How much does it cost to be a gold chainer???

If I had 100K or more to spend on a car, and didn't know how to build one, I would take some cl***es at the local college and build it myself, rather than payin someone to do it! I guess I'm just wierd like that! I felt bad just if I had to take any aluminum part I needed welded to the local shop cuz I don't have a TIG!! Until I reach the point where I have more money than brains, I don't think I could ever pay someone else to build me a car!!!

 

If I had $100k to spend on a car I'd probably not have the time to build it myself. As it is I work 13 hours a day travel to and from work takes another 2 hours so I have 9 hours at home, I spend 8 of those asleep and the other 1 eating and getting clean.

doesn't leave much time for a car build.

 

Hmmmmm, this has been an interesting thread to follow for sure. Having built a few cars for myself and having had two cars built for me, I certainly know the savings that can be had by doing the work yourself. I also know my limitations and when I see some of the work performed by others with half the tools I own and half my age, well I just have to say" I ain't got enough life left in me to get that good." However, the cars I had built were a really REALLY rusty 1933 Buick 90 series Victoria on a 138" WB (a true cl***ic as it is one of 556 made) which I sold to make way for the next hired out car, a 1948 Cadillac convert. Cerainly, I had a lot of money in each but, there's no way I could have saved the Buick on my own and the Caddy features many body mods that were way beyond my skills. The Buick was a feature car in Street Rodder and the Caddy is, I think, going to be in one of the Buckeroo mags. All that said and done, do I feel any better driving down the road in either of those cars than I do in one that I toiled over and skinned my own knucles on? Certainly not. It is just that at that time in my life I wanted the Buick and then the Caddy. The costs were what they were and what I was willing to pay. However, the costs for these two very unique cars were way less than what I see mentioned above and that is because I found a builder that could do the body work and general constuction for way less than the big-name shops. What the hell do I care if I say Marty's Rod Shop built my car compared to Tucci's or Brizio's or Johnson's or-well, you get my drift. I'm happy and have been. I have fun driving my car to all the meets we go to, we never power park-NEVER-howver, I do have some lawn chairs that I use frequently 'cause I'm old and need my afternoon naps and sometimes mid-morning ones too! What the ****, I guess what I'm saying is, what the hell does it matter what it costs and who did what as long as you enjoy the end result and aren't a pain in the *** to everyone around you. Sorry for the rant, just a geezer spouting off.

 

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what'd that Grandmaster thing foose designed cost.....like 1.5 million!?! when it came to GG's Columbus 2 summers ago, it was the "****", then last year was mostly ignored. hmmm...money well spent?

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I saw a program on the Concours d' Elegance guys, "I have no idea how much money I have, I just know it'll never run out in my lifetime" guys. The top contenders buy obscure, super rare cl***ic cars and have them 100pt restored for millions and then do it again the next year trying to one up each other. As I recall, the cosmetics company guy, Max Factor, is one of them.

Just goes to show how futile keeping up with the next guy is, and goldchainers are just in the middle of the pack.

 

The only reason I love this hobby is because I do the work myself and learn as I go on. It just wouldn't be any fun to drive a 6 digit golden monster when the only thing I can talk about is the money invested and who did the work. I guess if I was so busy making money and didn't have the time to learn the trade, My interest in these would still force me to buy someone elses work. When you think of it... Its no different than the thousands of people who own the original Detroit built antique and cl***ic cars and have the neighborhood body and interior shop do their work.

 

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what'd that Grandmaster thing foose designed cost.....like 1.5 million!?! when it came to GG's Columbus 2 summers ago, it was the "****", then last year was mostly ignored. hmmm...money well spent?

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I saw a program on the Concours d' Elegance guys, "I have no idea how much money I have, I just know it'll never run out in my lifetime" guys. The top contenders buy obscure, super rare cl***ic cars and have them 100pt restored for millions and then do it again the next year trying to one up each other. As I recall, the cosmetics company guy, Max Factor, is one of them.

Just goes to show how futile keeping up with the next guy is, and goldchainers are just in the middle of the pack.

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Now we're getting somewhere! you guy have been talking gold plated chains up to now. I've seen paint jobs that were in the 40k range!

" Money is only important, when you don't have it! "

for the few that do its simply a way to keep score. I liked it when George Poteet was interviewed after selling "The Sniper" the reporter had some idea how much that car cost to build and expected tears. George just said Hell I'm happy, Don't know anyone esle that has sold a 54 Plymouth for $85,000" (and it was green too. and made a hard top out of a convertable)
there is an at***ude for a car guy, Just happy to build the next one, seems like he's been there done that and is back on the farm doing what loves, Cars.

