After immersing myself in the selection process, and writing a few articles<\/a> on the cars, I noticed that there is some level of contempt\u00a0around the competition. One of the most prevalent criticisms is that it has become a cheque writing exercise.<\/p>\n Some enthusiasts turn their nose at\u00a0the entire competition because it doesn\u2019t\u00a0lend itself to the back yard builder, despite the fact that there are\u00a0no rules against their entry.<\/p>\n Detractors state that it is easy to build a car to Ridler\u00a0standards when money is no object.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not. Just ask any of the builders involved if it was \u2018easy\u2019 to put together a car of Ridler caliber.<\/p>\n Pundits\u00a0also claim that those who have someone else build their car are a lesser form of enthusiast.<\/p>\n But they\u2019re not. Talk to any of the vehicle owners and try not to hear the passion in their voice as they talk about what is now their car.<\/p>\n The notion\u00a0that a build is any less remarkable because of the money that went into it doesn\u2019t really make much sense. Owning and modifying a vehicle is not a great numbers game. Often it is cheaper to buy a car than it is to build one. Furthermore purchasable options are also usually easier to maintain, better performing and an overall better investment.<\/p>\n But in a hobby where individualization is an integral part, buying something that anyone else can fails to impress.<\/p>\n Creating a custom vehicle takes much more than money, it takes vision and execution. More often than not it also takes a combined effort from a number of individuals.<\/p>\n Devaluing a build because it was paid for by someone with the means to do so unfairly takes away from the people who put in the work. Those individuals had the talent, the client just provided the medium and often the idea.<\/p>\n There are hundreds, if not thousands,\u00a0of capable builders out there whose work goes virtually unnoticed because the right project never comes along.<\/p>\n That might be fine for some but there are many who both want and deserve for their work to be seen. It\u2019s unjust to dismiss the efforts of these builders simply because they were hired by someone who could afford\u00a0to pay for their talent.<\/p>\n Similarly\u00a0dismissing everyone\u00a0<\/em>who commissions their builds as a lesser enthusiast is an arrogant and narrow-minded perspective. Yes, there are some who write a cheque at the beginning and only reappear at the end. But, there are also many who can\u2019t\/won\u2019t\/don\u2019t spin a wrench but stay involved throughout the entire process.<\/p>\n These enthusiasts have sketched the car of their dreams out on napkin several times over, but have opted to have it built instead of building it themselves. Many race car drivers do not built their cars, are they not enthusiasts?<\/p>\n This question is rhetorical, and one I am constantly battling with on\u00a0my project<\/a>.<\/p>\n I am, at least historically, more a car assembler than a builder and there plenty of things outside my wheelhouse. Some of those things I have a desire to learn, or improve my skills at, and others I have little interest in and thus\u00a0problem with outsourcing.<\/p>\n Time is money and sometimes its more worth my time to pay the money.<\/p>\n Most who chant built not bought are in the same boat but too afraid to admit it. I\u2019m sure there are plenty of cars with built not bought<\/em> stickers on them sitting incomplete in garages around the world. The owners of these cars would no doubt love to have them out sooner if they could but a few extra dollars towards enlisting some help to lift them past the next hurdle.<\/p>\n There\u2019s really no shame in that either because time is the second most relevant reason to\u00a0call in the cavalry.<\/p>\n Life doesn\u2019t want anyone to build a car. There\u2019s only 24 hours in a day to figure out a problem, and most of those 24 hours are dedicated to things other than the build.<\/p>\n Days become months, months become years, and timelines are easily blown out as priorities change. Paying a shop, a good<\/em> shop, means that a build will be done by an established date.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re the type who enjoys the drive more than the build then paying makes perfect sense.\u00a0For those that enjoy the build over the drive paying someone else for the fun part doesn\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n But really it\u2019s just two different sides of the same enthusiast coin, and often the ones\u00a0who take the time to build things correctly don\u2019t criticize\u00a0those who pay to have things built.<\/p>\n Usually\u00a0the reason for this is because they<\/em> are the one\u2019s being paid\u00a0to do the building.<\/p>\n The die hard\u00a0do it yourself crowd may not realize it, but the pay someone to do it crowd is an important part of the enthusiast\u00a0community and industry.<\/p>\n Many of the best back yard builders are given the opportunity to do what they live for a living simply because people are willing to pay them for it.<\/p>\n Honestly, those people just might be the smartest of all. Cars are, typically, horrible at holding their value and there are tons of great deals to be had if you know where to look.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re comfortable with buying a finished or unfinished project then\u00a0by all means give it a go. I\u2019m surely not one to talk or judge, the chassis going under Project Why Wait<\/a> is one I bought and\u00a0didn\u2019t<\/em> build.<\/p>\n Finally, contrary to what those who live by built not bought mantra might think, paying for a build is not easy. It requires resources, and usually\u00a0these resources come from hard work. Hard work in a different way perhaps, but hard work all the same.<\/p>\n One person\u2019s talents might lie in creating a frame from scratch and another\u2019s might lie in working the stock market, or renovating a house for profit. It\u2019s all relative and one skill is no less valuable than another if it contributes to a car build.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017-great-8-ridler-gpt-2.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/2017-great-8-ridler-after-thought-2.webp\")
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<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fitted-lifestyle-2016-world-war-z-1-dn.webp\")
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<\/a>The reasons for outsourcing a build are plentiful but the most common is skill. Not everyone is capable of building something themselves. The analytical thinking, attention to detail, and motor skills required to safely<\/i>\u00a0build a vehicle is not a common trait among all people.\u00a0Is it better to try, and\u00a0potentially put yourself and others in danger or know when you are in over your head and call in the pros?<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/importfest-tt-v10-s15-2.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/unfinished-nationals-ls-c10-73.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/tim-brendas-2015-cab-over-gmc-1.webp\")
<\/a>If you\u2019ve gotten this far I\u2019m sure you are wondering how I feel about people who buy completed cars that were modified by their previous owner.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/howtokauai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/sie-gmc-update-2-7.jpg\")
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