how's is the recession affecting your builds?

shop has work but it is slow paying the bills its good wifey has a good job hopefully that last who knows about the car building industry getting alot of mixed signals from people we shall see.

 

Hell yes! I thought it was just me!!!!!! Maybe he might want to go back to school!!!!

 

Haha, now we just have to work on "your / you're" and "to / too"

All's well here, but I feel for the guys who are hurting. More layoffs to come, I fear.

 

Spoken like someone who works for someone else!
I'm in a small business for myself, peddling a service that is a luxury...

Its DRAMATICALLY reduced my extra cash...

But, I've lengthened my timelines, and have actually just been spending more time on the details of things...I have time now, not money. So, work with what ya' got, right?

 

Fuck the build, I'm looking for work.

 

im fortunate to be on a fixed income . i was broke long before the recession !!!!!!!!!!
im used to it now ................... steve

 

The news says the economy has dropped by 17%. Logically, I should drop my hot rod budget by the same amount.

0 X 17% = 0

Nope, the recession hasn't affected me at all.

 

Both builds are on hold.Got laid off at the beginning of November and I'm not having alot of luck looking for work.Seems as if it slow everywhere.

 

HaHa! I said that the other day...screw it! I'm used to it...
We are making about 40% of what we were for the first two years we were open, and yeah, the media does NOTHING but assist people in being paralyzed with their checkbooks, but, Well...sometimes are lean, sometimes are fat, and right now, for me...its lean, but, you gotta adapt, and persevere.

I'm building, I'll keep on building, albeit at a slower pace, but, I HAVE had more time to build, so...its one thing for another...

 

I am retired, makes no differance to me at this point.

 

Being as I'm semi-retired, and my retirement fund has taken a huge hit this year it means that the wife and I'll be working part-time for as long as we're physically able. Which is OK, we'll get by. But it means that someday I'll have to sell the roadster to finance the completion of my '40.

 

Awesome to see so many possitive people say they are doing ok.... Hang in there boys and girls, only in America could we live good and still build and drive hot rods

 

I'm in Canada, and our dollar is currently only at $0.80us. Because most of the stuff comes out of the states it gets expensive. I liked it last year when we were on par I was able to import more stuff. Our dollar is generally tied to price per barrel of oil, so when gas goes up our dollar should too and I can spend less importing. Kind of ironic, hoping for gas to go up so my build will cost less!

 

Let's see, my wife is out of work, but at least on unemployment, we layed off half the crew at the boatyard I work in (my job is secure until we go under, which is highely unlikely) I just started to move out of my shop (can't afford it), and I am selling off everything that does not go on or to my Shoebox (which I will not part with!). But strangely I feel good about things, the household bills are covered, the kids will have a decent Christmas and I am married to my best friend and the coolest girl in the world. I actually feel rejuvenated to finish the Shoebox....

 

Groucho said, "EXACTLY! It's all about propaganda! I say, if ya turn off the fucking news, 30% of the economy will fix itself overnight." Very well said Groucho. I think that is 100% true! Seems like the news media drags everything down, and I don't even have a tv to see it all. I'm retired, on a fixed income, so things are about the same, but gas is cheaper !

 

Follow up question, with price of gas dropping has anyone decided to go with a bigger engine in their build?

 

got a lot of time to work full time on the toys
asian orange pays fair, best job I ever had, so getting lots of trinkets for the toys

 

Yo dipshit, yes I do work for someone else. And proud of it. I have also worked and am working for myself on the side. I have been sales manager,service manager, chief bottle washer in my 25 years of employment. Your comment has no merit, or maybe it does........if your business is so bad YOU might be the problem. Here is a tip....this is the new world order, only your grandparents did it already....www.daveramsey.com

And Neds Atomic Dustbin was fun.

 

a local shop in my area had to let a lot of people go because of no work

 

Nico No, .. still waiting on my V860 to get back from the engine builder... What goes down must go up again...

 

My car hobby has come to a complete STOP since I got laid off 6 months ago, with few prospects for another job anytime soon. You guys that say the recession is just TV news hype and not real, would make me laugh, if I was in any mood to laugh.

I'm planning to go back to college in January for another degree, I guess the two I already have aren't enough.

The only thing I have to do right now is be on the HAMB at 3 am. This is bull.

 

geez trent, he didn't say anything to warrant being called a dipshit.

i don't get why you guys think this recession is all a fabrication of the media. that media must be pretty damn powerful to slash your retirements in half, frozen the credit markets, run the automakers out of business and caused the highest unemployment in a quarter century, etc. the people here saying they lost their jobs, etc. didn't get laid off because of friggin NBC or CNN. you think our piss poor excuse for a president is asking the banks why they ain't loaning any money to anybody without stellar credit because he watches fox news? you think the CEOs of detroit are offering to work for free because of some article in the new youk times? it's downright condesending to tell a guy who lost his job because his employer's customers, and line of credit disappeared, to turn off the TV and all his problems will magically go away.

FWIW i never watch ANY TV news, and hardly an hour of ANY tv in a week.

times really are tough out there for many people, not just those who overextended themselves. i'm in a good situation myself, i owe nothing to anybody and am continuing on with projects as normal, and it didn't take dave ramsey to set me straight. i do realize though, that a few unfortunate events could drastically change my current standard of living in a hurry. sure part of the blame is on regular people who managed their financed poorly, but right now, even if they wanted to take ramseys advice, there isn't a helluva lot a guy can do to dig himself out of the hole when he can't even get a job that pays enough to pay the rent.

blame whoever you want, the reality is the recession is real, and is really already a depression, they're just not calling it that yet.

