I am planning to try to get serious about putting a dent in the Hemi pick project.But I am at a crossroads.My plan was to finish this truck right down to the shiny details.......but I have a quandry.... Should I ..... A-Finish the truck to a driver state and then drive it for a while to test it and Iron out any "bugs" the might occur.My thoughts were to get it in short order and and not to pretty it out.Getting a hotrod to this level might be fun....but then tearing it apart and getting ready for the prom maybe double the work.What about wiring?,,,,would this mean I would wire the ride twice?I plan to hide as much of it as possible(in the rails and so on) getting all of it in a primer and seeing what happens. B-Finish the truck right till the party dress...full paint,shiny stuff...full battle gear.I do want to end it at this point.I did this on my 34 and yep....there were a few wrinkles to iron out after it was all pretty and flashy....At this point it was difficult to to fix small details. I would like to hear some opinions from you guys....
My experiance in building 20+ hotrods is to finish them the way you intend on it to be. Whether or not the final "look" is rustic or shiny, to disassemble and reassemble is based on whether or not your confident in the way you designed the car or truck. Personally, I have stuggled with this same deliema in wanting to get the car on the road, but I've seen to many never get finished due to a lack of disapline.
If it were me, I'd get it to a drivable stage and drive the piss outta it. But than again, that is me and I'm a bit off my rocker. Ahh many a proms only half finished . . . . RRR
For me it's best to get it to what ever stage I consider DONE. It's too hard for me to stop and tear it down to do the detailing. I always tell myself "I'll just drive it around a bit then tear into it for the details. I said that 4 years and about 15,000 miles ago on my '32 2dr. It's never been apart and I've never stopped driving or smiling. I know it's never going to happen either until I get something else on the road. Frank
Get it running, drive it and leave it that way. Say its done so you can use that money for another project insted of all that "shiny" stuff.
If you stop at driveable you might not get back to finishing, my 30 has been drivable for 3 years, and all thats left is the interior door panels,carpet and headliner and ill probly be ready for a new paint job before that happens?
I'm a big fan of getting it road worthy and drive it. I work on my heaps every winter to improve them, but in the summer, they got to be able to go. Some of them have taken 3-4 years (instead of maybe 2 by working straight through) to be decent. My wife and I really enjoy riding around in our hot rods and we usually drive them 10,000 miles a year! About the time I get them fairly nice I'm tired of them and ready for what ever is next. Unfortunately, I get tired of the before they usually get "done". Won't be any trophy winners from me, but the wife and I really enjoy them. Our 54 Pickup has been on the road racking up miles since 2001. We have put a little under 40,000 miles on it, and are at the point that the interior needs to be done. We painted it (loosely phrased) last year. I already have the next ride sitting in my bottom garage and am collecting parts. I would much rather start on the "new" car then work on the interior of the pickup. When the "new" car is road worthy, the pickup is screwed. Maybe, you should think of me as an example. If the car is ever going to be done, better make it that way before it takes that first ride around the block. While your making your car great, my wife and I will be riding around in our unfinished driver. Just have to deside what you want. Waxing is overrated. Gene
Waxing is overrated.Gene[/QUOTE] Ha ha ha...thanks Gene..and too everyone else......yea the votes are in......git driving thanks again guys.
Ha ha ha...thanks Gene..and too everyone else......yea the votes are in......git driving thanks again guys.[/QUOTE] Finish it. You'll have your hemi A to drive while the '32 is getting finished properly.
If you have another ride to cruise around in and attend the shows you like going to then I say finish it out. If you dont then you should probably finish throwing it together fast so you will stay motivated. There is nothing better then taking the first spin in it and with that Hemi in there I am sure it will pretty unbelievable. Good luck and I love your truck.
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