 

[joukaishou813924]

My grandfather who's restoring our model a, just dropped like 3500 on a new long block

 

[CR55]

The idea of building a rod for under $3,000 makes me wonder if it's true.. I lost track of the amount I spent. It wasn't a lot, but way more that 3 grand. If you're cutting corners it while probably bite you in the end. And if you're selling parts off the vehicle that you're going to change, how mush could you possibly get?[S.You still have to repalce those items! I'm not saying it can't be done, but I don't think the average rodder can do it!..I couldn't!!....CR

 

[billy]

In a lot of those cases they already had the truck/car and parts, so yeah sure its possible. If you have to buy all the parts probably not. Although, I think theres a few guys here that have done pretty good getting cheap things on CraigsList and then pulling what they want and flipping the rest sometimes for more than the item they bought, so in reality they are making money and still getting what they wanted for no dollars out of pocket. So a crafty person flipping parts and buying everything for cheap or next to free could probably easily get a rat on the road for under 3k. Seen quite a few of them on that site your referring to I think.


Regards,

Rev. D.

you have to count the worth of that car/truck and parts.
otherwise it is imaginary math!

 

[allis327]

I got the car for free but after suspension up grades I'm at 2k. Hoping to it between 5-10k, I left myself a wide margin so maybe I will feel better in the end.

 

[eyesore]

Like I posted in another thread:

Of course you can't build a car for under $3K! It's only possible if someone gave you all the parts or you have $6K-$7K worth of parts laying around and put no hard cash into but that's a bogus premise. Add it up yourself, there's no way.

ISore

 

[eyesore]

Like I posted in another thread:

Of course you can't build a car for under $3K! It's only possible if someone gave you all or most of the parts or you have $6K-$7K worth of parts laying around and put no hard cash into but that's a bogus premise. Add it up yourself, there's no way.

ISore

 

[Ratcrazy]

I think I can honestly say it is not possible to build a ratrod for under 3000 'IF' you have to purchase the parts, cab, steel for the frame, etc....

Personally I have sold all my woodworking equipment and I had a shop full, and many other items to finace my build and I am still paying out of pocket. I have bought off on craigslist, traded and worked for others to help with the cost and I am way over 3000 now.

As said it is possible 'IF' you have all the parts on hand but for the most part, NOT!!!

I am almost afraid to add up the cost on my rat today for the fear of sticker stock and my wife killing me....

Larry

 

[eyesore]

I am almost afraid to add up the cost on my rat today for the fear of sticker stock and my wife killing me....

I know a rich guy that had this beautiful car built that was featured in a big car mag, in the article it said the car cost $65K to build. I know for a fact that car cost way over $100K. He said $65K so his wife wouldn't freak out! Some things are best left unspoken!

ISore

 

[billy]

i was wondering when somebody was gonna call B.S.
thanks fellas.
now i know i am not alone.

 

[kelseydum]

I've posted something on that site asking the same question. First off, IF you have parts "laying around" were they not purchased at one time or another? I have parts laying around, but they are parts I bought (cheap at the junk yard mostly) but I still bought them.

My father-in-law and some friends helped me with some parts. I originally bought my 37 Ford 1/2 ton for $200. I sold two fenders, a running board, old steering column, shocks, pedal assembly, a rear axle with drum set up, and a few other items that came with the truck that I wasn't going to use. I got around $600-$700 for all these parts. I traded my Harvester cab for some pinstriping. Rear trailing arms, headlights and a few other things were given to me. All this and I've still spent over 3 grand.

It adds up quick and I think a lot of those guys are BSing themselves. I think there's one that said he built his for $75... yeah right! I've spent that on gas to pick up parts from the junk yard!

 

[Sam_Fear]

I've got about 2700$ in my Olds right now. I could get it on the road for about 500$ more I think. If I sell parts from the donor Cutlass and stuff from the old frame, I could come in under 3000$ easy - not counting consumables. BUT, It would be far from finished. BUT the rest I want to do won't cost half as much. So I think...

48 Olds - 500$
85 Cutlass - 400$
long 350 - 200$
TH350 - 100$
air ride - 1300$
steel - 300$
rim adapters - 100$
-200$ SOLD PARTS

(if you add in outsourced work - 300$ - I'll be over. )

 

[PA41]

If you are not 'picky', just take what comes your way and keep your eyes open you can get lots of stuf for about nothing.

I have an 85 5.0 Ford with AOD that has 100+K miles on it--runs great-no smoke or knocks, trannys fine---$100. The guy was hauling the car to the crusher-knew the drive train was good and pulled it and set it in his shop--couldn't sell it, and offered it to me just to get it out of his way.

Happens all the time--I have a 40K mile Iron duke out of a jeep sitting in my shed--guy took it out of a Jeep to put in an SBC. Sat in his shop for 2 years sealed up-- he did a 'Get it out of my way' thing-- $50.

I bought 7 Dodge D-50 PUs a few years back for $25 each--complete. Stuck them in the woods.

