Im sick of the build getting the best of me .

Tell me your war stories .Tonight I laid the snaps out on the body and brass screws snapped ,another 10/00 bucks down the tube ,Had to redo body work on those two screws also ///////////////////

 

happens to me every time i touch something lately. dropped 3 oil pump driveshafts down into the pan in about 20 min the other day cuz i was trying to be lazy. everything i've ever owned has been " if one more damn thing goes wrong i'm selling this peice of shit", my cars always knew they were empty threats tho.

 

Machinist surfaced the head and block on a 170 too much. He insisted on putting it togther. Long story short I had oil in the water and visa versa. Nothing a 200 didn't fix.

 

If you work on cars you will always have to deal with Murphy and his damn laws! I had parked my 31 in the garage and 3 days later it wouldn't start. Checked everything out, removed the starter, put the starter back on & it started! Drove my 59 Caddy & one week later when I connected the battery the horn started blasting. I still have not figured that one out! I had to disconnect the horns. Might as well get used to it!

 

If it was easy, everyone would do it.....

 

I bought an abandoned project '51 F1 in March. The deeper I get into it the more I find that has to be redone. Its amazing how people cut corners, or just don't know any better. The bright side is I'm getting to know every inch of this truck, even though the "parts to be redone, fixed or replaced" list is growing higher and higher. I'm not getting sick of it but I have said a bad word or 10.

 

haha

 

Yesterdays battery cable replacement on a friends 70 falcon went bad,the post on the starter busted when removing the nut. I am glad I have junk starters in the shed and built another,what should have been a 10 minute repair turned into a 2 hour event.

 

Last month I spent 12 hours rebuilding and shoehorning a 500 ci Caddy into my 53, got everything where it needed to be. Ready to test fire: wired, fuel, went to put on the starter and SNAP there went my starter solenoid. Had to wait a week for the replacement.

 

It will drive you crazzy sometimes but its all worth it when you drive it down the road.... Just think of it this way no pain no glory.....

 

fuckin a!!

 

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stones"
"Sometimes, the hard times won't leave me alone"

 

Daddy said " if it's got tits or tires it's gonna cost ya son". He was right!

 

my 55 fought me almost every step of the way from day 1. After over 5 years of stupid problems that never should have happened to begin with, I "THINK" I finally have gotten the better of it. Everything from body fitment with new panels to wiring, constant brake trouble, engine only running right when it wanted to for no apparent reason and the list goes on. I swear that when it was cut apart in 1985 and left for junk that it was cut apart because the damn thing was possessed, but I think I'm winning and I refuse to give up..........

 

started working on the daily yesterday at 8:00 am. changing out a-arm bushings, new shocks, pads, turn rotors. %$#$% cheap ass phenolic piston on RH broke, NAPA had to get one in from warehouse (same day!) but the silly delivery driver took it to the wrong store. Finally get the Rh side back together, start on the LH. #$&^^% piston on that side breaks there too! 5:30 crap, NAPA is closed, but VatoZone had one, 20 miles away. get it. Core charges are a bitch too. gave up and drank beer at 8:00 pm. the battle resumes today
Oh yeah and the brand new bottle of brake fluid (cheap plastic again) nose dives of the tailgate, busts the cap open and immediately drains 90% of its content onto the driveway. Fortunately it wasnt as hot here in Tx as usual on Saturday, only like 89, because it was raining. On me. Sunday was better, clear and 100. I swear i am not making any of this up.

 

In my situation, I get up and close the garage door behind me. When I am ready to talk to it again, I open the garage and think "If I didn't own this car, I would be trying to buy it."

 

I can totally relate John..

 

Had a car in high school with ghost issues. Everytime I released the E-brake, the car would shut off!! I trouble shot it for week and nothing. So then I just ripped the whole brake assembly out and threw it away, no more problems!

 

Boy did that bring back memories... In the 1960s I had a '49 Ford convertible with ghost issues... once in a while when I stepped on the brake pedal it would not go down -- until I pulled the hood release!! then the brakes worked.

I never figured that one out......

 

Got some new low back buckets to put in my 51. Started pulling the old seats and found lots of wiring that I didn't like.

Then decided the carpet was old and tired pulled it and found the floors have been rotting underneath......

As of about 20min ago, I had nearly the entire interior out laying in the driveway. Looks like that damn snowball effect is in full swing.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't like I was working on the surface of the sun out there right now. At least the OSPO will work better in all this heat.

-Dave

 

It seems like all of the good ones I've had put up a fight of some sort. Seems like they want you to put in a little extra effort before surrendering.
The reward for me has been excellent service and many smiles per mile after the first test drive.

Frank

 

Picked the front end up by the spring perch to make it easier to finish the brakes. Installed the lines, but when I let the car down and the spring compressed
the lines stretched like a tight rope. Another trip to the parts store and another $40.00.

 

This one has been tougher than all the rest for me. I was beginning to lose confidence. Am I finally losing it? Maybe so but I keep trying.

My old friend Tom used to say you just have to be smarter than the wrench. I'm not so sure anymore.

 

Hot rods are the biggest waste of time, money, effort, blood, sweat, and tears ever. Well, at least they are until you fire it up and take your first spin around the block. I had an epic meltdown in the fall of 2006 and was ready to scrap everything, sell what I could and cut my losses. I vented my frustrations on the HAMB and the next day I couldn't believe the ammount of support and help I received. fab32 actually came over and showed me how to square up the chassis and we basically started over from scratch. A year and two weeks from when this picture was taken, I was driving my sedan. And here's what it looks like today.

The point is, it sucks and if it was easy everybody would do it. But I promise every frustration, and set back will be erased when you take it for a spin. Best of luck.

 

damn 50 started vapor locking, only 105 degrees out, then voltage regulator shot craps...........

 

When those things start happening...I say out loud "Now why is it I do this again? Thats right, because its fun!" Just have to chuckle to yourself and just keep at it. Eventually, you'll be driving around in it and it will have all been worth it!

 

The hot weather doesn't make it easier. You'll get 'er done, John. You're gettin' really close on that roadster.

I've heard it said that all the little things toward the end of a build can wear ya down.

Keep up the good work, and enjoy it the best you can. Looking forward to seein' your HOT ROD on the road!

 

i gotta remember to do this. thats a real perspective twister... i get sick of projects alot, sell them when they are about 80% finished, then a year later look at them done with happy new owners and go "WTF was i thinking? i wish i had that back!"

 

Did this with a o/t 69 Mustang fastback,a week later after I sold it the new owner was buzzing all over hells half acre in the thing.