Hot Rods Do you think you could build a NEW deuce coupe for less than $50k?

This is a hard exercise.

Can it be done ?
Yes

easily ?
No , not easily .

is your own personal labour free ? Friends ? Handouts ? Favours?

I think I could do it easily sticking to a plan and using what I had , could get for a budget .


Lots of engines and front suspensions rear suspensions being torn out for newer , better , modern stuff .

I seem to always find deals or frames , steering , axles etc that are torn out to be replaced with new go fast goodies .

I would be totally happy with a fun daily driver built safe and built reliable .


Like I said in my above post 350/350/9” could be had for $3000

steering , suspension and brakes if your buying used and cast offs anther $3000

wheel and tires ……. Cragars are always cool and affordable $1000

interior , junk yard bench seat or some kind of swapmeet find handmade door panels etc , clean and complete but nothing fancy . $1000


paint and body would be my own , time time and more time and some fun with a spray gun . $1500-2000 in materials .

an additional $5000 for other stuff ?!?

to build a fun car , yes you could .

build a fancy car ? No way


Build a true traditional hot rod with new shiny speed parts?

 

So Ive gotta spend 50k, then build the damn thing myself to have fun with it..? Man I need a new hobby..

 

Do ya get extra credit if ya got enough $$ left over to build a beater

 

Not to mention the current supply chain issues. Getting ALL the parts to build a completely new '32 could take some time...allowing existing prices to rise even more

 

Depends on if you want to escape your wife and kids at nights and weekends for a year
I would recommend you look for a deuce already done or very close to it.

 

My coupe cost over $50 to build with me doing everything except final body/paint and the upholstery. Now that's with a 409 sitting between the rails that wasn't cheap to buy or rebuild. In currently building my 56 the one thing I can say is it's crazy the cost of general parts now vs when I did the coupe which was 2015-2017. As I have been gathering/ordering parts I have had my eyes open at some of the pricing and I have friends in the industry that I can order most parts through at wholesale pricing vs general retail. One of the craziest ones is the cost of wheels. Almost $1500 for four 17 OE steel wheels. Just nuts!

if you're using a lot of old/used parts then probably yes but I've always been more comfortable with new stuff at least when it comes to mechanical.

 

No, not if you want to build a pretty nice one. If you did everything yourself, including upholstery and paint, you might be close. You could buy a pretty nice one already done, however. I enjoy building cars, so I do it regardless of the fact that I could buy a completed one. Never bought one that was done like I would do it.....yet.

 

I have the shop space, the tools, most of the knowledge, and none of the energy or money. so the answer would be no. if I had the 50's G's and was 30 years old I could.

 

I could, but it would be using standard parts with no frills. Mine would be a 283,327 with a power glide or turbo 350. 9” and open drive. No posi etc. interior would be bare bones. No fenders, steel wheels etc.

 

Yes you can , right place right time ,this was just pick up yesterday,
It will be full fender's all steel will be less then 25 in, compleat & driving in just few mouths not a show car DD & pound on HR , you all ways need to be on the look for parts ,you never know where you will find & can not just open the wish books, the advantage is being involved in this hobby for life

 

Wow, look at that super solid 5W Deuce Coupe body! /\ /\

You know...
(shrug shoulders)
If you like that type of thing.

 

I’d take a model A.
A nice roller came up for sale on FB. $8500 with an aftermarket ch***is. Straight axle 4 bar set up. Clean body. (At least in the pics)

I think someone bought well

 

Yeah, I just took an inventory of the shop. I have everything needed (except body)including paint if I wanted the color blue that is in the can. 283 -5spd OR T350, 9". Even have a frame.

But, going back to a post I did a few years back called "the cost of the little stuff" I think most folks are discounting things like seals, hoses, gaskets, fluid etc. With todays prices I would say you could drop 7-10K just on this aspect.

 

Just to add something that was discussed in the past few weeks: it appears you can't buy a complete United pacific body anymore. I hope that changes but I've been hearing that from many directions.

