Hi Everyone,
I am a relatively new participant here but I have read the posts here on FTE for some time. I have been impressed by the resourcefulness of you guys. Both in terms of parts and equipment when you have demonstrated an uncanny ability to find a cheaper way to do things. I am gearing up to start on my 53 F-100 and in the process I am collecting parts and ideas. As part of this ongoing effort I have acquired quite a few catalogs and bookmarked a lot of online sources. It doesn’t take a scientific calculator to see that the price of doing this project would soon go through the roof if I just bought everything I needed from these sources. Even if I could afford to go this route I don’t think I would have that much fun. It would be like buying and building a kit. In addition to that, half this stuff comes from ffice:smarttags" /><ST1lace>Asia</ST1lace> or lace>India</ST1lace>. That sort of plunges a knife in the heart of “Made in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comlace>America</ST1lace></st1:country-region>” in my book. Being realistic, I admit that it’s practically impossible to totally avoid foreign stuff. Since I’m not interested in going all original on my truck I am quite willing to look for other sources. I guess being the product of parents from the Great Depression I have been programmed to attempt everything from the cheapest yet best approach. One example I can think of right off hand is a ’72 F-250 I fixed up to drive as a work truck about twenty-some years ago. I needed a steering column and there weren’t any available at the time, that were in better shape than mine. I had a 69 T-Bird that I bought for the 429 engine. I removed the steering column and installed it in my old $100.00 truck. It was actually pretty cool. I had a tilt wheel and I was able to get all the electrical functions to work. One thing I learned long ago was in most cases it was a lot cheaper to buy a whole vehicle as opposed to buying a few of the parts at a junk yard. I imagine that there must be hundreds if not thousands of tricks like this that you guys have done. I think it would really be great to see and hear about some of them here.

<O<OAs a gearhead teenager back in the 60s I remember reading all those hot rod and custom car magazines. I was always impressed by the things those guys did with stuff from other vehicles. That seems to be a bit of a dieing art. Now it’s all newly manufactured stuff and I’m not really impressed with the quality.

<OHopefully, some of you guys will pick up on this thread and tell us about some of the stuff you have done adapting both mechanical and body parts from other types and kinds of vehicles.

Dave<O

 

Dave,

You're speaking my language!! I am definately a cheapskate! Just ask anyone around here, they can tell you.

Like you I figure there is no sense in reinventing the wheel. Typically the part I need has already been mass produced and is out there somewhere. The trick is finding out what year, make, and model it came on.

Lets, see....some of the things I've done on the cheap.....

I built my own gauge cluster for less that $20. (click on the link) 1949 Ford F1 4x2 - Tightwad Cluster
I took some late model GM van gauges ($10) and adapted them to fit my original housing. I bought some black and clear acrylic drops from the local plastics store (a round of cokes for the shop guys) and put it all together
I built my own tailgate complete with hidden spring pin latches (click on the link)
1949 Ford F1 4x2 - Poor-boy Tailgate
I fabbed my own rear bed sill and used the bed floor and front panel from a late model truck that I got for free (click on the link)
1949 Ford F1 4x2 - Bed stuff
Since purty parts are not available for my big Caddy engine I fabricated my own valve covers. There's some pics in my main gallery; (click on the link)
1949 Ford F1 4x2 - 49 F-1
A buddy donated a fuel tank from a mid 80's GM Blazer so I managed to do a fuel tank swap for less than $50
My tailights (1946 Chrysler Town and Country) were freebies that I adapted to my fenders. I did spend $10 to add blue dots to them...LOL

Its amazing what you can get done without much money

Bobby

 

Bobby,
It will take me a bit of time to digest all you have done but I am impressed with the list. I am also impressed with the speed at which you responded to my post. Excellent my good man...

Dave

 

LOL

What can I say, I havent had the chance to swap tightwad stories in awhile

Bobby

 

This isn't a cheap adaptation of a part but it's a way I have found to save a few bucks.

