Projects My 15th annual "I'm going to finish this year" post

shouldn't say post. I started this car before internet
surely not a record but pathetic for sure.
I bought a finished Magazine quality Hemi powered 48 Ford business coupe. three magazines + inside back cover Sacremento Vintage Ford catalog (I swear that was the only time it was ever on a trailer.

took it out for a 6 week 3100 mile cruise in '93 Portland to Jim Davis Memorial Drags Sears Point, went south to Paso, Bakersfield, L.A. San Diego, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Portland. basic TT run (tavern to tavern.) drinking beer shooting pool and shooting the shit. no schedule no worries just a solo run.

got back to portland and stopped at a plaid pantry for a quart of gatoraid came out of the store and had tranny fluid running under the car filled it up and made to my shop before it started slipping. had to pull the 354 Hemi to get the trans out. ran the trip with a 3500 stall converter on the 727 trans. and 3.0 gears in the ass end. the heat build up fried everything in the trans even warpped the case.

thought it would be a good time freshen the motor. then since I had it apart it would be a good time to make a few changes to the car. I had an Idea about a 48 ford 3 window coupe so I found a 48 2 door sedan that had all the pieces to pull off my plan.

first I took the sedan doors and moved the coupes b-pillar back 8 1/2 inches and took the front of the coupes right door window frame and spliced it to back of the sedans left door. then chopped the A-pillars 6 inches and finished the doors. the Quarter windows were 16-1/2 inches. the wider door left 8 inches. the chop I cut the roof, slid the whole thing forward 4 3/4 the quarter window was gone.

I had it 90% complete by july of 94. got side tracked on a quick project, then another and another ect. now I'm just wrapping up another quick one (took 3 years) and it's time to finish the ford.

the wife had breast cancer and I needed more cash than I had. no more Hemi (that really hurt) but I have an old ford motor that will work. and is period right and has OHV's it should run hard.

I know there are other project that are due to finish, kind of like losing weight, quit smoking New Years resolutions
don't make me sound like a loner here. chime in.
I'll post some build photos when I have time to scan some. I have some photo's on my profile page and one in about Aug 94 Rod and Custom rappin page

 

You are not the only person to get side tracked,,,I too have been guilty of saying this is gonna be the year,,,on more than one occasion!

I started out with a bang on the Ranch Wagon a few years ago and made a ton of progress in a short period of time,,,then I let a friend that was out of work do the mud slinging and paint on the car,,,

Seemed like a good idea at the time,,I could help him and I could help myself at the same time,,,I was selling my business and was going to build a new shop at home,,,then I would finish up the wagon,,,along comes another snag and when I;m ready,,,he hasn't touched the car..

So I help a friend build his 40 in my new shop,,,we finsh it and ready to start the wagon,,,still not ready,,

I built my 32 Ford pickup,,,helped start another 32 Ford pickup,a 33 3 window chevy and now working on another 33 5-window chevy,,,,

If all goes well the wagon is coming home before too long,,,I mean it's only been about 6 years now,,so I got plenty of time!,,,Emotional ain't I ,,,HRP

 

Haha, sidetracked is the story of my hotrodding existence. Marriage, 3 kids, 2 degrees, completely remodelled the lower level of our house, etc, etc. Bought the car when I was 19 and foolish. Now I'm 32 and still foolish. I'd say I'll have it done this year but our 4th kiddo is on the way. Oh well, I won't complain though; I wouldn't change a thing. Besides it's easier to pay for a hotrod and the tools when you spread it out over a decade plus.
I should be able to build the next one in only 8 years or so. LOL

 

I had too many health problems this year to get anything done on my car ! At least I have gotten all the parts I need to get most of it done and the engine and trans swap completed ! I pray this year is a heck of a lot better for me than 2008 has been for me and my wife ! Good health to all and may you get your projects completed for the 2009 year !

 

You had to go and guilt trip us didn't you You got me beat - this next year is only the tenth anniversary of the 'temporary decommissioning' of the Hupmobile.

