Getting the Project Car Bug Again

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SMS

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It's been a long time since I had a project car. The last one was a 1968 Charger with a factory 383HP. Bought it after I came home from Korea in '93 or '94. Spent a couple years on it and had it on the road sometime in '96 I think.

Sadly, I didn't keep it long after that. Life took a turn and the car went with it lol. Biggest car regret in my life.

I've got a line on a couple of old MOPARs in various stages of restoration/condition. If the condition and price is right I just might jump in. Scariest thing is my frame of reference for parts/services expense is over 20 years old. I can do some things myself but damn, things have gotten expensive! LOL.
 

HoLeChit

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You're going to have a build thread to follow right? I had to get away from cars and such last year, and am waiting for the day I can get back into fun cars.
 

HoLeChit

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That's a good idea. If I pull the trigger, I'll do it.

awesome. I've always found that those sort of threads can be helpful for everyone. Helps keep the experiences and knowledge out there, satisfies peoples curiosity, and allows you to look back and see what you did or how something was done. I've seen guys be super thorough and post dimensions of cuts/etc and part numbers even. Then they can always copy and paste all that to a document to print out and keep with the car when its done.
 

cjjtulsa

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Scariest thing is my frame of reference for parts/services expense is over 20 years old. I can do some things myself but damn, things have gotten expensive! LOL.
It's sobering. I have multiple projects going, but it had been about 15 years since I built an engine. I'm a Ford guy, so the last thing I put together was a 302 for an early Bronco. Fast forward those 15 years, and I was setting up to build a 331 for an old Mercury of mine a couple of years ago. MY GOD how prices have risen! Currently about to finish up a 351C for my son's truck, and was bellyaching to my machine shop dude about it. He said he just built a plain Jane, 350 Chevrolet for a customer - the most common engine in history for hot rodding - and it was over $3500. He said everything has hit asinine levels. But it's still so much fun to tinker with. Enjoy the project!
 

Shakel65

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Anything Mopar is expensive (compared to other brands). Depending on what Mopar you're looking at the sky could be the limit. I've been building a Mopar for the past 2 years. A bodies tend to be he cheaper cars to build,.
 

Okie4570

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It's expensive for sure. I've got a 66' bronco under the knife right now. Fortunately all the replacement metal and panels are reproduced, but 66 had a ton of one year only parts that weren't used on the 67'-77' years. I've been buying those 66' oddball parts over the years as I see them for sale. Since the bronco market has heated up over the last ten years, those parts are worth about 10x what I bought them for lol.
 

dlbleak

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Anything Mopar is expensive (compared to other brands). Depending on what Mopar you're looking at the sky could be the limit. I've been building a Mopar for the past 2 years. A bodies tend to be he cheaper cars to build,.
A friend is working on a 74 satellite. He’s going to clone it into a GTX or roadrunner. The lead time on parts, when he can find them, is crazy. Prices are double if not triple of the similar ford or Chevy part.
 

cjjtulsa

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It's expensive for sure. I've got a 66' bronco under the knife right now. Fortunately all the replacement metal and panels are reproduced, but 66 had a ton of one year only parts that weren't used on the 67'-77' years. I've been buying those 66' oddball parts over the years as I see them for sale. Since the bronco market has heated up over the last ten years, those parts are worth about 10x what I bought them for lol.
Stupidly sold my aforementioned 72 in around 2007 for $12,500. Biggest automotive mistake I've ever made. I'll likely never be able to own another one because of the price runup.
 

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