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07-31-2014, 08:14 PM
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Long term project vs lifespan?
Anyone else ever think about this?
Like many decisions in my life, for better or worse, the contemplation of buying and building my 57 Brougham was "**** it". I layed it all out on paper. Should be completed for under 120k.
I have the capability, I have the determination, the money??? It will get there.
Flash back a few years. I have a 99 F355 GTS. Mint, fun as hell. Next to it, a 70 Malibu with a twin turbo LQ9.
Not sure if others can relate but since those cars were "finished" I felt a bit bored and having the ability to jump in either car and actually drive it was entirely underrated at that point.
So again, I get to a point in my life where I feel I want a project but this is biting off a HUGE chunk. Out of pure desire I buy the 57 Brougham. I do as much as I can until I run out of money and like anyone with an addiction, sell the Ferrari to keep funding it. Run out of money, sell the Malibu.
I'm now several years into a major project, at least 130K into it and maybe half way done? I still have passion for it, it is still an obsession but I often stop and ask myself, would I have been better off keeping what I had and actually driving this stuff????
Funny, when I'm building something I can't wait until it's done. When it's done, no matter how great it is, I'm bored. Strange hobby. Even though the Eldo was/is my "dream" car, I have had so much time working on it I have built the next 5 projects cars in my head, obsessively.
So, am I all alone here or has anyone else traded the current luxury of automotive enjoyment for the far off dream of driving the ultimate car you can imagine?
By the time I've completed my car, 5-8 years will have passed I'm sure. I do love the process of a build but I may have skewed the ratio to an undesirable timeline. Just don't have the bankroll to move forward at the pace I'm used to.
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69 Charger. 438ci Gen2 hemi. Flex fuel. Holley HP efi. 650rwhp @7250 510rwtq @5700. 95 F355. 96 Carrera 4S. 59 Cadillac series 62 convertible.
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07-31-2014, 10:31 PM
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Im sure others will understand what your talking about..
but I for one read some mental retardation in there.. a ferrari and a twin turbo malibu... to fund a 57 brougham.. oh well i guess some guys just got it like that..
Annnnndd...
Driving is what makes those cars WORTH messing with..
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07-31-2014, 10:52 PM
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For some its the journey and not the destination.
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Miles Boyer
96 Corvette
91 V8 S10
88 Olds Cutlass
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07-31-2014, 11:46 PM
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To Each his own....
I personally enjoy the build and then the pride of accomplishment.
My challenge is that I started the project, with the intention of father/son time, which we did get. And my son liked it so much he decided to start his own project. Unfortunately my project has taken a back seat.
Call it divided loyalties. His projects are for a vehicle that he needs to drive and can't have down for an extended period of time, my project is for something that doesn't need to run right away. I wish I could think about the build all the time, but that isn't realty for me at the time, too much else going on.
My son has learned that cars and trucks are something to challenge him and get enjoyment from. Good lesson. And his desires and ability to do the things he wants to do himself are limited, by budget, by talent, and by other priorities. Another good lesson. And he has learned that he has way more desires then budget. OUCH, that lesson REALLY HURTS!!
I knew that I could do my project, I had the expertise, creativity, tools, funds and support from others who have done more than I can, or will do. So I'm OK letting it go for now to support my son's needs.
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DETONATOR - 69 Camaro RS
LS1 - T56 - Chris Alston Frame - 2" drop
G-Link Rear - 4.20 gears in 9" - Mini Tubs
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08-01-2014, 09:17 AM
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I definitely understand what you're talking about. It's like some kind of sickness or something.....LOL Sometimes I'm not even finished with the current project before I'm thinking of the next one. Many "Wouldn't it be cool if my next project was" 's are floating through my head just about the time I'm 80% through a particular project..
That being said, I really like to drive my stuff after I get finished but it usually only takes me a couple of years before I'm bored with it and want to try something new. I've never once kicked myself for selling something and moving on.
Now, The '69 I'm working on that is now in the "running driving project" stage is an example of something I had to get done fast so that I'd have a second vehicle to drive. That gave me some extra motivation as I do have an ambition problem from time to time. If I have all the time in the world to finish something, I will literally take all the time in the world to do it. I am the Pontiff of Procrastination.
Anyway, to finance my '69 build, I had to sell my daily driver, which gave me the motivation I needed. That brings me to my second problem. Money. I NEVER have enough money to do this stuff but somehow manage to get by with it anyway. There always is something coming up like my mortgage, property taxes, or my house needing a new roof. So I sell stuff, junkyard dive, beg borrow and trade my way to getting it done somehow.
The money problem is one of the reasons that I often like to build cheap stuff that doesn't look the best but does cool stuff. I like things to perform well but I'm not a stickler for tiny details. Don't get me wrong, I notice the details and greatly appreciate the time and thought that goes into them on better builds than mine, but I'm extremely likely myself, to just say "F' it!", good enough. Get it done and get out and enjoy it. Paint doesn't make a car more fun to drive, neither do $4000 rims, or billet hinges, or smoothed firewalls but a flame throwing supercharged engine with the suspension and brakes to match DO make a car fun to drive. I think this is why I really appreciate the current rat rod thing. Of course I do enjoy my "creature comforts" like a comfortable interior and AC.
