My vehicles usually get bought before I even start them. That has affected my completion rate. I'll take a profit for something that I just brought home.
Sounds a little optimistic to me. My estimate would be 10% or a little less. I have this statistic in the back of my mind when some newb comes on here and wants to know how to change his car to 12 volt, chop the top, change the transmission from automatic to standard, and install a blown 427... all before he gets the car off the trailer. Don't overmatch yourself, we have all done it, be realistic and attempt one thing at a time and you will stand a better chance of completing one or at least getting it on the road.
10-15% seems about right.. im on my first car.. bit off way more than i can chew.. its like the ole saying "how do you eat an elephant"... but i have 80% of everything i need which has been paid for in cash.. and im learning as i go... what i failed to estimate in the cost of building a car..is the cost of all the tools involved.. ive spent about half the cost of my car in tools, but ive tried to buy good quality so i only have to buy them once.. john..
I found my 1930 Roadster body in 1962, sold it and got it back 25 years later without a thing done to it, so that is a 25 year project with me. The Lyndwood rail is a 20 year old restoration now. They never have to run to be fun. Bob
I try to stick with one project at a time. The guy that started my roadster had been colecting parts for 10 years and then took sick with a stroke. I bought the parts and it took on a life of its own. I have been working on it since 2007 and I think I should be on the road in another 2 years. For some reason my energy leval isn't as high as it use to be. It is pretty easy to go to the shop and sit down and get nothing done. Walter
I know of cars that have been passed from one owner to another over a lot of years and they still haven't been finished by anyone. Everyone wants a hot rod or custom but not everyone knows exactly how hard it is to build one, or how much money it takes to see the job through. Those of us who have taken a car from chalkmarks on the floor to a running/driving car know how many times we had to get away from it for a while until the urge to work on it again returned. The money aspect also gets in the way as jobs, family, and other factors change. That is why I always suggest that a first time car builder buy a done or almost done car for the first car and make it his own. Too many hopefuls go into this hobby with wide eyes only to burn out after the realities set in. I bet that 10-15 percent estimate is pretty darned close. Don
It depends on what is considered completed but I almost always make mine run and drive. The only times not is if I sell or trade before it's done. I like the build, so when finished it's kind of a let down.
I learned alot when my dad gave me his old 72' GMC pickup to restore when I was 15. Pulled it down to the frame and had it done in 2 years. The most important thing I learned is that you need to focus on one thing at a time and not think so much about the other stuff, until you need to do it. That way the project doesn't seem so huge and overwhelming. Another thing is to be organized....which many people are not. After I got my truck done, I re-did my CT 70 to match it and now I'm working on a 55' GMC. The one thing I can't stand is when someone takes apart a truck or car to "fix" it and just throws everything everywhere. I went and looked at a couple 53 chevy dumptrucks a guy was giving away and after seeing them I knew why he was giving them away...."well the motor's over there, front clip there, got one window in, trans is barley hanging in there".
its true..im one of the guys that never finish a project..ive had a nearly complete 27 roadster,and a 54 mainline and a few bikes..but im trying hard on this new one..it was always lack of tools and space that ended the builds....
I have 3 projects in my shop now that were started by someone else and in each instance, they just gave up. One is a '62 Corvette! In the last few years, I've bought and finished a few other "unfinished projects". I just LOVE finding 'em!
+2 on that! When i started my T i had to make a list of tasks and then simply focus on ONE. When i looked at the big picture, it was overwhelming. And now, after all those "just one at a time" things, i have a driver! So, i guess my completion rate is 100%
I'm finishing up a project that would have been abandoned, a friends O/T mustang was very rotted, I said to buy a 4 banger that was clean, he buys a 5L thats rusty as fuck, so OK, no problem, but he is scared of the rust, and let it sit for a year untill his Dad was laying into him about it, so we pulled it over to my garage and welded a new front frame rail in it, and are just finishing up the floors right now, no big deal, but if he had done it it would have been done a year ago. You gotta sacrifice a bit, and work on it, "everyday even one small job" is my mentality, nothing worth having is easy, and if you want respect you have to earn it. Did the same to my brothers O/T Zephyr, it was a friends, he had been talking about wanting a fast car for awhile, and he said he wanted to spend 5g's all together for something cool, and wanted to build it. Well we bought a car, welded in new wheel lips, and put new front fenders on it, and he doesnt spend any more money on it, it needed an engine, but.... It sat for 2 years, then my brother bought it from him, we put an engine in it($200 special), welded in new rockers and QP's, and that bitch was on the road. Maybe 6 months later, and my brother was working a shit job making a little more then a bill a week. We just knuckled down and got shit done. Were Canadian, we cant be afraid of no stinkin rust. I'd also be happy to help anyone with an old ride get her going too, or tune it, I love working on carbs, lots of people forget this is a brotherhood, and we gotta have each others backs. Its not all about the money. Sorry for the long post...
The exact figures don't matter much. The fact is there a lot of unfinished projects! Not many people are equipped (mentally or skill-wise) to do a "frame off" project. My advice to someone taking on a project would be to get the car driveable first, and then work on it piece meal, while keeping it driveable. That way the interest level stays high. An unfinished car driven to a show and shine or whatever gets a lot of attention! Sometimes more than when finished one. The attention is a good motivator. ~Alden
I only do 1 at a time--otherwise I lose focus. I shoot for 4-6 months max on a 40 and usually make it. Being retired allows me to get them done in a decent time frame as well as helping other friends with their cars. Have done 9 in the last 9 years. Spoke with a mailman here in town and he told me of all the old cars just sitting in garages in various states of repair/completion so I'm sure there are many out there not done. I used to run an ad in small local papers looking for early Fords and it is amazing what turns up.
