Vision Too Big For Bank Account????

[96z28ss]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I'd sweep their floors for months just to be around what they're doing. Does that make sense to anyone? It's why we all hang around Lat G isn't it? The hobby. I don't care if people even own a car... if they love the hobby and choose to participate, regardless of their level.

Greg, you should do a road trip, Start sweeping at Tony's house, then my house, then Brunning shop floor, then ... etc. 'll even grill you a burger to eat, to keep your energy level up.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by 96z28ss

Greg, you should do a road trip, Start sweeping at Tony's house, then my house, then Brunning shop floor, then ... etc. 'll even grill you a burger to eat, to keep your energy level up.

Greg,

I'll come with ya. I'll make sure to keep the dust pan empty while you sweep. With two of us, we can trade off drivers and cover twice as many shops.

There'd be an awful lot of clean shops and two very happy campers. If I ever win the lottery, that's my idea of a cross country experience. *

disclaimer: I'd actually have to play the lottery to win I suppose.

[waynieZ]

I agree with Greg When I was 16 I met the guy who is going to paint my car for me. I'm 54 and he's been doing paint work before I knew him. I used to hang around his garage all the time . I did masking block sanding and other small stuff for him , not for pay but it was where I hung around. What ever he needed I would be glad to help. I was away from his garage for quite a few years until I got back into the hobby. When I went to see him and show him my car it was like I never left. I sliped back in like it was 30 years ago. These people will be my friends for the rest of my life whether we see each other all the time or not.

When I started my build I was working 26-2700 hours a year. My wife and I talked and decided I would keep anything over what we needed to live our lives, for the car. It was easy to pick up parts for my build. Then I had to quit what I was doing because of my health, luckely I had a good pension to fall back on. It will definately slow me down but anything I got or had done to the car, I had the money to pay for it. So if it has to wait it will. The money I've spent so far I could have had it done back to # match for less but its not what I wanted. Someday I will make it to a Powertour with my car but that will have to wait too, which will make it that much sweeter when it happens.

Home and family comes first and the hobby has no experation date. I hope it works out for all who have fallen on hard time.
Wayne

[ironworks]

I have had quite a few customers that have gone through this in the past year or so. I see 2 kinds of customers,

1) DRUG ADDICT - These guys walk in my shop and look at everyone elses cars in shop, due to their passion for the journey of creativity and fabrication. If you were a by stander and saw some of these customers walk in my door, you would be hard pressed to know which car in the shop is theirs. These guys like the Journey more then the destination.

2) Big EGO guys - You have the guy who walks and thinks his car is the only one in the shop. The world revolves around him. He is just here for the laundry list of mods. He looks at you as the bidder for the work he is looking to have done. Not so much worried about quality or what have you, Just wants A, B, and C. He wants to be in the scene or be like that bad ass guy in high school that he never was. Most truly rich guys that are like this just buy cars at Barret Jackson. Or they realize to even be the big shot you have to have the latest greatest.

3) There is a very rare 3rd type that, Comes in and does not know anything and with education will choose quality and not the lowest bidder. These guys are usually referrals, they know and trust you from an outside source. I have only had one of these guys in 9 years. He did not know what whitewall tires, or even a small block Chevy was. He did not know what a burn out was. ( Seriously ). He wanted a 1946 Packard 4 door to be restored so he could drive it from California to Florida. I told him for months we did not restore cars. Now he has an LS engine 1946 Packard that looks super original, but will be a 6 figure car and he is cool with that.

The reason I give a description is this splits the guys into the point in life where they might sell the project when times get tough. And there are exceptions. But guy # 2 would be the first to sell his car, cuz more then likely he is over extended in his trying to keep up with the Jone's. Sometimes I wonder if those Jone's get any commission.

Guy #1 would probably let the house go back to the bank and the old lady leave him on the corner with his project, but he will never sell that car. These guys have to get broken down pretty far in order give up their dreams. But these guys don't do much else as far as hobbies, these guys eat sleep and breath building cars. When they are done with their latest project they are thinking about the next.

I think it might be pretty amazing how thin a car guy might spread them selves to see their dream come to life. I think there are more projects that never get finished then those that actually do. I have heard some of my customers tell me that a drug habit would be cheaper then what they spend on cars each month. Just due to the fact, your body could not possibly do that much drugs.

