What it cost me to own a $500 car part 0?

"StudyStudyStudy" (jesterjin) 05/12/2015 at 15:00 • Filed to: None

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Well I guess this should have come first, but here goes.

Having done most of a build, I would like to offer some advice, advice I feel jives with a lot of what other people will say.

First and foremost, know when you are ready.

If you are on this blog or reading this series then I have little doubt that you have a desire to build or own your dream car. The problem is unfortunately reality. If you live in a little apartment and don’t have two screwdrivers to rub together and have to call the land lord to change a light bulb, throwing yourself into a project car may not be the best idea at the moment.

Plan things out, put it on paper, do research. Find out what typically is wrong and the skill set needed to solve the problem. The planning/research and all that can be used at a later date and I cannot tell you the sadness I feel when I see projects fail or fizzle out because the budget was to small or the skill gap to great.

Now there are some people out there that just have tremendous skill, or access to great discounts, parts, friends, help, however you should not base your project off of such things. Plan your project with MSRP values for all the parts. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen budgets that only accommodate the car and the engine and nothing else. Or unrealistic budgets for labor/parts. Yes you can get deals, but you shouldn’t plan on it or expect it. Plan for the worst case scenario.

Once you have decided to go ahead, figure out what you want. That may seem simple, but it is quite complex. If you can’t decide, make pros and cons, don’t ask questions that can very easily be found on the internet or abstract questions no one can answer, don’t ask for opinions if you don’t plan on listening to them <-THIS, LIKE TOTALLY THIS. If someone makes a valid point and you don’t want to listen then don’t ask. Understand people come from different backgrounds and experiences most of the time these backgrounds and experiences may be better then what you have.

Specifically these questions should be answered:

What do you want out of the car?
A way to pass time (wrench on weekends)
A way to break the ice (hey I have a ____ would you like to come see it/go for a ride)
A way to relieve stress (I just want to block the world out and do some manual labor)
A way to time capsule (this was my _____’s car, it brings back memories)

What will you use it for?
Weekend warrior
Track toy
Show car
Gran tourer

What are your resources?
Time
Manpower
Space
A supportive spouse
Money
Experience
Tools
Skills

Answering those should really help shape the direction of the build, determine your choices, and layout the extent to which you can pursue each task.

I did none of those, the only thing before and after I bought the car was read. I read everything, absolutely everything I could find, I ordered books relating to the car, I had at one point 240+ tabs (testament to mac I suppose) open to various threads and websites open on my browser pointing out big things from suspension flaws, to small things like which seals for the door. Every time I closed a tab, I opened another few just from browsing. I had a headache for a week after I bought the car as all I did was read till 4am, go to sleep, wake up, go to class, go to work, and read some more.

For me, using this mass osmosis method eventually some things started appearing out of the fog, in the form of ground rules for the final product.

I had initially stated I wanted a car for autocross, as that was what did spark this whole adventure, but when an experienced member asked which class I would run with which modifications under which sanctioning body I was left speechless, a hard pill to swallow, but truth is I had no idea. I was a poser at best.

With that reality check, it all trickled down to the fact I wanted a manual, RWD car, and it turns out I had lots of thoughts on the overall aesthetics so that is what guided me. I made a decision based on what I would like on the car. One was that this car will not look dilapidated, it will have all the lights functioning, all the panels will be the same color (even if I have to paint them myself), both passenger and driver seat will be the same, colors will be matched where applicable, accents will be kept to a scheme, no decals if I can help it. The car will be white, with gold wheels. Manual box or at the least paddle shifers, and lots of shifting, either short gears or high speed. These were personal choices, choices that would make the car what I wanted it to be, something I could come out day after day and see and feel real proud of. And you know what, 4 years later I don’t regret the outcome. Sure quite a few things changed drastically, but it really helped to have a goal in mind. This really isn’t a great autocross car, or I am indeed still a crummy driver, but because it fit my deeper vision instead of my surface wants I’m real happy with it.

Now the big question was it worth it?

