Anybody's project turning into a cash cow.

[streetmaster42]

Just curious about how much some of you are sticking into your rides to were youl never get it back out of it if you tried. When does it ever end, i've been stickin money in my 76 GMC for the last 10 yrs, and im still nowhare neer done. Most of my money is stuck in the motor which i lost count at 5 grand. I know i have atleast 3 grand in the body, and it still needs another front fender, rockers and cab corners. I guess im just lookin for a sholder to cry on, or just vent a little before i just give up all together.

[shifty]

I will simply say - you are not alone, my friend. I drove my truck for a whopping couple of months, I tore it down, shoved a GenIII small block into it, fired it up a few times (couldn't drive it due to tranny hydraulics), then ended up having to tear it back down. All that's left of it now is two framerails, a couple of crossmembers and a rear axle with drums

*sigh*

I think it is fun building a life sized model, but damnit if the brunt of the fun isn't getting to drive the bastard! Sucks going 2+ years without driving, so I'm having a hard time imagining your ten years.

[1980GMC]

When I originally started my teardown I thought I could knock out a frame off resto in a year or less. Oh how wrong I was.

Between cash flow and limited access to help with heavy lifting, its taken me since October 2007 to get down to the frame. Then again I dont work on it everyday. So far I have about 3 grand into it (supension mostly and another parts truck), and I know that I will easily sink many more thousands into.

But if I had the choice to go back in time and just drive the truck, I know I'd turn down the offer right away. I've learned so much from the teardown and to me thats the funnest part; learning by doing.

All in all I'm happy I decided to do it and cant wait for that day I can have people look at it in awe, and I can say, "Yeah, I built that."

[streetmaster42]

Yep, 10 yes, I got mine in 1998 from an uncle for $600 so he could pay his traffic ticket, and the truck was mostly junk to say the least. It needed a cab, bed, front end, plus it had a worn out I6 and 3 on the tree. So i ripped it all apart clean down to the frame. Did the frame in POR15, another cab for $200, bad for $600, new doors, a Painless wiring kit for around $500, plu $400 in a new set of P275/60's on 15x8 ralleys. I bought a bunch of crap to rebuild the clutch system, only to decide i wanted a sooped up TH350 so i could churp the tires. I guess im trying to vent so i dont get burned out.

[knightlife]

hence the motto under my logon name... my truck will have more money put into it (when finished) than a brand new lincoln navigator fully loaded!

lol....

**** sux, but when I see her choppin up the block on youtube, mmm makes it all worth while.

[killthewabbit]

This is why I haven't yet done a full resto on anything I've owned. I'm not knocking anybody with the testicular fortitude to tear a truck down to the frame and build back up piece by piece, but I don't have the time, patience, or facilities to tackle something like that.

[streetmaster42]

Yeah i started out with a 350 block that had a hole in one of the cylinders, had it sleeved, stuck cast flattops in which ended up .040 in the hole, plus at that time i was planning on useing 305 heads. .040 in the hole, plus a .040 head gasket does not make killer motor. So i had to start all over again and found a good block, and a better set of heads. So i worked out a deal with the shop guy that did all my work, which he did all the work on the new block for an exchange for some of the new parts i had in the first block. So now i have a .030 350sbc, with KB120 hiper flats .010 in the hole, .028 GMperformance gaskets under a set of S/R touqers. I also converted over to a Comp 270 Retro-roller, and a set of Beehive valve springs. Thats why i say i stoped counting at 5 grand.

[87 STEPPER]

Well it comes with the territory if you want ta play ya gotta pay.

But i got in this knowing i'm never gonna sell mine so to me it really dosen't matter how much go's in her.

It's still cheaper than the tittie bar's

[streetmaster42]

Gee 87 STEPPER, what size meats are those, and how wide are the wheels in your pic.

[streetstar]

If its taking 10 years , your either going at quarter speed, or you are building a masterpiece.

4 years (max) is what i think it would take to turn a hammered pile of bolts into something nice.

4 years is roughly 200 weeks x 5 hours a week is 1000 hours. You can get a lot done in that amount of time, but 1000 hours likely isnt enough to win at Starbirds , but you can have a pretty nice truck, nonetheless -- all this is speculative and depends on the builder not going completely broke in the process



btw -- i'd like to add that i too, have a project thats been on the backburner for 10 years, so you're not alone

[Mickey_D]

Heh, my Blazer isn't even a project and I've got more into it than it's worth. And I've still got more to put into it, and it'll still just be a rusted 1993 S10 Blazer. But I didn't buy it for looks, I bought it for better DD mileage than my truck.

The only time I ever got more out of a vehicle than I put into it was the 1956 Hillman Husky I restored for a customer and the 1959 Stuttgart Edition Volkswagen Beetle I did for another customer.

But I have gotten my money's worth out of quite a few cars. My 86 Toyota Tercel 4X4 wagon I bought for $500 and drove the snot out of for three years. I sold that for $100 and the only things I ever put into it were gas, oil, a set of tires, and a tuneup. My truck I paid $500 for, I've beat it senseless for 5 years now and I could still get $250-300 for it. Only things I've replaced were the carb, starter and alternator. My 1979 Toyota pickup I had in Washington served me quite well also. I bought it with 705,000 all original miles on it for $200. Drove the snot out of it for 3 years, never put a thing into it. Gave it to a friend in 2000 and it's still on the road out there somewhere.

I can honestly say I'm not too far behind when it comes to the vehicles I've owned. When you compare what some people pay for a new vehicle (including interest, full coverage insurance, depreciation, etc) and I think I'm actually AHEAD of things.