I wouldn't spend that kind of money for one reason "I don't have it" but.... (there always seems to be a but...)
right now I spend every dime I can afford on cars and don't know what would change ( maybe the cuts, burns and greasy finger nails) If I had 100 million bucks

 

man in that case i havnt even a dirty ring around my neck, ive got like a tan line ring or somthing lol

 

"........its all about time-"
Yeah--the semi-gold chainer can just order his parts, screw them together, and paint--the real goldchainer only needs enough time to write a check--but building a real car requires endless searching for the right stuff, endless hours of chipping off the rust and dirt, and has YEARS of time in it before anything even goes together--there's a real price to NOT being a gold chainer beyond the money. And with the current nostalgia-rat fads bringing in money-waving geeks from the goldchainer ranks, the good stuff is getting damned expensive too. What I'm doing with real deuce and flathead stuff is getting to be nearly impossible--I'm lucky that I managed to find most of the bits I need before Ebay and the current retro fads drove everything deuce through the roof. I really bled to get $75 fenders and grills, but thank goodness I have them--now, not only couldn't I afford the parts, I probably couldn't find everything I need even if I had the money.
The chainers are taking a realistic course to actually get what they want quickly, and I think they are making defensible choices in a society with more money than time. There are a lot more people around who can whip out $100,000 than people who can take decades to find all the bits for a real deuce roadster!
I personally have zero interest in what I see as a pile of brightly painted repro ****, but I can understand those who see it as infinitely better than a heap of rusty fragments needing another ten years of work.

 

Damn! I could put one of these on the VISA! Brookville

 

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I've seen a '56 that is supposed to be somehwere in the 200,000 range.
The last time I read statistics it said that the average street rod cost around 100,000 to build.
Here's a good one, the summer before last I ask a friend who owns a shop about winning the Riddler Award. He said the last winner cost about 1.5 Million to build. So he figured it would cost more than that to win.
At that price I won't make it past the rusty chain set, perhaps aluminum chain if I want to go High Performance.

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Wow! That's just nuts. My 56 Vic. is a nice car and I've got less than 1/4 of that in it. Now that's w/ some family rates on body work & some dad and son work. But hell, even if I paid big bucks for what I've had done I'd still only have like 25k in it.

I just don't get what some of these guys are paying. I can find a ton of nicely restored stock cars for 10-15 k that will only need a nosing, decking, lowering, and some cool wheels and tires to be nice mild customs. Like I said above, I can have a freakin' nice traditional rod built for me for 15-20 k.

I guess it's an overkill thing. If you have to have leather Recarro seats, AC, a ton of billet, etc. you can spend a ton. I'll take an *** load of power & simplicity over that **** any day.

 

Interesting thread.

Realistically our opinions on a lot of the points brought up here would be different if we had 100 million + in the bank.

2c.

Im happy as hell i have less than 10k in my car and i get more looks than the next door neighbour in his 280k Porsche Turbo.

=]

 

Roger MIGHT let my old deuce go for around $80K...
You interested?

Smokin Joe's HiBoy project

I started it in 94 and he finished it a year ago.
We ain't gold chainer's so it took a while...

 

"Realistically our opinions on a lot of the points brought up here would be different if we had 100 million + in the bank."

Hey, I'd be doing the same thing, but I would have a staff of slaves working around the clock cleaning rust and dirt off of my parts so I could work on my heaps in a carpeted garage like a street rodder. Another platoon of lackeys would follow me around at Hershey, pushing my wheelbarrows full of hundred dollar bills and carrying my parts purchases on their heads like an African safari in 1920. Belay that, I'd BUY Hershey and have my flunkies parade all the goodies past me in my living room. Rows of geeks chained to computers would dominate all early Ford action on Ebay and present me daily with leather-bound professionally illustrated printouts of all relevant activity on HAMB, Ahooga, and the flathead forums.
A fully restored 1947 Divco truck filled with brand-new Plomb tools would stop by the garage daily and sell me my needs at 1947 catalog prices, all going back into my coffers anyway. A junkyard like Tardels would fill the back forty, but all the hulks would be freshly cad plated to prevent deterioration and sprayed with "Rust" paint from the model train shop...

