My costs to get the '69 "Right and Reliable"

[Oxmarqt]

Boy it adds up quick! Still need to get the washers and left brake light working but at this point I would drive it 1000 miles round trip without batting an eye.

Just thought I would throw this out there although the prices from NAPA are at my cost not retail.


ebay - 1969 Chevrolet C10 = $5,000

ShiftRite - Transmissions - Tailshaft housing = $62

Jegs - Trans Kickdown Cable Bracket/lever - 510-20-121 = $22
Jegs - Trans Kickdown Bracket 700r4 510-20-95 = $22
Jegs - LOCKUP KIT FOR 200/700R4 890-376600 = $90

Transmission Center - Seals/Gear = $27

Creekside2 - ebay - Speedo housing/gears = $118

LMCTruck.com - WINDOW REGULATOR-RH - 38-6571 = $40
LMCTruck.com - WINDOW REGULATOR-LH - 38-6570 = $40
LMCTruck.com - LAP SEAT BELT-BLACK - 38-2249-BL = $50
LMCTruck.com - ESCUTCHEON DOOR/WINDOW-BLACK - 38-6527-BL = $8
LMCTruck.com - LIGHT WIRING KIT W/SWITCH A/R - 38-1275 = $13
LMCTruck.com - DOME LIGHT LENS-CLEAR - 36-4205 = $10
LMCTruck.com - SOCKET-TAIL LIGHT-RH - 36-3543 = $5
LMCTruck.com - LED LICENSE PLATE BOLT SET - 36-4506 = $15
LMCTruck.com - DUAL DRINK HOLDER-BLACK - 38-8200 = $30
LMCTruck.com - LARGE MACHINE SCREW-SS - 30-0411 = $8
LMCTruck.com - DOOR PANEL WASHER - 30-0748 = $8
LMCTruck.com - SHIFT INDICATOR DIAL-W/TILT - 32-7235 = $10
LMCTruck.com - DUAL VOICE COIL SPEAKER - 38-8564 = $70
LMCTruck.com - KICKPANEL SPEAKER SET - 38-8520 = $130
LMCTruck.com - LIGHTER ASSEMBLY - 38-5004 = $15
LMCTruck.com - WINDOW CHANNEL KIT-CUSTOM - 38-5620 = $80
LMCTruck.com - WINDOW HANDLE-CHROME KNOB - 38-6710 = $20
LMCTruck.com - WINDOW CHANNEL KIT-CUSTOM - 38-5620 = $80
LMCTruck.com - GLOVE BOX - 38-5212 = $13
LMCTruck.com - GLOVE BOX LAMP ASSEMBLY - 36-4500 = $15
LMCTruck.com - DOOR WEATHERSTRIP SET - 38-5953 = $50
LMCTruck.com - INSIDE DOOR LATCH CONTROL-LH - 38-6564 = $15
LMCTruck.com - BUMPER-DOOR/FINGER GUARD A/R - 30-1820 = $2
LMCTruck.com - OIL PRESSURE SENDER TUBE KIT - 36-1923 = $17


Right Stuff Detailing - Frt Disc Brake conversion - TSD 6316 = $795

Craigslist - 700R4 transmission = $200

Wheel Medic - Wheel Repair/Center Caps = $400

GMCPauls.com - 69-72 Chevy Factory Service Manual - MAN2269 = $25
GMCPauls.com - 67-72 Chevy Wiring Diagram - SRW220278 = $5
GMCPauls.com - 67-72 Factory Assembly Manual - MAN5 = $40

Lonestar Car Parts - ebay - Dual Snorker Air Cleaner - CQ-W-460A = $207

Early Classic Enterprises - Shocks and relocator kit - 902-6372-SK = $209
Early Classic Enterprises - Round mirror - 06-18403C = $24
Early Classic Enterprises - Tach kit - 05-7780 = $269

dbleggi79 - ebay - Guages Cluster = $170

NAPA - Brake light switch - SL186 = $11
NAPA - Transmission filter kit - 17936 = $13
NAPA - Front transmission seal - 17458 = $4
NAPA - O-ring - 17154 = $1
NAPA - Radiator cap - 7031697 = $5
NAPA - Upper radiator hose - 7368 = $13
NAPA - Headlight pigtail - LS6479 = $4
NAPA - Wire loom clip - 784287 = $10
NAPA - Wire loom clip - 78428 = $10
NAPA - Alternator belt - 257450 = $17
NAPA - Lower radiator hose - 7352 = $34

Aarow Radiator - Radiator repair = $60


Total = $8,514

[big mike71]

Well, Where are pictures so we can see what it all looks like?

