Looking for a reason to keep going
 

I appreciate all of your kind words and encouragemt that I have received after posting my pics. It is nice when others appreciate what you are doing and the effort it takes along with emotional highs and lows that goes along with any project.

Right now I am at an emotional low. It does not help that my youngest son gave me a cold and the medicine always makes me pissy. Or that I got to meet with my accountant yesterday and the government is wanting another big chunck of hard earned money. I guess the kicker to all of this is I have been fighting with a guy in Long Island to send a short block and heads for almost a year. His shop has gone under and he owes me a lot of others parts and or money. To make a long story short he finally sent my short block, no heads, and it is worthless. So now it looks like I am going to take about a $4000 loss on the whole deal and be back to square one on the engine.

I work on cars because I love the hobby. I have done it my entire life, but for the last 6 months it has not been very fun. Between the motor and really pushing to get the car finished, it has become one of the bigger stressors in my life. I am at the point where I need to decide whether to push on and complete the car, take a break, or sell it the way it sits and move on.

Ask yourself, what will you gain/lose by selling and what would you gain/lose by keeping it?

It helps me sort through things to think about it this way.

~Eric
Almost a LMFT ;)

Do a BIG push and finish the car.. enjoy it and get the passion back..

I got burned out once.. sold the cars and became a "non car guy".. well not really since I got sad every time I saw a car show, event or nice musclecar drive by.. I would say "I used to have a car like that...".. the "used to" part sucked..

If you sell it you will regret quitting and giving up.. you will always have "what ifs" and everytime you see a nice 69 slide by you will be sad.

:)

Hey Payton, it's life man.

We all have our ups and downs and sometime everything sucks. Over the years I have learned that how dark and misserable everything is there is always light at the end of the tunnel. It can be far to it but it evetually comes. Even though you feel low now in the future you will regret that you sold your car. Don't do that!!

Take a break, charge your batteries. Do something else for a while and then go to a car show or meet and I can assure you that the inspiration will be back before you know it.

We have all had our missfortunes with our cars, more or less. Myself I blew my engine last summer after my rebuild to ProTouring. Only made 500 miles in it. It was hard and I really missed it. The whole winter I was looking forward to really drive it. Now I will do it this summer.

We all must have something to look forward to, sometimes we have to wait to be able to fullfill what we want.

Our cars ar part of our souls, part of our lifestyle, we need them to live. But as everything in life it is not always a dance on roses but if you wait it out you will get the urge back and then in a not to short future you will be cruising down the road in your very cool car.

Don't give up my friend, hang in there. We will all support you.


Jan

Payton

Here is what I do. I cover my project up, close the garage door, and stay away from it for a while until I am no longer pissed at the project. A sweet sunny day will come and you'll hear a set of flowmasters off in the distance and "The Love" will return. It is a phase and believe me we have all been "Rammed" on our rides in one form or the other.

Hang in there Bro, We are all pullin for ya.

I agree, take a little time off. And give yourself a little more time to get it done.

Trying to get a car done by a certain time, can be very stressfull. Sometimes I get sick of not being able to sleep well some nights because I'm thinking of all the little things I need to do, and I can't get them out of my head, :willy: .

But don't let the car become a never ending project either.

I've been there, done that more times than I'd like. I do as most above suggested and just stop working on it for a while. I will not work on mine if there's no "fire" going on. You'll start taking shortcuts and making poor decisions. If you're a car guy like I think you are the "fire" will return.

Good luck in your decision Payton.

Jody

All you need to do...
 

..is look at the homepage of this site, and the cars that are presented, and that should be more than enough incentive to keep going....If I gave up when my car sat in paint jail for 2 years, or when I got ripped on my motor, or a host of other things that happen, not just to you or I, but EVERYONE from time to time, I would be sick that I didn't follow through....every situation is different, YOU are the only one who knows what is best for you and your family...It is easy to make a decision to quit, but in the long run the rewards of perseverence can be great.....

Good Luck

p.s. As a sidenote, I have made some of my bestfriends (Scott, Brent, Jody...) because of my car...That is a byproduct that is better than the car itself...

...and the Pivot man.... :D

Jeff brings up a good point. I built this website as motivation to work on my car. All of the cars, projects, and events pictures are inspiration to me. I've also made some great friendships because of this and they are a great support system when things get frustrating.

I can see how getting burned by the shop would take some serious wind out of your sails, but lets hope the guys here on Lateral-g can encourage you to keep the faith.

Email or call me. Maybe I can help you with your Long Island problem. ;)

Payton, I think Jim may have said it best, take a break for a while. Jody also hit the nail right on the head as far as not working on it when there is no "fire" going on in your gut. You will plan better, and build better, when fueled by desire to do a good job, vs. the desire to "just be finished"...Remember that this is a hobby and something you should be enjoying... Big projects like these, where you are rebuilding the entire car can be really daunting at times. And it can be easy to get a little discouraged when every car project featured in the media seems to get built in 4 days and with unlimited resources...When I get in a funk like what you are describing, that's when I usually put down the car hobby and go play with computers or my ATVs, or do some woodworking...It's amazing too, (at least for me) how, after you back away from your project for a little while, when you come back to it, you seem to have some new insights/better ideas. It's like your brain keeps working on it in the background! Anyway...I've rambled enough. As Jim said, we are all pullin' for you! :thumbsup: -Rob

OOOooooooohhhhhhhhh....... Someone's gonna get a tire iron to the head, huh? :yes:

Payton, all I can say is to not give up hope. I've had a lot worse come up in my life that easily could have ended my project. Well, more than just my project, actually. Anyway, don't let these things get to you. If you have to take legal action against the guy, it's what you gotta do. Even in the condition it's in, my car is my life. It means everything to me. You have a family, a good job, and a great future in your project. Take a break from it. Chill with the family for a while, and you'll get your urge to work on the car back. Everyone will tell you that the sickness that is the hobby comes and goes. Problem is, once you get it, it's in your blood. It will never leave. Don't let this setback bring you down. Just find a better place to do you right.

