HARD times call for HARD decisions - How much should I ask?

[ChargerBill]

It just hasn't been a good past 3 years for me, and it's all coming to a head. I HATE even asking this question, but I'm in a bad spot. I may need to relocate for work, I can barely scrape enough to pay the bills living up here in the foothills which is primarily a retirement community and where decent paying jobs are pretty scarce.

So, here the description:

'69 383Charger, 727, steel top, highly optioned
bare shell stripped down, undercoating taken off, all primed, trunk replaced, most wheelwell rust fixed or patched, rust neutralized, floor pans clean with a dozen pencil head sized pocks and holes, Fenders straight and primed, doors straight and primed, hood straight and primed, 2 trunk lids, all glass good, all brightwork good - few small dents but very straight and clean - most just needs polished, cop steelies with dogdish caps, 2 sets 915 heads, 1 extra set 906 heads, one complete 1970 440 - disassembled but clean and buildable, ENTIRE car was there when disassembled and ALL goes with the car - all bagged, tagged, noted, marked, photos before disassembly, clean title and fender tag, VIN on dash, etc...

new NOS rear seat, new NOS dashpad,

new parts from Year One:

Headliner, carpet & jute, all weatherstripping, window sweeps, under4hood bolt kit, paint gasket kit, etc... $1,400 total in 2002

PST Deluxe Suspension kit

Transtar 727 kit w/ blueplate special clutch kit

new master cylinder, 76 aspen discs/spindles for upgrade,

about 60 hrs into restoring grille and trim

about 30 hrs into resporing dash and redying trim black

$500 in supplies - bondo, paper, wheels, interior dyes, primers, thinners, etc...

$700 in 1.5 gallons (3 gallons mixed- but NOT mixed yet) DuPonte Chromabase burnt orange metallic still in can if wanted


HONESTLY I can't even remember everything I have. All I know is I have about 700 hrs into the car and about $4K in new parts. I'm not sure I WANT to sell it...not if I can't get something out of it. I hate even talking or thinking about this, but I'm in a mess. This isn't a for sale ad guys, this is an honest question.

Now I'm gonna go cry in my milk (since I don't drink much beer, but maybe after posting this I will)....

Bill

[Brock Samson]

 I feel for ya' CB,.. I'm facing a hard decision myself...
and I know all about the job sit. in that area, that's why i didn't move up there 15 years ago...
I got the same problem with the Vancouver area another place I'd like to live...
I don't have an awnser for ya' but I think Droptop would have a legit idea... I'd ask him... specificly, Calif commands a higher price then some other areas so figgure that factor into the equasion too..

Strat,..

[ChargerBill]

I feel for ya' CB,.. I'm facing a hard decision myself...
and I know all about the job sit. in that area, that's why i didn't move up there 15 years ago...
I got the same problem with the Vancouver area another place I'd like to live...
I don't have an awnser for ya' but I think Droptop would have a legit idea... I'd ask him... specificly, Calif commands a higher price then some other areas so figgure that factor into the equasion too..

Strat,..

This area will clean out your pocketbook and steal your dreams....I'm at about the lowest I've been ever. I've been holding off on this decision for about 6 months now, and STILL not sure I'll do it if I can find a way, but it's looking pretty bleak.

I'll try to get a hold of DropTop and see what he thinks. The sickening part about it is if I had 50 more hours to spend on the car and get it painted I could get 15K for it...but then it would DEFINITELY be harder to get rid of after looking at it all shiney and new looking.

Anyone know where there's a good sized rock I can crawl under?

[hemihead]

I know how it is.Here in the wasteland of the U.S. ( Pittsburgh area),there is nothing also as far as good jobs.

[Brock Samson]

hey there Bunkie, there's a few good reasons to hold off alittle longer, one is that the gloomy weather and lack of sun effects the brain chemistry and makes us all depressed and/or stir crazy...
another is this is not a good time to market things like cars because folks are in the "winter after x-mas belt tightening bill paying mode"..
you'll git alot more intrest once the temps climb, the sun is higher in the sky and the flowers are all popping out...  
you'll feel different then too,.. you'll have alot more hope for the future yurself..

[ChargerBill]

I know how it is.Here in the wasteland of the U.S. ( Pittsburgh area),there is nothing also as far as good jobs.

I feel for ya...poor job opportunities suck.

You know what REALLY pi$$es me off? I've applied to about 100 jobs in the last 3 months or so. I look at their required qualifications and I am usually OVER qualified, but haven't got a call back yet. maybe i'm just a hack and not really very good after all...I mean, that's the message I'm hearing from the lack of resonse I'm getting. Some don't like the idea of me living so far away (from the bay area), some want more IT skills, quite a few say job is already filled AFTER I submit a resume and portfolio. I'm at a loss...don't know what to do. maybe Graphic Design is impacted...probably is since EVERYONE with a PC and a paint program considers themselves a Graphic Designer...

My biggest problem is that I really don't know how to rectify this situation. Get reeducated or persevere???

