grumpyvette Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 we all are forced to work with a realistic budget, but at times I see guys plan and sellect parts not so much for the ideal, or to build what they really want but so that they can speed up the process or get SOMETHING RUNNING.........now theres always something to be said for having a running car vs a bunch of parts cluttering up the garage for a few years, but WHAT WILL YOU ACCOMPLISH if you BUILD SOMETHING YOUR NOT PROUD TO OWN??? example lets say what you really want TO INSTALL, BUY OR to build a IS killer big block engine for your car, your NOT really satisfied with a 500hp crate engine, you want some bragging rights, AND AT least A 540-572 DISPLACEMENT AND 650-750HP! http://www.theengineshop.com/prods_pages/108000.htm http://ohiocrank.com/enginekits.html http://www.shafiroff.com/sportsman/540_810.asp a quick look shows your in the $10,000 range so you start thinking, I know where I can find a 454 4 bolt block for $500, Ill build a 496 stroker.... Ok lets look at that, keep in mind you want no less than 600HP block $500 rotating assembly, damper flywheel,clutch, bell houseing $2000-$3000 brodix or AFR heads, valve covers, port work, $2500-$3100 hydrolic roller cam & hydrolic roller lifters,pushrods, rockers ETC, $1200-$1800 oil system $350-$600 intake , port work,$300 machine work ballancing gaskets etc, $1200 carb, $400-$970 hell, it won,t take much to be at $8600-$11,000 so it quickly becomes obvious that you saving a bunch building a 496 vs BUYING a 540bbc is pretty much wasted effort! what IM getting at here is that PLANING your goals and the path to reach them takes some thought and research, and one of the worst things you can do jump into it with a few parts and start building and spending your hard earned cash without thinking it thru carefully keep in mind a small block may cost slightly less but everything still applies I know so many guys with $10,000-$15,000 invested in 468-496bbc engines, engines that won,t come NEAR being what they could have built or bought if they had PLANNED it carefully price it out yourself... http://www.flatlanderracing.com/home.html http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10002 http://www.summitracing.com/ http://www.dirttrackthunder.com/ http://www.dougherbert.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexideways Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Very wise comment, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rytherwr Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 How true, how true...been there, done that, got a couple of T-shirts (and over the years a bunch of stuff that wasn't what I wanted for twice what I would have paid had I had planning and patience). Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8260 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 it takes patience. Ive learned this early on. I saved my cash for the day i would get a chance to get out of primer. IN the meantime (1 year) i was made fun of by everyone. It was a car in primer and the rust was starting to come up again. But i did keep dreaming even when everyone and even I at times doubted i would ever make this car respectable. but here i am now. the car is painted and no one doubts anymore. Best of all, ive made my dream car possible. Making you dream machine come true also comes down to shopping for the best bargain. they;re out there. just like i said thou. Its all patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I'm waiting for the popcorn, oh, and a coke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
660Z Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Well i`m learning right now acually. Started off wanting to do a gasser look. Bought a straight axle/ford spindles off of ebay. Too short made for an angila. Can resell at a later date but that`s $250 sitting there. Abandoned the gasser idea. Too popuar right now. prices skyrocketed. Bought some Wheel Vintiqites rims, thought I could change the backspacing myself....I changed the backspacing but distroyed the wheels....Buying new rims with the correct backspace...$130 wasted...but learned something new. Thought I could modify dirt track headers the way I wanted...nope distroyed them!!!...new headers, found some that would work...$100 wasted Well I learned...Started buying parts when I need them and making sure they`ll work,rather then just to get it on the track...Started looking down the road at the times I want to run and building it right the first time! Case in point didn`t like the idea of running a mini spool and c-clip elim on stock axles and upgrading later. I want to run 9.99 so I`m going with 33 spline axles, spool and c-clip elim kit....will never hurt it and never have to think about it again. Spend the money now and save in the long run. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Well i`m learning right now acually. Spend the money now and save in the long run. Mark Well, at least you learned. Call MIKE, beat it into his head would you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 im just trying to throw some crap together. i just need to get the sheet metal and frame rails done on my car, the motor is cheap and already researched. i have a 00 LS1 and A4 sitting around along with a 6.0 with LS6 heads, i just need to have a car to put them in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 How come so many guys finally finish their dream cars, then sell it a few months later? because they realize that all the time and work and money resulted in a car THAT was and never will be EXACTLY what they envisioned or wanted.... you wanted a 632 BBC powered chevelle and theres a 496bbc powered car in the garage and your subconcious mind, says get that %$%^^& out of here I failed to reach my goal,and don,t want to be reminded of it! you can,t cheat the guy you see while shaving in your mirror in the morning and expect to be happy, once you set a goal, acheive anything less and youll be less than satisfied with the results