The Ridetech 33' in HRM. I saw the pricetag for it. Lets discuss.

[Nicks67GTO]

So let me start by saying im not trying to disrespect Bret or anyone involved with Ridetech. I'm just looking for an honest answer here.

At the end of the HRM article they give a ranking to the car they featured. Under the pricetag category they mentioned that the Ridetech 33' would cost aprox $305,000 to reproduce? WOW!! Im having a hard time trying to figure out what that money would be sunk into? I guess if someone asked me my ballpark guess on a whim I would have been around $60-80K, maybe a bit more with hidden costs. Anyone here care to guess how the pricetag breakdown goes?

Is this type of pricetag pretty normal for a professional shop build corner carver???

[LeighP]

Time....paying a group of people the going rate for labor will REALLY add up big time. I'm guessing a lot of the Ridetech projected cost would be the labor costs.
I recall a guy I knew years ago, panel and paint guy, who built a show winning street machine back in the 80's. He estimated the total cost using his shop hourly rate for labor and the parts, of course.....$180,000 in 1980's money.

[Motown 454]

Congrats to Bret.

[MonzaRacer]

Also Bret and company ADDED a lot of upgrades to that FFR coupe. Heck I know one guy who priced similar driveline and had figured parts alone he was well over $25k and that was deals, and possibly refurbished not fully new. AND its purpose built as is to run HARD.

[srh3trinity]

They re-engineered some suspension parts too right? They built it at light speed too.

[GNon18s]

Seems like a small car to try and get 300k into. Did Bret admit to 300k or was that a guess from the Hot Rod staff? The Hot Rod staff seem like a bunch of stoners anyway.

[cornfedbill]

When I have done outside work in the past, my employer has billed at $100 per hour. It does not take very many hours to consume a lot of money.

I wish we had a list of materials only. I think we would see that the actual outlay was much less. Skilled labor is very costly.

[Josh@Ridetech]

The car was worked on (on and off) for a good 3 years, there was a lot of time consumed in the build. It's pretty well a "one off" car, the suspension pieces are one's that the engineers designed and built here. It's not exactly your typical 33 Ford though, the price all depends on the time and parts someone wants to put in it. Some pretty valid questions, I don't believe any disrespect could be taken!

[ho428]

When I saw the way it was worded I was taken aback. Yes, engineering time, parts and labor might well reach 300K for the one off if you include every single minute devoted to it, and parts that were used and discarded for something different or better, but the article said cost to replicate it.
All the engineering is done, all parts are sorted out. To clone it I'd suspect as stated above. $60-80K.

Personally, I think it was more the editorial wording that comes across that way.

[cornfedbill]

The car was worked on (on and off) for a good 3 years, there was a lot of time consumed in the build. It's pretty well a "one off" car, the suspension pieces are one's that the engineers designed and built here. It's not exactly your typical 33 Ford though, the price all depends on the time and parts someone wants to put in it. Some pretty valid questions, I don't believe any disrespect could be taken!

I think everyone underestimates the engineering and work it takes to build a one-off car. We just received a piece of test equipment at work and paid $250,000 for engineering costs alone.

With everything engineered and mass produced, the price would be much lower.

However, all this does not detract from the absolute coolness of this car and its awesome performance. I love this car and can see why it would take a lot to duplicate.

[Whistler]

Print media is such an outdated model that they can't afford to pay those poor fuggers much. I'm not sure about the west coast operations but their Tampa office is staffed by mostly twenty somethings that can still afford to do the work just because they love to do it and dont have a family to support yet.


The Hot Rod staff seem like a bunch of stoners anyway.

[bret]

Let me clarify the cost thing a bit.

The $300k number came from me, the Hotrod "stoners" didn't make it up :)

IF I were to build this specific car for a customer, AND I was able to charge them for every hour and expense that went into it, yes, it would be $300k. Here is how:

Labor = 3 guys fulltime for 6 months @ 200 hours per person per month = 3600 hours. I rounded it down to 3000 hours because one guy was working on some other stuff as well. 3000 hours x $75/hr labor rate = $225,000. There's most of it right there. Add in an all aluminum 427W Ford engine [that I had laying around], a magnesium Rankin NASCAR 4 speed [also laying around], Winters quickchange rearend, some cool TQ coilovers, a FuelSafe fuel cell and fire supression system, A Holley EFI system, some zoomy Baer brakes and Forgeline wheels...well now its making more sense.

