Hot Rods Cool cars built for under $10 grand? Let's see them!

We had a cool thread going awhile back about cars built for under $5k but that's cutting it close. How about we raise the entry fee to $10k and see what happens?

Also, try to load the pics directly from your computer instead of using a hosting site like photobucket so the thread won't be all jacked up in 3 months.

And... push the full size image button so we don't have to click a bunch of stupid thumbnail pics.

Whatcha got???

Thanks in advance.

-Ron

 

41 Pontiac...initial purchase $2800.
Scotchbrite pads...........................$6
Powdercoat 4 wheels..................$80
new tires.......................................$100
N.O.S. left front fender...........$120
New rocker moldings..............$120
'56 Pontiac 3.23 gears...............$75
'48 Pontiac tailights.................$50
Change to 12 volts ..alternator $85
Total.....................................$3436

 

Don't forget the flame job @Rocky

 

Right at 5K.



7 or so. not including the kid.



less than 5.



less than 3.



less than 10. My first shiny black paint job.



It can be done for less than 10K, but it ain't gonna be a steel deuce 3 window....

-Abone.

 

I did both of mine for just under 10k each. Doing a lot of the work myself, 15 years ago on the 50 GMC and 7 or 8 years ago on my 54. I saved a lot having a best friend who is a paint and body man. He mostly works for beer and good food.

 

Rough 32 body $4000
Motor and trans, taken from a 63 vette I bought and sold for no profit
Front end was taken from a wrecked 40 ford. I straightened, narrowed drilled and polished it myself. $300
Rearend is a 1959 ford 9 inch with a nodular 4.11 center section $400
Interior is leather seat and floor, the rest is polished metal. $1000
Rims and tires were purchased new $1600
Supercharger set up was traded for a 454 I was in $500, and a t sedan body that I was also in $500.
Misc. expenses $1000
Frame was built from scratch, and polished by hand, powder coated clear. $500
All paint supplies were leftovers from other jobs.
Total build $9800

 

My little green t was built in a time when flatheads and wide 5 wheels were not considered cool. The intire build was less than $4000.00

 

Bought the body with no floor, frame and wheels for $1700. Bought a Pinto for $400, kept the motor, transmission, radiator, and pedals and had the rest hauled away. The most expensive thing that went into it was buying the paint. But that was seventeen years ago.

 

Paid 6800 for it as a project, rebuilt and changed everything, just under 9 grand today. Shoulda built it from scratch, less work.

 

Nothing HAMB friendly! I can't even name about the parts I use.

Start with a 25 year old truck, remove the sheet metal, add an old car or truck body, refresh the motor, rebuild the suspension and brakes, body work and paint by me (I'm not a body man), and I'm cruising for around $5,000-$6,000. That is at today's prices. Gene

 

My brother's glass body 27 T. He traded into the body and frame and did everything himself--engine and trans build, windshield posts, trunk lid (louvered steel), paint, upholstery etc. Under $7 K on the road.


He probably did not have much more in this one. 350/350, 8" rear, C4 Corvette front end. Again he did the entire build himself--rust repair (rockers, floors etc), chop, paint, upholstery etc.

Roo

 

The Shoe has less than $6k, the Caddy ( a bit new) less than $5k and the Peter Beater first time around (flatty and a 5 spd) had less that $4k, even after this version, less than $7k.
Shoot...there's less than $10k in the first pic with all 3 cars!

 

Yowza...

 

I've got about 10k in this, bought for 7 and about 3k in suspension and brakes and teansmission... but am about to put a rebuilt engine in, which will put me over the mark...

 

I think I had less than 700 1973 dollars in my 48 when I drove it to the 1973 Street Rod Nationals in Tulsa. Most of that was for sandpaper and primer.

Still there is almost the same formula for each and every on of the previously posted cars.
1. Don't over pay for the body.
2. don't go wild having a engine built. Reading Jim Sibley's post he has less in that engine than most guys have in a 350 that they ran though the local machine shop.
3. Don't go wild OMG gotta have items. Case in point, The finned aluminum pieces and intake and headers for the 292 going in my 48 cost more than the whole first or second build of the truck. I could have gone a hell of a lot cheaper but they are what this 70 year old wants for the last go on this family heirloom truck.
4. Don't get caught up in the Gotta have trick wheel or tires. That doesn't mean you have to have cheap looking "settled for" wheels or crappy looking tires but There are a lot of options that look fantastic and do not cost a ton.
5. Interior. Simple but nice is a lot less expensive than a one off custom job by a name custom upholstery shop. There is usually that one shop around that does nice work but doesn't charge outlandish prices. Or give it ago yourself.
6. Body work, can you do it your self or can you swap out damaged panels for good used panels so the body man doesn't have to spend 8 hours on a fender that you can replace for 100 bucks and end up with under an hour of prep for paint in it.
7 Paint, some brands and colors are a hell of a lot less money than others. Also from my experience, there is always a pretty decent painter around who works in a body shop during the day and takes on side jobs on nights or weekends. Or there is the shoot it yourself with the 10 buck HF spray gun and take your chances.

