Build or buy?

[Thumpin455]

Which do you have more respect for, the guy who builds his car or the guy who buys it? Is there anything wrong with buying a car already done, a new car, or even a kit car?

What about engines? Is it cool or preferable to buy a crate engine or get a block and start doing your own only farming out the machine work?

I know a good number of us are builders, and DIY types, just wondering what the thoughts and merits of each is. You guys know where I stand since I build pretty much everything and start off with next to nothing.. Not many people are as masochistic in a car sense, so guys like me are at the far end of the bell curve. Where is the median, the high part of the curve?

[Bob Holmes]

As long as someone can carry on an intelligent conversation about the vehicle they own, I really don't care if they built it or bought it.

Same thing with an engine, if they can tell me why they chose that crate engine vs the other 500 crate engines available, and have that answer be an intelligent one that speaks to the needs they were trying to address, then I don't care.

Buying doesn't usually scratch my itch, but if it scratches someone elses, and that person is a "car" guy (in other words, its not just some bauble attached to their automotive finger) then more power to them.

[dieselgeek]

Both.

I know guys who buy project cars and they are getting MANY speed parts for pennies on the dollar. Then I know other guys who like to build everything from scratch. The only thing that matters is that BOTH guys are out there doing something with their cars, instead of playing Keyboard Commando on the internet all day long.

As for my little corner of the hotrodding world, I treasure being able to build my own EFI computer. Few things give me the satisfaction of seeing one of my little homemade contraptions kicking ass on the Salt, the Mile, the dragstrip, or even on the engine dyno.

All that matters is that someone, somewhere, is doing SOMETHING to keep the hobby alive.

[squirrel]

And then there are the guys who build cars mostly from scratch, and sell them so they can start the next one. They don't really want the car, they just want to build it

I don't really worry much about how someone got their car, but I do seem to have more to talk about with the guys who build their own.

[BBR]

As long as someone can carry on an intelligent conversation about the vehicle they own, I really don't care if they built it or bought it.

Same thing with an engine, if they can tell me why they chose that crate engine vs the other 500 crate engines available, and have that answer be an intelligent one that speaks to the needs they were trying to address, then I don't care.

Buying doesn't usually scratch my itch, but if it scratches someone elses, and that person is a "car" guy (in other words, its not just some bauble attached to their automotive finger) then more power to them.

Quoted for truth.

[Brian Lohnes]

^^^ I'm with these dudes.

At the end of the day, the dude who put his own car together will be the guy I can relate to a little more. But, a guy who has a car built that he loves and tends to like the rest of us tend to our junk is worthy of my respect as well. My dad didn't built the roll cage or rear suspension in his car, but he bleeds for that thing like the rest of us do.

If you were into expensive cigars when that was the fad and then scooped up a street rod because that's the next thing and have no interest in talking about anything more than what it cost, you are a douche, not a car guy. If you're a guy who has worked his ass off, achieved a comfortable financial level and now has the means to build a shag nasty hot rod that can keep my friends that build race cars, race engines, and other specialty stuff in business, you're in like Flynn. The BangShifty world needs all of the different types to function.

I think a lot of it boils down to people being insecure about themselves/their stuff versus what they see rolling past them at the cruise night. It is easy to be Statler and Waldorf, being snarky from a distance. Much harder to walk up to a dude, tell him his car rules and actually engage the person.

Brian

[Thumpin455]

Thats kinda what I was thinking. On another board someone was complaining about kit Cobras, and how they arent original, built in back yards. His problem with them stems from his being excluded from a car show because his car was 24 and the cutoff age was 25, but they kit car people were allowed.

I can see his point, but to hate a certain type of car because it was home built is kinda dickish to me. It just smacked of an irrational bias on his part. So it got me to thinking, what is the norm for us gear heads?

[Thumpin455]

^^^ I'm with these dudes.

At the end of the day, the dude who put his own car together will be the guy I can relate to a little more. But, a guy who has a car built that he loves and tends to like the rest of us tend to our junk is worthy of my respect as well. My dad didn't built the roll cage or rear suspension in his car, but he bleeds for that thing like the rest of us do.

