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Projects LONG TERM BUILDS ===== Reason you finished it

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by The37Kid, Nov 18, 2017.

  1. SEEKONK JIM
    Joined: Oct 22, 2017
    Posts: 127

    SEEKONK JIM

    they are never finished until you sell them to some one ...
     
  2. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    My Adult Attention - Shiney Thing- Deficit makes me jump from one project to another....need to put valve cover breathers on the roadster,, change the trans on the 41 truck,,,,redo the front suspension on the Ute,,,, oil change on two OT trucks (a gas truck and a diesel truck),pull out the XO PP to start the fire system,,,,,,, am I crazy??? You bet,
     
    rod1 and Work In Progress like this.
  3. You gota want it real bad, what I got and what I wanted, pretty close, with parts from Miguel and a lot of work, I got it together.


    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    triman62 and Pinstriper40 like this.
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  5. grdra1
    Joined: May 20, 2013
    Posts: 526

    grdra1
    Member

    P8240030.JPG P8240035.JPG P8240038.JPG P8240050.JPG
    5 years, 80,000 AUD dollars (100,000 US), still going, working long hours to fund project. Chipping away always doing something / buying parts / waiting for parts, never loosing sight of finished project. Glen
     
    Hollywood-East likes this.
  6. Fitty Toomuch
    Joined: Jun 29, 2010
    Posts: 328

    Fitty Toomuch
    Member
    from WVa

    Reason? Because I challenged myself. Was it the seller that said most guys would not take on a project like this? and I`ll show him? I don`t know... I just got the hots for a round fender car and am into Mopars. It still needs door panels, headliner etc. but it will get finished, titled in 07, got the tags yesterday, what a long strange trip it`s been. Oh, and a lot of motivation was to get my shop freed up to do repairs other than my driveway.:)
     
  7. My ride is pretty close but....hell, they're never really DONE done... I still hafta make and paint a hood top for it. I love my car...10 years on and off with available spare time and money. 17k miles on the road so far in 3 years...7k miles coming up this summer on a cross country bucket list trip to New York and a ride back tagging along with the Bones on their annual trek to the salt, then home to Oregon. Reason I built it? I like driving hot rods...and building them. Pure and simple. And I like the fact that I actually FINISHED one LOL!!
     
    chevy57dude likes this.
  8. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    What was your reaction when your FIRST project was licensed and on the road? Was it just another day, major unforgettable milestone, not what you thought it would be? I think there are more guys with builds than guys that ever make the DMV line. Happy New Year! Hope 2018 is a Great One!

    Bob
     
  9. I always sell them before they’re done. I’m telling myself no more, everything I build from now on will be keepers.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  10. I always sell them before they’re done. I’m telling myself no more, everything I build from now on will be keepers.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  11. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    Yes, I'm in that club, sell them before a piece of wire ever sees them. :eek:

    Bob
     
  12. johnc451
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 147

    johnc451
    Member

    Sorry for the length of this but I wanted to get it in perspective:

    So in the early 80's I built a 31 A pick-up, very much in the style of the day—full fendered, big headlights, mild small block, automatic etc. I am not a tall guy but even I felt squished in it. But the real problem was it just was not that exciting. Ran great, rode great, looked great but after growing up with two older brother hot rodders in the 50's, morphing through Corvettes and Porsches in the 60's -70's—well let's just say that after 2 years of driving it someone made me an offer I could not refuse.

    I immediately acquired a chopped 31 coupe body that had found conflict with a guard rail and needed half a cowl and a door but was rust free. This time I wanted to go for some grit so basic plans included a big block, a four speed, serious tires and a tough frame. I have a close friend who is a master fabricator---modifieds, off road, rock climbers etc. He built a tough Zed frame with coils in back and mounted the body by way of a tubular roll cage. Independent front suspension was designed for this frame by a professional shop then it was back to me for the rest. I took my styling ques from what was going on then-being late 80's early 90's. Then life happened in the form of a long stressful divorce, raising the four children with little help and blah blah. The car was a painted roller by then, but in a corner with teenagers cars in front of it, some other projects on deck and so it sat. As time went on, my tastes changed. My appreciation of straight axles returned, my love of monochrome paint jobs faded, billet started to look garish , my personal life took a tremendous up turn and still the coupe sat. The years rolled-retirement came, a new house with a big shop was built, my skills improved, a 40 Ford was built, a 51 pickup was built for my new love, kids grew and became independent. And still, I wondered why I was not working on my 31 coupe. I begin to realize that a car built in the the 40's -50's is not dated but for me right now, one built in the 80's is. So it sat..

    A serious buyer had come along and offered me big numbers at a time when I could have certainly used the dollars, but I hung on. It had to be my love for the A coupe styling that made me say no back then.
    About two years ago I got a visit from a fellow HAMBer, Tony Martino, who has a pretty unique way of looking at our hobby. His parting words were --”finish the thing the way you planned it and just enjoy it.”

