# the money...for pete's sake the money these cars take



## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm glad I like this car without even driving it....some of you are way deeper than me. but I'm staring at 10 grand in receipts not including the cost of the car and many tools purchased to assist in the cars progress. and I haven't done paint, trim, the new front end, or some glass work. no power windows yet, no console yet, will need a new hood most likely, gotta find some rear tail lights.

I hope I never lose interest 

in hindsight, I've got over 20 in my 03 cobra....so...ya :willy:

just wondering what you all have into your cars.


----------



## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I have 6g in buying the car 17 years ago, and another 10g in the self restoration done on `07. That's not counting any of the 6 weeks @ 8-12 hrs/day labor. So, I'd say I'm sitting pretty good at this point.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I have $4800 in my '65 GTO bought 29 years ago, including engine/trans overhauls in the early '80's and paint work in the mid '80's. This includes the price of the car, which was $1200. It's a real tripower/4 speed/gauges car. I have about the same amount into my '67 GTO, including two repaints and an engine overhaul, and two tranny rebuilds. Purchase price in '83 was $1800. Neither car has been restored or out of service since new. I'm glad I was into these cars when I was young.....it would be hard to afford them now!! A friend of mine just spent over 10 grand on just a paint job for his '65 GTO...things have sure changed.


----------



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

So how long does a 10 thousand dollar paint job take?


----------



## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

I'd hate to know the answer to that question.

I was debating about going after a newer viper as I've wanted a viper all my life, but stumbled on this car and thought, I can do this for cheaper.....I'm only 15k off from my viper I was looking at. wondering what I can get out of a nice restomod once it is a little further along....hoping 12-13 without paint or more with paint.


----------



## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

November of '11 will be 3 years I purchased my '70. I have in it as of now over 11K in parts and some labor, most of the labor is from friends, factor in a hundred or so for beer and eats.. Still not done.

I guess I am in the accelerated Git R Done program.


----------



## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

facn8me said:


> So how long does a 10 thousand dollar paint job take?


It lasts as long as the tears keep flowing.


----------



## gotyorgoat (Jun 19, 2011)

Sometimes I think it would be better to just spend 20K on a cherry car. Let someone else loose the blood, sweat and benjamins. A resto project is like an anchor on your bank account.

I especially hate spending money on things that you can not see. I am 3K in and the car looks the same. I figure another 8K to make it look decent with a cheap paint job.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

The ten grand paint job took over two years (was promised to take 3 months). This was a straight california car that needed no floor or trunk work. Needed wome metal repair in the windhield channel and in the back window lower chanel. No rust or dents in any of the panels, and all panels original. In fact, an original paint car. Good door gaps, excellent body fit....never hit or wrecked. The job had to be redone because it was not color sanded before the clear was applied, so the paint looked like crepe paper. Also, the clear never got hard, so you couldn't toch the car, or you'd leave marks and prints. It's all "done" now, still in pieces, but nice and shiny (way too shiny for me....like wet glass). I'm trying to help the owner get motivated again to put the car back together. The paint on my '65 is starting to show its age, and I think I'm going to have to man up like some of the folks on this forum and redo it myself.....I can't go without my car for 2 years!!!


----------



## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

gotyorgoat said:


> Sometimes I think it would be better to just spend 20K on a cherry car. Let someone else loose the blood, sweat and benjamins. A resto project is like an anchor on your bank account.


wiser words never spoken (or typed). people think they can buy an old car for 5000 or less and a do it yourself restoration and be sitting pretty for less than 10 grand. then five years, 10 grand, and a completely disassembled car later and still no car to ride in. buy one already done nicely and ride the same day.


----------



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

66tempestGT said:


> wiser words never spoken (or typed). people think they can buy an old car for 5000 or less and a do it yourself restoration and be sitting pretty for less than 10 grand. then five years, 10 grand, and a completely disassembled car later and still no car to ride in. buy one already done nicely and ride the same day.


I got 3 more grand to go. hahahahahahahaha


----------



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Wait... I don't have to add in my labor do I? Cause depending on who ya ask... I'm worthless...


----------



## virginiavenom (Feb 20, 2011)

I didn't add labor...hell if I did it would be damn near double that.


