Did you really BUILD your truck?

[87 chevy silverado]

not just me doing it ive had freinds help and my dad (freinds mostly for ) a gofer

[N2TRUX]

There was a time when I had lots of time but no cents. Because I had no cents, I acquired the sense it took to build my projects. As life went along, I worked hard and had less time but more cents, so I had the good sense to hire professionals to build my projects.

It's good that you have the ability to work on your truck, but that doesn't make mine any better or worse because I didn't.

[misternash2]

in my opinion, a good portion of hot rodding is hanging with buddies, bustin knuckles, making the last minute thrash to make it to the cruise just to redo the work you rushed through. the late nights waking up under the dash cause you took just a minute to rest your eyes while trying to figure out why you're not getting power to that doodad you need power to. the contortionist acts that go along with it. the thick grey boogers after blocking that bedside for a third time. that green fog of curse words that emanated from the garage when you got that welding slag caught in your shoe. the scrapes all the way up your wrist from replacing that window motor... again. the big grin when you hit the key and it comes alive for the first time. the smoke burning off that drip of oil and the paint getting hot that first time. the beer casually drank with friends on the tailgate that night you decided to lose another inch or two. all those talks about which wheels would help pull off that look the best. in my opinion that's what hot rodding is all about. a lot of it is the cruise nights, the car shows, and the thumbs ups. but the time spent getting there is what makes it all worthwhile.

i bought mine with a 20/20 paint job on it. i've done all the wrenching on mine with the exception of installing the 5.3. i had help from an uncle with part of that. i'll have help from a buddy or two (and several of you guys i'm sure) when i finally get around to bagging it. my truck's still got quite a few weekends of work still ahead...

[zackary027]

i have done most all my work but i have been there for every wrench that has been turned on it, i think as long as your there with a talented buddy you can say you built it, but sending it to a shop and getting it back in a month is just like going to the chevy dealer and saying i want that and having it delivered.

[turner16]

Proud to say that my students and I build my truck (the 1971 GMC). Its really our truck, mine simply because I paid for all the parts. I knew this question would be posed so I took over 500 before and after pictures some of them with students in them. Have to be care about posting those. I have build a web site and a bit of a culture around the truck and the program at the school. The site was built to help the graduating students follow along with the build. We had lots of help from local shops and a great body shop that lent us the booth. The site is www.projectkillerbee.com. We always called it the bee. We did an 80 square and I sold it to one of the kids who worked on it. I told his dad if he was ever done with it I would buy it back and I did last May. Here I go again...

[alwaysbroken]

im building mine, been building it for the last 2 years for when i turn 16. its rely close to being done.

[AceX]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

There was a time when I had lots of time but no cents. Because I had no cents, I acquired the sense it took to build my projects. As life went along, I worked hard and had less time but more cents, so I had the good sense to hire professionals to build my projects.

It's good that you have the ability to work on your truck, but that doesn't make mine any better or worse because I didn't.

x2 Just wish I had come up with the catchy jingle...

Strangely enough, in my life right now I seem to have more available $$$ than available time for certain things (and I'm only 23...) so I send it off to the shop. I still do the more simplistic things like maintainance, and repairs, but I don't do body work, and I wont touch a transmission with a 10ft stick...

What's cool for me is that now that I have taken projects out to some shops, they've taken notice and now both my trucks represent the business that helped to build them. Companies like Arc Audio, Hertz/Audison, and of course, Auto Radio Stereo in Sacramento.

[Fixwhataintbroke]

Had a shop rebuild and put in the motor (i wish i did it)...other than that no changes...sooo... The chevy plant that assembled it gets the credit (i dont recall which plant), and the shop gets credit for the motor. Sadly as it hurts me terribly to say, i've done nothing other than hack the dash to put in a crappy radio deck and yank out the moldy interior. Sad sad sad day.

