Well, my stack has been growing since I bought my '68 SS back in 1992. Be prepared to accumulate your own stack like this, if you buy something that needs work.

http://csgbenefits.org/camaroreceipts.jpg

It had a 350 with a 4-spd and I paid $10,000. I thought I would save a lot of money by making major improvements myself. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have spent way too much money on this car and done too much damn work to it. :pout: At the moment, the car has a 468 with Accel DFI on it. Man, this stuff costs money. Just the EFI alone cost me over $5,000. So be prepared to throw money at it.

My advice is to spend money at the outset, when you initially purchase the car. Find one that has EVERYTHING you want, so you don't need to go crazy modding and repairing. If you want a good car at a fair price, then IMO you should head to the Barrett-Jackson auction, or some place like that and find one that someone has already spent tons of time/money restoring.

You may think that paying $40,000 for a restored car is a lot of money. But unless you own a body shop or a machine shop, that price will seem like a bargain by the time you're done restoring a "20 footer"..............

Now, if I get REAL brave I will actually add up the totals of those receipts, but I'm gonna guess the receipts total around $35,000. Of course, that does not include original purchase price, nor all the time and energy I spent.

;)

can we see what the car looks like with an Encyclopedia stack of bills like that?

LOL, I don't have any real nice photos. But I don't consider this car to be top quality. I mean, it shoulda been rotisseried, but it wasn't.

http://csgbenefits.org/camaroright.jpg

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My file is thicker than that! I don't have the guts to add up the receipts! Maybe if I ever sell the car, I can add them up so I can take a capital loss on my taxes.

My advice is to spend money at the outset, when you initially purchase the car. Find one that has EVERYTHING you want, so you don't need to go crazy modding and repairing. If you want a good car at a fair price, then IMO you should head to the Barrett-Jackson auction, or some place like that and find one that someone has already spent tons of time/money restoring.


;)

Dave I would agree most times but a clean 1st gen camaro will still cost $25000 and when you get it home you may spend a ton of money fixing crap that has been covered up by slick paint. You have a car that you know is good and can be very proud of. Looks great.

dont keep track of the labor hours. i had around 1000 hours. but that included rebuilding rear and tranny. im just thinking if i had to pay for that labor.

My file is thicker than that! I don't have the guts to add up the receipts! Maybe if I ever sell the car, I can add them up so I can take a capital loss on my taxes.


Ditto for me - I don't really want to know until I have to ;).

I started a spreadsheet, but quickly lost interest. I have a number in mind though.

My file is thicker than that! I don't have the guts to add up the receipts! Maybe if I ever sell the car, I can add them up so I can take a capital loss on my taxes.

Gary - I feel your pain! I keep filing the receipts away and even started a spread sheet once to track this stuff. I haven't added anything to that spread sheet in over 4 years I would guess. Someday when I strap on the big set and am hammered enough ... Maybe, just maybe, I'll think about adding them up. I sort of have a number rolling around in my head, and that's scary enough ... but as long as I don't really add up all those receipts I can fool myself.

over 10 g's

I have a folder that's nearly as thick, between myself & the previous owner's reciepts. And I agree you could buy someone elses car and save a fortune. But I could have never afforded the car I dream of and am working towards, but I was able to buy a cool car I could work with. And the time I spend working on the Camaro is fun to me, not to mention therapy. So yeah logically I could have spent this money on a vacation cabin or a 401K, but if I croak tomorrow I'll have smoked the tires for 60' while listening to the symphony of a Chevy V8 through an American Thunder exhaust. So logic & reason are right out the window. It's all about that big Chesire cat grin I get when I step on the loud pedal.
:beers:

I added them up once.....when I woke up after fainting I swore I would never do that again!

I added them up once.....when I woke up after fainting I swore I would never do that again!

How much $$$$$$$$$ was it?

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I was running a spreadsheet on mine for a while, not a good idea. When I summed the cost column I almost had a massive coronary and quickly deleted the spreadsheet before the ex saw it. I don't even want to know anymore. It's worth every penny I've spent when I hear those secondaires kick in and the rear end breaks loose.

It's not an expense, it is an investment in your mental health. Ya gotta spend it on something and as the saying goes, if it has ###s or tires, it's gonna be trouble.

;)

alan

It's not an expense, it is an investment in your mental health. Ya gotta spend it on something and as the saying goes, if it has ###s or tires, it's gonna be trouble.

;)

alan

lmao @ Alan, I have that Big Johnson tee shirt, lol.

It's not an expense, it is an investment in your mental health. Ya gotta spend it on something and as the saying goes, if it has ###s or tires, it's gonna be trouble.

;)

alan




:beers:





bob

You know... it's not the thickness that counts... it's what's written on the papers.

Would we do it all again if we had the choice?...ya!


capt

How much $$$$$$$$$ was it?

