Building trucks is expensive

[arkracing]

I just bought this truck a few months ago drove it to Maine for a show and to Rhinebeck NY and now it is sitting out back with no nose, no bed, not running etc etc.

In the past week or so i've manged to buy
- new Moog Suspension (balljoints,inner and outer tierods, idler/pitman, upper and lower ctrl arms shafts)
- new inner fenders
- new rockers
- and just ordered the power booster, 2.5" lowering spindles, 4" lowering springs and some other suspension stuff.

It almost feels like Chistmas....until I get the Credit card bill that is...luckily I don't have a wife to try to hide it from

[mocwon]

Yep, I know the feeeling. I've got just over $12K in mine and it isn't even running or painted yet.

[Alexis]

Originally Posted by mocwon

Yep, I know the feeeling. I've got just over $12K in mine and it isn't even running or painted yet.

we should start a club........I'm about right where your at. Maybe less.

[68LSS1]

Originally Posted by Alexis

we should start a club........I'm about right where your at. Maybe less.

Ditto.

[vtblazer]

Yeah, same, same...
I have about a grand more in body work than I originally paid for the blazer but so what, it's still way less than half of what something new would cost.
I support the theory of "appreciation" vs "depreciation" too, drive the vintage old iron and let the rest wish they could.

[bobs409]

I've noticed that most truck parts are ALOT cheaper than parts for a full size Chevy or Chevelle. It's the one thing I like about working with these trucks.

Check the price on seat covers for an older Impala. $700-800! Chrome trim, emblems, weatherstips, etc are alot more for the cars over trucks. Body panels such as fenders and inner fenders and even patch panels are alot more for cars.

The one thing I still cannot understand is why a carpet for a truck is the same cost as one for a car. ??? A truck uses 1 piece, shouldn't it be cheaper?

['71c204x4454]

But when you think about it your better off in the long run. You have truck worth something and it's increasing in value not losing value as soon as you drive it off the lot. I can belive how much people are paying for new trucks now days.

[GMC AMI]

Originally Posted by arkracing

I just bought this truck a few months ago drove it to Maine for a show

Where in Maine was the show if you do not mind me asking?

[68w/sbc406]

i look at it as you have 12k into a truck and what does it look like? Bad @$$!!! you drop 12K on a honda what do you have? a bone stock civic worth 9k

[botboy]

Originally Posted by 68w/sbc406

i look at it as you have 12k into a truck and what does it look like? Bad @$$!!! you drop 12K on a honda what do you have? a bone stock civic worth 9k

What do you have when you drop 12k into a honda you already have?



...?


...?

A slow piece of garbage!

[68w/sbc406]

not to sure about that. i have seen civics pulling 9's in the 1/4. to me thats not very slow. one of my friends had a civic with a prelude motor with a turbo and was in the 11's he had 8k into total cost of car and motor

Originally Posted by botboy

What do you have when you drop 12k into a honda you already have?



...?


...?

A slow piece of garbage!

[jugernot]

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one jumping through this hoops. I got a little upset, because I spent alot of $$ having someone customized my frame, and well its not straight. I think I have about $8k into mine and now I have to look for a new frame. I feel you pain..........

[botboy]

Originally Posted by 68w/sbc406

not to sure about that. i have seen civics pulling 9's in the 1/4. to me thats not very slow. one of my friends had a civic with a prelude motor with a turbo and was in the 11's he had 8k into total cost of car and motor

I've seen civics that pulled 9's or better in the quarter, but none of them were still FWD, and most of them weren't honda powered anymore (those that were used souped S2000 drivetrains).

I've also worked on modified hondas - a person at school paid me to help with his JDM prelude vtec engine into a '96 Civic swap. The car can light up the tires easy in third gear on a hard shift but can't hook up from stop or slow roll for crap, and is difficult at best to work on (I swear we needed a few gallons of KY jelly and a shoehorn to get the damn engine in there).

Another friend of mine i've known since grade school has a Nissan 240SX which I also helped on the engine swap (SR22DET red top from a JDM 180). The car is CONSTANTLY breaking things, hooks up descent (has IRS and posi from the 180), but still is only putting out 280-something horsepower with about 15k invested. The car is fast (when its running and all the gears are able to be shifted into - its killed 2 trannies already) but its also stripped down, no window regs, no door panels, barely a dash, no backseat, no interior...Maybe I'm just picky but my stock '70 Malibu I paid $1300 for, stock turbo-fire 250 horse 350 (complete with points) and TH350 was almost as fast and a lot more comfortable and nice to ride in - not some fast, stripped down sardine can. And it suprised a lot of modified riceburners in my area.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I never keep trak on how much I spend on mine it would not be a good day in the house hold,I am pretty sure I would be in the house out back with the dog...

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

I never keep trak on how much I spend on mine

That's where I am at now. After awhile, as the numbers keep adding up, and it is still not done, I think I would become depressed.

But there is now light at the end of the tunnel! I have officialy turned off of Teardown Street onto Buildup Blvd!

[Smokin72on20s]

probably going to have $20k in my truck before its completly done. already have $10k into it and previous owner had $8k into it.

[Jimbotronics]

I've got around $6K in mine, it's a good daily but no where near where I want it to be. Engine (just some upgrades), body work, paint, tires, rims, and lowered 3/4 still to come. Of course everytime I see another board members truck the list gets longer..

[Dave Reed]

So far I have zero in mine. (actually $200 for tow) I just fot a free frame from another board member, thank you. That is my starting point. I am sure it will be a lot more before I am done.

[Mudder]

Yes building trucks is very expensive but so are new ones. The thing with old trucks is when you think u just about have it finished you find something else or you make changes. It's never ending.

[lock]

I planned on mine coming out around 10k and be completely rebuilt frame off, with daily driver reliablilty and comfort (AC, fuel injection for good gas milage etc). So far I have $6500 in it and its just a pile of parts. Still have some big ticket items to get such as AC, wheel, bed cover, wiring, paint. The good part is when done right you can have a great truck at a fraction of the cost of new ones and have good resale value if you ever get the crazy idea of selling.

[Broken_down?]

But in the end when people say " Dam look at that truck!" It makes all that hard work worth it. And far as I am concerned it is money well spent. Better then blowing it on dumb a$$ carp. And for some of us like me I am going to give it to my youngest son on his 16th or 17th b-day not sure yet. I have my son outside whenever I get the chance to have him help.

just my opinion..
Rich

[ljbear]

Originally Posted by Broken_down?

Better then blowing it on dumb a$$ carp.

Or a bass boat

[raggedjim]

I spend $$ on mine, but even my wife realizes it's a better hobby than golf or bass fishing... At least I COULD get some of my money back...

[FirstGen]

Money? What's that?

[arkracing]

My Problem is that I'm trying to build two trucks at once...the '33 (ehhem Ford cough/choke) - Chevy Power 396 of course and the new 69

I'm just rushing on the 69 cause I need a truck, I sold my '97 4x4 S-10 now I have to constantly figure out how to cart parts around that i buy....radiator supports don't fit to well in the company car ('02 dodge stratus) - they don't fit will but i got it in there...sssshhhhh don't tell my boss that i ripped the seat