How?

[semperfidoordie]

How do you all afford these ridiculously expensive builds? Just save money for years or do some of you just have that kind of money for me it boggles my mind as I just read one build he said he figures he'll be 60k deep when done. That's more than I make in 2 years being in the military just curious someday I'd like to do my own ridiculously expensive build someday

[MisterE72]

Thanks for your service to our country. It took me about four years of saving a few bucks every month, laying tile in the summer, and some after school program time. Then again, I only intend to spend somewhere between 15K and 18K. MisterE

[abadsvt]

Originally Posted by semperfidoordie

How do you all afford these ridiculously expensive builds? Just save money for years or do some of you just have that kind of money for me it boggles my mind as I just read one build he said he figures he'll be 60k deep when done. That's more than I make in 2 years being in the military just curious someday I'd like to do my own ridiculously expensive build someday

Well for everyone it might be different but for me it is a couple things. When i was 21 or 22 (i am already loosing my memory) i bought a 65 chevelle ss. I kept it for a few years making payments on the car and what not. When i decided to sell it i only owed 1/3 of the loans price and i sold the car for a few thousand more than i bought it for. So that got me started. Since that i have been just saving my money and doing side jobs. I would imagine that some people borrow the money or save the money or sell something that they had. Like i did. It is hard sometimes but in the end it will be that much nicer. At least that is what i keep telling myself

Josh

[semperfidoordie]

Thanks Mr E and Josh...that's kind of what I figured was selling something and then saving money I just wondering cause I'm thinking to myself "Man, that's a lot of money" ya know? I mean shoot when I get 5 or 6k in savings I'm happy guess I'll have to figure out if there's anything I can part with plus I have a truck fund started...just all the spare cash I have on me I toss in there it's at like $200 right now cause I just started it but I guess we'll see ya know?

[HotRodYJ]

Lack of money is alot of the reason I got started just fabbing my own stuff when ever possible. Alot of stuff you can make or do yourself rather than buy or pay to have done and save a TON of cash over the years. I never ever have any extra cash to play with. Once or twice a year I may stumble into $200-300 my wife will let me spend on MY stuff. but other than that, I struggle to buy a $30 part most of the time. I always feel like I'm taking away from my families needs so I tend to wait until I feel the money really truley isn't needed at the time and I can really just blow it on my stuff. Although my family sure doesn't have any quarells about spending my paycheck as fast as it comes in, but that's a whole different argument. Anyway, invest in a few key tools such as a welder and such and you'd be amazed at what you can actually do yourself and save the cash. I tend to do alot of trading also to get stuff rather than shell out cash for it. Sometimes you can trade a little of your labor helping out a friend to get stuff you need for your project at a greatly reduced cost. Even famcy machine work and custom parts can be done for free or next to it when you know the right people and can call in a favor or two occasionally.

[68GMC454]

i would love to spend alot on a truck.. but i figure if i get more than 5k over 10 years in it i will bedoing a great job..lol mostly i have to my own work and have a friend do alot of it.. but since i always end up helping him work on his and or other peoples stuff for free, he does the work on mine for free, i just have to get the parts.... but im also not into show trucks, just giv me somethign i can drive when ever i want to and im happy.. i couldnt stand the thought of a bad azz paint job just to get dings and scrathes in it...lol

[HuggerCST]

It's all a matter of priority. I've been collecting parts and building mine for 8 years, probably have 12-15k in it, doing everything myself, almost all original, and I'm not done yet. At first I was saving reciepts, watching every dime, worrying about how much I was spending on it, but then I realized that if I was going to have what I always wanted, I'd have to stop the worrying, and just spend when I could. I'll have alot of time and money in it when I'm done, but it will be done right, and even though I don't plan to sell, if I take care of it, it's as good as a savings account in my opinion. When I started on mine 8 years ago, I hardly ever saw one sell for more than 18-20k, but it seems pretty common these days.

[Ackattack]

Here's how I'm paying for mine:
First: It really helps to have a good job and a wife with a good job.
Second: No kids
Third: No debt other than my mortgage
Fourth: Sell other truck (72) to help pay for the new project truck (68)

So basically by being pretty financially comfortable and not driving brand new cars, it allows me to have enough money to spend on it. However, I'm still doing pretty much all the work myself (I have decided to let someone else do the body work). My problem is that I don't have enough time to work on it as much as I want.