IF were asked to duplicate this specific car I think it could likely be done for a bit less because we've already done one and it always goes faster the second time around. Parts would stay the same but we could drop maybe $50-75k out of the labor.

Make no mistake...you could assemble a Factory Five car as they designed and delivered it, along with some frugal parts sourcing for maybe $50-60k total, depending on your talent and ambition. [assuming you did the work yourself]. And it would be a fine car that would be fast and cool.

So, why spend the extra time and effort?

Well...because we could :)

Sometimes its fun to see just how far you can go. It also used up a whole pile of Ford stuff littering the shop.

Our next project is the Meadors Camaro that [hopefully] will debuted at Columbus. Its pretty cool. Lot of time in it as well.

My next personal project? I think I'll go the other way this time...72 Chevelle, 350/auto/. Its a $16,000 carlot special. I want to see how fast we can make it with the least amount of time and effort possible.

Stand by!

[jlcustomz]

I feel that while most of us normal folk can't afford or comprehend the price tag of project cars such as this one, they are beneficial to us in the long run. Some one has to spend the money to develop products , which later become more commonplace & then the price may drop. Also someone needs to push the limits on what is being done, other wise we'd all just have a few simple mods & a decent paint job on a nearly stock car .Todays high end builds introduce us to stuff we didn't have years ago.

[Nicks67GTO]

Let me clarify the cost thing a bit.

The $300k number came from me, the Hotrod "stoners" didn't make it up :)

IF I were to build this specific car for a customer, AND I was able to charge them for every hour and expense that went into it, yes, it would be $300k. Here is how:

Labor = 3 guys fulltime for 6 months @ 200 hours per person per month = 3600 hours. I rounded it down to 3000 hours because one guy was working on some other stuff as well. 3000 hours x $75/hr labor rate = $225,000. There's most of it right there. Add in an all aluminum 427W Ford engine [that I had laying around], a magnesium Rankin NASCAR 4 speed [also laying around], Winters quickchange rearend, some cool TQ coilovers, a FuelSafe fuel cell and fire supression system, A Holley EFI system, some zoomy Baer brakes and Forgeline wheels...well now its making more sense.

IF were asked to duplicate this specific car I think it could likely be done for a bit less because we've already done one and it always goes faster the second time around. Parts would stay the same but we could drop maybe $50-75k out of the labor.

Make no mistake...you could assemble a Factory Five car as they designed and delivered it, along with some frugal parts sourcing for maybe $50-60k total, depending on your talent and ambition. [assuming you did the work yourself]. And it would be a fine car that would be fast and cool.

So, why spend the extra time and effort?

Well...because we could :)

Sometimes its fun to see just how far you can go. It also used up a whole pile of Ford stuff littering the shop.

Our next project is the Meadors Camaro that [hopefully] will debuted at Columbus. Its pretty cool. Lot of time in it as well.

My next personal project? I think I'll go the other way this time...72 Chevelle, 350/auto/. Its a $16,000 carlot special. I want to see how fast we can make it with the least amount of time and effort possible.

Stand by!


Thanks for stopping in and clarifying that. Truth be told, if I went and added up every hour I have into my 67' GTO @ $75/hr we would probably be talking about a backyard built $200,000+ dollar shade tree car by now.... and mine isnt even done. LOL.

[ho428]

Thanks for stopping in and clarifying that. Truth be told, if I went and added up every hour I have into my 67' GTO @ $75/hr we would probably be talking about a backyard built $200,000+ dollar shade tree car by now.... and mine isnt even done. LOL.

I here ya.
Us mere mortal car builders are like farmers, we can't factor in our own Labor costs.

[GrabberGT]

My next personal project? I think I'll go the other way this time...72 Chevelle, 350/auto/. Its a $16,000 carlot special. I want to see how fast we can make it with the least amount of time and effort possible.

Stand by!

Oh great. As if getting whipped by your usual stable of vehicles every time you come to town isnt enough, your going to add insult to injury by doing it in your 4000 lb budget build next time? :seizure:


Thanks for stopping in and clarifying that. Truth be told, if I went and added up every hour I have into my 67' GTO @ $75/hr we would probably be talking about a backyard built $200,000+ dollar shade tree car by now.... and mine isnt even done. LOL.

