How long before you got to actually drive it?

I hear stories about how long builds take....

I'm a weekend warrior with big ideas. I hauled my project home 3 years ago. I pick away at it on weekends and some nights. Biggest obstacle is that I'm learning as I go (I guess time & money is big obstacle too). I think I still have a year left (which probably means 2). Body work is finished, drivetrain is built and installed, suspension finished, need to ***emble trim, windows, interior, brakes.

Sometimes I feel like Captain Ahab trying to slay Moby ****. Since starting this project, most nights I fall asleep thinking about trying to make progress. Hard part is not taking short cuts to make the project go faster. Another hard part is putting other big ideas on hold until I finish this (although I picked up another project car that is a driver).

How long did your 'swan song' take you, and was the first drive everything you expected?

 

The first thing I do is get um running even if its just around the block . then I tare its *** apart

 

I built my 33 Chevrolet in one year. It was a pile of flat s**** metal in the back of my truck when I brought it home and a year later I was at my first cruise....thanks to both my friends for all their help.

 

It's not how long it takes it's about how much fun/sanity you gain from working with your hands. Pick one bolt a night and make that right. (I know it ryhmes) and soon you'll be cruising in style. I built my Touring in about 18 months to where it is today. I won't stop driving it long enough to do any more on it so I guess you could call it done. Just pick one thing and get it done and move onto the next. Remember some things never get finished, but finished is relative so enjoy it and turn it out to suit yourself. All the rest is gravy. These things teach us how to weld, the metric and standard systems, use a torch, move metal, herd electricity, smile, cuss, cry, and peace of mind.


My Chevy however took 5 years+/- and is a much nicer car, but I have equal fun in both so if you ask me what's my favorite I'll just smile because it's not relevant to either.

Go get it,

Tim

 

The trick is get something done every night...even if its something little. If you don't go out there it'll never happen

 

Definately. If you are out in the shop for an hour or two every night, you will be suprised at how much gets done. Plus, it keeps you from sinking into your couch..

-Abone.

 

sometimes its not the destination but the journey that matters.

 

madpiper is a smart man. My friend and I have a 51 fleetline that we have been working on for a little over 7 years..........still 5 years from driving it. The time learning and doing has been a great journey

John

 

Took me 6 years. Dude is right about getting it running. It's hard to keep excited about a car that won't go. Make sure your paperwork is sorted out too, hard to stay into a car that you may not be able to get plates on.

 

I got my '49 wayfarer when I was 13. The first time I drove it was at my wedding; I was almost 25. I've been working on my '53 chevy wagon for 5 years, but I'm hoping it should be on the road by spring.

 

My 39 chevy took two years, I had a job then. My 55 took a year of gathering parts, and about 3 weeks of full time, work all day then stay up late every night working on it to go from empty shell to driver (I had a deadline, enough money, and no job, which helps).

 

This would be sweet

 

I'm on year number 5 with my car. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm in the same boat as you. Not alot of disposable car money, lots of hours at my job and not alot of garage time. I don't care, it has been fun getting to this point. NEVER yourself a deadline, especielly for your first project. You'll probably just be disappointed if you do. Todd

 

I've been on mine almost 2 years to the day. Just a bare shell to running/driving,,now painting it.

 

I never give up, I never gave up!
It took me 23 years to get my '47 Ford up and running from the time I purchased it to the day I was able to start it up and drive it out into the sunshine. Was it worth it? You bet it was! The first time I took it out on the street for a test drive it was worth all the setbacks, false starts, lack of money and all of the s***ches and blood spilled.
Peace,
Chaz

 

I've done lots of Corvette/Mustang restorations but my Model A was my first rod. Bought it as a bone stock older restoration, spend a year buying parts, a year to get it on the road, and a year to work out all the bugs.

 

Um, I think I'm the worst one here.
Got my 57 when I was in 4th grade. started saving money and parts then, didnt do much till I was about 15. I've now been out of High school for 12 years, haven't driven it still. I rode in it once when we towed it from our friends it was stored at into town, In Nebraska, early january with no gl*** or doors, COLD ride, but I loved it

 

I've been in mine for about a year now. work has slowed so I'm putting in more time. I'm finished with the mock up and today i stripped it down to a rolling ch***is. I'm shooting for a spring finish but it sure would be nice for a x-mas run.

 

i'm starting to feel better about this.

wow. Chaz: to put that in perspective... the age of your '47 car when you bought it would be similar to the age of a 1970 car when you completed it. Great pic.

yes, important to embrace the process, but tough not to think about the end game. that's why i picked up the driver project car... to scratch the itch even though it took away a lot of attention from my big project.

 

I'm on my first build. I did a little overview of what I learned so far. I've learned alot since too. Todd

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283516&highlight=fng

WOW!! This is my 1000th post. Kind of fitting!

 

Mine sat for two years before I actually did anything with the "pile of parts" from the Mojave desert.

Once I got started it was better than five years before it ran. I spent alot of time just sitting there looking at it, trying to figure out what to do next, what needed to get done next and what HAD to get done next...and then how to do it.

It's been on the road now for a few years and isn't really finished because it's so much fun to drive, I don't want to "down" it for any length of time to re-do or modify/improve it.

 

Took me 8 years for the ride I got on the road just over a month ago. Put 2,500 miles on it since. Did more to this one that I'd never tried before, so I took extra time to make sure. And when you do things that no one else has seen before, there's nothing to go by, so that takes longer. Plus other cars were built in between. Yep, 8 years on this one, but the best to date...............

 

tugmaster:

i absolutely remember that post last year.

i think the biggest lesson i have learned (and i was even warned)... was to do the motor last. i went for dessert early. my motor was built and on the dyno almost 2 years ago.

by the way.... what are you tugging?

 

11 years and counting...really thought this was the year, but it didn't happen.

 

wow- that quote made me put down my beer and go to the garage. thanks!

 

I got my 56 in '74 drove it 100,000 miles then took it apart in '95. I finally drove it for real 2 weeks ago. So that makes it 14 years for me. Kind of fun to drive the old wreck again.

 

14 years here also. Life must move on and the car is a hobby. Worked on cars for a living and that was the least I worked on my cars. I have taken my time on mine and believe I did it right the first time (except for hiring the painter). Drove it for the first time in April 08 around the driveway then striped it back down for bodywork and painting. Hope to have it back up and running again next summer.

 

my goal is to build a car a year, usually like to have a couple in work so i can jump back and forth, run outta cash on one, do stuff on the other that doesn't cost anything but my time and thats cheap. Found out years ago , i put a plan together then when i do go to the shop i have identify specific this to accomplish that day or night, might just be a couple of little things but i found that if you tell your self that OK tonight finish welding in a patch panel or finish engine wiring , or what ever, it really helps getting them done. Make it easy and don't try and slay the dragon in one day .
Little bits at a time and the next thing you know it's a dun deal.

 

Our truck was nothing more than a chopped cab sitting on the shop floor and 80 percent of the parts to put it together. I had a 10 week temporary layoff from work last year. I got unemployment and sub pay so I was getting 95 percent of my regular pay. I figured, this may be the only time I get paid to do something I really love. So, I got up every morning at 4:30am just like when I go to work. Got some coffee in me and headed for the shop. I put in 10-12 hour days for 10 weeks straight. When I went back to work, it was a roller. A year and a week to the day later we went for our first ride.

 

Just a few days over a year for me. I drove it Saturday for the first time. It's not done but driveable.