Are you a builder....or a buyer?

[Magnumcharger]

Just as it says...
Are you capable of doing your own work on your Charger, or do you hire it out?
And, do you enjoy gettin' 'er done....or being seen as an owner/collector/enthusiast?

And...why?

[FLG]

Love working on the car...but when it comes down the the more difficult stuff ill let someone else do it. For example, i can spray my car if i really needed to...will it be an amazing paint job? No...so id much rather hire someone to paint it and have it done all nice, but ill get it all ready in prime for them at the least. And if theres something i dont know how to do that a family member or friend does, id much rather have them show me. Getting dirty and working on your car is half the fun...cause when its all done you can say "I did that". But id imagine after doing this for years, if ya had the money you would much rather have someone else do all the arse busting work at the least, and just do the lighter things yourself.

[Death1970Proof]

I build about everything myself with help from a friend. I cant afford to have others do it. Plus I get the satisfaction of knowing whats done to my car. Part of the enjoyment is building it yourself!!! Of course machine work on engines has to be farmed out, I dont have the stuff to do that. 

[hutch]

I do everything except Transmission builds.

If I had the money, I would love to have someone do all of the body work and paint work for me.  I hate body work.  I do it because it saves me thousands I can spend on parts or tools.  Or women.  It's all about how you like to flush the money you save I always say.

[Joshua]

Everything except the engine machine work.....only because I don't have the tools....
Can't afford to buy a finished car or have others work on my stuff, don't trust 'em either....plus I just LIKE working on old cars....

[PocketThunder]

Everything except mud work and paint.  One thing i learned from doing bodywork on and off for the last 10 years is that the best way to do body work is to hire someone else to do it!

[suntech]

Will do all bodywork and modifications myself, with help from a couple of friends. Final prepping and paint will be done by a friend of mine, with me as a helping hand.
Engine build and dynoing will be me and a friend, that has one of the nicest and best equipped engine shop in the country.
The ideas om how to build, and with what parts, is done with help from friends, and this board.
As for buying........................ I am not a fan of comprimizing, so the list of parts that i have been shopping lately, is long and expansive!!!!! And gets longer almost EVERY day!!!!
It is hard to draw a clean line between what is a buyer or a builder!! I mean, many people might say that i am a buyer, since i bought 20 K worth of suspention and brake stuff.
Then again, i will install, including all fabrication and welding myself, an make my own molds to do my own carbon fibre parts, so maybe that slides me back to beeing a builder???
Not saying it was ment so, but i sence a negative aera around the word "buyer" here!!!

[Rolling_Thunder]

i do everything myself...     just don't have enough time to work on my own shit due to too many customers   

[bull]

Just as it says...
Are you capable of doing your own work on your Charger, or do you hire it out?
And, do you enjoy gettin' 'er done....or being seen as an owner/collector/enthusiast?

And...why?

Capable? Yes. Willing? Not very. If I had to do it all over I would have bought a '68 that was ready to roll because I'd rather be driving one than working on one.

[Charger_Fan]

I do 98.7% of my own work...although, I haven't welded any sheetmetal yet, so I may just end up farming that out for my own good.

[hemihead]

I do it all myself . No pride in buying a trailer queen .

[69bronzeT5]

Id rather build a car the way I want it then buy a fully restored one. I'll probally hire out people to do everything except for re-assembly and other stuff like that.

[andy74]

i do everything that i can,and try to do what i cant! paint work is beyond me,due to lack of patience,but anything else im game,even if i end up getting help after im in over my head!  

[dodgecharger-fan]

I had plans to do everything myself, but once I got a good look at the frame rails I knew I was in over my head.
So, I farmed it out and it made sense to get the sheetmetal done at the same time.

Once I got it back and sat on it for a couple of years, I tore into it and found very poor workmanship.
Wondering if any shortcuts were taken where I couldn't see them - the frame rails - I farmed it out again.