Bought an Warner-ishi turbo off Ebay--$75 shipped--traded it to a guy for a non running 86 Cougar, Put a timing chain in the motor ($35) ..I have a hulk worth $75 at the crusher and a good 5.0 and AOD for the activity and $35 and some fuel and time.

Thing is--I got OCD junk disease, and 250 acres of woods to fill with cars before I die, and have every tool I can think of (more OCD stuff), and I can do anything--Maybe not good, but I CAN do it, and if I cant, I'm not afraid to fail to learn how.

I can build a real basic, lakes modified type bucket or speedster with an old Chevy PU straight axle and a JY frame/drivetrain that runs/stops/drives for $1000 ..

$3000 ain't no step.

'course --I ain't 'right'.. But I have a good time..

PA41

 

[RoddingRon]

In the case of my Studebaker, I started with the following parts and pieces already in my "inventory".
1964 Chevy 327 that was given to me yars ago when I bought my 34 Studebaker project
S-10 front clip...came from a $50 rolling frame
TH350 and wiring harness came from a 1977 Chevy truck I parted out

From that point I bought the Studebaker for 400 bux from ebay and got started. I have yet to total everything up, but some of the bigger purchases for me have been the complete leather interior from a Bonneville ($40 at the local u pull it), S-10 blazer rear ($50 u pull it), new radiator and electric fan (about $200 for both), new shocks,brakes and calipers for the front as well as new shocks for the rear (about $250), exhaust headers down pipes ($150), metal brake lines and new rubber hoses (about $150 with all of the fittings and clamps), custom made gas tank ($300) and about $250 in misc steel. I don't know how much welding wire and argon or oxgen and acytelene I went through, but all of the above totals up to about $1800.

I know there was a lot of little misc items that were in the 5 to 10 dollar range, but I know it didn't total up to more then another $500. So, I feel comfortable in saying that I built the Studebaker, and got it on the road running for under 3K. Yes there are a few things I want to redo, including the new headers I'm getting from RatRodney so I don't burn any more plug wires like I did with the cheapo block huggers I originally bought (the end tubes for cylinders 1 and 8 are to tight and don't have enough room for the wire boots to clear properly) and I want to get an over drive trans (700R4 or similar). Will I stay under the 3K mark after these things....maybe , but I won't bet the house on it. I can't tell you how many hours were spent making things or rebuilding things I needed rather then buying something new, but for me that's part of the deal because even when I raced late model stock cars, I had to do most of it my self and with my own ingenuity, because that was the only way I could afford it. But bottom line, I say yes you can build something and get it on the road and build it with safety as a main concern for under $3000

 

[Bonehead]

I like my truck. And I had it running and driving for right at $3000. Since then I have added some to it.
Granted, I own a welding shop and alot of the little parts drifted into the build from there. Like welding wire and gas, etc.
But here is the breakdown:
Cab $100.
Donor 61 Ford 4x4 Pickup $500 ( motor, transmission,steering, parts of the rear axle)
Front axle set up $1350
Rear axle $150
Brakes $150
Metal, Tires and wheels make up the rest.

I got great deals on E-bay and at local auctions for many of the parts.

I also sold off parts from the donor and used that money for parts.

Now labor.... that is another story.


I think alot of people think they can go into business building rats and selling them. If you had to buy parts when you needed them, instead of waiting for a good deal. Or figure in your time, rent utilities, gas money for looking for parts, wear and tear on your truck and trailer. Forget it.

 

[kelseydum]

I just looked at the spreadsheet I made for my truck and everything I spent money on. It looks like I'm at $2940.90. This however does not include all the cut-off/grinding wheels, sandpaper, sandblast, nuts & bolts, brake fittings, grease, tools, gasoline, etc...

There are a LOT of little things and the little things do add up quick. What kills me is when they say they built it for under $3000 and they have a set of $1000 tires on their ride... how does that work? I wish I had the connections that some of you have.[dr

 

[earthman]

Bought the Model A for 3K. Luckily it ran after i got it home and had hydro brakes already fitted. Brought a new aluminum radiator, electro ignition, and then some headlites from ebay. About 3500 invested. It doesn't go far or fast but it is fun, fun, fun.

A running donor car. $1000. A rusty cab $250. A simple homemade frame $300. $1450 left for consumables, hardware, wire and goodies. No?

 

[Bonehead]

What kills me is when they say they built it for under $3000 and they have a set of $1000 tires on their ride... how does that work? I wish I had the connections that some of you have.[dr

I got really sweet deals on used tires and wheels at both ends. I had the front tires thrown in with the back tires. The guy that owned them couldn't make them fit under his car, and let them set in his garage for a while until he needed the space. And sold them for less than half of what he had in them. The point is, there are deals out there. ( Or, good things happen to good people.. I hope).
At any rate, if you are not in a hurry and know where to look, an can be a little flexable, you can find good things for cheap.