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Dave, it was $42K....that of course was before I desided to go to a TKO600.

Dave, it was $42K....that of course was before I desided to go to a TKO600.

I just upgraded from a 1" binder to a 3" binder if that gives you any idea. :(

http://www.69taposer.citymax.com/i//2-13-08_002.jpg
http://www.69taposer.citymax.com/i//2-13-08_001.jpg

It has gotten so big, I even decided to "dress it up" a little with some rendering pics. The downside to this is, it can now be identified by my better half. :boxing:

Mine is just north of foreverlookin's total. However, I bought an unfinished project car and when I add the prior owner's receipts to mine it hits $59K. :eek:

I project about another $10K to finish it. :sad:

Phil

Well, I just added my receipts all up. My total is $47,733 :wacko:, plus $10,000 purchase price, so I have just about 60K into this car so far.

Yeow!

Ya know, I think my biggest problem happened in the beginning. I had a peppy 350, but then a guy took me for a ride in his BB Camaro. I am fond of calling that the "10 minute ride that cost me $20,000" as I just had to have a BB after that, lol. :p

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I was keeping a running total on my but quit and hid it from my wife. But the total is still less then what I paid for my 4 boys college education. I think the car has been more gratifying in some ways.

Guys would you mind if I show my wife what you have spent? Of course for my own selfish reasons as now I don't look so bad as far as the money I have spent!:D

Guys would you mind if I show my wife what you have spent? Of course for my own selfish reasons as now I don't look so bad as far as the money I have spent!:D


ROFL :D :D :D :D

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I love every bit of it but i quit counting around $65k

It certainly makes me feel a little better after reading some of those really big $ numbers. My receipt stack is only three inches thick. I also am afraid to total it up but i have a number in my head that scares me. But you know what, when I put the hammer down on that M22 big block 427 copo, that thing makes a noise that makes me glad I'm alive. I happen to think that's priceless. Oh heck I might as well spit my estimate out $32-35,000 plus the car. Best regards to all.

I have a number in mind, but it's really low compared to the actual.
I don't keep receipts. They are only evidence that could be used against me if my sanity were ever called into question.

How much have I spent on fittings and hardware. I don't even have that factored into my number.

BTW I got my car for $3,300 in 1991. I spent more than that on my Forgelines in 2007. DOH.

It certainly makes me feel a little better after reading some of those really big $ numbers. My receipt stack is only three inches thick. I also am afraid to total it up but i have a number in my head that scares me. But you know what, when I put the hammer down on that M22 big block 427 copo, that thing makes a noise that makes me glad I'm alive. I happen to think that's priceless. Oh heck I might as well spit my estimate out $32-35,000 plus the car. Best regards to all.

If you have a real COPO, and the "plus the car" is under $150K, you are still in the black!!
If you have a Clone, and the "plus the car" is under $20K, you are still in the black!!

Otherwise, you are in the majority!

My stack looks like that but my car is far from rolling. I have a stack my wife sees and I have a private stack. You have very nice car, INJOY!!!!!
67 RS Dusk Blue

You are making me feel good. The problem is that there is no documentation on the car. So I tell people it is what it is. The car speaks for itself. I call it my clopo. Every one with knowledge of these vehicles that has looked at the car,including a couple of documented copo car owners say yes it could be I.E. 3/8 gas line,curved neck radiator,ehaust plate on driver side sub frame,BE stamped rear,five springs, Norwood X-11,and correct date coded 512 four bolt motor with a MN stamping. The vehicle is an original garnet red car with red standard interior with black seat belts and no d80. If i knew how to post pictures I'd show a few shots of the car. I know that this is long but it's been a long winter. Best regards to all.

Sounds like all the clues point to real. I guess the MN does not have the VIN at the oil filter? Now if you could just track down the previous owners. :)

Well add another $440 to my stack after my visit to Classic Wednesday.

Well hell I feel a whole lot better about my car and how much I've spent on it now, I'm right up there with everybody else here. At least i'm not the only crazy around here, lol.

For better or worse i keep all my records on the computer in my shop/barn. I list everything ive done to the car, the dates that it was done, all the new parts, etc... I havent looked at it in a while but the total is around $38,000. (Including purchase price) And its password protected so no "unauthorized" shall remain nameless females can see it.
Then theres the Firebird which i have about $20,000 into it... Its the greatest hobby in the world but it aint cheap!!

I do keep all my reciepts... There's the 4" folder at work... and another 3" thick in the garage... I have no idea what the total is.

I suppose I could look thru the last 6 years of the company g/l, it's recorded under "advertising." I even got a nice new show display plaque that says "sponsored by..." Gawd I love America!

So thick a Kangaroo couldn't jump over the top of it .... ugh , I think I'm getting sick .....

I've spent a few bucks as well. Check out my vids to see if you think I'm having any fun.

I am just trying to keep the economy from going into the toilet!