How do you guys pay for your "charger project"

[elanmars]

I live within my means-still going to school, full time, I have a baby girl. I work as much as I can also and sell a lot of things on ebay, everything from Star Wars figures and other toys, to comic books, video games, movies, books, shirts, etc.  I wish I could do a lot of what the cars have needed myself-but I just don't have the time, the right tools or the space. Currently living with my parents, babymama, baby and I, so that saves a lot of money.

We don't go out often, we don't party, we don't buy things other than necessity and whatever we don't really "need", we get on sale/ebay, no full price/overpriced stuff for us. When we go to the movies, we go matinee or any other way we can get a discount. We go to good restaurants every now and again-but ones that are reasonably priced.

During my dating times, I went half and half, always. If a girl expected me to pay for it all, forget it! But then I've always been solid good when it comes to the ladies. It's always best to do activities that don't involve spending much-and activities that you do together, lets you spend more time together and get closer. Always works.

I was able to purchase my first Charger (73) with some minor savings and selling a few Star Wars items and other collectibles (I was an avid collector). The second one (69) I was able to fund by selling my '73, which I got a really awesome profit out of it compared to what I paid for it, so that was a sweet deal. The 69, I got it cheap and that came with some issues, of course-I knew it was going to have some gremlins and thankfully it's only been because of the body. With the profits from my '73, I've been able to "fund" the '69.

Previous body work was extremely ghetto/shoddy/poor and I have a lot of minor things missing, such as trim, need a new hood, need front buckets replaced or upholstered, some interior things. Unfortunately, it's been held up by really slow body work from a friend of a friend, because I just had to go the cheap route, sigh, big mistake! To his defense, he did have a couple of issues that were out of his hand and I totally understood, plus he does great work and so far, the Charger is turning out fantastic with the body work. My patience is wearing thin though, specially since the car is way overdue and he's going reaaaallyyyyyy slow about it, sometimes he'll go a week without touching it and I might just have to take the car so I can get around (big mistake I sold my 97 Maxima also, so my Charger is my only car) and have him finish it/work on it on weekends.

Once I get it back, I can have the AC installed, disk brakes put on, sound system hooked up, have the car aligned, put sound deadener material and from then on, it'll just be little things here and there I'll get for it, stuff I don't need right now-passenger side mirror, windows tinted, back speakers, etc.

[mauve66]

my wife pimps me out...........................

Really ? How much ?   

cheap................ but you get what you pay for according to her............
i guess you missed the part about my car only being drivable for 2 of the last 16 years, and the last time i drove it for fun was the summer of 99

[The70RT]

my wife pimps me out...........................

Really ? How much ?   

cheap................ but you get what you pay for according to her............
i guess you missed the part about my car only being drivable for 2 of the last 16 years, and the last time i drove it for fun was the summer of 99

Sounds like you better viagra it up so you can drive your car 

[AKcharger]

I bought cheap and did the labor myself and with friends after learning how much a shop wanted

Here it is when I bought it in Summer of 2002 for $750 ($500 to owner and $250 back storage to lot it was abandoned at)


Here it is 2 years later, more work than I could have ever imagined +$15K in cashed in saving bonds and diverted vacation $

[AKcharger]

Oh yeah, this one, I got smart after the '70 and found one with a SOLID BODY to avoid all the body panel replacement. I was well trained on the '70 so body work was a snap. I just used my normal pay to finsh this one but with no car payments (we have old cars) and being kind of boring it was easy to piece it together over a period of 8 months.

Here it was for $2500 when I got it, non running but complete in Summer 2004


And pretty much finished for about $8500 total


can't resist!

[69charger440]

Well I can tell you an easy way to get $8,000 to put into your chargers!!! Just buy a house. Thats what i did. Heck figured i would kill two birds with one stone! Wife wanted a house, I wanted quarter panels, trunk extensions, inner wheel well housing, Oh and paint! Still have money left over for a concrete drive way and new sod. (DARN, FORECLOSURES!) Other then that I pay all the bills and have the wife dump money into savings. (CHARGER FUND) I also do all the mechanical work myself. They paint and body work is the only thing I don't have the patience for.

[stripedelete]

Well I can tell you an easy way to get $8,000 to put into your chargers!!! Just buy a house. Thats what i did. Heck figured i would kill two birds with one stone! Wife wanted a house, I wanted quarter panels, trunk extensions, inner wheel well housing, Oh and paint! Still have money left over for a concrete drive way and new sod. (DARN, FORECLOSURES!) Other then that I pay all the bills and have the wife dump money into savings. (CHARGER FUND) I also do all the mechanical work myself. They paint and body work is the only thing I don't have the patience for.

