Anyone tired of this ???

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Ya know, I too have an issue for those who stand and say lookee what "I" did.. Knowing full well they didn't do a thing. But then you have to step back and look at each individual and at their capabilities, their status, and their abilities and inabilities.
I bought the car you see in my avatar last August. I drove from Ohio to Missouri and back in a day. I was like a kid, giddy and excited. I was lucky enough this was a driver with a running engine and tranny. Even the body had been done (looked like Maaco did the body work and Earl Shrieb painted it, but none the less) I got it home and started into the mechanical side of it.
My screen name is "19 Again" but you need to add about 33 years to that, I was fortunate to go to a secondary schooling in Indy for Auto & Diesel mechanics for 2-1/2 years after I graduated High School. So I was fortunate, still had student loans to pay for like everyone else. But.... over the years I left the heavy equipment industry and eventually landed in a completely different career. Still never lost my love of working on cars. Fast forward.... I now have job where I travel frequently. I do not have the time to tear down the engine and the transmission, it would be months just to get the simplest of the rebuild completed. I don't have a big check book, but I don't have the luxury of time. Something the average person usually has. But what I have learned and always have done is give credit to those who have contributed any and all of their services to anything I'm invovled with. Currently the engine and tranny are being rebuilt by Ault & James speedshop in Dayton Oh. Is it expensive maybe by some peoples standards, is it a full blown expensive "built to the Max" rebuild....nope, I can't afford it. Besides it's only a 318, but guess what Ault & James get's all the credit! It's those that don't understand give credit to where it's due, when it's not you...
As far as the mags, I'm like everyone else. When I get the time I like looking thru them but as everyone else, very disappointed at the sales pitch for the free heads, free crank, free, free, free everything as they do the "low budget build" I say "HA". Something of which no one will see in their life time. Yeah some of the tech articles are good and that's what a copier or printer is for..
I guess in the scheme of things, there's another car saved, another car for the younger generation to appreciate, and another one to enjoy..
Just my $.02 worth....
 
I offered e kids a pretty yellow convert the other day with out any luck. If some of the bad leck we have been have clears, mechanical ability or not, the three of us will be driving te car into the garage and "get to it"...when we get in really bad shi*, we will call someone in. I cannot see me knowing how to do it all.

I see and understand the other views...and theank goodness there are other views...

Those guys that read the mags..one one that started this thread was a canadian to dod a '67 dart (i think)..1000 hp or what ever..not a restor but a resto mod..5 or 6 point seat belts but no head rests...

Cheers..great thread..Ian.
 
The blank check guys have their place in the hobby too. Consider all the cool Mopars that have been saved from the scrap heap in the resto shops by guys with deep pockets, but no ability or desire to bleed. The restored race cars, the Hemi cars, the 6bbl cars are still around because someone wrote the checks.

The mags do get somewhat carried away with high end cars, and naming names, but who wants to look at a rattle can restoration/build in a magazine? Hell, I can go out to the garage and see a low-buck junker.

I will never afford a car like that, so I have to do things the hard way. Years ago, I got a job in a body shop to learn how to do it myself, simply because I can't afford to pay someone $20k to replace sheetmetal and spray paint. Same goes for engines, transmissions and all the rest. Either I do myself, or it don't get done.

But if the guys with deep pockets weren't writing checks, think all the resto parts, decent heads, blocks, OD trannies etc. would be available today? And since they are, where would you best showcase all that stuff except in a magazine?
 
I haven't bought a Mopar mag in 10 yrs.... I pay money for internet and by golly I'm going to use it!
 
redlined said:
The blank check guys have their place in the hobby too.
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Sure, absolutely they are part of the equation. That's trickle-down economics for ya, I suppose. But for them it's not "a" hobby. They are just feeding the hobby market with capital. And I still question what's to be proud of, because it's not the car they built, it's the car they bought.

There's a very large distinction there, which goes to the OP's original observation. I was watching some rocker driving his General Lee Charger on Rides yesterday. Cool dude, cool car, awesomeness everywhere. But the car is just a toy to him, he even said so. Now he has the ultimate Dukes of Hazard toy. He doesn't appreciate the Charger for what it is primarily because he did not build it himself, like the Dukes built the original on the TV show in TVland, somewhere down south.

I have more respect for the check writers who at least inflate their tires and change their own oil. I believe the original OP's complaint might be that we have gotten to the point now where the check writers that maybe don't even do that outnumber the real builders, so the hobby is diminished for that.

Like Grassy said, nobody does it all. Not even Chip Foose does it all, personally. He has a team doing it. But the people who do what they can on a shoestring budget building "junkers" are the ones I really respect and have the right to take true pride in ownership.
 
340-4spd said:
I believe the original OP's complaint might be that we have gotten to the point now where the check writers that maybe don't even do that outnumber the real builders, so the hobby is diminished for that.

