Hot Rods Man, I am burned smooth out

Good idea to work on getting healthy before something hits you. How many cars do you have now? They say you can only drive one at a time. I say double that, but keep everything up and running. I’m thinning my entire field of dreams, and getting something nice.

 

My wife and I just enjoyed a nice little joy ride in the 40, we try and go everyday in a hot rod or old car of some kind, no pressure at all, we have been doing it for decades.

 

There are a lot of fun things to do in this world. Some even compete with cars. Not many but some. Enjoy yourself!!!
Not many days left for us old farts.
I’m running out of marbles in my jar.

 

It happens. Believe it or not my other hobby was horses. They were everything to me. I loved cars but horses were my daily life since I was a kid. I got burned out and couldn't do it anymore. I found me another job one day, sold everything horse related but a pair of spurs and haven't looked back once. I haven't touched a horse in 11 years. I'm not saying get rid of your cars but take a break or find something else that you enjoy doing for a while and get refreshed. My other hobby is my lawn. I love me some bermuda grass.

 

3 cars in 5 years? Damn Bro, I've been working on mine 5 years now and just got it started again this week, and it still hasn't left the shop under it's own power! I would be burned out too if I had done 3 cars in 5 years.

My problem has been lack of the big three---lack of time, lack of money, and lack of desire a lot of the time. I've done more to it since I semi retired last month than I did all last year. Working the hours I worked, there wasn't much "me" time, it was work time or family responsibilities. Now I work 3.5 days a week, and am off 3.5 days a week. And I've gotten more done around here than I have in ages.

Take time off, regroup. Spend time with family, and friends if you have any. The cars will still be there when you get back. And you'll look at them in a different light.

 

Meet me in Iowa Falls, IA on the 28th and ride that day of Ragbrai with me, I'll probably never keep up with my daughter and son in law . I'll even buy lunch!

 

Hobby and obsession can sometimes be divided by a fine line.
Choose wisely. One is lots of fun. The other, not so much.................

 

And.................I gotta say, get with it man. Have you forgotten that it's all about "bigs and littles" and "stance".

 

Needs flames or at least pinstripes

 

Chill in Style Hamber @Roothawg you deserve it and do what puts a smile on your face...That's the best Medicine other than Hotrod/Customs...Cheers Mate!!...

Make sure there's some Hotrod in every day...pick up a pencil and maybe try some Art...its been a tough couple of years for everyone...

 

I don't deliver, but you're welcome to any of my fish fry's. Yeah that's a place called Moore's Ferry paylake, about 5 miles from the house

 

I took a 12-year break 2005-2017. It was due in part to burnout, and part career and family.

I switched back on when my youngest wanted to learn to drive a manual trans. We blew the dust of the Model A and built it in rapid fashion so he could learn to drive stick in it. I still mess with it regularly and I added a gasser project a couple years ago. I'm in the shop an hour or so each weeknight and most of the weekend.

I switched back on like I never missed a lick. I guess we all need a break.

 

Burn out. Its time for something different for me!
I worked in my welding shop for 25 years. I officially retired in Oct 2018, but worked mornings for another full year. Over the winter of 2018/2019 I did some major repairs on my 48 Plymouth coupe.
In June 2019 I started building my 39 Dodge pickup. I started driving it in April 2020.
In July 2020 I started building my 49 Dodge pickup, and sold the 39. I started driving the 49 in June 2021, but its still not finished to the level I'm going to call it done.
Between those times, I've been helping my son with a major reconstruction of his off topic truck.
Though I'm fully retired, I still spend 4-5 days a week in the shop, those days are shorter now, and there have been a few days off over the last couple of years, and about a week and a half vacation each year, but I'm still pretty much in the shop a lot of time. I really still do not have a concept of what retirement looks like yet.

Things are change here though. My son's project will be done tomorrow, and it will leave. I have about a month of stuff to do to the 49, but a week's worth of time will sort out the important stuff and the rest will happen whenever.
I've begun the massive cleanup. I've been at this location for the last 21 years, and the welding shop has been here all that time. I am ridding myself of the clutter that is in all the corners of the building. I hired a guy and we spent 2 days loading up scrap, then I spent a full day cleaning up where the scrap was. We have 2 more days scheduled for next week as well. In this oversized 2 car garage, I have space for 1 car and the welding equipment. Up until a few months ago, there were 5 vehicles in my side yard, plus the 4 vehicles we use. I am going to park two vehicles (+ my welding equipment) in my oversized 2 car garage this winter, and the only thing that will be outside will be my 49, which will be my year around ride.

I have no idea what I will be doing come next spring, but I know what I will not be doing. I turn 65 in Sept, its time to see what the next adventure is going to be. I know I'm going to have a couple of cool rides to drive though. Gene

 

Northwest Arkansas
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville
Eureka Springs
Grand Canyon of Arkansas at Jasper
Beaver Lake
Not too far from central OK.
Just a thought.

 

I took the pedals off mine. Seriously, take a break,
and you might be surprised how much
you miss it.

 

I get burnout as well. Been slacking a bit lately too. Just tinkering with em and drive em a bit. At 78 slowing down as well. Was cranking out a 40 about every 10-12 months for many years but have backed off now--just play with what I have and they sometimes sit for maybe a month or two.
Marty's bike is COOL!