I like going to auctions, especially if there is truck related junk listed. With the price of scrap steel so high all of the scrap dealers scarf up every piece of old iron for more money than I think it's worth but that's not the worse thing. I keep an eye on the dealers who are buying up all of the iron and make note of the guy who buys the truck I want for parts. If the guys ends up winning the truck or the pile of scrap that has the parts I want I'll go over and offer to buy the parts I want for a fraction of what he paid for the whole thing. I've been at auctions where the guy paid $25 for a pallet of scrap that had a part I felt was worth $50, no one knew what it was, and offered the buyer $10. The guy is usually happy to sell a 2 pound item for $10, it's only a fraction of the weight of the pile he bought and he almost gets 50% of what he paid for it. There is also the added benefit, if the part I want is on a somewhat complete truck I can take the part(s) off and I don't have the hassle of loading the truck on my trailer, dragging it home, listening to my wife nag about "another piece of junk" in the yard and the hassle of dragging the carcass off to the scrap dealer.

 

I'm probably the biggest cheapskate here except maybe for Bobby.

I built my old truck on a budget and still have less than 10K in it. I bought a running 87 Chrysler 5th Avenue from a local junk yard for $150. I gave the engine and transmission (a good 318 and 904 tranny) to a friend but I used the front suspension, rear end and springs, wheels, steering column, wiring, radio, power brake booster and MC, power steering pump, brake pedal, and gas pedal from this one donor car. I would have used the engine and transmission if I had not already had an engine for the truck sitting in my garage from a previous project. Buying a donor is the best way to keep building costs to a minimum...

 

Good point Bob...
I too suffer from that shrill tone of the wife pissing and moaning about another piece of junk arriving. I used to have a body shop buddy that would haul off all my scrap with his just for the extra mobney he would get. He moved to Florida and I no longer have that source. I have an old '93 Ford one ton long wheel base cargo van and I usually just keep stashing scrap in it until it's full and then go to the local scrap yard and sell off the stuff and reload the tank with diesel fuel. Even with the cost of fuel being high the high price of scrap covers it and it's ready to go haul other treasures home. Another advantage of the van is that it is a closed vehicle and hides the scrap pile while it accumulates.

Dave

 

I agree with Great North Woods about a donor vehicle. The more you can use the more you can save. It's best to do alot of the thinking about what youre wanting to do with the truck and then look for a suitable donor. In my opinion the best donor would be an early to late '80's F150 truck you could get an engine trans steering column, and maybe be able to trade off some of the other stuff to someone else for some stuff to work for the rearend and other stuff?


This could be a great thread. When I go to the junkyard, I'm always looking for something I can use. That's why I love the "darkside" there are NO rules!! And speaking of the "darkside" where are the cookies??????????

 

I love cheap.............I've got two "55" projects going right now,one with a 351c, toyota power steering, auto 800.00 , which is in my gallery, and one that I picked up on craigs list for 300.00, what a buy.......... great sheet metal on the cab and box NEW mustang 2IFS, power rac, disc brakes, all four bend panels for the cab, extra set of front fenders ect., I've got 1400.00 total in the two and my wife thinks I've got to much invested. LOL..., Just missed a free one on craigs list last week,It sounded like an upset ex wife the way it was worded, I agree w/ all the above w/ adding craigs list-GREAT THREAD-

 

Oh ya,
And talking about cheap...............If it wasn't for all the great info from all the fantastic people on this site I'd have 15 x the amount invested. THANKS GUYS...........

 

The problem with doing it cheap is the fact that it allows you to buy even more projects. My signature says it all, lol.

 

LOL...you ain't kidding there!

If I could only find a way to pinch time the same way I can pinch a penny.......then I could really get some things done

Bobby

 

bartering is an other way to save $$$$$$$$$$$$$$, Took a load of fire wood to a friend for the steel for the toyota steering mount and trans mount, traded a ceader log for 2 sets walnut and one set red oak bed boards to a friend that has a mill and plainer, helped a friend w/ his "57" ford sedan delivery for a full pass to the portland swap meet, and he drove LOL
Love the challange

 

I know one way I've come up with parts I need is to hit up "U-Wrench" parts yards. there was one down in Columbus OH I use to go to once or twice a week when I was in grad school. Its how I managed to score my complete rear dana 60 for only $150. I'm also using a bunch of parts from some of my past trucks that I drove to death that I've parted out (lot of late 70's).

Another good source of parts has been fellow FTE members, I've seen it many times where if someone needs a part that someone on here may have on a "parts truck" that is sold for a little cash, or even for small parts, just the cost of shipping. Guess its all just part of the "family" thing we have on here.. either that or the need to feed each other addictions

 

I'll second that!