Projects How to decide when to throw in the towel?

Another build on this forum got bogged down and the owner stepped back and sent the parts to a garage to get his moving. About the same time I sent my parts to a local builder after I had worked on the project for 6 years. Same problems as you, no time to work on build. I have a good job and no time because of it. Well, both the other guy and mine are making progress because we no longer have to do all the work. I still make all decisions, supply parts as needed, and supply money. But I got more money than time. If I get to drive this thing by summer, everyone wins. Plus being old helps out a lot. haha

 

I agree! You need to hang out with people that will motivate you and are optimistic that it can be completed. I love to weld and jump at the opportunity to fabricate whenever I can, on my projects or anybody's. Most rodders will tackle anything just for the challenge. I've got a '31 coupe that's far from finished, but I keep picturing myself sitting in it at a stoplight with a flathead V8 idling away. You have to envision your goal and it WILL be realized. (That's Zen or something), but it works! Don't sell!

 

Looks like you have friends to help you out, I've been working on a 30 Sport Coupe with a flathead off and on for 12 years. Built a 30 pickup, had a lowered 50 Ford for a while, built a mild custom 60 T-Bird in the mean time but keep going back to the Sport Coupe. Always a way to get through problems, sit it aside and buy the pickup driver you want and work on the A when you have time and money...

 

You need to sell off some if the tin in the as found photo. Get 400-500 in cash, take the cowl section apart, everything that unbolts or unscrews. Buy a quart of primer sealer, get it all blasted, prime it. Work out the dents, patch up the rot, prime it again. Now you have about a quarter of the body work done in primer. Next attack the doors. Get the body done first, then you have something to look at and motivate yourself. Spending money on an engine first is just pissing in the wind, as found or rebuilt it is just a lump of cast iron. Bob

 

That's physiological but I suppose the same arguments still applies. The need to get around in style.

I spent my 8 today doing shit work on my hot rod: disassembly, sand blasting, cleaning, scrubbing. Hated most every minute of it but now that it's done, and I've showered, I feel pretty good about it and looking forward to hitting it again tomorrow. Works for me. Falls under esteem I guess. Been esteem cleaning all day.

 

Absolutely correct 1927graham ! Small goals, this mindset has got me through a few builds as well. At 25 years now of working 55 hr work weeks & almost 40 plus Saturday per year , putting family 1st & owning a small business as well. Being short on shop time I'm use to making every minute count. I'm afraid we all do reach burnout & need to step back and re access our projects from time to time, realistically I bet most of us have multiple projects going at one time! That's a problem. A few years ago when I hit 40 & like many of guys realized I'm over the half way mark & need to FOCUS on one at a time if I'm going to finish a build. I Sold down big time on project rigs & went to many swap meets unloaded a lot of "mental stress" thinning down on my collection of stuff. Everytime you go to even look at the car do something small the previous mention of this is so true. Friends in the hobby are great too, you'd be surprised how much you can lift each other's spirits up! Keep it fun. I've never finished a project in under 6 years, nowadays more like a decade! I still can't wait to get to the shop to mess with a car, that's how I like to unwind. I'm heavily addicted to cars since birth & they're a part of my life. Luckily I've one I've finished & can drive when I get chance, I've give it to my daughter & my boy & I are working on my dad's 53. If the need arises I can't blame one for selling a project & get a running driving project. Then tinker on it or hunt down another "A" to work on. Personally I'm way to sentimental . My high school car is in a corner of my shop awaiting its turn it'll be my sons, but that's fine it allows my primer to shrink n I can go back over it again. . Hang in there & look on the brighter side of things .... As Mr. Miagi say "patience Daniel son patience"........ Flux

 

My Avatar took 6 years. I agree with the folks that say do something/anything when you can. I came to understand anything accomplished got me that much closer and represented progress. The focus think is tough-- I kept thinking buying something running would have been a better idea for me too but in the end, it wouldn't have been the same. I have another project on the accumulation/drawing board stages and this one may take longer. Go and figure.

In the end, do what makes you happy-- but think of the possible memories as well

 

As a pilot for many years, what keeps a smart pilot alive is to "KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS", that goes for hot rodders too, know what you can and cannot do, that will keep your car/project alive as well!!

 

Lmao!
Yes Maslow does say physiological,

Get the psychological stability rocking the boat and the physiological gets forgotten about.

