Dec. 2025

Ya gotta be so careful!

 I’ve been involved with buying, building, and admiring cars and trucks since I was a young boy in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. I started going to car shows with my dad in about 1955 by going to the huge antique car show and swap meet in Hershey, PA. So, I’ll say I’ve been around this ‘hobby’ for some 70 years.

I’m seeing some terrible trends lately that I wanted to address and caution folks about what is going on. My Warning: Follow the Money—your money.

Do you know anybody that has a shop (or two), that has been hired to, I’ll say, build your beautiful car and get it to you finished in a timely manner? I know of about 5 that are in that position right now. Some shops, and not all, but some, just want you to send them money because it takes money to finish the job. Well, how about this—they take pictures, get you to send money and then go on to the next one and do not keep working on yours! I would say for you to ‘follow the money’! Go and see your project. It’s your hard-earned money.

Not all shops do this, but yes---some do.

On another note: It costs WAY more to build a car or truck than it does to buy one and just fix the things that will make it yours with your own personal touches. I tell people to buy the car, keep it for a year or so and then decide: Do I keep it and fix and upgrade, or sell it and move on. Sometimes you sell it for even a bit of a profit! (What a concept!!)

I don’t know, I just want to warn you that money now-a-days can be precious. Don’t let yourself be scammed into this situation.

On another note, I’m hearing that some shops will build your car the way they want it, not the way you want it. What a concept!!! What a shame. Just be prudent and be careful.

That’s all I have to say this morning, but as I said above, just be prudent.

George Masters, President Dakota Cruisers,
Minot, North Dakota