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Cost Building New Bronco From Scratch (Hint it’s in the 80’s)

OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
A friend of mine from St Charles, Brian, may have been that guy. He has one now. No, it’s not me. I slink over to Alley 64 on the Tiger every now and then. Granted being a Harley bar I’m surprised that I’m allowed to park there! I make it a point to ride over curb on the way out! Without scraping any chrome!!
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,821
Just watched a 66 thunderbird auction on Bring a Trailer

They had a shop built it and replaced or rebuilt every single thing on the car
Spent $155k total parts and labor


Sold it at a no reserve auction for $19k

Come next month when all the big auctions are running you will hear the announcers state that that the car is selling for less then the cost of the restoration all day long. But in the above, that was insane. Wrong auction, wrong crowd, wrong car, wrong day. Just didn't have those 2 people who had to have the car.

I'm planning on selling a truck at auction in about a year, no reserve. I also plan to be a registered bidder. Not that I plan to actually buy anything. While I won't have that kind of coin tied up (not even a tenth of that) I will buy it from myself if the bids are too low. Yea, it will cost me seller and buyer commission, but I won't let it go for 12¢ on the dollar.
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,696
Thourough List :)

Key RC Components
Frame $4,700 (Krawlers Edge)
Engine $4,400 (Blueprint 347 aluminum heads)
Eddlebrock Pro Flow 4 $1,600
Trans $2,400 (AX 15)
Atlas 2 $2,400

Misc Rolling Chassis (Total for this group at the bottom)
Stainless 23 Gallon Fuel Tank
Fuel Lines
Power Steering Quick Ratio
Bushings (body and suspension)
Brakes Disc
Brake lines/fuel lines
Master Cylinder
Hydroboost
Rear end Ford 9"(with LSD)
Front End DANA 44 (Open Diff) (Completely rebuilt DANA 44 upgraded hardware)
Radius Arms
Suspension (Bilstein, Variable rate coils, leaf springs)
Anti Sway Front and Rear
Ebrake cabling
Clutch
Adapter kit for AX 15
Water Pump/Pulley kit
B&M Short Shifter
Engine Mounts
Misc Rolling Chassis. $15,000
Rolling Chassis Total $30,500

Paint $5,000
Body (tub, grill, hood, doors, lift gate, hinge) $20,000 (LAL Customs)
This includes putting RC on jig and figment, adjusting etc, priming, raptor lining)
Family Cage $900
Total $55,500
Stuff left, AC/Heat, Door hardware, hard top, dash
Seats, glass, exhaust, driveshaft, lights etc. etc. etc.
Shipping not included. I expect $5-7k total. Already have confirmed shipping for frame, engine, trans, transfer case and assorted rolling chassis items. Big shipping left is rolling Chassis to LAL Customs and then back.

I couldn’t do this without help of a key organizer at Wild Horses. Justin is using his experience to put the list together for me. The only outside labor I have planned is LAL and paint. There is some minor welding to do but I can cover that. I went with suspension, engine, trans etc that work well with stock set-up to simplify install and reduce cost.

Oh, no wheels and tires yet. Priced them out locally at $1,500 for all 4.
 

Flying Pigs

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Messages
69
Loc.
Elgin, IL
Come next month when all the big auctions are running you will hear the announcers state that that the car is selling for less then the cost of the restoration all day long. But in the above, that was insane. Wrong auction, wrong crowd, wrong car, wrong day. Just didn't have those 2 people who had to have the car.

I'm planning on selling a truck at auction in about a year, no reserve. I also plan to be a registered bidder. Not that I plan to actually buy anything. While I won't have that kind of coin tied up (not even a tenth of that) I will buy it from myself if the bids are too low. Yea, it will cost me seller and buyer commission, but I won't let it go for 12¢ on the dollar.

Your telling me all the reasons why a person should not sell a car at auction. I agree with all your reasons...dont do it. When you sell on your own, the first wave of buyers is the guys watching the listings to make a buck. Do your research, when I downsized my home everything i sold had the low ballers coming first. The right buyer is out there....sometimes you got to wait for them.