And we don't even get a "thank you"?   

[69charger440]

Well I can tell you an easy way to get $8,000 to put into your chargers!!! Just buy a house. Thats what i did. Heck figured i would kill two birds with one stone! Wife wanted a house, I wanted quarter panels, trunk extensions, inner wheel well housing, Oh and paint! Still have money left over for a concrete drive way and new sod. (DARN, FORECLOSURES!) Other then that I pay all the bills and have the wife dump money into savings. (CHARGER FUND) I also do all the mechanical work myself. They paint and body work is the only thing I don't have the patience for.

And we don't even get a "thank you"?   


NO SERIOUSLY THANK YOU AMERICA!!

[SFRT]

I saved a pile of cash, then did as much work as I could myself, what I couldnt do I am lucky enough to have a network of very talented very cool friends that hooked me up for cheap or trades. I have spent a LOT on the car, but none of it was for some dude to pretend to sand it for 800 hours. all the $ has gone into quality parts.

also, I spend zero on things for myself like clothes, beer etc. every extra penny goes to the car. I will even eat cheap if I want a part.

[200MPH]

1.Cut back on extra activities like movies, I usually wait until they come to DVD and rent them then. unless its something i really want to see

2,Trade parts if you can

3. Network

4.,buy used parts when you can sheetmetal engine parts etc.paint sometimes paint shops have colors that you may like that a customer failed to pick up

5. Do as much work s as possible on your project like installing the interior or engine and trans, media blasting if you can get the right equipment..

6. come up with a budget and stick to it

7.The Project itself..if you do not have the means to do the Body work and other big tasks associated with restoration then save your money and get the best project for you, you wil be $$$ ahead in the end.

just my

[Akron_Charger]

patience (and staying single) grasshopper!  but really its mostly using your money for what you need first and saving what you can for the car, and not trying to do too much when you really cant

[resq302]

Constantly working on the "honey do list", oh and don't forget I pay for my charger with lots of blood, sweat, and tears.   Mostly blood it seems though.

[DodgeChargerNeeded]

Rob Liquor stores, lol. Mostly by buying and selling one to get another one.

[G-man]

Cant afford a project hence the reason of finding one already done for decent $.

[resq302]

Cant afford a project hence the reason of finding one already done for decent $.

Do they actually exist like that?  Completed for decent money?   

[G-man]

Cant afford a project hence the reason of finding one already done for decent $.

Do they actually exist like that?  Completed for decent money?   

Yeah, the 1 i got of husk. Perfect car for perfect price 

[squeakfinder]

     Well, you could pimp yourself out to hundred fat chicks for a hundred bucks a pop. 

[nakita7]

Cant afford a project hence the reason of finding one already done for decent $.

Do they actually exist like that?  Completed for decent money?   

A completed car will cost you less than restoring a car probably 90% of the time. Let someone else lose their time and money...

[G-man]

     Well, you could pimp yourself out to hundred fat chicks for a hundred bucks a pop. 

Dont think you would be around to buy anything after that. 

[Charger_Croatia]

Constantly working on the "honey do list", oh and don't forget I pay for my charger with lots of blood, sweat, and tears.   Mostly blood it seems though.

Looks like my situation 
But now it is a time for me to save some money to finish bodywork and painting. Some other priorities happened couple times and I must delay charger project 

[greenpigs]

Wife sold her house and we closed on daughters birthday a few months ago. So now she can chip in on household bills. I only pay for Charger parts. Wife works part time to stay at home with the kids more.

[268RTs4ME]

Back 25 years ago I scratched up $700.00 to buy my 68 Coronet RT,  in fact I sold this and that to get the money together,knew is would be worth alot more than that in the future, got it up to were is was presentable, bondo and primered, and screaming ass mean. thru the years have had numerious inquiries on purchasing it, No not for sale, even though I had to pay the bills and feed the kids, I would not sell my car, and I still have it, its a survivor and so am I.  as i got older I invested in some real estate, which I cleaned up and keep for a few years, making payments at the bank every month, now after 10 years sold that real estate with a pretty good profit, was gonna buy cd or mutual fund, nobody wants to pay you crap to use your money, So I invested some fund in another ride, my 74 RR/GTX #s Matching, highly option. right now I have about $15,000.00 in it and I am not done yet. it is a beautiful car which I am proud of.. Now I tool around in it, and I am starting on My RT, I gotta have my mopar to drive while I am working on my other one..expensive hobby, but I love it.. Take care of family and debts first...then your car.. Happy Holidays