Too much money for re-sale projects?

[ProTouring442]

Seems to me, businesses rather build entire cars because it’s easier to manage and they can slap a brand on it when it’s done. I do think there is more money in small jobs, but it’s not exciting to a “builder” to do that. It would have actually been nice to have DSE install their parts on my car, but nope! They won’t do it…I probably have about $10k in odd ball labor in a period of a couple of weeks total.

I know not everyone is a crook, but doing a build from the ground up is also easier to squeeze you dry with labor.

Go ahead and open a shop and give your way a try.

Your customers will complain about the price, then badmouth you for things you never touched, and since the "evidence" will be right in front of them, the people they talk to will believe them.

[badazz81z28]

Go ahead and open a shop and give your way a try.

Your customers will complain about the price, then badmouth you for things you never touched, and since the "evidence" will be right in front of them, the people they talk to will believe them.

WTF you trying to say?



You justify not doing small jobs based on a few complainers? I think the truth is, the person doing the work maybe didn’t do quality work….

[ProTouring442]

WTF you trying to say?

You justify not doing small jobs based on a few complainers? I think the truth is, the person doing the work maybe didn’t do quality work….

What I'm saying is...

A guy named Richard takes his '69 Camaro to "Bad-Azz Pro-Touring Builds" to have you install a 4-link and mini-tub kit, and the exhaust. You do a great job, but shortly after he picks the car up, the crappy bondo job he did a few years ago pops revealing the rust in the wheel lip.

He never tells anyone he did the crapy bondo job, Instead, he says, "all that sh!# happened right spent $X-jillion at "Bad-Azz Pro-Touring Builds!"

Worse, people will believe him.

Even worse, he will be back at your shop constantly hounding you about how you owe him for body and paint work.

In the meantime, he's posting on social media and every forum he can find about how you "f#@ked his car up!"

These sort of customers won't be a once in a while sort of thing, either.

[badazz81z28]

^^ lol, that happens regardless and it’s not a common thing….

[Olds.PhD]

This is the dumbest thing to argue about. If you think there's a business case, then go start a business. But you don't get to get mad when they won't gamble their own money on your brilliant idea.

Coming from the Olds community, there's a reason you can buy an aluminum block for a small or big block Chevy, but not an Olds. Is there a market for an aluminum Olds block? Yes. Is it big enough to justify the cost? Nope. Not even a little. Point being: its easy to say "there's a market". Its much harder to find a market that is actually worth the effort.

[badazz81z28]

^^^ this is a discussion forum…..come on man…


Imagine sitting by the camp fire BSing.

[camrat68]

So, what do you do then when it's finally time to part ways with your ride, just accept the fact that you're going to take a bath on the deal?
I've owned my project car for Forty years and due to health reasons, I think that the time has come to pass it on. That leads me to having to put a price on something that I've been trying to ignore prices on. Because I had no-name shops do the work, that doesn't translate to "added value" to the car. Where do you price the modifications then?

[JLMounce]

So, what do you do then when it's finally time to part ways with your ride, just accept the fact that you're going to take a bath on the deal?
I've owned my project car for Forty years and due to health reasons, I think that the time has come to pass it on. That leads me to having to put a price on something that I've been trying to ignore prices on. Because I had no-name shops do the work, that doesn't translate to "added value" to the car. Where do you price the modifications then?

It's certainly hard because we all kind of build the car we want. I'm assuming your project is your 68 camaro in your signature?

The 502 with th400/gear vendors combo is hurting the value. The rest of the parts you have on there are good parts, befitting of most restomod and pro-touring builds.

Unless your car is really incomplete, you might be money ahead yanking the 502/th400 and putting in even a fairly stock LS1/2/3 with a 4l60/80. Much more marketable with those parts. But of course if health is a concern, I don't know your ability to get that completed or not.

I don't necessarily think I would worry about having a big name shop do the work, so long as the work that was done is good. That said, I'd have the car appraised by a local appraiser. If it is complete, even though the big block is probably hurting the value, there's buyers that may be interested in it. Or put it up on bring a trailer and let it go for whatever it goes for.

[BonzoHansen]

The 502 with th400/gear vendors combo is hurting the value. The rest of the parts you have on there are good parts, befitting of most restomod and pro-touring builds.

That's too bad. From personal experience, that combo is a lot of fun.

[JLMounce]

That's too bad. From personal experience, that combo is a lot of fun.

Oh I'm sure it is. I still run a traditional Pontiac in my bird, along with a 4l80e. It's fun and what I want, but I also know that it's not really what a lot of interested buyers would want. They want a "modern reliable" LS in the car. I could try and prove to them that my traditional Poncho powered car is every bit as reliable and actually still gets reasonable fuel mileage, but it's engrained in to peoples heads that if you're buying a restomod, it has to have an LS.

2 years ago, I watched my friend spend about 15K more on a car simply because it had an LS2 instead of a SBC like the other contender car had. In my opinion, the car with the SBC was the nicer of the two as well.

