cost of prostock car from builder?? (1 Viewer)

Doug in the woods

Nitro Member
As I understand it a pro stock car is the most technological advanced vehicle out there.
From the builder I assume the owner buys a car with all the suspension, wiring, a complete car less the engine and transmission at what round a bout price.
I would guess a prostock would be higher priced than a fuel car or dragester w/o drivetrain
just off season wondering
 
Doug,
the last time that I checked a new pro stocker (less engine, clutch and transmission) was real close to $100,000. That is without "options" like multi colored paint, ulta trick shocks etc.

Roo
 
a friend of mine just picked up his new haas built pro-mod and with a plain 2 color paint job, extra wishbone, and wheelie bars, andthe ticket was $140,000.00. some of todays pro stock cars are probably using a little more titanium and other exotic metals in the construction to keep weight down so i suppose the final bills could even be higher. although most of the costs are over exgerated. i have seen prices for paint jobs on these new cars for over $10,000.00 for a single color job, and as a painter myself (and i have painted some brand new pro mods but not for $10,000.00) i have to say that is rediculous. i guess if one person charges that much, everyone else tries too.
 
A pro stocker at 125k+ has to be the most expensive car to build. 1 motor has to be in the 150k+ range as well. A guess the only thing that would make a fueler more expensive to run is the parts attrition.
 
A pro stocker at 125k+ has to be the most expensive car to build. 1 motor has to be in the 150k+ range as well. A guess the only thing that would make a fueler more expensive to run is the parts attrition.

Does anyone even sell an engine that you MIGHT qualify with? I thought it was all leasing.
 
By the time you get to the track ready to qualify with a new car, engine, tires, clutch, tranny, etc, etc. close to 300K! If you were doing a new startup operation with truck, trailer, cars, engines, tools, people, etc. First yr just to get there way in excess of 1 million. Also cost well in excess of 1.5 million in expense each year just to stay competitive!! If you win every race the NHRA will pay you the handsome sum of around $500,000, man are we rolling in the $$. Best way to become a millionare in drag racing is to start with 3 million, you will have 1 million very quickly. Guess we love it!!
 
Thanks for the insight, Allen. You should know if anyone does!! Hope you guys have found that "little extra" for next season. Change at the top is good!

Late..............Mitch
 
i have seen prices for paint jobs on these new cars for over $10,000.00 for a single color job, and as a painter myself (and i have painted some brand new pro mods but not for $10,000.00) i have to say that is rediculous. i guess if one person charges that much, everyone else tries too.[/QUOTE]


About 11 years ago I spent a month at Jim Hooker's place, painting cars straight from Haas' shop. I remember going into it thinking that they got a mint for their paint jobs, but back then the cars were rough when they came from the chassis shop. The $$ was very reasonable considering the effort that went into it. The door jambs are wet sanded and buffed, the graphics continue through all openings, etc. Single color paint jobs are treated as meticulously as multi-color jobs. Jim won't let it out until it's perfect. Fresh out of the chassis shop the cars may be nicer now than they were then, but back then it was worth every penny.
 
About 11 years ago I spent a month at Jim Hooker's place, painting cars straight from Haas' shop. I remember going into it thinking that they got a mint for their paint jobs, but back then the cars were rough when they came from the chassis shop. The $$ was very reasonable considering the effort that went into it. The door jambs are wet sanded and buffed, the graphics continue through all openings, etc. Single color paint jobs are treated as meticulously as multi-color jobs. Jim won't let it out until it's perfect. Fresh out of the chassis shop the cars may be nicer now than they were then, but back then it was worth every penny.

Tim,
I am with you there. It takes a huge number of hours to prep one of those things for the quality paint job that guys like Hooker apply. Just the backmask job to paint the frame is very time consuming.
Likewise on the cost of the car itself. These things used to be relatively simple but now there is a bunch of time goes into the detail fabrication. Welding up the frame takes no time at all (relatively) but adding all the little tabs and brackets and making the closeout panels is a nearly endless task when done to the standards of the top builders.
Funny car body mounting is the same. I love doing the nostalgia style cars because they are so simple compared to the big show stuff. The other plus to the nostalgia stuff is that it generally stays nice while the big show cars get beaten to death very quickly.

