This hobby is EXPENSIVE!!!!

[anlauto]

Alan,

Would I be correct in my thinking that a pro street would be a little less expensive then a original restoration? I can mix and match parts and do not need original parts. I have figured around $30000-$35000 into the car should make one hell of a pro street. The car already has a dana 60 with strange internals 4.88 gears and QA1 coil overs, cage, tub. I have a 1968 383 motor that I would like to build  496 stroker out of. Also have a 727 trans. I figured $10000 for body and paint, $10000 for interior and components $10000-$15000 on motor and trans. I hope I am not in lala land.

If you re-arrange your numbers a bit they may work. Maybe $15K on a nice body/paint and $5K on interior ?

A modified car has no rules, but the "cool" aftermarket parts aren't cheap either....

[nsmall]

Markp, I am the last person who should offer advice as the guys on this site know WAY more than me.  All I can say is I have somehow spent or will have spent 8k on parts I never anticipated buying as I am looking to build a very nice driver that would get some attention at a car show.  For example: Hood hinge restoration including shipping...$250, re-chromed OEM bumpers and new brackets for the 70-72 look...$1200, new mirrors...$300, new handles....$100 (Thanks to Roseville), OEM misc straight trim...$400, new glass $1200, new dash pad...$700-$1200, new radiator...$700.  The list goes on and on. I guess if I could be more content with driver quality parts I already have I would have less invested.  I am getting away from stock, but like Alan said, even non OEM parts are expensive on E-bodies.

At the end of the day, I love the E-body and am very happy with the way the car is turning out.  I cant imagine anyone making money at restoring a Mopar.   Rumor is Alan can do it.  Alan broke down a good paint cost for me and like you I am doing mine for 10k, but it probably will be a ways off from excellent as a great paint job with minimal metal work is way more than 10k according to Alan.

Hope that helped some.

Neil

[Markp]

If you re-arrange your numbers a bit they may work. Maybe $15K on a nice body/paint and $5K on interior ?

A modified car has no rules, but the "cool" aftermarket parts aren't cheap either....

Yup I may have to re-arrange my numbers.

Markp, I am the last person who should offer advice as the guys on this site know WAY more than me.  All I can say is I have somehow spent or will have spent 8k on parts I never anticipated buying as I am looking to build a very nice driver that would get some attention at a car show.  For example: Hood hinge restoration including shipping...$250, re-chromed OEM bumpers and new brackets for the 70-72 look...$1200, new mirrors...$300, new handles....$100 (Thanks to Roseville), OEM misc straight trim...$400, new glass $1200, new dash pad...$700-$1200, new radiator...$700.  The list goes on and on. I guess if I could be more content with driver quality parts I already have I would have less invested.  I am getting away from stock, but like Alan said, even non OEM parts are expensive on E-bodies.

At the end of the day, I love the E-body and am very happy with the way the car is turning out.  I cant imagine anyone making money at restoring a Mopar.   Rumor is Alan can do it.  Alan broke down a good paint cost for me and like you I am doing mine for 10k, but it probably will be a ways off from excellent as a great paint job with minimal metal work is way more than 10k according to Alan.

Hope that helped some.

Neil

So I am going over my budget is what I am starting to understand.

[JoeGrapes]

It still amazes me how much money we spend on these cars. Im asked all the time if I wanted to do another car. Hell no! To much work and expense now a days. Im happy just doing improvements on the car I have. I've done wheels, tires, suspension, brakes, fuel injection and I can think of a few more that I'll do down the road. These cars are only done when you feel like not doing anymore. There is always something to be one.

[timbbuc2]

You see the hole in the picture on my profile, 3k USD to fill that one in. Think I will put the original hood back on. But at the end of the day they are fun to work on. When I get mine running, I would like to do another, BUT not back to original, build it old school out of the scrap yard with current parts

[DPChall]

Right now my wife is only aware of the upcoming paint/body cost on my '72 - and even that is sketchy.  She does not yet know about the true trac rear end I plan, or the upgraded front suspension(!), or the new brake lines, or the refurbished standard gauge pod, etc, etc.  It has all been "academic" due to this project being tabled for years due to family priorities.  But after years I have the garage/workshop in needed and the main problems are keeping the budget in limits and time to work.

Doing a lot yourself and being very careful to choose the specific performance goals for the car are the only ways I know of to limit the financial impact (as I have a kid about to enter college, this is important).  The aftermarket for Mopars is now huge - when I bought mine in '95 there was nowhere near as much.  Now you can buy a Hotchkiss suspension or one from Mancini, completely replacing the  torsion bars and K member, and the leaf springs, too - all with expensive modern stuff.  I love that there is a great new industry for all this, but since I am worried about the cost of just getting the least expensive rotisserie I can find, I will have to leave all that hardware to those who can afford it.  Besides, a modern Challenger R/T, used, can be purchased for well under 25K, especially if you are willing to take one with somewhat higher mileage.  I have trouble with the disconnect there - spending huge dollars just on upgrades does not seem worth it when I can get a whole modern car for an incredible price - with airbags too.  Anyway I am sticking with torsion bars and leaf springs for my car, probably with tubular upper control arms and other parts from Firm Feel.  BTW my engine is a rebuilt 318 done by a colleague of mine in the National Guard who briefly raced it in a '69 Cuda before stepping up to a 360.  It is bored out .30 over, has Keith Black parts, is blue printed, and I got it for $600.  My 4-speed is rebuilt also; I think I spent $250 on the transmission and another $250 to rebuild it - I am not sure I could pull that off today.

Good luck with your project - hopefully you will be on the road sooner than I will.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

 

[70chall440]

Here is what $46K looks like 

[Markp]

Here is what $46K looks like 

 

[cudamadd]

Nice car so far .  But what do  you do . Every one loves  this hobby .  If there were only body men and mechanics  ,that owned these cars there would be no hobby.  My car is only a driver a 15 footer but thats ok i can live with that . Friends challenger cost him just over $12 0 k AUS to restored .But he  will not drive it .No fun just looking at it. Fact is you want something specail you pay for it .I think that the gifted few that restore these car at such a high level are at the top of there game and deserve the high dollar because of the end result . Yesterday labor  and mat cost =$ ?  Tomorrow labor and mat cost =$   Who know . do what we can ,with what we have $$$$$$$$$Thats the sign of the times

[70chall440]

I have kept track of every expense on this car which is why I know almost to the penny what I have in it. Yes I know many people don't want to know, however I did/do. I have purchased many parts during the build and in some cases, bought the same or similar parts several times. I have redirected a number of times due to advancements in technology (release of new parts), etc.

All that said, I have no regrets and am still enjoying the build.

[Markp]

I have kept track of every expense on this car which is why I know almost to the penny what I have in it. Yes I know many people don't want to know, however I did/do. I have purchased many parts during the build and in some cases, bought the same or similar parts several times. I have redirected a number of times due to advancements in technology (release of new parts), etc.

All that said, I have no regrets and am still enjoying the build.

Paint looks great. Do you mind if I ask how much painting costed?

[70chall440]

I am into materials for about $1300, however I did all of the labor (bodywork and paint).

[djais1801]

it has been my experience on limited budget/instant gratification that buying a "complete" car is the only way to go unless you have the time/knowledge to do the "heavy lifting" yourself...both of which I do not have.
And as someone else said...if you keep them long enough you will lose. It won't depreciate...but you will definitely lose.