History Driving unfinished cars long term - Are you guilty?

If it purr's and stop's it's done right?

 

With some cars, as soon as they're running and driving with the right stance and a few key details, they are "finished", as unfinished as they may look. Such is the case with my '50 Ford panel truck.
My '40 is not quite finished, and the thunderbird is far from what my finished vision of it is.
So yeah, I'm guilty.

 

I am the opposite. I push myself to finish the car for fear it might not get done. BIG MISTAKE. Now I have two shrines sittimg in my garage that I am afraid to leave in a parking lot for fear they would get scratched. I wish I could just leave the bodies in primer and drive them but I can't. So maybe, just one more and this time I won't finish it.

 

Define "finished" please. Then, define "long term" please.

The coupe was built to the vision in my head, so as far as I was concerned, it was finished, though it doesn't look finished to most. It took a season or two to get to that finished vision point. Now with time and miles on it, it even looks more unfinished then it did when I first started driving it.

Most of the time, it takes a couple of years after a project was road worthy and left the garage before it finally arrived at the finished point, so I guess I am guilty as charged. Gene

 

When it runs it’s done

 

I don't know I get a little impatient and I get the feeling I'll be driving it around the block a couple of times with no doors nor windows and maybe a bucket for a seat

 

Does a 4 year and 17K mile "shakedown" in primer and no interior make me guilty?

 

If a metal bucket those trinket rod builders flip em over cut out part of it and call it a "bomber seat"

 

I'm guilty of it, within reason, but the suspension brakes and drivetrain never leave without a good bill of health, body paint and interior are over rated, when you get bored or have long periods of rain snow or some bs you attack one area and make it a bit more nice.

I think driving them unfinished you are not as worried about the rock chips, fingerprints, bad weather, and all the other stuff. I enjoy a driver 100 times more than a fully painted detailed rod. The war marks tell a story.

 

hot rods are never finished until you sell them..

 

Unfinished was the question. HRP

 

You don't have to have shiny paint to have fun.

Gary

 

I'm strictly a Kustom guy. Drove my 55 Olds for 4 years, in primer, while I did the custom work on it, including chopping it. The guys loved seeing it at car shows, trying to figure out what new thing I did to it!

 

Every time I drive the coupe I discover something I need to do to it. Aparently it will never be finished but I bought it as a finished car. I got to think about this...……...

 

Guilty. Thrashed on this to get it to the 2013 Hamb Drags with the intention of then pulling it down to finish it. Just that quick 5 years have past and having too much fun beating on it and making memories with my teenage son with it.

 

might want to add some new material on bottom side of top insert as insurance to protect new interior

 

Well, not completely finished. Painted and driving in '95. Seats and headliner are done. Dash painted, but door panels, are black board, or thin mahogany. Carpet on floor. Forty four thousand miles since then.. Getting time to think of a re-paint, and interior still not done.

 

Believe it or not the top is original and still has the chicken wire but a head liner willbe installed. HRP

 

Took me 17 years to get it from a multi colored primered rolling shell. To this state. A long journey.

Every time I’d get a few dollars ahead I’d blow the money on another car I had to have.
Finally my wife said she wanted it pulled off the road, disassembled again and finally make it less crappy looking. She felt embarrassed to be seen in it while in its long “works in progress” state.
Her Car her orders. I’m only the wrench and test pilot.
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My dilemma is tearing apart a perfectly good running car to finish it

 

I think if I didn’t have something to cruise while working on a project I may be able to “finish” it before I put it on the road but if it’s the only one I gotta drive it while working on it to keep that spark going.

I thought it was almost finished years ago but every week I check a bunch off the list and then add more stuff lol.

 

My 50 Merc is Unfinished from after my Wife passed away,
I figured that I better start Driving it before I am in the Ground!
the First thing is to upholestry the Front Seat.
Since the Car had Passed Inspection .& ran good. stopped great
so I drive!

just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

Basically, I was in the same boat, the wagon belongs to my wife and she wanted it finished before she ever drove it, the sedan is mine and I love the car and the faded, chipping original paint along with the reworked fenders gives it a work in progress look a big plus when you have to go to Wally World or the Grocery store. HRP

 

If I waited until they were finished they would never move. I improve them as I use them. Too done and too nice can result as a garage queen that sees little use.

 

Finished now no. It took so long to get to this point. Not sure when or if I’ll blow it apart to do body. I enjoy driving it so much. I do get tired of same if not old shit when you going to paint or nice rr. Tough to educate or remove that image from people. The dollars are hard to stomach to truly finish. Maybe 1 day.

 

I'm totally guilty.....but I have high hopes that some day I'll actually finish something

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I will consider my old beater done/complete/finished when the interior is installed and all the interior bits & pieces are in place.

I found a set of original sun visors on the bay and have them on the way.

I like the fact that the sedan is all original steel and the running boards & top insert is also 86 years old.HRP

 

I'm totally guilty. I wanted to do the '57 restore route.
Got most of it done, life happened, daughter, divorce, move outta state, custody of my daughter was more important than the car.
It sat. It rotted, somewhat.
I want to just get it on the road, then down the road.
Same with the Galaxie.
Same with the Suburban.
Same with the Baja.
Same with the van.
Same for the canned ham for the 57.
ET AL.

 

You know guys, I too just like having a beater. Someday I will get the paint finished, but it's not ever going to be a show car. I like the "lo fi" look and feel. I don't know that I will enjoy it anymore when it's "finished".