Budget six conversion builders, Please tell us how you do it! Options

[anthony]

I compiled the following list of conversion parts. This is just to put a six cylinder engine in the car and doesn't include a 5 lug conversion or suspension mods. So for you guys that throw out low total conversion prices please tell us how you did it and how you cut costs. Often I see references to exceptional deals on engines that can't be easily reproduced or incomplete parts lists that don't include all the parts or headers/exhaust.

[brant]

There is a grey line there somewhere...
its a hobby to me also.

but when prepairing a cost list for someone else to use (someone that may have different skills, tools, resources, time) I don't think its fair to assume that they can get certain things done for free....

There was a post earlier from someone that wanted to rebuild a -6 motor themselves. They were asking if it was going to be expensive or if they were going to need special tools or skills.

Would it be fair to tell the guy "don't worry about it" you can get a bunch of used parts from motor meister and do the whole thing yourself for 700$ bucks!

I think that is a misrepesentation.

I think you tell the guy that he can invest in going to anderson's class, invest in books, invest in tools, and then do the work himself for another $3500 bucks. Or if he is on a tight time schedule and is working like an accountant at tax time, then he can pay someone like Jeff on our group to do the whole thing for 5K.....

same thing with conversion estimates.
I feel like quoting only the low end of the range is kinda like having a kitchen remodeler come into your house and when he quotes the job as costing between 6-8 grand, expecting it to be done ONLY on the low end of the quote...

How many people have gone a paint shop or body shop to bid their car and ended up spending more than the low end of the bid due to extra damage, or extra work while they were there...

I guess I'm being too sensitive...
I think that LOTS of deals can be had
LOTS of pieces can be self fabricated.
but Not everyone is going to be able to score a 4K conversion...

case in point..
with the exception of Grant and Trekkor, how many people on this board have more than 4K into their conversions. How many cars are for sale out there with 18K into them by the owner that paid shop rates for the conversion.

Its all a mater of how you add the numbers and how you use your time.

How often do I see people ask for motor mount suggestions... collaboratively as a club do we usually tell people to spend 20$ on sheet metal and build their own, or do we usually advise people to save themselves the headaches and buy a KNOWN good product from Rich Johnson?

I'm still comfortable telling a newbie that to do a conversion with a used motor is going to end up being $6K-8K and with a new motor $10K-12K on average and that he can save some a grand or two of that money if he is able to do more of his own work and fabrication.

brant