The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk cost of trucks

I always wanted a 5 window AD truck, but didn't like the prices of decent ones. So, I bought a project basket case project a few years ago. I'm now into my second year of work on it, and it has become very clear why nice ones are pricey. Every 15 minute job actually takes 2 to 3 days. I should have known this, because this is not my first time restoring a vehicle. Every old part must be refurbished prior to use. None of the reproduction parts fit, and many are not up to the quality standards you want for your truck anyway. You probably can't tell it, but I'm a bit frustrated this morning.

Ditto. My trucks' "birthday" to me is 4 years, this month.....many birth defects and not too near completed. I bought sight-unseen off of Ebay. It is my first and probably last restore. I'm a shade tree "mechanic" at best.

That's one of the reasons it's generally not a good idea to use vintage vehicles as a way to make money. With a few exceptions the only entities that make money restoring old vehicles are the shops who get paid to do the work on them. I have far more money in my 38 and 53 than I could ever get out of them.

I can't speak for anyone else. I went in eyes wide open. I took the restoration path because of cost. I can do most of the work and I don't have to pay someone else for their work and I can spread the cost over time. I did know i would probably have more in the truck than I could sell it for. I just bought a second project from an estate. 90% complete from an off the frame restoration. I am now discovering a bunch of missing parts that I now need to track down and most of them are used and need their own restoration work. I feel your pain. Not 2 years worth but I get it. It has kind of become a joke. I initially say I can "fix that in about 30 minutes" and end up taking 5-6 hours. My first truck has been on the road for about 5 years.

Just think of it as a master's degree. You pay to educate yourself. Once complete you have the knowledge and experience and diploma (operating vehicle) to prove it. Also comforting to know that we all are in the same pool. Paying to play.

The idea is it does save a heap of money and you are supposed to get relaxation, sense of accomplishment doing it yourself, learning new things, no schedules, rewarding. Every single person who has ever started with a basket case or rough truck to fix up or renew or refurbish or restore...........takes a long time, gets tired of it off and on, frustrated, lose interest from time to time, gets sore and beat up. But most re enjoy it after a hiatus. You don't really look for a light at the end of the tunnel, you just do one thing at a time.

I’ll speak for myself and say that I work on basket cases at various stages of rust and completeness when they came (come) into the yard. I don’t have high expectations or place expectations on time, effort and cost. If there is an expectation I revisit the thought that nothing is ever easy, costs usually come in at 50-100% or more higher than I roughly estimate, and I lose interest from time to time and they sit until I am motivated again. It’s a hobby, sometimes a burden, most of the time a money pit᠁and at times exalting when a hard to find part is found, an engine comes back to life, or I stand back and look at something that was a POS and now is better than new because of my elbow grease and pocketbook. Yes Mike, I question why from time to time and justify the expense as part of my life journey and education and an avenue to meet other people. If anything I stick with it because it’s not a bad thing to do and learn. I would say it keeps me out of the bars, but that would be a stretch. . So it is᠁ I made the decision to do this and I follow through on a truck or cut my losses and sell it.

Mike: you’re normal᠁ and there is help for you and us. I attend local ATA meetings᠁(Antique Trucks Anonymous)᠁start a group and open your garage door. Let those in with far away eyes, the downtrodden with rotten running boards and A pillars, the dented and sagging..soon they will have primer on their metal and brake lines that wont rust.

Oh, BTW ᠁ the above was my 1,000th post. An ATA milestone. I deserve a pin. Please feel free to congratulate me᠁or send condolences to the members in this site who choose to read or monitor my wandering ramblings.

1000 post is not a pin, it's a men's bracelet made from paper clips. Congratulations.

LOL! I earned my bracelet of paper clips long ago. My project is going on 6-1/2 years, but I went into it with my eyes wide open and was looking for something to do in retirement. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, though.
It's like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.
I'm afraid to look at what this project has cost (in either dollars spent or personal labor), but that's not the point.
Hang in there Mike. You're way ahead of me.

Congrats Mike on reaching that 1000 posts milestone. Don’t feel bad, I didn’t receive my commemorative paper clip bracelet either.

I have a running spreadsheet on my project so I know exactly where I’m at. Unfortunately I’m approaching my original estimate of what it would cost for the complete project (not including any upgrades) and I still have the bodywork and paint to do.

Mike, I understand your frustration with reproduction parts. I just went on a rant myself about the ill fitting and lack of quality parts available for our trucks. I try to refurb the original parts all I can but that is not always possible thus my frustration with these cheap facsimiles.

Yeah, they do cost more then we estimate, are a pain in the butt sometimes, frustrating and much more time consuming than expected. Having said that, most times, I love my time in my shop and enjoy my little successes! Like Kevin said, ”One bite at a time”!

I seem to resemble this remark. Years ago when I started my 59' I would put all of the receipts and invoices in a folder. Someday when I'm Older and Grayer I might actually add them all up, though I doubt it. You can't figure your time, time is a given when working on these old trucks, it's like seeing a therapist and not paying for therapy. My BIL says "We're making memories"

PS, where's my paper clip bracelet?