    So a week or two later I started the thing for the first time in 20 years and broke in the engine. Then I gave it to an expert body guy and friend, Scott Jarvis who tended to the 25 year old paint and gave it a fresh life. Today, after a week of mounting a seat, hooking up a gas pedal and some small stuff, I fired it up and drove it for the first time!! It was only on the ¼ mile long driveway but it was an awesome experience. The damn thing acted like it was no big deal and it had done this before. Everything worked. Clutch and gear changes were silky smooth. Motor which is a 427 with complete Edlebrock RPM plus system is truly inspiring. I need glass, a valve adjustment and details to make it into a pleasurable vehicle to live with BUT I am over my mental hurdle. It is what it is and by my measure that is pretty damn cool. There are some other vehicles in the barn now which will satisfy my need for more of a traditional approach. But when I get to let all the HP and Torque run free next week, I am sure I will be impressed. The ride is tight and very responsive. It is a strange combination of times in my life but so am I.
     
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  13. Pinstriper40
    Joined: Sep 24, 2007
    Posts: 3,602

    Pinstriper40
    Member

    15 years... But the CRUISE is worth it!
    1911242_10100190209871330_241233236_o.jpg 20170912_070129694.jpg
     
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  14. Pinstriper40 likes this.
  15. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,295

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    For me it's not so much a destination to reach, it's 99% about the journey getting there and the learning and pride in resolving obstacles while getting there. I don't care about competion with othere, I onlcy care about accomplishment on my own. If it takes another 10-years, I don't give a rat's ass - I'm having a great time !!
     
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  16. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,629

    The37Kid
    Member

    Guess TagMan will be at the local DMV before me, I'm enjoying the projects too. Bob
     
  17. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,182

    wheeldog57
    Member

    The Chevy took me 19years. It was very rusty and I didn't know how to get it back together. It sat, in pieces for a long time. One day I decided that it wasn't going to weld itself so I learned on that car. Had to re-do a lot but it still runs, drives, looks good.[​IMG]

    Sent from my E6810 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
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  18. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,182

    wheeldog57
    Member

    triman62 likes this.
  19. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,182

    wheeldog57
    Member

  20. Pinstriper40
    Joined: Sep 24, 2007
    Posts: 3,602

    Pinstriper40
    Member

    Thank you! As they say, they're never done, but I plan on "finishing it" this year with chrome steelies and bias plies or bias look radials, a powergen, and a few interior details. It'll get some Dave Bell style pinstriping by me down the road as well.
     
  21. JimSibley
    Joined: Jan 21, 2004
    Posts: 3,848

    JimSibley
    Member

    It's not a car until you drive it!
     
  22. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    Started on it 20 years ago, put it away, did other stuff. built a house, built my A. Now I am working on it again. 9 014.JPG Why will I finish it, hmmm I guess I enjoy the challenge.
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2018
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  23. Terrible80
    Joined: Oct 1, 2010
    Posts: 785

    Terrible80
    Member

    Sometime I think I'm a little manic/ depressive. I'll go from doing nothing to a marathon thrash for no apparent reason.

    Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  24. drew1987
    Joined: Nov 22, 2015
    Posts: 678

    drew1987

    This was a great read. I am 30 years old, so not much relates to me as sadly, I did have the brass when I was a teen to buy an old car. Got my first one at 26. What I can relate to is the almost numbing feeling of NEEDING to build the car and drove it. I got mine original and drivable. Put 5,000 miles on it and learned a LOT about diagnostics and keeping it going. It died and needed several hundred in machine work. I reflected that I never TRULY loved driving it, only looking at it and the idea of it going down the road. That’s when I committed v8/auto/open drive/custom rewire/custom brake assembly and steering column and many other ideas.

    I started in November of 15. Many 5°f nights. Never missed a minute with my wife or son... missed a lot of sleep. My goal was to get it done and drove him (0.3miles) to his first birthday party in it, which was a 50s car theme. Don’t worry, had two full size pickups and 3 other car as a front and rear escort for safety. I finished it, literally, at 9:15 in the morning the day of the party. Here is its first ride, completed:





    There was a no hood, not running right, unsure of brakes “screw it” ride 2 days earlier. Turned out there was an EXTRA accelerator pump spring (yes, EXTRA) holding the left float shut in a brand new edelbrock carb I got as a gift. MANY other fine tune things later, the above video was shot. Those (the crazy first drive, the one in the video, and driving my son) were some of the best moments of my life after baptism, wedding, child births, etc.

    It’s got 10,000ish total from when I bought it, can light them up as long as I want, and has seen 102mph. Did it all my self, and bought no commercially parts except I was gifted 49-54 Posie rear springs. Everything else, I made or adapted.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    The37Kid likes this.
  25. 33skippy
    Joined: Feb 27, 2015
    Posts: 29

    33skippy

    im not sure i quaifiy to speek for all them that have had projects for a long time, but if you brought it, hung onto it for years and then built it, it was proberbly was your dream car, and the time wasnt right to finish it, untill you did.
     
    The37Kid likes this.

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