 

Hope you get the fog out of your head.

My wife and I had a tandem bike but not a recumbent. It was a lot of fun. Hope that you enjoy yours.
Speaking of buying a bicycle...I have a Huntington Beach Cruiser that is the best cruiser around. Very comfortable. The pedals are not straight up and down like on regular bikes but are canted forward a bit.
Check them out.

 

Yes, the dreaded burnout affects us all at some point. Take time to smell the roses as they say but whatever you do, don't park your carcass in front of the idiot box for hours at a time or your doctor will be filling out the certificate for the dirt sleep.

 

Your fire won't go out. Sometimes we burn bright, other times we're a glowing ember.

 

Whatever it is hope you have fun, Please be wary of the sofa. It's a slow killer. As said earlier we'll be here.

 

You guys crack me up.

 

Don't worry about taking a break. For real car guys like you, the idea of not doing anything car related is like taking away your oxygen. Even if you step away for a bit, you know you're going to get back to it at some point.

I understand where you're coming from. The build aspect of the car can often take over the enjoyment of a completed project. If you've got something that's on the road, just drive it as it is. Don't worry about finishing a project for a while. Time constraints suck the fun out of builds anyway and put unnecessary pressure on you. Take the attitude that "you'll get to it when you get to it".

It doesn't hurt to get involved in other hobbies as well. We do home improvement projects, especially since my wife is very handy and actively participates. It has also been the NHL playoffs, and I've been glued to the Finals for the past week or so. Now the season is over, I can spend a bit more time on the cars. Remember to enjoy the stuff.

 

"If the plan does not work, then change the plan, not the goal..."

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/quotes-to-live-by.1102714/page-41#post-14122263


Hello,

In reading your posts, there have been a lot of things going on in your life. I had just written a short story about a quote I found in my readings and research parameters. You are involved more so than most avid hot rod guys/girls. But, sometimes the goal is altered due to the unnecessary actions of the plan. If there was a plan.

At the time of the builds, the plan was to keep on going. It is admirable, so sometimes, it is time for a change to see the “bigger picture.”

“But something told me that it wouldn't last
Had to switch up, look at things different, see the bigger picture
Those were the days, hard work forever pays…”

Charlie Puth

I am hoping that in your successive builds, that nothing else was pushed to the side to concentrate on that one thing. Now, is a good time to step away and see things from another side. It does not mean to drop hot rods altogether, but it is not the end all thing in our lives. Develop different skills and build your family situation along with your outlook on other choices. In essence, take a break, a different path.

From the time of high school graduation to the time of meeting my girlfriend/then wife in college, I had stepped away from hot rods and drag racing. It was almost a 10 year break. Then my wife and I had an epiphany and decided to add to our mobile arsenal. We decided to get a hot rod and get it set up for our business. It was time to get that feeling back.

Boy, that was an understatement. It took many months of modifications and repairs to get the 327 powered 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery to run right, handle correctly and stop when we wanted to stop. By the time we were finished, we were back in the thick of things “hot rod.”


Jnaki

There was a time when surfing was the “Thing.” I had to go at every chance from 4 in the morning until I dropped off for a nap on the beach. But, after many years of that particular individual situation and being married with other responsibilities, I took a step back to get involved with something both my wife and I could do together. Our son was away doing his own thing and we had a nice three car garage, just ready for a hot rod modification build. It was planned when we got this new house.

But, realizing that hot rod building/modification is also an individual work situation involving plenty of time away from the family. So, we talked and found out that sailing was something I learned as a teenager in Long Beach and had not gotten involved in that end, until this discussion about alternatives.

My wife has always loved the ocean and all of its characteristics. So, we decided to get involved in sailing together. We took 4 hour daily activity classes in the Newport Beach Harbor and as the weeks advanced, we were in the advanced group. By the time that final three week course was over, we decided to buy a sailboat for ourselves.

Now, it was every weekend sailing adventures, full of mistakes, and lots of fun learning together. For me, it was re-learning, but the activity together felt like we both were now having fun in our new adventure. This led to increased participation, longer ocean sails and now a larger sailboat to go even deeper into the vast horizon. (up/down the coastline, too)

The alternative for us was a step back and made us look at a new direction of our being together. So, for the next 20 years, 4 different sailboat ownership and a ton of exciting locations was the course. The adventures filled up our time together with great expectations, increased skills, and results. It was well worth it for those together years. It was… a new different approach to having fun and being able to see life all around us changing as we changed.

It was not how fast you got where you wanted to go, but the serenity of challenging nature and all that was blasting us as we sailed out into the salt water. It was a great new direction in our lives.

 

i did see those but i figured being in there, lloyd was probably using them as sinkers or bobbers.

 

Hey, it even says in the Bible...."Man cannot live by hot rods alone".

 

Hey Root,
Its OK to achieve burn out status after hitting the mental wall of reality, but its NOT OK to suffer an unplanned burnout and literally hit the wall like Mad Mikey did !

 

I'm looking forward to your return. I set a calendar goal for finishing my avatar and that almost ruined the experience. In that case," haste made waste". Enjoy the time off.

 

Wait til I start in with the recumbent dork jokes!

 

I remember following your stuff back in the 80s. A lot of the aerodynamics crosses over to Bonneville and hot rodding

 

The best thing about walking away from your personal projects? They'll be there when you get back.