Something from Nothing

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Nice! Keep the pictures coming and tell us more...

[VTJUNK]

Too bad about the quarters, this old paint rubs out nice.

[VTJUNK]

Picked up another parts car. This one donated the dash pad, some wiring and the heater box. The rest was parted out like the other car.

[Captain]

I don't know where you keep finding all these 2 door Donor Cars !!!

[Captain]

Seen you recently built a FE engine.
By chance would you have a few extra Of the Long Head Bolts to purchase?
I will buy a whole set if the price is right.
Thank You.

[VTJUNK]

Seen you recently built a FE engine.
By chance would you have a few extra Of the Long Head Bolts to purchase?
I will buy a whole set if the price is right.
Thank You.

I'll take a look. I used the ones that came with this engine but I have a 428 sitting here also.

[Captain]

Thank You.
I really only need two, let me know.

[VTJUNK]

Thank You.
I really only need two, let me know.

Sorry, no bolts with the 428. It came in pieces, so I wasn't sure what was there.

[VTJUNK]

Going over the cost of the parts as well as the car itself and the two parts cars I'm coming up with about $7,000. Hardly a budget. But, the two parts cars yielded enough spares I didn't need that I was able to recoup $6,750 so far and there's plenty of stuff left to sell. So my net is approximately $250 spent out of pocket to build this car, with the bulk of that being the engine and transmission.

[VTJUNK]

[VTJUNK]

When I say parted out, I mean nothing left. Here's the roof waiting to be loaded in a truck headed for Maine.

[VTJUNK]

The Custom came with two sets of door panels in the trunk along with a 289 air cleaner, FE valve covers, a 4100 4bbl carb and misc. Those were all sold for about $400.

The green LTD was the cash cow here. I paid $300, sold the front clip for $600, the roof with inner and outer moldings for $450, gutting the dash turned into $500, and so on.

The white car was $500, and that was parted out as well after donating a radiator, engine frame mounts, ignition switch, heater box and controls, a good dash pad and a few other things. Sold the seats for $350, the door panels for $250, the rear axle for $350 among other things.

As I sold parts I would spend the money on what was needed for the Custom. This was over the course of a year, and I was never more than $250-$300 out of pocket. Like I said above, I have plenty of parts left to sell to get me below $0 invested even with future purchases like a battery, tires, etc

[Captain]

Excellent........
My son's will reap the rewards on my vehicles at the Auction as they haul me off to the Crotchety Old Senior's Home......
I think only Two were not Money Pits in the build.....

[milner351]

It's really hard to beat going the parts car route - it's the little stuff that adds up if you have to buy it from a restoration shop. Sure it's more work, but my goodness it's lucrative!
I followed your lead on this with the falcon - by the time the car was on the road I'd had three of them in different stages, sold everything I could and still have piles of parts left over to swap meet someday.
This story is truly inspiring - LOVE the cam research choice for the FE cam - they are the ONLY way to go with the break in complete already - do they offer the "cam saver" lifters with the small oiling hole in the lifter face?

[VTJUNK]

It's really hard to beat going the parts car route - it's the little stuff that adds up if you have to buy it from a restoration shop. Sure it's more work, but my goodness it's lucrative!
I followed your lead on this with the falcon - by the time the car was on the road I'd had three of them in different stages, sold everything I could and still have piles of parts left over to swap meet someday.
This story is truly inspiring - LOVE the cam research choice for the FE cam - they are the ONLY way to go with the break in complete already - do they offer the "cam saver" lifters with the small oiling hole in the lifter face?

I've never heard of the cam saver lifters. CR did the cam for the 289 in my Falcon and I was very happy with it. Very good street manners and I'm sure it will touch the 11s after it's completely dialed in. I wont use anyone else.