You are sooo close!!!! I agree with everyone else, and it may become the preaching of the choir to an extend. I can't relate to the extent of doing all the work yourself, because I didn't. But it took four years for my car to see completion, and there were points when I really didn't have anyplace to go but to sell...and yet I didnt, I just kept it around and sat in the half baked interior and got the slightest idea of what it would be like to finally drive. And let me tell you, after I did finally get to drive it...the sensation was even better.

I have been blessed with gentlemen around me that taught me patience, understanding, and the value of the hobby beyond the cars themselves.

I think you know the answer, you just needed us to tell you what you are already thinking. Give it a break for a little, but do not give up.

Tim

Would name-calling help? We could call you demeaning names until you found your "motivation" again...

...just trying to help....


SP~!

I generally keep the name calling to my car, although Trush has been on the recieving end of my name calling a few times. :D

cars are cheaper than cocaine, look at it that way.

big spenders might toss 30,000 a year into it

you'll pay that much on a car and then never have to worry about legalities :)


i say build it and enjoy it, show your kid what a real car is like, get him into old cars instead of hondas, and refresh your memory on the enjoyment of having something entirely yours that makes you freeeeeee

Payton take it from someone who has been there a couple of times.Ive been down and out youve been there for me with the same comments that the rest of these guys are all saying.Dont give up just take a break for a while.Get life back in order and return to the car when you can.Its hard sometimes but try to look down the road and see that it will get done. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Call me if you need, two four eight 802-6194

Chris

i feel your pain brah, this is the way i look at it, lifes short and as far as i know it only comes around once, enjoy every minute of it like it's your prom night with pockets full of cash, gas in the hotrod and your girl is hot to trot and then kiss your wife and tell her how much you love her, give you son a huge hug and never let go of him or your dreams, including your right to set your tires ablaze and send your tach full circle! :thumbsup:

Car
 

Payton, I've enjoyed all the phone calls, emails over the past couple years, you always had excitement in those conversations about camaro's, I empathize with what you are feeling. Sometimes these car things overwhelm us, as does life in general, but don't make any rash decisions. Take a little time and the answer will come.

I'm kinda at that point now a little myself, just chilling for the time being and enjoying other things also, cars can get overwhelming.

I have had many numbered matching rare Chevelles and Camaros over the past 15 years, which was no fun and too political, then I saw the Mule and I fell in love with the pro-touring setup and have made alot of friends and learned alot recently all because of that. To me that's the real cool part, no bickering political B.S. at shows just everybody supporting one another.

Hang in there and when the car gets done it gets done- no pressure here.

Stuart

P.S. I have State Farm - does that help!!! :thumbsup:

Payton,

Like the others have said. Just take a break from it and do something else for a month. The passion will come back as strong as ever.

I think we have all felt or been in a similar position as you are right now and we understand. Hang in there, and you know we are here for support.

Well Payton:

I feel like adding my "ditto" in here based on what these other guys are saying. Most of the advice given is right on target. Back away for a bit. Come back with recharged batteries and make it happen.

A couple things that help me get thru my day (and the adversity that goes with it a lot of my life)

1. Life is journey, not a destination.

I took that one and applied it to my life to remind myself daily that getting there isnt what matters. Enjoying the journey does. If I died tomorrow, without ever even coming close to seeing that Pro-touring camaro in my dreams, I am still better for being here on these boards and for setting the goal and working towards it.

2. Its all how you look at it.

I tended to focus on the negative. (and still do though I try not to.) If you do this as well, remind yourself there is another side to it all. Yes you have had some downers with your project. But look at all you have accomplished! Hey, I am still working on a garage :P

3. And lastly, Nothing worth having is easy to get.

I would hate to see you give it all up and have regrets. If you decide to throw in the towel, do so because you have something else in life you want more.

Hope any of that helps ya.

Russ
Camaro (and Garage) Builder Wannabe

Thanks
 

I would like to give you my sincere appreciation for all of the comments that have been posted.

I went down to the shop where my car is presently residing and I rubbed on the fender, stroked the roll cage and smiled at my C5 front suspension. All is right in the world again. I know that seems like a quick turn around, but making a congecal visit helped more than I would have thought. Also reading your comments and getting your support helped as well.

My car is close....after the exhaust then it is time for paint and assembly. Obviously, the motor setback is not good. I am more pissed at being taken advantage of than anything. I will also be out additional money, but I have changed directions so many times during the build that I have probably cost myself just as much as the dude screwing me.

So the birds are singing, the sun is shinning and I once again have a smile on my face. I have taken any self imposed time pressure off of myself and I am going to go back and try to treat this as a hobby and not an obsession...well maybe not the hobby part it is still an absession. Dr. Phil couldn't cure this.

It will be done when it is done. Thanks again for your thoughts and support.

Its Miller time!

Does that mean we can start riding you about when it will be done again? :D

car
 

Yep, I got the saddle on...start riding my ass.

Later in the week I am thinking about putting in the drivers seat and make car noises and pretend that I am driving down the road. No one try to lie and say that they have never done that either.

I have never done that. . .

Though I did sit in the grass where my garage may be and pretended I was working on a car. . . . Is that ummm bad? :D

Russ
Camaro (and garage) Builder Wannabe

Dude that is Out There!! At least you have Vision, most men lose that after a Mortgage and Kids and Wife and repeatedly failing at mind reading and and and.....

Reading your signature, that's expected behaving. Keep the spirit, soon it will be the real thing you are driving down the road.

Jan