I caught the cover of the new R&C and saw the headline BUILD YOUR FIRST HOT ROD... QUALITY DOESN'T MEAN BIG SPENDING > $5OOO modified..... So I don't have the time to look at it in the store so I buy the rag. I get my daughter to sleep and start checking out the story.... The first line reads "if you think it's impossable to build a hot rod on a next to nothing budget, this modified is ready to prove you wrong"... Then you get into the story more and the guy is given a body and frame, oh and did we mention that the guy also run's his own hot rod shop.... "most of the parts were discarded components from other cars, or used parts that customers wanted up graded" I'm not ripping on the guy's ride. I kind of like it. What pisses me off is that they try to p*** this off as a low buck build... I know it is for this guy, but how about the ave. joe who isn't handed this stuff everyday.... I'd like to see a REAL lo buck ride made for some poor guy (like me) who has to search out and find good deals, get ripped off from Ebay, have too sell off parts when times get tuff and then re-buy them after the family is taken care of...... Thats what I love about the HAMB I can watch it here all the time. Sorry for the rant.... I feel better now.
...they just forgot to add another zero to the cost...typo actually...ask JimA...happens all the time...
I know of a guy on the HAMB that built his t-roadster, paying for the body (gl***) and all the other parts himself, in 3 months, in his unheated garage, nites and weekends cuz he has a full time job, for that exact amount. He even did the marine grade tuck and roll interior himself too. I believe the 302 came from a car he parted out. He build the frame from scratch. I believe it can be done. A person has to have lots of skills and a thrifty-ness about them.
we fell for that **** as well- $5k budget bucket Street Rodder article in '96. Our "budget bucket" turned into $8500, using tons of homemade or junkyard parts! Deceptive stories really piss me off. Found this, had this, this was donated, whatever! And don't get us started on Rod and Custom as of late- they ignored our two garage built sub-$10,000 cars that they REQUESTED people send in, in lieu of *supposedly* homebuilt SHOP vehicles.............
Kind of like when Rod and Custom did a feature on Paul Beck's 32' 3w bonneville car.... Home built for something rediculous cheap....like $6800 or something.... Yea...its a cheap as car to build.....only when ya have a spare 32' 3w body sitting around...a frame just sitting around......a 396 and 4sp.....just sitting around.... those articles are ********.....
So, because he is a shop owner he can't use free parts? I was scrounging parts before I owned a shop, LONG BEFORE, and have been given free (or several close to, like a 12 pack) before I did it for a living. In fact, since owning a shop anyone offering up a body to me now thinks they can make bank off me. Even last night as Brad was machining his adaptors at my house, I saw a air pressure gauge and told him to put it in his pocket for his suspension, yet another free part. The guy in R&C might have more daily access to freebie stuff, but since being turned on to Craigslist, if you are fast and check often, you could get enough FREE stuff from the FREE catagory to build a rod for WELL under $5K. I even saw a '53 Dodge in there a couple months back. Person was moving and wanted it GONE.
I don't knock the freebies or that he owns a shop, it was just misleading that he built if for 5k and "YOU CAN TOO!!!" well maybe we all can but getting a free body and free frame and like others said having a bunch of DESIRABLE parts laying around isn't the norm. Not knocking the guy one bit, I really dig the car and the build, but if I took that on right now I'd have to spend alot more, or it'd take years to get all the "free" stuff. Usually the free stuff I get aint worth the effort to get it!
i have a friend (an old timer and super talented guy) who built an all steel 32 5 window from the ground up for under 5k. no BS. he has been collecting parts since God knows when and with ALOT of time and talent he was able to piece together this 5 window mostly from parts that others had deamed "garbage" and "unsaveable". he even raced it at B-ville. it was on the cover of RnC a few years back. he told me that he actually had LESS than 5k in it but that he did'nt figure anyone would believe it so he told the magazine guys it was 5k. it was blue with silver scallops and a stripe that down the middle over the top. super nice car. the guy is a magician with a torch and built that damn thing in his dirt driveway under a tent. i'm not BSin ya. point is, with ALOT of scrimpin, searchin and collecting and even more talent and elbow grease it CAN be done. you just have to put the time into it.
Not the owner's fault. If he's asked, he could say $5k. The mag is the fibber, to **** in sales obviously. I always take these things with a grain of salt because when you read these stories it always includes asides like "...and he just happened to be given," or "...had lying around" etc. Yeah, you've ********ted to me again. In this story, the "parts customers wanted upgraded" aside was also a sleight of hand. An honest to-the-point thing to say would be "he got discarded customers parts for free," if that is what they realy ment. I just get pissed off with ambiguous statements like that. Makes me smell a rat, which it usualy is. Car came out OK though.