[mongoose]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

There was a time when I had lots of time but no cents. Because I had no cents, I acquired the sense it took to build my projects. As life went along, I worked hard and had less time but more cents, so I had the good sense to hire professionals to build my projects.

It's good that you have the ability to work on your truck, but that doesn't make mine any better or worse because I didn't.

And there's nothing wrong with getting work done by a shop... and no it doesn't make it any better/worse... well unless is hack work... but, if getting your truck built by said shops, then going around and saying you're building/built it.. well no... you didn't.

[JuicyJ]

Originally Posted by misternash2

in my opinion, a good portion of hot rodding is hanging with buddies, bustin knuckles, making the last minute thrash to make it to the cruise just to redo the work you rushed through. the late nights waking up under the dash cause you took just a minute to rest your eyes while trying to figure out why you're not getting power to that doodad you need power to. the contortionist acts that go along with it. the thick grey boogers after blocking that bedside for a third time. that green fog of curse words that emanated from the garage when you got that welding slag caught in your shoe. the scrapes all the way up your wrist from replacing that window motor... again. the big grin when you hit the key and it comes alive for the first time. the smoke burning off that drip of oil and the paint getting hot that first time. the beer casually drank with friends on the tailgate that night you decided to lose another inch or two. all those talks about which wheels would help pull off that look the best. in my opinion that's what hot rodding is all about. a lot of it is the cruise nights, the car shows, and the thumbs ups. but the time spent getting there is what makes it all worthwhile.


i bought mine with a 20/20 paint job on it. i've done all the wrenching on mine with the exception of installing the 5.3. i had help from an uncle with part of that. i'll have help from a buddy or two (and several of you guys i'm sure) when i finally get around to bagging it. my truck's still got quite a few weekends of work still ahead...

This is what it all about. Nothing but Good Times. You my friend hit a walk off.

[crews]

I knew when I opened this thread it would be full of a variety of opinions and I just knew someone would take it to the "GM 'built' my truck...." instead of actually getting the point of the thread....

I agree with N2TRUX....

When I was younger- MUCH younger- I had the time to devote to thrashing at all hours just because I didn't have the extra $$ to pay someone else to do it. Then I got into a position where I had a few connections in the hobby and a few GREAT mentors and a little extra $$ to go with that extra time. So I built my first few vehicles myself.

My high school driver was a 1969 Charger. Yes when the Duke Boys ruled the TV. I endured countless questions of "are ya gonna paint it Orange?" and "why don't you put a cool Dixie horn on it?" .... well I march to a different drummer. I lowered it- put a big block 383 where a simple 318 once sat- welded the bumper bolts and shaved the heads and actually punched hot rod louvers in the hood and deck lid. ( I still have the deck lid! ) I rolled around on black wheels long before black wheels were "cool".....

My next project was a 1972 2wd Blazer. The year was 1987 and no one realized how rare these were quite yet and certainly no one made squat for parts for them. I bought the truck out of Hemmings sight unseen ( a very cool story dealing with my first out of state purchase and no doubt starting my long affection for road trips and automotive adventures) and flew in to Minnesota to drive it home. It was an ugly child. Dark green with a white top and interior and powered by a lowly 307, but it was a factory 2wd and it was reliable.

I brought it home and promptly tore it down and a friend of mine made a set of dropped 'a' arms for it. Then we decided the rear coils had to go- so we sourced a set of early 80's Dodge truck leafs ( they had a very compact spring hanger that fit the frame nicely) and a friend sold me a 9" Ford rear end. At the time I worked in an auto parts store and one day a regular customer came in and sold me a Chevy 402 big block for $90 It was quite literally in pieces in a bucket- but it was a big block. I rebuilt that motor myself ( my first I might add ) and before long I was rolling around on a very low static dropped 1972 2wd Blazer with a big block. It was still green and ugly- but it was low and reasonably fast.... I drove that truck to a few car shows as it sat and had the most fun ever with that truck. We took it to a Car Craft show sans the top and got sunburnt to death- but you know what? That memory is still one of my favorites. Crusin down the road with the top off listenin to the big block purr.... what a great trip!

