Need to hear it here from rodders

who doesn't want a 32 ford? you should maybe set your seight a little lower? there's alot of cool cars out there that are half complete. alot more poeple start building hot rods then ever finish.maybe you could start with something 50-60's and work your way to the thirty's. something where both your kids could ride in.

 

I was in your situation when my first child was born .I had way to many hobbies and my time had to be cut so I could spend time with my family .I have been into cars\hotrods my whole life ,way before I met my wife and had kids.I had to make some choices .well I am happy to say that my kids are 12 and 6 now .I never gave up on my hot rod hobby .Just curbed it a little in the begining of my marrage .My kids go with me to almost every car show \cruise nite with as much excitement as me .(mabey for the icecream ) but what Im saying is just because you have kids and a wife doesnt mean you need to quit what you love to do .it will work .my 2 cents :joe

 

Why not start out small? Ive been building my way up to my dream car for about 9 years now. BUT I always had something old to tinker with in the garage. I searched high and low for cheap old cars and tinkered with them, sold them, got something a little better... etc. made my way through triumph motorcycles, harleys, etc. I think the first thing I ever did was save up $100 bucks, got some 4x4 box tubing, some model A frame diagrams and went to town. Then I picked up a complete 50 ford coupe with a 8ba for $700. I was on my way to having a nice little rod minus a body when I came across a 392 hemi. Sold off my stuff and bought that and tinkered with that until I found my 53 chevy im building... sold the hemi, Found a couple old triumph bikes... chopped them, and sold them to fund my 53.

Ive sank ALOT of money into my current build, but it was all profit from other stuff. Im like you... working alot, no money, house payment, fiance and wedding to pay for!, no kids but Im sure thats around the corner. It can happen just dont get your mind set on one thing if you dont see the light at the end of the tunnel... Your kids will love working on anything old, then they can see the hard work and the return you get when you sell it. And if you keep your eyes peeled, someone might give you some old car, or old engine for free to start your dream. Keep a 32 picture on the wall and look at it everyday when your wrenchin on other old stuff. you WILL get there one day.

- Jon
- finally got the car ive always wanted... 9 years of buying and selling.

 

That's a good dad. I commend you.

My father and mother raised 10 of us. I was #1, so I saw almost the whole thing happen. At one point in my young life, I realized that my father had very little for himself. I watched him wear the same two sports-coats to work for many years. I remember asking him as a teen if we could put mags on the 12-passenger Ford Econo Van we traveled in as a family. He said, "Sure...if you're payin'." That was one incident that helped me to "get it". Only in later years, did he manage to get himself a toy or two.

I wish you all the luck in finding a house that you and your wife like. If you do manage to purchase a home without selling your two Cougars or your Mustang, sell them, and buy a cool old car for you and your sons to mess with...something less expensive than a '32. There are plenty out there, and as with houses, it's a buyer's market right now...lots of cars at very reasonable prices. Even Model As. Consider something from the late '30s thru the early '50s. Those cars need little if any modification to be cool and fun. Shop around and buy a gooood solid car for a screaming deal. Enjoy it, improve it a little maybe while keeping your boys involved in the process, and keep it perpetually for sale...for more than you have in it. When it sells, do it all over again. In this way, you and your family can enjoy the experience of a number of different old cars over the years, and if you play your cards right, eventually you may be able to upgrade to a level that you can in-fact get yourself a '32 or something similar. Good luck with everything. God bless you and your family.

 

Dude you sound like the priorities are right,but honestly,90% of all people on the HAMB would love to have a 32,and I know that I"ve spent more over the years on cars that I could have saved and bought a nice 32,but if everybody had a 32, hot rodding would be boring as shit.Shop around ,you can pick up a nice running drivable car for around $5000 to $6000 and the boys are going to be just happy being with Dad in the moment,they could care less what year it is.Enjoy now and shelf the dream for later.Hope this time on the HAMB has been a little better for you.

 

I'm with HEMI32. With a wife & 2 kids a coupe of ANY kind won't fly. You are probably a good candidate for a 4dr A. They're much cheaper & your family fits! Don't lose the '32 dream though. Maybe when the kids are grown.

 

I'll have to agree with thirtytwo here. For me the toughest part is waiting for the right deal to come along so I can stash away a few more parts. I don't have tons of cash, and familly comes first, but a part here and there keeps the dream alive, doesnt break the bank, and also allows me to learn as I go. I hadn't welded in years when I dragged home a rusty 30 cowl, now I'm pretty good with sheet metal and working daily to get better. I have a ton to learn, but I'm not pineing away looking at deuce coupes..I'm building my A.

