Is it wrong to buy a completed rod?

My gut says to do it...drive it....and enjoy it. Then personalize it during the winters. I'm also buying the roadster because it suits the taller gentleman. That was a huge factor. Thanks for the input!

 

if its a decent car and you like it, buy it, or buy one that needs finishing and do that, no shame in my books buying something you like if you got the money, just don't take credit for somebody elses work is all

 

Hey - that's Bill Cushenberry's El Matador.

You owned that car? That's a significant piece of work.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

All the above stuff is good to know.

In that case...

SPEED ADDICT... ARE YOU LISTENING??

SELL ME THE 39 SO I CAN PUT THE 348 INTO IT AND CALL IT A DAY!!!

Travis

 

If it's close to what you want buy it, work on it, change it. They're never really done you know.

 

I've run into the same thing, sort of....I'm building my own hot rods, built my own racecars but I recently picked up a motorcycle from a fellow HAMBer. I don't know anything about bikes, I've never been on a bike one day in my life. As soon as I heard it idle I had to have it and bought it right there. Now everybody asks me questions about it and I say, "Ummm I don't know, I didn't build it." I feel kinda dumb when I can't answer their questions.

 

nothing wrong with buying a done car. Just don't turn it into garage art----drive the hell out of it.

 

I bought my first hot rod, drove the snot out of it, fixed up some stuff as I went, then I realized I could build one myself.

 

Hmmm.. Let me see here, I'm 62, the car was built 75 years ago, it was rodded back in the 40's as a jalopy, then updated in the 60's, got rejuvinated in the 80's, left outside to rust, I get it, and think, whoopee, I have a Traditional rod. Did I build it? No, Henry did back then, and several inbetween, and now I'm adding my changes, so I guess I'd be guilty of not scratch building it. (But at least it's not made of plastic)

 

Yeah, here I am in 1975 with the car in my pasture. What a car, what a time that I had back then. Like a lost lost lady that keeps creeping into your thoughts. If you find a car you like, and can afford, buy it, if you don't, you will regret it!

 

as a "justification" to buying a rod....I spent 20+ years liying around under **** piles of rust I didn't really want. I spent more money than my first rod cost to buy on most of them and more time than I really want to admit to. If I had known what I know now I would have just bought a car 20 years ago and be done with it. At least now I have spent cash on a finished (like they are ever finished) rod I spend my time liying under a car I actually want.

 

I used to think it was dirty to buy a finished rod. Now with my hectic job and a new baby and a "project" house to work on.....I can see why a guy would want to just buy a finished rod.

My suggestion: buy the car and then make a semi-major change or upgrade. Repaint it, or do an engine or ****** upgrade, or re-work the interior, whatever you think it needs. That will give you a lot of satisifaction and make it 'yours'.

 

Then take the time to learn about not only the bike you bought but bikes in general. You could answer something like. "The guy I bought the bike from, Hatch in Midland, did that and he told me he........." Boom, question answered by you on how something was done and you just gave credit to the dude that did it. Problem solved....next.

PS, I'm ***uming you bought the bike from Hatch.

 

17 years ago I picked up a Model A Tudor (at age 11) . . . I brought it home on a utility trailer . . . a true basket case. Over the years I've been gathering parts, getting ideas and dreaming. Never really having the skill, time or money to build the car I wanted.

The car and all the parts I've collected have been in barn storage for a few years now. In the meantime, I've bought and sold a few cars -- mostly foreign daily drivers. Over time I was able to save up a pile of money to start the build on my Model A. So here I was with a pile of cash from selling a couple cars, ready to begin building my dream car. I had the money, but still lacked the skill and time to build it.

As luck would have it, I came across a mostly "done" Model A Tudor (on that evil auction site). It was as if someone popped in my head and built the car I had been dreaming of. It was damn near everything I had wanted to build myself -- for less money than it would have cost me to build it on my own! And the price just happened to be the exact amount I had made selling my other two toys. I just couldn't p*** it up. I took a gamble, drove to KS (from MN) and bought it. The 500 return trip proved it's reliability and you couldn't wipe the grin off my damn face for weeks. Every time I look at the car or drive it I get the same satisfaction. I've never been so in love with a car. With the few things left to complete on it, I'll be able to add the little details from my "dream car" too. So I've got the "done" car and still have the makings of another nice car in the barn. I can't think of a better scenario than that!