.............. the people who do what they can on a shoestring budget building "junkers" are the ones I really respect and have the right to take true pride in ownership.
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Don't want to give the wrong impression, the junker I was referring to is my own. Judging from the quality of garage builds on this site, don't think the check writers are much of a threat. There are some highly talented folks here and I enjoy enviously following along. However, if I buy a magazine, I want to see quality builds, otherwise, my hotrod with bird **** on the hood scoop is worthy of a shoot.

I get the OP's point about owners being too stuffy of cars they didn't turn a wrench on, and magazines naming names, but what's the difference, if I wrote a check for a new R/T Challenger I'd be proud of it, same as a pro restored 383 GTS Dart I wrote a check for, I didn't wrench on either one. {Provided I had an intercooled ink pen,which I don't :) }


If John Doe gets his rocks off rowing the gears or diaper wiping the car he wrote a check for, more power to him, and magazines have bills to pay too. Having said that, doing my own work, twisting the key on a motor I built gives a satisfaction to my soul the check writers are missing. Poor souls.......
 
My wife bought me a really cool new muscle car a couple of years back....it is unique looking and i get a lot of attention...but I only bought the parts to make it so...yeah, I did reaseach and had a vision..but... It is a cool car but I tell people straight up what I have done to it...other than washing it, nada..then I tell 'em who has done the work.. ..I don't feel a lot of pride with it, i enjoy it.....but when I think of the first car I restored and someone complained that my bodywork wasn't perfect, I just grin and am very proud that I kept it on the road for so long...had to sell due to dissability..and there is a pride building within me with the duster..cannot wait to strip it and share with the kids..

I guess you can say that when you get older..priorities change...yeah, I like to look at the expensive metal but you always know when buddy did the work himself..

Look for my rebuild thread soon..

Ian.
 
the only thing that gets to me is the guy that can't do the job, but expects the same results as on tv or in the mag for little or nothing. and ***** when it gets over his budget on things that should have been lower on the priority list. and expect the 500.00 part to just jump on the car for free.but dont understand that it took 15 hours to get said part to fit like it did in the mag. and get pissed when you charge them 500.00 to cover the install of the cheapest part they could lay thier hands on. cause they never fit right. i could go on but its really pointless.
 
As a guy who can do all the work himself,minus the machining I tend to abuse the guys that just write cheques but; If I were in the position to write cheques I might do it now that the ms thing is slowing me down so much.
It would be much easier on my body! Oh well I can make the sacrifice,lol.

It's tough to deal with the side effects of guys who pay premium ie;higher prices for me too as hey,the other guy is willing to pay 3x what it's worth.I mostly just wait for deals now and am really gratefull that my Dart already had an 8 3/4!

The high dollar builds in those mags really disillusion me sometimes. As do the engine building contests,with a supposedly budget build engine. HA! Most of the engine build lists read like an advertisment for aftermarket parts companies. You wont see any engines using reground cams etc.
 
I know the kind you were talking about when you say " Write a Check" It's not fun working 65-75 hr a week so you can pay somebody else to do what you would like to do cause A- u either can't cause u don't know how, or B you don't have time. I can't rebuild an engine or a tranny, i use to know how to do brakes and shocks, I can do tune ups and stuff put a carb on or intakes and thats it..The guy thats built my engine, (pics and video of dyno should be on here tomorrow I hope) and the guy that took the body down to metal and fixed the hard stuff, plus will put my engine and tranny in knows his ****. He's an old school mopar. I wish I knew half of what him and his buddies forgot. Hell I'm just babbling now, But anyway I have also learned alot on FABO from the Sr members. I haven't bought a mag in about 3 yrs..
 
..I was looking at a yellow (duice coupe ?) the other day...the owner now has over 60 into it..if he sold it tomorrow, he would realize maybe 25 K ? Unfortunately, the last shop he found is really reputable and has an excellent cross border reputation..

Sometnes you can be you know whated if you just had over the iron and cheque..btw, needaresto, I really know what you are sying..did a bit of gardening today for the wife and it is going to take a few days to feel better.

Ian.
 
Hey Grassy,yup getting screwed by dishonest shops is why I started doing all my own work. And even still get screwed on stuff like ac,which I cant do.
 
needsaresto said:
Hey Grassy,yup getting screwed by dishonest shops is why I started doing all my own work. And even still get screwed on stuff like ac,which I cant do.
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I hear ya on the AC....in that situation right now....

Its warm out and the garages that do AC dont want to diagnose anymore...they just want to replace everything......
 
It's the same at any car show and people just need to get used to it. The ones who generally get all the awards are the ones to spend more money than the rest.
 