 

Well Balingwire, welcome to the club.

A lot of guys have a lot nicer stuff than mine; some far less so. There are rich guys, there are guys who have stuck to just having one project, and one hobby - so all their side money goes to one thing, guys who have traded, earned, and bartered for decades to get the car they have now, and there are guys who put the car ahead of the family. When I see a car at a show or cruise, how can I know what the deal is?

If you want a '32 coupe, follow the suggestions on this thread. Save, barter, trade, invest, store, negotiate, upgrade... repeat as necessary.

But don't try to sell anyone here that you want to have an early Ford to make memories with your kids; they won't give a fuck if you're cruisin' in a '53 Plymouth 4 door, or even rolling up in a minivan to check out the cars.

My priorities: being a dad, son, friend, husband (well, back when I was one...), neighbor, and somewhere down the list lies hot rodder.

I suppose I could have had a damn nice car if my daughter didn't go to college!

-Bill

 

I did my hot rodding before starting a family, and dropped it all to raise two daughters (and now 2 grandkids)...never regretted my priorities on family first...but that doesn't mean giving up rodding...ok, so most want a '29 roadster, but what about a '30-'31 roadster, not as popular, thus not as expensive...don't need all the hop up stuff to make a V-8 run well in a light car...do your own work, even if it means learning how to weld (learn it WELL!) or tin-bending, or painting...but most of all, as others have said, DON'T GIVE UP THE DREAM...

 

Another vote for forget a '32. Model As are getting expensive now as well. Late 50s, early 60s are more reasonable, some times almost giveaways. Early 60s wagon, late 70s-early 80s (pre-EFI) wreck with a running 350/350, gotta car for a grand or two and some sweat. Meet local H.A.M.Bers, they'll help you out with tools and labor, just be prepared to buy beer and fire up the BBQ pit.

Keep in mind, being a good dad does not mean going into the poor house spoiling them with the latest designer bullshit. In fact, it just makes it harder when they have to pay their own way and get used to unnecessary frivolities. Teach 'em to weld at ten! Than they'll have a skill. Keep in mind, you don't want to resent having kids later on because you missed out on having a bit of what you want.

 

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. A lot has been said, I've read it all, and I appreciate it. I just need to process it all. I've got some old pictures that dad took at a drag race in Fremont, CA, in '67, and there's this gold A sedan with black fenders, five-spokes in the front and black steel wheels in the back. I've always liked that car and its look. I'll do some thinking, do some looking, and see what I can come up with. Thanks to you folks on the HAMB, I feel a lot better now than I did when I posted this thread.

 

Man these guys are ALL right! Many of us started out in the same boat-and what WORKED was starting with the cheaper kool stuff and keep working/trading up. I started with Gremlins, then Monte's-Nova's, VW's because it satisfied my 'fender fettish', '50s Buicks because they were plentiful and kool as hell, and finally made it to the '29 Model A I wanted since I was playing with Hot Wheels!!!
The journey is SO worth it young brother-you learn so much on the way!
And ya know you could always befriend locals who have them and help out/learn so much!

 

http://appleton.craigslist.org/pts/1721909801.html

 

Might i reccomend you get an early 50s mopar?

Surprisingly cheap...

 

Build them som schwinn stingrays or pixies or something. Then they can ride it around at the car shows they will be proud of it.

 

What he said.

 

I like this post!!!!!
My 10 yr old son loves cruising with me in my '64 Acadian wagon...I hope I am creating lasting memories, for him and me. It could not be better in a 32 Ford. I got a daughter starting college....I feel your pain.

 

I too would love to have a 32, But for now I have a 54 GMC Truck, My boys love riding in it, But I also have a Monster 70 Impala pushing round 400 hp when the whole Family wants to cruise. I agree with the others. Start with something different, then trade up. Do as much work as you can yourself, and let the boys help. Me and my boys pulled the engine out of the truck this past weekend, my wife took some pics. all to cool watchin them wrench on it. memories cannot be taken, and they will remember it forever.

 

Perfectly stated Mazooma1! And like others have said go the wagon route,they are cheaper and the whole fam can go!

