Rig loyality.......

[ryoken]

recently I've been reminded of something, so here it is...

Some of you may have noticed a tendency in my build to make it "mine", my own "stamp" in a fabricators world... It's nothing new, innovation abounds in the truck, hotrod world... many have done it, many will...

When I undertake something I'm really into, and want to build, I'm long term in the way I build it.. what I'D want down the road.. my contribution as a builder to history.. no regard for resale, etc.. why? I don't plan to sell it for a LONG time, if ever... Honestly, I can forsee my truck being "tweaked" for the next decade, etc...

I'm at that age where "this" will be the one... it WILL be my envisionment of badarse when done.. No holds barred, build it the way I see it, and run it till I'm dead...

I'm often mystified at guys that just turn trucks/cars over... mainly looking at it from a dollars in/dollars out perspective... thoughts?

or am I more batty than usual today?!????


*toasts a shot of Turkey to the brotherhood*

 

[dyeager535]

Whether you personalize your truck as you do, by modifying/fabricating tons of stuff, or just meld various factory stuff into yours like I do, it's YOURS, and is your vision of how things should be.

It took me some time, but finally I decided on what I like in the way of vehicles, so I have two now that I never plan on getting rid of. It always seemed like a waste of time to do work on a vehicle that I had no intention of keeping.

 

[ryoken]

waste of time to do work on a vehicle that I had no intention of keeping.

Thats really the cruxt of what I was talking about...

Just as the research and knowledge of options, combos, etc may play into setting up a "factory" rig or custom fabwork, it's that time, passion and investment of someones soul...

Not just delegating a chunk of a checkbook and ordering every bolt-on part known to man, without knowing how to read a sparkplug or do a brake job... Guys running around with 8" of lift, 40's and no clue on how to properly build a rig... or the "why's" of what they're doing...

 

[noJeepshere]

I'm often mystified at guys that just turn trucks/cars over... mainly looking at it from a dollars in/dollars out perspective... thoughts?

Likewise, I see these big trucks lifted insanely with gonzo huge tires with bright blingy wheels, that I really wonder what kind of job they have, because I want it! And most of the guys I see driving these things are college guys like me. I really do wonder...

Maybe it's because they are up to their eyeballs in debt, no way I'll ever do that, I have better things to spend $50-60k on then a truck.

And also those guys that catch the 4x4 bug and go and buy a custom built tube-buggy that they have no right driving, let alone driving up a cliff in. Maybe that's why there's sports like rock racing, they've got to entertain themselves somehow, got bored on the toughest part of the Rubicon trail... I dunno. Seems like most of the fellas here live by the CK5 motto of "Built not Bought" so I should be ok from flak.

my $0.02

 

[AJMBLAZER]

I think it's an age/wisdom thing. At the wizened old age of 29 I've figured out that my DD doesn't need to be a big, lifted fullsize truck and in fact, as soon as we move out of the snow belt, doesn't even need to be a 4x4.

I also used to be all about tall lifts, big tires, etc etc. Then came suspension travel and crawling...now I just have big tires and no lift. It does what I want and gets me down the road while still being able to haul and tow like a normal pickup...just 4" taller.
I've also learned to be certain of the vehicle I have plans for. I won't even get into how much money I spent on my '96 Ranger 4x4 but I basically got retail for it when I sold it. Still see it and the kid I sold it to occasionally but my only question is, "why did I put so much money into it and then sell it?"

My wife's DD has stockish mud tires simply for traction in the winter and that's about it aside from a CD player. The one before that had mud tires, a lift, an exhaust, etc etc etc and then it all went bye-bye after the roll over. My DD is big and lifted simply because I walked into a screaming deal and couldn't get a stocker for what I got it for.

 

[ryoken]

Yup, I don't know, maybe it's an ADD thing...

When I find something I'm passionate about, I can't "diss" it that way.... skating, hotrodding... I breathed Cuda's etc for years...

sometimes it disheartens me to see such a "dettached" approach to life... or something....

In the end, I may have 30, 40 g's into my truck, and it's value maybe 10, but somehow, in some sick way, it wont matter....

 

[dyeager535]

Heck, how much TIME do you have in your truck...figure that out at the dollar amount you make an hour right now lol. THAT'S a sad thought.

 

[ARAMP1]

I'm saving receipts for what I spend on my truck. I don't know why though. It's not like I'm going to ever sell it.

 

[AddictedOffroad]

I turn over rigs a lot. In my line of work, I usually have the opportunity of building a lot of different kinds of vehicles from mild to wild. My current 72' Blazer is a perfect example. I took it on trade for labor for another full turn key crawler build. Now that I have fixed it and brought it up to what "my standards" are, I'm just not feeling it. Its nothing to do with brand or vehicle loyalty. I just like building rigs and when I get bored, I find something new to build again.

 

[mikey_d05]

The rig that's currently in the planning and gathering phase will be my fourth in 3-4 years. Why? Because each of them was a pretty unique learning experience.