All I know is I would have saved a small fortune if I had someone else do the work for me, and the car would have been done, so who writes big checks? First timers that's who! My 74 318 Dart costs me almost as much as a 71 340 challenger totally done and it still has to be painted! And sweat equity is not included! So "I dont have the time to do it myself!" Really means "I don't have the money to do it myself!":la:
 
I cancelled my MM subscription this year after 11 years. I get more info here at FABO. They keep sending me renewal notices for $30 a year! I said make it 3 for thirty and you have a deal. I got tired of all the late model crap they have. I don't care how to hot rod a new Challenger/Charger/Magnum.........you get the point.
 
I never have gotten much out of the mags, too many advertisements for me. Good articles but basically all the same. I have built cars dating way back to my Chevy and Ford days but I have absolutely no problem with someone writing a check for their dream. Believe me I love doing this but if I had the money to buy a turn key car of my dreams I would do it in a heartbeat and never look back. The only thing what turns my gut is what others said...don't buy it and show up at a cruise in or Crusin' The Coast telling everyone what you did to the car. If I didn't do something I will tell you who did it for me. Not trying to impress anyone with my knowledge or skills because they are all fading fast. I just love to drive.
 
shadango said:
I hear ya on the AC....in that situation right now....

Its warm out and the garages that do AC dont want to diagnose anymore...they just want to replace everything......
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Yup. Whatever happened to tecnitians that can diagnose whats wrong? Noadays every last one just wants to throw parts at it. Im amenble as long as they pay for the unneeded parts.
 
thread from the dead...I just saw a show truck ( big rig ) that the guy drives over the road. He takes it to a detailing shop, sits back and watches them clean and detail it and then drives it to a truck rodeo to show it. What fun is that?
 
You do realize some of those guys that write checks for paint or engines built by Tim burton, are probably working for or own a very busy company where it doesn't make financial sence coming home early to sand a fender when they make more than what a shop would charge. Or they would rather spend time with the kids.
 
I supplied the back window set up to randy Bolig for Mopar Muscle's "Project Valiant" and didn't get a single mention. It must be because I didn't donate the parts in exchange for advertisment. It wasn't offed to me either but I figured since I took care of him there would be something and to make it worse in the glass swap he states that he used it from a 68 dart. If you know 2 & 4 dr Valiant sedans like I do (20+ years) you know that a dart glass is totally different. They recently added a VFN fiberglass hood to it. I supplied that hood template and R&D 10 years ago to them. They show us that we can do these expensive upgrades,of course we can but WE actually have to pay for the parts to do it.
 
grassy said:
Almost ready to give up MOPAR mags...it goes like this....a guy has a bug for a mopar so he buys a POS that he finds in a field or where ever....it is not for dragging but impressing his buds....a body shop brings it back to life, someone else paints it, a Ray Burton engine goes in( must be worth an extra inch) it yada yada...the article reads like a free advertisement for 15 companies..and buddy sure is proud of it at car shows...actually, the companies that build it for him should be proud...or actually , buddy should be proud of writing a check...believe it or not, many folks actually do that to buy a car... oh, and the you see this car in at least 2 more MOPAR mags with a different slant..all within an issue or two.

What impresses me is the guy/girl/family at home doing as much as possible to resurrect / restore or mod a car..they may not do everything to the car but their hands are all over it...it may not be perfect but that impresses me so much more than the car above..

The MOPAR mags whine that no one sends in the "real" restos or they cannot find them.

I say that they should actually look for these stories...even maybe set a reporter to troll this site....I am so motivated to get going on the kids car ( even painting) just from what I have been watching folks building their rides with the help of other members here... I am impressed...

OK, that is my opinion..what the hell do I know..I like playing with cars..


Grassy
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I an with you 100% I love the mopars that people put there own blood sweat & tear into. & I hate TRAILER QUEENS I have given up on all mopar mags. If they want a real story of mopar guys that do there own work ( all of it ) stop in. I would LOVE to have the money to do my own mag. & put real mopar people in it.
 
Sedanman said:
I supplied the back window set up to randy Bolig for Mopar Muscle's "Project Valiant" and didn't get a single mention. It must be because I didn't donate the parts in exchange for advertisment. It wasn't offed to me either but I figured since I took care of him there would be something and to make it worse in the glass swap he states that he used it from a 68 dart. If you know 2 & 4 dr Valiant sedans like I do (20+ years) you know that a dart glass is totally different. They recently added a VFN fiberglass hood to it. I supplied that hood template and R&D 10 years ago to them. They show us that we can do these expensive upgrades,of course we can but WE actually have to pay for the parts to do it.
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O I hear ya. I did helped with the body & I painted his red dart sport. I didn't even get a thank you & when I saw him at an event he just walked on by
 
I don't read the magazines anymore, either. Too repetitive.

I do as much work as I can on my Valiant, but I just didn't have the skills or tools to do some of the build. And I really respect those who do have the skills. But at least I'm not a total loser. I can probably do about 80% of what I need done.
 
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