Looks awesome!
Question for you if you don't mind answering.
How much do you have invested in it? Purchase + parts? Another number would be the hours you've spent on it and the value of your time.
Trying to get an idea of what you have invested vs. it's current value. I know it has value to you and it's a "keeper" but wondering as a whole how you've made out OK considering you got screwed on the initial purchase.
Great question,I should have sat an did a video on that.im actually going over this as I type.as far as itional cost,
4,500 rtv
400$ donar engine
Scrap metal an alluminum 80$
Winch,wires ,controler, 70$
Por 15 an matte black paint 80$
New tires 200$
Rim 80$
Fasteners bolts,clips 100$
Oil fluids clost to 120$
The kawasaki bed i got was 200$
Rest of items im not listing because I had stuff laying around,which wasn't a lot,but no sense in adding it.
Now my time.....
Not sure how people want to look at that.
I'm retired so it didn't take me away from anything,an I will asmit,admit, went overboard on so many things that could have been done in a normal world much quicker an faster.i will be first to admit im a fanatic an it bothers me all the time I waste going the extra steps.
I used to work on private car collections at when I say some of the biggest an most prestigious ones in the world,im not understanding it by any means.i have stuff from the Harley Davidson museum to TV shows. Mostly brass era stuff,like mercer an 1 off duesenburgs.(appligize on spelling lol I suck at that) so I have always had to do that extra step or extra precautions such as simple as tightens a brass flat head screw on a cork sideboard,you slip once ,throw the screw out,an all screws ending with slit in same direction.but im going way off topic I just realized.
MY TIME!! Idk I will leave that for the guests here to decide because ( in my opinion) all of us measure out time differently .an many different circumstances as well.
I also owned my own fabrication shop., (since retired) sold everything ro live my dream of on a mountain an built my own dovetail log cabin .hence why I needed this rtv!
But when I had my shop I picked an chose my jobs an wouldn't touch a project for the most part that wasn't paying 100$ a hour,but that can't be said here i don't think.
So I guess add all the (hard parts)
An the machine
So let's call that 6k (bit less i know)
I'm going to just throw this out there, by no mean would kubota do what I did,it wouldn't be feasible for customer or company I think we can agree on that lol.
But for me I needed this,an in actuality I could have bought a new head for 500$ bolted it on, an also just plated the frame an call it completely usable an workable .
So if a friend brought me this rtv an said to me fix it so it can be used an not to worry about looks or (doing it perfect)
I could have charged my labor an had it out of there an hom happy for............
1k in all honesty.
An here's the kicker!!!!
Thats what I intended on doing!!!
But when I was able to buy that entire engine for the price of a new head,I got into it.now I have a brand new motor on the engine stand an looking at the frame for probably 3 days before I eve. Cut a piece of rot off of it,I couldn't get myself to just plate it an put it back together. I tried so hard in so many places on this rtv to just GET IT DONE an I just kept doing it right! I was all alone literally mad an yelling at myself for doing what I did.
That is the 100% honest truth.
I apologize for such a long reply,it was a loaded but great question lol.i wish to god (im thinking this as im typing) that all of us in this forum could actually talk.thst would be great an leads me to say
WHY DONT WE!??
since your good at this an im new mayb anyone here thats interested in this build we could all set a day an time to get together an have a zoom meeting! We all talk here but wouldn't it be nice to put a face an voice to one another?
If people that read this like to do that, let's do it! We could all be next to our rtv's an log on to a group video chat introduce ourselves an talk about an answer questions ! I think it be great an willing to do so.
I'm going to make a follow up video for YouTube on your question as well.
So I'm going to sum the bottom one up in my opinion .
If I was to put this up for sale, I think I would have no problem getting 10k for this machine,I do think I could get more in fact being literally a new frame,better than factory in many ways,new engine,1 hour mayb on it, I don't think the year matters much,in fact I think the older ones are better in many ways except for independent rear, which is very nice.an don't think for a second it didn't cross my mind in looking into making mine independent,lol I did.but I'm going to stop talking here an I forgot to add the new front axles,an also a tie rid end.but still I said 6k an all actuality was 5, 600
So I'm still in ballpark. If I forgot anything please do let me know but I'm close.
I'm also in middle of making the tailgate for the bed an will be making a video on that today
So let's all do a group zoom!