In response to the "How much you have in this thing?" question... Are you asking sum of the parts or are we also talking Blood, Sweat, and Beers. According to my wife the hours WTF "how am I going to make this work" head-scratching also counts. :rolleyes:

[Rod]

So let me start by saying im not trying to disrespect Bret or anyone involved with Ridetech. I'm just looking for an honest answer here.

At the end of the HRM article they give a ranking to the car they featured. Under the pricetag category they mentioned that the Ridetech 33' would cost aprox $305,000 to reproduce? WOW!! Im having a hard time trying to figure out what that money would be sunk into? I guess if someone asked me my ballpark guess on a whim I would have been around $60-80K, maybe a bit more with hidden costs. Anyone here care to guess how the pricetag breakdown goes?

Is this type of pricetag pretty normal for a professional shop build corner carver???

I don't know? It seems legit to me, it kicked my ass like a 300,000 dollar ride, HA HA HA, no seriously, to see it in person and look at the craftsmanship it is easy to see were the funding went and if I had the equipment and funding I would have done the same thing (but in flat white with old school gold BBS wheels)

[Kenova]

With all the design work Brett and the boys put in on the '33 I'm thinking Brett should talk with the guys over at FFR about incorporating the changes, at least as an extra cost option. It's bound to generate a little bit of extra income.
:dunno: Hey, just thinking .

Ken

[Jetfixr320]

With all the design work Brett and the boys put in on the '33 I'm thinking Brett should talk with the guys over at FFR about incorporating the changes, at least as an extra cost option. It's bound to generate a little bit of extra income.
:dunno: Hey, just thinking .

Ken

That's a pretty good idea!!

[LeighP]

I saved every receipt for my 71's build. It stunned me when I added them up. I was about $20,000 further into the car build budget than I thought I had been. Now, I've reclaimed some of that money by selling some of the stuff that didn't work out as planned, or parts that came with the car that weren't needed......but still, that extra money was put into the car in the first place.
Its amazing how fast a car can eat up $.....

[GNon18s]

Worst part about this hobby... Everything cost too much money!

[Rod]

you think building is bad, wait till you race and promote yourself and the car, for example the Run To The Coast event (I did 2 last year) was about 200 bucks a day sign up(3 day event) Hotel room for 4 days, (thursday, friday, saturday, sunday) 120 a night, fuel to drive down and back 160 dollars each way(550 miles each way), a set of tires because that track chews them up 900 dollars for 4 tires, and food for myself and girlfriend for the weekend, and 3 days off work(wednesday, thursday, friday), so it was around 2300-2500 dollars for the 3 day weekend, and the next weekend I drove the same distance to run the So Cal Challenge series (another 160 dollars each way) 140 dollar entry, hotel one night 99 dollars, and food, so that was a quick 400 buck that weekend, so for 3000 bucks spent on 2 weekends, I added no parts to the car just burned money


I saved every receipt for my 71's build. It stunned me when I added them up. I was about $20,000 further into the car build budget than I thought I had been. Now, I've reclaimed some of that money by selling some of the stuff that didn't work out as planned, or parts that came with the car that weren't needed......but still, that extra money was put into the car in the first place.
Its amazing how fast a car can eat up $.....




Worst part about this hobby... Everything cost too much money!

[Gandalf]

I can totally get that $300k number to recreate that exact car if I'm paying for it do be done. No question. People neglect to factor R&D on something custom and if someone else decides to build same after the fact, there's no guarantee they are any better off without having access to the same R&D info obtained the first time. It's all time which equals money.

Besides, people forget you don't HAVE to do it this way. As Bret points out - you could build a very good example of the same base car for much less money, assuming a few things. If you have any questions regarding the finished-product, ask Bret to take you for a ride on the auto-x in it next time you are at a GG event ;-) I know a few extremely competitive people/cars who did not spend even a quarter of what some guys have into very similar looking/performing cars, mostly because they did the labor portion themselves.

So lots of ways to look at it. No question - it's a hard number to swallow when you see it in print.

2G.

