Custom builder bullshit

[SuperSix]

Was watching this Jay Leno's Garage video on Youtube - some company in Fl bilds custom Broncos and now old Ford trucks.

Watch this and tell me if these vehicles are worth anywhere NEAR the MSRP they mention..

Easy for Leno to say "Thant's not bad!".

Am I wrong that i think these are WAY overpriced?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbnVVZvz-Ao

[nocooler]

My brain is broken just thinking about it.

[Steve Wood]

Actually, I think the price might be lower than I would have thought. 

In today's economic environment, I continue to be amazed at the number of people that seem to have dope dealer spending power and they are not all tech whizzes.  Every time I watch Hoonigans, I wonder where these young guys came up with the dough to build some of these cars.

But, back to the cost...given what it takes to maintain the payroll, the overhead associated with insurance, real estate, et al, no, the cost does not seem overboard at all.

The best of the video is the look on the guy's face as Jay seemingly sailed thru traffic.  Jay was looking all over the place, chatting away, and the guy had the look of fear etched on his face as he waited for something to hit the truck.

Back to the price, go look at the price at the dealer for a new pos Bronco or a new decked out pick up...  and you know they are basically crap with a bow on them that the dealer cannot fix when it breaks a week later.  Mall parking lots are full of them getting scratched, bumped, or stolen.

The biggest problem that I have is they are too pretty to drive every day. Ornaments.

[SuperSix]

I think the margins are obscene. You could probably build one from scratch from remanufacturer s, and still be 100k what they are asking. I understand there's a cost of doing business, but $325k for a restored F250 with a crate driveline is ridiculous.

[Steve Wood]

If you did the work yourself, you probably could...

New engine/transmission  https://fordcobraengines.com/product/460-hp-5-0-coyote-ford-crate-engine-w-10-speed-auto-transmission-combo/

Quality paint job  $7500?

Your labor, free, cost of your overhead, shop, salaries, etc, free.

Most restorations I read about are going for well over 100k with you providing the vehicle.

Again, these cars are going to rich guys..no po boys like me that want to drive them every day.

[motorhead]

I refuse to think about the amount of money I have committed to my labour in building our cars. There are formulas for doing basic products, but in this case you dealing with fashion and manufactured prestige. So you can upcharge and tax them for their impulsiveness and ignorance. Justifiably so.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+price+your+product

Anyway, this is why I build for me and not bougie poseurs.

[TexasT]

Not sure where you are getting a paint job for $7500. Have you priced just the materials lately? That is obscene.

[Steve Wood]

I figure a paint job like those might be 15K, but Mark  seemed to be looking at doing it with cheap aftermarket parts...which I understand is not cheap having bought quite a few parts but I know he was not going to spring for a custom paint job like the video showed.  The Bronco would not take nearly  as much paint as the F25o, either.

And, yes, I have priced paint lately.  I am thinking about wrapping even tho it does not last as long if left in the sun.

[nocooler]

Well just to compare - Killer Performance KC, MO Lists their ZL1500/ZR1500 OBS packages at $52k/$70k. It doesn't show a parts list but that is the price for a drivetrain swap in an OBS Chevy/GMC truck. I would assume the customer provides the 88-98 truck and they supply the rest.
Cleetus just bought one of their trucks to give away - https://youtu.be/Rskcsiw0A44
IMO older trucks are going to be more desirable as manufacturers move toward electric. While most of us can't afford a resto modded truck, a clean older mechanically refreshed truck might be in the budget. 

[motorhead]

Never in my life could I bring myself to spend this kind of money on a car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvsGBHp-B8Y

Even if it runs mid-9s at 150+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvBRWzILUgo

Might as well get a Demon and put a pulley on it for far less. I suppose this is how I rationalized buying a slow-AF manual Hellcat sub-60K at the time (couldn't build a comparable car for the cost of the parts alone). Good luck with that now, the value for money is long gone in these cars.

[motorhead]

Ooof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCoz9jgL8Oo

[TexasT]

Cost of labor is ridiculous too. I don't sit down and cost out mods or even my time out in the garage/driveway. But I know it has value and so do you. I dont mind doing things for my buddies and even some casual friend but that is usually comped for little welding or plasma cutting stuff. But when I ask for help or what not there shall be reciprocation(and if I get the brush off I'm not likely to forget). And I don't turn down some beer or other type gesture(nonmonetary comp) when the activity takes place.

In the end it is a hobby to me and if I had to do it for a living, I doubt I'd last very long as people in general suck. And having a boss over in my grille about this or that isn't really in my wheel house.

[Steve Wood]

Amen