[Keating121]

Did you do the work yourself? How many hours of labor??

[TacBlade]

I know what you mean!!! I just put $11,000 into my motor, tranny and rearend on my $5000.00 budget!!!
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[MidLifer]

Shared misery is always the best - I stopped totaling after a while. Now I just toss receipts into a folder.

Not to take the thread in another direction, but you mentioned you haven't gotten the washers working yet - after fighting with the mechanical pump for months, a few rebuilds, etc, I finally gave in and got a universal electric pump. I made a mounting bracket out of sheet metal that enabled me to mount it on the wiper motor, based on a thread on this board that I now cannot find to repost, but I can post pics if needed.

Works differently than the mechanical one (you have to hold the button in to keep it spraying) but it works, which I never could get the mechanical pump to do.

[Tx Firefighter]

It's getting ridiculous nowadays what stuff costs.

I've got a saying I use.....

"I can take a running truck, pull the engine out and set it on the ground and then drop it right back into the truck, and it will cost 100 bucks minimum, and that's not doing anything other than r&r".

Antifreeze, a hose clamp or two, electrical terminal, maybe some exhaust donuts. You can just vaporize money and not feel like you've done anything at all.

I quit counting long ago. It's still cheaper than liquor and hookers I guess.
Posted via Mobile Device

[asolde]

Glad Im not the only one, I just put the receipts in the drawer now. I quit counting at around $7800.

[MidLifer]

The best part is that when you sell your truck, you'll get it all back - NOT!

[Oxmarqt]

Labor was 90% done by yours truly and the rest by some of my employees. Not sure how long I spent since it was all done a little at a time over the last 4ish weeks. I have access to a twin post lift so none of it was that difficult. The worst part was waiting for parts to arrive.

I have always had an unwritten rule that you should plan on spending half of the purchase price to get it right. Of course this doesn't work in all cases but is a nice rule of thumb if you are buying something decent without any major issues.

My "other" ride is a 1977 Jeep CJ7 (304ci, automatic, full-time 4wd). That one got a bit out of hand so I just throw the receipts away and pretend I am not buying stuff for it.

I consider everything on the list to be necessary for safety/travel comfort. When I own something older it has to be able to go 7-10 hr round trip, without any preventable issues, before I am happy. The only thing that is fluff is the air cleaner. Dual snorkels just look cool!!

I need to wash it and then I can take some pictures. Maybe I can convince the wife to bust out the bathing suit for a photo shoot.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by Oxmarqt

Labor was 90% done by yours truly and the rest by some of my employees. Not sure how long I spent since it was all done a little at a time over the last 4ish weeks. I have access to a twin post lift so none of it was that difficult. The worst part was waiting for parts to arrive.

I have always had an unwritten rule that you should plan on spending half of the purchase price to get it right. Of course this doesn't work in all cases but is a nice rule of thumb if you are buying something decent without any major issues.

My "other" ride is a 1977 Jeep CJ7 (304ci, automatic, full-time 4wd). That one got a bit out of hand so I just throw the receipts away and pretend I am not buying stuff for it.

I consider everything on the list to be necessary for safety/travel comfort. When I own something older it has to be able to go 7-10 hr round trip, without any preventable issues, before I am happy. The only thing that is fluff is the air cleaner. Dual snorkels just look cool!!

I need to wash it and then I can take some pictures. Maybe I can convince the wife to bust out the bathing suit for a photo shoot.

You're still half the cost of a new Kia, and you've got a vehicle you can be proud to be seen in, isn't disposable, and can only go up in value if you take care of it.

As others have said, please post pics of the truck. I'm partial to '69 trucks myself

As for the bikini pics, yes please. But, be forewarned... one of the puritans on the site may flag your post, and it'll get deleted. So, PM them to me first lol.

[kcsa75]

This reminds of when I was a kid and used to count how many beers I drank so I could brag to my friends. Then one day somebody said something how much money I was spending and that was the end of that

With my truck, unless its something I know I may have to return, receipts get thrown on the dresser until the wife throws them away.
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[JOJABOY]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I quit counting long ago. It's still cheaper than liquor and hookers I guess.

If you are doing it as an investment, you're doing it for the wrong reason. Very few cars will appreciate in value. But hey.....You've gotta have a hobby.

