How do you fund your projects?

I'm in the same position as you except I'm one year older. If you have parts laying around that you can sell or a skill you can****** for money i say go for it. Also, by going my own welding, fabrication and bodywork, I have saved a ton of cash. My current project, a AWB Vair, I bought it stock for $500 then sold everything in it, engine, trans, seats and trim. I almost got my money back by going that and now I have invested less then the $500 I paid for it. Its a bit of the extreme, selling wise but it just shows that if theres a will then theres a way. Good Luck

 

My degree is definitely my priority.

I'm still learning and I have limited parts, there Isn't much I can trade or sell. I am a photographer and graphic designer, so I could photoshop pictures and sell some of my art. I have a pair of Flatheads in good shape I may be able to flip and maybe I can trade some labor for parts.

 

i work as much as i can at a place that sells the parts i need. gotta love employee discounts!

 

I do a lot of side-work to earn extra money for my projects. Plus collecting parts that are take-offs that your buddies are going to toss out helps, because I have traded a ton of stuff I wasn't going to use/didn't need for stuff I would use. It is a lot more work and it takes a lot longer to do anything on the cheap, but when you don't have any money you really don't have a choice.

 

arrest more people so I have more paperwork and get overtime. No I'm just kidding I just lock my wife in the house so she can't spend any money.... Now if I could just find that darn key

 

[QUOTEI have a pair of Flatheads in good shape I may be able to flip and maybe I can trade some labor for parts. <!-- / message -->][/QUOTE]

Theres some parts that You should keep and those Flatheads might be it.

 

Summer jobs, flipping cars, getting loans from dad.

 

I'm even younger (17) and dont have a job at the moment. Good thing my parents have to feed me by law. I am selling extra parts that came with project (2 barrel marine rochester anyone?) and doin oil changes for parents and friends.

 

Well...being stuck on a two/three day work week (thanks to the darned psychiatrist) @ part time pay for the time being, I have to sell stuff I've collected over the years. The cb750 cafe racer went to a new owner after I wrecked it and straightened it back out, that bought a LOT of stuff from other people's left over project stashes...

Basically fabricating what I can't afford, trading for what I can't make, and a few freebies thrown in once in a while don't hurt!

 

Like most, I****** myself out on other peoples projects.

 

I smuggle in pet food-grade imitation crab meat from north korea, re-season, and re-package it, and sell it to high dollar restaurants at an extremely inflated price, ad fresh crab meat.

 

Stimulus money from the government -

 

I bet you don't make a lot doing that... maybe livestock shows

 

as said family always comes first, o-t and side jobs went to the truck.always keep your eyes open.i got offered a motor out of a van if i pulled it.traded it to a glass shop dude for all new glass.another dude had called a wrecker to come get a junker.they had a motor rolled up in the trunk.i rolled it out sold it and bought a******* mount. sold a set of hideous lookin bumpers and bought a front end kit.stuff like that. its out there.and i second the "leave thecredit cards alone"..............................dave

 

Tools , Tools, Tools, If you are young or old buy high quality tools learn how to use them they will pay for them selves over time plus provide you with all the skills you need. Pay cash for them, don't put anything on a credit card unless it's an American Express that has to be paid in 30 day's. Put aside a certain percentage out of the pay check no matter how small for the shop and projects. Put another percetage away for life savings so you canretire when you are 45. Don't change directions in the middle of your build. Do tons of research. Stay away from the******s, booze, and drugs. Get a GOOD EDUMACATION. There is a lot to be said for consistancy, constantly moving from one place to another might seem like a good idea but it will cost you something every time. Find a good place with lots of elbow room and settle in. Make sure your occupation will last you a life time, I.E. do not become a cassette tape expert or a VHS repairman or salesman for the Vegga-Matic. Don't ask why I think these are good ideas.

 

Professional hit man.
Serious.

 

Darn, I had my heart set on selling refurbished Beta tapes

 

I cant tell you...I swore to protect the innocent

 

The hobby can fund itself. You have a PC, you can read, you can memorize what old parts are hot and NOT. Every swap or tag sale you buy for resale or trading stock. Everytime you go to pick up parts at a guys place, you ask "what else you got?"

I have done the above since the late 60s. It works even better now with the internet. If you get good at it you can fund even the most desirable builds.

 

Been there, done that. Work work work. When I was in college, I worked all summer long. I got up early and into a factory (remember those?) where I was a janitor paid under the table from 6 AM to noon, went home, and then worked on a loading dock at a supermarket from 1pm to 9PM, every day.

'Course that was just to pay tuition and books. :|

I agree on buying and selling stuff. Craigslist. Buy cool stuff at yardsales, and sell it on Craigslist for more $. Most yardsales the peple just want to get rid of***** that's filling up their house, so it's cheap. Fair amount of time involved in this approach though.

Mainly, get through school. The build can scream when you graduate and have the time and money to do it.

Good luck
Pete

,

 

Trade out,,supply and demand,,barter with people

 

Sell everything your not using, or trade it for stuff you need. Networking is key. Make friends that do things you cannot...you will be valuable to them if you know things they do not. Trading skills is the biggy. As for saving money, I doubt there are too many of us able to do that in these times. Just don't eat out, movies, etc....stay focused on your goal and penny pench.

 

My day job pays reasonably well. It could be better, but couldn't it always. Try to pick up as many of the on-site****ignments as I can too. Overtime + per diem + mileage money puts a little more $$$ on the bottom line every month. I'm a retired BMX racer, so living cheap comes natural to me.

Me and one of my VW buds used to build cars to flip and part junkers out over the web, but it's gotten to the point where 'Tards wanna sue you over any little thing so I've kinda backed up off that for now.

 

Werk my**** off, buy, sell, trade parts, trade werk.
after the family/bill stuff is taken care of the rest is mine (about $3 a week these days)

 

I've always been a terrible saver, so bad i have to trick myself into saving. I use my check card a lot, i hardly ever write checks. When I write the automatic transaction down in my check blotter, I always round up to the nearest dollar, sometimes, the nearest $5........and before long, I've got a surplus in my checking that I can shift into my savings account, or, blow on parts.

 

We always funded all our car purchases and projects with sales of parts at swap meets. These days that probably isn't too easy to do but we raised our kids and didn't spend "earned" money on old cars and parts. "Earned" money is that brought in from working at a job, the money meant for food, shelter and clothing for you and your family.

 

jeffrey james taught me how to tie my shirt in a knot in the front and wear some short shorts while standing in front of the pay phone.

thanks JJ

 

start doing the job you are being trained for ... it pays well when it pays ...
2 birds one stone ..

thats how i finished my shoebox in collage -- being a photographer for anything

 

I used to flip used cars that were abandoned at my friend's frame shop. He'd file the lien or just ask for the****le when they wouldn't pay. I'd market the car and split the profit over and above what the mechanic bill was. Made good scratch doing it because some people abandoned cars for as little as a $200 shop bill.

BTW, never buy a car like this. Runs, stops, turns? Repairing time is over. I'm the guy my friends call when they look at a car to make sure nothing funny was done to it.

 

Usually sell stuff (or a car) to help. Seems like we all moonlight, too. Where are all the highbuckers who hire every thing out? What are your secrets? Actually, respect all the guys who are doing it themselves a lot more. Don't even want to know how the other half does it.