Thread: Money to finish my '32 Ford???

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.....Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone could give me a rough idea of what they think it should cost me to get my '32 3 window coupe finished. Just trying to get an idea of what to expect before I call & find out. It's being built by a top of the line, reputable shop so I'd imagine that labor would be what; $60 an hour??? $70 an hour??? Anyway, I'll list what is done. It is a roller that has; body finished, frame finished {with all brackets, engine & trans mounts, brakes, lines,etc}, steering is done, radiator & fans are in, hood & grill shell installed, fuel cell & filler installed. So by my thinking {which isn't always accurate} this is what's left to be done; the engine {small block} & transmission {auto}, & shifter installed & drive shaft made. Needs to be wired, gauges installed, gas line installed, seat bolted in, '39 Ford tail lights installed, gas pedal installed, outside mirrors put on, windshield glued in. All parts are either there or will be soon. I'm not going to have the things like radio, a/c, heater, bumpers, & emergency brake done now, just the minimum done to get it going & on the road as a antique vehicle..... Anyone have a rough idea??? If you need any more info please ask! Thanks a bunch everyone! Bill

I don't know if anyone, besides the shop themselves could give you anything but an off the wall guess. You say top of the line shop, so right there that equates to more money. I take it the car is already there? If so, what is their estimate, if even they are able to give one?

So many variables, and these things are usually billed time and materials, so it simply boils down to how fast they are and what components you are installing.

Assuming this car is actually in the shop already, what agreement did you make relative to hourly rate?


Don

Just to add a little bit to what Don has said, those "little things" that are left to be done CAN be quite time consuming to do right rather than just slapping the parts in.

Don jsut got through laying a lot of the wiring in his project and I suspest he's got a good deal mor than just a couple of hours in it. THings like mounting the motor and transmission setting pinion angle etc is also something that is not to be rushed through.

If your having the work done at a top of the line shop with experience doing these kind of cars then they really are your best source for an estimate.

I can come up the hill and give you a hand ,no need for shop to do that work you listed,maybe the pinion angle if thats not already set,but the rest is easy stuff,unless its a space and time factor involved.Puting a windshield in is usually better than trying to get one out intact.Lights ,wire and guages ,fuel line is easy stuff.I just picked up a fuel line bender for my project I would be glad to let you use or help.I also have a engine lift and load leveler for engine installation.Then all you would need to do is get a driveshaft made,but there are a couple of good places here close. Just let me know.

....Thanks all, Yes the car is already there. I talked to the builder today & he's going to finish it @ time + materials. He said this would be fairer to me & him. I didn't ask him the hourly rate because origianly I was going to finish the car but changed my mind. I will ask him though..... So I'm cool with that... Shawn I sent you an email. Did you get it??? Thanks a bunch for the offer of help & if you need any help on anything I'm more than willing to help... Bill

There are too many variables to give you an answer. I have between $35,000 and $40,000 in my '32, and I did most of the work except paint and some of the interior. I usually figure if someone is going to do the work, you can count on totaling all the parts and adding 80 per cent for labor. But in CA, it could be more.

My e-mail is messed up,you can send a pm on here!! thnx and good luck.

.....Thanks everyone for your replys... Shawn I sent you a pm..... Thanks, Bill

As everyone has said previously "there are too many variables to accuratel predict'". That being said, hopefully your builder won't scare the life out of you with his build cost, especially since you don't even know what his hourly rate is. A builder near me has a very reasonable rate of $48/hour.. His rate is lower than many. A finished car will run $30k to $50k depending on body style, motor, trans, paint, etc. The hotter, fancier, and prettier it is, look to doubling the range.

Actually I think you're a very lucky person to have someone like shawnlee28 to offer to assist with many of the little assemblies. It can save you a bundle. People with offers like that don't come along often.

Kinda outa my place but am doing a Brookville '31. Minor differences in body, fair amount for the frame ALL of the work is by me except for uphostery.

A brief rundown on costs(rounded):

Body incl freight 5800
TCI chassis incl freight 6200
Ford crate motor + my mods 3500
TCI trans & converter 900
Steering col & shafting 500
32 gas tank and mod steel 600
Wilwood rear disks 700
Exhaust - incl headers 700
Lokar shifter &e brakes 350
Walker A/C radiator 550
Electric fan 200
A/C (Yep, I know, a roadster) 1100
Street& Perf brackets 600
'32 Grill shell & shell 600
Rootleb hood 500
Wheels & Tires (Billet/Yokos) 1200
Gauges - VDO's 300
Front fenders Wescott 500
Rear fenders - steel 500
Running boards 300
Misc body brackets 200
Windshield w/SS stanchions 600
Upholstery 4000 and climbing
'57 9" Ford diff (incl mods) 500
Paint and supplies 2000
Stainless fasteners & dressup 2500 and climbing
Wiring kit+everything else reqd 850
LeBaron Bonney top irons 450
Glide seats w/foam 600
Drive shaft 500
All A-N fluid systems 1200
Powdercoat frame&misc pcs 500


All of this totals $39,500 and doesn't include some $$$$mistakes and changes in direction of where I want to be. There is nothing exotic here, just, for the most part, all good name brand equipment. To do a '32 with a TCI frame(+$2000) and Brookville body(+$5700), and using the same parts and pieces, you would need to add 7 to 8000 dollars. Phew !!
There are probably 2 to 3000 dollars of items forgotten. But it's a hobby.

At an economical $50/hour, my guess is that if some rod shop were to put all this together and paint it, you would be nudging $75K total for this car.

