I've had my project truck disassembled for over a decade now. It seems like such a huge project, one that I can't seem to find the time to make any progress on. I'm just not seeing the light at the end of tunnel right now. I look at this truck and think this SOB is still going to be just a pile of rusty parts when I'm 90 and to damn old to drive it. Friends and Family (Not a single car person in the bunch) keep telling to just sell or scrap all that junk and buy something that runs and drives. I don't seem to have any time to work on it, and if I do I end up with a garage full of elementary school kids and can't get crap done. I don't mean for this to be my own little pity party here, I'm just curious how others keep their focus and move forward with a project when everything else seems to demand your attention.
If its REALLY far gone I'd sell it and buy something that runs and drives, or can easily be made to. When you can drive it every little improvement motivates you. Sometimes people really dont have the time to start completely from scratch. Ir if I had the money and space I'd keep it and get another project to work on that drives till I had the time
lol..... just kiddin..... nothin like shuttin the door.. turnin on the radio and just start somewhere...
Next time you walk into your garage...shop...do not look at the whole project. Focus on one item. Maybe cleaning a part in preparation for priming and painting. Do it. Go have a coffee. Go back into your work area and do it again....another item or part. Have a vision of where you are headed, but do not try to do it all at once. Repeat this over and over until there are no more parts to work on. Bolt the damn thing together and enjoy it. It will not happen overnight, but it will get done before you ever thought possible. All that coffee will keep you awake and it's a good time to think about your next move. Like eating an elephant....one bite at a time. Keep us posted...maybe photos. You can do it!! Good luck!!
I had the exact same problem about a year ago. I had a disassembled car and no light at the end of the tunnel. I was frustrated about it and my wife was tired of hearing me whine about not have the time or $$$ to make any progress. One night she told me "why dont you sell that thing, and get something that is driveable or close so you can enjoy it". I thought, Oh My God! Im not sell my car! The next morning just for fun I posted it for sale on a few websites just to see if anyone was interested. I ended up selling it for more that I had in it. The guy came and got it, in boxes, tubs, and hauled it all away. I found my current car and love every minute of it. Even though I got rid of my "dream car", it was just a heap in my garage, I now have a cool car that is much less of a project. So long answer to a short question, how do/did I stay motivated? Got a different project whel the light at the end of the tunnel was visible from day one. Hope this helps.
like my friends tell me... start on one thing and finish it, then move on to the next thing, you will eventually finish it
I know what you are feeling orange, I have been building pieces of a salt flat car for 10 years. Sometimes it helps me to take a break and put togeather a fun car, nothing fancy just something I can say I finished.
Go find some hambers around your area and get a ride in their hot rod. It will light a fire under your butt. Anytime I go ride in one of my pals hot rods I'm good for a LOoonnggg time in the shop
1. SWITCH THE TV OFF. 2. get a big piece of cardboard or a white board, and then make lists of the areas that need to be done. such as engine, chassis body wiring etc. make these headings and then under these write the jobs. then you have an idea of what needs to be done, don't worry it will change and be added to as you find other things you haven't thought on. But at the end of the day you can find jobs that suit the time you have. As in if you have an hour, pick a job that takes an hour or half an hour. then cross it off. this way you see your making progress and getting things done. As number 1. says, I don't watch TV. I do spend time on the computer which is just as bad, but the biggest thing is to actually have a 'chairectomy' and get your butt out there. I find that once i'm in the shed its easy to actually get stuff done, even in the dead of winter. if it is cold thats when I do something that requires hacksawing or some other activity that will warm me up. the garage fairys wont build your car for you, only you will, your mates wont either, they will help though if you ask, even non car people. However in your circumstance you maybe need to be honest with yourself and ask if your really into this project, as given the 10 years, I would wonder if your heart and souls in this build? I usually get jack of working on cars for about 1 month a year and just walk away from the shed, sometimes I don't go in there for days during this time, which is totally abnormal. but you need to reset your batteries. but 10 years, you should have built 2 cars in that time.
It's a 52 Chevy 1/2 ton. I don't have any pictures handy. Honestly, it's just a cab on a bare frame right now.
Well this is just me, but ya gotta really love it. And I do, I read anything I can get my hands on, look at as many pics as I can and I just stay focused all the time man. Good luck on the truck!!! 1shot
Perfect, then start by pulling the cab off, taking the rust off of the frame and getting it repainted and rebuild your suspension front and rear. Then move onto the next thing you want to do. Like the engine for example. 1shot
Got gearhead friends? Throw a "truck party"... you supply the dogs, burgers, and beer... It can be AMAZING how much work a dozen car guys can get done in a day if there's food involved. Hell, advertise for the party right here on the HAMB. Some of us are looking to make friends and get our hands dirty on something other than our own POS projects.
