Projects Has anyone got tired of their project?

I have been going back and forth thinking why am I still messing with my plymouth conv? This has been going on for around two years now.My wife really likes the car and I must confess I really enjoy it when take it to cruise night but the time and money going into it is crazy.I retired a year and a have ago and just get social security which isn't a lot you know. I have lately been eyeing the 33-34 fords lately on Hamb.I still need to work out the bugs since the car has been put together which might mean pulling out the engine and trans.I could just be now an old fart (63) and want to spend my last 37 years crusing and not still working on cars! Does anyone else feel this way? Exterminator

 

Tired or burnt out? I've been working on my father in laws coupe for 4 years and the passion has faded considerably.

 

I still have 20 years until I retire but I know what you mean. I'm pushing myself to go to a community college to learn bodywork and complete a car by myself to pass onto my sons as my Dad did for me.

 

Might as well de-bug the Plymouth...Once you are into just general maintenance then you can decide whether to move on to another money sucking project or cruise with what you got...

 

What a nice soninlaw you are Katuna. Hey my soninlaw could take lessons from you.LOL

 

Yeahhh I know....

 

I get tired of mine every time I gave to work on it! Start thinking I should take up golf or something. Then I roll it out of the garage and go blasting down the back roads, and remember why we do this. And I remember that I hate golf. And most golfers, too.

 

LOL

 

Well, yeah of course. Every one gets burnt out. Every one gets tired of it.

It's even worse if it's your only mode of transportation. Give it a breather a take a ride with a friend, sometimes that's the best thing to do and a good perk of being an active member of your local car community.

But some additional thoughts.
•if you've been messing with it this long you've probably gone threw about the whole car and are on the cusp of just driving it.
•you will not get your money back that you dumped into it
•the only car that you'll buy that has everything sorted out is the one you buy and then sort out. Your going to be pissed you sold your rag top at a loss because you didn't want to put more cash into it, bought a driver and then had to put even more into that.
•if your on a budget and think you put to much cash into your current car 33/4 fords are not what you should be looking at. i can hardly afford the dream of a 33/34 and even then it's the 12 year plan of buying every ones cast off bits and welding them Together to make a body that needs a lot of help.

 

I'm pretty burnt out on my car... It's really only a weekend from being finished, but I just can't make myself go out and do it.... Maybe it's the weather, or maybe it's the fact that you can't open your eyes in the morning without seeing a Falcon Gasser... I mean they are freaking everywhere now.... I knew I should have built a 53-56 Ford...

 

There's no last project ! We are always thinking of the next one. Don't put dead lines, or spend beyond your budget. But MOST important keep it FUN and in joy the dreaming! the dreaming part is the most fun for me . just say en.

 

I'm getting a little tired of keeping up maintenance and repairs and improvements on my 5 old ones...then my wife has an old one and 3 later models....yet here I am, in the middle of a minor refresh of my Chevy II. I hope I have this much energy for at least a while longer.

 

To avoid burnout which happens to everyone here is what I do and I like the build process as well as driving them. Get the one you have to a consistent driver status and keep it. Perpetual project and no driver sucks. Any other car you buy will likely need work or changes as well. Project-wise have more then one, burnt out on one move to next one for a while. Always keep one to use as it sucks to attend events on foot. They all need a certain amount of work and care and the grass is always greener when looking at something else.

 

I think that most everyone goes through highs & lows of working on their ride(s). sometimes our dreams are much harder to reach than reality. the original optimism can be hit straight on with the fact that this is much harder, and more expensive than ever planned. I have usually bought unfinished projects from others. then usually end up selling unfinished. sometimes breaking even. now way too deep on a OT Ranchero project to stop now. was supposed to be a easy low buck flip - Ha! so, keep plugging away & spending $ I really should not be spending to finish in hopes that it will lead to the a ride that I really want. running on a low budget can be tough. even selling lots of misc stuff I have setting around to get more $. plus, life just gets in the way. can do all of the planning of spending a certain amount of time on your ride, and poof all of that disappears because of something non-car related that you never planned on. each person has to decide what is best for them. if you need some encouragement I am real good at spending other peoples $$. one day at a time.

 

I must be the exception, I get "tired of the "project" when it is done.
Something about having that unfinished project waiting in the garage for me, whenever I feel the urge to work on it (I make an effort to do something everyday on it, even if it is something small).
Then there is the sourcing of the parts on the internet, and swap meets..which when found gives a great sense of satisfaction.
Pleasure from these cars can be gained in many ways ..if not realized, time for another hobby.

 

Jalopy Joker,you would have to stand behind my wife-thanks .LOL

 

I got there with my Model A. Even though I'm on the younger end of the demographics here, between work, an old house that constantly needs work, more work, the marriage, more work, a kid, more work, late model cars that keep breaking, more work, and another kid on the way, progress ground to a halt and kinda just stayed there.

