RobertKB Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Recently, on another thread I used the term that is commonly used here, "You gotta pay to play". To make a long story long, about 20 years ago I bought a '48 Plymouth for $400. It had been parked for many years and had been backed into by a bus and the driver's front was smashed in. I bought the car because I knew it had about 2000 miles on a totally rebuilt engine although it had sat for about 10 years without being driven. I pulled the engine which I still have in my garage as a spare, which was the intention. It runs great and I start it on the floor occasionally. I sold the radio for $80 and sold the rest of the car for what I paid for it. If I knew what I know now, I would have parted it as it would have been worth a lot more that way. Fortunately, I sold it to a fellow who did eventually restore it, but not very well although it is on the road. With this car also came a rechromed set of front and rear bumpers, still in the paper they were shipped in and obviously never put back on the car. I have kept these for years and have always said that I will put them on my '48 Dodge D25 coupe when I have it repainted...........which is now. However, only the bumpers were rechromed and not the bumperettes so I took my bumperettes from my coupe in for rechoming. I was told $200 for all four but got a phone call today that it would be $85/piece for a total of $340. Told them to go ahead. Where else I am going to get it done any faster or cheaper. I wasn't going to quibble as this was something I want done. I am a retired teacher with OK savings and a good pension. I want my car to look nice and am not going to cheap out and put unchromed bumperettes back on the car. It is more that I really want to pay but as the title says, " You gotta pay to play". Everything costs more now-a-days and that is just the way it is. I want my car right and am willing to pay for that. I guess it is a matter of priorities and my cars come right after family and travel. Edited December 8, 2009 by RobertKB Quote
JoelOkie Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 I think I can relate to what you are saying, Robert. My children are raised, and my bills are all paid, so I don't feel bad spending a little money now and then on things that are important to me, be it car related, or something for my place. Joel Quote
55 Fargo Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 I think I can relate to what you are saying, Robert. My children are raised, and my bills are all paid, so I don't feel bad spending a little money now and then on things that are important to me, be it car related, or something for my place. Joel Someday, I may be able to say the same thing Joel, but now I have young kids, and bills to boot, goota work to play later. My car is getting things done ever so slowly,if I had the coin, it would have been done a whole lot better than she has been done, but I still love the car, she is a big part of who I am........Fred Quote
RobertKB Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Posted December 8, 2009 Fred, you are right where I was 30 years ago when I did my '48 Dodge D25. I am now finally doing some of the things I wanted to do many years ago but I have enjoyed the car and driven it lots in the meantime. Now I can afford to do it but am that much older. That's the trade-off. Quote
D25_Owner Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) ___ Edited December 8, 2009 by D25_Owner Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 Things do cost more now.......the price to chrome my front bumper went up, then the place I wanted to do it quit doing bumpers. Next, the place in Kansas City I would go to has evidently switched from chroming metal to doing plastic. Don't know where to check next......that's not real far off. Then, there's the piece of clear acrylic for the hood ornament......never say never about how much you'll pay. Sometimes you just decide to jump in and do it. (Well, it does look nice). Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 RobertKB There are some things that must be "quality" chrome work is one of them. Bad chrome work makes a great car look like trash. Small details are what make a good car seem great. When you are out with your car and people are disecting it, "The tiger finds no place to insert his claws" When it comes to paying for things that sting like this, it only hurts for a little while after it's over and you get the items back, money well spent. The economy here has to fix itself. There are alot of things that have gotten out of "wack" over priced house, services, cars and labor. Alot of the folks that do work for me do it from their home or during off duty hours. Chrome shops here that I know have so much business that they can discount hobbyist. This thing is not for the faint of heart, stuff that require determination and drive seldom are:) keep pecking away. Quote
JoelOkie Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 (edited) Someday, I may be able to say the same thing Joel, but now I have young kids, and bills to boot, goota work to play later. My car is getting things done ever so slowly,if I had the coin, it would have been done a whole lot better than she has been done, but I still love the car, she is a big part of who I am........Fred Fred, having also been there with the kids and bills I just have to say when I think about you getting everything done that you do, work on your car, home repairs and remodel, and all the while taking good care of wife and young ones, I'm pretty impressed. You are way ahead of where I was at at that point in life. Your car may be coming along slower than you like, but it is coming along, and quite well at that. The only car I got to work on regularly then was the one I was trying to keep together to get back and forth to work! Now, life has slowed down a bit, and gotten somewhat easier (note, easier, not EASY) financially, and a good thing about the hobby to me, nothing HAS to be done on a time limit, I work on whatever I'm working on when I feel like it, and have the spare money. Joel Edited December 8, 2009 by JoelOkie spelking Quote
T120 Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 ..Reading this morning's news,and I guess in some cases you also have pay if you play -rather dearly Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 8, 2009 Report Posted December 8, 2009 as Dr Hook said, Life ain't easy..! the real story is in the comments posted at the bottom of the news columns...this is the true mindset of the people, not that narrow minded stuff the media drools out..of course the poor souls being raked over the coals surely don't see any humor there...everyday is SNL Quote
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