[Brock Samson]

 BTW: CB,
I'd specificly ask the body and paint guys like Droptop, Cudaken and Jimshine, and the others who are in the biz...
there are some folks who will chime in without so much as a clue...

[ChargerBill]

hey there Bunkie, there's a few good reasons to hold off alittle longer, one is that the gloomy weather and lack of sun effects the brain chemistry and makes us all depressed and/or stir crazy...
another is this is not a good time to market things like cars because folks are in the "winter after x-mas belt tightening bill paying mode"..
you'll git alot more intrest once the temps climb, the sun is higher in the sky and the flowers are all popping out...  
you'll feel different then too,.. you'll have alot more hope for the future yurself..

Looks good on paper (monitor) but I'm telling you bud, I'm not feeling that optimistic. Besides, if things keep up I'll need the money just to pay bills.

BTW: CB,
I'd specificly ask the body and paint guys like Droptop, Cudaken and Jimshine, and the others who are in the biz...
there are some folks who will chime in without so much as a clue...

I'm taking into consideration the "off the top of my head" factor. I realize that I'll get a huge array of responses to this question. Heck, I may just ebay it and take my chances...end the auction if it starts looking bad, or set the reserve at the absolute minimum that I'd take. (just not sure what the reserve should REALISTICALLY be)

[Brock Samson]

You could sell your grill... 

[Silver R/T]

You should move over here, bring your charger with parts on trailer too. What kind of work do you do?

[ChargerBill]

For that matter, I could part the whole Charger out and make 3 times as much, but I do STILL love the cars...don't want to ruin a perfectly good COMPLETE Charger just because my life is a mess right now. Maybe that's dumb, maybe when you're desperate you should do whatever it takes to survive, but I'd have a hard time living with myself after doing something like that.

[Silver R/T]

I went to Spherion (employment agency) and I had job like right after I put in my resume and application. They dont have job for everyone's skills but I sure have money to pay bills and keep my family going right now.

[ChargerBill]

You should move over here, bring your charger with parts on trailer too. What kind of work do you do?

It's called R E A D I N G ...top to bottom, left to right., string words together to make sentences....you should try it sometime.

[Brock Samson]

looks like silver is gonna buy your car, put ya' up and find you a job...
that's great your problems are solved! 

[41husk]

As long as he aint asking you to move to broke back mountain  

[69_500]

I begining to think that Silver never reads anything past the first response in a thread before enlightening us with his comments.

Bill, sorry to hear about your lack of employment opprotunities. I lost my job back in November thought I had found a job in December, that fell through. Now I'm hoping to start at a new company on the 6th of this month. I know I wasn't out of work for very long, only 2 1/2 months, but it seemed like an eternity.

Have you tried to just do some side jobs for people? Or is that what you have been doing to get by in the mean time?

[ChargerBill]

Side jobs have been my mainstay for a while now. The main problems are:

1) getting paid in the end (I'm finding out that no one respects freelancers)

2) having the company that you're freelancing for actually follow through with the ENTIRE job (they lose money or interest or both and cancel a job with thou$and$ in work left to do)

3) or finding enough work in the first place - MANY clients will have their 14 yo grandson design a website before they are willing to pay for it.

In the last 30 days I LOST $4,900 in work. One company hired a NEW business manager in the middle of the project who cancelled the whole thing - $2,600, another company had it's assets frozen due to a nasty divorce - $1,500 and the last one had their 13 yo granddaughter design their website - $800

I'm not sure about anyone else here, but $4,900 isn't chicken feed to me...

[BigBlockSam]

Bill
  my heart goes out to you. sometimes you got to do what you thought you'ed never do.  when you find out what it's worth put it on ebay, get as much money as you can.
  i know it's not what you want to hear, selling one of my cars was  like selling part of myself but there are more chargers out there. in the future when things are better and i promise you they will get better. you can buy one that you can drive around instead of just working on.
  4 yrs ago i was forced to retire because of heath reasons. i have a pension but not till i'm 62. thats 15 yrs away. i had to sell alot of things i thought i'd never sell. a new road will open for you, stay focused and move near a big city. were theres money to be made. Rene and Nurit

[4402tuff4u]

Charger Bill, from the little that I know about Graphic Designers, I believe you are in a very competitive and cut-throat field. A good friend of mine got laid off in NYC as a graphic designer and he is very talented but was out of work for approximately 6 months until he found a job with the Betty Crocker catalog. Just as a suggestion, maybe try your hand at the instruction/teaching end at a local tech center or college to improve or add to your income. You seem to be very talented at what you do. Seems like everyone is getting winter blues lately. Hang in there. Think it out and don't jump or shoot from the hip. Weigh your options before pulling the trigger about your 69 Charger.

The 69 Charger you list is a complete car and in very similar situation when I bought my 68 R/T. My Charger was complete with new interior in boxes, all number matching power train and I paid $ 11,000 in 2004. Your car should be worth above that given the extras you have and the given the equity these Charger's are now bringing in. I would throw a stab at $ 15K.

