Projects Do you have too much on your plate?

I'm not talking about that paper plate at the backyard BBQ but that proverbial plate of too many projects and nothing getting done, make a little progress here and move to another project over there.

Do you have a hot rod or custom that is a driver?

 

Danny, I would have to say yes. My age is catching up with me and it takes so long and so much effort to do what used to be a quicky. I have 4 cars that I currently go back and forth doing stuff on. Its starting to get to me so I just quit altogether and took a break from it all. Sometimes I wish someone would just offer me a deal on all of them and I would just keep the 32 and the Vette. But then....I would hate to see them go to someone else. Its perplexing.

 

I hear you Don, I only have one project and 2 drivers and I totally agree with you it takes longer to just to do the maintenance on the drivers.

I like having a project but I don't seem to be as gun ho is I use to be. HRP

 

I spend too much time on other people's cars

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Yes, of course. The other day I was told about a Model A roadster that was available. I couldn't afford to even take a look at it.

 

Its a good thing you didn't take a look at it. I saw a 48 coupe for sale on "Faceplant" and just wanted to look at it because it looked nice and had been in storage a long time. Well, just "looking at it" caused me to buy it and now its another headache in my stable..

 

Yes I do. Have a hard time saying no to my Hobby Members. So not much progress on my roadster or 41 pickup. On top of that I bought my next doors neighbors home, and I'm renovating it to sell, because I didn't want one asshole living next to another. At 72 I probably need to regroup.

 

Between too much overtime at work, my daughter/grandson, mother, old house and several old cars I do have too much on my plate!

 

I heard about a nice original 47 tudor sedan last Saturday night and after sleeping on it I called a friend and told him about it, next thing I know he shows up the house yesterday and I couldn't believe just how nice the car is, I didn't need it but had I looked at it the car would have been in my shop. HRP

 

Like I said. Don't look.

 

One HAMB friendly car
A house, wife,kids,work, etc etc
I get overwhelmed and think I should buy a Corolla !!

But then I smarten up and keep truckin’ along

I’m always looking at projects and cars and a get very tempted at times as good deals seem to be everywhere, BUT I have a small 2 car garage with a drive way in a residential subdivision so no storage on site,( space in the garage for my Buick and tools only) I think this has saved me more then once from becoming a hoarder!!!

 

No projects at all. I'd be thrilled to have another crusty, rusty old truck in the carport but other things have to come first. That said, at 63 I'd like to think there is at least one more loud, obnoxious, V8 powered, fast as hell project in my future...or maybe three. I even have an old 429 Ford just looking for a new home.

 

Unfortunately HRP I certainly have too much on my plate and it's not another project problem. I want to buy a car from a member of the HAMB family but need to see the doctor first because I'm nuts. I must think about what I NEED TO FINISH. Winter is coming and my 62 Jeep needs work to plow. I cannot prioritize, people say make a list, it doesn't help I lose the list.

Pat

 

Oh boy, Danny, you know how the ask the questions! Last weekend, I power washed the engine compartment on my sons 1963 International C1100 and found that the frame is broken. This caused me to look at the other 65 International 4x4 we have and concluded that there is too much work here. They both need waaaay too much body work. Taking on any electronic problem on a late model semi at work is no problem, but rust repair makes me have nightmares! Both trucks are in the front yard for sale! And I still have too much to do! Dad and I are currently doing a nut and bolt restoration on a 1941 Farmall, today I disassembled a Farmall Cub engine for an overhaul for our snowplow tractor and am looking for a nice project car for my son and I. Something with a good body that needs everything mechanical is up our alley. Egads!! I’m tired just thinking about it.


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Yes........

 

Sunday afternoon, sitting at work "working" right now rather than at home working on my car. That is always my challenge... real life crowds me out.

I have one in the shop, my son's square on deck, a 54 in back waiting, and a tractor that I need to spend ten good hours on (for seven years or so). Put a shop build and raising two childrens in the mix, and church, and friend's rides, and...

I'm tired just thinking about it.

 

Yea.
Three cars and one bike to finish.
On one hand, I've recently retired, so I should have plenty of time.
On the OTHER hand, I hope I live long enough..!

Mike

 

I think I am a charter member of that club.
I was making a mental list of what I have to do this week and it includes
Changing hoses and the antifreeze in the 1 ton.
Changing coolant in the daily.
figuring where I am going to stick the load of scrap metal on the 1 ton that isn't worth the gas to haul it to the scrap yard.
Pulling a bunch of weeds that I should have pulled a long time ago or mowed and moving some things around so I can get things cleared out so they can put in a new septic tank and drainfield in a couple of weeks.
Then it is get the spot for the new shop ready for the concrete guy.

Everything on this place plus the place is a project of some sort.
The 48 is frame up Including a lot of body work.
The speedster/racer is frame up and needs to be on the road by next June.
The Model A Victoria is frame up
I still have to finish my 71 GMC but need to be able to get it inside the shop to do it.
Yuppers, way too much on my plate.

 

Mike, get back with me after you have been retired a year and tell us how much you accomplished since you retired, it seems now that I have retired I stay so busy I don't know how I ever got anything done when I was working 60 hours a week. HRP

 

Maybe if I did not spend so much time on the H A M B reading Danny's post's I would have more time to get other things done in the shop after work. But what fun would that be? lol Larry

 

Same here One bad since I've gone on HAMB I get less done in the shop. When I grow up I want to be like Squirrel. I know I'll put an ad in the wanted classified.

