Home grown builds VS Vendor builds.

[pontiacgp]

I did most of the work on my GP when I worked on a race team. One of the perks is I had use of the shop and all the tools and we raced metrics so all the tricks we learnt went into my car plus a few more cause I had no rules to confine what I did with my car.

V8 Rumble, for the paint I think if you get a sheet of metal and practice on it till you feel comfortable and are getting good results you'll do a great job on your car. Plus if you have to do it again you'll still be under what it would cost you. Years ago I had my 74 GP painted by "professionals" and in 85 a $2,000 paint job should have been a good one. They had to paint it 3 times before they got it right and they were a well known body shop.

 

[HAFROD]

I do take a lot of pride in saying I did it all except stitching the seats. I see most high end show cars as drop offs. Call up a shop and tell them what you want. Best parts money can buy! I like fabrication and home built stuff the best but if I were super rich, I'd probably call up Troy at Rad Rides and sit back and watch. Lol

 

[Injectedcutty]

As i have always looked at it, there is one word that describes building a bad *ss car yourself or with the help of friends or family...PRIDE!!! Yeah, the shop built cars are cool showing off the latest tech and such, but for a true gearhead like myself there aren't many more rewarding things than explaining to people what all has been done, they look and ask "who did your work" and you can say I did. Hell, i could tell someone about every nut, bolt, custom touch, engine spec, etc on my cutlass without batting an eye! No i didnt build my short block, but that's not what i am great at....i did help. No, I'm not gonna lay down the paint because i have honestly never sprayed a car, but i can go to my bodyman's house anytime and help sand and prep....but i want a slick paintjob and I'm not comfortable spraying it. But the 14+ years I've owned my cutlass i have done pretty much everything!
By the comments I've received over the years and here on GBF, i feel confident that i have killed it so far! As stated, like most of you guys here, I'd rather say yeah i did that, than say well i bought it this way and have no idea on specs!!!

 

[87BlazeLS]

Excellent, Many of you feel exactly the same as I do. And thats what I thought would be the case.
I know every inch of my MC. I do not have an exact total on what was spent dollar wise but I can tell you
first hand I have over 2000 hours of labor in the car....
I can tell anyone what has been done and what was used and where it came from....
I have a custom made plexiglass stand that I put in my trunk during shows that talks
about the car and what mods it has. I see people stop to read it all the time.
Because they are truly interested in the way the car looks and want to know more..
I have 2 first place show trophy's from 2012, 2013. And expect more when the paint is finally done.
At night the car is just stellar, all LED blue engine bay lighting and all the interior lights are LED blue as well.
Even the skull on the dash lights up and strobes to the music from the stereo.
Too bad none of the shows are at night. LOL .....

 

[Injectedcutty]

Excellent, Many of you feel exactly the same as I do. And thats what I thought would be the case.
I know every inch of my MC. I do not have an exact total on what was spent dollar wise but I can tell you
first hand I have over 2000 hours of labor in the car....
I can tell anyone what has been done and what was used and where it came from....
I have a custom made plexiglass stand that I put in my trunk during shows that talks
about the car and what mods it has. I see people stop to read it all the time.
Because they are truly interested in the way the car looks and want to know more..
I have 2 first place show trophy's from 2012, 2013. And expect more when the paint is finally done.
At night the car is just stellar, all LED blue engine bay lighting and all the interior lights are LED blue as well.
Even the skull on the dash lights up and strobes to the music from the stereo.
Too bad none of the shows are at night. LOL .....

I hear you on amount spent. When i first did the sbc swap into my cutlass 10+ years ago i was keeping all of my receipts in a file. I vividly recall the day i started adding up all the stuff....i damn near crapped myself when i got close to 15K! From then until now i dont add it up, i see what i need for the next upgrade...save it, buy it and on to the next go fast goodie! I have a rough idea on where I'm at now totalwise, but I'm attempting to build a one of a kind cutlass that nobody else has, especially in louisville....hard to put a price tag on truly custom home grown rides! Great post!

 

[Geo's66]

Would love to see these rides, guys... Any pics or videos? Your knowledge has helped a lot for guys like myself trying to learn and do as much of the work myself. Most frustrating thing is "eyeballing" before a task, think I got it right, then having to do it again forgetting something or installing something wrong.

 

[565bbchevy]

I kind of look at it this way my buddy and I usually go to different car shows together I will bring the Monte and he brings his 69' Nova with a 598 BBC and the difference being he has a lot more money than me and he bought his car as a turn key for like $35,000 and it was a 9 second drag car turned street car and it is a super nice car and very well built but he only knows so much about the car and didn't do the work and then I get people looking at my car where I have done everything on it and I am always happy to explain how I did something or fabricated something.
When he first bought his Nova I thought I would be the jealous one but as it turns out with all the work I have done to my Monte it is actually the other way around.

 

[87BlazeLS]

Geo's66, you can see pics of my car in the home grown paint booth on the monte carlo section.
Just look for the "Silver Metallic Candy urethane paint job " A bunch of photos there taken over the last
30 days or so. Still in paint booth awaiting the last touch up and then clear coat. Play by play updates.
For those wanting to learn more and try new things.

Great responses guy's thanks and keep up the good work....

 

[87BlazeLS]

One thing I will add for those listening, Do not try to do too much on your first build iteration. Keep it somewhat
simple and then keep updating and adding to what you have.
My car was only $850 in nearly OEM stock condition not running. Was garaged for over 2 years before I purchased it.
The interior was good enough to keep it as is. so all original interior except for what custom bits I added.
The motor is a GM performance 350 crate engine. Again nothing fancy, But when dressed up and add a few
hot rod goodies it looks great. Still runs like a mildly modified stock car. Decent power, idles good, nice lope, great exhaust note,
Can hear the stereo fine at cruise speeds. And turns heads at the shows.
I can without a doubt say that nobody in the world has an 87 like it. That makes me feel lucky and proud. = Priceless!

 

[Injectedcutty]

Would love to see these rides, guys... Any pics or videos? Your knowledge has helped a lot for guys like myself trying to learn and do as much of the work myself. Most frustrating thing is "eyeballing" before a task, think I got it right, then having to do it again forgetting something or installing something wrong.

You can see some pics of my cutlass under "87 cutlass efi build thread". It's still under resto mode (body and paint now) but the pics should give you an idea on my master plan....or at least i hope. I have a bunch more pics i need to post, gives the idea of a home grown ride though.