What does it cost?

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Yeah, my wife doesn't understand why I want to do what I want to do to the Valiant but she understands that "we own it." No one can come and repo or whatever if we both happen to lose our jobs or whatnot.

Also, been mentioned in a previous post, but i'd rather dump 20G's into my Valiant and it be mine and different, unique, and set apart from all the new cookie-cutter crap. Gonna cost the same anyways. And, I can work on it without having to take it to a dealer or some no-clue technician.
 
Great Thread Tony !
You have one the best looking 1967 barracuda i have ever seen !
Killer Ouside & Inside Color Combo !
Your list on restoration is right on if not a lilltle light on resto today !
When you spend more on a car than its worth .. you have to drive the difference out of it !
I fully understand your pride of your ride & in all it was worth getting exactly what you wanted !
Peace Brother !
 
70LIME340DUSTER said:
Great Thread Tony !
You have one the best looking 1967 barracuda i have ever seen !
Killer Ouside & Inside Color Combo !
Your list on restoration is right on if not a lilltle light on resto today !
When you spend more on a car than its worth .. you have to drive the difference out of it !
I fully understand your pride of your ride & in all it was worth getting exactly what you wanted !
Peace Brother !
Click to expand...

Thanks!.........you have to drive the difference out of it !

so true....but that's the good part
 
"You have to drive the difference out of it!" That just means I'll be driving mine for a good long time!
 
Rob said:
...

Now make sure nobody's wife reads this post :D
Click to expand...

Whewwww, sure glad I'm not anybody's wife. :-D

My Cuda's receipt folder, after over 21 years, is nearly six inches thick. I've never added them all up ... and never intend to. LOL I'd have to guess though that my numbers and Tony's are very close at around $40K.

It's all right though. I never intend to sell it and couldn't care less what anybody might think it's "worth." It's worth millions to me, and the fact I did most of it myself adds a lot to that.
 
My experience is turning out to be pretty similar. My Duster was mostly intact, but replacing all the parts adds up quick. Then came the drive train change out!! There is a lot more involved with that than I expected at first. I have a local shop doing all of my work and I expect it to be mid $30k when it is done.

I see a lot of Dusters in good shape with a 340 for much less than I will have in my car, but I look at it this way: I get the car I want the way I want it and I know what is in it. That's worth something, too, since you can be fairly certain of the reliability when you get done.

Your car looks great and the enjoyment is worth the cash.
 
AdamR said:
I refuse to keep track of what I put in to my cars. It takes the fun out of it.
Click to expand...
I'm with you here. I build entire houses for myself and don't even keep track. I want it to be what I want it to be, and keeping track isn't gonna change the bottom line one bit. It'll just use up more time, that I can never get back.
 
well as i see it these cars are paid for and any money put in to them to make them better is great just because it keeps these old jems around.
 
Great thread, Tony.
It has to be a labor of love.
Aside from the actual cost involved, the work it takes to restore or even refurbish a car is astronomical.
Finding a complete parts car is the key, as well as being able to do it yourself.
That's where all of the satisfaction comes from anyway!
 
Eyeball deep into my resto, I can say, if I didn't have the balls to tackle everything myself, I'd be in 4 times as much as I am in cash, and would be kicking my *** 6 times as much for doing so. :)
 
I beleive in - stuff the cost, if you use it - it was worth it, but buy the right stuff first, expense comes in when you buy & then change it & change it and so on until you buy the part you should have bought first off.

If you can afford it - all's good
 
well I paid someone else to do the work the first time and have since redone most of the mechanical systems myself so thanks for digging at that nerve Tony , I'm somewhere double your investment but try not to count so it could be even worse .
 
cannucky said:
well I paid someone else to do the work the first time and have since redone most of the mechanical systems myself so thanks for digging at that nerve Tony , I'm somewhere double your investment but try not to count so it could be even worse .
Click to expand...

Look on the bright side....you have a beautiful 'Cuda

I took a look at your pics......love the color!
 
I agree with Tony - that is a very nice Demon!

I don't even record what I spend on parts anymore - just keep on buying them. No way the fish will ever bring what it cost me.

You wanna spend some moolah, price building a race big block.
 
I look at it like this:

You can spend $40,000 on a brand new car, and have something like this:
2013-acura-tl-9.jpg


And lose your car in the parking lot every time you walk out of some place....

OR

You can spend $40,000 on an older car and have something that's getting more and more rare to see on the roads, and turns heads wherever it goes!!
vbpgimage.php


Pick your poison. ;)

Sorry for the old thread bump, but that's my philosophy on cars...