[Gandalf]

you think building is bad, wait till you race and promote yourself and the car, for example the Run To The Coast event (I did 2 last year) was about 200 bucks a day sign up(3 day event) Hotel room for 4 days, (thursday, friday, saturday, sunday) 120 a night, fuel to drive down and back 160 dollars each way(550 miles each way), a set of tires because that track chews them up 900 dollars for 4 tires, and food for myself and girlfriend for the weekend, and 3 days off work(wednesday, thursday, friday), so it was around 2300-2500 dollars for the 3 day weekend, and the next weekend I drove the same distance to run the So Cal Challenge series (another 160 dollars each way) 140 dollar entry, hotel one night 99 dollars, and food, so that was a quick 400 buck that weekend, so for 3000 bucks spent on 2 weekends, I added no parts to the car just burned money

Let's see, so 12 weekends would be.....<yikes!!!>

I sssooooooooo did not need to be reading this today Rodney. I do know it's true but I ssssoooooo did not need to see this all the same lol!

Thanks for the reality check. (I think).
2G.

[Tomswheels]

I can totally get that $300k number to recreate that exact car if I'm paying for it do be done. No question. People neglect to factor R&D on something custom and if someone else decides to build same after the fact, there's no guarantee they are any better off without having access to the same R&D info obtained the first time. It's all time which equals money.

Besides, people forget you don't HAVE to do it this way. As Bret points out - you could build a very good example of the same base car for much less money, assuming a few things. If you have any questions regarding the finished-product, ask Bret to take you for a ride on the auto-x in it next time you are at a GG event ;-) I know a few extremely competitive people/cars who did not spend even a quarter of what some guys have into very similar looking/performing cars, mostly because they did the labor portion themselves.

So lots of ways to look at it. No question - it's a hard number to swallow when you see it in print.

2G.

Good point Greg, I installed the shocks ($14.95 Gas Gabriel each) on the Barracuda myself! :yeah:

[High Plains Mopars]

Therein lies the conundrum of comparing cars. To price out a custom build like this and include all the labor hours for custom machining and R&D work and you end up with a staggering number. Yet we do occasionally see articles on budget builds which are only the sum of its parts and do not include any labor and only point out the price of the parts collection.

[Ron Sutton]

I did not know it had a Roush Cup engine in it. Is it Ford's new FR9 race engine or the outgoing technology R451 block with D3 heads?

[bret]

umm...no cup motor...just a bunch of old ARCA series parts. Good stuff, not inexpensive, but certainly not 50K. I traded around some stuff for this engine but I'll guess at $25k to duplicate if you had to pay retail for all the components and assembly.

The trans...yeah, that is an old cup piece from the Jasper Engines program. Magnesium case, cryo gears, dog shifted...probably 10k new at the time. Old ones go for $.20 on the dollar.

Let me clarify again...IF we had to duplicate this car for a customer, paying retail prices for parts and labor, 300k is accurate.

No, I did not spend that much on this car. Like most of the rest of you, the main criteria was to build a cool car and I spent whatever I feasibly could to acheive that without unneccessarily compromising everything else going on in my life.

It is an interesting thread though:) Carry on!

[Ron Sutton]

Thanks for clarifying Bret.

Most of the ARCA engines are using D3 heads. Is that what's on yours?

Best wishes!

[bret]

Brodix Neal heads, Dart aluminum block. I'm not as intimate with the subtlies of the ARCA stuff as I could be because the engine was built by Tracey Dennis at Sunset Racecraft in Lubbock TX. He has built a couple other engines for me and they've been great. He took the major parts that I scrounged up and spec'd a big torque cam for it. That engine made over 400ft. lb of torque at 3000rpm. That's why the car doesn't really care what gear it's in. :)

[Ron Sutton]

Thanks for the clarification. Take care.

Ron Sutton

[Jeff70]

Hey Bret, anymore info on the new project?

[NOPANTS-68]

Kudos to Bret for throwing that very realistic number into the article. I'll admit that it was a bit of sticker shock when i read it, but when i turn back the pages and look at the tin work, the billet one off gear, the billable hours designing the front A arms etc etc it's easy to see how you get there. Put it this way: How much to you think that Gallardo woud cost if Lamborghini just built one?

[19,69camaro]

The best thing about the car is that its a tax write off. Who needs tv ads when there is a car like that to speak for you.