Today's cost to build a stocker ?

[Mike Gray]

Originally Posted by B Parker

Just wondering what most of you think it would cost to build a competitive stocker from scratch if you had the body already. Has anyone done this in the last year? I'm not talking about Billy's dime style rocket either. Old school or new school. Barry

Even if you have the body already it's going to cost plenty to get it ready. After reducing the weight, cleaning out sealer, stretching the wheel well, rolling the lips, I'll soon be ready for primer and paint. Having the body already helps but I'm figuring about $40K+ (including body) to get it on the track. To run competitive times? I don't think it will be possible in the upper classes were the new cars are.

[Lee Valentine]

Bought my Firebird on a rottiserie with a moly cage by markow for 7500 included rear housing,rack & pinion kit, motor mount kit.QA-1 struts with aeromotive brakes,hedman headers and a bare block from Tillberg. By the time I got it to the track I had 46,000 in it with a plain white paint job.Have probably spent 25.000 more since.

[Frank Bialas]

Originally Posted by Lee Valentine

Bought my Firebird on a rottiserie with a moly cage by markow for 7500 included rear housing,rack & pinion kit, motor mount kit.QA-1 struts with aeromotive brakes,hedman headers and a bare block from Tillberg. By the time I got it to the track I had 46,000 in it with a plain white paint job.Have probably spent 25.000 more since.

Hey Lee at least you and the GRAPEAPE are honest enough to admit what it takes, I was going to say 75,000K to get started but who'd believe me? JUST DROP THE 1000,000 and get the new stuff, you'll be better off!!!

[B Parker]

Frank I was starting to think that way. But would you be better off just dropping the big money for a new one? Lets see if we can get one of those guys to post here. I have a feeling they end up spending a lot more money on the new cars trying to make them one of the faster ones.

[Frank Bialas]

Originally Posted by B Parker

Frank I was starting to think that way. But would you be better off just dropping the big money for a new one? Lets see if we can get one of those guys to post here. I have a feeling they end up spending a lot more money on the new cars trying to make them one of the faster ones.

Barry, they are better off from the get go! The HP factor is like OBAMBO care, no one understands it, and the OLD bastards that need it are not entitled!!! Than you have NOBODIES imply what difference does it make. If your not a player and it doesn't affect you, maybe you should just stay porch/side licking your ballz.

[B Parker]

So Frank tell us how you really feel !!! I have to ask if you had the ging would you buy one? Barry

[joe huestis]

After reading all these posts on cost of building a car from scratch, it's amazing how some of the cars in the classified section that run fairly well and for under 15 grand, that folks are not snapping these cars up. There are some real bargains out there !

[Frank Bialas]

Originally Posted by B Parker

So Frank tell us how you really feel !!! I have to ask if you had the ging would you buy one? Barry

Barry I'm not as bitter as I was back in 08, guess I'm getting old and the end is near. Everything I drive is BLUE OVAL except for MAMA'S car and the racecar. FORD got my vote for the new stuff, just show some respect.

[jmantle]

Part of the fun is finding a combo that hasn't been worked to death over the years. I built mine doing everything myself but the engine machine work for just under 5K, including the $100 I paid for the car. As originally built, it ran 1.1 under (1.4 under the old indexes 6 years ago). I've spent about 2.5K on it since, got it down a little more under the index.
Now I feel sorry for it and now that I know it works, I'll spend a little on making it look better.
As I've said before on this site, it may not be as exciting as my 8 second S/P car was but it is more fun and it will go rounds if the driver is up to par.

Jim Mantle
U/V/SA 6632

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by jmantle

Part of the fun is finding a combo that hasn't been worked to death over the years. I built mine doing everything myself but the engine machine work for just under 5K, including the $100 I paid for the car. . . . . As I've said before on this site, it may not be as exciting as my 8 second S/P car was but it is more fun and it will go rounds if the driver is up to par.

Jim Mantle
U/V/SA 6632

Yeah, but nobody really believes you or else there would be a lot more of that type of participation. How many $40K-plus race cars out there can claim a comparable win record?? You are a true stocker hero, Jim. All the people lamenting over the high-dollar cost of competing are creating their own misery.