- CK
 
I got 22K into mine so far after just over 2 years. I paid 2K for the car with a blown 6 in it. Triple AAA towed it home for me.

I have done almost all the labor myself.

That cost covered the car, TT Engine, EFI engine Management, 727 Trans, Ford 9" with triangulated 4 link & Coil Overs. Fuel System & Cell, Meth Injection, trans coolers all lines and hardware, Coil over conversion for the front, 14pt cage, Peak Dash, Shifter, Mini Tub, Torque boxes & Frame connectors, new radiator support etc, etc, etc.

Things left to do...

1) Body & Paint $5000
2) Wiring the car $650.00
3) Interior $2000.00
4) Re Chrome bumpers etc $600.00
5) Everything I am forgetting $3000.00 ??

I think I have about $12,000.00 to go. Of course ALL Labor that can be done by me is not included.

Would I ever do this again???? I think not. I would buy a car that is pretty much done and make it my own next time.

I would like to add that I am not the guy who will build a car for it to sit around. I will drive the wheels off of this car and put it to the test. Parking lot trophy's is not in any recipe for a car in my book. Leave that stuff to the OLD guys that DMV took their license's and can not drive any longer. Sitting at a car show all weekend is NOT my cup of tea I can tell you that. This car will be Driven to the track, bust out a Low 9 second, High 8 sec 1/4 mile and then driven back home.
 
I agree with all the statements above,There are many ways to look at the price of FUN and what is your definition of it.Say a golfer that spends anywhere around 4 to 6000 bucks for clubs.Maybe another grand or two for lessons.Then the weekly price of tee times anywhere between 150 to 300 dollars. Then the 50 or more bucks spent at the 19th hole some times as many as 3 times a week.Or the cost of season pro ball game tickets?
Once a man said to me "What is the cost of a 2 week vacation for a family?" "What do you have when the 2 weeks is over?" That money is gone forever. With a car or car parts no matter what you can recoupe some of the cost back while still having fun.(Least that is what I keep telling myself).
Everything you do costs money.Spend it on what makes you happy and you have FUN at.
 
ceekay said:
I look at it like this:

You can spend $40,000 on a brand new car, and have something like this:
2013-acura-tl-9.jpg


And lose your car in the parking lot every time you walk out of some place....

OR

You can spend $40,000 on an older car and have something that's getting more and more rare to see on the roads, and turns heads wherever it goes!!
vbpgimage.php


Pick your poison. ;)

Sorry for the old thread bump, but that's my philosophy on cars...


- CK
Click to expand...

You nailed it CK
 
I must've gone about spending $$ on my GTX all wrong!!!...

First I bought a 72 Harley Sportster in pieces for $600, spent a few $$ on it buying missing parts at the swap meets. Then I traded it for a 64 Belvedere and spent a few $$ putting in a 440 and related drivetrain. Then I traded the Belve for the GTX, sold the 6pak setup that was on it and rebuilt the motor using the $$, and spent $400 to repaint it. Total investment so far...about $3500!!

Nowhere near as nice as your Cuda Tony, but I think I have some headroom for improvements!! Geof

View attachment 100_3372.jpg

image.jpg
 
Last edited:
cosgig said:
I must've gone about spending $$ on my GTX all wrong!!!...

First I bought a 72 Harley Sportster in pieces for $600, spent a few $$ on it buying missing parts at the swap meets. Then I traded it for a 64 Belvedere and spent a few $$ putting in a 440 and related drivetrain. Then I traded the Belve for the GTX, sold the 6pak setup that was on it and rebuilt the motor using the $$, and spent $400 to repaint it. Total investment so far...about $3500!!

Nowhere near as nice as your Cuda Tony, but I think I have some headroom for improvements!! Geof
Click to expand...

That is the best looking $3500.00 I have ever seen!!:prayer:
 
Tony Fields said:
I'm not sure this is the correct forum for this thread as I have already done
a restoration thread on my 'Cuda. What I wanted to share with you folks
is how we end up investing so much money into our cars.

There are several of you out there that think A bodies aren't worth very
much in our market today. That's probably the case as our A bodies were
never meant to bring high dollars even when new.

This thread is for you guys and gals thinking about doing a restoration on
your ride and have no idea what you might be in for. I realize you can
stop at anytime you want on your project but for the purpose of this
thread, lets not do that. Lets give this project everything it needs from
start to finish...within reason of course.

