1952-59 Ford here is where I start to wonder: will it ever get back together

How do all ya'll handle this thought?

 

Like Johnny Cash said "ONE PIECE AT A TIME"!

 

It is easy to tear one to shreds , and then the shock sets in OH MY GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE. parts all over and no plan on how to proceed (This is usley the stage lots of people give up and I wind up with the project either to finish or buy cheep)

Hopefully you will keep after it
First step decide what you want it to look like( how can you build it if you don't know what it will look like or be used for)
Second plan it out what to do and when (set a secdual for each step and stick to it) and do not forget to set time aside for life.

or do what I do and have 5plus cars tore down at one time that way if you get tired of on you can jump on one of the others right now working on 1928 model a( working on chaise), 1950 Ford 2dr(trying to decide what to do with this one),1953 Ford 2dr(painted it 3 week ago and now putting it back together), 1958 Edsel pacer( poor car got pushed in to the shed but building new 347 stoker EFI for it),1959 Ford custom working on wiring the car and EFI5.0), 1950 Buick convertible working on final fit so it can get tore back apart and painted) some mine some customers kasos works for me

 

• I have certainly not lost interest of the desire to drive this wagon. Schedule to do that in April 2017. Pretty much know what it is to look like when finished. Just to very much to do.Frame in my garage. Seats at the upholsterer's. Body in the shop. Parts filling up a spare bedroom (yes, the bed is still there and reachable). Priorities seem to be my issue. The drive train is in the garage. The 306 fits nicely on the frame. Interior color and middle body color are fixed. Top & bottom color TBD later. things are moving, but seem to be at a snail's pace. Yup, I am a Pisces and impatient.

 

The only way you are going to be driving that wagon in April 2017 is to make as much progress ever single day.

I took me 9 years and one month to the day and I worked hard for the last year of the project,everyday. HRP

 

I cannot wait nine years. I'll be dead!
It is certainly a project. As much as possible every day. I try.

 

My 53 was to be done 3 years ago but got pushed under the car port covered up due to other priority's .
What got me moving on it 4 weeks ago was finding a rac**** had made a nest in the trunk and ruined my upholstery materials and some of the seals.

Well it came back in the shop and I decided to get it painted all trim on so I do not loss any more parts the headliner and gl*** in so it is sealed up from critters ,gave my self till OCT 31 to get it done. and next time one of the lifts are open finish up the air ride and exhaust.

Which now pushes back the finish date of my 59 ford planed to show in at FTW car show in apr2017
and then Dallas but time get away from me again. been 5 years since I had one of my own to show looks like it may be 1 more.

All that said a car can be built frame up in as little as 3 moths if you have the parts and time and health
by 1 person it means a lot of late nights and skipping out on everything else
A good way to get some engorgement is to start a build thread with lots of pictures tell use what your doing and the progress your making . I find it helps when I feel over whelmed with one

here's where I am as of the 15 of Oct

 

Alot of patience and determination. Just have to keep plugging away. My wagon was a ***** to keep focused on. Everything fought me every step of the way and still does. I just kept at it a little at a time with alot of help from good friends and it finally came together. There will be gremlins after you think it's all done too. But once you get it on the road the attention and compliments you will get will make all the trouble a afterthought.

 

11 years on mine......BUT.........I didn't work steady on it all the time. I also knew if I didn't make things pretty fairly early in the build, I'd loose interest. That's why I got the interior and painting done before the drivetrain. Were I to start another, I'd do it as most guys do...start with the frame and drivetrain, ect.
That said, it also helped me to be able to jump around quite alot. I'd do bodywork/welding panels til I got tired of it; then work on the interior for a while; then finish up a sub ***embly nicely, wrap it up and put on the shelves until needed; restore some stainless and get it wrapped and stored, build the center console; design and build the wiper hard arm system to replace the cable and pulleys......you get the picture. There are so many projects requiring different skillsets and so much research, there's more than enough variety to keep the boring aspect out of it....well, almost, lol.

Also, with respect to the mentioned 11 years...during that time, and still, I am rebuilding an 85 year old house(in my avatar)....foundation work up including replacing a lot of outer framing, floor joists, siding, windows, doors, complete wiring, roof, new 28' porch, back deck, insulation, new kitchen, etc etc. Between the two projects I got in lots and lots of related roadtrips. The house provided a needed break from the '57, and vise versa.

 

Once that question pops in your head is when people usually hit "the wall". Just keep at it one day at a time. Lay out a plan and just follow the steps. Watching youtube of builds and going to carshows gets me motivated when I'm feeling stumped or not motivated. Wish I had the opportunity to finish my 54.

