Some guys like the ease of calling and ordering a full kit of suspension goodies to get their car all sorted out. We are living in great times where this is possible as long as you can afford it.
Me? If there is a junkyard way to do something, I like the challenge of making a non-stock part work in my cars. I have plenty to learn about fabricating, but often if I need a bracket, I can make one.
The Charger is an ongoing project like many members here drive. It has a mixed collection of factory and aftermarket parts that seem to work well together. Watching some shows on SPEED, it IS pretty nice to see guys bolting on shiny parts with new hardware. No wire wheeling the old stuff, no mods at all. Maybe if I had money falling out of my crack, I'd feel different.
My question is.... Who else likes to fabricate things regardless of their own financial situation? Do you derive pleasure from making a square peg fit into a round hole?

You bet. I am cheap, too. If I can make it, I make it. If I have to use something else, then that is what I'll do.

I'll fabricate something before I buy it, as long as its within my abilities and I have the materials.

And I'll agree with you that a lot of the aftermarket stuff is too expensive for the average guy.

I have no problem with messing around getting something to work that might be someone elses junk. This can be a non-issue for 95% of the builds we see on here, but when you get serious about going fast you learn quick that you get what you pay for.

To go fast you must be strong, light, developed and efficent.......that is just the facts. This is a hard thing to accomplish on your own.

Shiny new parts are pretty but where's the pride of doing it yourself? Yeah if the bolt on upgrade is cheap & about like I'd do it myself than I might buy it but often I enjoy the challenge of making something fit.... Or building something nicer than the commonly sold upgrade..

I have spent plenty on this thing but I also have fabbed up plenty as well. Have welder will fab....

I had no choice but to fabricate my sheetmetal.
At the time--even now- there's no support for the c body schtuff.
I bent all my lines.I enjoy doing that kind of thing--build from scratch-part of the hobby,IMO.

I cut my frame connectors to fit and made my own torque boxes as well. FRACTION of the cost! They're welded in place and painted. They look like Ma Mopar put them there.

I prefer frugal but that's just me. I must agree with most of you adding that what I don't spend on parts unnecessarily I can use on others I need(or want). Besides there is a certain pride in doing it myself. Nothing like answering where did you get those?" with"I made them." I made some of my brake and fuel lines and now I have the tools forever for less than the price of the lines. Of course I've made a few mistakes along the way but that's what happens when you're learning. Moparts has been a big help and motivator especially DaveRS23.
Ron

If I had money falling out my crack, I would cut down about 90% of my fab work. I only do it because it's so much cheaper to do it myself and I'm always trying to stretch my $ to the max.

Speaking of fabbing stuff. My wife's old 95 LeBaron needed a trans mount. Around $200 from the dealer and the only other one available was a piece of garbage for about $40. I used a little steel and a poly sway bar bushing. Cost me about $20 and it was still in great shape when we sold it. I would have still done that if I was loaded....

I build 30's hot rods. I fabricate from scratch all the time.

For some reason they don't make mounts to put a 440 into 1932 Ford frame....

I usually make all my own stuff, unless it's just as cheap to buy it as buy the material to make it. I have a mill,lathe, mig,tig etc...
I enjoy it when someone says " that won't" fit!
No such thing as can't!
I also like it when people see a part on my cars and ask "where did you buy that?" I find it satisfying making/designing your own stuff!

For someone that admittedly doesn't have a lot ov (quality) hands-on experience, i am still a pretty damn good builder. I'm a hotrodder, 100%. I'd love to build my cars from scratch, and given the means (shop, tools, money) i could. I like the true custom aspect, and its nice to say 'Yeah... I built that...'

However... for me i think that ship has sailed. In order to survive the past decade i've had to let my business atrophy, my tools, that were never even close to what you'd call quality (some ov you wouldn't change your oil with what i'm forced to work with), have slowly aged... in the way that cheap tools do... and my already pathetic space to work in has since been completely dominated by lost storage and crap. I've sold a lot ov useful stuff, and been forced to sell all but my last dream project. That project started today... after sitting for 12 years out in the rain. I've been looking at this car for over a decade... while driving crap, or borrowed non-Mopar stuff... and today i finally actually started it.

But i'll be honest with ya... i really really REALLY dont want to build a car right now. If i had the money to just buy a working car right now and drive it for another couple years while i sort [Edited by Moparts - Family Friendly Site - Keep it clean] out, i would. To further depress me on the first step ov this long awaited quest... i got rained on.

Yay. I am SOOO done with building cars right now. I WISH there was another way. I just want to DRIVE a good car. Man... its been YEARS...

I love to keep running tabs of my "cost" on a project. I offset for sales/trade of parts etc. right now I am building a 66 dart that will have only cost me maybe 2 thousand or so by time I am done. got the 66 for free, paid 450 for 74 dart, sold 400 worth of parts scrapped the rest and kept the lbp disks and 8.25 rear plus rebuilt auto trans......pretty much the only new parts I will have to buy are the sway bars and radiator ( and some odds and ends).

I actually enjoy cleaning /rebuilding /detailing old parts rather than buy new, but some time you have to bite the bullet ad go new.

The one advantage I can see to having money falling out of my crack is that I bought my car in '97. It still isn't done.



Of course I've changed my mind on what I'm going to do with it a half dozen times, buuuuut that wouldn't have been possible if I hadn't had so much time to think about it...

Most of the parts on my cars are from Pick A Parts or swap meets.

Up until recently the 1/8" front sway bar was bought at the Madara Mopar show swap for $40. And the rear sway bar was bought at Spring Fling for $25. Even the old QA1 shocks I had were bought at the Long Beach swap meet. The 1.12" torsion bars I have now were bought for $60 at a Spring Fling a couple years ago.

I just got some decent used 3" brake ducts, one new Aurora tie rod end, used aluminum KRC power steering pump some disassembly, and a used Seals-It rear end tube seal (mock up only) all for $20 from a Circle Track guy.

Building a car - except for a #s restored dead-original - has always involved fabrication & adaptation. Once you stray from strictly OEM restoration, it's time to get resourceful & clever & artistic, which I enjoy.

There starts to be a point where my time is worth more than my money and I just want something done NOW! Usually I can't afford to do it that way but a few times I've taken the easy way out and never looked back. It's not always a question of capability, it's sometimes more a question of time and motivation!