for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

this has been on FB for a few months.
yes it will need loads of duct tape and baling wire! :)


but it is still possible to get one on a news paper routes salary............




https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...UA&oe=67E1A4B0

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

I, for one, say the hobby is expensive….but everything is! All hobbies are expensive …some highly, some not. Try pricing resto supplies and parts.
That fordor would be a money pit. Likely have 4-5x in it compared to worth at completion.
It’s been worn out on FB ….but hobbies don’t have to have a monetary ROI…it can be a fun ROI.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

It ran and drove when parked.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

a rodder will cut the roof off and drive it in parades..........


more fun then a tractor!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

I plan on restoring it pretty soon. Don't worry I really will.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...t&__tn__=!%3AD

Facebook Link
Somewhere in New York, CBC Seller Asking $2,800

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

They are still out there.

Enjoy

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

thx Yooper................


the chassis is worth dat................

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Well, for starters: Structural wood kit for this body style from Snyder's: $3811.00. And this does not include chassis wood, door wood or top wood. Add another $2000 or so to the structural wood kit price. Shipping will probably be $200 or so. O.K., so now you have a complete wood kit lying on the garage floor. What to do? Installing a wood kit in this body will be a nightmare if you don't have woodworking skills and tools to re-shape/re-fit some of the pieces, which NEVER fit right out of the box. Pay someone to install the wood kit? $2,500 at least.

Let's see: Purchase price undelivered: $2800. Delivery charge? Depends upon where it's going. From New York to California? $2,000? Restored chassis with standard engine? $10,000+. Correct, authentic interior? $6,000+. Chrome plating? $1,000+. Special three-color paint scheme (four with black fenders, etc.)? $10,000? And so on, and so on...

This is a great body style and when restored, very beautiful. But by my estimate, IF you did everything yourself, you'd have $35,000+ invested and thousands of manhours. I take my hat off to anyone who will take on this project. Too scary for this old guy. Best of luck to the new owner!
Marshall
ADDED: Ha! I forgot to include body work, which this car apparently could use. This could easily run into many, many thousands of dollars not accounted for in my above rough estimates. Yikes! We could be past the $40,000 mark now!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Marshall, I’d love to know where you can get a car’s worth of plating done for $1000. As near as I can tell the going price is about $500 per bumper - times three! Not including instrument panel, door handles, shift & E-brake handle, etc. etc. But your point is taken. For a one-off you have to want to do it for entertainment, not for economy.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

nobody said you need to do a "full restoration" on this car.
It is quite obvious it isnt worth that.


think out of the box fellas! somebody will.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

A good woodcrafter could fix it right up, and chrome bumpers can be had at reasonable cost from Bratton's.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Yup. I'm thinking old school plating costs. It's been 20+ years since I had anything chrome plated because the shops around here are too dishonest, lazy or out of business to do anything. 'Gave up on trying to get anything plated in this do-as-little-as-possible work philosophy area.
'Might be cheaper to buy new if available than to get old replated anywhere these days.
Marshall

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

"think out of the box fellas! somebody will."

You have a point, Ronn, but if this became a question-answer-question-answer, "just the facts, Ma'am" barren kind of website with no side trips in the discussion thread, it'd be a pretty boring place to visit. It's these topic deviations and blue-skying about Model A's that make this an interesting place to visit. It's a rare question asked these days that hasn't been asked and answered 100 times before. Why do we keep coming back then? It's the side comments, personal history stories and speculations that breathe new life into the same old-same old topics of discussion. I like it, as long as we remain civil. The reason I left this site for three years a while back was because it WASN'T civil anymore and you were risking a public bashing by a select few self-appointment "experts" for trying to answer someone's plea for help or advice. 'Don't want to see this website become THAT again by frowning upon anything other than straight answers.
Marshall

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

And that is why, in spite of my fundamental desire to "restore, not replace", I suspect I'll be buying new bumpers for my '30. Even though the old ones just need some blasting, polishing and plating to be reused.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

regarding buying bumpers and chroming.


went to Carlisle car show 2x and picked up some splendid used bumpers from rodders.
they look new and cost about 100. front and 100. backs.
look fantastic for my drivers-no pitting or rust- just shiney chrome.


life is good.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

That was the expensive way to buy a Model A.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Went to the platers today. Was told that it now costs us $100 to clean, strip, remove imperfections, copper plate, polish, bright nickel plate and polish an original inside door handle or window riser. Wow...

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Steve….
Post #2….I rest my case! The jury should be back quickly!!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

2800.00 is a pretty fair price for that one, worst comes to worst you could make a pretty cool hot rod out of it.. I myself would just get it running and driving then do the Minimum to make it look and work like a car, and have all the summer fun to had!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Im with you Eric.


my only point was there are all different levels of "model A" out there.


One can start on the low end and work up. and still have FUN.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

If you just got it running, etc to enjoy for the summer….
It is “air” conditioned!!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

indeed! LOL

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

As ronn indicated, I don't believe there are ANY hobbies out there today that can't rack up some heavy coin, depending upon how deep you wade into the pool:)
I won't bother listing them we all know a good sampling......
About the only 'inexpensive' way to spend your leisure hours today is a trek to the local library for a book. Yawn!
My problem today is, I can't sit and read for more than 15 minutes tops, before my head droops and I'm fast asleep.
I'd never make it going to college these days!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Jeff, you could "study" various coffees and become a connoisseur!!!!!!


or maybe a gourmand..... they would keep you awake.


as I just fell asleep in front of my computer!