[camrat68]

JLMounce- Thank You for the feedback.

[badazz81z28]

Protouring cars need to stay modern or they lose value and interested buyers. I agree, today’s buyer wants a LS, I’d even say the LT4 is picking up steam.

My opinion, appraisals are a waste of money…just look at what cars are selling for and set your price. Unless it’s a concourse original car, the value is all over.

[Vimes]

Protouring cars need to stay modern or they lose value and interested buyers. I agree, today’s buyer wants a LS, I’d even say the LT4 is picking up steam.

My opinion, appraisals are a waste of money…just look at what cars are selling for and set your price. Unless it’s a concourse original car, the value is all over.

I disagree. Someone hits your car, their insurance will try to claim your 81 is a 45 year old car, only worth the scrap price of the steel. They will want to total it even if the damage is as minor as just needing to replace the rear fascia. Having an appraisal from before the accident gives you something to push back on. Unless you have an agreed value policy, your own insurance likely won't be any help.

[JLMounce]

I disagree. Someone hits your car, their insurance will try to claim your 81 is a 45 year old car, only worth the scrap price of the steel. They will want to total it even if the damage is as minor as just needing to replace the rear fascia. Having an appraisal from before the accident gives you something to push back on. Unless you have an agreed value policy, your own insurance likely won't be any help.

It's always better to protect yourself first instead of trying to rely on others. These cars should have stated/agreed value insurance on them. If something ever happens, use your insurance, don't try and use the bob's discount insurance that somebody else decided to use.

[79 Camaro]

Stated value insurance is not the same as agreed value. Just went thru this with State Farm on my 80 Camaro. With the agents inspection and I gave them copies of my build receipts they went from 25K to 35K agreed value.
Going to do the same thing with my 98 Wrangler with a LS6/4L60E swap. Currently it's stated value. Changing it to an agreed value this spring.

[ryeguy2006a]

Good conversation. I think though in many cases you get what you pay for. I know that I got a good deal for my 68 Camaro, but that deal turned into replacing so much hidden rust. I think many times you get what you pay for and need to be very careful buying. I'd almost rather buy a car that's in bare metal over a painted car for that reason alone.

[Vimes]

It's always better to protect yourself first instead of trying to rely on others. These cars should have stated/agreed value insurance on them. If something ever happens, use your insurance, don't try and use the bob's discount insurance that somebody else decided to use.

Yes, but you can't control what company the guy who caused the accident uses. The appraisal before the accident proves what the car was worth to the other insurance company, and makes it far easier should you wind up in court.

[srode]

Yes, but you can't control what company the guy who caused the accident uses. The appraisal before the accident proves what the car was worth to the other insurance company, and makes it far easier should you wind up in court.

With Hagerty or Grundy etc going to court is on them. They will settle with you either totalling or fixing your car up to the policy value. The other guy's insurance is dealt with by your collector policy company. You don't need an appraisal, your company agreed to the car's value already

[JLMounce]

Stated value insurance is not the same as agreed value. Just went thru this with State Farm on my 80 Camaro. With the agents inspection and I gave them copies of my build receipts they went from 25K to 35K agreed value.
Going to do the same thing with my 98 Wrangler with a LS6/4L60E swap. Currently it's stated value. Changing it to an agreed value this spring.

This is true. With a stated value policy you will typically receive the lesser of either the stated value, or fair market value for the car. You do sometimes have to prove that fair market value if it's below stated value. A reason you may go with a stated value policy is it typically provides more lenient usage restrictions. With an agreed value policy, you get the agreed value, regardless of actual value. Though the insurance company is never going to agree to an absurd valuation either. These policies often come with usage restrictions.

Yes, but you can't control what company the guy who caused the accident uses. The appraisal before the accident proves what the car was worth to the other insurance company, and makes it far easier should you wind up in court.

The point is that you never deal with the other driver's insurance at all. You deal with your insurance carrier only. Yes, you pay your deductible, but you can control that cost. Your insurance company will then subrogate against the other party's carrier to try and recover damages, including your deductible.

With Hagerty or Grundy etc going to court is on them. They will settle with you either totalling or fixing your car up to the policy value. The other guy's insurance is dealt with by your collector policy company. You don't need an appraisal, your company agreed to the car's value already

Yup. You just deal with any usage restrictions that may be levied by the insurer. When I was shopping insurance for my bird, I found that Hagerty specifically had usage restrictions that were too onerous for me. It wouldn't have even been worth having the car I built. That's how I wound up with a stated value policy with State Farm. I have zero usage restrictions, other than typical race track stuff. I'll have to work to prove value a little harder, but I didn't value my car somewhere that it's not worth either.

[79 Camaro]

I've used State Farm for years for both daily drivers and hot rods. Never been hassled about driving the hot rods to work once a while or on a summer cruise around the lakes.
But we do insure 5 vehicles/house/property with State Farm so it is in their best interest to look after us. Zero claims over 40 years.