[greenpigs]

I guess you are interested in what the reserve price should be?

A car that is disassembled isn't worth that much as your aware. Would it be possible to get the car road worthy then you could make some decent money. If you try and sell as is I don't think you will get what the car is worth.
 So a value or reserve price-as Ebay is the way to go-I'd say $5500 and put a disclaimer that you reserve the right to end the auction at any time. This isn't going to be a pleasent situation as your going to loose money on the deal if you sell it the way it is.
 Could you be a bouncer or something again?

[ChargerBill]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

As far as being a bouncer...I'm all fought out. I've probably been in 2,000 bar room brawls from my years of bouncing and I never want to throw or TAKE another punch again as long as I live.

To crack the nut I'm looking at these days I need to make $40K MINIMUM, and that would be a bare bones, no frills, very little fun living...I could retrain and have considered it many times..especially recently.

I also have a degree from UC davis in Corporate Management and am 3 units away from a second degree in Business Administration. I figure I could become a mortgage Broker, an Appraiser, could go to school for Six Sigma, could get my masters in Marketing/Advertising or maybe in Business Administration, I could learn ColdFusion, java, CSS and ASP authoring to make myself more marketable. i've considered ALL of these, and would do almost ANY of them if I had an idea on what would pan out and offer me a decent future and job stability. The other hard part is that ANY schooling will cost $$ that I don't have, so I'm back to selling the Charger. Heck, maybe I have a rich uncle that would loan me $50K to go back and get my masters...

[last426]

It's called R E A D I N G ...top to bottom, left to right., string words together to make sentences....you should try it sometime.

Bill, and this comes from a place of concern, it's that attitude that seems to simmer right under the surface that you just have to control.  It's a turn off, people don't like it, and it seems like it controls you. 

You said "I could learn ColdFusion, java, CSS and ASP authoring to make myself more marketable."  I am surprised that you are in web graphic design and not up to date.  It's true that everyone thinks they can be a graphic designer (I noticed that your degree is in business, not art and that surprised me) but very few can do it, much less support themselves doing it.  I know for sure that I do not have the artistic eye for it, although I can use many of the applications.  That being said, in my mind you absolutely must keep abreast of the latest applications and/or languages (if you decide to stay in your field).  I mean, css, asp and java are not exactly cutting edge.

I think (though I can't read the whole post as I write this) that you mentioned something about sending out a lot of job applications.  Well, sending an application cold is usually not enough to separate you from the herd.  You need to call those companies, speak to the secretaries, find out who makes the hiring decision, talk to that person personally (it's easier than you think) and ask just what they need.  Then tailor the application to that, plus then you have a contact.  Hey, if the person won't talk, ask the secretary.  Or send the application directly to the person and cc it to hr and maybe even the person's boss (carefully decide the pros and cons when you go out of the box).  I have done several different things in my different job searches, some good, some not so good, but all focused on one thing, making contacts, making a temporary friend, and focusing on what I can do for the company.  In you case, why not attach a customized web page of their home page and ask them to compare it to what they have -- if you are skilled and have new and better ideas, they will hire you. 

But remember (this goes back to my first comment), an employer has to make a choice from a lot of more or less similar applications.  That choice can be based on a lot of things, but one thing is paramount.  That is how one relates to people.  When I applied for my last job I was competing with 70 other attorneys, some with much more experience than me.  At the end of the third interview, this one with the big boss, I offered a copy of my resume and directed her to the references.  I told her, you know, you could call up those judges and they will tell you I am a good lawyer.  But don't do that.  Instead call up their secretaries and ask them what kind of person I am.  Her slight smile told me I had gotten the job.  Good luck, Kim.

[NHCharger]

Sorry to hear about your situation Bill. I was in the same position 14 years ago with the recession.I ended up selling my pride and joy, a 21' Checkmate speedboat, also sold my 280Z which I had bought new and had only 40k miles on it. I was unemployed for six+ months and was beginning to wonder if it would ever get better.
It seems like some parts of the country are doing better than other parts. Have you given any thought to relocating? Is there anything else you can sell besides the Charger?

[69_500]

I know there is a high demand for people to design webpages, but there aren't a whole lot of people who are willing to part with any kind of funding to do it. For some reason people always want to get stuff for free. That is how society is. However as a consumer I can tell you this, if a company has a webpage that looks like its thrown together by a template it makes me less interested in their product.

With that said, I did the same thing though when I put up the webpage for our company. I didn't have the funding at the time to pay someone a decent amount to design an attractive webpage. So I went low budget and just did a simple shopping cart website. No frills but it got the job done. I guess what I'm saying is maybe doing a bunch of other lower budget web pages can be just as profitable.
I'll agree with you on $4,900 isn't chump change to me either. That is about what I make in 2 months of work. And that is between the constuction job I do full time and the video business on the side.

[Mefirst]

Sorry to hear about your situation Bill, I just hope youll find something soon.. Dont give up..

Take care..

/Tom