Thread: What were your steps when you first started???

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Originally posted by Timastyle
Not offended at all and I didn't mean to seem as though I was rude. I am looking into going to my local JC for courses. I am going to take auto fundamentals and I want to take a welding course as well. The cost is $26/unit. The 2 classes will be 8 units, so if you do the math, I think its well work it. $208 for 2 very helpful courses, that is if the teachers know what they are talking about. I think it's too late to start in the Fall semester, but I am definately going to go for the Winter Semester. In the mean time, I want to learn as much as I can on my own. I think once I get the car I want to work on, I can then progress in my knowledge. I'll then have something to work on and learn. One of my coworkers, he's 59, knows about engines and such, but he doesn't have the time to teach me really. I am trying to get on his case to help me out. Maybe I might be able to get him to come around.

Here's some other info about me...

Because of my fast driving, my license is suspended for a year and a half, and I want to take that time in building a hot rod. Do you guys think its possible to make a project car come to life in that period of time? If not complete, I want it to be driveable so that I may use it as a mode of transportation. What do you think?

Getting your own project is a great though sometimes intimidating way to learn. I highly reccomend that.

As far as your coworker. Why not drop a well timed hint that if he works on his that you would be more than happy to lend some assistance.

He probably knows quite a bit but sometimes having another pair of hands to help is nice.

Especially if you sport the beer

To answer your second question...

Sorry to hear about your liscence. Are you sure you want a hotrod?

Just kidding.

Nothing wrong with driveable. I suggest that you work on the mechanicals before jumping in feet first to appearance.

Some people hate what are considered "Rat Rides" but if you look under the hood those guys usually have a mechanically sound motor, strong tranny/rear differential, and decent brakes and tires under the fenders.

I recently got a '54 Savoy that I'm gonna have bathed inspected and primed. While the body and chasis is being dealt with I'm gonna be working on the mechanicals.

It has a stock flat 6 and 3 on the tree(MT) but I'm gonna replace it with a 318/727 Torqueflite combo.

I've also seen some damned good lookin metal that couldn't get out of their own way if you strapped a rocket to their @$$ and gave them a 10 mile headstart.

Glad to hear about the shop course. You should get ahold of their syllabus early so that you can start picking up the items they require also.

good thought on the syllabus. I will try and get that.

As for the a rat rod, that's kind of what I'll be going for. I am interested in getting a 32 roadster (if I can find one). I have a fairly vague idea of how I want it to be, but I'm sure more ideas and my creativity will come out as soon as I have the car in front of me and see what I'm up against. I was planning on getting the engine, tranny and all the mechanics in order first before I did anything else myself. If I can't drive it, it's not worth wasting my time on.

That's the way to go especially with a 32 A car.

Are you thinking Ford or are you gonna be traiterous.

I love Chevy but with all the new parts available for Ford and Chrysler products, it is such a shame to see a car so highly detailed on the outside only to open the hood and see Small Block Chevy locomotion in it.

Not to mention that things like that make it hard for everyone else to get quality bolt ons for anything other than Chevy.

That's just my though having worked as a Parts guy.

I have a bit of vision for the deuce, but I need to find one in decent shape and go from there. I need help in finding one

Being as you practically trip over L.A. and are but a hop skip and a jump to Pheonix you are in PRIME steel zone.

Arm yourself an AutoSeller type of publication, found in most any convience stop an rob.

If there aren't any in there don't give up hope. There is always someone selling. you just gotta have faith and patience that what they are asking isn't too much for what the car is actually worth.

In the case of my Savoy I found it in a field at my friends fiancees folks house. At the time I thought that it was a Ford until I investigated it. Turns out that it has everything and found out that her mom was wanting to sell it. Got it for $900.

Not bad considering the motor and Tranny are STILL in the car and the clock reads 80k with the first zero firmly in the correct position.

I hope to have it here soon since it's on 4 flats and I gotta get tires worthy of holding air. lol

Sometimes timing is everything.

I'll keep looking in there. I look every day through www.collectorcartraderonline.com and www.recycler.com to try and find a hot rod that's priced fair enough. What do you guys think the price range should be for a 32 roadster

Generally I would say that a "basket case" is worth what it has. If all you have is body and frame anywhere from $250 to $500 depending entirely on the condition it is in.

Roliing stock is definitely worth more. As much as $1500 by some sellers standards.

But I wouldn't pay no more than $1500 for a decent project car unless it's in a restorable condition.

Here is an example. In the latest "Truck Trader under $6k" in my area there is an ad for two Willy's 4x pickups. One whole and one for parts. The whole one comes with a bone stock Tornado motor.

Asking price is a Grand. Extremely surprising considering that up here in the NW, Willy's are HIGHLY sought after.

Best rule of thumb is "whatever you feel comfortable with in relation to the asking price".

A bare 32 Ford frame in useable condition goes for $1000 to $1500 around here. A useable steel 32 Ford roadster body would run around $3000 to $5000 depending on condition. The Grille shells go for $500 on ebay. Go to ebay and do a search for 32 Fords you'll see that they ain't cheap and there are no bargains.

I tried a search on google for a 32 roadster, but there aren't any project type cars or anything that's in the price range of up to $5000. I don't know where else to look. I know I can go to swap meets ad try to find them there, but is there anywhere online? I'd love to have a pic of a project 32 and figure out how I'd want it to look.

A google search is nothing like an ebay search. Try this link.

http://www.motors.ebay.com/

thanks, I was going to www.ebay.com and wasn't coming up with much. i guess this is a different part of ebay that has more.

hey Tima you might check out the #6 issue of "Old Skool Rodz".

They have a pretty detailed article featuring a Model A.


They go into detail about what they are worth. Listed a $2500 price for a rolling chassis and in the end it only cost the guy $1000 for the body since he got the car and then sold the chassis for $1500.

Anyway if I can get the mag all the way up here in BFE, it should be available to you. pretty spendy but well worth it in my opinion. A good mix of Silk and Suede buildups.