History Driving unfinished cars long term - Are you guilty?

We were talking with some friends at a cruise in last night and the subject of unfinished cars came up, I am about as guilty as anyone when it comes to getting a car running and never take it any further, running & a coat of primer hence the moniker HOTRODPRIMER although Brenda's wagon was the one exception.

In the last few months I have been doing some much need maintenance on my old Deuce sedan, new shocks,tires, some new bushings in the panhard bar but the biggest change to come since the car first hit the road 30 years ago will be sealing the car up and installing a real genuine interior, no more South of the Border blankets over the seats and finally finish installing that heater.

I talked to my pal Dave and I'm on the list, kinda looks like he is going to get started in January.

Fear not, the original worn paint will not be touched nor will the original running boards & top insert, from the exterior it will look the same, the interior will be a nice simple one color pleated vinyl and hopefully a lot more comfortable. HRP

 

Does using an upside down 5 gallon pail as a drivers seat qualify? If so, guilty as charged.

 

Guess I should have said long term. HRP

 

Well considering every time I finish a car some jerk comes along and offer me way more than I can possibly turn down. So even though I want to finish my cars , I am afraid to now! lol Larry

 

Nope. I have the opposite problem. No driving til it's totally finished.

 

I think there are far more projects that never get to the drive/unfinished, than there are drive/unfinished to finished status. Heck, there are a lot of projects than can't, or never will roll on their own wheels & axles. Bob

 

Oh I’m guilty. When they are legal I’m driving them. Had a model a roadster that i ran around in for 10 years in primer banger motor looked awful but i liked it. Some guy offered me more than i thought it was worth and it was gone.

 

I made the mistake of letting my sedan get away once and that won't happen as long as I am able to drive and I have been offered stupid money, I don't know who the biggest fool was the guy that offered or me for turning it down but I love that car. HRP

 

Dang straight, Danny! I'm 23 years into my unfinished '40 Deluxe Coupe. LOL

 

Not guilty.
My unfinished car is not drivable.

 

I'm guilty as charged.

 

Guilty as charged

 

Are they ever really ever finished, isn't it always somethin'???

 

Wait a minute - are they EVER really "finished" ????

 

I agree with both the above statements! I get them safely running and driving, then worry about the cosmetics later, if ever. Even if I do get paint and interior done, I’m always going back and adding and changing things, so, are they really ever done?

 

Yeah even my finished cars get little things changed. Cant help myself.

 

I’ve yet to actually finish one...


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Been doing this a long time with many cars and as long as I own them their not done. There is always something that’s need fixed ,improved,or just changed.


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Unfinished was the question. HRP

 

Biggest mistake I made was painting and upholstering my car. Was a lot more fun when it had primer spots and an Indian blanket seat cover. Only drive it a couple times a year now. Needs to be in someone else's garage, I'd build another hot rod.

 

I've been driving my old truck since 1977, and the stuff that I thought I had finished, mostly all needs to be redone. And there are a lot of things I never got around to finishing, ever. So yeah, I continue to be guilty.

I drove my 55 in primer for about 15 years, saying it was finished, then I painted it...and still kept working on stuff, right up until I sold it.

even my new car, got to go on Drag Week with the wrong fenders, no hood, no front bumper, barely running....although it was finished enough to drive a thousand miles, and go racing several times.

 

Dang....why do you Hambr' me sooo much.....as well as my painter buddies that want to get at it !

 

Yes I am guilty also….I drove the 40 for a year, I called it a "Shake Down Cruise" Made a few changes by adding some wiring above the headliner and kick panels, both trunk and cockpit.
I'm glad I did and all while waiting my turn with the upholsterer.
It's finished as of May 2018 and now I drive it everyday.

 

25 years for me and still unfinished , don’t know at this point if I will ever Git R Done . I have been offered stupid money and trades but I just can’t cut the cord . I guess you just can’t fix STUPID !

 

I've been driving it for six months like this. Everywhere I go, someone tells me to "clear coat over the patina like Gas Monkey."

No thanks. But I will try to enjoy it a bit while I plan the really expensive stuff (chrome, paint, interior).

 

Guilty- 7 years in primer- plywood door panels-no headliner ,blanket divider to the trunk. Was fun for a while-I do like it better in paint and upholstered though


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maybe shake down runs a bit before uph-then done-Never have driven one in unfinished state other than a bit to get bugs out. Gonna do a few shakedown runs in 40 in progress then to uph next week

 

Oh yeah, I'm guilty. LOL, I had one guy criticize my unfinished paint as "fake patina". Nice guy. And that was here on the HAMB too.

 

Guilty as hell!! My avatar was a AZ chicken coop 30+ years ago and it's still crying for an interior among other things.

 

The more I drive my unfinished car, the more unfinished it gets.