 

I'm watching my savings pretty close and am a little concerned that I may end up owing money on my 401k (I keep waiting for it to stop going down). But I'm doing alright fiscally. I have enough money to survive for a few months if I have to. I'm rather concerned about our incoming president's economic policy, since it doesn't seem to make much sense. However, I could be wrong.

I certainly don't think that this recession is all media hype. People have lost their jobs, the economy has shrunk. But I don't buy into the hype that this is the next great depression. It'll get better at some point.

Either way, I'm sitting in Luanda at the moment, and have realized during my stay here that things could be much worse. America has a long way to go before it hits rock bottom and I don't see us getting anywhere close.

 

Model A build still moving ahead since already had most parts bought and paid for before the wife got laid off but the 62 Chevy 2 drag car rebuild in progress came to a abrupt stop.

 

All my US sourced repro parts I have yet to buy have gone up by 30%!!! Ouch!
Fortunately I was able to buy quite a few from existing stock at our outlet over here just as the Aussie Dollar started to fall. Still have to get big ticket items like windshield frame, top insert, bumpers (I know, I know - leave them off!), gauges, wheels, tires etc for my 34 5W.
Oh well, them's the breaks!
Just glad I bought the coupe from Canada when I did!

Chris

 

Thanks ray, I'm glad someone else can at least recognize what should be obvious to everyone.

As for the rest of you, Dave Ramsey my ass! I'm still in a decent situation with just my wife working because we've always been savers, not spenders, so we didn't need some johnny-come-lately-so-called-financial-gury to tell us not to spend more than we make and to save for a rainy day, that's how we always live. It's bad here in the northeast, and if you don't buy into that "hype", perhaps you need to watch MORE television, not less.

Hey, I'm glad to hear you are all still working, I hope you're all still happy after you're unemployed for 6 months.

 

amen brother

 

As long as marijuana is illegal , theres always a way to come up with money for a project. I'm just joking of course.

 

Seems like everyone on here is at least surviving. That's the key word, surviving. I've been in busines since 1978, I haven't had a "job" since then and I've had my share of recessions and bad times. That's the price you pay for being independent.

I've learned plenty about surviving...you gotta create your own economy, life, existance, rules and autonomy. If you don't, there are plenty of people out there who will.

This economy we are in right now has slowed down my striping biz somewhat, but that's pretty much the way it has always been for me, because I don't push it. I don't market the striping too much and I choose to live in the country, no shop in town, so I have to go to get my business by focusing on car shows and individuals, not whoring myself at dealerships. It comes and goes. But I wouldn't trade it for a steady job. The worst day working for myself is better than the best day working for a boss.

My advice for entrepreneurial types - seize opportunities and create that economy of your own. Everyone will buy the necessities and a few will pay dearly for the luxuries, you just gotta decide which you want to serve.


You cannot control what others do, you can only do what you think you can do. Use your gut, your heaad and go with your heart, don't let others do it for you.

Most businesses I visit with are doing well ,but are concerned their customers will back off if it hits them hard, if it even does.

I recommend the owners of the busiesses ask their customers what it will take to ease the pain. Stick with the customer, work out a deal to keep their business. Don't just quit. Offer them something of lesser cost, offer a lower rate, ask them how you can help or what will it take to keep them as a customer.

Even in the Depression millions of cars were sold, houses were built, people ate, entrepreneurs created their own economies, people worked jobs. So no matter the situation, you can, if you have the know how and desire, get out there and create your own life of independence.

Yes it is hard when you have no moeny, talent or will power to begin something on your own. Well if you have the desire, no matter the economy or who the Prez is or what CNN say's you can do it if you really want to.
When I started in '78, all I had was beat up old car, no gas, no clients, no money and plenty of ignorance. But what I did have was the need to be my own boss, I wanted so badly to create my own thing. There were no books, o mentors, no one pushing me. I was on my own. I had to learn how to hustle, survive the negatives, then once I started thriving it was VROOM all the way.

Hang in there car guys, we ain't done yet.

foot note- My wifey of 33 years (this January) supported me all these years., mentally, physically, emotionally. If it weren't for her, I doubt I would've made it this far. No, she has never worked a steady job, except maybe five years in all. Oh she did one helluva job raising our 3 kids Talk about a JOB!!

Hustle...Survive...Thrive...VROOM!

Mikey
www.MikeysPinstriping.com
www.HotRodConsutling.com

 

So, I see you take ball breaking like a fucking pussy, huh? Heres some fucking smilies for you, since you missed the first one insinuating that I was FUCKING AROUND WITH YOU:
My comment was meant to point out that some feel it more than others.
How old are you?! You need some fucking Valium or something ya' prick?
My business is not bad, its just not as good as it was, because around here ( yes, things may just be different depending on your geographic location, too. Its not a uniform world. ) you have NO idea the litany of issues some of us are facing, and, in fact many beyond our control, and some that we share the blame for as well, so don't presume to know all, ya' self-righteous douchebag. My bills are PAID, my debt is LOW...But, MY LANDLORDS are not, so now, I may be looking at spending my car money this winter on finding a new location, too, so, yeah, I'm going to be working with less money for a little while. Some of us are, some of us aren't, but if you think anyone and everyone thats doing poorly right now is full of shit, or just inept, you've got you presumptuous head in the sand.