[mr48chev]

I've seen a lot of things passed off as "low buck" including suspect workmanship and crusty rusties but to me Low buck is building a nice rig without blowing the budget on things you don't really need to spend the extra money on.

Things to do the low buck thing ans still have a nice presentable truck that no clown will accuse of being a "nice rat rod" at the burger joint on Friday night cruise night.

1. Plan and shop:
Make a plan and stick to it and shop prices without cutting quality. Simply hunt for bargains that fit your build plan.

2. If you are building low buck you don't need a crate motor, transmission from a high zoot racing transmission shop or nine inc from one of the name nine inch builders. Finding a good running engine and good working trans that fit your plans that are in a running driving donor rig that you can drive home, tune up and get all of the bugs out of the engine and trans before you pull them and sell off the hulk keeps the cost down. Part of the investment is recovered selling the leftovers.

3. You don't need a 2000 dollar set of rims unless you can get them for 500 with tires because they were repossessed by or traded in to the Tire store you buddy works at. I picked up a set of new takeoffs and 6 lug Rally wheels for less than 400 bucks with all the caps and rings at the tire store I do business with in the late 80's when I was looking for wheels and tires for my son's 70 longbed. Two years later I sold the same set for 250 at a swapmeet after he bought his own mag wheels and tires and changed the look of the truck.

3. You don't need a high end custom made front suspension when you can get a set of lowering springs or dropped axle or pick up something like an XJ Jag crossmember for a couple of hundred bucks. Save the high end stuff for a later build when you decide you want to go all out. Or maybe one of the other board members is selling off his frame complete with GM subframe that has given him 40,000 trouble free miles and has a great stance because he is building a new frame with one of Scott's front suspensions and a nine inch rear on coil overs for more of a show truck look and offers you the deal of the week on his old chassis if you bring your own roller wheels and tires or trade him your uncut bone stock frame and less bucks for his chassis.

4. You don't need a whole load of trick billet pieces to have your truck run good when a well detailed stock engine will work nicely in your low buck build. All of the chrome and billet stuff under some guy's hoods cost more than other guy's whole builds sometimes. It's nice but a real budget killer.

5. Do as much of the body work and paint prep as you can yourself. If you can't paint it yourself and don't have a buddy who can there is almost always a painter around most towns who shoots guy's cars on the side and does good work. Young body and paint men who work in dealerships or collision repair shops always seem to be looking for side work for extra spending money.

The main thing is plan, shop and bargain and don't get caught up in the concept of "I gotta have that trick stuff".