----------



## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

*How much?*

Well lets see....
Initial investment (car and gas to get car home from MN) $2300
bunch of GTO parts to convert car to GTO (includes hood, endura, hidden headlights, grilles, tail lights and bezels, console and his&hers shifter, hidden headlight bumper brackets, A/C, seats, gauges and a bunch of other stuff too) $2000
455 & TH400 $500
So...so far not counting labor I have invested and time ... $4700...
BUT
I sold....
1964 389 $800
LeMans hood for $300
Chrome bumper and grilles for $350
traded my original TH400 for a 79 400 which I pulled the heads off of and sold the block for $300 
Sooo... grand total so far, about $2950.
BUT it's not a REAL GTO even though she will look like one and all the parts are original PMD GTO goodies, no repo, all in all I am happy.
But I have about 25-30grand to go. I assume. 

But it's a labor of love right? I mean we don't do this as a SMART investment?
It's something to leave to our kids, or to have on our grave stones...
Here Lies Scott, the "goat guy" may he rest in peace and may he forever be behind the wheel of his favorite GTO.

Right?
or am I crazy?:willy:


----------



## 69Goatee (Aug 14, 2009)

I bought my "beat to hell" numbers matching 69 from pawn shop on March 14th, 1996 for $1400. Put a junkyard 400 in it and made it my daily driver. I drove and fixed it for 5 years, then parked it, got married and had kids. I started the resto 3 years ago, and have about 2 or 3 years left at the rate I'm going. I have done everything myself so far except have the original short block rebuilt, heads ported/polished, trans rebuilt and rearend rebuilt. I have 8-12K in it now total including purchase price. As it sits, another 3-5K to go if I paint it myself. Enjoy!


----------



## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

Well I just made a list of stuff I COULD REMEMBER- hold on
car 8000
drive train 5000
paint a bargain at 7500
posi rear end 1000 
suspension 3500 (coil overs,tubular control arms,pinion adjusters,swaybars,tie rods etc)
wiring 500
stereo 1500
new interior 2000
fuel system 500 (new tank,electric pump,braided lines,pressure regulator)
heating and cooling 2000 (vintage air,radiator,ac compressor hoses ets)
expert mechanical labor 1800
that total is $33000-
building the car itself I have approx 1000 hours- I am not an expert by any mean so many things took longer
the one thing I am an expert in is carbon fiber work and heres that breakdown
grill surrond 30hrs
dash 40hrs
grab bar 6hrs
center console 80 hrs
rear center console and speaker box 40 hrs
package tray and sail panels 10 hrs
rear tail panel 20 hrs
total is 266 hrs of carbon fabrication if I billed out at $80 per hr thats 21,280 plus about 6000 in material
GRAND TOTAL $60580 (with out including the 1000 hrs of labor for the rest of the car)
This of course is not what I spent since my brother bought the car and drive line and maybe another 5000 in parts before he passed away and i inherited the car.
So I would put my ACTUAL out of pocket cash money between $20-$22k. still a nice chunk but I cant think of anything else I would have rather spent my money on


----------



## waltcoleman (Jun 21, 2011)

Pontiacpurebrred said:


> It's something to leave to our kids, or to have on our grave stones...
> Here Lies Scott, the "goat guy" may he rest in peace and may he forever be behind the wheel of his favorite GTO.
> 
> Right?
> or am I crazy?:willy:


I want to be buried in my goat. Or cremate me and let me ride on the dash...


----------



## Josh.AZ.GTO (Jul 11, 2009)

Just beginning mine. 1970 with very minimal rust. New front end $350, driver front fender patch $90, body and radiator bushings $100, front coil springs about $100, and the car for $7500. So far est. $8140 and disassembly begins.... Hope to keep it under $35k in the end and on a 3 - 5 year plan. 

Just bought new air compressor ($350 smoking deal) and about to plumb multiple hook ups in garage. It all starts to add up at an exponential rate. Gotta love it!! 


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Uuuuhhhhhhhh........


----------



## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Traded for it 7 years ago, motorcycle worth $6K(3 months old). Paint was 3 months old, motor rebuilt 1 year prior to my purchase(or was it the other way around?). Haven't touched the motor except for a new alt and installed a pertronix module and plug wires. Replaced wheels/rims, had tranny rebuilt for $1K, etc, etc. All in all about $5k in parts/labor, so far. $11k total invested...................


----------



## DarthBubba (Oct 27, 2009)

Eric Animal said:


> Uuuuhhhhhhhh........