 

Where I worked we lost a Lt Col to a heart attack. He just stressed out about things and it killed him. After that we posted a sign that said "Work is good, but it's not important" So I'll make an analogy here "Cars are good, but they're not important." I admire you for knowing what is important. If you can't have both at least you have your priorities right. Take small steps.

 

yep, what he said. You already get it about the family stuff, being there for my wife and children is the #1 most important thing in my life. I love hot rods, but they are not all i worry about. You need a 57 chevy, or a badass 63 1/2 galaxie. You can get into something "nice" far cheaper than 15 or 20 grand, that you and your family can enjoy. That's what it's all about anyways, right?

 

T man is right, stay out of debt, trim your life down. My 1937 truck is a runner and I have less than $2000 in it, minus a grill shell, but it's a driver.
Those children are number one priority and your woman, treat her like Gold. Then all of you have fun rodding.
I takes time, be patient, it will come to you.....

 

Another one for the get the priorities right first. Get a home, don't buy any more new cars. Don't waste money. Save a little every month... no matter how much it hurts.

Then...

Where I come from, everyone needs a truck. Buy a cheap truck with a lot of miles and learn to fix it. Have the kids help so they learn to fix it. Drive the wheels off of it. When they get older, make weekend projects like new distributor, intake swap, alternator upgrade, etc. Keep the truck.

My mom bought us bicycles at garage sales for $5. Got a cheapo tool set from Kmart and tore that bike down and rebuilt it myself at least 100 times. Taught me to wrench and fix it so it didn't leave me stranded. I still work that way today.

You won't get this time back. My baby girl just graduated college and the last nail to the coffin was hammered in this weekend. My little girl is all gone and, for at least 10 years, anything that resembles her I will never see again. She's growing up and learning her own way in her own world with her fiance and her new life and there's just no more time for the folks.

You won't get that back, savor it while you can.

 

Find a car to fit your budget. Work with it, get it together and move it..to move up in the next best until you reach your goal. That's what I have done, sacrificed alot.

A 59 Kingswood wagon is smokin' cool!

 

hahahahha.

 

+1 Your family is the priority, then your hobby. I've had to make do with less than stellar cars and others have done more with less than I have, so stop whining. Your time will come, don't get wrapped around the axle over it. Not getting down on you, just saying it like it is.

Dave Ramsey kicks ass.

 

DONT GIVE UP!!!! But if it was me, here is my 10pt Plan.

1) Before spending a cent on a car - buy the house!
2) Buy what ever your family needs to keep them safe and happy.
3) Keep hanging out here, you dont need a car too and what you learn is invaluable.
4) Go to night school if you can spare the time - learn how to weld
5) Anytime you have a Xmas, birthday ask for tools
6) Decide what you want to build, Roadster pickups are about the cheapest as its easy to fab up from the doors back. All you'll need is a cowl and doors to start. But if you want a coupe they will cost a lot more to get into. Even when its up and running and you have $ you can put a coupe body on it.
6) Obtain a little A chassis and a running SBC/350 tranny. Should be had VERY cheap. Look for a diff, read re cheap front ends here.
7) Focus on building this one car. Only buy parts that fit the build or you can flip for cash. DONT CHANGE YOUR MIND MID BUILD ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE BUILDING
8) Place a wanted ad on here when you have a few dollars.
9) Every now and then go steal flowers from your nieghbours garden, walk up behind your wife, give her a hug, tell her you love her and give her the flowers
10) Dont give up.

 

I agree with everything here BUT the sbc.

Get something BESIDES a 350 chevy, you dont need to look TOO cheap, Try a 350 Olds.

 

For inspiration check the thread on cars bought for less than $1500-, there really are a lot of good rides out there specially in the more door or longroof variety that won't destroy your budget. Keep your ears and eyes open there are at times totally free cars/parts offered up. Share your dreams with your friends as you never know what they might have lying around that they will be happy to have you haul away.

Not too many of us started out with our "dream" car and if truth be told many of us are still in search of our own personal Holy Grail. Nothing says we can't enjoy ourselves in the meantime.

 

I agree with Tman whenever this topic comes up.

I'd also recommend building a family friendly Touring T, something from 1923-27 (think something that looks like my avatar but seats four).

You can build a complete (and VERY traditional) Hot Rod Touring T for less than ten thousand, for sure. I'll have less than 4K into my 20 T Roadster and on my 27 T Roadster I've sold enough parts from it (and horse traded) to be into it for about 250 dollars and I've got enough for it to be a mocked roller at this point.