I recently got my cutlass rolling again after 2 years of owning and working on it. I decide to go through the receipts and get an estimate of what ive spent to get to this point. I left out small things like nuts and bolts, the extra hood and deck lid, and what ive spent on the engine. So far im at approx. $4600 I had no idea I had that much in it, although I was expecting over $3000, I have $1000 in my t56 and a little over $2200 in my rear end the rest is in the suspension parts, wheels and tires. This is the first car Ive done such an extensive amount of work on and I just didnt realize it could ad up so fast.

 

Lol it really does I try and not think about cost and remember that it's a hobby

 

My '68 has been garaged for almost three years while I've been taking it apart and collecting parts. I've got a spreadsheet going, but have not yet put in a Total cell. And I AM tracking the nuts and bolts! Frankly, I'm scared my better half will see that number before the project is done LOL If that happens all bets are off for the next project. hehe But I AM looking forward to seeing the TCO. I know I have to do a better job next time, but the initial outlay for my project was for a good looking, mostly original, "numbers matching" driver. I simply reconnected with my past when I saw it, and I had to have it. THEN I started the resto...

 

I figure my 442 will be worth about 20k when I'm done, and I'll probably have that in it.

 

Unless this is your idea of a place to spend some fun time:



Do NOT add up your antique car expenses.

It's the very definition of masochism.

- Eric

 

My running total is 43,700.00 , Plus 1190.80 for , 5 , F-70 x 14 Firestone
Wide - Oval , White Stripe , OE Tires...
The good part , my car and my restoration shop are 1400 miles from Phoenix , where I live . So , I have no ability to drive the restoration shop crazy. The first time I see the car is when it comes off the transporter in the next 4 -6 weeks. Then , I will do as professional a photo shoot as I can muster . MD , that picture you posted is exactly how I feel..
thanks , Jimi

 

When a me and a buddy of mine where restoring his 69 chevelle SS, we would joke but most of the time it was true, every time you need something it was a 100 bucks! Now that I'm doing my 71 442, it seems like anytime I need something it's 200 bucks!

Maybe I should put Chevy parts in my 442. OH MY GOD! What am I saying!

 

Eric, your scaring me.

 

I keep the receipt for every penny I spend on it and will probably continue to, I just won't be adding them up anymore.

 

As my Dad used to say about restoring cars... "You will never get out of it (other than the experience) what you put into it".

That was his way of saying, that we work on these cars for the fun of it. If you worry about the cost, you'll go nuts.

Just enjoy yourself and try not to go bankrupt!

 

Well said!

 

DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!

That was your first mistake right there.

 

If you want a really scary # Let's ask Joe P. what he has spent over the life of his hobby.

Right now I have about $8000 in my car(price of the car included). Probably 8-12 to go. More if I change the 350 to a 455.

Larry

 

I keep all my receipts in a nice binder, but i've never added them up.

Why dont we try adding up our gasoline bills too :O

 

Ouch. That makes even MY head hurt!

If you want a REALLY scary number, ask me how much of that went away in the first divorce...

 

Cars are cheaper, huh.

 

I always say jokingly, one can expect to get back $.50 on every dollar and labor is worth nothing. Of course I'm talking about 88/98's. Cutlass maybe 75%. I feel I'm pretty much even because I parted out a lot of cars back when Evil Bay was good. Initial cost of my cars were low till I took a liking to them. Then they became my "money pits." I was planning to unload some cars/parts now that I retired but I still haven't the time. There's worse things to throw one's $ at. I can always crush them for the scrap price. Jmo, Ken

 

You guys are nuts, I see fellers on TV that fix a junker [with "no" rust, of course] in 1-2 weeks, then sell it for vast profits.

I don't see why it can take years to restore a car.

unless you don't have a crew of 10 working full time on it.
And unlimited fundage
and choose a model with readily available parts in a catalog
and there's not all that much wrong with it in the first place.

 

What? You're saying reality TV shows aren't "real"???

I'm shocked... SHOCKED I tell you!

 

Sigh!!! I wish I can take a car apart and get the whole thing redone in 45 mins.

 

Tell me about it. My '83 I bought for $1250 and so far I have over $6k into it. I could've bought two low mileage cars for what I spent on it! Sometimes I wish I didn't keep track because when something else needs work on it I get very frustrated. But, some cars you just know you like and it's worth every cent, I like the options and color scheme of mine so I keep at it.
Ironically with my F-85 being the older car, I haven't put more than $100 into in the year I've owned it. There has been some tempting NOS parts for it but I still get more bang for my buck fixing up the 98.

 

I have an idea on this one, but I said to myself not to add up the costs. I think it would be out the window if I did. I lost a lot of receipts on purpose!

 

I'm scared to add up my receipts. And I'm only doing the engine and tranny.

 

Thought I could restore mine for twenty thousand ,I quit counting at twenty two K and it was only 3/4 done! You just gotta love what you have and love what you are doing to it, all the rest is something for my wife to worry about....Tedd

 

I wish I didn't know what I had into my 72 W-30 when I sold it two years ago. However I was concerned about having a large amount of money show up in my bank account after the sale. So I built a spreadsheet with every thing I had spent in the twenty-two years that I owned the car. I was expecting the total to be over the 30K mark. I was dumbfounded when I totaled it up and it was over 52K!! That didn't include the 1400 hours that I put into restoring it. I should have known better. I'm in the restoration bussiness. ~BOB

 

I think that cars in general are money pit I watch cars brought in people blow engines trans head gaskets that all cost on daily drivers
Over 22 years you put about 2400 a year into acreage cost what are some of the cost on dds that get traded in or junked

 

I have over $25000 in my 65 to date (including the $6000 I paid for the car) and I have no body work or paint, that's just getting mechanical stuff back to new.

 

This is an area I like. I planned my entire build and price before I turned the first bolt. Then I try to plan where the money will come from because i can not afford to do this on my work income. I have to buy parts cars and part them out or find great deals on old Honda 3 wheelers and fix them up and sell them to get money to pay for my build. A build could never go exactly as planned so I plan extra for each part of the build. My engine looks to be going over by $800 but there are several other areas that will be under. The part I don't plan or record or want to know is the time.

 

We all love our olds, when my appraiser came for insurance he asked why olds, I told him all the other stuff is like an ahole, everybody has one lol. But life goes on financially as we get secretively by the wife. I would do another in a minute. isn't this what credit cards are for. When I figure out how to post pics ill do it.

 

Yes. And when I can pay off the credit cards after this one, it will probably start over again on a different one!
My appraiser loved the Cutlass! He told me his father had a Chevelle and it didn't look near as nice as the Cutlass. Younger guy.

 

Great attitude! X2

 

Nicely said Ted!

 

Well, when I win the MegaMillions, I'll keep restoring my Cutlass until its all gone

receipts? budgets? foggedaboutit!

Have fun driving it!

 

When you win the MegaMillions Dave you'll be surprised how many friends you never knew you had will beat a path to your door looking for handouts....You couldn't spend a million dollars on your Cutlass unless you got everything gold plated. Then you'd never want to drive it again....wasteful my son! (says the guy who hasn't driven his car for 2 1/2 years now).

Just take your car to Fantomworks and have them do it nut and bolt from where you are now. But then you would be bored just sitting around waiting for it. WAIT! No you wouldn't because you'd have 5 or 6 others in the wings for each day of the cruise week!