How much do you have in it?

[64dartgt]

Too much.  Although my Wife told me to do an old car vs. buying a new Chally RT for $35K and I am into my 73 340 Charger with modern creature comforts like PS, PB, AC, PW and factory sunroof for way less than that!  To date about $12K for the car, used 340, rebuild of the engine, rebuilt 904, used 8.75 sure grip, rebuilt of the 8.75, new brakes all around, new fuel system (including tank, pump, carb and intake).  Front end is good.  Radiator is fine.  Interior is good, just needs carpet a couple of lower door panels, dash cap and head liner.  Then a rechrome of the bumpers, bodywork and paint.

What could I get for it now?  I would probably get more just selling the rebuilt engine, tranny and rearend than for the whole car.  Perhaps $5k as is?  Ebayers won't pay squat for a 73.  For bodywork it needs patches in the rear quarters and passenger door.  Floors are solid.

[adauto]

Geeeez I hate to even think about it!  I've got 95% of my rect's  but I dont look at them, might give myself a heart attack!
Plus I bought my Chally before the market bottomed (did NOT buy at the peak tho...) seems this "hobby" is generally one of spending more and selling for less. So as the saying goes - cheaper to keep'er!

BTW Chryco, Neil I'd love to buy your charger... if I had the room....

[mpdlawdog]

I will never tell... my wife has knives and knows how to use them......saw her tie up a chicken by the feet to a tree...went inside.... got on the internet...came back out butchered it and then brought in the breasts....I cant imagine what she would do to me!!!

[TK73]

About 4k total including initial cost...

[crusty440]

Bought the 69 R/T 8 years ago for 12,000 plus a Canadian fishing trip.  I've put another 8500 into paint, body and interior work.

[oldcarnut]

27k and still counting in car plus parts and it's still just a clone Super Turd with a long way to go to Bird status  . 

[moparstuart]

27k and still counting in car plus parts and it's still just a clone Super Turd with a long way to go to Bird status  . 

[41husk]

Geeeez I hate to even think about it!  I've got 95% of my rect's  but I dont look at them, might give myself a heart attack!
Plus I bought my Chally before the market bottomed (did NOT buy at the peak tho...) seems this "hobby" is generally one of spending more and selling for less. So as the saying goes - cheaper to keep'er!

BTW Chryco, Neil I'd love to buy your charger... if I had the room....

I would too, I miss my 3rd gen

[jaak]

With the '69 I refused to keep up with my costs, I know initially I paid $5500 for 2 cars (used one for parts), I sold off extra stuff on ebay and probably recouped 1/2 to 1/3 of the parts car investment. I did have to spend on some new parts and or replacements, but I always took my time searching for the best deal. Plus I did all the work myself. If I had to take a shot in the dark, I would say I had less than $15k in the '69 (best guess).

Now the 73 I just sold, I kept up all I spent on it on a spreadsheet. I bought it in early 2009, put new interior in it and did a little work on it. Now I think I got a great deal on it and the previous owner did a lot of mechanical work already. When all was said and done, I had a little over $3900, I sold it a couple of months ago for $6600, and I think that's pretty good with the sh*tty economy/car market right now.

Jason

[Kern Dog]

My 70 R/T clone ? I bought it as a running 318 car in 2000 for $1700. After 3 engines, 2 transmissions, 4 wheel disc brakes, full interior resto, full body and paint, 18" wheels and tires....I'm still UNDER $30,000.

[mpdlawdog]

27k and still counting in car plus parts and it's still just a clone Super Turd with a long way to go to Bird status  . 

Hey I have a fender for that bird I will sell you cheap .

[mpdlawdog]

I will never tell... my wife has knives and knows how to use them......saw her tie up a chicken by the feet to a tree...went inside.... got on the internet...came back out butchered it and then brought in the breasts....I cant imagine what she would do to me!!!

As long as this doesn't get back to her...paid $11000 for the car and about $6000 in Msc parts and engine work

[wingcar]

I remember sitting down many years ago and adding up all the receipts I have for my '67 Charger build.  I got half way through the pile and stopped...........even I didn't realize how much I had invested.  It amazed me how all the little things added up very quickly.  I started with the iconic $500.00 car that had a great body and all trim..."just" needed new upholstery and a new engine and it would be complete......several years later I was thinking I purchased the Brooklyn Bridge as the project grew from just fixing enough to get it on the road to an almost total restoration project....."You know, just one more little thing and it will be done".....right......
Bottomline:  Build the car for your tastes, and then enjoy it because you will never get your money back.

