Hot Rods MONEY AND NO TIME or TIME AND NO MONEY

Thought being semi retired would give me time, the better half's honey do list seems to have exploded.
Add to that the calls from people for home improvements due to corona virus and I am buzy more than ever.

 

Time: No. Money: Yes. Motivation is high. I decided a few years ago how and when I was going to retire based upon many factors. I just turned 54 and am executing the plan (build a nice shop, finish up home projects, find parts, etc.) and should be ready to get to my 5 projects next year. One is well over 50% done and it will be knocked out first. I did reprioritize the vehicles in the order I was going to do them in case my health declines. I will be done working in 5 years then it will be a full time job to get them done, sell off the excess parts, and tidy it all up for my wife and kids. My wife and I are already planning trips in the cars that have been on the bucket list for years. The five year plan that I started three years ago really helped me stay focus and motivated. Regards, Randy


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

I have ample time & some mad money what I lack is the motivation & enthusiasm. HRP

 

Jeez!
I think I might just kill myself after 4 pages of This!
I Get it though.

Me:
Time.....
Honey dos, house things, trying to stay healthy, dealing with Moms estate, getting rid of crap in my own house (especially the garage see pictures) to make room for more parts on my hotrod

Money:
Good now my Mom, left me some inheritance.

Motivation:
Huge killjoy, sometimes. Overwhelmed with life, economy, politics the immoral world we live in

Not many people into hotrods anymore
Car Shows are lame nowadays, compared to back in the 70s and 80s when we did poker runs and fun things, now the old guys just sit around in lawn chairs and BS behind their polished cookie cutter cars and yell at kids who get to close.

Also today’s drivers are so insane I’m worried my car is gonna get wrecked when I do get it built!
(it’s not like you can go get the parts, and just go get it fixed in a autobody shop!)

 

In my seventies like a lot of you folks.....I've been involved in hot rods, muscle cars and motorsport for a huge chunk of those years. That particular affection/affliction/addiction has probably cost me most of the things most of us would say are important or valuable. I (out of a sense of mental and emotional defense) have avoided considering all that cost until recently. The re-examination didn't stem from any overwhelming event or stroke of fate. No bolt out of the blue, so to speak......I wandered out to the shop one day, walked in and thought.... I don't really wanna do this anymore.....There is a lot of stuff in that building, but, it's just that .....stuff. The disconnect is complete, I can and have built any part or component I need. If I can't build it , I can buy it.... I won't do either, going forward. Standing way back and looking at it, the whole deal looks so tiny I wonder if it even mattered at all.

 

At 68 years retired and with some health issues going on I too have lacked motivation ,money I always seemed to get what I wanted or really needed ,thanks to the good lord above,but as the other fellow said I would probably have to live to be 200 to finish my projects even if I could work on them everyday,health has a big difference on what you can or want to accomplish ,not being able to get up off the floor,a bad back,weakness all plays a part in motivation ,but I still get to an occasional cruzin ,dont take the bird much, my legs being weak make it hard to shift ,ya I am the dummy that changed it to a standard ,most times I take my big boat Electra 225 with an auto trans or my late model challenger,but the HAMB has given me hope reading all the comments that I am somewhat normal ,all and all life is good just gotta keep pushing forward as has been said all in the good lords time

 

At 77 sure slowing down, Funds are not an issue-just lack of motivation right now due to the virus lockdown etc. If I had one here to work on/build I would be on it every day. I have been looking but not going to travel to look/get one in these times. If the virus thing wasn't going on I'm sure i would have had one here a few months ago. Think I'm good for one or two more. Slower for sure but still can plug along for at least 6-7 hrs a day.
Would be nice to build another 40-guy called a bit ago-sold one I built a few yrs ago for $90 K and would like me to build him another one.

 

I'm 79. Built my first car at 17. Never paid anyone to do anything on any of my cars other than front end alignment. The other day, crawling out from under my DD after changing the oil, I wondered how many more times can I do this as I drag myself to an upright position. I still love old cars, check the classifieds regularly and pretend I'll get another one someday. Then I wonder what I'll do with it after I get it and drive it once or twice. Fortunately, I still have a slight amount of sense left and come back to reality.

 

Airplanes = money pit. Way worse than hot rods...I'll never own a boat or an airplane.

 

Actually, with proper planning, and a bit of luck, planes don't have to be a huge money pit. When I built my shop, I built it with the possibility that someday/maybe I'd build an airplane. 5yrs ago when my Doc told me my electric welding days were over, I knew the possibility just became reality. Fired up the torch, re-honed my gas welding skills, grabbed the filler rod and went to town on a kit plane. No pilot license, just common sense required. Thinking about it now, if I'd have done this 47yrs ago, I probably would have a Gee Bee racer sitting in the shop right now.

 

Lots of better threads considering builds and questioning is better than this. All of those are what’s keeping this hobby going. Thought this would strike a cord which it has. I’m with quite a few that motivation and get up and get is rough. Money and none has been since beginning of time. The old adage to title does hit home and does reflect on old times vs current times and life times. Hats off to all.

 

Plenty of money and parts with no time to finish

 

Airplanes,,,my theory,,a fool and his money soon part

 

What a bunch of cry babies!

Time is the only thing you can't make more of.