Roo
 
Back when we were running funnys we mounted a new body. What a lot of work. I spent about a week on the body alone before the tin and trees. When you see a car that is detailed really nice, remember it was done with long hours and attention to detail.
jim
 
The cost of a new Pro car has skyrocketed in the last 12 years. The only reason these chassis builders can demand such high prices is because they get away with it. The millionaire playground in which drag racers play is saturated with guys with a lot of money, and the top builders say this is the price take it or leave it.

Back in 1995 our RJ Cutlass was 50K, just bring your engine trans and clutch and leave the shop and put it in the water box. It was a steel roof and quarters car that was very time consuming to build. Probably with some more computer options and electric shocks which we didn't get, the price would have been about 58K. If you want a new one with one color paint, you are gonna need about 127K.

Has anyone else here who works for someone get a raise that big in the last 12 years? Do you sell something that you now charge of 120% more for in the last 12 years, I know I don't.

These guys are cashing in, especially with 5 star bodies that can't be altered. The bodies aren't cheap but they take a lot less time to mount.

I guess I wish I still could afford to race, but it won't happen with those prices.

Tony
 
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Good to see you around Tony.

You are absolutely right. It is getting to where the names on the side of the car no longer are a mans name. It is an business or corperate entity. No more Dester Cambrons or Gordie Riveras on the car, now it has to say Mopar or Summit. The cost is something else. No big corperate sponsorship - no racing. That is what I miss the most about a decade ago of racing. Guys with a few bucks and some knowledge could run pro stock. Now you have to be a salesman to the sponsors first, then buy the guys with knowledge.
Not just the pro stocks, but I think they have taken the worst hit of all. But if you try to get a roller funny-car it is twice what it was a few years ago. Roush bodies now are over twice what Hairy wanted five to seven years ago. And with the new rules, try to see what a new TF car will run you to get it by the deadline.

Quite a bit is the parts to put it together, as they are increasing, but a good sum is like you say- because they can get that.
 
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By the time you get to the track ready to qualify with a new car, engine, tires, clutch, tranny, etc, etc. close to 300K! If you were doing a new startup operation with truck, trailer, cars, engines, tools, people, etc. First yr just to get there way in excess of 1 million. Also cost well in excess of 1.5 million in expense each year just to stay competitive!! If you win every race the NHRA will pay you the handsome sum of around $500,000, man are we rolling in the $$. Best way to become a millionare in drag racing is to start with 3 million, you will have 1 million very quickly. Guess we love it!!

Man, that's worse than the trucking business where it only takes two million to be left with a million!

Nice to see you, Allen. Haven't met you in person yet. I used to send my girlfriend, Shirley, down to your place to buy your used slicks to run on our bracket dragster. She always commented on how nice everyone was.
 
Trucking sucks:mad: We are our worst enemy back stabbing rate cuttin fools! The shippers keep on grinnin, i'm still saving to go back racing

Can't get a break in Bama:confused:
 
Trucking sucks:mad: We are our worst enemy back stabbing rate cuttin fools! The shippers keep on grinnin, i'm still saving to go back racing

Can't get a break in Bama

Yeah, owned my own since 96 and all we do is jump from one specialized thing with a little fat left on it to another. Luckily, what I do now involves three things the drivers don't want to do, which is go to the northeast, do a lot of stops, and handle the freight (cabinets).

The big companies come in and cut rates. Then, when the 22 or so year olds tear up enough stuff (property and/or equipment and/or freight) or enough of them quit over these hauls, we get it right back. :)

I hope what I'm doing now is my last stop in this business but, I said that a few companies/years ago. :D Come to think of it, I came into this work 22 years ago with a five year plan! :D

A friend of mine with a Sunoco station in Jersey is always showing me how much more money he's not making than I am! Everyone always acts like he's rich and he's always anxious to show them his books. He has to pull in $28,000 in a month before he sees dollar one. Another friend with a truck salvage yard tells me it's $37,000 for him.
 
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I just happened to see a brand new Cobalt from Haas sitting in an unnamed P/S shop this past Monday. The car is in primer with no paint in sight. I was told the car will be totally wrapped instead of paint. I didn't ask about the price difference between wrapping and paint but does anybody here have an idea?
 
...Back in 1995 our RJ Cutlass was 50K, just bring your engine trans and clutch and leave the shop and put it in the water box. It was a steel roof and quarters car that was very time consuming to build. Probably with some more computer options and electric shocks which we didn't get, the price would have been about 58K. If you want a new one with one color paint, you are gonna need about 127K.

Has anyone else here who works for someone get a raise that big in the last 12 years? Do you sell something that you now charge of 120% more for in the last 12 years, I know I don't.

These guys are cashing in, especially with 5 star bodies that can't be altered. The bodies aren't cheap but they take a lot less time to mount.

I guess I wish I still could afford to race, but it won't happen with those prices.

Tony
Tony,

Not arguing your point, but...

Cost of tubing and most other materials has more than doubled in the last 12 years... geez, a new set of 16" beadlocks is over $2000 and I'll bet the Weld wheels being run 12 years ago weren't even $600. Add to that the amount exotic materials being used... carbon fiber interiors/wheel wells and all the titanium. The cost of carbon fiber has tripled in the last few years.

Plus, the Five Star bodies are $6000 for the fiberglass version, not carbon fiber. As you noted, the older cars used factory panels that were provided by factory in many cases or could be bought for about $500 total... add a complete Hairy Glass carbon fiber Pro Stock and there was only about $2500 in the body. The cost of mounting either is that drastically different.

Add in the changes to shipping cost, utilities, labor, and insurance and I can see where the increase has come from.

There's no denying Pro Stock cars are expensive to purchase... but they ain't cheap to build either.
 
I just happened to see a brand new Cobalt from Haas sitting in an unnamed P/S shop this past Monday. The car is in primer with no paint in sight. I was told the car will be totally wrapped instead of paint. I didn't ask about the price difference between wrapping and paint but does anybody here have an idea?

Mike,

We looked into Wrapping the our Cobalt and it was around $3000.00 per car and that was a deal as I recall having them do 3 cars at once. But we still had to do all the Bodywork and Prep. It was pretty much a wash. The total paint package for the Cobalt was $8800.00 with Air Brushing and all of the Colors.


Tony,

Not arguing your point, but...

Cost of tubing and most other materials has more than doubled in the last 12 years... geez, a new set of 16" beadlocks is over $2000 and I'll bet the Weld wheels being run 12 years ago weren't even $600. Add to that the amount exotic materials being used... carbon fiber interiors/wheel wells and all the titanium. The cost of carbon fiber has tripled in the last few years.

Plus, the Five Star bodies are $6000 for the fiberglass version, not carbon fiber. As you noted, the older cars used factory panels that were provided by factory in many cases or could be bought for about $500 total... add a complete Hairy Glass carbon fiber Pro Stock and there was only about $2500 in the body. The cost of mounting either is that drastically different.

Add in the changes to shipping cost, utilities, labor, and insurance and I can see where the increase has come from.

There's no denying Pro Stock cars are expensive to purchase... but they ain't cheap to build either.

Five Star gets $10600.00 for a Cobalt Body with the Spoiler. Windows are $1000.00 more.

The last 3 cars we have had built the price does not include, Rims, Tires, Paint, Computer (Racepak), Ignition, Motor, Headers, Clutch, Trans or 3rd Member. But they all came with a 5 feet of .5 second warranty which ever comes first.

I am still waiting for my Customer Satisfaction Survey to show up in the mail...the Passenger side window has a slight wistle at 200 MPH and it shakes some times under acceleration.
 
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