 

Thats the big picture for sure Bruce. I have built every car I've owned, but if the bank account suddenly skyrocketed, would I really clean, grind, weld, cut off and reweld, paint, sand off and repaint, for the several years it takes me to get a car together? probably not. Unless I'm not doing it right, theres not a lot of joy in s****ing 60+ years of crud off parts. I would have some talented guys to do the grunt work for me and I would plan the car and do the fine details and fun stuff. like George Poteet,Bruce Meyer, Leno. They're involved in the cars buildup or restoration, but aren't turning the wrenches. I've got no axe to grind with those types, but the rich guys who buy something just to be "in" and impress their snooty friends without any knowledge of how its put together or how to fix it, well, those are the real goldchainers.

 

Now I can't climb inside the head of a so called 'Gold Chainer' and I can't even say they're all the same, but I'm of the opinion that a bottomless cup of cash doesn't bring happiness. I honestly would like to have a straight talk with someone who's truly loaded and see what they have to say.
My old man's quite wealthy and he has a stash of Rolls Royces, an Aston Martin and A Mercedes Benz. They all sit around, get used very rarely, some of them don't even run. He's sitting on a pile of useless and rapidly depreciating rubbish as far as I'm concerned. I bet you my $5000 '34 Ford will outrun his Aston 0-60 mph. As far as I can tell he doesn't give a **** about any of these toys.
This is no way meant to denigrate what he has, because even though he's my old man, I still can't climb inside his head.

For me the greatest joy in this hobby is to go looking for stuff, the swap meet is where I'm at my happiest. There is not much joy in walking away from an Edmunds dual intake for a flatty going for a mere $120, but if you've only got $20 in your pocket, you have to let it stay there. However that 50 cent doodad you picked up and stare at on the way home can indeed bring great joy.

I guess it's perspective, because we're not all the same and it's wrong to paint goldchainers as unworthy. No one but that person knows what their motivation was or how much they love their car.

All I know is that deuces like the one pictured above don't even get a second glance from me. If that's some kind of inverse snobbery, then so be it. I just know what quickens my pulse and 90 percent of the cars I see at shows down here have zero effect on me.

 

This wasn't intended to be a gold chainer bashing, I was just curious what the really nice cars cost.

Buy what you can afford, most have earned their money.

 

Sorry could not resist any longer
MUST BE A GOLD CHAINER SWAP MEAT

 

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I guess it's perspective, because we're not all the same and it's wrong to paint goldchainers as unworthy. No one but that person knows what their motivation was or how much they love their car.

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Nads..........you hit the ail right on the head IMHO....

It's all about what you can afford........ Poteet spends LESS MONEY on his stuff than you or I.........in proportion to his overall wealth. If I spent 5 grand......thats a 2 -3 months work. If he spends 25 grand.....it a drop in the bucket for him.

I have met Poteet at Charlotte AutoFair......and you would not know he had $5 in his pocket.........cool guy.....


I met Meyers at the LA Roadsters show......he is a legend in his own mind......

Everyone wishes they are more affluent.......more cars, bigger shops and more time off the enjoy them. Me included.


.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2454249312&category=6057


Well I guess it cost MORE than 75 grand to be a Gold Chainer.....


.

 

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Sorry could not resist any longer
MUST BE A GOLD CHAINER SWAP MEAT

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No, it needs some custom monogrammed folding chairs, and a few yippity dogs. Dont forget a really dumb hat.


Yeah, some of the gold chainer cars are cool to me. Like, I an go and see them, and they excite me about as much as like...a muscle car or something like that. Like it's cool they like cars, and have an intrest. Alot of times the paint is really cool, and the interior is beautiful...but not right in *that* car. its also kind of cool when they do something out of the ordinary, and put an oddball motor in one, like a new cadillac or something. But it seems really retarded to me, to spend that kind of money, to have something that any other rich guy could go out and buy. Thats why **** like we do is cool. Every car is different, and they're all hand made. You dont go and buy the **** off the rack, and bolt it to your car.


I went to the pavilions car show here in scottsdale last night (gold chainer central) My favorite car? The 29 RPU in primer and patina with the old flathead, and the harley fishtail exhaust.

Its funny, I actually heard gold chainers making fun of it.
Their car? Gl*** 30 Coupe with an in dash dvd player. I'm not even kidding.