I'm glad I did. If had gotten it all together and tried to pull away with any kind of giddy-up, the car would have likely folded in half.

This time, the shop is taking it all the way to paint. Then I'll reassemble, restoring the components as I go.

This was to be a learning project for me. Well, I've learned.....

[RD]

all but body work.  everything mechanical can be done within a weekend and you can get the car running (generally, if you preplanned, have the parts, tools and knowhow), body work on the other hand... well, i dont believe foose works in every body shop and can get everything done in a weekend hehehehehe

just dont have the patience for body work... nope, not at all.

[68chrgrwife]

we do as much as we can by ourselves, but when it comes to body work, paint, and upholstery we ship it out.  Hubby is going to try his hand at some body work with my car.  We need help every once and a while with the other stuff and he calls buddies from work for the help.

[694spdRT]

I did most of the work on my '69 except for final paint. It was a good experience and lots of work. I don't fault anyone that choses to buy a car that is restored though.   

[Death1970Proof]

I did most of the work on my '69 except for final paint. It was a good experience and lots of work. I don't fault anyone that choses to buy a car that is restored though.   

I dont fault that either...resto is big $$$$$$$

[squeakfinder]

Ask the question 2 or 3 years from now and the same people might answer differently.

So far the only thing I don't do is alignments, and I haven't completely rebuilt a third member yet.

[472 R/T SE]

 
     I used to enjoy laying down paint with engine bays the extent of me painting the big stuff and lots of mechanical.  Having friends with lifts helped bunches. 

     First time I let someone do something I used to be capable of was right after I got my purple car and he raked me over the coals.  It's a sore spot having to pay someone.  Now I have two good friends to lean on who charge me $20 @ hour, can't beat that.  Yeah, I'm a buyer for the most part, so what.  I have just as much pride in my ride now versus before when I did a lot of the work. 

     I just inherited a fairly new wire feed and have my bead blaster running.  All I need is room & a project to see what I can do.    Although doing a ground up just to find out the finished product is worth a fraction of the time and materials spent is not for everyone. 

     How's this, we're not all as talented as you Robin.        

[spang]

buyer, wish i was talented enuf to be a builder.

[speedfreak68]

I'm a broke college studend so i try to do everything myself.

[71_Charger_R/T]

I do all my own work except Automatic tranny work... That I farm out, It's Voodoo that goes on inside those things!

[69charger2002]

i'm a buyer. i don't have time to build one myself. it would take years. what's the fun in that? i don't buy trailer queens, i buy nice painted drivers that are ready to go. you only live once... so why spend 10 years staring at a non running disassembled car? i don't need the "self pride when done" feeling THAT much.. i'd rather be DRIVING! 

[mikesbbody]

whatever i cant do my friend will do (and its free too since he's a friend  ) whatever he cant do (very little) i will pay someone to do i.e bodywork etc. it sure helps to have friends in this hobby.

[Goldfinger71]

My buddy and I have done alot (bodywork,etc.)But I also farm some of the work out if I don't have the time/space,full knowledge,experience to do it myself.My Charger has taught me alot about Mopars!Even though this is not my first Mopar it is the first I have taken apart to this extent!(Was barely a shell ).

[Tilar]

Other than the obvious like rechroming bumpers, dash plating and such, I'm doing 100% of my 68. Now if I do another one after that, I imagine that a lot of it will be farmed out just for the sake of time.

[Chatt69chgr]

So far, I have done everything myself.  I plan on doing everything that I can figure out how to do.  Some stuff will obviously have to be done by others like rechroming the bumpers and the machine work on the engine.  I bought a welder so am going to try to do that work if I can manage it.  I have no facilities to do the actual painting or media blasting or powdercoating.  I look forward to getting the car on the road but I took the project on to learn everything I could about restoring a car.  If I just went out and bought one, I would miss out on all the learing.  And I am a perfectionist.  I would have not been happy with others restoration work.

