Has the economy affected your rodding?

[donsrods]

I was listening to the news the other day, they were talking about how people are cutting back in every area of life because of this lousy economy. Houses are not selling, car sales are off, boat sales are really in the toilet, less people going out to eat, etc, etc. But I wondered if maybe the one area that is still pretty strong might be the money we car nuts spend on our hobby.

They say that when times get bad luxury items are the first to go...........I know only too well as my job in the marine industry folded last January. But I have a feeling that the aftermarket industry for car parts might still be the exception. I know my Sons and I are still spending pretty much what we always have because when you are half way through a project you have to keep moving ahead. I know I will cut back on other stuff, but when I need that next part I somehow find the money to get it.

How about the rest of you? Are you taking advantage of it being a buyers market for cars and used parts, or are you holding back? What do you see and hear at shows and swap meets? Just curious.

Don

 

[CR55]

Sadly I had to cut wayyyyyyyyyyy back!...CR

 

[LilD]

At the moment my wife and I are safe and steady with our jobs.
Im trying to find a 67-72 Chevy pick up for a d.d. and there are plenty to be had. So I guess I could say it hasnt effected us yet.

 

[Ratcrazy]

Mine is at a stand still almost. I am using up what products I have on hand and then its a complete stop till the wife finds another job.

 

[Tripper]

Dang... the roof fell through just when I was gonna have Chip build my Riddler Award entry! Now I guess I'm gonna have to stick with a measly old ratty flat black pickup with red wheels! It's a buyer's market & cash is king again!

BoB

 

[skull]

cuts to get by

me....selling stuff l really wantrd to save at lower prices than it's worth. that is just the way l have to do it since l am on a very limited budget. sucks to do this, but to have money to try and finish the 3-4 projects l'm doing. this is the realality of the times we live in, so one does what one has to.

Later

 

[Willowbilly3]

I have noticed the old car parts won't bring what they did a couple years ago on ebay. I have developed other income streams and have actually had a very good year, best year in quite a while. I don't make payments on anything, only buy what I have $$$ for so that helps a lot. I had enough cash to buy a trailer a couple weeks ago, 18 footer with 7000# brake axles, 10 ply tires and all new wiring with LEDs. I basically have $40 in it. Bought a 220 Case garden tractor for $40 and sold it for $850, then bought a 212 JD for $750 and sold it for $1700. Ok, so I spent a couple hundred fixing them up but still not a bad parlay. Since last fall I have also bought my new Sharps 45-70 and about 40-50 ounces of silver. I don't have a job, life is good and I find plenty of opportunities for people who can adapt and hustle.
.

 

[Tripper]

I had enough cash to buy a trailer a couple weeks ago, 18 footer with 7000# brake axles, 10 ply tires and all new wiring with LEDs.

WB... you know the story! Where's our pictures!?! [dr

BoB

 

[grouchy]

Pretty much came to an end, was wayyy low buck to begin with. Now I enjoy seeing what other people are doing!

 

[Sam_Fear]

I already barter for stuff off the junkers trucks that go through my alley - how much can a cheap guy like me cut back? The only thing slowing me down is working on the house, etc. I just browsed Craigslist and saw a lot of project vehicles for sale.

I do know the catalog junk shippers (Home Shopping network etc) are going gangbusters. Just like Walmart - people still buy the same amount of stuff, they just buy cheaper stuff.

 

[Willowbilly3]

WB... you know the story! Where's our pictures!?! [dr

BoB

I'll try and get some tomorrow.
I had a weeks contract work and plan to get the rest of my brake parts when I get paid. That will be a major leap in the progress on my rod. Then I will blow it all back apart to finish the welding on the frame and start assembling it. Today I scored a Craftsman riding mower at the dump for $19. The 12 horse Briggs popped right off and I got it yanked out for a transplant and also I have another one like it that needs the rear end so a couple freeby mowers will be up and running, worth $300-$400 each when spring comes. Plus a Roper 16 horse twin hydrostatic mower I got for cheap will also be for sale, $400-$500 I suppose. More car parts.