Thanks Dave, I found that to be useful. For my car;

Body 3800
Cornhusker chassis, Heidts 4 wheel IS incl freight 10500
(includes brake lines, rack, shocks, Wilwood disks, 9” ford 3.50 posi)
Chevy ZZ502/550 + my mods 10500
Electric fuel pump and filters 350
TCI Manual TH400 trans & converter 1250
Steering col & shafting 500
32 gas tank and mod steel 550
Wilwood master cyl 250
Exhaust - incl headers 950
Lokar e brakes 250
AFCO Radiator 450
Trans cooler 150
Spal Electric fan and relay 200
B&M Pro Gate Shifter 250
'32 Grill shell & shell 600
Wheels & Tires (Centerlines/T/As) 850
Gauges – SW Wings 450
Rear spreader SS 200
80 hours Custom machining and fabricating (myself) 0
Windshield w/SS stanchions 600
Teas Bench Seat, Rumble Seats, Panel fabric 1750
Paint and supplies 2000
Stainless fasteners & dressup 2500
Wiring kit+everything else reqd 850
Drive shaft 500
All A-N fluid systems 1200

Total $41,450

The body needs a lot of work and I will paint and panel it myself. I guess I have 600 hours in her right now. Priced at $50/hr plus $10,000 to complete the body work and paint the total becomes $81,450

I like to remind myself why I can't do this thing I love so much for a living

Originally Posted by kitz

Thanks Dave, I found that to be useful. For my car;


I like to remind myself why I can't do this thing I love so much for a living

I have a most of my receipts and started an Excel spread sheet that someday I'll finish, assuming my tears don't blot all the figures.

What you show falls right into the same ballpark within +/-10%. A little more here, and a little less there. Looks like you found an inexpensive body and lost your mind on the chassis. About everthing else falls in line.

This is not a hobby for the faint of heart and penniless (or are trying to raise a family).

When I retired last year, I said to my wife, " Now that I have all kinds of free time,I can finish the car". WRONG, she was hiding a list of honeydoos. It will be done for next summer tho - only needs paint and final assembly.

It'll be interesting to see if any "green eyed monsters of envy" raise their heads and start criticizing you guys for what you've spent. Both lists are pretty realistic, and compliments to you Dave for including, for example, oft ignored cost items such as fasteners, along with a few others. For years I've run into folks who have a novice's distorted view of what it takes to build a car (happened more in the Cobra replica arena than rods however). The more "focused" of these folks most likely had a legal sized tablet where they listed their expected costs for the "major" items derived most likely from catalogs and websites (more recently). When you try to tell them that they've missed a lot of "little" items, and that their swag of "miscellaneous = $500" wasn't even close there was obvious expression of disbelief. Most often underestimated are paint (yeah, Dave's $2000 if you count every piece of sand paper, every drop of gun wash solvent and so on is very realistic), upholstery, and drive train components (even a fairly complete crate motor is going to easily take another $1000-2000 depending on what complete means). When you tell them to double the dollars and triple the time they've estimated they look at you like you're on a bad trip. On rare occasions a few have come back and with hat in hand say, "man, turns out you were right...............I just couldn't believe it."

Sure, projects like Don's $3k show a car can be done for less, with his considerable experience, skill, and willingness to "scrounge". The bottom measure is they're cars of different market segments, not measured in monetary terms alone, albeit they both fall within "hot rod".

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

It'll be interesting to see if any "green eyed monsters of envy" raise their heads and start criticizing you guys for what you've spent. Both lists are pretty realistic, and compliments to you Dave for including, for example, oft ignored cost items such as fasteners, along with a few others. For years I've run into folks who have a novice's distorted view of what it takes to build a car (happened more in the Cobra replica arena than rods however). The more "focused" of these folks most likely had a legal sized tablet where they listed their expected costs for the "major" items derived most likely from catalogs and websites (more recently). When you try to tell them that they've missed a lot of "little" items, and that their swag of "miscellaneous = $500" wasn't even close there was obvious expression of disbelief. Most often underestimated are paint (yeah, Dave's $2000 if you count every piece of sand paper, every drop of gun wash solvent and so on is very realistic), upholstery, and drive train components (even a fairly complete crate motor is going to easily take another $1000-2000 depending on what complete means). When you tell them to double the dollars and triple the time they've estimated they look at you like you're on a bad trip. On rare occasions a few have come back and with hat in hand say, "man, turns out you were right...............I just couldn't believe it."

Sure, projects like Don's $3k show a car can be done for less, with his considerable experience, skill, and willingness to "scrounge". The bottom measure is they're cars of different market segments, not measured in monetary terms alone, albeit they both fall within "hot rod".

Bob, et. al.
This is a one time experience at this point in my life. This particular car has most of the bells and whistles that anyone could ever want on a roadster.

I worked for General Electric for 41 years, starting in a factory job, finishing college to become, ultimately, a Project Manager for new power plant installations, retiring in 2005.

While I have built other cars, they were made up of hand me downs and junkyard finds. They were done that way because my job required that I traveled internationally, sometimes for weeks and even months at a time. I raised a family, have 10 grandchildren most of whom think I'm more than a bit screwy for "making a car". I also have a wife that doesn't begrudge me the money spent.

I am well aware of the fact that this project has taken on a life of its own, and have no illusions that it will end at $40K (more like $50K) when it is as done as it will ever be (are they ever completed?). Can you build a car for $3K, yes, just not this one. Maybe the next, but...

So, let the green eyed monsters of envy rear their ugly heads - it's my car, my hobby, my sanity. And these forums help keep it fun.

all I was gonna say was..

a kidney or a firstborn child would be cheaper.

No green eyes here. You earned it, you spend it as you find fit. just remember to give a little to charity now and again.

Me, I ride a bike ( 01 indian chief ) and it seems every ride event is for a kid's charity, plus there is the VFW, the DAV, GA sherriffs ass, etc.

Kind of reminds me of the fact that the founder of Woolworth's recently died.

Know what killed him?







wait for it..







nickel and dimed to death.