 

Mine took 2 years to get it going mechanically. Had to find a lot of interior parts I was missing, as well as outer trim. Ghastly bills with a few parts suppliers, but I kept going even through 2 winters in a partially heated garage. And part of 2 hot summers. If one part of the project stalled, there was always something to work on.

 

Sometimes you have to walk away for a day or two (sometimes a week) if it gets too much. Best thing is to tackle only one or two items at a time . When that is finished, go to the next thing. If you have no more than two things going - you can alternate if one has a problem that cannot be resolved quickly

 

I pay a small rent fee for my garage and haven't touched my car in five or six months,little kids, no time, no money. My friends ask me when my ford will be done? I give them the same look your dog gives you, when he ****s in the living room.

 

Like my brother the ace mechanic always says, "You can't hit a target if you don't see it!"

 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

 

Mine got to be more involved than I had anticipated, especially when we decided to take the dash board out. Which was a good thing actually as it gave access to the heater and allowed me to paint the whole interior. Also made the wiring easier.

The turning point came at the 1-year mark, when the car started going back together. I blew my budget by 2x and also the time estimate by 2x, which I should have expected. There was a ton of research that went with it and I had parts coming in all the time.

So it became exciting, anyone that came over to help, there was always a task for them to do. Slowly the boxes of parts dwindled and the car looked like a car. I was totally dedicated to the project and had a lot of support along the way.

Any problem that came up was faced and solved. I learned a lot along the way and found that any problem does have a solution. I was close to the car, my garage is next to the house. I stored parts inside my house, reference material and notes were always on my kitchen counter.

 

I can relate to this,It seems the more I did the more I had to do,the wagon was much worse than I originally though and the 2,500 budget went out with yesterdays trash.,I had just planned on getting the car running again,but the engine was bad and the floors were on existant and it turned into a major project.

I spent a ton on money but that was for parts,tools I didn't have and so on.

I sold my 1966 VW that I had owned for many years,my 65 Falcon and my 66 Chevelle and still had to dig beep but the final result was worth it.

It took a long time but one day you will be working on the car and it will occur to you,hey,if I do this & that I can fire this project off and before you realize it that big piece of rolling sculpture is alive. HRP

 

Bymeamerc I hat them when they are at that stage cant even roll them around.

 

They are not much fun when they wont roll. HRP

 

I always tried to keep the car rolling, makes things a lot easier along the way. First thing I did was to put the car on 4 jack stands, drop all the brakes and the entire front end. Painted the front of the ch***is and then ***embled everything. Of course I had to power wash spider nests out of everything.. and got bit by a toxic spider.

 

Mine looked like that at one point (body and frame separated), and took several years to get to where it is now....a running driving car that I can drive anywhere.

It's still not done, but all the mechanicals and electrical are done.

My advise is to do something every chance you get....even if it's something small. Progress is progress and it all adds up.

Also...try to just enjoy the process. Enjoy it for what it is right now....something you're working on with your hands. Once you're in that mindset, it helps with the workflow.

My project took way longer than it should have because I didn't know what I was doing most of the time and was learning as I went. And, at times, funds were short so I had to shove the thing in a corner a few times until money got freed up.

If I had to do it over again, it would go much quicker.

 

Wow what is holding that body up in the air? Looks like just one jack stand lol!

 

You should check out his build of that wagon. Super nice, every square inch!

 

Now we know why HRP has had so many broken bones over the past few years...let's see, ankle, wrist, shoulder, lol....right?
Yep, it was/is a great build.

 

Working on old cars is tough on the body. Not that I connect the heart attack with the alignment. I've had some burns and cuts during the '59 build. Nothing too serious, even my helpers got tagged now and then.

 

I have found that when they come off the frame it takes me twice as long to get one done .
I know it is a mental thing because it usually is only 8-10 more bolts and blasting the top of the frame

I generally tear everything out , pull the drive train and all suspension then blast frame and bottom of car and inside do the rust repair and go back together


like I said its a mental thing for me but adds 3-6 months to the build to pull the last few bolts

 

And if you don't have a garage like yours, It's gonna add alot more than a few months!

 

I was going say magic but the body is actually on 2" x 8" boards and HD jack stands.

thank you sir,

Yeah and all car related,stepped on a hole at the trim shop, got T-boned by a idiot that ran a red light, and then the concrete block trip up,I'm done with broken bones.

Thanks for the props. HRP

 

Texas57
yep large shop is nice until you go to looking for that one pc that got moved or put up by some one else and now you cant find it. I have some friends that come by and use some of the equipment at time ( I had a full rod shop in the 90) and stuff get moved around when I am not there then the hunt is on.

 

Sounds great, got a link?