BUILD THREAD Low low cost build

Status
Not open for further replies.

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,591
12,612
113
Michigan
I guess we need to know what "Low low cost build" means as far as dollars and what the OP is willing to do to keep the costs low.
Is he willing to buy a vehicle and have it towed home and then pull the drivetrain and strip the vehicle down and store parts and then try to sell them to get some of his money back or is he looking for a "can hear run in car" engine waiting for a buyer bring it home and start working on installing it.
Possibly someone pulling an engine for an LS swap would be a good doner and will meet the requirements of being "a strong runner".
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: 3 users

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,831
2,568
113
Galaxy far far away
There has never been a better time for buyers and sellers to connect. Are you old enough to remember a time when the only way to reach buyers was to pay for an ad in a newspaper? With Facebook marketplace you can reach a much larger audience for free.

Anyway......I've parted out both a Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade......its very easy to sell parts since many folks want to upgrade the wheels, interior trim, steering wheel, front clip, seats, stereo, etc. on their Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon with the more premium Cad and Denali pieces. It's not at all hard to get a known good running engine and profit $1000.



Salvage yard will pay $100-$200 for the carcass depending on weight and scrap metal price. If you are paying someone to take it away....you are doing it wrong...lol.


Not in my area.....but yeah I'm assuming the OP is not living in Beverly Hills.


The OP said he wanted to go fast.



I didn't create this thread.....but the OP did express interest in going with an LS and he has experience with the LS (mentioned a C5 build).....I'm sure he understands their potential.......seems like a no-brainer to me.
Just because its easier to connect doesn't means its easy to find buyers. They still often flake out, no show, low ball, kick the tires, etc. You have to be willing and able to hold onto the hulk and hunt and court buyers using LAARC for extended amounts of time, time that could be spent on others things, high time opportunity costs. 8ne can easily sit on parts for years before finding a buyer.

$1000 profit, lmfao. Maybe after sitting on the hulk for 5+ years and spending most of your time hunting buyers or have good business contacts, maybe. It would be cheaper and faster to just sell the G body and hotrod the Escalade instead. In my area only whole running used Escalades bring any money. Used Escalade non powertrain parts go for such little money its not even worth the time. A fancy powered Escalade seat in my area only goes for $7. Really great profit margins. Most junkyards in my area can easily undersell private sellers on Facebook, Craigslist, etc. After all that, its going to take way more than $1k to get an LS running in a car never designed for it.

Not everyone lives in lawless Pudunk SD either where anything goes. Also house insurance companies will raise rates or drop you for having disabled cars sitting on your lawn besides town fines. Had my house insurance company fight with me over the Regal even though it runs well.

Some junkman want to be paid for removing the worthless eyesore junk driving down neighborhood property values that you are being fined daily for. Many will only pay you if you deliver it to them, if you don't have a means to tow a non operating junk car then they they want to be paid for that towing service. Not everyone owns a tow truck lol. Around here non running cars are pretty worthless, most junkmen don't want a junked car without a powertrain in it to sell to smelters which is where the real money for them is. Its like trying to sell a daimond ring with the diamond removed, a very limited market of buyers. The engine and transmission are the two most valuable parts in any vehicle, most other parts wil generally be chump change.

Generally it depends on the market in your region. The used part market for any model can vary greatly from one area to another. I have heard before SD has a good market for used truck parts. My area you sometimes can't give away a used running truck let alone sell random minor parts. Depends on the local market.

Yes you can go reasonably fast even with a 305, no need to yank everything out and Frankenstein in GM's Ford b*st*rd engine for a street car. More than 400 hp and G bodies begin to break apart without serious reinforcing which will quickly drain any budget. Even 300 hp could stand a full frame boxing to avoid warp damage. Not to mention increased HP also requires increased braking, stronger rear end, fixing the spongy suspension, etc. Overall, there is nothing low cost about hotrodding G bodies.

If the OP wants low low costs, try inheriting a good condition G body for free, and install a used $250 SBC/TH2004R, used $70 headers, $60 computer tune, and a used $100 3.73 POSI rear end. Along with homemade braces for the frame and body.
 