 

There was a comment that if I had a 100K or even 500k to spend on a car I would not have the time. That is probably right. Alot of these guys that have the big money had to work for it, running their own business or being a CEO.. It all takes a lot of money and they do not necessary have the time to put into it.. They want to have a finished car to attend the car shows with their friends. They do not want to worry that it may break because it had a used engine or ******... If I have 100k to spend it would mean I have a million or more in the bank (probably several) I would probably have someone build me a car. Ya i enjot the swaps but I also enjoy driving it and not having to wrench on it. Would I have a project to mess with, can't say as I do not know what it would be like to have that type of money..

my Dad is not a wealthy man but has 3 finihsed cars (thou one is apart now) and a 33 Ford that needs to be done) and they range from a 15k to a 40k (guessing as he has never said what his roadster cost him). Do I consider him a Gold Chainer, no because I know he does not have the time to build a complete car. It would take him years to finish one... He bought all of the car as is and did not build any of them from scratch thou the 33 is his retirement car when he does get the time.. He has told me he likes being able to jump in the roadster or 40 sedan and go.. Just add gas, check the oil and enjoy the open road or local car show.. His 15k 40 coupe is apart currently and off the frame being rebuild.. this car allows him to spend time when he has it in the garage reliefing the workday stress. I think he has the best of both Hot Rodding worlds. A nice finished car and one that he can tinker on..

Does knowing your limitations and that you do not have the talent to build a car but can afford to buy one or have it built make you a Gold Chainer... to mean it you understands your situation. Calling someone a Gold Chainer is about as insulting as someone calling your unfinshed hot rod a "Rat Rod". I am guessing neither person likes it. (I will get off my soapbox now..)

 

That all depends just what you may consider a "gold chainer" ride. Compant here in town turnkey '32's for $37,000 U.S. I've been through the shop many many times, Greg puts out a damn fine ride for that kind of cash. I'm sure if you wanted him too he could add a bit here and there and inflate the price accordingly.
www.therodfactory.com

 

Deuce Roadster, The Ebay ad says that the upper rear corners of the doors were rounded by hand. He just gave himself away. A gold chainer would have had that done by a special programmed robot. Some people just can't pull off being something they are not.

Frank

 

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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2454249312&category=6057


Well I guess it cost MORE than 75 grand to be a Gold Chainer.....


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Impressive, that car looks like its speeding of to the gay bar. even thou its standing still.

 

I guess my spin on this is......are you having fun?? Who CARES what anyone else thinks?? The hobby as a whole, whether your driving a rusted out '50 Dodge more-door or a 2 million dollar custom that you bought, or a what-ever-you-have that you busted knuckles, lost sleep, spent your bread money, and sweated over, ARE YOU HAV'IN fun??

I know some guys who are totally into rods and love them, but barely know how to get the fuel cap off of their Toyota. And, most of them, even though they would love to own a nice rod, don't have that in their budget. I guess it's priorities.

I have several fellows in my town following me around, and stopping by when I'm working on my cars, just to shoot the **** and see what's going on. That's their way of being in the hobby, I guess. I enjoy it, they enjoy it.....that's what 'it's' about.

I also know some of the high roller gold-chainers are spending the big bucks so all of us and the rest of the car world can oooooooh and aaaaah over what they had built. I suppose some of them could give a **** about the car, they just want the attention.

I guess some (or all) of us want the attention also, though, that's why we want cooler wheels, lower stance, better paint that the next guy. So, I guess we're somewhat all alike??

I guess you could mull this over forever and see all different sides of the hobby. But, the question still remains.....

ARE YOU HAVING FUN????

Flatheads forever

 

I just watched Rides and the subject was Rad Rides eBay Mustang. That was priced at 120KUSD. In the shop was a very trick '36 rag top with huge amount of one off fabbing ... estimated cost 250K !!!

And then you convert that to canadian funds ... small sky****er prices

later,
papa al

 

so-cal used to advertise '32 roadsters at $55-$75k i used to think this was high, but after reading some of the other posts on this thread, it doesn't seem so bad (but out of my price range).

 

I don't have any idea what it costs to be a chainer but I wanted to point out that a fun, shiney car doesn't have to cost a lot. I know my truck doesn't do much for most of you guys and I'm cool with that. It's definitely not traditional, it's not any period car, and I don't have an eye for style. It's just a fun car to drive. When I put it on the road 9 years ago I had less than $10K into it and it shows when you look close but I don't care. It's got a lot of junkyard and home made parts in it and all the work was done by me alone in my shop. I've put over 65,000 miles on it and it doesn't go to many shows unless there's some pals there to sip cool drinks and bull **** with.

I know there's a lot of guys that don't have the time or ability to build a car and that doesn't necessarily make them gold chainers. I think the bottom line is, why do they want a car.....for fun or trophies? Being judged ****s, whether it's to win a trophy or if it's by someone who wants to tell me how I should have built my car. The only way to win is to drive it.