In the end, all of that stuff doesn't matter. It's the fun of planning, dreaming and actually building something that I enjoy a lot. I love driving it after but the building of it with my own ingenuity and two hands is probably what I enjoy the most. I guess some people don't understand that. I suspect most of them had a shop do a lot of their work for them.
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'69 RS Camaro
'99 SWB Silverado LS "Beater"
'01 GMC Sierra 2500HD LQ4 (Turbo build)
'04 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4
My '69 Camaro Build Thread
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08-01-2014, 10:18 AM
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Wecome to the club brother!!
Most people on this forum have some sort of project A.D.D......some of us are afflicted way worse.
To complicate things, there are those moments when you realize your first, or second, or third plans for a certain aspect just aren't what you want them to be. The rework, the money, the days off the calender, it wears on you. All in pursuit of perfection, full well knowing perfection is unattainable, it doesn't exist, you press on. Cutting up perfectly good parts fresh out of the box, modifying your plans, telling yourself "what's a couple more days?" Deadlines come and go. Weld shows up in your thread to tell you how many cars he has finished since you started
You _love_ the car but you hate what it has done to your life.....consuming every waking moment. Your mind wanders, you go a little crazy really. You start to think an amphicar would be fun. Cool stuff comes in the shop and you think you would rather have that. You miss the little projects of throwing parts at a late model, compared to the prototype work we do on early stuff, drilling holes in a late model is a cake walk. You need some time off, so you go to a car show or a track event, as if breaking something on the car you have is a vacation.
You are not alone. Just this moring I had two future projects run through my head.....a 58 Edsel with a GT500 powerplant and a chassis to carry it but done up like a bellflower custom, candy, metalflake, lace, etc.....from that it was a 29 roadster with an aluminum flathead, pretty traditional car with two sets of wheels and tires designed to murder the Goodguys autocross with the right driver. That was this moring. I haven't worked on my Mustang in 2 months.......Shop has been busy....life has been busy
I try not to think about my mortality.....everybody dies, I'm going to do something different.
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Donny
Support your local hot rod shop!
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08-01-2014, 12:00 PM
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I have 2 cars the Nova and a nice GN. they both sit there and I drive a Jeep to work. lol
it never rains, it is always sunny. both are insured and have gas in them. and I drive the jeep..........lol I GET IT.
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08-01-2014, 05:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift
To complicate things, there are those moments when you realize your first, or second, or third plans for a certain aspect just aren't what you want them to be. The rework, the money, the days off the calender, it wears on you. All in pursuit of perfection, full well knowing perfection is unattainable, it doesn't exist, you press on. Cutting up perfectly good parts fresh out of the box, modifying your plans, telling yourself "what's a couple more days?" Deadlines come and go. Weld shows up in your thread to tell you how many cars he has finished since you started
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You nailed it Donny!
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2004 NASA AIX Mustang LS2 #14
1964 Lincoln Continental
2014 4 tap Keezer
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08-01-2014, 06:37 PM
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Ok I'll jump in as well Jim. First I'm with you on wow I had a car that ran and drove and now I took it apart to "build it" lol
I think sometimes for some of us (not me every day) that are in the industry; we get burned out and when you get home you just think it would be cool to just jump in a car and go cruse around, go racing or what ever. I'm somewhat lucky because I work in the industry but I don't work on cars all day.
I'm with you, I like the planning, the building, the finished product but then I get board and I want to start the next project. Once I get into the next one I think what the he!! am I doing
I'm just getting back on my 2nd gen after it sitting for 9 months. I would play here and there but just not much motivation to really get on it. The crazy thing is I had lots of motivation to do other things, bike ride like crazy, yard work, stuff around the house.
I'm not building a car to the caliber that you are as far as parts and fab work and mine still runs  but I still need an LS motor
I'm building something I can get in and go for a drive and have fun with, could I build a 100K plus car sure I can (not at once but sure)! I chose to do other things that make me happy, like bike riding (which is about to cost me more money Marty  but I'm good with it and when my car is done it's done!
When it becomes like work to go out in the shop and work on your car that's when you need to take a step back and say either I need a break or maybe I shouldn't be building it in the first place??
I think my next project will most likely be a newer car or truck?? I've thought of selling what I have and just go get a C6 Z06 and mess with it maybe I will but then I think I can't have both my kids at the same time so then I think I'll build a truck?? Or buy a new one and do it up
If you are still happy with the build keep going and you will get it done, if not well you know what to do, just have Tom bank roll it to finish it up??
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Rick
[SIGPIC]https://neversaynever0304.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/you-didnt-see-anything.gif[/SIGPIC]
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08-01-2014, 07:57 PM
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It comes down to what floats your boat. The problem with a custom car is, you don't know what you have until it's finished. I hope it was worth the expense and loss of seat time in the afformetioned cars. Me, I've lost the desire for pissing countless dollars and time down the drain on a custom build. I'm certainly not judging you as I understand the thrill of the build process and the payoff of the results found after some serious persistence. Good luck on your build...
Ferrari: I don't care what people think of me. However, I don't want to be treated like a 2nd class citizen. ha (My BMW is about 2/3rds as bad)
70 Malibu: It's finished and I'm ready to turn the key whenever my heart desires.
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Todd
Last edited by Vegas69; 08-01-2014 at 08:08 PM.
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