Last edited:

Ribbedroof

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Jan 4, 2009
4,865
6,893
113
Wellston, OK
If the OP wants low low costs, try inheriting a good condition G body for free, and install a used $250 SBC/TH2004R, used $70 headers, $60 computer tune, and a used $100 3.73 POSI rear end. Along with homemade braces for the frame and body.
While I agree with most of your post, the bold portion of this paragraph is a fantasy in 2022, IMO
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: 2 users

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,831
2,568
113
Galaxy far far away
While I agree with most of your post, the bold portion of this paragraph is a fantasy in 2022, IMO

The engine and trans I bought back in 07, both from an SS. People still unload 7.5s fairly cheap, 8.5s have skyrocketed. Computer tune was just 2 years ago through CCC tuning is dirt cheap compared to EFI tuning. Sometimes low cost is just sheer luck that can't be replicated.
 

87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
679
93
eastern SD
Just because its easier to connect doesn't means its easy to find buyers. They still often flake out, no show, low ball, kick the tires, etc. You have to be willing and able to hold onto the hulk and hunt and court buyers using LAARC for extended amounts of time, time that could be spent on others things, high time opportunity costs. 8ne can easily sit on parts for years before finding a buyer.

I've found the ratio of good buyers to no shows/tire kickers is somewhere around 5:1. It's just something you have to accept when selling parts.


$1000 profit, lmfao. Maybe after sitting on the hulk for 5+ years and spending most of your time hunting buyers or have good business contacts, maybe.
Laugh all you want. I'm just giving first hand experience from someone who's ACTUALLY DONE IT. Bought an 02 Denali last March, kept the lq4 for myself. Scrapped the carcass in July. I'm up $900 and will be over $1000 once the last few parts sell.


Used Escalade non powertrain parts go for such little money its not even worth the time. A fancy powered Escalade seat in my area only goes for $7.
$7......LOL......a good pair of non ripped Escalade front seats easily brings $200. They are in high demand by the guys looking to replace torn up truck seats....or want to upgrade from their cloth bench seat.


Most junkyards in my area can easily undersell private sellers on Facebook, Craigslist, etc. After all that, its going to take way more than $1k to get an LS running in a car never designed for it.
Auto salvage yards have too much overhead to compete with the guy stripping parts in his garage on the weekend......they tend to be double or triple the price......and more or less cater towards delivering parts to body shops and auto repair shops. Anyone with street smarts knows that a cash deal from a private seller will be much cheaper.
 
Last edited:

87National

G-Body Guru
Apr 15, 2009
661
679
93
eastern SD
Some junkman want to be paid for removing the worthless eyesore junk driving down neighborhood property values that you are being fined daily for. Many will only pay you if you deliver it to them, if you don't have a means to tow a non operating junk car then they they want to be paid for that towing service. Not everyone owns a tow truck lol. Around here non running cars are pretty worthless, most junkmen don't want a junked car without a powertrain in it to sell to smelters which is where the real money for them is. Its like trying to sell a daimond ring with the diamond removed, a very limited market of buyers. The engine and transmission are the two most valuable parts in any vehicle, most other parts wil generally be chump change.
With the relatively high price of scrap metal.....only a dumba$$ would pay a scrapper to haul their car away. Worst I've done is given away an 01 firebird shell to a scrapper.....only because I didn't have a title. With the title I would have been paid around $50 (this was ~5 yrs ago when the price of scrap metal was in the toilet.

Yes you can go reasonably fast even with a 305,
You'd still get smoked by a stock honda accord. The OP mentioned his last project was a C5 vette........I'm guessing he's not going to settle for a 305.


$100 3.73 POSI rear end
Oof.....a monte SS rear for $100.....put down the crack pipe. I sold one 10 years ago for $300......they go for a tad more than that now-a-days.
 

Clone TIE Pilot

Comic Book Super Hero
Aug 14, 2011
3,831
2,568
113
Galaxy far far away
With the relatively high price of scrap metal.....only a dumba$$ would pay a scrapper to haul their car away. Worst I've done is given away an 01 firebird shell to a scrapper.....only because I didn't have a title. With the title I would have been paid around $50 (this was ~5 yrs ago when the price of scrap metal was in the toilet.


You'd still get smoked by a stock honda accord. The OP mentioned his last project was a C5 vette........I'm guessing he's not going to settle for a 305.



Oof.....a monte SS rear for $100.....put down the crack pipe. I sold one 10 years ago for $300......they go for a tad more than that now-a-days.

Perhaps scrap steel in bum screw SD is high, but in my area scrap steel is dirt cheap and plentiful, just not worth much. Hardly worth the cost of transporting to a yard. Copper and aluminum are fairy high around here through.

