Folks Of Interest Are you that guy?

76 and 3 projects I think that fits

 

I did it a bunch of years ago with air cooled and water cooled vw’s owned a bunch fixed them up sold them , parted them out and had fun for a few years . It was easy as parts interchangeability between air cooled stuff was easy and early water cooled everything fit everything else so buying 3-4 scrap cars it was easy to build 2 runners sell some parts and scrap the left overs .

Then I got tired of working full time and wrenching every night after work so I stopped doing it and finally sold my last one then ventured into Hamb territory .
One at a time , I enjoy everything about that one particular car and when I get board of it flip it into the next ride that catches my fancy .

keeps it simple and keeps the house from lookinh like a wreaking yard

 

I started down that rabbit hole when I was younger. Working on a project and another good deal comes up so you buy it and get distracted. Then you work less on the first and more on the second for a while and so on... until I finally figured out there will always be another good deal to come along. Seriously, I can spend an afternoon surfing and come up with about a dozen good deal project cars that I would love to do. So I figure let someone else pay for the storage of my next project car until I am ready because I don't have the room and all my funds are tied up finishing what I have right now. Plus the wife helps remind me!

 

I'm going to say guilty as charged. In the same breath, I didn't spend $$$ on a holiday that only allows for memories. I didn't buy dinners out that only left a full feeling and a huge dump as testimony to money spent.
I worked, I spent and learned lots in the process.
On the flip side, I didn't end up with student loans for the education of doing, I got enough tools and equipment to start a business, and while those cars of mine may not be finished, they are paid for and will make for a colorful estate sale when the time comes.

 

One and not done…..yet

 

66 with 2 running and driving.... 3 projects....

Just one more honey....I promise that will be the last one...

 

Been that way for too many years and worse with parts collection. Trying to reform myself over the last couple of years.

 

When asked if I was going to live long enough to finish my latest acquisitions, I replied- "well, I ain't dead yet".

 

My plan was the dream from high school. An A coupe.
Always things were important enough to push it back for later.
Twenty years later, present wife insisted that I should have a T tudor.
Twelve years later, She just had to have a 57 two ten.
During this time I was OTR hauling ( long haul )
The A still waits, But I will get there despite my physical decrepitude.
OH YEA..... her memory tells her it's all me. She only tolerates them.
heh heh heh

 

Definitely mechanical! Hardly anything moves in my human body anymore! Lol.






Bones

 

I have some work to do on my '40 before I'll consider it done and I'm just starting into the roadster project; figure at least two more years on that one. So, at age 72, I went and looked at a good friends '55 Bird. Long story, but years ago we had a tentative deal that I could buy it for $1400. Next day he came into work and told me he just couldn't part with it as it was his first car. Fast forward 50 years; he's passed away and his widow wants to get rid of it. Thinking seriously about this one; body is rough but he collected a ton of parts for it over the years. I told her I have to decide if I was going to live long enough to finish it...

 

I’ve been down that road as well! One day about 15 years ago I was looking out back, doing a mental calculation of projects, how long it takes me to just make something drivable and safe, I figured I’d have to live to 175 years old to finish them all.
Started selling them off or trading for things I needed, not just wanted.
Proud to say I haven’t bought a project in 25 years now, have come close, but never pulled the trigger.
Heck, I still have too many taking up too much room as it is though.

 

I will also say this. Our swapmeets have very little Early stuff. So, I am going to clean house on the heavy stuff that is expensive to ship. Springs, bones, axles etc. Between dad and I we have enough for a good booth. Be some good shopping for our fall swapmeet. I am only going to keep what I need for the Tudor.

 

Guilty. I get interested, ramp up, loose interest, move onto another project. Rinse & repeat. Actually very frustrating. Trying the last week to remember what I had left to do to finish my flathead for my speedster project. Did I buy the part, where did I put it, what else did I forget. Not really a good way to live life. Trying to finish what I start lately which included finishing a garden plot. It was hard, took 3 weeks, but I did it. Lol!

 

I was going to answer, but getting too depressed just adding up all the projects that are not getting done. I guess I'm a hoarder. Like some of you I've got the first Hot Rod mag my Dad bought for me on my 10th bday. I've got some parts off a '57 Chevy I sold in 1970. A trophy I won with it at Balboa. I was fortunate to get a deal on 25 acres in 1990. I only had 3 projects at the time and now I had room to put a car under every tree. I almost succeeded.

