Hot Rods What to do?

I'd start with the best of granddad's trucks and run it as-is. If you want disc brakes and power steering, they tell me a 73-87 pickup front end bolts in relatively easily - but it's a big project for one guy to do.

Because it's a Chevy, parts are availble for it and they're relatively cheap, so having it drivable on a low budget is actually possible to make happen.

 

First thing first,reread the rules,,a intro is a must.

Forget changing body's,,at 16 I'm sure you would be better of with a 65 C-10 which falls in line with the Hamb idea of a traditional truck.

Read,read and read,,use the search feature and read about different builds. HRP

 

score a c10 from your gramps, get it running and driving with your thousand. get your feet wet with a little restoration work first and progress from there. those are cool ass trucks, i'd be glad to run one.

 

I second saving money running with the OT F100 for now. It'll be fun, they look cool, and let you have a parts hauler to bring home stuff for another project. Is it a 300? Check out FordSix.com for how cool those engines can be. Look for Frenchtown Flyer's posts, he's here too.

Hell, use it to drag hot rod parts home then once your chassis and body are ready swap that 300 into your hotrod!

I've let myself become enamored with Ford sixes and a 300 era Ford truck is at the top of the list of OT vehicles I'm interested in so I'm a bit biased. The ones with the body you have are particularly "tough" looking too.


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Hi, I am/was a very tight budget guy myself, 3 years ago i picked up a almost stock 64 c10 in a trade, small block 3 speed with junk bucket seats and floor shifter. spent about 800 bucks on exhaust, 4bbl carb,cleaned the tank, new fuel tank sending unit, and brakes,. drove the hell outta that truck, being on a budget i forced myself to not look at all the ads and catalogs for the parts i couldnt afford and focused on what i could do with my time (free). I lowered it the cheap way by cutting front coils and heating the rear,the dual exhaust sounded good and some painted stock wheels then swap meet moon discs later. point is focus only on whats in front of you right now and stick to the basics and your passion for rodding will grow and develop... best of luck!

 

There's a wealth of information on this site. Build a HAMB friendly ride and you'll get lots of good advice. But first things first. Go post an intro.

Sell the S10 frame. There are lots of people building non-HAMB style cars that you could sell it to.
I can't get excited about a Nissan anything. Fix it up and sell it, sell it as is, or scrap it. Whichever would net you the most money.
The F100 wouldn't be good candidate for a hot rod frame swap. You could fix it and drive it while you save more money to go towards a rod build, or you could sell it so you'd have more money to get started.

A frame swap is an ambitious project. Start with a simple project. If you can get one of your grandpa's C-10's for free or cheap that would be a very good option. Start off by getting something you can get in reliable and safe operating condition with the funds you have available. You can make upgrades as you get the money.
You'll stay more focused and interested in rods if you have a car or truck you can drive rather than a project that might take several years to complete.

 

, Im in the c10 camp here. If granddad would part with one that grand could go a long way to make it cool. There are some great diy threads here & it would be a good vehicle to hone your skills on

 

Drive & maintain the F100, buy a couple books on Hot Rod building, read them, read on the HAMB, and develop your ideas for what you want to build.

Start skimming the parts section of Craigslist in your area for parts, not to buy, but to familiarize yourself with that kind of stuff you're going to find nearby and what it's going for. This will also help you sell off all the parts you're not going to need to get more cash or trade for the parts you DO need.

If you decide the 65 C10 is really the hot rod your want to build, then go get it! If you decide you want to build something else, like a roadster, coupe, bucket, taildragger... etc, then keeping that F100 on the road means you have one of the most important tools in the garage, A PARTS TRUCK!

 

I have a C10 as well, I would highly suggest finding a complete vehicle, making it safe to drive, and restore as you go. the 60-66 C10 series is one of the cheapest builds you can do.. parts are everywhere and cheap.. really cheap. The tail light lenses are $6 a piece, for example.

Some comparisons: My 1959 Apache tail lights are $50-100 a piece. My 40 Plymouth is about the same as the Apache as far as price for tail lights, but the Plymouth stuff is really really hard to find, in turn is very expensive.

Do the C10, you can learn a lot and if you mess up on something like body work the parts are cheap, such as cab corners $20-30 a piece). There is a lot of cheap tech with these as well that you can benefit from without breaking the bank. They are extremely easy to work on and you can do everything yourself. They were made for consumers to fix them; they were designed to be easy to maintain and fix, unlike todays cars/trucks.

I paid 3k ish for mine and have around $500 into it. Not bad for 32,000 original miles:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=786028


Keep the F100 as a shop truck to run parts around, it will be worth it in the long run

 

Since you are just turning 16, there are a couple of sources of information you really should consult before doing anything else:

(1) your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)
(2) your insurance agent

Why???

The 3 vehicles you mention that you currently own MAY (depending on state laws in your state) have to be licensed as a "home-built" if the appearance is changed (body change) because they are newer than the magic year of 1968 (federal smog emissions). Try paying for insurance on a "home-built".

As to your insurance agent, there are certain vehicles that many insurance companies will NOT insure, period. Also, many insurance companies offer a "good student discount". Ask!

Try to imagine your disappointment to build something and then be told it was either not licensable or uninsurable.

I would concur with many others here that have suggested that if you want something to customize, the C-10's would be an excellent project. You stated you could get any of the three existing vehicles going. If not a lot of cost, get each roadworthy, and sell them (or keep one as a driver while you work on your project). By doing this, you would increase your automotive skills and acquire additional funds to spend on your project.

Good luck with whatever path you take.

Jon.

 

you are in the wrong place. with this comment plus you thinking of even mentioning anything like a nissan or 81 ford..come on. you want more experienced advice? you have it.