So kid you want to build a 71 Cuda?

[moparclown]

I did a quick write down of Most of the parts that I have gotten for my 71 Cuda,my god I must be outta my mind
I did this because I have been offering it up for grabs locally and most have looked at me like I have two heads or something.I was asking for offers around $18000,sounds crazy doesn't it?Car is unfinished and still sitting up on a dolley.Not including my time to find this stuff,shipping or any labor,I have over $25000 tied up in it.
So kid You want a 71 Cuda?This is what $25000 will get you
Just a rant for my own stupidity

[cudax34me]

well i've always heard it's cheaper to buy one built than do it yourself.looks like you have a prime example of that.in the long run it may be like the old blues song says cheaper to keep her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjRf9hc0g1E

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Even if you buy a "nice" one (not a rotissory job) you still end up spending $$$$ trust me....

[Bullitt-]

Exactly why I have NOT kept records.....Never will be for sale anyways so I figure I'll be happier if I don't know...ie Ignorance is Bliss

[73Chally]

Exactly why I have NOT kept records.....Never will be for sale anyways so I figure I'll be happier if I don't know...ie Ignorance is Bliss

We did ours over the course of about 2 1/2 years, and I did not track the expenses at all.  It will never leave our family while we are alive.

[B5barracuda]

keep it,finish it and enjoy,looks like a great car!

[quapman]

It's not stupidity, but love of these old money pits!

[kingtroll]

Exactly why I have NOT kept records.....Never will be for sale anyways so I figure I'll be happier if I don't know...ie Ignorance is Bliss

 

If you keep track you will get sick so why bother?

[troutstreamnm]

Well with the market downturn, I probably have double the amount of money in my car than it's worth  I have no plans to sell and enjoy having people drooling  over it at shows so I guess it's O.K....ugly financially, but O.K.

[JeffAARy]

It is definitely cheaper to buy a finished car.  The problem is you will probably never find exactly what you want because you are limited to what is available, and that is a relatively small number.  The question is, is it worth all the time/money/effort to build a car exactly the way you want it?

[HP2]

Makes a good arguement for buying a crate camaro or mustang for $10k, or some one elses completed project for $15k.

Is that $25k price because of all the '71 specific stuff that is not being produced, is it because of the use of NOS parts instead of repops, or is just the price of doing an E body? Have you done all the work or have parts of it been sent out and are inlcuded in that total? I'd also ask what is the time frame of those purchases, 6 months, 18 months, 5 years? If you building to a schedule and picking up parts when you need them instead of shopping for value, it is going to drive the price up considerably.

[Moparal]

It all adds up Huh Doug?    I don't keep track of my reciepts. I know my car is kinda rare to some degree and has a good value, but I don't consider the labor of love or resale into my car. I know you do most all of your own work to yours.  You got a good car there. So don't count the dollars you spend on it as you build it for yourself. You will ease up if you do. Just take it a bit at a time like you do and keep the family happy is the biggest happy median little boy See it through and the first time you drive it will be a ride the whole family will remember

[Scatterbrain]

I sometimes feel the same way.  I had to ditch on a project Corvette that I had quite a bit into.  I think Jay Leno said that if you build it up, sell it and make money off it, then you didn't do it right.  These really are a labor of love. 

[somedaysoon]

 It doesn't matter how much you have into it or what you think it's worth, or what others like it have gone for. Any car is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it, and that's just the sad truth.  Pete

[moparclown]

It's all good advice guys
I do all of my own work as far as labor is concerned,the money really isn't the issue.I think I was more in shock at the fact that the car is still on the dolley and I really haven't done a whole lot with it and I thought I had around $18000 into it and just wrote a list of the parts I have gotten over the last 2 years and realized I had a lot more into it than I thought.The biggest issue right now is space,at the moment there are 6 cars here not including my wifes car.This will be only 4 cars after I finish stripping the 2 92 Daytona's,but I will be storing the 69 Cuda and the 93 Iroc R/T in the garage this coming winter.I never bought the 71 to resell in the first place and as rough as it is I can picture it the way I want it,so I will keep on looking for alternative storage Ideas(just remember that I live on main st. in my little town)I have been trying to find a repairable enclosed trailer(something cheap)I don't need it to haul cars,just need to get it here.I am open to Ideas,even crazy ones?