[RD]

I do all my own work except Automatic tranny work... That I farm out, It's Voodoo that goes on inside those things!

  man.. thats funny, i thought that too at one time.

[MoParMetal]

I don't know how to machine a block...


as far as everything else goes, it's either me or my wife doing it.
mostly me. 

[TK73]

Apparently neither... no mechanical skill and too much of a broke d!ck MF to afford anything... 

[68charger383]

I do what I can and farm out what I can't. I've restored a car or two in the past and now just want to drive. Between the family and the job, just getting an hour or two to drive or work on the car is my vacation.

[73charger528cid]

the only thing i farm out is the auto trans

[myk]

I'm a buyer that does what he can at home.  Especially with these newer cars and their new-fangled electronics and excessively complicated systems, there's just some stuff that the shadetree guy can't do.  The Charger's pretty easy to work on I guess, but I wouldn't be able to do 'diffs, 'transmissions and whatnot...

[1969chargerrtse]

I do everthing I can myself.  I have way to many stories of incompetent people out there.  I just bought alignment tools to align the front end in my garage(very easy and cheap).  Can't tell you how many garages say they did the alignment and didn't.  I send out major body work an paint, plus engine and trani rebuilding.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

I am limited to the tools and limited knowledge.

[Back N Black]

I'm doing my first nut and bolt restoration, i only farmed out the body and paint so far. Man its allot of work, those little parts can be very time consuming.

[69charger440]

Everything but machine work!! No Tools!!! It is a great learning experience!!

[Magnumcharger]

  How's this, we're not all as talented as you Robin.        

Thanks for the vote of confidence!!

[MoParMetal]

I do everthing I can myself.  I have way to many stories of incompetent people out there.  I just bought alignment tools to align the front end in my garage(very easy and cheap).  Can't tell you how many garages say they did the alignment and didn't.  I send out major body work an paint, plus engine and trani rebuilding.

where did you get your alignment tools. i don't want to pay anyone to do it anymore.

[Brock Samson]

things change,.. I've done very little in the past few years,..
but back in the '80 & '90s i was doing something every week pretty much,..
...chasing down parts, rebuilding what i could,.. and alot of reading and phone calls because these were the days before the internet...
I think my intrests have changed, I will always have a soft spot for these cars be it Chargers or any vehicle, but my days of laying upside down under a dashboard for four or five hours at a time are pretty much over...
come to think about it and so are my band days of trying to herd cats and get the concert promoters to actually pay me what they promised..

    things may change again, who knows? but for now all my vehicles run pretty well knock on wood, and that isn't by accident. 

[Mefirst]

Having worked on my Charger now for a couple of years, I have to say that I'm getting more and more into the building thing.. -Yes, I do love to drive, but for some time Ive been more or less planing for the next race car project Id want to do... My dream project is a 67-68 Plymouth Barracuda, that Id make into a Super Stock racer.. and -No, I would not cry cause I would have to sell my Charger to accomplish that project...

Then again, these old cars will never be 100% finished, there will always be something that requires attention...

/Tom

[Moparheaven]

I started out doing everything, because I wanted to do everything, plus I didn't have the money. Well......I still don't have the money....but, I like to put them together. I can do the body work and paint but don't like the days of hacking up grey matter and having my sinus passages clogged for weeks. So....  I have my friend from High School do it. We trade. I like the disassembley process and like getting the dents and scratches out of trim. So, we trade.  I also like putting them back together. Carpet, door panels, headliners, detail work. I don't mind doing engine transplants and tranny swaps but getting the carb set right and linkage perfect I have another friend do.

The older I get the less I do. I look forward to the time that my boys will do the work and I can tell them what to do.