 

Priceless...

 

I'd say I would have to break it down into sub-category's, There's the " I am", as in driving and working on them, and then the " I'm gonna", as in they are still near the top of the list, and then the " I'd like to" meaning they are way back in the barn and have shit piled on top of them, and can hardly remember how complete its is. So...yeah, I'm one of those guy's that will not live long enough.

 

It’s an easy trap to fall into.

ironandsteele.com​

 

I think it’s the before and after vision that gets me into trouble.

 

At one time, I had about 10 VW Bugs in my yard, with only one that actually ran. I was out on the road somewhere, my wife called, said some guy was there and was interested in buying a few of them. I told her to ask if he wanted ALL of them! She did, I made a price, he paid her and had them all hauled off by the time I got home a few days later. Since then, I've limited myself to two cars at a time, mine and hers. Whichever was running at the time was the one we went in to cruise in's and such. If both were running, we sometimes took both. Right now, we've been trying to sell her OT car, 88 model FBird, and put the money into mine, but haven't had any luck. Guess I waited too late to put it on the market. I figured income tax return time would be the best time to sell, but about then is when things started tightening up, so we've had few bites and no real offers.

But I've always had a hankering for a 27 T roadster, or a 28-31 A roadster or coupe, preferably fiberglass. I've built one in my head many times, that will have to do until I finalize the Lincoln.

 

No, not that guy. I have a very realistic idea of my time and capabilities. Plus my budget doesn’t allow for it. I have three now and that will probably be an all-time high. Two is more in my wheelhouse. Only one doesn’t run at the moment but that should be remedied by the end of summer. My dad’s 38 Chevy is up next and that’ll be a major rebuild. But not until the current project is done.

No offense to anyone reading but I scratch my head at guys who only collect one make/model/year. Like the guy in SC? Who has a 54 Ford collection. Even only 32’s… there’s so much cool stuff out there. Variety is the spice of life. If you look at the roster of cars I’ve owned it’s very eclectic.

 

I figured out about 2 years ago that my car trailer was the root of the problem. I sold it and haven't added to the project queue since. So, I'm still at one running and 4 projects. Of course we're not counting tractors, antique cameras, etc.......................

 

Yeah. I figure at 59 I have a few good years left to complete what I have but I have resisted bringing any more home. My wife is a bad influence as she keeps saying you should go get that or go look at it. I just want to finish what I have.

 

I only have room for one. I like that.jmho. Snowman ⛄️

 

Just the blue 50 for now. I keep finding ones I like to pick up but don't anymore. Although it wouldn't take much to nudge me to hook up the trailer and chase a few of the gotta haves. I turned 64 yesterday and said I need to slow down. My Uncle put a 40 Ford coupe project up for sale that needed a ton of work. An 87-year-old guy bought it. I thought Damn that dude is biggest optimist I have ever met.

 

I believe that this hits close to home. Lost my wife earlier this year and have started to re-evaluate things. I've always wanted a 28-9 A coupe. I have two bodies and two frames. I still have a T-bucket project that stalled when she took a turn for the worse. I still haven't started back on that project, but it will be a sale item, finished or not. I'd like to sell all of it just to pick up one fairly complete A coupe and build it the way I want. If I ever actually get to that point, I think that I'll just try to enjoy what time I have left driving my roadster, my old Chevy truck or my A coupe and hope that I can still drive....
r

 

So...my barber just handed me a list of about 10 pretty desirable old cars for sale this afternoon... In that list was a couple Model A’s and a 33 Ford pu. I might be that guy after all...

 

Guys, you are looking at this the wrong way. This is a continuing process of pursuing a hobby we love. The whole idea is to have more than you can ever do and keep piddling along and enjoying it. You don't want to ever reach a point where you say.........." Well, I'm all done".
I see lots of old people with little or no direction in their life and every day is like groundhog day for them. With us there is always something to do or waiting to be done. There is always something to figure out or change. So what if there are unfinished projects still sitting there when we do leave ?

 

Just counted up- jeezus, 15 right now, counting the beater, the duallie, the XK8 and the SL500 I just drug home. Sold my 47 Chief, which forced me to buy the Benz- yeah, that's the story. XK8 should go, but that beautiful dash, and the smell of the real wood and leather... Down to two bikes, but those antique tractors- yeah, they are the curse! 9- I think...