I gotta say I totally see where you are at.....I spent 10years building my jailbar truck...but along the way I built 2 houses, 2 gantries,1 trailer,fencing around houses,gates...and so on. on my present build which has been going for 7 years so far, I have also built a sheetmetal folder, a door jig.helped a mate with his Anglia,helped another mate with a 55 f100,built a mezzanine floor in my shed. so the moral to my story is when you lose motivation you need a diversion and when being diverted you are thinking of what you need to do and how to do it on your project and when you get back to it ,usually with gusto, and you start achieving things that you would not have otherwise. as beano said....it is not a race....we tend to forget sometimes....this is a hobby and at times...life gets in the way.
You said one thing that stuck me . . . your shop is a mess and it is hard to get motivated when it is in that condition. I'm EXACTLY the same way. My shop right now looks like a bomb went off in it - just got so caught up in trying to get things done for some car shows in the Spring - just didn't do my normal cleaning (every aspect of my project was fricking LATE - last minute scrambles at the 11th hour). PLUS, I have too much shit stacked all over the place - like a LOT of shops I've been too. I just don't like it when it is like this and it is a BIG barrier to being motivated. It is ALL my fault - but I realize how it pains me to deal with it and be motivated . . . So - I'm heading out there and the only goal is to give the place a complete organizational rework, clean it up, get some space back and make it easy to get out and work. Once it is cleaned up and re-organized - the work will once again come easy! B&S
I say put in 20 minutes a day. It will get done and most times 20 minutes leads to many minutes. Also make your garage a place you want to be,, add a few conveniences
I feel that way right now about the super 6. I'm just trying to get it sanded down, primed and painted. Problem is this is the kind of work I don't like. I really don't like sanding and I really dislike bodywork. It doesn't really need any body work just one or two little dings fixed but I'd rather just drive it! But there is a look I want it to have so I guess I'll continue sanding and doing a little bodywork.
I had a list all set for Saturday... of the 6 items we got bogged down on 2 of them, but it opened up the door to solve others issues that are coming up, so I call it a good day. One thing I did with the stock cars was, keep a clip board on the windshield of the car. On the stock cars I had a screw in the roof to hang the clip board, but use a magnetic hook. I listed all the to-do items on a fresh sheet every week, one side was mandatory tasks and the other side was time-permitting tasks.
Ya man, I think I speak for many of us when I say completes can be overwhelming. My two cents or suggestions, which have helped me overcome "project burn out" are the following: Find a buddy or two to help you finish the build in a labor trade type of deal. Fresh abition can help spark up moral as long as they share the same level of quality as you do. Two, go to a national show get inspired or hyped about the industry and/or your style of build. And lastly one of my past mentors gave me a bit of profound advice. He said treat each piece of the build as its own restoration project, each bracket, fender molding, etc. think of the project in digestable segments not as a whole overwhelming task or weight to overcome. Hope this helps a little, Car looks pretty damm killer so far!
We actually had garage night here for while, got lots of done one night a week and traded off on garages when someone had the pieces needed to make something happen. it ended up that only two of the fellas were doing it then one of the two moved away. I have never had a problem helping someone out but I don't invite myself. if someone needs a hand I am willing. My garage convenience grew up and started her own life. Damned proud of her but I miss the company. I was going to replace her with another convenience but the wife said, its Ok to have a teenage granddaughter in the garage but a grown up lady was definitely out. LOL
Phttttt I needed the gas for my bike, I thought that you would have had more then 3 gallons in it. Why do you think I had you in there pushing the brake peddle when I had a vacuum pump bleeder.
I have a good friend that shows up quite a bit to help. We do work on his project down the street and share resources, equipment, parts, etc. My brother is a regular at my garage. In nicer weather I get not-so-talented helpers that can hinder progress, they don't stay out that late. Interest always perks up when we reach a milestone or some expen$ive parts come in.
The Jalopy Journal