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter;
I quit counting long ago. It's still cheaper than liquor and hookers I guess.
[size=1

Posted via Mobile Device[/size]

I think you may be wrong on that. But Im guessing of course

[70blackfish]

try rebuilding a mopar....3x the price and harder to find parts

[CC69Rat]

IMO, it's all about building the truck but not building yourself into a hole if that makes sense. Buy it cheap, make it look appealing.. Do it right (not saying cut corners) but watch the budget to the point you dont put more into it than it would be worth to someone else. If you plan to keep it, then .. well. Go for it. But if there's an 'itch to build again you have to be careful where you put the money. The right money in the right places will bring a profit. Having the know how and doing what you can on your own (to me) is more valuable than having a fat checkbook to pay someone else to do it.

Just my .02 Watch what you spend, absolutely but watch where you spend it is equally important.

[PanelDeland]

I've never kept receipts.I figure I got in it what I got in it.I don't need to know and Ole'what's'er name sure don't need to know.I enjoy the tinkering and building along with the driveable project.I enjoy the people in the Hobby(the ones here most of all) and I figure I'll spend what I spend and if I sell I'll get what I get but I wont have any regrets.I'm almost to the same attitude with my 401 K.

[Eddie H.]

If I had all the money I put into old cars and trucks over the years, I would be financially better off for sure, but what good is money if you can't spend some of it doing what you enjoy?
I would rather live my life and enjoy the ride along the way, than scrimp and save every penny just so that my kids will have a lot of money to fight over after I'm gone.

[71sierragrande]

A sweet old chevy for under 9 grand sounds like a great deal to me, good job.

[tlcrz1972]

I''m right there with all of you, I know it is an expensive past time. I do enjoy doing it, and will build more.

Now on the part about putting more in it than it's worth, that is so true. But what just bumfuzzels the heck out of me is I have seen to many threads about so called low mileage survivors, and of course some of them had the patina thing going on with them. And some of them are so plain jane (that I fall asleep just looking at them), no power nothing, bottom of the line trucks that people will buy outright for way to much money. What gives with that? They are buying a truck that IMO will need a whole lot of money thrown at them to make them reliable drivers, instead of going out and finding one already on the road to recovery that someone has done all the hard work on and what is left is the easy part.

[ItsRandy]

You're supposed to add the receipts up so you know how much you spent? You guys are way more brave then I am. When I do a little quick math I find I have spent a bit north of 30k on a 20k budget and the truck isn't completely finished yet. I have been driving it for about the last 14-16 months or so and I did do everything except the interior my self so I was able to save some money there.

Do I get to deduct the money I made with the truck for the 27 years I used the truck for work before I lost my mind and decided I wanted a "Hot Rod"? If I do then I think I'm ahead of the game...by about $6.

[Hawghauler]

I have a great big pile of receipts that I haven't looked at since the piling began. I think they are worth something if some jack wipe decides to rearrange my sheet metal. I can show them all to the insurance guy and hope to get more than $900 bucks for it. Then buy it back for pennies on the dollar and take all the good stuff off for the new build. I should have bought one already restored, but what's the fun in that. Plus I don't trust other people's idea of restored. It's already over 40 years old, and full of po's crap repairs. When I'm done, I'll have something I dig, and will last decades. I don't want to even think about having to buy a new vehicle to replace the p.o.s. I bought new 5 years ago, because it's all worn out already. Plus try finding an 8' bed these days!

[Oxmarqt]

Lot's of good comments/opinions!! I keep track because if I didn't thing would get out of control quick. I have a known problem with "While I'm in there/it's apart fever"..

There was a picture request so.....









These are a few pics of where most of the work gets done. I usually have to go on the weekends since we are closed Sat. & Sun. I am very fortunate because if I don't finish something OR get jammed up and need help I can just leave it, take a shop truck home, and finish it when we reopen on Monday.

Main shop:





Other shop:

[yuccales]

Oxmarqt, that's a very nice looking truck.

[stexag]

Whenever possible on what a 'hobby' costs (my truck is not a DD) I go with the 'head in the sand approach'. I never want to know what it costs - or I probably wouldn't do it!!! One of the biggest shockers to me was a few years ago when my wife started keeping books on the computer and categorizing expenses. Now the totals are just a keystroke away.

She'd asks "You know how much you spend on the boat?? Your old truck??? The kid's 4-H animals???"" NO NO NO! don't want to know! Ha ha. Good on you for being able to keep an accounting and share it!

[stexag]

Truck is beautiful too. Well done.