At least it is inside under cover.

 

My thinking we still have them, still want them. I let my son have my 48 Buick Roadmaster Sedanette that I started in 1975. therefore transferring my guilt on to my children, He is only into it three years and hasn't started. he should have his Hemi powered 31 A touring on the road this spring, then he can start on the roadmaster. uhhuh I think I've heard that before lol

 

I am going on 9 years on Project '49...

I too have been side tracked - remodeled my entire 1950's house and built a 1940's teardrop trailer from scratch, so the '49 has suffered neglect a long time now.

I WILL get it running in 2009 (keep telling myself that... makes me feel better).

 

...life gets in the way often.
Previous project dragged out for 6 years...'79 to '85
Changed jobs, houses, and girlfriends during that time.
Worse...changed 'em twice each!
Then came a layoff.
Thrashed for 6 months, and it got done.

Fast forward to '08.
Current project on the burner since '03.
Front burner, then back burner.
About half dozen times.
Each.
Currently is bare tub in 1-car shop.

 

those Hup's were one of the most fantastic original designs of the 30's. you are Whording (tm) one of the best. you need to be the one that get's the joy of running down the road in that treasure.

 

Ten years and counting on this one...Divorce, new wife, 2 new kids, moved twice, laid off, started a new shop...s**t happens. Got it back together the end of last summer. About 3 miles into the first drive, the socalled rebuilt trans., eats itself alive. After all the work, just can't seem to get behind r&ring the trans. Someone please kick me in the a** and get me moving...

 

haven't had a car/project in almost 3 years now, driving me nuts, have had some sort of project or done driver since i was 15.

jonesing for a 30/31 A coupe, just gotta wait for the stars to align, thankfully i'm a patient man...........

 

16 years on mine. New business, cancer, building a shop, etc. However, I actually fired the engine about a week ago. Now, if I can just get my brother to finish the body work on the front cap..............(he's had it 2 years)

 

Hey Chris55, if that's an automatic trans, rip the damn thing out and put a 4 speed in there. 55s need 3 pedals to work . If I were closer to you ,I'd help ya finish it up and then give ya the kick in the ass ya need. Come on, springs gettin closer

 

well now i dont feel so bad. eight years with my project. started out strong on it, putting a new front suspension on it and getting a rebuilt engine and tranny for it. I got chopped at HAMBchop on the condition that I would drive it to the next year's HAMBchop, then life got in the way. school, girls, and work. Fast forward to last year and I finally got off my ass and started working on it again. I got some help from Killer on the stuff I have no skills to do and now it's getting the bodywork done. Hopefully i'll be driving it this summer.

 

I have more damn projects than I have fingers on my hands! The one that stands out is my Hot Rod '32 5W that I bought running and driving. It has a pro built tunnel rammed 355 with a Muncie four speed and was a blast to drive. The down side is that it had some rot in the usual places and the subrails that needed repair, plus the previous owner had slathered it in spray can Krylon grey primer that needed to be stripped off. So four years ago I took it completely apart to get the it repaired. I had a friend with a shop that really wanted an extra chopped/channeled '32 5W body that I had. He offered to do all the work on my 5W, the metal work, body work and prep for paint in trade for the other body. I reluctantly agreed to do it and he whipped it into great shape in a few months but I still kick myself for letting the other 5W body go. I wish I wouldn't have listened to my wife when she told me I didn't need four '32 5W's and I'd wouldn't get that one done either. So what? Well, I still haven't gotten it painted or progressed on it at all since. The other projects like my just finished (almost!) '32 pickup and now my Brookville roadster have gotten in front of it. I hope I can get the 5W coupe back on the road before 10 years go by!

 

Guilty!

My Ironhead Sporty's been off the road since '98, and a basket case since '01. Took three years to get the bottom end back from the shop I took it to, top end still hasn't been put on.