There is a skill to being a seasoned seller...I reminded people in the market place that I was the seller...I didnt place an ad to find a seller. Watch gas monkey garage and watch Richard steal cars from sellers....He sells them for what they were asking. My 2 cents.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,821
Yes, but I have a plan. I got a fairly good deal on a low mileage rust free AZ truck. I can go back to the Midwest where these are all rusted away or beat to death and I have a market for it. The truck isn't as marketable in AZ as it won't pass smog ('77 and missing some stuff like the original carb). But the market I plan to sell it in that isn't a problem. Then again I am dealing in stuff in the 4 figure range, might touch 5 figures. Nothing close to the 6 figure numbers that are being referenced. Then there is the value of my time. Is it worth spending how many weekends trying to meet up with people who don't show up, only want to low ball, just want to look at it? For the most part if I come close to breaking even after owning/using it for several years I did good.
 

Boss Hugg

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2010
Messages
2,140
Just watched a 66 thunderbird auction on Bring a Trailer

They had a shop built it and replaced or rebuilt every single thing on the car
Spent $155k total parts and labor


Sold it at a no reserve auction for $19k

If you intend to make a profit from working on a car, stay away from T-Birds. There is NO market for them. And I don't understand it. They're beautiful cars, (esp 64-66, which is what my dad drove) but also BIG and HEAVY. But collectors aren't worried about that, so I just don't get it.
 

chriskent85

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
293
Im looking to have around 50-60K in mine but I also went with the bronco designs fiberglass tub and kept the freshly built 302 in it, Rebuilt the axles and transfer and got a new aod trans. Im trying to do most the work myself besides paint.
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see shipping charges in your list. That's going to add up quickly.

At the very bottom of the post. Expect $5k-$7k. More expensive than normal as I have to ship the rolling chassis out and back. Granted LAL charges less to return on rolling chassis as they don’t have to build a metal shipping frame.
 

chriskent85

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
293
At the very bottom of the post. Expect $5k-$7k. More expensive than normal as I have to ship the rolling chassis out and back. Granted LAL charges less to return on rolling chassis as they don’t have to build a metal shipping frame.

You could always high a shipping company yourself to do that. I payed like $600 to have my body shipped from tenn. to florida in a enclosed trailor
 
OP
OP
T

T-7ToNewOldB

Full Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
315
You could always high a shipping company yourself to do that. I payed like $600 to have my body shipped from tenn. to florida in a enclosed trailor

For the rolling chassis, out and back, I will hire a company directly. I’m hoping to keep the shipping below my budget but I know it nickel and dimes you to death at the end. I have done the multiple company quote routine on shipping a few cars cross country. It definately does same some money.


Hugh
 

roundhouse

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 5, 2003
Messages
2,886
If you intend to make a profit from working on a car, stay away from T-Birds. There is NO market for them. And I don't understand it. They're beautiful cars, (esp 64-66, which is what my dad drove) but also BIG and HEAVY. But collectors aren't worried about that, so I just don't get it.



Most of the profit in cars is in taking them apart


But the Thunderbirds have actually gone down in value it looks like to me

I’ve owned three 66 town Landaus
And one 69 four door
 

Tcb3078

Sr. Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2016
Messages
496
Loc.
Charlotte
I'll be in mine at 40k. But everything on mine is brand new. This does not include any of my labor. Id rather count receipts than my time on this.
 

Flying Pigs

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Messages
69
Loc.
Elgin, IL
I looked at all the angles to owning a Bronco and nothing made more sense to me than buying it done. I put 25% down ($12000) and make a reasonable monthly payment.

My Camaro had all these monthly outlays of cash...400...1500....4000.....0......0....3000...It went on for years and the when you can smell the end is near....you are in your wallet all the time. Its been done for 30 years...there is an ending point when its stock.

Bronco....done....can drive it....reasonable monthly payment.