Pat

 

>>"figuring where I am going to stick the load of scrap metal on the 1 ton that isn't worth the gas to haul it to the scrap yard.<<
Just take the load to the scrap yard, you will be wasting valuable time unloading the 1 Ton, then reloading another year. And with my luck, the scrap pile will be in the way of something and will need to be moved out of the way.

 

No
Day job is teaching a shop class
Current list is a 57 step van (school project)
Students preparing a 500 caddy for the bus
49 gmc—home
Wife’s 56 wagon — home
A friends 59 conv
My 67 needs the front finished and bed painted so I can sell it
The 2 unibody f100s need cleaned out and sold
The tractor needs a clutch
The shop needs cleaned out and my mercury is silently waiting while I weep
I would rather be overwhelmed than bored
Paw paw said I’ll be finished when I’m dead

 

Up grading my 56' takes too much of my time since I over think everything. Keeping my El Mirage XO/GR ready is a passion I can't quit. October Meet is 3 weeks away and I'm ready to load up. Continuing on my XXO GMC 12 Port is a pain in the a-- because nothing seems ez. Working on my sons 1/2 dirt Perris Super Stock race car monthly keeps my sanity since it's not in my garage. Something is always needing attention on the house.. I'm 74 and supposed to be retired...I watch Jeopardy every night to keep my mind from going stale... Too much...naw.....

 

I did.

25yrs of collected parts and half a dozen cars...at least 2 of them that I planned to keep keep keep...a '29 Ford hot rod roadster project and a '37 Chevy coupe. And a couple of other projects and a couple of drivers.

I'd look at my plunder and ponder. "Gee, it's cool to have a barn full of projects to work on and soup up and keep me busy for years to come."The truth is, guys...I've messed with old cars and had some pretty cool drivers in the past, but they were all at the most just slightly modified stockers...fun, but nothing that you could really call a hot rod. I was very much looking forward to testing my knowlege, vision, abilities and everything else it takes to build a traditional hot rod roadster. And the Chevy coupe too. I wasn't a young man anymore, (mid '50s) and time was a-wastin'...but the benefit of being older was that I'd been around long enough and felt confident enough to know exactly what I wanted to do and how to do it. I knew that having too many projects could slow me down, and figured that if I had to, I'd sell them all except the coupe and roadster. An added benefit...I now had my Hamb buddies to help me and to share with. I was ready to truly immerse myself in this particular art form we call hot rodding. I'd bring my dreams to fruition. No more wannabe. A builder, no less. Wow...honors and benefits already...at the age of...well...lol. I'd was gonna prove myself...and feed my life-long mania. Most of all, I was gonna be able to share it all with my sweet wife.

Then life happened. And a couple of other things. Uh-oh. Put everything up for sale. Gotta be responsible, you know. Of course the two cars that sold first were the two that I didn't...want...to...sell. Darn. Shoot. Drats.

Then some more stuff happened. Not good stuff.

Where was I? Oh yeah...ready to build a badass hot rod or two? What? Too late? What??? What happened?

I know I go on. Most of you guy's posts are about 3 lines...a lot of mine are a little longer...lol. I guess it's because I feel strongly about certain things.

Well...if any of you are still reading, I would just say this...
HURRY THE FUCK UP!!!
Seriously...consider whether you have...as Danny put it...too much on your plate...too many cars...and whether they're slowing you down as far as making memories that'll be important to you later. We can't know what's to come or when...and hey...nothing wrong with having a shit-load of cars...some guys can do it. But if you're a regular working slob like me and limited on time, money, etc...act accordingly.

 

Yup. I'm getting to the point of wanting to get rid of some. Most I have are long term, ground up projects. I just don't have the desire or stamina anymore to think I will be able to get to all of them.
'63 wagon is a driver - I'm bored with it.
'39 Ford tudor has the trans out - currently rebuilding that. And, adding tube shocks to the rear. Needs some front floor work too.
'37 Chevy pickup is torn down to the frame, no front suspension, chop almost done, but a lot of metal work left.
'40 Ford coupe needs everything except front suspension
'47 Buick 2 door needs wiring & brakes finished. Hopefully it will start after so many years sitting idle.
Also not started: '41 Chevy 2 door, '70 Impala Convertible, '48 Plymouth Coupe, '47 Dodge Coupe, and I have an OT custom that's barely started. When it's layed out in front of me like this, it looks really stupid to have all this crap.

 

Hey J,
Wow, you seem quite busy... For us, there is never a time when we all have too much time on our plate. Time management is what it is called. Certain things do pile up, like home repairs, but it is not life threatening. We all like to keep our cars and home in tip top shape, but again, when an opening arrives, then work on it.

Early in the morning, time management helps us all get ready for the day. I think I saw your 56 Ford, center-showcased for a couple of seconds on the weekly Donut Derelicts website. It is the next best thing if attendance is impossible on any Saturday morning. The photography is not top notch as it jumps around a lot. It has no meaning other than... "Hey I have a video camera turned your way, etc." But if that was your Ford, it was a nice video clip.

Jnaki

 

Definitely too many projects on my plate, it seemed possible to get them done before my last bout with cancer, since then my priorities have changed and my 58 is now lower on the list but still hope to last long enough to get back to work on it. I did send an 8N tractor project down the road and bought a different one!

 

Well put Rick, I am not content to look at my projects as static art, I want to drive and enjoy them and lets face facts the older you get the less you want to spend every night and all weekend in the shop. HRP

 

Hmmm, I guess I can say yes to that!

My Dort is crippled with a cracked block on a very recent full engine rebuild.
My 28 Tudor is still being worked on.
My 29 roadster is down for updates and maintenance.