Projects Why do projects always snowball

Hey jeff - the problem was that it wasn't broke, but you decided to fix it anyway

Geez, I dunno - when will you ever learn....????

Haha.

 

Mine went from "let's replace the engine & trans" to a full ground up re-do. The only stuff I kept was the frame rails and sheet metal. D'oh!!

 

bolt on doesn't mean easy--it just means it installs with bolts.

my wife calculates my time estimates by x2 plus an hour for whatever I tell her it will take.

 

Decided to change the valve covers to some from a marine 302 motor that have nothing stamped on them so I can put some interceptor decals on,found the 58 air cleaner I bought years ago at a swapmeet and will get some dents pounded out and paint it if I dont modify the 55 air cleaner into a lid for a open element air cleaner. Just doing trying to keep it to stupid little things that wont cost much money except for the front seat rebuild,I checked on reproduction seat covers and they are 650 dollars so I hope I can get material much cheaper and have samples coming.

 

Stopped the snowball for now,I want to install speakers in the back but dont want to ruin my original panels so I will have to wait until I can find some that are already cut up or ones I can cut. I found some vintage looking speaker grilles and some speakers that will work but still trying to figure out where to get the material for the seat,for now I am done with the 55 and have the 37 back in the big garage for a spindle replacement.

 

I went to move a light switch that was behind the door. To get to the wire meant cutting
into the ceiling- found the previous owner had put a second ceiling directly over the original one. Pulled out both ceilings- found the wiring in the ceiling was knob and tube.
Rewired kitchen, installed new can lights, moved switch to correct side of door. With new
ceiling up and painted with decent lighting could no longer take the avacodo green counter tops, tore them out, installed new counters and sink/faucet. This meant the cabinets looked pretty shabby so redid the cabinets and painted the walls. Should have
just reversed the door.
Looking forward to starting a few small updates to my 50 chevy 3600. Jim

 

I started by cutting off the stock leafspring pads & shock mounts from my free-but-rusty 9" Ford rearend...
...then I welded up the gouges they left...
...then I welded up a bunch of rust pits...
...then the welder went crazy...
Untold hours of welding, grinding, filing and sanding later,
I'd completely filled in the two dimples.

 

I'm embarased to admit how much my project has snowballed and the cost to date as still more $$ needs to be spent to complete it, even with me doing the majority of the work. Still some things need to be farmed out as I'm not skilled enough to undertake them (Final paint & trim).
However I have everything required now Distance and fluctuating currency conversion rates add to cost. I'd go as far to say that us foreigners are truly committed as the build cost escalates due to these imposts! Nothing is easy, it might be available locally at substantial cost however cheaper and more convenient for me to import myself. Then the initial cost of the project, add on international freight, pay the Government duties (They can't miss out on the dun either) etc etc and you can see where the money goes.
That website has been great to source those obsolete and hard to find NOS parts as they are not available locally as our local Ozzie manufactured variants are totally different to US based production. Not much interchanges.
Can you see our dilemma now?

 

My latest project is starting to do the snowball effect again,converted my 66 f250 into a 1/2 ton and its done except now I want to lower the front a little so its either going to be different springs or dropped beams. I am hoping springs will lower it a little so I dont have to go through taking the whole front suspension apart again,I finally got the front seat done in the 55 this spring since it took me awhile to find material the closely matched the old faded stuff in the car. The next thing on the truck is to remove the lokar shifter so I can add under dash a/c and door seals which I found I had so there will be less spent.

 

Up until I joined the Navy, I used to leave stuff half done or incomplete. The military taught me that, "It can't be done.", "It'll wait till later." and "Half done is okay.", are NOT in the equation. After seeing my Hotrod for the first time, my brother told me, "Damn. What if you had been into space ships?"

I actually am, but the cost factor has me grounded. So far.

One night, I sat down and added up the receipts from the supplies it took to build my little T Bucket. I threw the paper away and went for a drive. Suddenly, the cost was justified.