[flyinlow]

Hobby's are cheaper then Psychiatrists and attorneys.  I enjoy my Charger.

[PocketThunder]

Hobby's are cheaper then Psychiatrists and attorneys.  I enjoy my Charger.

Well put.  A nice drive in the Charger always clears the mind.

[xpbprox]

Just did a spreadsheet today, came in under what I originally thought. Of course I lost some receipts across the way, lets say $1,500 worth of receipts, I still came in under what I thought. Still got much more $$$ to spend, body Is almost done maybe another 3K.

[Charger_Dart]

I have a large brown envelope I stuff receipts into - I don't dare open it 

[HANDM]

Lets see, I paid $1100 for the car twenty years ago
$2000 for the brakes, front end and tranny
$1,200 for the enging rebuild
$600 or so for repair panels
$1,500 for the interior and exterior stuff
$2,000 on paint and supplies

Labor (by me), worthless
Journey to get the car on the road, priceless
Finally getting the car on the road......... the journey was better

This wasn't so much a restoration, it was more of driver resurection.

If I tried to sell it today I could expect to be low balled at around 18,000 or so

[modmidget]

I paid $4,000 for my '68 thirteen years ago.  Have spent about $11,500.00 for the restoration (did most of the work myself).  In the past couple of years I've received offers of $25,000 to $30,000.  I'll never sell it!!!  It's a 318 car with auto shifter on the steering column.  My wife didn't care how much I spent on it because she wanted it finished worse than I did ( I let her drive it a couple of times a year.....  when I'm with her).

I paid $2500 for my '71 which had a 440 Magnum engine and auto shifter on the column.  I did about $150.00 worth of work on it and sold it for $7500.  It was 100% original including all of the heater and radiator hoses and belts.  It sat in a barn for more than 25 years and had 74,000 original miles on it.  There were only 680 of these cars built before Dodge switched over to the 400ci engine.

[billssuperbird]

35k over 11 years.

[moparstuart]

35k over 11 years.

you did very well   

[skip68]

I will never tell... my wife has knives and knows how to use them......

Wussy.     

[69charger440]

Humm!! Lets start from the beginning:

69 Charger purchase:        $5000
Sheet metal:                    $3500
Paint Job:                        $7000
540 Alum Blown EFI Hemi    $20.5K
727 Transmission               $2700
Gear Vendors                    $900
Dana 60                          $2300
Dash rebuilt                      $600
Headers                           $500
Alterkation Front end         $4000
Lynx Rear                        $2700
Aluminum D/S                   $400
Glass kit                          $1200
Legendary Seat Covers       $400
Fuel system                     $1100
Fuel tank                          $500
Fuel lines                          $300
Restoration pieces            $2000
Total                              $55,600

Still cant drive it yet!!! 

[Dino]

Humm!! Lets start from the beginning:

69 Charger purchase:        $5000
Sheet metal:                    $3500
Paint Job:                        $7000
540 Alum Blown EFI Hemi    $20.5K
727 Transmission               $2700
Gear Vendors                    $900
Dana 60                          $2300
Dash rebuilt                      $600
Headers                           $500
Alterkation Front end         $4000
Lynx Rear                        $2700
Aluminum D/S                   $400
Glass kit                          $1200
Legendary Seat Covers       $400
Fuel system                     $1100
Fuel tank                          $500
Fuel lines                          $300
Restoration pieces            $2000
Total                              $55,600

Still cant drive it yet!!!  

Off all those, funny enough it's the lower expenses that stick out, I think we all know the feeling.  How did you only spend $900 on a GV unit?  Did you find one used?

And for what it's worth, off all the ways one can burn money, anything going to these cars is money well spent.

[oldcarnut]

27k and still counting in car plus parts and it's still just a clone Super Turd with a long way to go to Bird status  . 

Hey I have a fender for that bird I will sell you cheap .

Whenever your ready