How should it take to build a car?

I know this is a general question, but what are people's experiences, as far as time goes, for completing a car. I'm looking at a 2 yr completion time. Is that good or bad? I started from raw materials. Just asking out of curiosity.

 

One took me 2 years, one took about a month, another is 3/4 done after 8 years.

There's no answer to your question.

 

Whatever your time to give it, or money to spend on it will provide.
More of either or both = faster.
If either is not a problem you can git-r-done in a year. But figure two and you wont be heart broken (if your in your garage).

 

Never completed, only driveable, and that takes longer than you told the wife it would.

 

How hard is soft? I bought my car a year ago, still not road worthy.

 

Started building my '64 Pontiac 'vert from a solid, showable driver in '84 and still don't have it done....

 

Setting deadlines only seems to work on TV shows. (Boyd)
Been driving my latest for a number of years and it still ain't done.

 

By raw materials I meant the steel tubing for body and chassis. Not mined ore. Also, this was just a curiosity question coming from someone that wants to get done sooner than later. Some of you guys take yourselves way too seriously. Other guys, the light hearted ones, gave me some great stuff. Isn't this supposed to be fun?

 

My Elky project stalled last november due to a traffic accident slowing me down to a crawl. I had figured on it taking 6-9 months.

My 36 is on hold now and will be for quite a while due to the above AND the finances. I had figured it to be a 3 year project. Now it looks like 4-5 yeaars.

The main thing is to KEEP GOING forward. Motovation is the hardest thing for me. When you don't see progress, and you keep finding things wrong it is hard to stay on the project.

Two years is NOT outta line for keeping a full time job, maintaining a family, and doing a project car in my mind.

 

i am looking at 3 years. the car is completely stripped and i need to do tons of rust repair. if it goes longer then 3 years so be it if it takes me less time then that i suddenly became skilled with rust

 

i've done them in 6 weeks , 6 months...6 years

what it takes to build a hot rod is: tools , time , talent , space , parts and MONEY

if you have lots of all of the above..it can go real fast

if you are short on one or more....then it takes longer

 

I think goals help us keep focused. If you want a good estimate on a ground up build on a '40s-style A/V8 roadster, Mike Bishop provides one in his book How to Build a Tradtional Ford Hot Rod - 50 weeks. Of course, that doesn't count the time it takes to hunt down everything, or learn skills you don't have.

I'm calling my Model T assemblage "Project T Minus 30" because my target date is June 15, 2012, the day I turn thirty.

 

I heard on one of the weekend car programs like Dream Car, Car Crazy or My Classic that the average guy takes, again on average, 4 years to build their car.

With that being said, I better get my ass in gear, I only have about eight months to finish it.

 

ive got 5 years and 25k in mine. its not a "ratrod" , id like to think it would have been one of the nicer cars seen on the flats in 1946.

 

Time and money. If I have the time I don't have the money. If I have the money I don't have the time. Family? Hamb addict?

 

4 years and counting. Won't be all that nice either.

 

I was supposed to have it driving last summer. Now I'm aiming for next month (next month?! Better get my butt in the garage!).
I think the first car, you are in a hurry and concerned about getting it done so you can enjoy it. After you have one "done", though, you get the whole Zen thing where you are much more relaxed about the time you spend in the shop.

Tucker

 

There's a lot to be said for that attitude. I already feel that if I had one to enjoy on summer nights, I could go slower on the next one. When you have nothing to drive around, except your daily driver, you feel like you're missing out!

 

This is the best answer you will get. Your resources, money and material wise, Time and effort you can put into it and skill level will dictate how long it will take.
Another one I have heard is to double what you think it will cost, double how long you plan it will take and it will never be done! Oh and if you think all the little, easy stuff is easy, it is usually the hardest.

 

How stupid can a stupid question be?

 

Just asking for opinions and stories. Not writing a book. Let it go.

 

Just asking for opinions and stories. Not writing a book. Let it go.
First off every one has an opion there like ass holes every one has one just some stink more than others trust me I know as I was a professional porn star As far as your original question who cares? I own five hotrods in varoious stages and every time i start making head way on one some thing happens And i dont care because to me its more fun working on them then it is breaking them like last month I was working on my 63 country sedan when a guy i knew came over to ask what a good price was for two jet skis he was trying to sell i told him what i thought, and then he cut the price in half and asked if i wanted them so of course i bought them. that put me behind on the Country sedan by a month oh well but now i have to project jet skis!

 

Actually, Nads is correct, given the question. The addage that there are no stupid questions is difficult to uphold when the question is:

"How should it take to build a car?"

There is something missing isn't there?

Long? Much money? Many people? Many bolts? You get the idea.....

Before taking a 'tude, maybe a little proof reading is in order....

By the way Nads, love your new signature....


Mutt

 

My projects are usually done in less than a year (6-8 months on average) I tend to lose interest if I can't get out there and drive them within a reasonable amount of time.

Although I have had my AMX for 16 years and It'll never be finished but its been driveable for 15 of those years

 

Here's my formula...

Skills + Money / Items on the wifes honey-do list = project completion.

 

Took me 52 days to build my '52 Plymouth that I dragged out of a field. It was running, driving, and registered when I was "done", but it LOOKED like I built it in 52 days. I started running out of time before Paso, so a lot of stuff got cheesed. The floor was made out of a 'Cuda hood, the wiring was dirt basic, only two gauges, and never got the doors done. It was fun, gray primered 'Hot Rod', but I learned while I went along.

I feel confident that the Model A will make it to Paso this year, and we're down to 50 days or so. It's more complete, and easier to find parts for than the Plymouth. Parts and information are a LOT more available for this project, and I know a lot more about fabrication and stuff, even though I feel I'm still a newbie at this Hot Rod stuff. The body will be far from what I want, but it will be a driver, and I want to keep this project, so later I'll straighten it out.

 

I started my T Bucket 2 and a half years ago with some steel tubing for the frame. I finally got the chassis completed, less running gear. I have most of the parts, but no time to spend in the garage. =(

-Jackie