Lets get started...where's the calculator:sad7:

The initial investment and the type of car you start with if very important.
My initial investment was $2500.00. That sounded very reasonable to me
back in 2006 for a '67 'Cuda fastback. At that time I didn't realize the
differences between the slant 6 and the V8 drive train. My plan was to
build a V8 car when I bought it. Found out it wasn't wise to use small
drum brakes, small 7-1/4 rear end, small diameter torsion bars, anyway
you get the idea.

New disc brakes and spindles with large ball joints and upper control
arms added $1130.00. Used 340 torsion bars were $40.00 and a used
8-3/4 rear end was another $300.00. The cost of new Moser axles and
preparing the "C" body 8-3/4 was another $606.00. Add in another
$336.00 for a new ring and pinion and bearing set. Now tack on another
$100.00 for the gear set up. Starting to add up and we haven't even
started yet. I'm not trying to scare you, just telling you the facts from
my experience.

We will also need some wheels and tires. $50.00 for used steel 15" x 7" wheels
$290.00 to powder coat the wheels. Red line tires were another $985.16

Engine and tranny redo plus labor and the install was $8830.00. MSD stuff
was $554.00

Paint and body work added another $9000.00

The following is a list of stuff I had to buy for the 'Cuda because a lot of
this stuff was gone or in bad shape. Bear with me...

Radiator $384, fuel tank strap $37, front brake line kit $58, fan shroud
$192(junk re pop), fuel sending unit $159, spring shackle pkg. $70, leaf
springs $200, shift knob $25, flip fuel cap $120, deluxe screw kit $44,
glove box liner $22, roof rail weatherstrip $90, seat belts $100, front
fender patch $63, wheel lip molding screws $22, door panel clips $40,
seat buns $206, fuel tank $233, fish in a circle(2) $60, Chrysler star
emblem $13, ign/door lock kit $35, trunk lock kit $17, gas strap bolt $23,
center console $250, steering wheel $100, dog dish caps $71, radio $40
vents and cover $56, wiper knob $12, dash pad $78, bumper end brkts
$63, ash tray $37, fold down trunk panel $115, shift linkage $54, tie rod
ends/sleeves/brake parts $390, dash bezel/arm rest re chrome $677
fiberglass hood/scoop/hardware $760, window trim clips $47, window gaskets $179,
trunk mat $46, side glass weatherstrip $100, TTI exhaust system
$685, hose clamp kit $13, carpet $375, front glass $260, rear glass $790
tail light bezels $595, clips and misc screws $25, torsion bar support repair
parts $280, quarter panel skin $228, fuel and brake lines $128, tach $200
tach harness $30, remote mirror $277, trunk weather strip $39, fish
fender emblems $68, barracuda script $78, right tail light lens $132
p-l-y-m-o-u-t-h emblem $69, fuel tank pad $17, bumpers $760,
flex plate $111, seat covers $484, door panels $374, motor mounts $75,
redo drive shaft $160, trans brkt $41, emerg brake cable $95, drum brake
hardware $45, misc Year One gaskets, decals screws $57, control arm cam/shaft kit
$59, poly trans mount $40, door handles $195, window cranks $94, fender
splash shields $234, jack instructions $8, misc decals $35, antenna $174,
install headliner $150, wheel lip moldings $250, trunk trim $275, damper $100
pinion snubber $69, fan $33, mini starter $160, power coat dash frame
twice $300, hoses/clamps $298, back up lights $160

I probably have missed some stuff here but you get the jest of it when you
start with a car that needs everything like mine did. I started to use more used
stuff but the condition of it wasn't that good.

By using mostly new items I have created a car that I am very proud to
own and drive. It will never be sold (will be passed on to our daughter
Tonya and her husband Chris).

Our total investment is north of $38,700 and yes the car would never
bring that on the open market but that doesn't really bother me.

I hope this sheds some light on the restoration process and gives you
some data on what you might have ahead of you if you decide to take
the plunge. Good luck to you if you do.

Tony

You can view my restoration thread here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=16153&highlight=my+1967+cuda+restoration
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Tony!

After going through your thread I must admit that to me it is probably one of the best written posts on FABO!

You have done an extremly well done restoration on your car. One of the issues is that if you have the goal in you head, you know how you want's the car to turn out then you forget about the cost. Or plan it over a longer time.

I guess that you can restore a car two ways. For the love of your car or looking on your car as an investment.

You have done your restoration for the love of your car. Hats off!

After going through the cost of my restoration I very quickly found out that I'm doing the restoration for love to the car too!!! Money tends to fly away fast! And I mean really fast!

But after all, all hobbies does cost money. The car hobby tends to bring back some of it if we decide to sell. Other hobbies is just like throwing away money all the time!
 
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