Projects The longest, drawn out projects.......who's got the oldest?

20 years this Oct 31'st I got my first car at the age of 13. Was going to be a grandfather grandson thing but my grandpa got sick and we just never were able to get started on it... Still have the car and hope to start working on in it this time next year with a two year build time.

 

I got my 46 Ply coupe in May,1971. Took it apart in 74 to start on it. Still in the shop, waiting for me start.

 

Rokit,
You got me by about 4 years. I bought my first hot rod, a 29 A roadster, in May 1964, when I was in high school. College, four years in the Air Force, college again, marriage, family, raising two kids, building power plants, working for myself, all have gotten in the way. Oh yeah, a 48 F1 pickup project is in there now. I have a lot of the original project parts and they will go into a new AV8 roadster project as soon as the F1 is a driver and the budget and time allow. Let's see 2010 minus 1964 equals 46 years.

 

I have 10 years in a 48-f1 no excuse just gets pushed to the back burner.

 

I have had my Falcon for 14 years and it's not done yet, and the truck for 1.5.

 

bought my 49 Chevy in 1976. drove it a few years then bought a GTO about the same time it stopped charging the battery so there it sat.

around 1982 I took it apart for a V8 transplant. the plan was to put an LT-1 in it out of my 70 Z/28.

sat in my back yard until I moved into a shop in 1996. around 2000 I did the mustangII. since then the chassis is done, body is off and was stripped to metal and most of the body work has been done.

haven't really touched it for 2 years. I was in the process of re-organizing my shop last month so I could get back to work on it and fell and broke 6 ribs.

the plan is to get back on it this summer and hopefully have it running under it's own power once my ribs get back to 100% well.

 

13 years on the 52 Studebaker so far. Has always been on the FRONT burner, I work on it every chance I get. Which ain't many.

But it will be done this summer.

Hahahahahahaha.....

 

Built a ford 427 in 1994 and it hasn't made it into the car yet. Well, to be honest the car has changed a couple times, but the motor is still patiently waiting. I'm hoping for next year.

 

Not me, but some friends. 30+ years ago some buddies became care takers of a early stude [51 or so] that was raced at Laplace Dragway outside of New Orleans. They bought a big block 454-450 horse crate motor. A really hot item in the day. After the motor was installed the car was driven about two miles and then parked in the rear of thier shop.
A few months ago they decided to get it ready to drive. They rearched the springs on the Boogie Scott front axle. Installed a crossram and are doing some minor touch up on the original paint, complete with the original
lettering. The car was and still is called Ka-Fu-Chi.I think that is the correct spelling. If one was to search the Laplace Dragway history there are photos there. This genuine gasser lives on indeed!

 

Well, to Phil (AZAV8) and the rest of us whose Long-Term Projects are now on our Bucket List, I say its time we got serious, don't you?? I propose we start the Bucket List Support Group in order to maintain some commitment and accountability, while refocusing on a positive direction. The first step in breaking the cycle of inertia involve setting small goals. For those of us on fixed or limited incomes and budgets, that commitment may be best expressed in terms of number of hours of labor per week, rather than dollars, etc. (Sweat equity is still cheap, coming out of the D.I.Y. Dept.)

So, my suggestion is we commit to a set goal of 'x' hours per week on our projects, report in Sun. or Mon. evening with what we accomplished (or need help with) over the
week-end, to get/keep the ball rolling.

Who is in, and what suggestions do you have??
Robb

 

Finally a thread that fit me to a T..
Got my 40 Chevy sedan for a weddin present in 93 went balls to the wall on it till "kids" happened... replaced the door bottoms, inner & outer rockers, both rear 1/4's, tail pan, floors, tranny tunnel, set the firewall back, replaced the cowl corners, mustang II IFS, IROC rear, s10 column, hidden hinges, shaved handles, frenched master cylinder, & I even converted the doors to one piece windows and gave it a pop out gas door from a ford probe. Man all that work & it just sits there. Been sitting for about 12 years now. The sad thing is I have just about everything I need to finish it off just no time!

 

1932 Graham Bluestreak, 20 years, if I bought it new it would almost be an antique now, should have had it done for my daughter's wedding, she's divorced now and going onto number two, standard greeting when I see old friends, "is the Graham done yet?" standard reply, "shut up"

 

I'm in...first chance I get

 

Damn, time to turn off the computer and go out to the shop!

 

A year to chop my DeSoto and Im procrastinating now, geeze Im a procrastination addict!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Boy can I identify with that...

 

27 Years on my Lil red Corvette.All it needs is to have the engine and trans put back in and the seat covers and carpet installed,but there is plenty of time for that.I have had my Fairlane since 1967,but its finished and no longer a project.

 

I don't feel so bad now.I've been collecting parts for my 51 Merc for 2 years.

 

Its been 15 years since I had the 41 on the road, I'm hoping this year to get it back out there

 

I started my Bucket Project in 1991....and it continues to this day
It is now on it's 3rd body....it's been a '26 Ford, a '23 glass body and currently in the process of becoming a '28 Model A with some T parts......Let's see how long it takes.
Wp

 

Dang, How can y'all guys have a car for 10+ years that you are actively working on?

I guess if you have a couple of other cars to drive and it's a long term-er....I couldn't just buy a car for a purpose and let it sit.

My longest took me 4 years to get finished... a year of that was at body shop jail.

 

Started a 36 Hudson Terraplane in 1984. Since then a broken back, three divorces/moves, stroke, two heart attacks. Business. Life in general. Keeps getting in the way.

Chassis is done, body blasted and ready for some rust repair.

 

I`ve had my project 48 Ford P/U since 1985.My avatar is my project.

 

Bought a '46 Tudor carcass in '96, got it running and driving last year, body and paint are not even started.

 

I don`t feel bad with having a project kicking around for 5 years.Some of you guys got project older then me!!

 

I found my 1930 Ford Roadster body in 1962, I was 11 years old at the time. It was free if I cleaned out the garage it was in. Filled Dad's pickup with all the car parts that the guy wanted "cleaned out", this was the start of my lifelong swap meet vending. The body was a channeled Hot Rod, I sold it in 1976, bought it back 25 years later, NOTHING had been done to it except it had been moved to two different garages. Plan is to build an authentic 1962 built Hiboy on '32 rails with a 354 HEMI. Just about every piece in the project has a story, collected from friends, some still here others have passed on. Sure will be carrying a lot of great memories once I finally finish it. Thats 48 years in the making so far, don't bet on me finishing it in two years.

 

Took my roadrunner apart in 91, it spent rom 1995-2000 untouched in storage, been working on it since 2000, trunk painted and almost ready to paint the underside...marriage and a kid slowed me down...but i'm still plugging away..

 

Started on my 32' in 1992 when I bought the body and frame rails, working on the wiring and still have the glass and interior to finish. Trying to finish it this summer or fall or winter, what the hell, who knows, right? I won't give up til' I die.

 

My 47 Olds fastback.Bought in 81.Drove about six months.21mpg.Ripped it down to frame that winter.Bet a guy $100 Id have it done in 6 months.It went back on road in 87.Then drove it all restored about 500 miles.Been sitting inside,here and there ever since.Been collecting GM accessories for it,skirts,visor,etc and have a 49 303 going in her.I'll need that 100 bucks and then some.It will be low and slow,but right now just slow

 

Mine wasn't as long as some of the previously listed projects. But...I feel bad because it was just a T-Bucket kit. Took me 7 years! A kit should not have taken that long. Wasn't 'til I met my wife who said, "You better get that thing done, 'cause I want to ride in it on our wedding day!", that I finally got my rear in gear and I finished it...with some labor help by the fiancee.