Frame off frustration!!

[Gene]

How many of you start your restoration with a budget in mind only to get 3/4 way through and run out of money?? I have my rolling chassis complete and am to the point where I am ready for paint. I have all my new interior bought, but now I am thinking of all the "little things" I have left that will eat away the remaining money I have set aside to finish my truck. I have the paint and body money set aside and about 1000 left that was to be the money for my aftermarket air/heat from Old Air products, welll long story short the last thousand will go towards all the forgotten pieces such as, exhaust 275, driveshaft(rear)225, Window gaskets (front and back) and door seals. Crap! I will have to use the old ac system I guess just to be able to drive the darn thing until I can save up the extra $$$$. I have always heard to figure your budget then double it, but geez... I started with a complete truck and took out a loan to get it done fast because as my wife is always telling me I have a tendency to be a little impaitent. Anyone else in this situation right now?

[kwmech]

Welcome to the restoration club

[chevy_mike]

Yep, twice as much and three times as long. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, became the president, etc., etc.

My last big project, I took a loan out for $25K which bought the '69 Camaro ($6000) and put the other $19K into parts and that was stage 1. Still needed to do the rear end, paint and some interior work.

The truck, which was suppose to be a 6 month "freshen the suspension" has turned into more then a year and I have at least another 6 months to go. Already into it $3500 (not including the $2300 paid for it) and still have a ways to go.

Ah what a fun hobby. LOL

[big_al_71]

Whatever you budget is at the beginning ad another 25% on the low side if not 40% from the get go. This has happened to me with every single car I have redone. Here is what happens you think you are going to reuse a part then you see how bad it looks when reinstalling and say I am not putting that old part that on...

[Beuford]

It never fails. All the little things you find after your into it and decide well I might as fix that while its out and so on and so on until you look at the total. When you finally drive it you won't mind all the time and money you spent because it will be better than new. It just takes alot to get there.

[67ChevyRedneck]

You made it 3/4 of the way before you ran out? You have about 95% of us beat

Don't skimp on what you want, just make sacrifices here and there and you'll have what you need before you know it. Just prioritize and buy the things you need last, last.

[71 super]

On both of my restorations, I simply start buying new pieces and stock piling them. I do it in sections, i.e brakes/frame, a/c, interior, chrome, tires, etc. Instead of creating a set time for it to be finished, I just mark off like a punch list on a house. Once I get everything collected, I start sub assemblies and group the things together as they install, then it goes to paint and when it is finished I can reassemble quickly and easily. My formula is not a good one for budget, but I have found that if I buy in segments and check off, I don't run into the oh no I need this or that. The other down side is my projects tend to take much longer than some because of the collection process. The one thing I will say about cost is this, buy good parts to begin with, because buying parts twice (1 for bad, 1 for good) will kill your budget in a hurry. With my way, do it as you have extra and in small amounts and it won't seem like it is as much.

[Gene]

I'm already in skimp mode, looking at the trim I took off i'm leaning towards re-using it with new woodgrain tape. Gonna re-use the side markers(after a good cleaining) I've bought every wiring harness but the dash, and looking at it closer I cant find any cracked insulation so it will stay. I will not skimp on important items, I went all out on the chassis, all new lines brake, fuel, wiring. New bushings all around. Going to re-use the brake booster and master cyl. It just sure is disheartening that I thought I budgeted enough money to replace everything but now i'm seeing that i'm miles from completing this truck.

[71blksuper4x4]

Don't give up Gene. I am on my 2nd rebuild of "The Bluedress" and they are never perfect. You always find things you want to upgrade and this and that. I would just say to get it where it's driveable, and then upgrade when funding become available. Trevor

[heyjoe]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

I would just say to get it where it's driveable, and then upgrade when funding become available. Trevor

True that!
"Mission Creep" is a constant threat.

[Daves72'GMC]

Alot of work, time and money and patience to do the job right, but it was worth it when your done, and drive that pride of joy , but I'm getting too old to do it again and the arthritis is setting in , so there's not much I can do any more. Thats the only reason why I'm selling mine. Otherwise I'd keep it. Good luck with your prodject.

[stepside fan]

Welcome to the real world. A good quality restoration always ends up costing MUCH more than anticipated. And when you go to sell it, no one wants to give you any where near what it costs. Don't ask me how I know!

[extd56]

Originally Posted by stepside fan

Welcome to the real world. A good quality restoration always ends up costing MUCH more than anticipated. And when you go to sell it, no one wants to give you any where near what it costs. Don't ask me how I know!

Thats why I hate to sell my cars and why I have so many.

[tonypaul]

This go around for me is going pretty good with the money, I think Im going to be only about $1500.00 to $2000.00 over on what I had figured. Mainly for a Vintage Air setup that I really didnt count on as I figured that I was going to just fix the stock a/c. I purchased every little thing I needed at first right down to the little gasket behind the door handle. A couple really good craigslist and ebay purchases and sales of extra items has really been what has saved my butt. My only issue is time..... Thats were the doubling should be for me. I thought I would be painting during x-mas. I still have mayby 20-30 hours more to go in prep before Im ready for paint, but I will get there....

[toddtheodd]

I found it was all the little things that were killing me...

Oil filter, air filter, oil, spark plugs, spark plug wires, hoses, wires, more spark plug wires, bolts, coolant, more oil, another oil filter, fire extinguisher, more spark plug wires...

[Dynomutt]

Budget?

[unclewatts]

Patients, patients, patients... And saving.

[Sinisterspeed]

this is all to familiar. Anymore, I choose to work on 1 vehicle at a time. No budget to buy what I can when I can and whenever it gets complete, I'll start on the other one. For me a budget never works unless its one big purchase (suspension kit, or wheels/tires etc) if its one thing I can usually search my butt off or wheel and deal to get what I want close enough to the expected amount that I am happy. But as you said. All the little things is what kills ya. So I try not to think about it and just assume I will figure out what I need when I get there.

I have had friends complete their trucks faster. Hell one even completed his, totaled it, and sold me the drive train. That saved em alot but to this day all 3 of the guys I know that started around the time I did still come by drool all over mine and keep bugging me to hurry up.

[panhandler62]

You got further than me... lol... I'll be able to finish the rolling chassis with what I have on hand but I can't see past that point right now.

Heck.. I have a pickup and don't even own a bed (not even a bad one!) lol

[Ackattack]

I didn't really have a budget on mine, but gave myself a montly allowance, so it would take as long as it needed in order to get that money. So over the last 2-1/2 years I've used that money for a lot of stuff, sold my 72 GMC and a 98 T/A (bought and sold and profitted $1500 ). Then I dipped into savings for the paint.

If I had a big pot of money to start with it would not have taken nearly as long. Right now I think I have everything bought to make it a driver and have ~$1500 for interior stuff (already have seats, dash, A/C and a few other little things) I'm holding onto that for now to make sure it drives. I figure I can drive it without a stereo/carpet/whatever....rather than having a carpetted truck that doesn't drive.