Unfortunately I sold that truck not long after ( I have repurchased it on TWO different occasions and it is STILL rolling around to this day on the same drop A arms my buddy welded up for me. We're talking 23 years now..... )

That Blazer was one of the most fun vehicles I ever owned- for LOTS of reasons. I learned a lot about what was possible in a small two car garage with a couple of guys and some time on their hands. I found out how to research shock lengths to keep from ripping shock mounts off of the rear end. I learned a lot about myself.

As years have gone on, I have bought nicer "finished" trucks, and I have enjoyed each and every one of those just as much- but I always think back fondly to that Blazer.

So in my opinion- it really doesn't matter if "you" build it- as long as you ENJOY it. I have a great respect for the talent that I see on this board these days- I would love to have that level of ability. The truth is that I don't. I know what my limitations are. Its guys like you that make the hobby what it is today. I am simply glad to be a part of the hobby still and hope that I am able to contribute in some small way to keep the fire burning for the next group.....

Now I need to get to work on my "new" Sub.....

( and it goes without saying- if you DIDN'T build it and are taking CREDIT for it- your man card should be revoked and you should be forced to surrender your 'nads at the counter before you leave)

[crews]

Oh yeah- and Misternash- Kuddos my friend..... kuddos....

[78K20]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

There was a time when I had lots of time but no cents. Because I had no cents, I acquired the sense it took to build my projects. As life went along, I worked hard and had less time but more cents, so I had the good sense to hire professionals to build my projects.

It's good that you have the ability to work on your truck, but that doesn't make mine any better or worse because I didn't.

I don't care what anybody say's, that ^ sure is purty !

[justinburnett]

I think I'd give the credit to anyone who personally stripped everything down to the frame and re-assembled it, and also did any engine/trans overhaul themselves. Otherwise I don't think you could claim to have done a 100% build but that's just my opinion. You might be responsible for it if it was your $$$ that made it happen, and you might have designed or planned any mods that you paid for, but I don't think you built it.

That said, no, nothing makes it better or worse, once again in my opinion. Just depends on how much time and skill you have. Doing it yourself is a lot of fun and you can learn a lot, but you can also screw a lot of things up if you don't know what you're doing, and if you never have time, no matter your technical knowhow, you'll probably never get it done, so wouldn't it be better to pay someone than leave it sitting, rusting away?

[KMK454]

Bought, not built. Don't really care if you built it or bought it, I'm a car enthusiast regardless.

[Patriot]

I have been building Muscle cars and Trucks for over 25 years and I do EVERYTHING myself. Went to Tech school right out of highschool for the stuff I didn't learn from my father or books.I have been welding/painting/fabricating/machining/building all my stuff myself since the 80's. When I was ten I doing interiors for the Vanning crowd in the 70's. My neighbor was a Vanner and he taught me when ever he had a project to do for someone. Been turning wrenches since I was 5!!! Thanks DAD!!!!

[xs-style]

I try to do as much to mine on my own as possible. Id rather do it wrong a time or two and learn then pay someone else to do it. Thats just my personal style though. The only time the built not bought idea comes in my mind is when Im reading a magazine. When Im reading Im much more interested in owner built projects. Yeah, some shop builds are impressive. But... well, ya know when your a professional, the high expectations are already there. Id rather read about the guy down the road that took 5 years to build his hauler because he was perfecting everything himself.

[68Timber]

100% built by me, with the help of good friends.

How do you split that up? Whether it's a project of mine or a project of a friends, we work together.

[blazinzuk]

Its dang cool when you can say yah I built it, and actually be correct. Thing is I totally respect the guys who bought their stuff too. Different means to the same end.

Maybe they were making the bucks while I was wrenchin on my junk.
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