Jumping in to Stock Eliminator

[Wayne Scraba]

Although it's not a Stock Eliminator car, you might find this interesting:

Recently, I quickly added up the invoices for suspension, steering, wheels, tires and brakes on my Nova street machine. I'm a Canadian, but all of the prices were in US dollars, without shipping or taxes. The total was north of $9250 and that doesn't include the rear end assembly. That's for a leaf spring car that is similar to a stocker. There's one caveat: I did use Detroit Speed upper and lower a-arms ($1400 or so), but if it was a stock eliminator car, I still would have had bushings, ball joints and mods to install the shocks to deal with.

What I'm getting at is you can end up with a lot of $$$ in what seems like a simple rebuild, if you decide to use good quality parts.

Just food for thought....

[Signman]

There is a lot to be said with building your own stocker you must have the equipment, skills, drive and time.



The satisfaction of getting it to the track (which most never do) then racing it and being successful can not be beat. It's what Stock is all about!


When buying an existing car the good cars are not cheap and the cheap cars are not that good. Of course high / low price is relative to the class and combination.
The Pickup Truck above if you're OK with the class it fits is probably the buy of the year seeing who built it. Meet at the track watch it run and take it home.

[Jeff Stout]

I did nearly everything on Olds Stocker and buying swap meet, ebay and having junk on shelf to use it still came to over 9k to build. Machine work on block and basic everyday head job was what I farmed out. Trans kit, bearings, gaskets, rings were about the only new items.

[dAT1]

Originally Posted by Jeff Stout

I did nearly everything on Olds Stocker and buying swap meet, ebay and having junk on shelf to use it still came to over 9k to build. Machine work on block and basic everyday head job was what I farmed out. Trans kit, bearings, gaskets, rings were about the only new items.

That's the way to got if possible...What set up were you running

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by dAT1

That's the way to got if possible...What set up were you running

307/138 in a 1988 Custom Cruiser

[Rory McNeil]

What is your predicted timeline? I spent 3 years building my Mustang Stocker, then spent another 2 years testing/breaking/sorting out stuff and figuring out how to get it working half decently. A deal like Mr. Irvings could have you competitive next weekend. Yes, there certainly can be satisfaction in building your own car, but there are an awful lot of partially done, and sadly, likely to never be raced, race cars sitting in garages , covered in dust and cardboard boxes. I`m in my 60s, and if I ever get another Stocker, I will likely buy one already done. Its too easy to lose interest on long term project cars. (this is coming from a guy who is finally nearing completion of an 18 year street strip project car, so I do have some insight on this subject!)

[HR9121]

Originally Posted by Signman

There is a lot to be said with building your own stocker you must have the equipment, skills, drive and time.



The satisfaction of getting it to the track (which most never do) then racing it and being successful can not be beat. It's what Stock is all about!


When buying an existing car the good cars are not cheap and the cheap cars are not that good. Of course high / low price is relative to the class and combination.
The Pickup Truck above if you're OK with the class it fits is probably the buy of the year seeing who built it. Meet at the track watch it run and take it home.

Totally agree with everything Frank said and buy of the year. Heck it's got me thinking about adding a Momomopar to the stable. That's a deal!

[Detroit Bob]

One thing everybody has missed is, when you buy something already done, from a guy who knows his way around these things, you can bend his ear for advice and direction.
Believe me when I say, that kind of help is priceless.

[Jim Caughlin]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

What is your predicted timeline? I spent 3 years building my Mustang Stocker, then spent another 2 years testing/breaking/sorting out stuff and figuring out how to working half decently. A deal like Mr. Irvings could have you competitive next weekend. Yes, there certainly can be satisfaction in building your own car, but there are an awful lot of partially done, and sadly, likely to never be raced, race cars sitting in garages , covered in dust and cardboard boxes. I`m in my 60s, and if I ever get another Stocker, I will likely buy one already done. Its too easy to lose interest on long term project cars. (this is coming from a guy who is finally nearing completion of an 18 year street strip project car, so I do have some insight on this subject!)

My 'quick and dirty' '64 Comet SS/MA project is pushing the $20K mark and it hasn't gone in for paint or upholstery work yet. And that's doing all the labor myself.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

My 'quick and dirty' '64 Comet SS/MA project is pushing the $20K mark and it hasn't gone in for paint or upholstery work yet. And that's doing all the labor myself.

"Don't need no stinkin' paint and upholstery!"