Mike, you are referring to Paul Beck right?? He could probley build a few more with all the stuff he still has "collected" from WAY back. Yes, but Ryan is right, the ***le is misleading...BUT it did get you to buy the mag because of that ***le and right or wrong they're in it to sell mags. They will probley be folks who read this rant and will go out and buy the mag just to read that article.
got 7,000 in my coupe right now enjoying the hell out of it i even figured in everything took 4 mos to build not the best but been collecting parts for years the motor was built by me at 15 am 21 now been in 3 diffrent cars and just inspected it and threw it in the frame body was 700 frame bought from local rod shop when customer upgraded 2,000 axles and all just was really thrifty and got it done did everything but upholster the seat wich was 50 bucks +material another 100 bucks and that got alot of vinyl for the rest of the car it can be done
You are kidding right? You mean this one is misleading to sell magazines but all the years of Hot Rod and Car Craft telling you how to build "low buck 1000 HP motors" isn't? The point is to do EXACTLY what it did,,,,,,,, sell magazines. As for misleading, just depends on how you look at it. Did the guy build it for the amount listed? Yes. Who here hasn't used a free part on their rod? Where do you draw the line? I had a 35 Dodge truck that was cut down to a roadster, looked kinda cool but not my style. It was given to me. If I would have used it, wouldn't I be in the same boat? Now, I tried GIVING it away rather then crushing it. If someone would have taken it (no one did so we parted it) wouldn't they be in the same boat? Was the free body too much? I see them on Craigs regularly (ok maybe not as desirable, but still). The free suspension? I gave Brad an 8.8 for his sedan, should he count it as free? I have a 351W and 305 Chev in my back yard and ANY of my friends are welcome to it for free. It is possable to do it EASILLY with WORK. Problem is too many guys see the free list and the FINISHED car and go ********. When I built my C-cab, I bought it with a new body, a TP new frame and a slew of parts for $800. Most of it was t-bucket parts and had to be modified to the point of eaier to just build new. I sold the frame and parts for $1700. When adding up the car price spent, do I put down $800? $0? or -$900? We all do it, just most never make front cover.
That is my only point.... I'm not bashing the ride or the fact that the guy owns a shop, it's the headline ..... xderalict (sp) those are sweet rides for the price..... See I'm still making a lot of mistakes and doing things the hard way out of inexperaince (sp).... Also most of my friends, where I live, don't build cars..... Keep showing your cheep rides and how you built them. There's a lot of us out there watching and learning as we go..
It's typical magzine BS. You'll see a how-to build a "something" car on the cheap in magazines all the time. First, they might start with, i had this body sitting around my backyard for many years (current value if you had to buy-$7000), then, because of their status in the magazine, all the ****ing freebies. You get the point, it's ********! I like when i see Car Craft about 10 years ago do a shootout between a 71 or 72 Chevelle, a Dodge R/T(?), and a Ford Thunderbolt clone driven then by Dyno Don hisself. Anyway, i think the Chevelle was owned by someone who advertised heavily in Car Craft (i'll leave the name out) and "supposedly" ran 10 something in the 1/4 mile. A week after the magazine hits, i have video of a 12 second Nova cleaning his clock all day at the now defunct Terminal Island Dragstrip. No bad launches, or missfiring to blame, the Chevelle sounds fine on the video's audio. Just a misrepresented MUTT
Magazines have been doing the same type of acticles for years. Don't believe everything you read. (On the cover anyway) Cool car though.
I agree, I saw the article and thought it was deceiving. You can build a car for $0 if all the parts are given to you. You CAN build a car for less than $5K, and actually end up with something you like. I have $3k in my roadster, which is also my first "old car". I made as many parts as I could,with my tires being the most expensive item on the car. I horsetraded a lil but purchased the important items off ebay (lincoln dash, 3x1 intake, offy cover, doors, steering wheel, blc's, etc). I need to throw some more money at it to get it to where I would like it, but I was driving it to shows and such at the cost mentioned above.
My Dad has been *****ing about that article since it hit our mailbox. I coulda' sworn the owner is a HAMB'er. Anyway, this months Car Craft had an honest to goodness budget motor build-up with a detailed price list- they even counted the machine shop expense.