 

I am seeing some low mileage gl*** roadsters for sale in the $20,000 range find one with the drive train & ch***is you like. steel grille shell tank & hood. cut holes for steering column brake pedal & shifter set the body on it sell the roadster body & windshield use the rest. I thought hard about buying a new Brookville body to put on the roadster I have now but realized it would look the same as it does now & still be a reproduction body

 

I hope so…..I did inherit the body though

 

I'm thinking 'glas,too. You can get in for way less-https://www.scottrodscustom.com/body-packages/street-rod-packages/1932-ford-3-window-coupe/- and unless you are going fully traditional, there is nothing wrong with fiberglas, especially if you consider a new-metal car like a UP one okay.

 

Yes. No. Maybe. Smart and patient gets you there. Does everything HAVE TO be new? Why can't I find a complete ch***is already done close to what I want, maybe sort out and check for accuracy, an abandoned project or direction change. I agree, the interior is the challenge cuz I can't sew but there may still be a source for something simple in kit form. Most importantly what target do we aim for? Beater or simple driver, rod run car for Natl events, cruise nighter, yeah very possible. But if this was a money/budget issue I'd get in the bought done and fixed line. But mine would be anything EXCEPT yellow. No ****in way do I want a buncha "Hey a Milner car!" comments every time I go somewhere. Yeah, I'm a ****in snob like that I guess.

 

I did this with a very strange pickup I bought at a farm auction a bunch of years ago for a couple bucks ( literally ) It was a 50 ford pick up fibregl*** one piece flip front end wide fibregl*** running boards and rear fenders with a new steel box and wood kit with and original cab on a butchered S10 frame .

bought the truck on a whim and instantly had buyers remorse ( even at $2 bucks !). Wtf am I going to do with this “ pro-street” pile of fibregl*** ?????

well I hunted and found a low rider s10 that had all the good suspension bits , a strong modified v8 and 4 speed .but the body and floors where rotted out of it .

swapped my body onto that ch***is . Added a few door seals , gl*** , flat black paint and I was cruising .

licensed it .as a s10 “hot rod”. Didn’t like it but was able to sell it for a tidy profit to someone that did .

as has been posted , “ right place at the right time” can go a long way to saving money in this hobby .

 

There are some people in this hobby that know what they have willing to sell @ fair reasonable $$, Not to long ago 80s90s in my Area you could pick up a 32 or pretty much any old car 1k or less ,a few bodies @ Carlisle 32 for $350 & my relative only wanted was the window garnish's .

 

Shop around as IMO you can purchase one cheaper than building one. See what's available and how close one can be found to match your vision. If you're skilled and can build a nice driver, not necessarily a show stopper "Traditional"32, 50K is a doable budget IMO. I have seen several real nice 32's under 50K for sale, shop around as the 32 market has dropped compared to years back IMO. My Opinion is worth the price you paid and no worries, Many experts here to guide you. Attached a pic of mine, owned 8 years, sold 7/8 years ago. Good Luck

New Tires, Knock Off wheel centers by wicarnut posted Aug 24, 2013 at 12:03 AM

 

50 grand? Probably got close to that in my gl*** car, unless I deduct all the **** I bought at the hardware store. Then I got about 40.

 

I think 50k is a great starting point for a nice 32 if you are doing most of the work. Decent stock steel bodies are hard to find and when you do find them you need to buy. I just purchased a 32 5 window project and think I paid on the higher side but the car has a ton of original parts and some high end goodie’s as well.

 

I could, but most of you wouldn't like it at all!
Not sure I'd waste my time on something that wouldn't be comfortable for me to drive, like a 32 would be.

Wait! Do I get to keep any budget money left over?

 

Unless those 17s are from a 33 ford
Those are cool

 

That would look odd. But still on topic

a slightly widened 17 (33 ford) would look great on the rear for this hypothetical 32 though

 

I am very careful to estimate the cost of a project before I start. I think I could build a 32 coupe for 50K. Its really a no-brainer. However my wife, who knows very little about hot rods tells me it will run at least twice what I figure. Therefore you should move forward with your 50K budget but be prepared to spend 100K in the end. So far this week I have spent a bit over 200 for a bad bearing in my 9" rear end and getting the correct axle retainers. Then I went to town and spent about $6.00 for gas and picked up some rattle can primer and paint to redo the shock mounts that had to be modified. Then there are the many many trips to get a bolt, nut or whatever else I forgot. I'm sure all the smart and talented people on this forum would plan better and not have all these unforeseen costs but I'm just not that talented. Your results may vary.

 

If you are capable then absolutely. If youre hiring out work then maybe...if you do the building yourself and scrounge parts then its very very doable