If you were into expensive cigars when that was the fad and then scooped up a street rod because that's the next thing and have no interest in talking about anything more than what it cost, you are a douche, not a car guy. If you're a guy who has worked his ass off, achieved a comfortable financial level and now has the means to build a shag nasty hot rod that can keep my friends that build race cars, race engines, and other specialty stuff in business, you're in like Flynn. The BangShifty world needs all of the different types to function.

I think a lot of it boils down to people being insecure about themselves/their stuff versus what they see rolling past them at the cruise night. It is easy to be Statler and Waldorf, being snarky from a distance. Much harder to walk up to a dude, tell him his car rules and actually engage the person.

Brian

Nailed it.

[Scott Liggett]

Bob and Brian are correct. We all respect those guys who can build a car from a wreck, or from nothing at all. But, those gearheads who can afford to pay others to do the work, or buy the car finished shouldn't be shunned.

Then there are those guys who really don't know anything about their car and only brag about who built it, how much they spent, how much HP it has, or how few of them were built are big dorks in my opinion. Maybe that kind of talk is OK down at the country club, but mostly, the average car guy can't relate to these people.

[SpiderGearsMan]

build your own ..if you can't take up coin collecting

[Monk]

And then there are the guys who build cars mostly from scratch, and sell them so they can start the next one. They don't really want the car, they just want to build it

I don't really worry much about how someone got their car, but I do seem to have more to talk about with the guys who build their own.

Yep
I'd get done with a car..........get bored and start another.
To date I've done 15 cars.

My oldest son comments it's a good thing they didn't come with titles.

My recent project...the shoebox........was a getting back to my roots
project.....and has been a blast.

Maybe it'll get tenure.

[TC]

I have to say I have way more respect for a guy that builds his own car/engine, than for the check book Yuppie that bought a car to be cool........There is something to be said about the blood, sweat, frustration, anger, satisfaction and happiness that you get from building your own car. And it's something a checkbook HotRodder or someone that's never built a car could ever understand.......... Saying that, if you've built other cars in your life and want to buy a car that is already done, then that is Ok in my book, but you need to have the street credit first.......

[SuperBuickGuy]

Both.

I know guys who buy project cars and they are getting MANY speed parts for pennies on the dollar. Then I know other guys who like to build everything from scratch. The only thing that matters is that BOTH guys are out there doing something with their cars, instead of playing Keyboard Commando on the internet all day long.

As for my little corner of the hotrodding world, I treasure being able to build my own EFI computer. Few things give me the satisfaction of seeing one of my little homemade contraptions kicking ass on the Salt, the Mile, the dragstrip, or even on the engine dyno.

All that matters is that someone, somewhere, is doing SOMETHING to keep the hobby alive.

exactly!!! of course, I also think Prius owners are simply very misguided gearheads...

Thats kinda what I was thinking. On another board someone was complaining about kit Cobras, and how they arent original, built in back yards. His problem with them stems from his being excluded from a car show because his car was 24 and the cutoff age was 25, but they kit car people were allowed.

I can see his point, but to hate a certain type of car because it was home built is kinda dickish to me. It just smacked of an irrational bias on his part. So it got me to thinking, what is the norm for us gear heads?

he was upset he couldn't get his lawn chair out?

[SpiderGearsMan]

after being involved in a failed pro street builder and a restoration /road race shop ..checkbook rodders and racers don't like to pay ..getting money out of them is like like trying to get blood from a stone

[tardis454]

Cars that are bought are ok I guess, but the buyer is usually clueless about what they 'really' have. They don't know what they got because they didn't build it. Some shops do major hack work, & the owner never knows how many inch/lbs of body filler is in their car. Prime example: Hack Job General Lee.

I like building, & like most I put something together & sell it when something better comes along. Cars(except for AMC's)bore me these days though...

Family car projects are cool. My friends dad has a 69 SS396 Chevelle that's been in the family for 35yrs. My friend has many childhood memories in that car, & now he & his dad get to restore it together.