YOUR FAMILY comes FIRST but that doesn,t mean you can,t have toys or projects, your entitled too (some sanity and entertainment, stress relief) set aside a small amount you can afford, for your project in a seperate account or coffee can in the garage,EVERY WEEK, THATS THE SECRET,HAVE a set goal, a parts list, supliers and costs and check off each component as you get it! and build your car! consider that $10, or $50 you can easily afford each week as previously SPENT before you get crazy. your project will eventually get built, look Im retired and have been doing the current accumulation of parts and research,on my BBC corvette swap for over 4 years now, IT will get done! but Im on a budget on a pension, ant good things take time, (getting side tracked on my dream garage project ,didn,t help either)but, hey Im human, I make less than ideal moves too!, but the garage was built KNOWING that ID get back MORE than every dime I spent if I ever sell the property Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Well, at least you learned. Call MIKE, beat it into his head would you. Which MIKE are you diss-ing here, bro?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 GRUMPY... I say just have somone like you or DOC or another motor guru talk you through some ideas, set goals, save the $$$, and have one of you motor-heads build that bad-a$$ motor. There... it's done... HAH!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hamlet8900 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 we all are forced to work with a realistic budget, but at times I see guys plan and sellect parts not so much for the ideal, or to build what they really want but so that they can speed up the process or get SOMETHING RUNNING.........now theres always something to be said for having a running car vs a bunch of parts cluttering up the garage for a few years, but WHAT WILL YOU ACCOMPLISH if you BUILD SOMETHING YOUR NOT PROUD TO OWN??? example lets say what you really want TO INSTALL, BUY OR to build a IS killer big block engine for your car, your NOT really satisfied with a 500hp crate engine, you want some bragging rights, AND AT least A 540-572 DISPLACEMENT AND 650-750HP! http://www.theengineshop.com/prods_pages/108000.htm http://ohiocrank.com/enginekits.html http://www.shafiroff.com/sportsman/540_810.asp a quick look shows your in the $10,000 range so you start thinking, I know where I can find a 454 4 bolt block for $500, Ill build a 496 stroker.... Ok lets look at that, keep in mind you want no less than 600HP block $500 rotating assembly, damper flywheel,clutch, bell houseing $2000-$3000 brodix or AFR heads, valve covers, port work, $2500-$3100 hydrolic roller cam & hydrolic roller lifters,pushrods, rockers ETC, $1200-$1800 oil system $350-$600 intake , port work,$300 machine work ballancing gaskets etc, $1200 carb, $400-$970 hell, it won,t take much to be at $8600-$11,000 so it quickly becomes obvious that you saving a bunch building a 496 vs BUYING a 540bbc is pretty much wasted effort! what IM getting at here is that PLANING your goals and the path to reach them takes some thought and research, and one of the worst things you can do jump into it with a few parts and start building and spending your hard earned cash without thinking it thru carefully keep in mind a small block may cost slightly less but everything still applies I know so many guys with $10,000-$15,000 invested in 468-496bbc engines, engines that won,t come NEAR being what they could have built or bought if they had PLANNED it carefully price it out yourself... http://www.flatlanderracing.com/home.html http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10002 http://www.summitracing.com/ http://www.dirttrackthunder.com/ http://www.dougherbert.com/ I ususally just lurk and learn but I would simply like to add the following: How much actual rear wheel horsepower do you really need? Doing burnouts is fun but I like to go fast so Ill run a good 400 horsepower setup with good traction against anything without good traction. Utlimately if the car won't hook up (and go around turns if that's your thing) its worthless. Go put skinny tires on a 1972 Coupe deVille and you can do all the burnouts you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 hamlet8900 LOVE the GAL in the AVATAR, wish I has a much larger and clearer photo! as to ho much power you need, Id say once your running in the high 11s to very low 12s theres not much need for more than that IN A 90% STREET DRIVEN CAR keep in mind POWER TO WEIGHT RATIO, a light enough car could do that easily with 375hp, but a land yatch will need a good deal more power Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 [color:red] heres where I went temporarily,off track on my BBC corvette project, [/color]I only did it because I knew ID get back every cent if I sell the place later and IVE always wanted a decent place to work on my cars/engines vs a cramped 2 car garage well finally got the stucco the lift the bathroom installed in my new garage so Im advancing slowly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 I think your garage is nicer than my house, LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS1 240Z Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 holy batgarage batman ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 building a dream or wasting your cash? The answer is: BOTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 The trick is to have no dreams. Then you can't be disappointed and won't waste your money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 "The trick is to have no dreams. Then you can't be disappointed and won't waste your money" if youve got no dreams they might as well bury your butt now, cause your 90% dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 GRUMPY... You're a good guy so I doubt you meant that the way it sounds. MICHAEL... Things will get better. Trust me. Just give it some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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