Rig 1: K5's are too wide and heavy to do what I want them to.

Rig 2: I don't have the patience, skill, or tools to build a tube chassis.

Rig 3: When geared appropriately, I much prefer a manual transmission in the rocks.

Rig 4: I'm *hoping* this will be the final build for a LONG time. V8, well geared, some big ol' tires, etc. This is the project that I will bankrupt myself to do it the right way, because I'm probably never gonna get another opportunity to do what I'm doing.

 

[ryoken]

Some good responses.....

And yeah Dorian, time and blood payed is just another fee for the end result it seems... To me, it's worth it.. Wish I had more to spare these days... cash, forget it... I'd throw another 10 g's at the truck tomorrow if I won the lotto... well, ok, 20... But I'd still build it the same way, my way... I certainly wouldn't run out and buy a done rig...

need to get me one of those "built not bought" stickers...

 

[PGW]

I have the same thought as you ryoken. My DD is a '73 Duster that was kind of half assed restored just so I had something to drive, and eventually I'll pull the motor, punch it out, rebuild it, etc, then strip everything, protect from rust and put on a fresh coat of paint. I have no plans of ever selling this rig. When I get out of college and actually have money to spare I'm gonna start a Suburban rig that will be like your K5, I'd want it to last me forever, in a few years who knows what type of engine will be in it .

I like to know my rigs well and I almost feel 'bonded' to my Duster like a cowboy would be to his horse. But I'll probably end up getting a little buzzbox to zip around town in so I don't wear out my Duster too much. I just drank a whole bunch of caffeine so I hope I didn't write too much.

 

[ryoken]

My first car was a 72 Gold Duster with a 340, 3 spd...

One day, I'll build my ultimate Cuda...

I'm so glad I picked up a buzzbox to give my K5 it's long needed layup to do her the way I want...

 

[PGW]

Here are the before and after pics on mine. I can't wait to tear into it again. And also in a few years I will inhereit a sky blue '68 Cuda convertible that has been in the family since it came off the showroom floor.

 

[scrappyk5]

I do know my rigs are built and not bought. I myself sometimes envy those who are able to just stroke a check and walaa its done. Well reality hits and I know I cant do that. Plus, half the fun is making it yourself. I do all the labor on my rigs, but on occasion i have friends help. I build my own bumpers, install my lifts and swaps.
I used to have an s154x4 i did all my trailing with and i built everything on it, plus swapped in a larger motor, built my own bumpers and even pulled the tranny about 6 times trying to keep it going. well the tranny finally died, and my wife told me take a break and have a professional install a new tranny in it. what a wonderful wife she is. two days later the shop called me and said the tranny was in, buuuut THE TRUCK FELL OFF THE LIFT . The truck was never right after that, so i sold it and only got about a 1/10 of what i put into it.
never again. I started with a stock k5 and 5 years later, she's almost finished.

 

[mtnman]

I will NEVER EVER sell any of my chevys - EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get very attached to my trucks, like family but w/out the personality conflicts
I have had my trail truck since '92 and have put 200k + miles on it, had the family burb since '01/100k+ miles and the family K5 since '05/75k miles. And allways have and allways will do ALL of the work on all of them Thats all I have to say about that

 

[kitimatdude]

I totally believe in "Built not Bought". A lot of people don't like how I did this or that... I don't much care what they think, it isn't about them. Its about what I want. And its mostly about how I'm going to get there...

 

[blazinzuk]

I tend to fall in love with my trucks, I don't really turn over rigs much but it seems I have had quite a few, several have gone down to accidents. I have had my blazer now for about 6 years and intend to keep it for a very long time, eventually everything that was orginal on it will be long gone, but heck its a process. One I enjoy very much

 

[lectric80]

I kind of see some turn over on some projects. I have plenty of projects I would like to do, and a few that I could already build. The problem for me is that a lot of the fun is in the buildup/resto of the project. But these types of things are simply a matter of getting that bug out, my Blazer is a different story.
Although my Blazer will probably never rival yours, it is mine and will be built the way I want it. I have no intention of selling the Blazer, even after it is "done", if there really is such a place. The Blazer was a long search to find exactly what I wanted. Lots of research went into which year I wanted, what options I wanted, and how much rust I was willing to accept. I see some people here pick up trucks for way less than I paid, and the body is in better shape, but they aren't the truck I wanted. I have no plans to lift the truck, the 33's fit without lift and don't rub. I don't do anything that would really tax the 1/2 ton components, so I don't see a reason to add 1 tons. The wiring is a mess, but I have the knowledge and skill to fix that. When I am done 20-30 years from now, I will know every nook and cranny on my Blazer, and it won't be worth a tenth of the time and money that I will have invested.

Yes, I will probably be buried in my K5, I won't be passing it on to my kids.

 

[NorCalKid]

There is to much blood, sweat and loving praise (aka cussing and bickering) in my truck to ever sell it. I plan on chopping sheet metal and adding tube for a long time to come. If it breaks it must be ready for an upgrade