A stock modern Honda can also outhandle most modified G bodies on here and withstand way more hp without twisting itself apart. Even my stock P71 can outhandle most modified G bodies with ease. G bodies are cheap downsized granny cars never designed to withstand 300+ hp with their weak and heavy mild steel construction and wet noddle frames. A stiffer suspension just makes the weak frames and bodies flex more and cause stress cracks. Just buy a more modern factory LS equipped car for your hotrod, much better starting point than a downsized 40 year old granny car. Even LS1s, 4.8s, and 5.3s are dino engines that can be smoked by modern V6s. The OEMs out R&D shade tree racers now. Only advantage old cars have is that they are lighter and don't require as much power to get going at the cost of being much weaker structurally. If the OP wants fast he better stick with that C5.

Just saw on my local craigslist a couple of non posi ss rears for $60. 7.5s are cheap around here, 8.5s not so much. $300 you would be sitting on that 7.5 till the cows come home around here. Wow that is gouging.

For the OP, if you want C5 performance out of a G body, plan on a frame off tear down. Repair any rust issues and either carefully box the frame without warping it or go to an aftermarket frame. G bodies have horribly weak structures for modern standards of performance.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Ribbedroof

Comic Book Super Hero
Supporting Member
Jan 4, 2009
4,865
6,893
113
Wellston, OK
For reference, in my time in OK, I have seen exactly 2 MCSS rears being sold....ask was $600 and $750....over 10 years ago. They disappeared from CL in a day on the first one, 3 days on the second. I have NEVER seen a G body 8.5 rear for sale in OK, and the last car I considered buying for the rear and 2004r had had the 8.5 rear swapped for a 7.5... apparently years ago judging by how crusty everything was.

OK is for the most part, devoid of G body parts or enthusiasts. It's all about the trucks. Camino stuff will sell, anything else...meh

And the ratio on FB selling is the reverse of 87National's... about 1 actual buyer/seller for every 5 flakes...I'd say you should consider yourself fortunate to be in such an area
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,591
12,612
113
Michigan
A couple months ago I sold a complete 86' Monte SS non posi 373 and I even cleaned it up and painted it and the best I could get was $300 after dropping the price multiple times over a couple months and I know of an 8.5 with 3.42 posi that sold for $1,500 about a week ago but was on FM for a month.
It really depends on where you live how stuff sells, when I stripped the Monte SS I had over a year ago I would say better than 75% showed up and bought something but there also was a lot of interest in these parts with buyers coming back for seconds.
As far as a stripped down Montes SS with no rear end, engine/trans, doors, interior or front clip I was lucky to sell the shell (I did have a title) no scraper would take it and I had to make it roll just to get rid of it.
IMG_20200703_104923434 (1).jpg
 

08Malibu

Royal Smart Person
Feb 9, 2014
1,447
3,386
113
North Jersey
Perhaps scrap steel in bum screw SD is high, but in my area scrap steel is dirt cheap and plentiful, just not worth much. Hardly worth the cost of transporting to a yard. Copper and aluminum are fairy high around here through.

A stock modern Honda can also outhandle most modified G bodies on here and withstand way more hp without twisting itself apart. Even my stock P71 can outhandle most modified G bodies with ease. G bodies are cheap downsized granny cars never designed to withstand 300+ hp with their weak and heavy mild steel construction and wet noddle frames. A stiffer suspension just makes the weak frames and bodies flex more and cause stress cracks. Just buy a more modern factory LS equipped car for your hotrod, much better starting point than a downsized 40 year old granny car. Even LS1s, 4.8s, and 5.3s are dino engines that can be smoked by modern V6s. The OEMs out R&D shade tree racers now. Only advantage old cars have is that they are lighter and don't require as much power to get going at the cost of being much weaker structurally. If the OP wants fast he better stick with that C5.

Just saw on my local craigslist a couple of non posi ss rears for $60. 7.5s are cheap around here, 8.5s not so much. $300 you would be sitting on that 7.5 till the cows come home around here. Wow that is gouging.

For the OP, if you want C5 performance out of a G body, plan on a frame off tear down. Repair any rust issues and either cafefully box the frame without warping it or go to an aftermarket frame. G bodies have horribly weak structures for modern standards of performance.
Scrap steel in NJ is $10 per 100 pounds. If you sell the cats out of the truck you’ll probably grab about $400. A buddy of mine takes his scrap cars to a yard in Montville, NJ and the guy pays top dollar. The biggest problem is getting the hull to the yard when stripped.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor