Diesel World: Old vs. New refurbishments, what's it going to take?

In the past few years, there has been a lot of debate about taking older diesel and rebuilding them, rather than buying a new one. It can make perfect sense for a person who is addicted to changing, like myself, to spend money making something yours wholeheartedly over buying something brand new and stock. Here come some big things into play: expense, efficiency, reliability, and comfort.

Cost is all about what your conclusion objective is. The more comfort/control/amenities you need, the more it's progressing to cost. But, for illustration, Adam, the editor of Diesel World magazine--under the publication of Engaged Media LLC, is looking to require and reestablish his 2001 F-250.

It is presentably at 600-rwhp, it has got power and is not so old, but it has reached a point where everything starts failing- door locks, window regulators, suspension bushes, engine sensors, Seat cushions, etc. Plus, it's a bit worn out in the department.

So he did some Math, in circular numbers, and with doing all the labor himself, he gauges that for generally $6K, he can get the interior nailed. New(ish) leather seats, headliner, and carpet from a wrecked 2010 Super duty will cost approx $2.5K. New window controls, door locks, and an unassuming stereo are another $2.5K. And for all unexpected things, there'll be a thousand that will still pop up. The engine is over anyway, but for the sake of this article, he came up with roughly $15 K to do the entire drivetrain (engine, trans, and axles) modestly. Put a paint job, new lamps, bumpers, mirrors, plastics, and frame bushings its way for a few thousand and, all in all, for basically a brand new vehicle, that's around $25K. We all know that ventures rarely meet their spot-on budget, but even though they increased the budget, it's still cheaper than a new $50,000-plus pickup.

The simple portion is obtaining late model performance and reliability with older rigs. Take, for example, a 1989 Ram with a Cummins, starting from scratch and going the cheapest route. If you do some searching, you can pick up one of those trucks for less than $5K. While reliable, modifying it to make 400 hp is not much compared to the head studs, injectors, turbo, and some pump mods. Throw a few thousand at the miscellaneous parts, and you have a good, reliable, 400-horsepower bare-bones pick up for under $10K. 

All this gave him something else to think about: he spent a decent part of his childhood with his dad repairing what he called "vintage" vehicles. Still, these cars were probably not as "vintage" to his father as it was to him. He grew up around OLD VS. NEW RESTORATIONS, WHAT IT TAKE? That was brand new, and he didn't consider himself vintage, just like he doesn't consider himself a 1980s diesel truck or a vintage. But the fact is, first-generation diesel trucks are becoming faster than they would like to admit than vintage vehicles. Classic Car Club of America recognizes automobiles 30 years of age or older as traditional or antique rides. Because of the body style, he can only barely see 1989 as a classic, but a 1993 Ram? Of Course Not. Believe it or not, the second-gen 12-valve will theoretically be the best diesel truck in just a few years. Feel old yet?