More than I really want to add up right now, but at least less than Eric!


----------



## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

Sorry, I find this kinda funny to include the cost of tools, the shop, and everything else, and ask what we have in our car(s). Why is it funny to me? Because my hobby has been my passion and reason for living, working, and learning since I was 13. How much have I spent on this? Lots, but I love doing stuff with cars and even light trucks. I know I have more in tools than I do in any one car, but since I own something like 40 cars and trucks what I have in them is a bit higher than my tools.

I like to do stuff on the cheap, but do it right and not take shortcuts, that means I do most of the work myself and I get creative in how I do things. I dont spend money on stuff I dont need, and I will rework something that is repairable rather than go buy a new one.

Right now the 65 GTO has cost me less than $8k for everything, not counting tools because I use those on everything, and have had most of them far longer than I have been working on that particular car. The nice thing about it is I can work on them as money becomes available. Only twice in my life have I had enough money to buy a car outright for more than $15k. Obviously though I have been able to build some cars over a couple months to years that I could sell for that much if I was so inclined.

I dont consider how much my tooks cost me, because I use them until they are wasted, then get another one. I buy quality tools rather than cheap stuff like harbor freight, not always Snap On, but I wont work with cheap china junk tools, I value my hands too much for that. There are a couple tools I still need, some sheet metal stuff like a brake, english wheel, shrinker/stretcher, and of course a Tig welder and plasma cutter, but I have to wait until I have the funds available, or I absolutely need it to do something.

In my lifetime I have made less than $100k working from age 17 to 35, and have been on a limited income since 35, so it would seem I have lots of money to play with to have multiple GTOs, Trans Ams, Formulas, and rare stuff, but I dont. I just wait for the stuff I can afford and do the work myself. For about ten years of that working life, the only thing I could spend on cars was money that was derived from cars. eg selling parts, rebuilding transmissions for people, trading services/labor/parts/cars etc. 

This is what I do. The cost of it is irrelevant to me because if I didnt spend it on cars, I would spend it on other stuff trying to get the same fix, and I know I cant get it anywhere else. Ok, well maybe WWII warbirds would give me that fix.... but that is even more expensive than cars.


----------



## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

Eric Animal said:


> Uuuuhhhhhhhh........


I hear that.





The big barn and 7 muscle car now (cut back on the stock), tools and time, WOW! Enough to pay off my house. Now that is over 23 years of spending my wife's retirement. I am on the work till you die plan.


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Eric Animal said:


> Uuuuhhhhhhhh........



Well, come on......17k for a frame.....17k in the engine......maybe 3k in headers....:rofl:

I paid $1500 for my basket case. Now sitting around 6k and FAR from drivable.

I'm in the same game as Thumpin'. I had most of my tools before getting into the restoration business. I have bought a number of specialty tools just for this, but I use them on multiple cars ( I have 5) and will own them till I die. If I counted my shop, fork lift, pallet racking and tools, I'd be over 100k right there. Fortunately as a truck owner/operator, most of that was business expense and deductable over the last 10 years and is all paid for now.


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Mitch, I found a real nice set of stainless steel headers on e-bay, for $289! Now add in chrome, leather, bodywork, tires & wheels, a tranny, new wiring,the dash panel, stainless trim polishing.......I try not to look in the receipt book anymore. The project DOES keep me from wasting money on food, clothing and such...... :rofl:
I am lucky I don't have a shop like yours! Think of the trouble I would get myself into if I did....E


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Hey fellas.....imagine supporting Jay Leno's "habit"!:cheers


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Eric Animal said:


> Hey fellas.....imagine supporting Jay Leno's "habit"!:cheers


Jay Leno makes more money in a day than I do in a year. He can afford his habit.

I don't waste any of my money on food, clothing or housing either. I let the wife provide all that.....:lol:


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

:agree....I could loose a couple pounds:cheers


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Eric Animal said:


> Uuuuhhhhhhhh........