Here is the Deluxe Model for you.

[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/37524/filename/paper clip.jpg[/img]

I work on old trucks and cars because it is what I like to do. The day they will start and drive down the road is the day I sell them to make room for the next "hopeless" case. I don't hunt, fish, bowl, golf, go to movies, bars, or sporting events and try to avoid social settings. I just like to work on old vehicles and the more rusty and crumpled up the better.

I would say you sound like my best friend ever. But as my shirt says "I like my truck and maybe 3 people".

.... I like what Hambone says!!!

My 37 I dragged home in '93 was in badddd shape. I stuffed the bills/invoices in an envelop and didn't add them up until about 2010 and then wondered where the 20 grand spent on it came from.....it came from painting houses, building houses, selling fire wood, working craft shows with my woodworking stuff along with putting in 10-12 hours a day at the plant......***the deal with the little lady was I'd not spend any of our "regular income" on the truck. So, over 6 years and thousands of dollars later I finally got to take the maiden voyage in spring of 2000.
It should have been crushed but I'm just not one to give up and it was my "get away" from the daily stress. I'm still driving it today but sometimes feel like its time to let it go......till I take another spin in it.

The 52 panel was trailered home from Fl. and should have been crushed for sure. Truth is, I wasn't going to let the "nay sayers" laugh about it and I spent over 6 years building it.....drove it 7 years and sold it over a year ago. Should have my butt kicked for selling that one!

Then, as I started worked on my 50 Chevy coupe, it just got worse and worse. Should have sent it somewhere else but, like mentioned above, I just wasn't going to let it kick me...but, the deeper I got into it, the worse it got! Currently going on 7 1/2 years. Maybe by Spring I can take a real ride in it......costliest one I've restored.

Bottom line is I'm getting old and hurting all over. Can't see good, Can't stand the heat and can't stand the cold plus I have no one that I'd be "happy" leaving them too......so why do I do it?? I love "fixing" things since growing up on the farm. Love getting grease under my nails and making something better/useful and "new" again to maybe last another 85 years.
I do it because I love it and especially all the friends I've made and people I've met from all over the world. I've got enough Stovebolt stories to last me a lifetime and then some.

Alvin, I'm available for adoption...

Mike - this addiction ( rebuilding / refurbishing /restoring ) is unexplainable to the unafflicted ! My project was purchased in summer 2014, got it up running and driving in the first month, then in July 2017 the addiction took hold. I'm on the downhill part of the trip ( I think ) with needing to finish the bed and rear fenders. Of course, there will be discovery of additional items along the way, there always is.

For me, it was not about the destination near as much as the journey.

I have 38 months and about 2500 hours in a frame-off. There were certainly times, (as I figure most all of us here have had), when you see the progress, and then see how much more there is to go, and think 'I'm never gonna get done with this'....but we trudge on.

I'm with coilover᠁.I don't hunt, fish, golf, etc.....I work all the time. But as much as I enjoyed, and still do enjoy, working on vehicles I would not want to do it for a living.

TUTS 59 is correct also.....it IS therapy.

(My two cents.....and a cent and a half of 52Carl's)

I just looked at my log book and am a touch over 1100 hours. But I do take some time off for fishing in the summer. I'm not one of the runny nose clan (ice fishing), although with that, there's no need to bring a cooler along.
Liked Mike said, it's more about the journey.

Haven't heard from Mike Burns yet. May still be on the ledge. Mike, if you can read this, we have your relatives and Father Flaherty down here. ...and all the town's people. We all want you to come down so we can help you.

My “never ending project” was brought home a little over a year ago. It was the truck my father restored in the late 80’s and I drove in high school. 28 years later I have it back. I’m $20k into it with zero body work. It runs and drives with LS power and a sm319. These things are a labor of love for sure. They are never finished. Building it is pure enjoyment and satisfying to me.

Don’t feel bad! I’m going on 10 years on my Chevelle. It’s almost done and now I’m doing a 59 short bed fleetside for my wife.

The title was something like “The cost of trucks”᠁

When I trailered my ‘54 3100 Resto mod home 1 1/2 years ago I did so with open eyes , but there were stars in them. I was blinded by 2 factors:
1) the body style swept me off my feet
2) for the first time ever my wife relented and said ok , we’ll spend the money on a truck for you - but be sure you know what you’re doing!

I heard nothing after “ok”.

I knew that some/much of the work was done quick and cheap. I knew that corrective measures would be necessary. I would soon get a crash course on how little I really knew.

My skill at wringing money out of side jobs , selling stuff , partying with things I thought I could not let go of is now at a lifetime high. I do what I can myself, beyond that I pay.(at remarkably reasonable rates , paired up with a custom guy with a big heart.)
In the midst of it all I be run into a whale of a health crisis. Now the ‘54 has taken on a whole new significance: the hot rod MUST be finished in time for my daughter to drive it away from the church for her June wedding , with me looking on.

Was I naïve? Sure.
Will I take a bath on the whole deal? Certainly.

But - what a great goal to focus on.

Funny how things work out, isn’t it?