The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - 47-55.1 If I had to do Over Again.... What would I change On My Build?

e015475 · 09-15-2019, 10:36 AM

Don't know what I'd change since I have not driven it yet (this fall I hope) but I'll comment on the investment aspect.

I've got about 3-400 hours of paid labor in the metal work and paint and about 1200 hours of my own time in my truck.

I figure I could recover my parts cost and paid labor if I sold the truck - but my labor is a 'donation'

For me, the truck is just an excuse to go play in the shop and I'm not too concerned about finishing it and what it is worth when it is done. My big objective is to not be upside down on paid labor and parts so I have money for my next project without having to dip into family funds. (read as 'tell my wife I'm going to spend some money')

I started this truck with the vague nostalgic notion that I'd like to have a truck like one I'd seen as a hot rod in high school. That's a pretty flimsy pretense for having a project in the shop to play with.

Of the dozen or so car/airplane projects I've over the last 40 years, I've only managed to recover some of my labor on two of them - one at about $7/hr and another at $10. The only thing they had in common was that both were sold on ebay.

09-15-2019, 10:36 AM	#51
e015475 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Show Low, Arizona Posts: 759	Re: If I had to do Over Again.... What would I change On My Build? Don't know what I'd change since I have not driven it yet (this fall I hope) but I'll comment on the investment aspect. I've got about 3-400 hours of paid labor in the metal work and paint and about 1200 hours of my own time in my truck. I figure I could recover my parts cost and paid labor if I sold the truck - but my labor is a 'donation' For me, the truck is just an excuse to go play in the shop and I'm not too concerned about finishing it and what it is worth when it is done. My big objective is to not be upside down on paid labor and parts so I have money for my next project without having to dip into family funds. (read as 'tell my wife I'm going to spend some money') I started this truck with the vague nostalgic notion that I'd like to have a truck like one I'd seen as a hot rod in high school. That's a pretty flimsy pretense for having a project in the shop to play with. Of the dozen or so car/airplane projects I've over the last 40 years, I've only managed to recover some of my labor on two of them - one at about $7/hr and another at $10. The only thing they had in common was that both were sold on ebay.