As several said, the inexpensive good running donor car that gives up a lot of parts is a low buck hot rodder's best friend. You use everything you can and sell off the rest. Doesn't matter if you are A GM, Ford or Mopar guy there is probably a sedan running around the local area that has a rough body, cracked glass or ragged interior that runs like a bandit, has that engine that you want with a good trans to boot and you can use the alternator and a lot of other pieces off it. Not many bragging rights but a strong running engine that will take you to a lot of events for the next few years.

 

For under 10k, I am jealous!
The exchange rate @&%#'s me hard! (new parts & shipping)!
Some real nice examples!!
Love the 32-34 pickup!!!
Unfortunately, way above my pay grade, I have to pay for a lot of my upgrades.
Again, jealous!!!!
Keep up the good work!

 

Is that a jeep 6?


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I built both of these for under 10k.

 

Here's my Morris Minor for less than 10 K. H.O. 5.0 , AOD . Home built chassis. Bought 600 dollar donor car for drive train . Narrowed 9 inch . Mustang II front end.

 

Yes. It's a 232 from a DJ Jeep. Big, nasty cam, Clifford intake, 2bbl Demon and stainless 4.0L Jeep header. Man, that thing redefined lo-end torque for me.

 

One of my favorites and kick myself for not buying it when it was available .
The Roach Rod!

 

^^^ I've heard about that thing for years but never have found the build thread.

 

Sam I am built it and competed in Rod and custom ego Rama and kicked ass and Won! That car is one of the coolest hot rods for many reasons and the one that got away

 

Purchase price 4,000
Delivery 1,000
Mostly fresh Ford flathead 60 estate sale score 300
Rebuild including Snyder cam adjustable lifters, Edlebrock heads, blower 1000
T5, clutch and bell 500
8" 4.11 posi 600
New bed 1200
Witch misc right around 10K
Still needs int. and paint...

Value, about 4,000

Fun factor, priceless.

 

Lol that is super cool. I always thought they would make a great rod engine.


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This is a great thread! I'll add a few.

I figure I'm just under $10K in my speedster as she now sits. Technically I'm about to go over with a purchase of some spendy period speed equipment (flagrant violation of Mr48chev's rule #3 ), but until it's installed, the car qualifies.


And this is my buddy's '51. I helped his wife buy it for $3K as a half-finished project for his 50th birthday (her surprise present--we should all be so lucky!). My brother and I finished it for her. 327, T-400, 9-inch rear. I'm currently its caretaker while he's stationed overseas (foreign service).


As you can see, our wives have similar taste in paint color. I told him I can't paint my fenders black, otherwise people will expect us to wear matching outfits at the shows. That's not happening.

 

We're right at 5K now. Still need wiring, a top and some interior work. Should be completed for under 7. We had a lot of the parts laying around from old swap meet finds though. Started on this project last December. HAMB friendly chassis..don't know about the body

 

Interesting thread, hard to believe some of the cars pictured were built that cheap, but the common item seems to be, all/most of work done by owner/friends and scrounging around for parts works. I think it's Kool that the younger guys involved in our hobby can read this thread and be encouraged to get inspired, can only speak for myself, as a senior, donot have the ambition to follow this plan anymore, back in the day like most had endless energy, I 've never spent as much as many I know and IMO you can have the same fun as anyone there regardless of $$$ involved. I don't believe a man is defined by the level of $$$ spent, ( exceptions to that thought was my racing hobby, there your success level is directly related to your budget, you have to have the proper funding no matter how smart or talented you are) that being said, my hats off to these successful low buck builds.

 

I hear you. I did my speedster becasue I loved it and wanted the challenge. It took 7 years. But for my next car I will look for something more like my buddy's '51--an abandoned project where most of the heavy lifting has already been done.