[Gorn]

You look at some of these garages? Their 60K trucks are just one of many high end projects they have. For most of the other guys that are laying down the big money on projects this is not thier first one. Each time they do a truck they take it up a knotch.
I was working on my truck with overtime money. Family got my first 40 hours a week and OT was for me. This winter I found out my wife is with child again, This was a surprise to both of us due to our age. I going to have one in her second year of collage and a new born. Anyway the truck project is stalled for house remodeling some times real life gets in the way.

My buget was only about 4K for the truck. I also needed a few K for tools. I was going to fix all the sheetmetal and get everything back to factory new level(not show). My plan was to use the truck for a few years as a work truck then redo it again, this time as more of a hot rod. Project don't have to be huge, start simple. Even if you had big money I think you should start with small projects cause that is how you figure out what you really want in the perfect truck for you. Last thing you want to do is put a ton of money in a truck that will lay frame only to find out for you don't like driving a truck that sits that low.

[Blue'72]

I paid $1400 for my truck out of money we had borrowed against the house and our tax return. As I could afford a little extra here and there from overtime or odd jobs, I eventually put a few hundred more into it for power steering, straight body parts, etc. A year 1/2 later, I was able to keep a couple thousand from the Chevelle I sold and begin the transformation. You can go through my build thread and see how I managed to get as far as I did with as little as I had. I immediately found a 69 short step with a decent bed and frame and rotted out body for $300. My 72 that I'm converting over to the short step already had a good motor, drive train, power disk brakes, and many other necessities. With the help of this board and the tools I've acquired over the years, I'm doing all the work myself which saves me thousands and gives me the experience. I've got just about everything I'm going to need to put it back together, with the exception of some things like weather stripping and a few other odds and ends. Another thing that keeps this affordable is the fact that I'm not going all out with mods and fancy suspension, but this is all I can do right now... I should have less than $5,000 into it when it's back on the road. That's total, including what I paid for it originally. There will always be things I'll be doing to it though as money permits...

[c10addict]

My two best friends helped..... Visa and Mastercard.... Took me 4 years to build my truck for time and money reasons... Don't rush it and spend $50.00 on something you like and not $100.00 on something you love... Wait till you get the $100.00 and do it right the first time.... Make any sense??? Thats what I did with my truck EXCEPT the wheels... I hate my wheels but I cant seem to save $5000.00 For Billet Specialities wheels with the rest of my other responsibilities... Family, house and other projects..

[67_C-30]

A very understanding wife with a good job first and foremost! I have a side business along with a good job, so that reallys helps, but try to fund most of my toys with money I make off of old cars I buy and flip, stuff I buy and part out, and junkers I buy and haul for scrap. I hauled 3 cars off yesterday, and I commented to my brother that I spend the least amount of money on my '69 ramp truck of all my '67-72's, and its the only one making me thousands of extra dollars every year!

[semperfidoordie]

hey everyone thanks for all the replies haha
don't know if i'll ever have as nice of trucks as some of you guys but at least I have a good idea on how to go about getting her done

[panhandler62]

Hi Tony

If you look at my build thread (more of a tear down thread so far.. ! lol) you'll see me struggling along trying to find the money for this, that and the other in the grociery change.

Not all, but most of the really high end builds are being done by people who make their living at it.

[bad6772]

Fortunetly me and my wife have great jobs.....so that helps a lot but For me..this is the 2nd time i have done the same truck....And i did not plan to do it a second time...But this board and looking a few projects ...Made me want change a few things.......So i full on frame off was in order...No debt other than a house payment allowed me to get where i am at today ( and some help from a fellow board member). I had a budget to do the whole truck for 8,000. that is with me doing everything other than redoing the seat.....I still have about 2,500 till i hit that mark.........A understanding wife that loves hot rods does not hurt either....Edit......im sure with my first born due in Sept things will change some....but the wife wants it done before she gets here ..so that a plus also........As in when i say i need thing or that to get it that much closer to done....she hardly bats an eye

[semperfidoordie]

that's great bad6772. First and foremost congrats on the baby.

Secondly if you could end up doing a frame off for 8K I may just have to look into it cause I have that in the bank i just don't have the GIANT amounts of money i see some people put. I bet I could find some board members in Cali to help too so maybe I will end up doing a little to my truck after all haha. Good luck with the build man and congrats again.

