Hot Rods Does it seem like the ring is never within reach?

Warning Andy.....The amount of useless junk brought home is directly related to the amount of Adult Beverages consumed, but I would bet you would ALL have a blast!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Not gonna lie, I get sick of spending so much damn money on these cars & all involved with it.
If I wasnt a full blown addict and had any sense, I'd scale down to one old car & a normal little shop and save whats left of my sanity.

 

Oh boy! You just described me! I don’t want to be cured!

 

Well…

 

I had convinced many of those I run with “Don’t let $500 keep you from having a nice car”
It has now turned into “SWAT” ( so what’s another thousand)

 

I suppose it’s always been thus. Was once told by a much older guy than I at the time “The richest I have ever been was when I was 7 or 8 years old and my rich uncle gave me a $10 bill for my birthday and I realized I could go buy anything I ever wanted at that moment” His way of saying it all relative as our wants/desires/expectations change.

 

swade41 I bought a car that didn't have a high beam indicator light found I missed it and installed one. But I should have skipped some calzones

 

I once read I believe by Bill Burnam "If building a hot rod was cheap and easy every Friday night cruise in would look like the Streer Rod Nationals" I gotta get out to the garage & get busy

 

I guess I'm an optimist.. Back when I was finally old enough and had enough of a job to buy speed parts, the really trick stuff was far out of my reach. You either needed very deep pockets and/or better know somebody to get access if you weren't doing a middle-of-the-road Chevy. A set of ported OEM iron heads were $400 or more, equivalent to $3200+ today. I coveted the Ford toploader 4-speed, another $400 part and that was used. Today you can buy superior in every way aluminum heads for most any popular motor and more than a few less popular ones for no more than that and usually less. A brand-new 5-speed with a 600 ft-lb torque rating and an overdrive to boot now costs the same as the used 4-speed in adjusted-for-inflation $. That same used toploader is now $1200 and up. Even the lowly T10 is bringing big bux. Sure, this stuff costs real money but it always did. But you have far more choices these days, many that weren't even thought of 'back in the day'. And whether you want to use these 'modern' parts or not, their existence does help keep prices on the vintage parts down in many cases.

 

Not really a case of "willing to pay".
Obviously currency exchange rate and 7000 plus miles of freight have not been factored into your simple outlook...

 

The reality is that stuff costs what they cost. You either paid up then or you pay up now.

 

This might be true!!

 

Its not something you have to do , its something you " willingly " choose to do !! No one is holding a gun to your head !

 

We all hear you. I'm glad the lion's share of my car has already been built, ordered and parts shelved because what's left to buy is all foolishly priced.

Unfortunately, it's everywhere... there's a million dollar house at the end of my street that probably would cost sub $200k back in 2008-10. We visited the open house and it doesn't have "million dollar" work inside. A million used to be a high-end number, now I guess it's starter home prices.

 

It all balances out. Despite what you may think, we are not living an oppressed, third-world existance down here. @guthriesmith will attest to that after his recent visit. We do ok...

And, by the way, holding guns to each others heads is not something we do a lot of...... Different vibe.

 

It’s a shame you think it’s humorous, but that’s another story.
Down here ,you wanna play, you gotta pay. Same for you fellas also.
Probably not much difference really when the exchange rate is thought of.

 

Shipping calculated at checkout - this is where the heartache really begins.......

 

For me its never been the money, never wanted stuff that was too expensive for my intended use. It was and still is the time it takes to make a change and it is extremely harder now with age in the mix.. I can pay for it but getting someone to do it right is a cluster fuck.

 

Figure of speech. Don't go getting mushy !

 

I have always said “Hats off to anyone overseas that builds a US hot rod.” The lack of parts availability and the sheer cost associated with the shipping makes it very difficult to build anything.

 

Says a guy laying on his back scrubbing the bottom of his project with a toothbrush

 

Thanks man. Appreciate your help and support with keeping myself together......

 

I can't farm out all the work. Remember i'm like a general contractor, do some work farm out other work

 

Remember when a four speed cost $100.00?

 

Want to sell me one of those blocks??!!

 

Problem is when it happens monthly, weekly then daily, there’s probably a twelve step program for it.

 

I had always wanted a FED. Life’s priorities meant it took a back seat. I’m now old enough that I realised if I don’t do it, I’m going to be too old to run it.

For the first time in many jobs, I’m not scrimping. ARP bolts, Eagle rods, Strange stubs and steering, , Stroud blanket, chute and harnesses, Precision shifter all from the US. When the little boxes arrive it’s like Christmas.

I know I’ve traded too many fun-tickets for those little boxes, but they still male me smile every time I see the parts on the car.

Buy the Dart block. Run your hand over it every time you open the bonnet and smile.

Cheers,
Harv

 

I have always had my fair share of toys and started culling the herd after I retired 23 years ago. Still have the need to have a current project or two but no longer lust for anything or feel the need to be the owner of anything that peaks my interest. Taste has become more modest and simplistic. Cars at the shows and meets are like grandkids, fun to see, enjoyable as hell, but they eventually go home and someone else does the maintenance. But yeah, the prices I see today seem very unrealistic but probably because I'm lost in the past and know what I could have gotten for what today seems like it was pennies on the dollar.
The beat goes on and this hobby is still very doable for the folks who have prioritized their wants and needs.

 

I would be in the same boat as you if I were to go ahead and retire but I can't as I like to say, "I have a car habit to support". I'm 62 and have a "work from home" job managing a team of computer folks and I mostly enjoy it so I'll keep working as long as they will put up with me. Once I do retire, it will be a radical change from what I'm used to and I'll have to slow way down on my builds.

 

Funny you should say that. I was just telling my dad that I remember perusing the Sunday classifieds in the Auto Parts. I used to see M-22's for $100 all the time.