When you get into the higher end cars the percentage of your income that is spent on cars I thinks gets lower. If a guy makes 40 grand a year, I could see him spend 10% of that if his financial position would allow it. Do you think a guy smart enough to make a million a year will spend 100 grand each year? Not as likely. This hobby is expensive.

I think the state of our economy has shown how thin people have spread themselves. And it also shows how bad some people may actually have it these days.

[tones2SS]

Originally Posted by waynieZ

Home and family comes first and the hobby has no experation date. I hope it works out for all who have fallen on hard time.
Wayne

VERY TRUE WAYNE!! Well said my man. I agree 100%. Take care of your responsibilities first, toys second.
But, I do think a lot of the builds have come "under fire" because of the current economy. Just about everyone is taking a hit with that. Time also plays an important role. But, you must beforehand that these builds cost LOTS of time & money!!! Preparation is key!
Good luck to all!

[GregWeld]

I have to add just one little bit more...

I have a buddy - a retired butcher... he has a 56 Nomad too... it's a pretty decent 30 footer... and mechanically challenged... He's running an cast off set of headers I gave him - and my old Heidts tubular A arms w/disc brakes up front... and until recently had the original (rebuilt) 265 and a powerglide... There's an "early horse blanket" on the front seat...

BUT this guy gets more SMILES PER MILE than any man I've ever known... and I don't care where you go - he knows everybody and everybody knows him. Nobody EVER says a bad word about him - or his car... except... they do shake their head with amazement when he tells them he's just driven it round trip to Colorado - or Hot August Nights - or Boise... He doesn't own a wrench... doesn't even have a garage. The car is parked in a carport when not being driven... He put cardboard under it to catch the drips.

Recently - a group of his friends stuffed a 350 and a TH350 in it over a weekend and a lot of beer.... he's there to step and fetch tools - and to open another one... He has ZERO grease on himself... nobody cares.

He L O V E S his car... and all the PEOPLE that go with it. I envy him.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by 96z28ss

Greg, you should do a road trip, Start sweeping at Tony's house, then my house, then Brunning shop floor, then ... etc. 'll even grill you a burger to eat, to keep your energy level up.

ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!

I'm in!

Have broom - will travel!

[Vegas69]

The economy isn't my excuse, I felt the downturn before the first bolt was pulled off my car. About mid 2006. I don't live beyond my means but don't tell me there aren't a few decision you've made that you look back on and go hmmm... Anyway, I don't regret building my car. I love my car and wouldn't sell it for $150k.(I know that won't happent) I simply wouldn't want to go back through the process of building it. I'm not one of those guys that enjoys the process more than the finish line. I like to beat the piss out of my stuff. If it get's cone rash all the way down the side, I just smile. It comes off, if it doesn't then it will get fixed when I freshen it up down the road. I guess what I meant was if I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a car with reasonable paint and made the changes to that car. I probably wouldn't of built it quite this nice either. The problem is, once you're all in, you're all in. You must protect your investment and the flow of the car. Luckily, I have done a major load of the work and that's saved me alot of cash. I can't imgagine paying someone to do all the little stuff. It just adds up so fast and really makes the car.

Originally Posted by 67ragtp

With out getting to personal I dont understand when people say "if I new then what I know now" the future cant be predicted. You obviously have a huge passion for this hobby, perhaps you may have built your car differently. Is it knowing the state of the economy now as opposed to then and not spending the funds at all. At some point your passion is going to lead you in to spending it now or later.

I built my 67 around the same time, and spent a boat load, I dont regret it. Im doing another one now and have a basement full of high dollar parts, it will get done, you are right about the execution taking a long time, for me it always seems that Im waiting on a vendor, and it becomes out of my control.

Maybe poor planning is responsible for a lot of projects being on the market. I think its a combination of long term projects especially the ones that go on for years and then financial hardship forcing the sale.

Rich

[HRBS]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Have broom - will travel!

Greg... my shop floor is a little dirty. Any chance you traveling east bound ?

[Jon69RagTop]

Although I haven't met you in person, I hope someday we get a chance to have a few beers together. I love what you have to say, and you articulate it so nicely.

I have the Green 69 Camaro in "Projects" called LS3 Transplant, and wish like hell I had more car buddies locally. Soo many people look at what I'm building (other than my wife, she gets it) and think I'm nuts and ask "why?". How can you explain it other than it's what I enjoy and how I relax. I agree driving the parts of Power Tour over the years has s allowed me to meet a ton of nice car folks, but wrenching with friends would be even better.

Your post made my day!!!