Forget politics! ( they are all morons)
Forget covid! In five years it will be as big a deal as Y2K in February of 2002

Quit blaming your kids, wife, job, lack of job for not getting things done.

If you want to do something you will find a way, if you don't you will find an excuse.

 

Your just a young pup. I thought the same things when I was your age. Time has a way of changing a guy's thinking. One day you will understand.

 

Hello,

What a topic. People who retire have all the time in the world. If one has not already gone through the home remodeling phase, it might pop up as there is a lot of looking around the house. Time and money is usually what has been locked away for a while. So, little projects just to keep the sanity of waking up when you want, doing what you want and when the pandemic is over, taking road trips to places you both like. They can be reading multiple page books like Dr. Zhivago, The Stand, Atlas Shrugged or something simple like the The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby in one cool sunny afternoon. That is what becomes your choice.

Most of the time it was time and no money. As 30-40 somethings, we had the money, but family life took precedence over hot rods or a specific hot rod. When our neighbor who lived across the street bought a 1946 woody, that was a little irksome. He did not surf, but wanted the surfer lifestyle in his daily activities. So, since he bought one, we could not get one (or a sedan delivery) that we saw at a car show that would have fit our needs in our skateboard/scooter business.

My wife wanted a hot rod to publicize our skateboard/scooter business. But, they were good neighbors and we did not want to be followers. So, she bought a new powerful 5 speed, European sedan with A/C for her daily driver. Her old car, a blue El Camino with A/C, needed too much work and got terrible mileage.

Jnaki

Retirement is so nice. At first, we had a second job with raising our granddaughter. Her parents had just gotten new jobs and were very tight with their schedules. We had already done the work scene and were ready for a new adventure. With those little hazel eyes staring at you at every glance, how could one not retire and be with that jewel?

We had plenty of money and investments were trickling in at an even rate. So, we were OK with the cash flow. Now, we had a second child to fawn over and do what we are able to do with this granddaughter. Daily beach excursions, short road trips to the local parks, malls or ferry rides in the harbors, naps, etc, were all part of our now, daily lives. When our house went from 2 adult living to 2 adults and a granddaughter, the whole world changed.

Now, our son still needed some guidance and words of experience, but raising our granddaughter was a new adventure. Our cars went from reliable to “better be more reliable” in a flash. We had a mid-size station wagon, now at her parent’s request, it became a rolling AWD TANK. But, powerful with all of the amenities a little child and two grandparents needed.

Now that our granddaughter has gone through 15 years being with us in the growing up years, she is very independent, stable, athletic, well balanced, and very smart. All traits that everyone would wish on their offspring. So, now it is back to being isolated two adult/one dog living and it is still great to see our granddaughter on the Facetime contacts every week. We are locked in place, so, we will wait until it is all clear to make contact again, with a great big hug. For now, retirement with the two of us is like how it all started back in 1966.

As a teenager and 20 somethings, it was obviously no money and time/skills. But, we all lived through that era. Having played our cards right over the years, there is plenty of money and time is running out. There is no place to spend our income, so it gets stored monthly, for a rainy day. Yes, it rains in So Cal. Cash reserves are piling up as there is nowhere to spend it during the pandemic, other than a huge tip to the grocery delivery person that NEEDS/DESERVES it.

So, when one of our forever cars goes "kerplunk," then the last car might be a 1940 Ford Sedan with an SBC and A/C for our final adventures. (or a 400 hp small sporty AWD station wagon… have loved station wagons forever.)


But, it starts with the ability to decide when you want to take a nap at anytime during the day. No fuss, no bother...just don't fall asleep outside in the sun. YRMV

 

What on Earth would compel someone to link their self-worth to an old car?

 

What happened to you early in life to cause that question to be asked today?

 

Motivation is a funny thing. I get up at 5am every morning and get into work 6am or so. I put in 10 hours most days. Weekends, even if I zero interest I force myself to drive to the shop and put in an hour. If I have enough coffee it sometimes turns into a full day. I have enough money and I have learned what I can do well and what to pay for. You don't have to build 100% of a car. Do what you can and get help by swapping labor, trading parts or writing a check. I have been to a few estate sales lately and it's depressing to see tools and half-finished project being sold by disinterested widows and kids for pennies on the dollar.

 

I'm not a fan of this shorthand, but: LOL!

 

I am retired with enough to live on, no debts, and have a good time. Life is good!
It occurred to me that I (we) have too much stuff and in the event I die first my wife will have a nightmare with which to deal. The "final" arrangements are made already but the other stuff would be huge.

We started giving stuff away which worked out pretty neat. Each daughter in law got 1/2 of my wife's sterling silver collection. We rarely used it and, probably, neither will they. Then I started on my firearm collection. I kept several of my best defensive weapons and have been selling the rest. (Anyone need any M1 carbines?) The result? More money in my grubby little hands and less expenses: offsite security expenses and insurance both went away resulting in more money in my hands.

So after about a year I have plenty of money but giving/selling a lot of stuff took a lot of my time. So, this fall and winter I expect to really hit the old Dodge pickup really hard. I have hit Squirrel trifecta: money, time, and now motivation.

 

Just Enough Of Each But Prefer To Drive What I Already Built And Bought...