Started a shed in my backyard in '02, it's been a floor and three walls standing until this fall. Now it's got a roof, shelves, and junk in it. Gotta finish the rakes and the trim, shingles and paint. It's one of the current "front burner" projects

Started a waste oil garage heater about three years ago, drug it out for a couple weeks this year, still needs the oil tank finished and stove pipe.

Started the chop on my '50 Wayfarer three years ago in March after the clutch went out. Still needs the rear window and decklid area finished, and all the inside trim. I did do the clutch in it.

started a HA/GR two years ago, engine's built and dyno'd, but it didn't make the H.P. I wanted, so I've digressed and am gathering parts/materials to build a flowbench (my other front burner right now), to try to wring the ponies out of it. Also need to finish the backyard foundry I started last year, and the tubing bender I started last year, in order to continue with the HA/GR.

this all on top of a full time day job, 4 days a week night school, wife, and two boys.

 

Just got my car out of storage after 8 years... then I get laid off. Son of a bitch!!!!! Got plenty of time to work on it, but don't have any money to work on it. Know what I mean Vern???

 

Thanks Rich, I,ve got most of the parts to put a 4 speed in her, just need to get of my lazy ass and do it. I owe it to the old girl.

 

I'm celebrating my 3rd yrs annniversery of "gonna finish my Vicki this year"...but I am! she's in the garages now, parts are on the way and by god hell or high water, she will grace the track at the HAMB Drags 09'...

 

I'm sure most of us have the same problem, we keep adding to are collections of stuff and get sidetracked doing other projects. we would be better off if our wifes would tell us like our mothers would when you brought a stray dog home and begged to keep it.......................NO!

 

I'm hoping to get the 51 drivable around summertime. I got sidetracked on my TR7 drag car project

 

Sidetracked is the fast way to Hot Rod Hell. I keep thinking that I could do a quickie and have a decent driver while I work on my real Hot Rod. and end up with another long term project and find another Quickie to get me by.
Last New Years I put my ducks (projects) in a row. I have been faithful to my 54 GMC shop truck. it was going to be a Quickie. but is coming out much nicer than it was supposed to. so instead of a low buck driver. under $1500 (I'm out of wallet $1217 as of now) I have bumped my build budget to a whopping $2500. those numbers are way low because I cheat. I have acres of scrap laying around that I scrounge and make work. then I do glass work on old cars and get to pick thru some real neat take off parts that builders throw out. and the best part is I barter my labor (not materials that I have to pay for) so this is not something that everyone can do at this level.
once again I vow to do the
54 GMC
48 Ford 3 window
75 chev 2 wheel drive blazer
52 Plymouth Belvedere 2 door hardtop wagon
and no more quickies except maybe a ............whoops

 

Nothing wrong with a quickie every now and then.

I have a box here that I still need to send to you.....glad to hear you sound like as much of a procrastinator as I.

 

I was going to reply to this post about procrastination, but I think I'll do it later.

 

Denise.
if you're doing the show again use em. I'm good till spring. Jim

 

ok it's 09 and fresh start time. going to have two on the road this year...........Jim

 

Will do my best to get the b11 going only had it for about 14 years now.

 

I have everyone beat and
not proud.

Pulled my31 home in '75.
then there was always somthing that had to be done 1st however I did get it apart and started fabbing it back together, MII ifs.,350sbc,th350, Dad cleaned the paint off way to soon and had to cleand off surface rust before primer
OThen all the things u do raising kids takes presidence.
then divorce, oh also moved once.
Then decided to keep car and had to drag it around with me as I moved5 times now and did nothing to it.
Well ,I retired in 04 and started on it again in 06.
Took it all apart and built it back up and is all done except for shakdown and interior.
34 years

 

Wow! I thought I'd been a slacker because I've have a good front clip for my truck sitting in my garage for a month and haven't touched it yet. You guys got me beat all to hell! Haha. BTW, Rust, that Vicky is SICK!!! Can't wait to see that finished.