how long does it take you "average guys" to go from parts to rolling???

4 to 5 years, no matter what I am starting with

 

If the daily drivers didn't break down almost every time I get some cash set aside for parts for the project cars and trucks or something didn't take up my time that I could be working on one of the projects I could get done a lot faster.
The good thing is that I don't have any deadlines to meet. I don't have to thrash and get it done by such and such a car show or road trip to a car event and that may in it's self slow progress.
The big rub on working on stuff lately has been my banged up hands that either don't work as well as they used to or hurt after only doing a few minutes of work on something that requires both hands.
I'd still rather see a guy spend an extra hour, day, week, month or year on a project and get it right than rush though it and then either have problems or have all of his shortcuts show up like big zits on a blonde's face. I spent too many years beating myself to death getting things done and not always done right when was young and want to put the "learned from my mistakes" education to use this time around.

 

HOTDAMN that nailhead looks sweet..

 

I've had my 57 ford for 23 years. In that time its been road ready twice.
Baby, divorce, move, marriage, divorce, move, marriage. I just swapped a nailhead for a Y-block with a fellow HAMBer and got some supportiveness from the wife. I'd say next year for the Country Sedan. Not tryin to set a record here.
There have been other projects and DDs that have come into play too.

 

took 7yrs on my 39 but had a 3yr down time to save enough to build my garage .I just got it drivable this weekend.

 

Good for you. Nice looking car from what I can see.

Here is the deal, if you make your living doing something be it building cars or houses you are expected to hit it hard and fast. If your hobby is building cars it should be anjoyable, you move at your own pace and make yourself happy.

A couple of years ago I was under the gun and had a week to change an engine in a roadster and get it sorted out. I took a week to change an engine in a roadster and get it sorted out, if I was pressured to get in done in 24 hours it would have taken 24 hours.

Now I have an old ford sedan that I have no real time consrtraint on other then to get it done before I am too damned old and crippled up to work on it or drive it. I am not going to get in a hurry on it because I enjoy working on it and to be enjoyable I will need to move at my own pace.

If I judge myself by others I wll always be disappointed, that is just the way that it is. there are any number of others out ther that have more money are faster and/or are better than I am at whatever I am doing. That is just a fact of life.

Just plug away at your project, it will be done when it is done. And it may surprise you that it does not get done when you expected it to.

 

18 months to 15 years about somes it up! I'm just finishing up year two and dont plan on having it complete till 2016 and even then who knows like all of us family stuff comes first !

 

It's been 3,5 years since I relieved my parts-car of it's engine and started dismantling it. and now I'm only a few decisions and bolts and a garage away from putting it back into the 2nd car I bought to put the engine in
Mind you, my house looks very different from how it looked three yeas ago too, and then there are the daily drivers...and the internet...

 

Being retired, it usually takes me about 9-12 weeks to do a 40 providing all the parts are available working 50-60 hours a week. This time frame does not include when the parts are off for paint or the time in the uph shop. Last 40 sedan took 11 weeks of my time-doing chassis, putting body back on frame,etc, etc, then wiring, glass, eng trans,a.c. and all the other details. Just got another 40 coupe so the process will start again. I log all hrs as I go so I have an idea the next time--the issue is that every one costs more than the last due to parts,etc. The part I dislike the most is going to get parts,etc. My wife helps hanging all the sheet metal,engine install and glass,trim install. I only do 40 Fords so repetition is a big plus--1st 40 coupe took me FOREVER.

 

?????? Are you suposed to put the parts back together?????

 

I'm at 6 months already and still taking things apart.
I'm also a newbie, so I spend 2 hours reading for every one hour wrenching.

I predict about 2 more years before driveable, just a guess.

I think the real key (for me) is making a list of things to be done and making sure to get at least one thing done each week.

The list also helps me do things "in order" so to speak, and to focus FIRST on things that make it driveable.

 

I started my '31 Chevy in 1976....still not running....my goal is to finish it before I die!!

 

8 years for the 27 roadster,8 months for the 40 pontiac and 7 years and counting on the 60 chevy(after a body shop failure) Gary

 

A trick is to plan attainable goals. If you are eating a T bone and put the whole thing in your mouth you are going to choke.