I was in the same boat,a couple things helped me: 1. Join a club; I had no car firends and it is a pain being the only car guy in your littel circle, car friends can be a huge motivator. 2. Some work you will do has no effect on the end result but the longer you go the more you will see the car/truck become an actual car/truck. Keep on plugging. 3. A list is your friend as flatoz said, I've done more things over or in the wong sequence unitl I has a list to work off of, even simpe things that do not take long can be done if you list all the items out. good luck.
Make a plan..write plan down..make a schedule ..write it down..try to stay with it as best as possible..even if it slides do at least one thing a day or week as your schedule allows.. I need to take my own advise..Ive been having the post winter blues..and need to get my broke ass out there and make shit i cant afford.. money is a great motivator too, now that I mention it
Probably the best advice that anyone could give ^ right up there. When we look at the whole project and I'm including myself as being guilty on this one it can overwhelm us to the point where we don't want to do anything. I'll be honest, I just about lost all enthusiasm for working on my 48 until I got on the Hamb and found out that I wasn't the only one bogged down with a project that he had had for a long time. If cash is tight, work on a piece that doesn't take a lot of cash to finish. I'd suggest getting the chassis squared away so you can build from there but that is just my way of doing things.
Lot of good advice here. But first, you need a wake-up call. You need to be HONEST with yourself. Do you really want to see this thing done and on the road? Will you actually have time in the next few years to get it done? If the answer to both of those is yes, then follow the great advice you've already been given above. If you could sell it and still live with yourself, then do that and but something that's running.
You could have been driving your project for the last ten years. Rule of thumb for me is that unless I am doing a show car style build, it NEVER needs to go to the frame. DRIVE THE VEHICLE and work on it in little areas so you can enjoy it. You're not building a show vehicle, if you are you're late to the show by ten years. Get it all together in a few nice new plastic tubs, post the ad to sell it for what you want and find something you can actually drive and enjoy to make up for the last ten years you've missed. Every weekend you can do something new to it AND drive it.
Just thinking about the "honey do list" that the wife has waiting is enough to keep me plenty motivated....................and in the shop out of sight. Frank
Look around, find somebody that has an oldie that they drive. Let it be known that you have this old truck and need to associate with people with like interests. The group that I meet with every Wednesday morning for breakfast takes up 5 tables at local cafe. After breakfast it's off to somebody's place to lift a body, or something. Interest is contagious ............
I think we all agree, ya got to want to do it ! myself,sometimes stall a bit but do get back to it sometimes getting 1 item finished a week ,even a small item is enought to keep the flow going,,,
You hadn't mentioned how experienced you where,but not everybody is cut out for frame up builds.It can get overwhelming,Join a club and trade labor or parts for stuff you can't do yourself.Stop watching sports,you would be surprised how much time that takes of your day.
regain a vision of your project. it may have changed, but get one. and buy something you can enjoy now. then do SOMETHING everyday even if its planning or ordering something to help keep moving forward. it usually takes me 5 years, give or take, to somewhat be semi-finished with a project. Jassss do it!
Pick a part... make it your goal for the day, week, or month. do that for each part... eventually all the parts will be done, and so will the car. Also, talk it up with people... order a pizza or some beers... with the right people around - a job for one will be completed 3x faster with 2 people... Here's one... find three other guys in the same situation. everyone get together once a week at a different person's house and work on the project of the week. Then everyone will get their project moving in the right direction. for the nay sayers... old tin is getting older... and yours had to survive scrap drives so the value is going up even if you don't touch it. (may or may not be true - but don't tell them that) sell it on your death bed, but do what you can till then. just some tips... do whatcha want but I wish ya the best.
What Flatoz and Flatheadguy said. Brilliant advice that is TRUE. First of all it is important to realise that we are all human and go through these experiences. Look at the job in small pieces, ie: engine and focus on that part of the project and THAT PART ALONE. Set up that list and as you complete each mini part, cross it OFF that list so you can SEE how far you have come and what progress you have made. This is crucial. Beofre you know it the engine will be done and you can turn your attention to other parts of the project in a similar manner. Life and hot rod building, like any other human endeavour, is mostly played between the ears. Plan to NOT be like some of other pretenders who SELL their rides because they can't see the trees for the forest. YOU bought that project because you could SEE yourself in it - SEE yourself in it again. FEEL it. Visualize what it WILL look like when done. Visualize finishing it off the way you want it. Visualize the respect and feeling of accomplishment that comes for a job well done. Reward yourself as you go along - This is critical too. Your friends and family are NOT the people to listen to in this matter. This is about you and YOU alone and what YOU want from the project/car. Qun: Do you love your Mum? A: Yes Qun: Do you TRUST your Mum? A: Yes If you needed a heart transplant would you throw your Mum a scalpel and tell her to operate? NO !! But YOU just told me you and love and trust your Mum !!! Get my point?? DO NOT take advice from people who don't get it (even though they are important to you) - its a sure fire way that leads to unhappiness in anything. NOW GO OUT TO THE GARAGE AND KICK SOME AUTO ASS !!! Rat
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