 

Lots of great advice here.
Doing one small thing a day works for me when I get bogged down. I to work a lot of hours. Sometimes I just go out to the garage, drink a beer and unwind but I enjoy just having the stuff. If you have decided it is beyond your skill set and always will be, you will have to have save up and have someone else do those parts of the project. I was mostly a mechanical guy then I traded a transmission overhaul for a mig welder. If you are thoroughly frustrated cover it up for a couple of years and come back to it. I now regret getting rid of all of the stuff I sold over the years. If you come back to it in a couple years and you still have no interest it wont be worth less. Kinda like a car guys 401k.

 

I loaded a '48 complete flathead engine in the back of a Nissan Juke a year ago! it CAN be done.

 

Be honest with yourself, if you are going to build it great! You can get a welder and learn to weld. Every body has to start somewhere...if you aren't going to get to it, perhaps its time to move on..I know plenty of car people (may not apply to you), that cant pull the trigger on there project, they want a car but dont put in any time to work on it and in turn it never gets done..multiple times ive spotted a cool old car and stopped to see if its for sale? And then I get the "No im going to fix it up" ..then years later the car is still there in worse condition. I coud have loved that car! I had a 36 Chevy truck I was supposed to build for the wife but wasnt getting to it (other projects taking priorities). And didn't look like I would any time soon. So we sold it . Hope who ever bought it is enjoying it.. ive had problems with motivation , money and time befor . If you decide to keep it As it was said earlier ( do something
..anything. .it adds up and eventually it gets done"..one thing that has helped me tremendously is making a list.. I wright down everything that needs done for the project and I break it down. I wright down prices for parts if I have them. . I try to get out in the shop once a week and I work off the list. "What is next?".I just look at the list and work on somethin else. .
A little long winded hope that helps.

 

I used to have a 29 roadster. It was awesome and maybe the most beautiful car I ever owned. But I am going to disagree with many of the other posters here and say this: I also do woodworking as a hobby, and there is nothing like an old truck to help with this. Don't know what you plan on crafting out of wood, but hardly a month goes by where I am not hauling or moving something with this truck. Also it's awesome for bombing around in. Ideally, you could find room to keep the roadster, too. But having an old truck is a part of my life I plan on never giving up. It's practical AND fun.

Joe

 

Maybe you're a car buyer and not a car builder. Nothing wrong with that. the flipside of that are the guys who get bored as soon as the car is together and sell it quickly.
There are times where I wish I could buy a finished car and be happy with it, everytime I've tried I don't drive the car much and end up selling it.

 

A good friend calls it the "Hot Rod Blues". It happens when you take on a project and suffer setbacks from mistakes and frustration with things that don't go as expected. It also happens when you break something-- like an engine or a transmission-- because you got a little enthusiastic in your driving.
Every time I take on a project there comes a time (or times) that I ask myself why I got myself into this mess again. I push on and persevere because failure is NOT an option.
The only cure for the Blues is to fix the problems and savor the victories. Little victories add up to a big victory.

 

This thread should be required reading for everyone either getting into the "hobby" ( for lack of a better term), or diving into a major project. If it isn't fun, it's not worth driving yourself crazy over.Build,buy,or take up something totally different ( but everyone should have at least one roadster----woops---sorry I can't help it).

 

That's what I started to do last night. I got tired after a while of only having all of these regular life projects (building fences, repairing daily drivers etc) where the project car took up the room I needed to work on the stuff that needs to happen right away.

I took your advice and started to uncover the roadster and I assessed the situation to see what needs to be done, and in what order. I pulled the cowl apart, separated the gas tank from the cowl and have it such that I could take it in in pieces to someone to blast it if I choose to go that route.

I found parts that I need to order now as I still want to do the roadster, but just have to figure out which bites to take first on this project. I want to do a highboy roadster with splash aprons added on.

Thank you everyone for your help and advice everyone. I appreciate it. I will see if I can forge ahead and see if I still have the desire to work on it as time goes by. I am going to get one of those carport like things from Harbor Freight so I can pull stuff out of the garage into the driveway to work in clear space, or so I can pull the roadster out too. I even bought some blast media from Harbor Freight on sale as it got opened...20% off! Now I need to get my compressor working. I am going to look at a little shop truck tomorrow too, so hopefully I'll have the ability to tow and haul this roadster body.

 

Good , positive news !