Glad to say, I finish whatever I start.. And if you can't, then sell the project and let someone else enjoy it. My rule of thumb is , if you've had it more than a year and you haven't touched it, get rid of it...
I guess I'm in the small percentage that finishes most projects. I try not to get sidetracked by doing more than one at a time, and so far I've only had one I sold before it was done. That one went to a friend so I could buy another I thought was way better. I'll add that it is rare for me not to reopen a project later. Seems no matter how finished I think a project is, I will update it if I have it long enough.
The short version: life gets in the way. When it comes down to brass tacks, you only have one chance to watch your kid hit his first little league home run but you have a lifetime to finish a hot rod. I am a card carrying member of the long term project club and it looks like It will drag on a bit further unless I seriously get busy on it and come up with a plan to accomplish at least one part of it on a regular basis. One of my buddies never will finish a project as every time he stashes away a few bucks for the one he should be working on he buys another project with the saved money and is broke again.
Agreed. I def need to heed this advice.... Something I have learned that I would change if I could, and dont buy something until you need it. I have a lot of money tied up in stuff that is "new" that is already a year old. Chances are if it dont work when I get to the point of using it, it will be out of warranty. I could have put my money to better use for sure, which would keep me motivated. But yea, I usually jump into new hobbies full on and then on to something else pretty quickly due to loss of interest. I went from computers, built a couple bad ass ones, to RC cars, spent a ton on that, to guns, and now to building a truck all in the span of about 5 yrs. The cost has gone up each time too, dammit. I am going to stick with this for a while come hell or high water, I dont want to be a statistic...
I think that if you keep pluggin' away and don't look for an easy trade/way out the project will eventually get done. I did a quick count while I was on my rest and reflect and I have finished 1 car and two trucks for myself and 3 cars for other people not to mention the cars that I have worked on that did get finished since I joined the HAMB. But I don't move very fast and when I get disappointed with a project of my own I just put it on a back burner for awhile. I just keep pluggin' away. I don't look at numbers as a rule, I have heard the 10 percent thing comming out of the numbers crunchers for a long time. Just keep pluggin' away and eventually whatever it is will get finished and the numbers won't mean a thing.
Probably a good estimate. The best advice I've read in awhile is on this thread - focus on one thing at a time. I've had my Bel Air for 6 years now, and honestly it hasn't come very far, but I've never given up and I tackle it in very small phases. (I am learning most of this stuff as I go, so I can't just dive right in - teaching myself to weld now). I've also noticed that with my friends and relatives, the ones that follow the "focus on one thing at time" mentality actually do complete their cars (most of the time), but the others usually give up.
I have finished every car or motorcycle project I have ever started.......And then I wake up and they are all just sitting there. I always bite off more than I can chew but it makes me happy, when I am not cursing about all the crap I have that makes it impossible to work on anything.
I'm 45yo and off the top of my head i'd say i'm on my 6th or 7th build and not a one ever hit the road. I'm aimin' to change that statistic with my current build.
last summer I finished a seven year project. I have already got plans for changes. and a new project. With the answers on here I am supprosed about the amount of undone projects, because we are the go getters and motor heads. lots of people get in over their heads
Seems like some people sabotage their own projects, so as not to complete them..deep down they enjoy the hunt for the right parts, knowing that there is something they can always do, still have to do, etc. It's the appeal of having something to work on, a reason to go to swap meets, etc. vs the bitter/sweet feeling of a completed project. Kind of like it's done..now what?
I'm kinda slow but I always finish.I have several friends who are masters at tearing stuff down and loosing interest. I am amazed at some of the really nice cars they destroy in the name of "fixing them up", and they never see the road again. It's a shame.
I build one car at a time usually and historically I sell them right after they are done. Usually aggressive schedules but I've finished every one. My current project Tudor is never going to be completed, but it will see the road in 3 weeks - I'm keeping this one.
I was told that the average Factory Five Cobra kit is finished by it's 3rd owner. I am one of those that gets caught up in the tear down, that really is the fun part of the project, and also the rough work. I wanted to give up many times when it got to the block sanding phase of the body work...
I bought my project (52 Town & Country) in April of 2010 with the delivery date of May 2010. My wife and I had separated and we each had the kids 7 days at a time. 10 days before delivery of the car, my ex went psycho and gave up rights to our kids. While it torpedoed my chances of having week long opportunities to start on the car, I was completely happy having my boys 100% of the time. The car is in my tiny, 1960's era garage where there's barely enough room to walk all the way around it and it'll stay there for the time being. Would like to be 2 years into the project but not at the expense of not getting my boys full time.
I can only speak for myself. I finished every project but my 61 Buick . It was a 4dr hardtop rustbucket I got for almost free . I wanted to restore it from the frame up, but in the middle of the restauration I found the same car as a rustfree driver, low mileage, one owner for only 1700$. Even paint supplies to get my project car in paint would cost more than that, so I sold that project in parts , kept the leftover parts for spares and drive the wheels of the good one.
The Jalopy Journal
