Projects Who Drives A Work In Progress ?

Okay so a lot of times we get a Jalopy up and driving but there not 100% finished, (are they ever).
Mine continues to be upgraded and completed as money, time and desire permits.
Safety 1st is a must, reliability is high priority too.
The rough paint, old glass or lack of interior sometimes is on a back burner.
I also have a list of upgrades and renewal of worn parts to get at too, such as leaf springs that are a little worn, or door and window rubber, headliners etc.
Let's hear your story?
PS mine is a "beater" but still gives the same driving pleasure of a more finer specimen.

 

no such thing as a finished car ,,that's like the 11th commandment or something
fabricator john
miss you dad

 

Every Hot Rod I Ever Had Was A "Work In Progress" And Trial Run...

 

Have to agree with fabricator john, are they ever truly done? At least mine never are.

 

Best personal licence plate I've ever seen "NVRDUN" sums it up IMO

 

I've been driving my ply.for 26 years.Still far from being done.In fact this week I hope to replace the org.door latch in the passenger door with a nos. latch I just found.

 

Most of my cars are like this but my favorite is a 51 Willys wagon my dad and I built together... All mechanically sound, all rust repaired just lacking in the paint and interior department...
We Love it and drive it everywhere!
There is alot to be said for being able to drive anywhere and not be worried about a scratch or rock chip!!!

 

I have been Driving my Merc. for about 30 years.!
The one thing I do is to make sure that it's got all ,the Mechanic working
The Brakes, Tires, Break Lines , Steering & Spare Tire
We have a Inspection here in New Joke State

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Me

 

Everything I own is old so there all a needs work in progress. Lol

 

When I first saw this title I was thinking just what everyone has said. "There never done" My ride has been done for awhile now but I keep tinkering with it. Sometimes I wish I could stop this madness and then I find another part or a mod that will make my little ride better, stronger, faster. This process will continue until she blows up or I run out of money. Hopefully neither happens, but if it does I just start the process all over again.

 

My better half tells me I’m a work in progress. So I guess It’s natural my vehicles follow suit.
They day they are done is the day they go to a new home.

 

I have my Front seat Done Now I have to Do the Rear Seat
and then the Headliner
And when thats done Mabey I will Paint the Car.....??????
I like the Satin flat Black I have List of thing's to do and after I fix
a couple of them I put new ones on the List.

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I thought that was the definition of hot rod..
.i.e. A vehicle rebuilt at home by an amateur but is never actually finished.

 

^^^^^
x2

 

Yup, sounds bout right I reckon.

 

Yup they sleep with us they know we're projects in the making...lol

 

Daily...as I find more and more things that need fixed or improved. I have found that a major project ends up neglected in the corner for too long if I am not careful and I can’t really enjoy it until it’s done. But, I can drive one and improve it little by little and enjoy it along the way so much more.

 

My coupe was something that was put together pretty quickly so I had something I could drive. It got improvements pretty much every winter and gets driven through the summer. At the end of 2019, I had to fix the rear window because the metal around the glass was rotted out and started to leak. That started the "while I was fixing that" party and it got a pretty major body rework (it badly needed) and a new paint job in the spring of 2020. We only drove it about 4,000 miles in the covid challenged 2020, but this year will be different.

In July 2020 I started a 49 Dodge pickup project. Its getting pretty close to being road worthy, which is always the challenging turning point. Its going to be the most finished hot rod I've ever built before it hits the road, but it may not get that paint job yet. We will have to see if the desire to drive it overcomes the desire to get it finished. The desire to drive it is pretty high, but the truck will be replacing my year around driver beater pickup. Once it hits the road, the paint may never happen, which could be a serious determent to its long term health. Gene

 

Yep.....all of mine....

 

Usually, once they drive out of the garage, its hard to herd them back inside to be finished

 

When the time comes I shall

Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I've never had a finished car.. Just tuning the engine is always ongoing.. I mark every setting down and what it did. In both engine timing and front end alignment..

The el Camino I have now likes 7-8 degrees positive caster with hardly any negative camber. When I move the negative camber past .50 it wants to go all over the road, when I move it down to .20 its nice and straight.. No matter how much toe in or out I give it, the toe also stays at 1/32 it just loves the wheels to be as straight as possible. This car has Delrin in the spherical bushings in the four link. This says a lot for the new Delrin bushings holding there setting.

One time I set the alignment for road racing, 1.5 degrees negative camber 5 degrees positive caster with 1/16 1/16 toe OUT.. Wow did it handle well. It was a handful though, you had to stay with it, there was no cruising with one arm out the window adjusting the radio volume, lol.. It was like glass packs, they are so much fun for a few miles but then they start to get on your nerves..

The same goes for ignition, the big block loves 20 degrees initial with 18 mechanical and no vacuum advance.. I also likes 87 octane over 93, but it is low compression 9.1.. If I didn't write everything down I would be lost going back over settings that I had already tried..

 

Once they are drivable I start driving them to work out the bugs, a lot easier than finishing everything then having to fix a problem.

 

I believe that the summation of all the above (and what I believe to be true) is "everyone who has ever posted on the H.A.M.B."

 

I think that it being a work in progress is it's most endearing quality.

 

Life is a test drive!

 

I intentionally drive my cars for one season of various car events before doing any finish work. Once I'm sure they are reliable, and I wont be digging back into them, then I begin the bodywork, and other finish work.
But even later after my cars are completed for me, I still make occasional changes, just to keep from being bored with them. They really never are totally finished, just temporarily completed.

 

Part of the fun is that they are never truly "finished"... there's always something else to make improvements on!

 

Yep, it took 5 years and 20,000 mile to get mine back in the garage for paint and upholstery. Shaking it down ,boss. Shaking it down.