 

7 years for my off topic Riviera.
Started out just removing trim to do a simple repaint.
Then got a case of the "while I'm at its", and it snowballed into a complete engine rebuild, suspension rebuild, etc. Just this month got it all back together.
When I added in work, family time, having time but no money, having money but no time, the next thing I knew 7 years had passed since taking off that 1st piece of trim.

The worse part is looking at it in pieces after a long period of time and getting into a bad funk and losing motivation.

 

single, before kids? anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months depending on how many projects i had at the time.

now... married, 4 kids, home, career...
motorcycle project can take a year or more.
car project? sheeeet... i forget i even have projects sometimes. last one i completed took 3 years. i'm nearing 2.5 years of tripping over parts for my model-a. maybe another 2 years before it's a runner.

 

Mine was on the road and driving a year after I bought it and tore it down to frame. six months of that was really just screwing around. However, 5 years later and I'm finally getting to the interior and just painted it last year. but I have been driving the last 4

 

I'm thinking drivable in around 18 months.

Influencing factors are time, money and peace from "her indoors".

Right now all are a scarce commodity. I keep telling myself it's all about the journey not the destination.

I hate those hoors on television that turn a car around in a week or two. Sends me into a right panic attack.

Then I remember it's just tv.

 

I have 2400 hrs in mine from blowing the frame apart to rolling out the of the garage. All but boring and crank work done by myself.

Fourdy

 

Thanks, Porknbeaner I hit a few bumps on the way but stuck to it.With medical problems ,forced retirement and good old social security I came real close to selling it a few times but friends talked me out of it .At 65 I figured I better hurry up. so will try and get the frontend aligned in the next few weeks then decide on wheels and tires.Paint and interior can wait. I WANT TO DRIVE IT......

 

It will drive fine like that until you find the right wheels, wheels are easy once you decide. The stance is perfect by the way.

 

The hold up for most of us is money and time. As for the money part, I can handle the $50 and under purchases, but when it comes to the $500 type stuff I have to save up. No matter how much work we do ourselves to save money, we are still building a car and some money is going to get spent.

Things like family emergencies, job issues, and just eating and living get in the way of trying to finish a car sometimes. The other thing is that even the little stuff like sandpaper, welding supplies, grinding discs, filler, paint, etc. all add up and you sometimes have as much in those items as you do in the hard parts you buy for a project.

Don

 

this is my 1st complete build, & I'm trying to turn every wrench & become familiar with every bolt... I do have a couple buddies that have "special skills" & I'd be a fool to muddle though something, if I can get their help

some things might be kinda dumb, for example, my front leaves will incorporate a set of bearing sliders, rather than shackles, for a little lower ride, & a bit better control... I could buy a set for $40.00, but I wouldn't learn anything... so I'm building my own... for $40.00 I could have easily spent the money, but I chose to spend 3 weeks designing & helping my fabricator buddy build a set... to me, this was fun... time consuming, but fun

 

i've had mine just over a year. started by surveying what needed to be done, and discovered many problems. Unfortunately with restorations or hot-rodding a rough-looking car, one solution generally leads to 2 more discovered problems. Wanted to get in on the road this year, but there's too much that needs to be done. Maybe next year

 

1 to 2 yrs for me from start to finish but i am not real picky when it comes to details as long as it gets me from point a to point b and looks good doing 60-75 i am happy

 

I have been working by myself for a 1 1/2 years, still have 6 more months, hopefully.

 

Ooooo... love how that ones looking... dash looks awesome as well

 

thanks! '42 Merc cut down and actually reshaped and welded to the stock dash. Like you this was first full build and I too will read, try to learn then go try and see if I can do it. If I can say so myself, so far so good. Just remember it's just metal and you can redo or fix whatever problem you have. Good luck!

 

3 - 6 months from dragging in to shop to driving out of shop.

 

Found the 1930 Roadster body in 1962, sold it in 1975, bought it back 25 years later that was 2000, Fixing the drivers door now. I won't live to see it finished. However I do consider myself to be an "adverage guy". Bob