 

[andreasklapp]

i've been basically flat broke the last couple of years. quit doing what i was doing and moved around and hitchhiked a lot. right now i'm doing ok, not making much but i'm starting to line up work. it is REALLY hard to come by where i live right now, but i found a lot of things i like here so i'm staying. my girlfriend works at a thrift shop so we get most of what we need for free. i'm mostly unemployable, i don't get along with most people (because most people are idiots with no common sense.) and none of that flies in any kind of customer service stuff(gas stations, etc.) i have no proper credentials, so a lot of skilled labor and trades count me right out. but i'm going back to school soon, and like i said things are starting to pick up around here for me, there is a lot of word of mouth stuff here.i'm lucky in that most of what i need for my current project is already taken care of (it runs, it's legal, it drives.) so i get to practice welding and body work as i save up for each little piece of what i want. [S

 

[zzrodder]

Here in Canada we haven't been affected as much as the US by the
" economic downturn ". Myself, I still buy whatever I need for a build but I think it's important to resist going overboard on personal features that only appeal to a narrow audience which limits the end value and saleability. The most important rule to keep to - DO IT YOURSELF !! - if you have to pay others for work, build cost can go thru the roof.
One trap I have fallen into is buying the cheap imported crap parts money wasted having to do things over !
I sell my projects so I can build more and have never lost money, even this year. There always seems to be a market for a good quality product at a fair price. You just have to be realistic about what you expect to get for a car, not dreaming about some guy coming to throw down big bucks. People with lots of dough didn't get it by being stupid.

 

[donsrods]

I've got a story about earning a living that I have to share with you guys. For years there has been a guy I see riding his bicycle with aluminum either strapped to it or in one of several garbage bags he has tied to the handlebars. He goes around picking up cans, aluminum gutters, anything made from aluminum.

He is not the cleanest looking man I have ever seen (actually looks like he is homeless, and I think he is) but he is the hardest working guy I have ever seen. I have seen him at 6 am and Midnight, pedaling his bike all over the place. I saw him one night at about 2 am out by the airport, and other days I have seen him in the next town over.............his route is huge.

I worked with a girl who had a storage building in one of those rental places, and she told me he had a 10 x 20 unit next to her, and when he would open the door it was so full of cans and aluminum that it was spilling out the door. (I guess he holds onto it until the market goes up) Sunday, my Sons Girlfriend was telling us that she worked in the bank where he has his bank accounts.........not bank account, bank accounts plural! She said in the 5 bank accounts he has over $ 120,000.00! He was mugged one time and had $ 10,000.00 in his pocket.

So, the reason I mention this is that I have the deepest respect for this guy. He gets out 7 days a week, in hot sun and rain, and is earning his own money. Agreed, he probably has some mental issues because no one with that kind of money should be homeless, as we suspect, but he has the work ethic to get his butt out every day and make a living. Forgive me for getting a little off the subject, but I just had to tell this story.

Don

 

[rainman]

Attn. everyone, Willowbilly's buying!!!! lol

 

[Willowbilly3]

Attn. everyone, Willowbilly's buying!!!! lol

And I don't drink the cheap crap either!!!
Hey Don, that was a great story. A few years ago I was working for a guy whose folks lived in Michigan. He was there visiting and just for something to do he decided to pick bottles from the road ditch one day. In 8 hours he averaged over $8.50 an hour. That was 14 years ago and I think minimum wage was 5 something.
I have done some scrapping this summer and it has made me some extra $$. Right now I have a bid in on 4 big barrels of wire at the plant where I contract. I can (hopefully) get it for 80 cents and get paid $2.40 after I burn it off.
Today I am rebuilding 2 old forge blowers I got for $20. I usually get $125-$150 each for them on ebay after I clean them up and get them working. Every little bit helps. Deals are out there but you have to hustle.

 

[42chevy]

I can't even afford to drive mine anymore and am trying to sell 2 cars and just keep my '42 Chevy. I have been having a tough time getting anyone to even make decent offers on them and both are desirable cars, a '53 Ford F100 and a '57 Chevy. I hurt my back bad about 10 years ago, I am 41 and it has gotten to the point where I barely can get through a work week.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

its bad enough that someone offered me 5k for my model a and I not only am considering it, but licking my chops at the idea cause that will pay off my dodge.

 

[earthman]

Yes it has and i am having to alter my core beliefs to resonate in a reality
with more money. This will result in a better quality of life but the ego still resists change making it harder than it has to be.

(....who knows if he is serious or what really goes on inside his head...)