[boatpuller]

never been involved with one that didn't turn into a cash cow.it's just part of the show. hang in there,it'll get worse

[jkade]

I feel your pain, trust me. I will have 30-38K in my blazer by the time it is all said and done.

[old Rusty C10]

lol ive wished and wished for the parts fairy to drop off stuff for my truck time after time i even had my wife ( the religious one) ask her to slip a five in the collection plate when she runs to church and pray to god that it rains truck parts.. well turns out the one and only way stuff gets done to the truck is when i spend my hard earned money on it and its never a three dollar item... I bought a three hundred dollar truck and all told im approaching the two thousand dollar mark.
The only thing in there that is worth any money is the transmission.. the rest were all good used parts i was able to score cheap. Ive not done any of the real rust work yet or swapped the motor and there aint a panel on it painted. Im going to have to drop in several more thousand into it ( prollly between eight and ten grand all told) before ill be able to have anything worth writing home about
cars and trucks and women will all take your money hands down

[streetmaster42]

Yeah i guess one gets to the point were its to late to turn back, and must press on. I suppose this year ill take mine back off the shelf and get something done.

[slash crashley]

Originally Posted by Mickey_D

But I have gotten my money's worth out of quite a few cars. My 86 Toyota Tercel 4X4 wagon I bought for $500 and drove the snot out of for three years. I sold that for $100 and the only things I ever put into it were gas, oil, a set of tires, and a tuneup. My truck I paid $500 for, I've beat it senseless for 5 years now and I could still get $250-300 for it. Only things I've replaced were the carb, starter and alternator. My 1979 Toyota pickup I had in Washington served me quite well also. I bought it with 705,000 all original miles on it for $200. Drove the snot out of it for 3 years, never put a thing into it. Gave it to a friend in 2000 and it's still on the road out there somewhere.

I can honestly say I'm not too far behind when it comes to the vehicles I've owned. When you compare what some people pay for a new vehicle (including interest, full coverage insurance, depreciation, etc) and I think I'm actually AHEAD of things.

well said. most people with car payments are dropping $300-$600 a month for 60+ mos. imagine dropping that kind of dough into your truck every month?

unlike a car payment type arrangement, we're able to skip a month or 5 without penalty. i've never had a vehicle that was newer than 8 years old. my most expensive car ever was $3500. oddly, that was the turdiest of the bunch.

so far i've got about $3k into my truck. $1200 PP + $1200 for 20s and the remainder for misc items and repairs. when i first got the truck my wife told me to set a realistic limit on what i wanted to put in to it. i half decided i'd dump $5k in to it. we''ll see how that goes.

i don't ever hope to get money back on my investment. vehicles are rarely investments anyway. you want a good return on your money, assemble a stock portfolio with a reputable money manager.

you wanna have fun, bond with your kid(s) our fulfill your own childhood dreams? ----have a project.

hobbies cost money. nothing fun is ever cheap or easy. spend it here, spend it there, you can't take it with you. if funding your project is robbing your retirement contributions or your family's standard of living is slipping, you may want to re-evaluate your priorities.

[streetmaster42]

Yeah your right, im droppin just under $400 for my jeep payment. And then they want to bend me over when it needs surviced.

[Russell]

4 years and a little under 14000 invested. My suspension / axles / frame is all finished, engine is more than half done, same with the transmission.

However, I still need to get the bodywork done, and restore the interior before I'm totally finished. I'm expecting another 2 years at least till I am "finished" with it, but I am hoping to actually drive it this summer. Looking like I'll have over 20 000 invested all in all.

[bigblock73]

one word...YES

[streetmaster42]

WOW Russell your smoken, sounds like your rides gonna be a sweet one for shore. Man, i've not even got mine finnished yet and i've already got idea's about tubin mine. Like i say does it ever end.

[87 STEPPER]

Originally Posted by streetmaster42

Gee 87 STEPPER, what size meats are those, and how wide are the wheels in your pic.

The wheels are 15x10x4.5 BS At all 4 corners
Front tires are 265/15/50
Rear tires are 275/15/50

[streetmaster42]

I was gonna go with that set up for my fleetside shortbox, but i already had a set of 15x8" ralleys, so i went with 275/60/15's instead. Just curious about how your setup rides and handles because that might be what i go with next time.

[87 STEPPER]

It handles very good and the ride is better than the stock set up was.

[Mickey_D]

Originally Posted by slash crashley

i don't ever hope to get money back on my investment. vehicles are rarely investments anyway. you want a good return on your money, assemble a stock portfolio with a reputable money manager.

you wanna have fun, bond with your kid(s) our fulfill your own childhood dreams? ----have a project.

hobbies cost money. nothing fun is ever cheap or easy. spend it here, spend it there, you can't take it with you.

Very well said, mate.

Besides, you ever want to see an expensive hobby, come fly a couple model rockets with me. Give me half a chance and I can spend a tax return in a weekend no problem. At upwards of $5.00 a launch for the medium sized ones, it can get expensive REAL quick. If I decide to take out my scale V2, it's $50 a pop (3 G-series engines).

[Russell]

Everything will be pretty much brand new on my truck, but there will always be something I could have done better, and will eventually fix, but yeah, I'm hoping it'll be nice when I'm done.

If you were to take a look at it today, you'd probably laugh when I told you how much I have in it, looks like something you could pick up out of a farmer's field for 200 bucks right now...

Ah well, I'll drive it for the summer, then drop it off at the bodyshop in the fall, drive it the following summer, then do the interior the next fall / winter.