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

I was heavily into restoring 442 and Cutlass Oldsmobiles. When it got so that valve covers and intake shrouds got to be very expensive, I went back to my first real love in Model A's. At least parts are reasonable, even repro parts.
Ed

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

That was a good move... but you can have the best of both worlds! Keep a 442 Olds in the garage too!
Speaking of expensive, just last week a good friend from high school dropped by. He was telling me about the family farm. His father died about 10-12 years ago, and his mom inherited a fairly good sized, very productive farm. He had moved to Tennesee to be near their son and his family.


Anyway, my buddy said that his mom ran the entire farm thru the slot machines at an area Casino. She is flat broke and the farm is gone. They didn't know she was addicted to gambling. She was a solid church goer, served as an elder in their congregation. Those places need to be banned. I've never set foot in one and have no interest in doing so--

That story is very common, my cousin did the exact same thing, burned through the family farm he was the third generation who farmed it. I know of at least 5 others locally that did the same thing, had houses paid for and had to take out second mortgages to stay in their house, lost their butts by gambling.

The moral of this story is, when you spend $$ on your Model A, at least you have something to show for it:)

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

I am thinking 'expensive' is a relative word! somethings are expensive and other things just cost a lot...

last night i ran into a listing, another location, and the vintage mid-50's manual transmission was listed for: $8500.00!!

naw!, nothing costly or expensive about old car collecting and restoring...a pair of vintage running boards @ $1K ish.... bargain!! :eek:
https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoem....0/2615/32.png

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

or one could play golf...........very cheap!


lol

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

There is a bottom line to everything.Some try to subtract the work things need from the asking price,to the point of having to pay them to haul it away.I have a nice 28 Phaeton,and I advertised it a while back.I had what sounded like a serius buyer call,and wanted to know if he could bring somebody along to look for him.I said sure,if you want I will put it on the lift for you.The car has 40+ year old laquer paint on it,and has some crazing going on in places.They got done looking,and he said he liked it and wanted it.But,I was going to have to take off $12,500 because that's what the guy wanted to redo the paintwork on the car.He wanted me to sell it for less than a third of my asking price.I had another guy wanting $10,000 off for the same thing.I have sold stuff all my life,but in the last 20 years it has gotten different.I think people are being trained by the internet,not real life.When I hear the words,negotiating points,I tune out and drive my stake in the sand.There it is,take it or leave it.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

dam Keith, Im not buying anything from you............


I totally agree.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

https://en-gb.facebook.com/marketpla...t&__tn__=!%3AD

Here’s another listing, is it worth it? I am sure the comments would the same as above for the ‘29 Leatherback. Waiting for the right Hobbyist to come along.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

driven 2 yrs ago or 12 yrs ago?


who knows..........


looks like the one I listed was pulled.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Seller claims 2 years ago. Also said “it rained when parked”.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Skiing is expensive...new skis every two years, clothing, goggles, helmet, boots, bindings, lift fees,travel and accommodation. SCUBA diving is expensive...equipment, wet suits, tank rental, boat trips, travel to good locations, etc. Stamp collecting is expensive...just attend a collectors conference some time and you will see 2cent stamps routinely fetching 6 digits. Coin collecting...same. One of my hobbies is collecting rare books (my excuse: I am a professor of Cultural History) and I will not even tell you what I recently paid for a first edition transcript of "The Trial of Joan of Arc" with 90% of the accordion pages still uncut (waxing poetic just thinking about it). Lets be honest...ownership and proper care of a 100 year old car is "expensive". The fact that one can actually DRIVE such a piece of history boggles the mind and I feel privileged every time I roll put of my driveway in mine. Expecting to be able to purchase and maintain one for pocket change with a shiny new paint job and a newly rebuilt engine, trans, rolling gear, authentic interior, and engine bay that looks like it did when it rolled off the assembly line is being unrealistic. If you can not afford the cost...stay away from it or be satisfied with seeing them at car shows or the rare one driving past on a sunny day. I love to watch Polo matches...but to play....I will never have that kind of money. I would love to fly my own jet...but that will never happen either. It is possible to own and love the "A" on a moderate budget...as long as you do not need everything done at once....and are willing to do most of it yourself. Parts are NOT expensive compared with a modern car. I spent 1300 Euro for a new alternator for my daily driver. I bought one for my "A" for 350 Euro.



Driving the "A" is living history. Don't let anyone under-value that experience. If they want to offer $25,000 for your sorted out "A" just smile and say: "No thanks."

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

I remember reading. as a teenager. that vintage car restoration is not for the working class. Also, another article, not to restore something that someone gives you as they may claim it back later.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Deutsche Dude, That was very well said.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

Having restored a 53 Farmall tractor, and a 77 Toyota Landcruiser, I can say that money is not the main consideration when you find a vehicle you want to restore.

It's a labor of love because something about the vehicle talks to you.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

https://en-gb.facebook.com/marketpla...t&__tn__=!%3AD

Have no connection to this Seller. Wow, seems like a fair shake to me.

Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive"
 

"I was heavily into restoring 442 and Cutlass Oldsmobiles. When it got so that valve covers and intake shrouds got to be very expensive, I went back to my first real love in Model A's. At least parts are reasonable, even repro parts.
Ed"


Oldspert Ed, been there done that, and I keep going on the Olds I have since it's far from stock, however i truly enjoy working on my A due to it's simplicity and character, and parts definitely are reasonable in comparison.