 

Speaking of my own, my Dad's, and brothers' experience: all the cars we ever bought that were "done" eventually got changed around again anyway. We couldn't leave well enough alone. And you probably won't be able to either. Eventually you will make it "yours".

 

That pretty much says it all, right there.

Great story, by the way!!!

 

If it's OK to sell a car it must be OK to buy a car.

 

My first thought is - YES, but that's a bit narrow minded to say the least. Is it "wrong" - well - no I guess it's not. Is it the "same" - nope not the same either. Personally I think one would be missing out on a HUGE part of the fun by buying a rod - especially if it's done and it's your only "rod". OTH - if it get's you "out there" having fun - then more power to you.

That all said - building a rod - isn't for everyone (not a shot) - and why shouldn't they enjoy the sport???

 

AAAhhhhahahahahahah..

AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAahahahahahhahaaaa..


Thats funny.

and true.






I tried to buy a truck one time that was lowered and made into a hot rod of sorts......Once I got there and drove it, I chickened out.

It was definitley like having another man's underwear on.......NO THANKS.


I mean, my cars are ****ty......but they are MINE!

Its really hard for me to feel comfortable with other peoples work.

 

Yes, it is wrong to buy someone elses rod. This is considered an unpardonable sin and you will go straight to hell. Rudy,Cole,Littleman, and Plowboy, please call me on any cars you may have for sell, so that I may purchase them in order to save some wayward soul from eternal hellfire and brimstone.

Doc.

 

Oh yeah,

and a story about "buying" a car.....

If I took my "g***er" fairlane back home to my hometown, someone might say to me, "Oh, is that Jimmy Sterling's old car".

At which point I could say.....NO.

I bought this car off of him....but its definitely NOT the same car.

As a matter of fact, I can't even imagine anyone else owning it. Its MINE MINE MINE.

Someone thinks they had *** on my backseat...think again ***hole...I REMOVED the backseat.

Think you know the engine....think again. I put the new engine in.

The tube axle frontend sure as hell isn't stock either. hahaha.

The car is NOT the same.





I guess thats the only way to deal with buying a car...make it your own.

Some people do it by lying....others do it by changing things.





But you have to remember, every old car used to belong to someone else at some point......

 

My coupe was built by someone far more talented than i am. Its as if he built it for me. when i saw it for the first time it was love at first sight. hadnt felt that way since high school. i have a project i am working on now but i'm not fooling myself about my capabilities. i consider myself fortuneate to have been at the right place at the right time. i dont feel i need to change a thing and its sitting in my garage ready to roll, rock solid and put together right.

 

I think its okay to buy a finished car. Some people lack the skill and know how to build a car. Or simply don't have the time. Those people might enjoy the looks and feeling the car brings when they drive it. That might be whats important to them. Even tho they might not know how things go together or work. It all depends on the person.

I say if you need instant satisfaction. Buy one...If you still want to build your own someday enjoy the one you bought and take your time and build the one you dream about. I think if you have the money that this is a good way to go about it. sounds good to me.

Just depends on the person and what they want out of the car.

 

I didnt know there was such a thing as a completed car.......

 

The guys want me to buy something thats already running so they don't have to worry bout me. Its ok to buy something that runs, but you are gonna miss the garage part of it, but don't worry, you'll get it in there sometime soon, then ya can ya play w/the engine......

 

Don't understand the comments about "it's okay to buy a completed car if you have the money". In my opinion, it's a heck of a lot cheaper for an amateur to buy rather than build nowadays.

 

Instant gratification is fine if you can afford it.

 

...absoDAMNlutely...I'm no amateur when it comes to bein' in this hobby, but most all mine were bought cause I didn't want to wait months or years to have one. The coupe I have now is a culmination of years of scopin' out the coolest ideas off'n other's rides and makin' notes on how to build MY car someday. I too got tired of havin' to say "Yeah, it's so and so's old car". But understand, if you have someone else with more talent than you build your car, it's gonna cost alot more than buyin' a completed car, but you get what YOU want...can I hear an amen?

 

Amen.

Doc.

 

Nothing wrong with buying a "done' rod. Just be honest and give credit where credit is do.