 

Make a list of what you will need and hit some swap meets. You can save some money by finding bargains and going to a swap meet keeps you involved in the project if you get a little burned out from working on it. Map out a plan for how you want the car to turn out and then do some searches on the HAMB. This again keeps you involved and costs you nothing. You can check out what others (more experienced) have done. The HAMB is always great inspiration.

 

I sold a nova super sport 10 years ago with enough parts to put another car together. Today. It's worth twice what I sold it for.
So if it's paid for think about putting on a back burner. Maybe buy you an older truck to cruise around in. Cause things change and you may never find another model a In you price range.

 

Having a truck opens up all sorts of options as far as logistics goes, you won't regret having one!

I get frustrated and demoralized too and I have some of the stuff you're worried about not having. It really is like some of the others have said, you gotta pick your battles and knock them down one at a time; if you can't finish something because you don't have the right tool or part, move on to another little project. Attack anything that you can bolt/unbolt. In my experience, UN-bolting is usually the hard part.

You want to do a Highboy, that's great for a guy who's short on welding gear. There's a lot less to cut and weld up. I'd say you could build that car, perhaps a couple inches higher than you'd like, but you could run a T spring with reverse eyes in back to get low without cutting on your frame.

I like the HF canopy idea, I'm actually thinking about getting one to extend my range too.

 

There is some really great advice here. For me, what helps is my friends. I am lucky enough to have friends with similar interest and we help each other. We frequently take turns going to each others shops/garages and work on projects together. This also helps as we can leverage each others skills and equipment. Some of my oldest and best friends are those I met drag racing and cruising as a teenager.
So my advice, is go out and do what interest you and meet people.

 

I don't think I would ever give up on an A. go out and sit down make a list of the stuff you need to do.make a point to do that and scratch it off the list. as you see things coming together it will spur you to do more. you need to pick up a cheap mig and practice putting different thickness of pieces together. mig is pretty easy to learn. also with friends to help the beer money is money well spent most of the time.

 

I have fnished 3 projects in the last year and a half.
They sit.
I told the wife the other day, "I feel like I'm building models".
The next model is a '61 Galaxie that should be done end-o-March.
Maybe just get one that is easier. Like reseal the engine and hydraulics, and detail clean.
The nickle and dime stuff is just the icing on the cake.(The excederin in the hand).
I wouldnt quit. Make them drag you away.

 

I have always had the reason to quit. The old saying, I am all thumbs? It took me longer to build my 32 Ute than I had planned. I moved the engine mounts 4 TIMES. I painted the car two times till I had it right. I am still fiddling with the cooling. The body fit great until I took it off the frame to paint. The reasons fall like rain.

I can only compare it to the roadster I am building, and getting the F*@!(( doors right! And who chose gold paint?

I can say I have been there wether it was a loose flywheel sounding like a piston knock on my 39 Chevy, or some of the gems I started with..If you truly want to do this, and you can, keep pushing. Even a little step in the right direction is a step to completion. Find people that can help, not only here on the Hamb, but rodders in your area. If they are worth their salt, they will help.

 

I have abstained from posting on this thread but maybe I should.

best time to throw in the towel is when it stops being fun. That is what this whole deal is about is fun.

 

I agree about when it stops being fun.I sold my cars to buy houses, pay college tuition for two girls, and I was ran out of town by a flood. I lived in a camper for three years and am just now getting a shop back together.If you can swing it ,sign up at a Community College and take some mig classes.Around here used welders are always on Craigslist.
I have accepted the fact that for once I may not get this current project finished. I am 68 years old and realize I will not be here forever. I will however help the next owner by getting it closer to being finished. This is my only hobby, its the thing I think about at night when I can't sleep. I wouldn't want it any other way,I would be happy to trade you places. Best of luck.

 

Can't go wrong with old Military tents... they look cool and I've used them for everything from temporary car shelters to "painting canvases " ..., "Safari bimini's"... and tonneau cover!

White "Mess tents" can be found on ebay and surplus stores quite reasonably.

 

I too have had my 34 project going since Sept 2012. It was a running driving car. I tore into it and turned it into a non running car and it still isnt close to ready. I have a personal history of slow builds and I find that when (and if) they get done, they usually turn out like I want them. Keep plugging away, you will most likely beat me to the finish line.

 

" I am at an impasse now that I'd rather free up the funds for potentially branching out to a different hobby (woodworking) and having the space and sell off my car project and associated parts."

Answered your own question as to what you should do. Takes commitment to finish a project and you don't have it. You could sit on it till time, space, money are more favorable but if your heart isn't there forget it and move on.