Hey Y'all

[evilelvis]

I grew up building rods with my Dad in Virginia... my favorite was a revamped Corvair with a small block. I think his was the '36 Chevy Master Sedan...

We used to go to the runs together, Williamsburg... Hershey... and Daytona.

Dad died two years ago, I'm picking up tools to work on a project of my own and taking welding classes... any suggestions for a cheapie starter car?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

welcome aboard the RRT board.


cheapie starter car?  

the better statement is "a less expensive car project".  They all seem like money pits......... LOL

[40]

Welcome! Seems like there are a few good buys turning up lately....seems like the market is softening a bit....Good luck!

[Rayvyn]

I grew up building rods with my Dad in Virginia... my favorite was a revamped Corvair with a small block. I think his was the '36 Chevy Master Sedan...

We used to go to the runs together, Williamsburg... Hershey... and Daytona.

Dad died two years ago, I'm picking up tools to work on a project of my own and taking welding classes... any suggestions for a cheapie starter car?

Hey there, and welcome to the RRT. Lotsa great folks here with lotsa great advice. It's good to see a fellow Floridian on the board. Where do you hail from?

T Buckets are a good starter project if you like roadster type cars. Alot of them can be found for a semi-decent price. Partially done projects are a good way to start. Sometimes you'll find that most of the heavy work is done, but enough remains so you'll be able to put your touches on the finished product. Another good route is the off brands like Plymouth, Dodge, Buick, Pontiac, etc.  A little harder to find parts, but alot of them are interchangeable with modern clips and frames, and they are less expensive to purchase than a popular rod like a 32-40 Ford, Chevy or Willys.

Check out Ebay but be careful and very thorough in buying a car from there. There can be good deals, but there's also alot of scams and misrepresentations there also. Check the local want ads, the local cruising magazines, and go to shows. There are alot of internet sites dealing with rods for sale as well. Don't jump into something right off the bat just to get into the hobby. Find a car you like, and research what it'll take to complete it. Check the parts availability and costs, and see what the car needs to have done to it. Think about who you will go to if there's something that needs done that you're not capable of, and what it'll cost.

Another way to go is to start off with the common drivetrain set-ups like a 350/350 combo. The parts are endless and cheaper to come by. You can always plan and build later that vintage Flathead or Olds Rocket or Chevy 409 you've always dreamed of.

And don't kid yourself thinking you can build a rod for $5,000 like Rod and Custom said, unless you have a spare body and drivetrain laying around. Real life rod building isn't like Monster Garage-there's not too many freebies out there. If you're on a budget, stick within that budget, and stay within your means of knowledge to build the car. You may pick up a cheap project with aspirations of having a Roadster Show car when you're done, but if you can't do structural welding, painting, body work, wiring, upholstery or drivetrain building, then those jobs will have to be parted out, and those jobs aren't cheap to have done. Ask questions, do some research, and take your time finding the right project to dive into. It's just a matter of what you like, and what you're capable of.

And get a theme together for the car and stick with it. Don't build a car in order to please a bunch of people just to fit in. Build what you want, and how you want it. One thing to remember:::there's alot of folks in the hobby now that have chosen to build traditional 40's and 50's style low budget rods, because they think they are non-conformists that enjoy going against the grain of most of the industry in forms of paint vs. primer, rat rod vs. billet, painted rims vs. chrome, etc. But with all of them trying to be different, they've pretty much all became the same, which is the reason alot of them went that route in the first place. They've mostly become what they were trying to break away from-a collective group with the same ideas and interests and tastes in how a rod should look and be built. (I'll probably catch H@#L for that statement.)  Don't get me wrong-I like alot of those rods. But it doesn't mean I have to own one to try and fit in. Do your car your way and be proud of it. And don't hesitate to ask anything here on the RRT. These folks are the best, and they won't bite your head off if your car doesn't "conform" to standards...

My 2c worth...Gotta run-my fingers hurt. Good Luck!!

[rumrumm]

I would look for a Model A. They are plentiful, it is easy to  fabricate parts, you can build them any style from rat rod to retro to California smooth, sedan, coupe or roadster (which would be hardest one to find). You can build a frame out of 2X4 rectangular tubing. That is what I did with my first rod. And I think it turned out pretty cool.

[alchevy]

Don't forget pickups. Them along with T-buckets, and some others are not as much area to paint as big sedans are. I like the style of coupes and roadsters from the '30s, but I have been told that your big sedans ride better if you want to drive it to a lot of far away shows. I have been noticing more and more of the '46-'48 sedans at Louisville.

Are there locals with the same interest as you? My circle of local friends helped me build my first street rod. Each one is talented in one area better than the rest and are helpfull to have around. Notice my signature at the bottom of this post about a turtle on a fence. I did not get to where I am at without the help of my friends.
AL

Oh yeah...I almost forgot: Have FUN with your project!

[phat46]

Actually you can build a rod for $5000, or less. Older trucks are plentiful and quite reasonably priced for the time being. Get a donor vehicle and some tubing for a frame and have at it. Might take a little longer than most, but for me half the fun is finding cheap parts and building things that many others pay real money for. Here's my truck I built and have way less than $5000 into, more like $3000.

[EMSjunkie]

Welcome to our little corner of cyberspace.

Like Rayvyn said earlier, build what you want to build. don't worry about
conforming, as long as it is safe.
take your time, do it right. you will be glad you did.
plan ahead, everything you do will affect another area of the vehicle  

stick around, learn a little, maybe teach us something



Vance

[donsrods]

Welcome from another Florida guy.  Glad to have you here.

You don't have to put a fortune in building a car, but it takes patience, and the ability to make a lot of your own parts.  Here is my little T modified I'm building right now, and I have about $ 3500.00 in it, and that includes over $700 worth of rear slicks and about $ 1000 worth of front Buick drums/ brakes/ wheels and tires.  I could have cut it a lot if I would have left these items off.  I plan on having no more than $ 5 to 6,000 in it when all done.

Just pick something you like and get started, lots of help on here to get it finished.

Don

[Grandadeo]

Hey Bryan that was more like a Dollar three eighty than 2c.  But everything you said was on the money.  Welcome  evilelvis.  Sounds like you've been around the block a few times with old cars and your dad.  Daytona would be a good place to go look and maybe carry some cash with you just in case that right deal came along.  A lot of the sellers are there fishing for a newbie and asking way too much for their cars/projects.  But sometimes there are good deals to be had.  I once heard of a guy that sold a very nice '38 American Bantam Sedan Delivery there that had barely seen the light of day in 32 years for only 3 grand.  Oh, that was me.  I have seen some good deals there though, and remember to look at all the picture boards with cars that they have back home for sale.  That's how Normspeed found his '53 Momad from the son of the original lady owner.  And I hear she was a looker too.  (inside joke, right Norm).  If nothing else it would be a good place to look at 5000 different cars and narrow your search down to what you really like.  See you at Yellow Field, Row 9, Space 298, that's Yellow 9-298.

Lee