LMAO
hate to see the wife google and find this post , but here goes...

solid bodied Idaho car 2,500
shipping from said Idaho to Michigan 900
reciepts 12,000
Sweat equity 1000 hrs 0 dollars

around 17K doing it all myself and thats bargain shopping everything
and still need to do posi rearend and control bars another 3000 (bargain shopping now)

there is a reason the car caught your eye, these cars are ICONIC. How can you lose interest in a car that when you park it in front of the store you see people stop in their tracks when walking out and be drawn to it to walk around it like a moth to a flame, just puts a smile on your face and we can all use a few more of those. Most of us have taken the plunge because these cars hold great memories from our past and the lucky ones were smart enough to keep theirs from their youth and let the rate of inflation pay for them.

http://s1098.photobucket.com/albums/g372/instg8ter/1966 Tempest/

Brian


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah! That would be nice....buy it in 67 for $3000, sell it in 2011 for $30,000...not bad trade in value for your daily driver! I prolly spent more than $3000 on parts SHIPPING :willy:. One can only hope that "the end justifies the means".....:cheers Brian, I visited your car link, it looks sweet! E


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

thanks E, and you know everyone on here is living vicariously through you with that car...arty:


----------



## 68raGTOp (Sep 4, 2011)

I bought my '68 vert in 1991 for $2800 needed a trans and a top. Got divorced... and fast forward 19 years. Finally get to work on my car, just going to regasket the engine and upgrade to an 11 bolt water pump. HA HA I have close to $2k more invested and car is still not running yet. As original post said... the money!?!? I love my car


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I've got no idea how much I've spent on mine, even just counting since restarting the project in 2008. I've got most of the receipts and could probably get close, but honestly I don't really want to know - at least not now. I'm fairly sure no one would ever offer me a 'profit' for it, but honestly I don't care. I'm not building it for that. I'm building it for me to enjoy, to honor the legacy and memory of my dad, and someday to pass on to my sons.

Bear


----------



## OrbitOrange (Jul 5, 2010)

Well since im 99% done with mine. I will say im about 26-27k deep in mine including the purchase of the car and some parts cars, lots of new parts, paint, wheels interior, odds and ends, fuel going out of state to get the car and parts cars. But its my dream car and I dont have plans of selling it.


----------



## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Saw on Mecum last night, sure it was a re-run ..... Arnie's '68 Bobcat built by Milt. Went off stage with the bid continues @ 260K. I believe Arnies '69 Judge went for 300K. I didn't hear what the bobcat finally went for.


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I'm doing my part for the local economy!!!


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Saw on Mecum last night, sure it was a re-run ..... Arnie's '68 Bobcat built by Milt. Went off stage with the bid continues @ 260K. I believe Arnies '69 Judge went for 300K. I didn't hear what the bobcat finally went for.


...And I saw a "plain" but very good condition 69 GTO like mine originally was (vinyl top, auto, no ram air, YS 400) sell for $18,000. 

Confirmation that mine's sure not "worth" anywhere near what I've got in it.

Bear


----------



## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Can't put a price on love....... now lust on the other hand.........:willy::willy:


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Can't put a price on love....... now lust on the other hand.........:willy::willy:


Takes 18 years to pay off....


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Eric your doing enough for the whole upper East Coast....:willy:


----------



## onetwomany (Apr 22, 2011)

This is my third GTO. After selling the second one which was a nice rust free NC car I was kicking myself in the A$$. I bought my current 65 and vowed to make it my best one yet. It is a frame off resto mod built the way I want it to be. I have no plans of ever selling. The cost factor was secondary to me and it was built over a period of seven years. And yes, they do get expensive. Here is my "then and now". Wouldnt have it any other way......


----------



## OrbitOrange (Jul 5, 2010)

I guess we can all agree that you cant put a price on these cars, maybe a value but not really a price.


----------



## MaL (Jun 12, 2008)

I'm $30k in over the past 4 years and still a short ways to go before completion (Dec?). Every nut/bolt has been touched. Can't wait to roll down the road.


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

MaL said:


> I'm $30k in over the past 4 years and still a short ways to go before completion (Dec?). Every nut/bolt has been touched. Can't wait to roll down the road.


Glad to see you survived the inferno down there. I've been wondering about you. Lots of scorched land around Austin...


----------



## MaL (Jun 12, 2008)

After seeing the disaster, the sweltering garage is no sweat! It's finally cooling, still need rain though. Thanks for the thoughts, we're hanging in there.


----------



## MichaelG (Sep 19, 2010)

Got mine about a year ago. Still have under10K total. Not matching but I just got it to drive so no worries. I feel like I got a decent deal (if I didn't please don't tell me :lol. Just got it on the road last week. Yahoo!


