The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Do You keep track of the money spent on Your stovebolt???

I do save the receipts in case I need them, but don't keep track.

The personal satisfaction that I get from working on my trucks, is well worth the money spent.

John

I spend more time constructing excuses and reasons for spending more....focus on the future not the past!!

the end justifies the means

brian

What money? I barter for everything

I'm also labor for hire....well, thats still bartering

If ya gotta know what it costs, Ya probably can't afford it. Besides, it does take the fun out of it. Part time jobs, swappin, tradin and such goes a long way too.
dg

I kept a ledger on my 38 and kept the reciepts for cost and parts numbers. lost the ledger. on the 54 I just keep the reciepts for parts numbers. With Big Bolts doubtful would ever recover anywhere near cost. write it off to an expensive hobby I enjoy.

I have a file cabinet drawer that I put all the reciepts in but I don't keep track of the expenses. I already have more in my 6400 then I know I will ever recover and I am just starting on the restoration. But it is something that I enjoy and is my entertainment. And I also like the idea that I'm saving another old Stovebolt from the crusher.
Cleon

If you are interested here is the spreadsheet as of July 2007. You can also see the PO's cost from 1984 or so here.

There are several thousand dollars more of line items awaiting entry but I find that I'm afraid to see the new total. I posted these spreedsheets on the 'Bolt to not only assist other 'Bolter's in their restorations of similar '41 - 46 series trucks but to also provide a reality check for those considering going down the same path.

Don,

I checked out your excell spreedsheets on your restoration...WOW!!!

I also checked out your digital photo log of the progress. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL JOB!!! The truck is simply outstanding, love the color combination.

Dave

I tried that but my tears kept shorting out my keyboard.

I have Quicken installed on our computer & try to keep a very close running account on I spend on my wife's '50 model truck, she knows what i've spent on it & doesn't say to much about it.

I did the same when I restored my '70 Monte Carlo, the truck is quickly catching up to it.

I love the internationals C-1 pickups from 34 to 36. My 34 had all wood doors, floors and mechanical brakes. The brakes were so horrible I broke the pedal trying to stop to avoid an accident one day. I totally rebuilt the mechanical brakes and they were good for about a week, then they needed to be readjustment. I finally rodded that truck mainly due to the brakes. The juice brake came out the following year with full metal doors. I now know where the expression "standing on the brakes" came from. I had to stop that truck using the steering wheel as an ancor point for leverage. Only vehicle I had with mechanical brakes that were that bad...

Good luck with yours and if you need any help drop me a line.

Dave

This is a great thread! I don't keep track of the costs because I'm not in this to build and sell for profit. For me, it's a father-son-daughter hobby project, and I don't want an arbitrary dollar figure to dictate how much bonding we do and how much fun we have. The way I look at it is this;

Mustang II front suspension kit = $1600
Bonding with my son & daughter while having a blast = priceless.

This build experience will be something they will both remember for the rest of their lives, long after I'm gone (and hopefully one of them still has the truck!). I can't put a dollar value on that, so I ignore the costs.

The other issue is our expectations; if we restrict the build cost to an arbitrary budget, we will probably not achieve the goals we've set for this truck. So sticking to a budget will undoubtedly result in something that we're not 100% happy with. And THAT is one of the goals we've set for ourselves; we HAVE to be happy with the finished product.

Anyway, there's my take on our build.

Anthony

I do keep all my recipts but most of them are under my matress so my wife wont find out which "old girl" I spend more on

FOR GODS SAKE !!! EAT THOSE RECIEPTS LIKE A SPY UNDER THE BARE BULB !!!! ..ya gotta destroy ALL evidence or YOU will get a cast iron skillett upside the Ol Nogin in your sleep !
HEHEHEHHEHEEE

I agree! I tracked every penny when I did a frame off resto on a '39 1/2-ton and ... well, I'm NOT keeping track during my frame off on a '49 ton and a half and I'm a whole lot happier.

Spend it if ya got it and don't look back. Enjoy the process!


John

Well said John, you can't take $ with you when you go.

I save all my receipts in order but don't add them up.I just like to think of it as money in the bank.If I don't save it buy spending it , it will just go to something else.I don't keep track of what I spend on my wife and I love her too.