Featured Projects Do You Ever Just Sit and Appreciate Your Project?

Hello,

We all in one way of another stare at our work or the process of the build as one goes through the steps created. A check list provides some guidance, prepping the work area to get everything ready for the listed steps get the “blood” moving as the anticipation is starting. Then as the actual work begins and progresses, the excitement is front and center. For us teenagers, it was eye opening, satisfying, and calming at the same time as the development of the motor was coming together.

For me, it wasn’t just the idea of a custom build Willys Coupe for drag racing and possible future street daily driver. It was the feeling one gets when you look around during the million part build process and feel like you are in a wonderful place. It was something no one else was doing at the time and for us, it was the first time we took on such a complicated process. For each step of the build process, it was amazing and felt great.

As the motor started to come together, we knew it wasn’t too long to fire it up. The initial build of the 283 was fun and no mistakes were made. It ran great, sounded fine and had the power for daily driving and to race at the local drags. After a few months, the next level build started to take place. My brother was not satisfied with the results of the 283 motor. So, we had it bored out and got a new crank, plus a ton of blower spec rods/pistons, etc. It was similar but, yet different. No one had a new Isky Gilmer Belt Drive on a 671/SBC motor. The new kit had just come out and we were able to get one of the early ones, before they went to the speed shops.

We could not wait, or at least, I could not wait to hear the sound of the 671 supercharger whining as the loud exhaust pumped out of the header pipes. It was a good step for both of us to be able to say, we built an SBC motor for the street and drags. Then come back around and say the next level motor was more powerful than the first one we put together.

Before we rolled it to the larger garage where the attic pulley was waiting, we stepped back and admired our almost finished project.

Jnaki

I appreciated everything my brother told me to do in a specific way. He had this project all laid out in steps and it was like finishing a part of a puzzle, then move to the next portion of the white towel on the counter to get the next part installed. It was a process, but for some reason, he had his way to do things and it definitely was a learning process.

When finished, I was happy he told me the right way to the build process and not to be in a hurry. Just get it right and the motor will fire up instantly. Which it did weeks later. I thought the 283 with 6 strombergs sounded nice upon fire up and a test drive around the quiet neighborhood block.

But this motor build was outstanding and a lot more powerful sounding. When my brother backed up out of our narrow driveway, the sound echoed off of the two houses and we were off on a new adventure. As he lined up straight, I thought he was going to just floor the pedal. But, he gently got the car to move and we went down the street. When he came to a different part of our neighborhood, near a park, he now lined it up and floored the pedal for the loudest powerful sound I ever heard. It was music to my ears, for sure… YRMV

Note:
After a few laps around the "block," he told me to drive down the street and back home. It was the most powerful experience, ever. The response to the throttle was instantaneous and when I stomped on the pedal, we both were pushed back in our small bucket seats, until I shifted. It was a satisfying drive to showcase what a couple of young teenagers were able to do with a large puzzle into a serious functioning motor and hot rod.

When I asked him why he did not initially stomp on the gas pedal in front of our house, he said, “Mom…”
She was supportive during the build, coming out to the backyard garage to give us sandwiches and drinks.

Then, she hung around for a bit and shook her head as she left to go back inside. Ever since my brother bought his 51 Olds, made it lower and a cool cruiser, she did not like hot rods or custom cars. The open exhaust pipes were the major offender and when she heard the 283 motor with the open Hedman Headers start up and drive between the two houses in the Willys coupe, she slammed the kitchen door and closed all of the windows...AWWW...!

 

I’ve got this print on my shop wall. Says it all.

 

Boy that's a project.... ? Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


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Isn't that the point of enjoying the tasty beverage!

 

One of my favoutites. The artist is Jack Vettriano. Scottish artist that passed away only recently. He painted land speed cars too. I have them on my wall at home.

Re the original post: I have a "chair of contemplation" in my garage. doesn't everyone?

I also sometimes find myself when underneath the car for some reason just lying on my back looking generally around. Almost doze off under there sometimes.

 

I do it all the time, maybe too much. I just thought I was procrastinating lol.

 

Sometimes it helps to come up with the next good idea..

 

Sunday when I get home from the first swap meet of 2025 I'm going to move some stuff around so I can see my project again.

 

Sometimes I get so caught up, and frustrated, with what I'm doing that I need to take a step back and see the progress that I've made.

 

I do just look,an talk to it as well,now an then. Some of the times look'n for things to fix.
Around the end of collage,I decided not to make any big mod's,just keep it as close as I could too how I drove it in Sr High School {60/61/62} .
For me 28A is also a Time Machine ,that lets my head play a min. or 2 in the late 50s,putting my first hotrod together .

I have no way really knowing if things had been a little different ?,witch of my two high school cars I would of kept?
I had built a full custom ,shortly after I got the 28A Bobtailed roadster going. {As a teen, finding the girls liked riding in hotrod,but less likely to enjoy parking in a open hotrod.} That one was a Henry J w Rocket 88. That started out as a beater $75 car,that I just kept trying to make better.
I never had to decide, the "J" was stolen in late 1964{ maybe in part,from "J" being in Car Craft Mag ? } gone an never found .
That locked me in to keeping my 28A.
I built an helped out with others rods n customs,plus a lot of racecars.

Miami Sr High School Home Coming Event. I go back to every few years.

 

Every day!

 

Just drove past my favourite long glass shopfront window, where I always sneek a peek at what my car looks like . Still makes me smile.
[QUOTE="Mart, post: 15547348, member: 28]
I also sometimes find myself when underneath the car for some reason just lying on my back looking generally around. Almost doze off under there sometimes.[/QUOTE]
I'm glad you said that, I thought it was just me!