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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,619
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,619 |
Have Dog
Will Travel
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,589
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,589 |
Depends on your idea of getting my money out of it.
What my check book contributed to the project and what I contributed to the project are 2 different things. Could I recoup what my checkbook has invested so far? Yes, easily. Checkbook plus my time... I think so, but it becomes a question of how well am I paying myself for my labor.
As a friend of mine said after restoring a number of classic cars you never get your money back on a car as how do you figure the cost of the labor you put into it. He said it's a labor of love in the satisfaction you sit back and look at the completed project and hear the kudos's from your peers and well as from complete strangers.
de 73's Archie - W7ACT
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
Covering the true cost of labor never quite seems to pan out for restorations, be they cars, tractors, houses, rifles or whatever.
I think W7ACT's friend is right on the money.
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
Beings I do EVERYTHING myself, I could actually make a living restoring old cars. The key is to pick the right projects, buy them right and know how far to go with the work and how far not to go with the work.
You don't want to fall short of the mark but you don't want to throw parts and labor beyond what's necessary either, there are no returns on stupid chit like huge stereo systems, air ride, stupid wheels and over the top "custom" graphics. Same goes for any area of the car, be it engine, brakes, trans, suspension... Go far enough, make it nice, make it dependable etc, but don't go nuts in any particular catagory because you won't get that back.
I could go full time with this, I think about it a lot. A whole damn lot.
Something clever here.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
Dave, I'd be curious to know what you could sell that car for when it is done. I have no idea of what that sort of thing goes for.
But don't turn a fun hobby into work. Might take all the fun out of it.
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
The fun part is owning them, the work part has been just plain old hard work for me for many years now, not much mystery or excitement left in it for me. But a guy has to do something for work, and I think I hate restoring cars much less than I hate what I'm doing now so... We'll see.
Something clever here.
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,899
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,899 |
Sometimes one hell of a hobby just turns into a job. But sometimes thats OK....
One man with courage makes a majority....
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6,428
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6,428 |
It's OK to go to work but it's really play.....it's how it should be if it could be. I say go for it full steam! You will never look back.
Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other the person to die ......
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,218 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,218 Likes: 1 |
Dave, wizard is the only word I can think of!
Well we're Green and we're Gold, and we play better when it's cold. All us Cheese heads have our favorite superstar. We love Brett Favre.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
Something clever here.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 17,289
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 17,289 |
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 18,215
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 18,215 |
Ha,...Shasta...
Haven't seen any of that in a LONG time...
Car Looks Sweet ND..!
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,030
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,030 |
Very Nice Dave! i want a full shot outside. Cant wait to see this car. it'll look great at chickenbuck!
It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same bait!
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
hey, on a dry day... it could happen.
Something clever here.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,005
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,005 |
The fun part is owning them, the work part has been just plain old hard work for me for many years now, not much mystery or excitement left in it for me. But a guy has to do something for work, and I think I hate restoring cars much less than I hate what I'm doing now so... We'll see. George Bernard Shaw said, "Work is whatever a body is obliged to do, and play whatever he is not obliged to do." His way of saying that when you turn your hobby into a job, it's just work again. But I have to agree with your reasoning... if you hate the work you're doing now and could replace the income doing something you enjoy doing, that's a strong incentive. Getting into self-employment just as Obamacare is starting to roll out might be something to consider as well.
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,382
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,382 |
You can never make a "good" living restoring cars for people who are concerned with the cost of the restoration...........seen it way too many times......
Cancer Sucks
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
Getting into self-employment just as Obamacare is starting to roll out might be something to consider as well.
The wife carries the healthcare as her plan is better. So that part is not a concern. The restoration stuff, with the metal surgery, fabrication, welding, body/paint work etc. I don't know that it's a "hobby" for me, I think of my hobbies as hunting, fishing, shooting and the tinkering part of owning hot rods and classics. I enjoy tinkering and tuning. The all out surgical restoration process... It's not nice work, it's ugly, dirty... I tolerate it ok, but I don't exactly love it.
Something clever here.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
You can never make a "good" living restoring cars for people who are concerned with the cost of the restoration...........seen it way too many times...... Agreed, I would never take work for a customer who's had this old car sitting around for 20 yrs and they want you to "fix it up a little" I am not interested in doing car projects for customers period, more interested in spec builds and sell them.
Something clever here.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 73,096
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 73,096 |
DAMN! That is fine looking.
George Orwell was a Prophet, not a novelist. Read 1984 and then look around you!
Old cat turd!
"Some men just need killing." ~ Clay Allison.
I am too old to fight but I can still pull a trigger. ~ Me
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,005
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 18,005 |
Yep. Spec builds and sell 'em. Doing resto's on other people's stuff is a nightmare... their expectations are rarely realistic.
"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars
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