[bad6772]

Check out my build thread..you can see what i started with and where i am at now....I should also note...that 2 years prior to this i did a complete NEW drive train.....

[Billla]

Two words:

1. Stepchild.
2. Kidney.

;-)

[semperfidoordie]

such encouragement Bill thanks

[semperfidoordie]

looks good...love the truck bad6772 i like it

[67_C-30]

A large number of people that know you are into these trucks calling you everytime they see one where somewhere helps too. That's how I found my latest acquistion. I actually was turned on to this one a while back, got rid of it, and today I got it back! Now, what to do with it?

[semperfidoordie]

near stock resto as possible

[Swiftshifter68]

Re: Affording things

Don't become one of those "Nowadays Americans" that seems to always "need" the latest new car/truck. Shop for everyday (non-work/dressy) clothing at 2nd hand or thrift stores. My T-Shirts cost 99cts. each, on average, shoes are always bought on Ebay from large warehouse suppliers back East. I get my Harley Davidson boots for work at an average savings of $50-80 and I don't ever have to worry if my size is in stock (oddball large sizes with extra width= no problem!)
Stay away from Credit Cards ASAP, unless it's to build credit score numbers -- you don't wanna' be anchored with some stupid-ass payment every month. Try to avoid gettin' the big, fancy Couch Potato cable T.V. package, with all the channels you THINK you're gonna' have time to watch (turn it OFF and spend time with your family or get out in the garage instead, you'll be much happier in the end!)
Practice, practice, practice using the Google Search and Ebay Search, and SearchTempest.com tools for lookin' for stuff on Ebay, Craigslist and the like. You can't just do a search for "C10" and expect your hopes n' dreams to appear, it doesn't work like that (you lazy ass!) Alot of people call their vehicles "trucks" instead of "pickups" and vice/versa. I found my '68 hood listed under "Chevy C1500" for $20 and it's flawless CA sheetmetal, never woulda' got it if I'd only looked for "C10". If you're not patient and can't learn to be, then forget saving ANY money, you're already screwed completely. I've got a friend that I call "Box N' Stickers", 'cause he's always buyin' "NEW", says he "feels better about buyin' new", versus my "excellent-condition used". That's retarded, to say the least, and a quick way to end up in debt and just short of the things you need. Hot Roddin' is about recycling and making use of other people's "used" but not "used-up" parts. Learn to tell the difference and you'll be money and time ahead.

This is maybe a 5th of what you need to think/do/see in order to make people "think" you spent alot. Here's 1 of probably 100+ deals I've created:

Rolled '89 Lincoln Mark VII LSC (forged-piston 5.0 HO motor/AOD) -$200

Traded engine/trans' to friend for pair of fresh Garrett T04B turbos, 54mm

Sold remainder of car for $200 to some scrapper

Traded pair of Garrett turbos for larger, NEW Borg Warner 75mm turbo

Traded Borg Warner for a fresh pair of Turbonetics T58 turbos

Sold Turbonetics T58's on Craigslist for $800



I'm damn good but, none of this was difficult or rare, just keep your eyes open and your wits about you --- Be ready to "Pull the Trigger" on a moments' notice. Keep stuff like the aforementioned deals rolling over in your garage and you'll quickly end up with big-ticket items that equal cash for your "wants" and "needs". It happens faster than you think. Good luck!


---==Temio Williams
Yuba City, CA

[spike38]

I understand your point of view!
I was in the Marines back in the day.
I was married, 2 kids, A beater for a DD,
And probably could have qualified for food stamps.

But now, The kids are grown. The wife is history.
Got a decent job. And I do most of the work myself.
I don't have any credit cards. And no other bills to speak of.

I waited for the right truck to come along. Got a good deal
on a donor vehicle, And scrapped it for about a 75% return
After getting the engine and tranny out. I got about 7K into it,
And I'll put another 4k in before it's done.

But there are all stages of builds here. From the high school
student building his first truck, To the family man trying to
build in between kids doctors bills and buying school clothes.
To those of us who have waited and saved for years.
And last, The ones who seem to have unlimited resources.
But all the builds are great! And I really love these trucks.

OOH-RAW!!
Spike

[99-LS1-SS]

I'm very fortunate that my wife has a great job and has "blessed" me building my truck.