I kept thinking to myself that I should have never taken a driver apart to turn into what I wanted. Then I bought my '39, as a driver, did a few quick things to make it 'mine' and that changed everything. Just getting out there, doing car stuff again, going to shows, hitting the strip, or loading the family up and hitting the go-pedal on the highway put it into perspective. Driving an old car made me want to finish my old car.

Of course, now I'm halfway 'round the planet, but I plan on being a garage hermit for as long as it takes when I get back.

 

Every once in a while I get tired of fixing this to fix that, but there is one cure for me - get behind the wheel and go for a ride! Go blow the stink off and things will be better!

 

Also I have a 40 pickup that needs a few things done to update but it also drives and I trust it more..I don't even want to touch the pickup until I can trust the Plymouth.

 

EXTERMINATOR, I some times feel the same way till I take my station wagons food shopping, to get gas or to Sonics drive in for a milk shake and when the people star coming around it all it.Its worth it. I am on disability so I know about the $$$ part .Just take your time with it.. Some time you have to walk a way for a few days from it. The guys on the H.A.MB. tought me that. Bruce.

 

What dampens the buzz for me is getting asked when it will be done constantly by friends and family. I like having something to work on when I feel like it but people who mean well are turning it from a hobby to an obligation.

 

Not having a driver is my biggest problem. My goal is to get my 47 fleetline buttoned up just so it safe that's all I care about so I can drive to a show. Then I will go after my 29 tour. My wife sells mary kay and earned a new car so now its just my daily work truck we have to keep on the road and thats my mechanic problem now and that helps so much. So now if it's any newer then 1970 I won't work on it. Also I have 2 buddys with projects and we help each other out. Brakes up the monotony.

 

An old guy I used to work with told me "If you don't like working on cars, then you have no business buying an old car. If you like working on cars, then go buy an old one because they are the easiest ones to work on." He also told me if I wanted to work on old cars, then to get a real job and buy one because you're not going to make much money working on other people's. I worked with him at a resto shop back in the day. That was probably some of the best advice I've gotten.

 

I am on year 12 on my build (and, at about 85-90% done), and, I think what gets me the most nervous is what am I doing to do with my time when it's done? I will cruise it of course, but in the last few Years I've finally gotten to where I enjoy the "Journey"-my time in the Shop is therapy-

There are times where I can't believe it has taken this long (I thought it'd take a couple of Years at the most), but I didn't realize that I would have to re-do most everything at least three times (I want it right)-it is a curse to be a perfectionist and still be learning skills (do you ever stop learning?)-

 

Doing other people's projects gets old fast but I never tire of my own, when I reach a point where things aren't working I just switch to another project that I put on the back burner. Having something to do is more important than getting done to me. The typical build lasts a total of two years.
Some of my back burner projects have been out there longer but sooner or later someone on here will post a thread that turns on the green light forThem, Kind of an aahaa! that's the way to do it moment.

 

Lots of good replys here. Being retired I get bored easily and need something to work on. Nothing in the works right now-redid a 40 for a guy awhile back and it left a month ago. Makes me tempted to tear apart one of the 40's just to redo something to keep me occupied. One 40 has a ZZ mtr and is a fresh car but I may replace it with a Hot little 327 just for something to do--ZZ runs great but not to my liking-wife says leave it alone and go get another 40 to play with. Gotta keep going--at 73 I'm not burnt out yet. I enjoy the build maybe more than having the finished product but keep my CMG 40 around to drive. It is #4 in a string of 14 that have passed thru here in the
last 12 years.

 

As long as I've been alive I've never been without something to do.
The less I get done, the fuller the plate gets as the newest something pushes its way in. It comes if there's a clean spot left from the latest completion or it just piles itself right on top. I never know what it is but I know it's already on its way.

As far as getting tired of a project,,,,
when some aspect is encountered where the out come is less then desirable,
or the task is greater than the skill set,
Or the bill is greater than the account,
it gets frustrating and tiring.
Spending time and no progress gets tiring.
Thankless hours inside a door solving problems gets tiring.
Pacing yourself against a TV show gets tiring.
HotRod aerobics gets tiring. ( that's when you crawl under a car & get back up just to crawl under it again no less than 12 times in 30 mins.)

 

My son asked me if ever I got tired of the Hot Rod and people always giving me a thumbs up or stopping to talk about how they used to have one JUST like it.
I just said, "No."

 

My son past on his project to me in 2011.
Physical limitations, time constraints, have been my frustration.
But I have to say, I dream about the car all the time. So I'm pretty much motivated most of the time.
Starting to get up in years, but I would never sell it even if I don't finish it.
When I physically can't work on it anymore, well, I'll give it back to my son..

 

I have a 36 coupe I'm tired of looking at. Maybe it can come live at your house???

-Abone.