i miss the old days...barter, trade, hot rodders spirit....

i dont want to seem like im whining, and i am fully aware that im longing for a time gone by, lol, but i was born too late to catch it the first go-round, lol. long story short, with my wifey pregnant, i am needing to get one of my older cars on the road so we have a family sized car. although i have the books to get know how, i have never built an engine, and dont have the funds to have a shop do it. so i have been looking for someone here locally to trade me the engine build for some paint and body, electrical, metal work, restoration work....something! theyre all corporate, no reliable, small time machine guys seem to be around any more, and everyone wants cash on the barrel head...and so here i am on here to pine away for the good ol days where you could work a trade and everyone came away happy. i know theres nothing i can do to change it, lol, but i can still wish...i suppose. lol

 

Happens everyday. This happened yesterday.

My buddy is looking for a pair of small wheels for a project. I told him my cousin has some from a racing kart, and to call him up. They talked for a while, and come to find out my cousin just bought himself a welder and needs some lessons. My buddy is a good welder, so they're going to trade wheels for lessons, everybody wins.

I wouldn't deal with a shop unless you happen to already know someone that works there. Shops don't make money off of bartering.

 

Not sure if it's dead or you just aren't running into guys that are willing to do it.

Zach Suhr did a lot of work on the ch***is of my car for a parts swap. He was happy, I was happy. He got some extra parts that I had picked up and I got further along on my car.

 

look on the pay it forward post. some one near you could possibly help.

 

I love this method and wish I could do more of it.

 

I have done a lot of tradin' and still do! If you were closer I'd trade you some body work for an engine build.

 

i know it still happens, maybe youre right about just not talking to the right people, my train of thght was a shop would be reputable, but i guess anyone who knows how to build is as good as a shop...leaving only the machine work to be done in shop. where's the pay it forward post? is it on this forum? i think i'll go do a search for it... thanks.

 

yeah kinda a lost art,,love trading gets ya what ya need faster.Also community makes a HUGE difference

 

I live in a small Nor Cal town, a small group of guys are always helping each other out with trades and stuff, it's nice to be able to still do that. I do machine work at a power plant, if anyone needs any help with anything..let me know, JOKER JASON.

 

I don't think machine shops were ever big on bartering, they always have a pile of blocks & cranks from people too broke to bail them out.

Seriously, have you met many machinists??? That's not a personality that lends well to bartering. They're picky & precise *******s that revel in their *******ry Well, at least the good ones are.

 

initially i didnt start this post to get someone on here to take interest in what i was offering, but that pay it forward has me thinking...i dont know why i hadnt thought to post it on here before now.....my post wont fit in with those rules on the pay it forward, but i may contact the mods to see if me offering a barter post would be prohibited.....

 

Are you a member of a car club?

.Our members are always swaping or trading labor to get projects on the road. HRP

 

Bartering is fine - as long as both deals change hands at the same time. I bored & hot tanked a block in exchange for a core engine. 10 years later I still don't have the core. Guy still has the core motor in a truck - hasn't had time to pull it yet. He has been sick + in a wreck. The dog ate his homework & the check is in the mail. Only consolation is his wife/mealticket is **** ugly & mouthy.

 

clubs around here for the most part arent well organized and tend to fight and bicker over who belongs to who, and try to steal each others members like its a political election......so i have kindof seperated myself apart...when you only get together to gripe and complain about someone else, theres no fun in club meetings and shows, etc. i wish we did have decent clubs around here.

 

ahhh yes the good 'ol days, sure do miss them , used to trade a lot of body work for things I needed..but my body work days are about over, guess i'll find some other way, cherrish these days as they too will be the good 'ol days ..make 'em count boys an girls,

 

Search for a local barter society. They print scrip, you trade your services or whatnot for scrip, and use it to buy services from someone else in the society. That way even if the person whose services you do need doesn't need yours, you can still make a trade.

 

QUITE TRUE

 

I love trades more than getting cash for selling stuff I've found and won't use. With trades versus cash sales, two people get what they need to get something closer to completion instead of one. I'd trade over taking cash any and every day of the week.

 

we still trade swap and cheat each other

 

Having the right group of Hot Rod Pals helps a lot. I also have had regular shops owned by guys i know help me out. Developing a rep for helping in return is the key!

 

I found a guy who I can trade a parts car to in exchange for a paint job... and I did a car swap a while back that netted me a core Pontiac 455 (need to verify) that's probably worth as much as the entire car I swapped away. It still happens. My one buddy is always trading things around, sometimes he comes out really good on the deals.

 

On occation it is good to give stuff away, what comes around goes around, and if it doesnt then i dont do further dealings with that person, its kind of a cheap way to find out if you can trust someone, and its good to surrond yourself with people that owe you just a little bit...

 

Wish you were in So-cal. I'd trade for some paint. Don't worry the HAMB is a awesome resource.

Ever thought if just doing it yourself? Pony up a few bux to get the block squared up and bored over. Shouldnt be to pricey.

 

What can you do for me? What can I do for you? Every week, I help somebody with something, all they have to do is ask. You don't owe me a thing. When I ask, I get all kinds of help. Start a once-a-week breakfast meeting, before work, or whatever. Start with one other person, then put out the word that "we're meeting every Tuesday at 0630 for coffee/breakfast". Then don't put any artificial restrictions who can attend. ANYBODY interested in cars is welcome.

 

Hit your local cruise nights and just start talking to people!! It wont take long for you to meet all kinds of people who will trade and help you out or know someone who will....It has worked for me in the past, met alot cool people at local cruise meets. 2cent

 

It works with most people. A lot of guys can give and take back and forth without a problem. A few will turn out to be a one way street though. You need to know when enough is enough.

 

i have done a ton of swaping lately. i have basiclly got all the parts to build my f100 by doing landscaping and helping a guy clean up around his place. i have also been helping him on his projects. working pretty good. i have done alot of parts swappin lately too.

 

its still happening money is tight and i had some good parts that were taking up space so i traded them monday for a future wiring job i told him it might be a year or 2 but at least its already paid for in parts. you have to network with car people that have honor

 

I'll be the one dissenting voice here. I ain't seen a barter deal yet where somebody didn't walk away unhappy and I been on the wrong side of a few. If your not dealing with a close friend you can trust, hold on to your ***. Just my educated opinion.

 

Go to your local race track, Any form of car racing. Even the Fart car kids will surprise you in know how. Ask who builds motors on the side.