[billhillytim]

I'm doing most of mine myself, but like most everyone else, machine work, paint, and auto tranny are going to be farmed.  Entire motor build, most body straightening, priming, interior, exhaust, brakes, steering, and suspension are all my little puppies to tinker with.  I wouldn't trade them for the world.  Nothing like building high horsepower dependability with your bare hands and hearing the exhaust notes thinking, "yeah, I remember that day when I was putting in the cam and nearly broke my hand when the engine stand gave way, but that was nothing compared to the pain I'm going to inflict on that poor Mustang in the lane next to me".  Enjoy every second of every day.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

things change,.. I've done very little in the past few years,..
but back in the '80 & '90s i was doing something every week pretty much,..
...chasing down parts, rebuilding what i could,.. and alot of reading and phone calls because these were the days before the internet...
I think my intrests have changed, I will always have a soft spot for these cars be it Chargers or any vehicle, but my days of laying upside down under a dashboard for four or five hours at a time are pretty much over...
come to think about it and so are my band days of trying to herd cats and get the concert promoters to actually pay me what they promised..

    things may change again, who knows? but for now all my vehicles run pretty well knock on wood, and that isn't by accident. 

Same old story here man......

[Mike DC]

   
I'm way too specific about how I want everything done on my cars.  I couldn't pay someone else for 2/3rds of the work even if I wanted to.   

 
I only pay someone else to overhaul some of the "closed box" items.  A rear diff, or a power steering box, an auto tranny, etc.  (And even in those cases I tend to have some input about how & what I want done.)

[BlueSS454]

I like to buy rusty junk and bring it back to life myself.  Not only does it give me a sense of accomplishment, but I could never afford to have someone else do this stuff for me.  The only thing I can't and won't do are automatic transmissions and engine machine work only because I don't have the equipment to do it.

[Dans 68]

i'm a buyer. i don't have time to build one myself. it would take years. what's the fun in that? i don't buy trailer queens, i buy nice painted drivers that are ready to go. you only live once... so why spend 10 years staring at a non running disassembled car? i don't need the "self pride when done" feeling THAT much.. i'd rather be DRIVING! 

I'm kind of in agreement with Trav on this, if you have the money. Both of my Chargers came pretty much intact, and only need an occasional fine tuning and continuous maintenance to keep them going. I do like working on the cars, though, but would rather be driving it earlier than later. While I've never rebuilt an engine or transmission, or repaired sheetmetal,  i've done everything else car wise in my life. Now I'm saving up funds for the future restoration of the '68, having bodywork and paint done by others, in time for my daughter's High School graduation in 10 years.     And I'm driving it every week. It's all good.   

Dan

[suntech]

I am also way to spesific to farm out a job, and pick it up done!! Think i must be a nightmare for shops!!  One time, when my mashine shop buddy was so buzy that he could not do a overbore job there and then, i went to another shop, and gave them measurement to rough bore, measurement for first honing, before ballend hone (two-stroke, with ports), and grit and measurement for final honing. The guys looked at me, with that WTF look, and said: no, not nessasary to do it like that!!!!!  I said: Well.......... in this case it is, and i sat there watching them do it!!
And when it comes to components that i buy, i want what i THINK is the best available out there! If it really is, thats another story!!
I guess i am a control freak, with stuff like that!!

[Ghoste]

I do pretty much everything that I can.  I don't have an alignment rack or the equipment to do machining so I have to hire that stuff out.

[six-tee-nine]

Both if I could afford it.

I love to to the resto job myself but if I had enough money on the side I would buy myself a restored second car to hit the road in. Because at this moment the Charger is not road worthy and it kills me not to be able to go for a nice drive in the summer...

[70 Charger RT]

I'll do everything except engine machining (no equipment), final body prep and paint (no painting skills other than rattle can paint) and front end alignment (again, no equipment).  Plenty of pride left after completion even though I did maybe 95% of my own work.

[SFRT]

if I had the time I'd do it all...as it is 50/50. sometimes its more cost effective to get a restored part.

label me: dilettante...

[Pistolpete]

Wish I had the skills, but just don't.

I do what I can and farm the majority out.............but man I can manage a project like nobodys business!! LOL