My 1968 Camaro - builder?

[uxojerry]

Im into my 65 Corvette for about $140k with $10k to go. You could subtract $20k or so for the premium paid for a C2 versus a Camaro. I didn't do the work myself but I did select and buy all of the parts.

Ive learned a lot and hope to build my 68 Corvette for about half the cost of the C2. Chrome bumper (68-72) C3 project cars are dirt cheap and make for a nice project. I bought mine two years ago for $2500, and there are several in the $5k range currently.

A used C6 Z06 can be had for $35k-$45k. Another great deal is the discounts on the new Z28. I almost pulled the trigger on one for $55k with ac.

Discipline must be maintained while building, lol. It is easy to get distracted with the latest and greatest. Changes in the build midstride can get very costly.

[Smittys67]

Make a plan and stick to it! Do not buy parts 2 or 3 times because you changed your mind or there is something new. These cars are a blast but pricey.

The one big thing the do it yourself guys don't usually add up every $20-$100 dollars part they buy. They add up fast.

[Dirtmod08]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

This hobby IS a blast.... and can be done on whatever level a guy can afford to do it on. I've never met anyone and judged them on how their car was obtained except that I won't bother with people that obviously don't care. By that I mean the guys that have plug wires looped around the shock tower. I costs nothing to clean up and route a set of plug wires. If you go to a show and raise your hood to show you don't care... then we probably don't have much in common.
Many of us on here enjoy the journey in many different ways. Some have the money - some have the skills - some of us have built dozens of cars - some are first timers... some are over their heads and some aren't anywhere near what they could afford to spend. Doesn't matter. Do what's right for your personal situation. If you love this stuff - then this won't be your first or last car. You'll live and learn - you'll make mistakes - you'll survive and do it all over again. You'll meet life long friends and make lifetime memories.

Being a new member here, and seeing the cost and caliber of some of the builds on here - this is refreshing to read. I am somewhat financially challenged and married.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Dirtmod08

Being a new member here, and seeing the cost and caliber of some of the builds on here - this is refreshing to read. I am somewhat financially challenged and married.

Personally --- I'm way more impressed with a guy that can do some work - at whatever level that is --- and or, has stretched his budget by being smart and patient.... and is making the most he can with what he's got to work with. Pride has a lot to do with that.

Anyone that has money can have a car built. That doesn't take any talent at all. Nor does it take the kind of attitude and decisions and hard work that working within a budget does.


Still doesn't mean I'm going to cut Siegmund any slack....

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Smittys67

Make a plan and stick to it! Do not buy parts 2 or 3 times because you changed your mind or there is something new. These cars are a blast but pricey.

The one big thing the do it yourself guys don't usually add up every $20-$100 dollars part they buy. They add up fast.

Right on Smitty!! That was also the reason for my "tools cost money too!" post. If a guy has a "budget" --- there's so many budget busters that people just don't figure in. Small parts - hard to find parts - shipping costs - specialty tools.... and then the "I wants" part of the build comes into play. And the OOPS -- didn't count on that issues creep in...

So you have two things going on --- MONEY FATIGUE..... as there are just other things in life that a guy wants to do and have besides the car.... and HOURS FATIGUE..... a guy can only just grind so many hours before it just flat ass gets old. Usually those "breaks" get drawn out longer, the longer the project takes.... or the more ambitious the plan was to start with.

The most FUN I've had doing cars -- was building cars with buddies! Their build - their dreams - my shop my tools.... but it was doing stuff together that made it all fun. Some Saturdays we'd just give up and say F it and go to a car show instead. Some days we just shopped or chased parts all day. Some days we did a bunch on the car.... To some of us THAT is the hobby. TO others it's having a done car and they wax it every Sunday and take it to a show. Whatever.... It's the DOING whatever that doing represents --- that's the part that makes it all worthwhile.

[Dirtmod08]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Personally --- I'm way more impressed with a guy that can do some work - at whatever level that is --- and or, has stretched his budget by being smart and patient.... and is making the most he can with what he's got to work with. Pride has a lot to do with that.

Anyone that has money can have a car built. That doesn't take any talent at all. Nor does it take the kind of attitude and decisions and hard work that working within a budget does.


Still doesn't mean I'm going to cut Siegmund any slack....

I know what it's like to build something from nothing. The car I traded for the camaro I just got was built from sticks of steel stock on my garage floor. I was pretty pleased the car ended up going down the road pretty good. Looking back, I'm not sure I'd be in a great hurry to start another one anytime soon though. This one took me a whole year to build.

[Che70velle]

Cool car!

[Dirtmod08]

Originally Posted by Che70velle

Cool car!

Thanks. Guess my point is, I didn't spend a ton of money building this. Paint instead of chrome, second hand parts, and garage fabrication saved my butt from spending a large fortune. There were plenty of components necessary to buy new, but I really had to contemplate what I was going to buy and what I was going to refurbish or fabricate to get this built. My broke ass even had to do the bodywork and paint, lol.

[Revved]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

The most FUN I've had doing cars -- was building cars with buddies! Their build - their dreams - my shop my tools.... but it was doing stuff together that made it all fun. Some Saturdays we'd just give up and say F it and go to a car show instead. Some days we just shopped or chased parts all day. Some days we did a bunch on the car.... To some of us THAT is the hobby. TO others it's having a done car and they wax it every Sunday and take it to a show. Whatever.... It's the DOING whatever that doing represents --- that's the part that makes it all worthwhile.

I've got to say that I miss this the most. Since I do this to pay the bills I don't have a lot of time for "fun projects." I don't have room for a buddy to move in a car that is taking up production space and hang out for unknown number of weekends when I've been doing it all week and want to just spend time with my family doing anything else. Something to think about before quitting your day job to build cars.