Misleading article? Probably - no shocker there though! Bottom line is that you CAN build a rod for that IF you put your mind to it and aren't afraid of some work and have a little patience. It ain't gonna happen to the average Joe in a few weeks time - THAT'S certain. BUT!!! it can happen - hit the swap meets - get lucky here and there - have a knowledgeable friend or two sure wouldn't hurt, but isn't absolutely necessary - plenty of guys here on the HAMB can fill in there. I've been scroungin' parts for a HOT ROD project - no time line - just when something is near free I grab it - 29 chevy pickup cab - couple hundred - NOS steering gear 20 bucks - brakes saved from the '47 - rear end too - cheap trans and a motor and I'll be golden. Couple sticks of 2 x 4 and I'm set!!! I do remember reading Hot Rod a year ago reading about building a dragster CHEAP! They were supposedly gonna build this thing low buck all the way - I think they were shooting for under 50K - cheap my *** - boy could I teach them a HUGE lesson or two.
I also agree mags have been doing things like this and it's nothing new, just, to me Rod and Custom, I thought was a bit above that, compared to other certian mags. But selling mags is their goal so be it. Kinda similar to articles about diy and building parts on a budget only to have the author whip out the 50k lathe/mill/cnc/sandblaster machine to make the $10 part, sure everybody has one of those.....
That is one of the biggest ******** stories I have seen in a mag in a long time. should said.. "Look what lots of free gifts and $5k gets you". R&C should be ashamed of themselves for that story.. Unless you can do everything yourself (thats no first timer) and get alot of free stuff, there is no way to build that car. Or maybe it should have read "Look what a builder can do with $5k and lots of free ****" thats as bad as a mag saying you can build a 1000hp motor for $3500
i forget how lil was spent, but the "brokesville" roadster they guys from RUFFRODDERS.COM came out pretty cool, aaaand cheap. i agree the mag was misleading,... but **** it, point is you CAN build a budget ride if you actually try.. link to the brokesville build... http://www.ruffrodders.com/cgi-bin/ib/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=89;t=4135;st=0
Alot of us on this board can put together a "budget" ride mainly because of our contacts, friends, relatives and others with parts to swap/discard/sell or whatever. Flower's roadster truck started out as an exercise in using stuff we had out in the shed, under the bench etc.. We got a roller "A" ch***is from a buddy of mine for $500, sold alot of the stock stuff including a full set of "A" wheels with good tires for $300 and we were off and running. I traded a good small block Chevy to my son for a complete running 8BA with a three speed that he pulled out of his '51 shoebox. My brother in law is doing a "G machine" 1967 Mustang so we had a perfect 8" Ford diff. sponsored to us when he bolted a late model 8.8 under his car. This kept going until she had it up and running in about 8 months but we still ended up with a bit over $5000 in it. It was only that cheap because she did all the welding/fab work and interior herself. The only thing we farmed out was the $65 radiator from Ebay that needed a re-core. Now the average guy that reads the article in Rod & Custom thinks "wow, I can do a hot rod cheap" has a rude awakening coming! I've been approached by several people lately who want us to build them a car and when they say they have five or six grand to spend......I have to chuckle.....that ain't gonna do it, no matter what the magazine said.
Time + Money + Talent = Hot Rod. If you are lacking in one of the three components, you'll need more of the other two. If you are lacking in two of the components... you'll need a boat load of the other one. If you're lacking in all three... it'll be nearly impossible to build a car. Sam.
It is definitely possible to build a presentable car on the cheap. My brother traded a big block Mopar blower manifold and drive kit that he had very little $ in for a gl*** 27 T body, home made frame, front and rear ends (with hairpin radius rods) and a pair of coil overs. He cut out the trunk lid and made a new one out of steel, adapted disc brakes to the spindles, built his own headers to go on the small block Chevy that he built. He had never been inside a Turbo 350 trans but he rebuilt one for the car. He painted, flamed and striped the body himself and then after studying a how to do upholstery video and borrowing an industrial sewing machine he and his wife stiched up the tuck and roll interior. He made his own windshield posts and the dash too. The car will never win the big trophy at the Grand National Roadster Show but it is a great ride. I drove it to the HCP and had a blast. Sure, he did a lot of the work himself and I did some of the welding at my shop but that is what having hot rod mates is all about. If you are uncapable of doing the work yourself, either learn or have a buddy with the appropriate skills help out. Although the R & C headline may have been a little misleading regarding the real cost of the car in the story the fact remains that the guy is connected and at some level aren't we all, especially those that frequent this board on a regular basis. Roo Man
I'm still a shade under $6K with this. In retrospect, I could have done a few things for less money but as long as i keep it on the road I don't care.
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