Got pre-approved by Woodside credit. They are an approved lender for Barrit Jackson and shadowed the Bronco market for almost 6 months. Knew what I wanted...didnt settle.

I would post pictures if I could but there is a movie....smart TV...surround sound...I ever sell a car there is going to be a movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLacF-gVKUw
 

KBUCK1

Sr. Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
979
I looked at all the angles to owning a Bronco and nothing made more sense to me than buying it done. I put 25% down ($12000) and make a reasonable monthly payment.

My Camaro had all these monthly outlays of cash...400...1500....4000.....0......0....3000...It went on for years and the when you can smell the end is near....you are in your wallet all the time. Its been done for 30 years...there is an ending point when its stock.

Bronco....done....can drive it....reasonable monthly payment.

Got pre-approved by Woodside credit. They are an approved lender for Barrit Jackson and shadowed the Bronco market for almost 6 months. Knew what I wanted...didnt settle.

I would post pictures if I could but there is a movie....smart TV...surround sound...I ever sell a car there is going to be a movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLacF-gVKUw

Looks nice. If you paid under 50 in todays market then you probably done pretty good on that one. For me, the best thing about mine is the fact that I built it. But I see both sides for sure. Definitely the quickest and most economical thing to do is buy completed.
 

bronkenn

Contributor
Bronco Guy
Joined
Apr 27, 2017
Messages
2,662
Loc.
Southeast Ohio
I looked at all the angles to owning a Bronco and nothing made more sense to me than buying it done. I put 25% down ($12000) and make a reasonable monthly payment.

My Camaro had all these monthly outlays of cash...400...1500....4000.....0......0....3000...It went on for years and the when you can smell the end is near....you are in your wallet all the time. Its been done for 30 years...there is an ending point when its stock.

Bronco....done....can drive it....reasonable monthly payment.

Got pre-approved by Woodside credit. They are an approved lender for Barrit Jackson and shadowed the Bronco market for almost 6 months. Knew what I wanted...didnt settle.

I would post pictures if I could but there is a movie....smart TV...surround sound...I ever sell a car there is going to be a movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLacF-gVKUw
I really like the background music. Sounds like the FiTech is tuned good. Beautiful truck! Ken
 

Flying Pigs

Jr. Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2018
Messages
69
Loc.
Elgin, IL
Looks nice. If you paid under 50 in todays market then you probably done pretty good on that one. For me, the best thing about mine is the fact that I built it. But I see both sides for sure. Definitely the quickest and most economical thing to do is buy completed.

I bought my Bronco in Sept. on Ebay and it had a buy it now price on it. It bid to 40K with 4 days yet to go with 88 bidders. In the past, if an item got to its reserve price, the buy it now button would go away and highest bid would win. This is someones labor of love, everything was done....Its a FRESH full frame off and the underside looks like the top. I didnt see anything like this in 6 months for sale plus it wasnt a car dealer where you had to pay their sales tax. Called him to make sure pics were recent and hit the buy it now button cause that was going to be the best deal. Lots of interest and moving rapidly up in price. I felt it was going to sell for more than its buy it now.

Building has its advantages but time is the most precious commodity for the elders...my kids are grown and want to get some life in before warm milk and an early bed time. No problem fixing but swore off building...The knowledge to do but the wisdom to not do.....car projects must be completed before summer.

I really like the background music. Sounds like the FiTech is tuned good. Beautiful truck! Ken

Thank you, she is better looking than I dreamed. She runs good and she learns how to be better.....I bought a new Sherman tank with the fuel pump inside..running solid fuel lines with flexible ends...winter projects.

All: i kinda put my business out there on price, financing, buying done, regular monthly payments, time.....there are options...a person could sell their it needs refreshing.... use the funds to buy their dream already done, drive it and make a small payment. The initial up front costs to buy a restorable rig is probably more than a down payment.

One of these days i will figure out how to post pictures. Company Christmas party tomorrow night already.
 
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