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I may have to sell...

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Morris

Morris

Yoda
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I just bought a new computer for work, and I may have to sell my car to pay for it. Ugh!

I was wondering if you guys could give me some feedback on how to maximize my dollars.

As some of you know my car is rather unique. It has a one-of-a-kind designed by me fuel injection system that runs on a Megasquirt computer. What I was wondering is if you guys thought I might be able to make more money by pulling the fuel injection system and selling it separately, then putting a carb on the car, and selling it.

The car has a rebuilt engine, transmission and front end. It also boasts a one-of-a-kind designed by me bolt-on front tube shock conversion. While the car is a daily driver with no rust problems, there are still many things that need to be done to the car (including completing the de-rubber-bumper-i-zation i started).

Your thoughts?
 
yea, my thought, you paid too much for the computer.
 
Wow Jack. I have put my blood sweat and tears into this project and no small amount of brain power. AND it works great. Is it really necessary to be mean?
 
There is no way you can spend more that a grand for a latest state of the art motherboard, chip, and memory. Heck all this stuff is plug and play now days.
 
I'm constantly dealing with doctors who went on the cheap and bought a sub par computer, then expect my group to make it work. If you're into image processing or cad programs the cost of a proper computer system can be a few thousand dollars easy. If you're getting a system to email and cruise the Internet then yes a system under a grand is fine.

Just my opinion but it might be better for you to leave the modifications if you've got a lot of documentation. If you can show the fuel injection system as reliable and getting consistent gas mileage that might mean a lot more with gas supply and prices the way they are.
 
I'd mothball the car and make budget cuts in other areas. You'll never get enough money back out of the car to make you not regret the decision.
 
Trevor Jessie said:
I'd mothball the car and make budget cuts in other areas. You'll never get enough money back out of the car to make you not regret the decision.
Click to expand...


:iagree:
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]yea, my thought, you paid too much for the computer.[/QUOTE]

and

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]There is no way you can spend more that a grand for a latest state of the art motherboard, chip, and memory. Heck all this stuff is plug and play now days.[/QUOTE]



Okay. Sorry Jack. I misunderstood your comment. I thought you were talking about the fuel injection computer.

I am a video/film professional, and I need a pretty beefy computer to do my job. Also, I bought a laptop, because I am going to be working a film shoot this fall and need to be mobile.

If I mothball the car until the computer is paid off, I will save $230 a year on insurance plus another couple hundred on routine maintenance and registration. Not a bad idea.
 
Keep it if you can, Morris. Seller's remorse is much worse than buyer's!
 
I always ask myself a question:
In a perfect world what would my options be?

Maybe you can find a way to increase income using the new computer?

You've probably already taken that into account and still are planning on coming up short. Sounds like it will be way short since merely selling the injection system would not allow you to keep the car.

Hard choices there. I can relate.

Also - about the computer expense, I'm in IT and I also have personal computers.
A few hundred bucks can get you a decent system for web surfing & playing games.
A few thousand is what it takes to keep a mobile professional working.
Have you priced out accidental damage insurance on a $2700 laptop - and you better have something that can fix or replace your machine within 24 hours.
That's just the rules of the road, I don't make 'em but I do respect 'em.
 
My $0.02...

The only types of Spridget that make much money are;

1) Nice, stock bugeyes and chrome-bumper cars, and;

2) Full-blown racecars.

Cars like mine (rubber-bumper, modified / personalized) have the annoying trait of absorbing a lot of money, while still selling on the open market for about the same price as a good used fender. The mods may make it more drivable, but they don't seem to be worth anything on resale.

So I'd say, as above... IF you can avoid selling, do so, as you might not get much in the end. But if there's no choice, I'd say put the bumpers back on, take the MS&S off if it's easily removed, clean the bejeezus out of it, and get it sold.
 
iagree.gif


In the long run you are better off keeping the car if you can swing it. I'm really interested in learning more about the megasquirt. Did you do any write up?
 
Laptop changes all the numbers. You get what you buy and are stuck with it.
 
Sounds like I'm in danger of having the only remaining fuel-injected EI Spridget on the road. What you'd get for the car can't possibly buy enough Haagen-daz to eat away the pain of the loss. Sell a child into slavery or take a night clerk job at the local stop-and-rob.
I would think that the entire EFI set-up with an accompanying video of it in operation along with good documentation would bring as much as the car.
Good luck, I hope you can hang onto it.

Glen Byrns
 
Most of us are biased on this board man. I keep going back to that picture you posted of you and your daughter (I think it was your daughter forgive me if my memory is less than perfect) dropping the engine in your car. You can't replace those moments. But you have to provide for the family the best way you know how. If you have to sell the car, you will regret it but you can always get another one down the road. And I bet the next time you won't get a 1500 RB. Or at least I know I wouldn't if I had it to do over. At anyrate, you have to follow your heart. I'd keep the car if I could swing it.
JC
 
tosoutherncars said:
My $0.02...

The only types of Spridget that make much money are;

1) Nice, stock bugeyes and chrome-bumper cars, and;

2) Full-blown racecars.
Click to expand...

Remove #2 from that list, race cars rarely bring 50 cents on the dollar, more like 30 cent on the dollar. :smile:

I can build you a nice race car for say $30-40K, drive it one event, and it may be worth $15K, if we can find a sucker :smile:
 
You can make a small fortune selling used race cars...but you have to start with a large fortune... :smile:

Right, Hap?

I sold a '60 Bugeye last summer that was track ready; receipts from the guy I bought it from totaled about $20K. The car brought $7500. I bought it right, kept it a year, decided I couldn't afford racing, and flipped it for a small profit.

Ray
6-12-04b.jpg
 
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