Built v. Bought
 

This is one of the age old arguements in the hot rod industry, and honestly I'm a little dissapointed in some of the comments in the receent TOTM threads about this subject.

I've experienced both sides of this fence and just because someone pays someone for some or all work on their truck (which ~95% of the members here have at some point) shouldn't discount the passion, enjoyment, and knowledge that they get from their truck, or handicap the actual truck when compared to others. We're not talking about Riddler Award winning rods here, where the biggest bank roll wins, these are still everyday normal guy rods.

Everyone's personal situation is different. Taking financial limitations away, I know that I would love to be able to do anything that I want to my truck, do it well, and do it anytime that I want. But the reality is that this is just a hobby for me and many others. I don't have the skill or the free time to do everything that I want to do anymore. My list of priorities in order is my wife and children, my extended family, my career, my house, our daily driven vehicles, and then the truck. So there isn't alot if any time left over after all of those things to swap a trans or cam, etc. It doesn't mean that I've lost my interest in the hobby, or that I don't enjoy taking my truck for a drive (even though I haven't been able to drive it for four months). It just means that I have to go about getting the work done in a different way. I'm proud to say that when I had less responsibility that I at least assissted in everything that was done to my truck, but I also understand when someone doesn't mod their truck themselves, and I don't hold it against them. And I don't think that it is fair when others do.

I'll step off the soapbox now, thanks for listening.

I vote built.... all the time, no matter what... there's no replacement for putting your own hard work, blood, busted knuckles, and sweat into something...

I don't care either way...in the end it will always come down to whoever has a bigger wallet. Just enjoy what you have, what you do and how you do it, if you have the support of your loved ones then who needs anyone elses opinion? :)

To me it's all about attitude. If you bought it and didnt turn a wrench on any of it yet you go around tooting your horn like your special, then your a douche. Same if you build it and prance around like your somebody. I dont care if you build it or bought it. Attitude goes along way with me. Gotta be realistic here, everyone can't build it and everyone can't buy it.

See, I can agree with you entirely except for the "all the time, no matter what". That is an easy statement to make, but it's not the reality for many. Sure, I (and others) hate missing out on learning and working on stuff myslef now, but sometimes it just not in the cards.

I just hate seeing guys get slammed for this over and over again.

x2 there is only one thing that i will "farm" out and that is body work....


i had my tranny installed/farmed out as well.... as i did not have the tool to do it. the alli weighs ~300-350lb dry. the good thing about it is i got a warranttee on the tranny :)

I'll say its hard for someone young and inexperienced to just jump into a build......Take me for instance. When I first joined ls1tech, I had a programmer, intake, exhaust on my 4.8L. I had zero previous mechanical experience and didn't really even think about it. I went up to Hubcity where there were guys running motor swaps, superchargers, nitrous, etc. At the time I didn't even know this was being done to these trucks. I did know one thing........I wanted to go fast like them. Richard(Bigtex) sold me my 6.0L. He was very knowledgeable on these engines, so I went ahead and sent him my cam/springs, and bought a set of warmed over heads from him to install. When it got here, it was all buttoned up and ready to drop in. I also went with an established tuner, because I didn't have either the knowledge or the money to purchase my own tuning software. I've always been into the cosmetics of vehicles, so tearing into my interior/exterior/electrical was never a problem for me. My dad never was into modding trucks/cars, but he's always shown me how to work on motorcycles/atvs(he owns an atv/motorcycle repair shop). It's really more of what you are around growing up and how brave you are to tear into something. Back then, I was afraid to mess my everyday driver up, so I let the experienced install my performance mods and get it right the first time.

That being said, I've learned a great deal over the last few years and I probably won't be afraid to tackle the next engine project. Even doings something as simple as installing a nitrous kit can be nerve racking the first time.....I mean, that shit can blow up your engine :jest:

In conclusion, I feel that if you don't have enough confidence in doing something yourself, there is absolutely nothing wrong with letting someone else get it done right for you the first time. Just one thing though, stand there, ask questions, and pay attention to what is being done so you'll know what to do next time. :)

I agree with Slowprocess. I was brought up around cars my whole life. I was always out in the garage watching/helping my father growing up. I did not have alot of money growing up so if I wanted something nice I had to build it. When I was 16 I bought my mustang for $700 and tore into it (I ended up dumping 20k in it). My father helped with the tough stuff, but I learned alot over a year. It is also about your experiences, in High School I interrned in a body shop, so I could learn how to do body work, metal fab and paint. Later on I worked in an exhaust shop during college and learned about exhaust and how to weld. Also in college I took some welding classes that really helped. During that time I had subscriptions to like 10 different car/truck magazines. Nowadays I watch tv (The power block, Orange County Choppers, American Hot Rod), yes they are cheesy but they do have some good info if you can get past the BS....

IMO bought or built doesn't matter, however I take great pride in the work I do...

built here....and agree with ranwalk. some that lay down thousands more then the person who built it will walk around like they know shit but mean while they dont.

as for "subing" work out, hey we all cant do everything. some are more Fab knowledgable, some know the internals of a trans, some know the specs of a shortblock.....those things are fine to pay for. now to have someoen install it and etc is a different story.

everyone has to learn at somepoint and thats fine to help a buddy out do your swap. atleast youre there and learning. but to drop off your ride with soeoen then come back a time period later and take it....is a whole different story.

this is the best one................buying someone else's toy.....say for example the new owner of Parish's truck....we all knwo who built that truck but say all of a sudden that new owner runs his mouth and that...that is the worst.

I'm 100% with slowprocess...When i first joined this site my sierra was exactly like his. I don't have a lot of mechanical experience. I was in the ATV sand drag scene before this and did bolt ons and such but never been inside a motor. I paid to have everything done on that white truck except my header install, which i did myself, and my cam swap, which dirt_track_racer_81 did for me( i did kinda help). But everytime i paid to have something done, i was there watching and learning. I still don't have any desire to do a gear swap, but I have started doing SOME of my own tuning(still got tyler helping me with that to). On my new truck I have installed my headers, designed and helped build the exhaust, installed my nitrous system(4times:bang:), and I reassembled my motor after the cam swap. Tyler did my base tune for me when the truck was new and then i tweaked here and there and now he's done the tune for my cam and I'm tweaking here and there. So i haven't done all the work myself, big deal, but, I have decided on all the parts to buy, and I decided who I wanted to help me get me where i wanted to go. Who cares if you have to have some help...some people need to swallow their pride sometimes...One of the guys over on the TOTM voting thread stirring things up has a converter being sent off to get fixed because he cracked the hub and also has several stiches in his finger from trying to get it done himself. Not that thats a bad thing, you live you learn. But, thats one reason people PAY to have stuff done, because they don't know what they're doin or don't feel comfortable just jumping into something