It cost me probably more then $20,000 in parts/tools to own my $500 car, I pay $230 a month to rent a storage unit to store it, and I used to pay $120 a month to insure it (now thanks to grundy, about $25) and I probably won’t see most of that back ever. I worked every weekend for extra money and spent nearly every hour I had off working/school on the car for the past 4 years. I learned more practical skills (welding, fabricating, etc) in the last 4 years then the 20 years before it, and above all I learned how to learn. In addition I learned humility, I learned fear, I learned anguish, and I learned disappointment. And I have the scars to prove it.

The end result? I have according to the internet roughly 300hp on tap with about 300 torque in a car as light as a miata. I have very intimate knowledge of my car. I know every system on it, I know the weaknesses, I know what needs addressing, and I know what seems to work. It sounds absolutely great, and the few people I have given rides to have had huge smiles. The feeling of the rear tires fighting for traction as more and more power is fed is one of the most thrilling sensations so far. I get thumbs up all the time, and I have random conversations at the gas station with interesting individuals. I have met many kind people on the forums, and I day dream all the time about driving and rowing through the gears. When someone pops their hood, I know what each part under the hood does. I can usually diagnose problems from symptoms described to me to a fair amount of accuracy. I also know the delight of hearing the throaty rasp of a carb and the joys of a childishly loud blow off valve.

I guess the bottom line is I don’t know if it was all worth it. I have thought of selling it a few times, but I can’t imagine what could replace it. It still has room to grow which absolutely terrifies me and thrills me to no end. I’m not sure what the future will hold, I do know that quite a few tabs on my browser seem to be about V12’s, and there is an interesting fellow developing an affordable twin cam option for the L28 with honda K series parts which would mean a high revving high flowing valve train with potentials for V-tec, but who knows.

Thanks for coming along and thank you for those that commented, recommended, and read through all the walls of text. I had a personal goal of releasing a post a day and I think I met that goal. More work will be done on the car, I have been collecting pieces for a full suspension overhaul, and the rear axles and differentials need upgrading if I plan on putting out more power, but we are caught up to the current day. I still have to deal with the flooding in the storage unit and such so unfortunately no big updates are planned. Maybe a driving video soon.

Cheers guys.

Baeromez > StudyStudyStudy 05/12/2015 at 15:56

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Been following this for a while, would love to see a driving video.

RallyWrench > StudyStudyStudy 05/12/2015 at 16:30

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Well written, and worth reading for anyone seeking a project car.

Also, have some twincam L28 porn courtesy of Speedhunters:

http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/02/engine…

StudyStudyStudy > RallyWrench 05/12/2015 at 16:47

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Thank you sir,

That is absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately the cost is absolutely crazy for the OS Giken system, the figures are quite nice 8k red line, 400hp gear driven timing, but I would have to hit it big to afford such a thing.

The K-series swap is much more realistic, so something I might look at and the orientation is correct for a LHD car with the intake on the driver side.

StudyStudyStudy > Baeromez 05/12/2015 at 16:49

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Soon (tm)

Just kidding, I will try, I either need a car mount for my phone or a go-pro. Decisions decisions.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > StudyStudyStudy 05/12/2015 at 17:33

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“and spent nearly every hour I had off working/school on the car for the past 4 years.”

It’s like you did a ‘study at home’ college/university degree in auto restoration... all for the price of 1 year’s worth of tuition.

And I believe that in the long run, it will benefit you in a bunch of little ways. For one thing, if your daily driver develops an issue, you’re very well equipped to deal with many issues and have learned a bunch of little things to know if a mechanic is BSing you.

Sejji > StudyStudyStudy 05/12/2015 at 17:38

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You should write a book! (This basically was a book). Thanks for all the sharing and time to input this journey.

StudyStudyStudy > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 05/12/2015 at 17:46

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That’s a really good way to look at it. I’m sure I’m missing more technical aspects, but on the flipped included with my “tuition” was a car, so not bad in that regard.

StudyStudyStudy > Sejji 05/12/2015 at 17:46

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It would be a very short 20 page book lol.

Thanks for reading!