I have a local guy that I like to use for radiator and exhaust work in Chandler. He is a great guy and always has good advice and a story or two and I love going by his shop (I'm almost 49 and he's ahead of me ). The other day I stopped by and needed some aluminum "L" brackets welded on the radiator for my '38 Dodge Coupe build. I took the A when I drove over and we started talking. Turns out he is stock piling parts for a 1928 Sport Coupe build for his daughter and needed some of the stock pieces from my '29 that I have taken off. Today I picked up the radiator, dropped off the parts for him (stock rims, tires, bumpers, carb intake) and agreed that he would do the exhaust on my '38 and I got some cash in the deal. I felt like it was a great deal for both of us, as most of my payment is in labor. Nothing quite like getting stuff done w/o the cash layout and I even have a little parts money and more space in my garage to boot. This is the great part of this hobby that I love. Even in tough times you can get stuff done I'm sure there are a lot of great stories out there just like this.
Nice! I love when stuff like that works out. I've been trading out labor with some Tattoo artists locally, hour per hour. Rates for tattoos are ridiculous! It's worth the trade in brake jobs, tune ups, and once in awhile a cheap lowering job.
At one time bartering WAS common currency. I'm an accountant, every year I go to some dumb*** seminar where a mouthpiece in a nice suit tells all us number nerds about changes in Fed tax code/regs and the Feds have been trying to figure out how to effectively get "their" piece of the taxes ***ociated with the exchange of goods and services. It used to be only the big fish who swap a building, land or big ticket items but the tax man is always looking get into our wallets. I barter quite often, a couple weeks ago I swapped a 40's pontiac grill for some steel I needed and I always smile knowing that some tax man somewhere is *****ing and moaning about not getting his piece.
The barter system is alive & well. That's how I got the 57 Bel Air project I picked up last Fall. Seller was asking $5000 or trade. I swapped 2 FN FAL .308 rifles, 1000rds of ammo and a S&W Texas Ranger .357 even for the car.
I pretty much built my chopped 49 Merc with the barter system. Traded gl*** for parts, louvers for parts, bought some dead Mercs and Lincolns, traded thos parts for the ones I needed. Biggest cash outlay was a set of WWWs. I'm now "out of pocket" about $2900 for a runnin, driven, 460 powered Merc. First thing I ask when I meet a new guy is, "what do you do"? Be surprized at the answer sometimes! Love to barter!!!
My brother-in-law is the master of the art form when it comes to bartering. He is an excellent body and paint man who has built 2 nice cars, a '27 T roadster pickup and a '28 A two door sedan, bartering for engine work, upholstery, etc. If my little sister ever needs major surgery, I'm confident he'll find a surgeon who needs a car painted and work out something. In all seriousness, bartering is the oldest form of commerce, predating the invention of money. It's done in every culture, and it's as old as the human race.
I do my fair share of bartering.Have to watch it sometimes.I swap out my labor dollar for dollar for parts and I have even got a few cars and trucks this way.Problem is I now have a pile of parts and a number of projects and can`t find any time to do them.
Nicest thing about bartering is the Federal Government doesn't need to be involved. Know what I mean, Vern? Frank
Thats how I got my trans rebuilt in my daily driver. God bless him! I may not have any money, but I always have something to trade! It does keep the projects moving along. I just wish the mortgage company worked the same way...
My favorite barter was about 15 years ago with my barber (who was a hot rodder also). I traded him a banged up 29 Ford door for a hair cut and $15.
I have done alot of trade work keeps it personal. I chopped and streched a Triumph Tiger for Tatoo's. The bike sits on model A tires and is 8'5" long from tire to tire. It's radical but what he wanted.
Nash hot rod initial purchase didn't cost me a nickle. I 'acquired' it, my labor. two, three. days a month over a couple of years. Model A ch***is, same deal, except I worked that off in two months, helped my friend do stuff I would have probably done anyhow, without the ch***is.
I love it as havent worked since April and things are getting tight. Swapped some 58 caddy panels to a mate for the basic ch***is of my current project coupe. Was probably a better deal for me then him but both sides are happy. I find going anywhere in the 32 is a great way to start up a convo and maybe similar swaps.
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