Looking for a reason to keep going

[Payton King]

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.

[MaxHarvard]

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

[Steve1968LS2]

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.

[jannes_z-28]

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

[Ummgawa]

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.

[MarkM66]

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, .

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

[camcojb]

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

[RussMS]

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

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

[Payton King]

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!

[Ummgawa]

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