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Michael, IMHO you did fine! Enjoy....:cheers Eric P.S. Here is what you get for $4k N.Y. dollars!


----------



## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Eric Animal said:


> Michael, IMHO you did fine! Enjoy....:cheers Eric P.S. Here is what you get for $4k N.Y. dollars!


You get some really cool under the hood stickers!! :cheers


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I kept them too.......:cheers


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Michael 242 looking like that and driving for 10K i would say you did pretty well....:cheers

E around here everyone vies for the fastest garage door by the number of stickers stuck to the inside....i almost have mine wallpapered from Summit....arty:


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

MichaelG said:


> Got mine about a year ago. Still have under10K total. Not matching but I just got it to drive so no worries. I feel like I got a decent deal (if I didn't please don't tell me :lol. Just got it on the road last week. Yahoo!


Dude, you got ripped BAD !!! Tell you what. I'll help get you out of that money pit. I'll fly out with 6k CASH and drive it out of your life....


----------



## MichaelG (Sep 19, 2010)

Pondering..........

Ah man, I just couldn't take advantage of ya like that. It ain't got no wipers or mirrors!


----------



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

MichaelG said:


> Pondering..........
> 
> Ah man, I just couldn't take advantage of ya like that. It ain't got no wipers or mirrors!


TMP is a straight shooter, $6k is good. He can fix it. Don't feel guilty, I know what he's bought! :cheers 
TMP is the god of resto.


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Heck the car Mitch started with ONLY had windshield wipers and a mirror....thats why he is making such a generous offer for your parts car....:rofl:


----------



## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Instg8ter said:


> Heck the car Mitch started with ONLY had windshield wipers and a mirror....thats why he is making such a generous offer for your parts car....:rofl:


EXACTLY......I have the parts his car is missing....:lol:

Seriously, the car looks great from here and for what you have in it, you're WAY ahead of most of us...:cool


----------



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

My 66 looked that good when I got it, then I had the stupid idea of taking it apart to fix a water leak.. 2 years later, lol.. It' fell to pieces.. Mines a Cloan also. Your doing great with yours, trust me.. I have over $10K in mine, and its in the garage, another garage, behind the garage, the spare bedroom and family room.. Car's are so much more compact when the are together!..


----------



## MichaelG (Sep 19, 2010)

My goal was to just get it drivable. Which it pretty much is now but it still needs somethings. One big ticket item is paint but after reading this thread I'm not gonna keep track of the money anymore. 

After all it's not an investment in $ it's an investment in life. And life is good!
:cool


----------



## MaL (Jun 12, 2008)

MichaelG said:


> After all it's not an investment in $ it's an investment in life. And life is good!
> :cool


oh hell yeah! I'm using this on my wife! Thanks, Michael!


----------



## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

MaL, Let us know if you need anthing while you're in the hospital recovering!:rofl:


----------



## MichaelG (Sep 19, 2010)

Eric Animal said:


> MaL, Let us know if you need anthing while you're in the hospital recovering!:rofl:


Somebody get me a shop rag. I just spewed Corona on the screen.:lol::cheers


----------



## 72GTORed (Jun 18, 2009)

I bought my 72 GTO in 1998 from a classic car dealer for $12,500. Fast forward to today, and I have total, including vehicle cost, of $23,360 in the car. Pretty much breaking even with what the values are if I were to sell it. This year I put a lot into it, $800 for labor for carpet installed plus new door hardware and armrests front and rear, new door sills too, (parts were $557 bought in 2010), $300 for new carb. + $169 labor to put it in, $760 tow back from a car show in OH (to my home in MI), which is why I needed the new carb.....car wouldn't run to drive home...at least I made it there to enjoy the show. Was the Pontiac Nationals show in Norwalk OH 2011 Aug. 6th weekend....any of you there? I'm including that tow bill in the total vehicle cost, whether that makes sense or not, it's still money spent on the GTO.

Yes, these cars take money....but you don't HAVE to spend it on the car if you have other stuff come up, but it's a hobby and if you can afford to keep these running (which isn't that much) and can afford to update parts, body, interior, etc. (the expensive part) then enjoy!

My car gets newer with age, each year replacing a little at a time....but it basically looks like it did when I purchased it in 1998, just some of the detail items have been updated so it looks better than when I purchased it.


----------

