Hot Rods Have you bought a stalled project or have you stalled on your own project?

25 years ago I started on a 55 Chevy pickup. then I found a 36 Plymouth coupe I had to have so the 55 got parked. then I built a T bucket just for fun. then I found a model A I had to have (the one in my avatar). Now I no longer allow myself to get stuff I have to have,lol. Now I have the 55 in my shop and I'm going to finish it, not allowing myself to touch anything else until then.

 

I have bought a couple stalled projects and most of them have gotten resold. My most recent purchase was a 1950 mercury that the guy got damn near in paint. He was building it for his wife to have as her car and came home early one night and she was in bed with some one else. He let it set for 5 years and got tired of looking at it, sold it to me for 1500 bucks. There is no rust anywhere that I can see as it has all been fixed. Frame has been stubbed with a chevy nova, 9 inch rear axle, and disc brakes on all 4 corners. Not a bad buy, but it'll be a while before I get to it myself as I have others in line first.

 

Hello,

When we bought our 2nd 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery, we thought it was a finished product as it looked finished. Shiny paint, super clean interior, a nice sounding 327 and that ever cool A/C. But, we never asked why the sedan delivery was for sale, my wife was the first to say… “let’s buy it.” We thought it was going to be an instant road tripping cruiser/hot rod. But, after driving it 40 miles home, I knew it needed a lot of work to get it road worthy. Safety was also an issue, the brake pedal went down too far to stop securely and the tire shimmy at speed was not good for long distance handling.

So, we had our work cut out for us. The people we bought the sedan delivery from owned a small speed shop in central Orange County. As we drove up to the parking lot, the 40 sedan delivery glistened in the bright sun. We were instantly hooked and started the negotiations. My wife liked the privacy the sedan delivery had and the instant power upon stepping on the accelerator. The upholstery was complete, all the way back into the rear cave. So, it looked finished…drove well around the block or two and the price was right below what we were going to pay for a failed purchase of a woody in San Diego.

The final thing was when we were driving around the hot central Orange County streets, I had the front vent open and the windows rolled down to see how it sounded as we went around several city blocks. But, it was getting hotter, so we closed everything and started the A/C. Instantly, there was a big smile on my wife’s face and she said, “Let’s buy it, now.”

Getting it home was a new experience. The short around the city blocks test drive did not show anything wrong with the drivability of the sedan delivery. But, on the long freeway drive, the curvy canyon drive and curvy uphill corners showed us things that needed to get fixed. It must have been one of those builds that hit a wall and they were tired of working on it to get a satisfactory solution. Or, maybe they were happy to just have a hot rod for short local errands and gave up on correcting it for the long run.

Jnaki

It took several weeks of an expert tire/wheel alignment/brake guy that we knew from 1966 to get his tactics in order and fix the poor driving ability of the sedan delivery. He kept it for several days. When he called, we knew it was ready for our long distance road trips without any worrying about handling and braking.

We started our road trips almost instantly and over the 6 years of trips, daily and long distance, it was the perfect hot rod to drive around. Thanks to our expert mechanic that knew what it took to get things right. So, did the former owners give up and stop the build project? We bought the sedan delivery after our test drive, but it took another expert to correct the project to a complete road worthy, reliable 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery. It was so well done, that my wife drove it by herself to visit friends and go shopping.

 

Just yesterday, I bought yet another '41 Ford p/u stalled project (10 years).
Boxes of parts, some assembly will be required.

 

Being in the military for many years I would start working on a car only to be transfer to another base or overseas. I would put the project up for sale but usually only would received "low ball" offers. Not wanting to give my labor time away not to speak about the funds invested I would tow the project car back home. After 31 years of doing this I now have my own garage filled with several project cars. Next July I will retire for good, complete the rest of the building of the house and then get back onto the projects.

 

I prefer stalled projects as long as the bodywork isn’t well hidden. You usually find it in pieces well exposed to a good inspection.
Lots of parts, new and used come with the deal.
A fair price... what’s not to like?
I’ve flipped projects I’ve not touched but most of the ones I’ve bought were kept and completely finished by me.

 

My dad rarely finished anything he started, just too busy with work and a big family. I only have one son and he likes working with me luckily, so finishing what I start is nearly a compulsion with me. I rarely if ever ditch out in a project before it's done. Nothing automotive in the hopper at the moment, but I have a lot of interests, so it's always something. Currently producing an album and that's eating up most of my spare time, but I'm hunting around slowly for a model a roadster pickup project for me and my kid.... Like a cat ready to pounce..... Lol.

 

I love stalled projects, working on one a guy gave up on now actually.

 

I put a floor and firewall in my buddy's '46 pickup and helped him chop the top. Then he lost interest in it and it sat for ten years before I bought it and finished it.

 

I can believe it would be tough to turn down or pass on most of the good tin that must have been in the Dakotas back in the day! I bet a lot of it is still around;been bought mostly untouched,and stashed away somewhere. I know of a couple of guys near me who bought '34 coupes in Montana 25+ years ago and just took them apart! Your pu looks like a great project! Get er done!

 

Once the new project is on the trailer headed home it's officially stalled.
Vowed 2 years ago to not buy any more projects for myself...will buy a driver next.

 

Back in the late 70's, I bought a 70 Corvette. While I didn't consider it a stalled project, the girl that sold me her yellow Corvette considered it a money pit and decided to stop throwing money down the drain. She was the loan officer at my bank, and I razzed her all the time about what accounts she was dipping into to drive a Corvette. One day I'm in the bank and she calls me over and asks if I was interested in the Vette. Seems the rear end had started making noise. And if that wasn't enough trouble, she'd been catching flak from her boss about it not being the 'correct' image a loan officer should be projecting. I said maybe, if the price was right. She shoots me a price reflecting her frustration, and I quickly agree. I even get her to give me a 90 day signature loan to pay for it. She pulls the title out of her desk, tosses me the keys and tells me she never wants to see it again. I go get the Vette, and the rear end was indeed 'clicking'. A quick refresh with the tried and true GM gear oil and additives, a few figure 8's in my lot and it's good as new. I'm cleaning it out and run across the glove box full of receipts. As I looked them over, I realized that she had completely restored every mechanical part on the car. In reality, I was looking at a brand new Corvette. Those receipts made selling the car a dream. Paid the loan off a month early (probably could have sold it sooner, but I looked for out of town buyers only. Hey, a deals a deal.) Used the profit for a new motor in my sprint car.

 

I know stalled projects. Owned my 34 five window for over 40 years and never drove it as it sat in various garages over the years waiting for the time when I had the time and money to get to the car. Well after the three sons got through college married and left home. Retired from work and told my wife it was time to maybe sell the 34 and buy one mostly if not all done. Well the bride actually said "why not just finish the car you have" Next question was "how much can it possibly cost" Two years later I drove the car for the first time since the initial purchase at age 16 for $50.00 Needless to say I can never divulge how much I really spent....maybe I don't want to know either. What a blast to indulge myself in the satisfaction of getting this car to the wash and polish stage. I'm sure I share this saga with many amongst us.

 

Since I stopped doing work for other folk Im finding my own projects make decent progress. When I was helping folk out with there stuff, mine just got side lined and often sold at a loss .Sometimes it was really difficult to resume where you left off. Best thing I ever done was pass over offers of work , most of it doesn't pay very well anyway and to be brutally honest I got hacked off seeing them enjoy themselves while it seemed I was perpetually stuck in a hole . Its also funny how most folk you help out disappear as soon as there stuff is done .. Much happier now ive filled my space with personal projects I can make progress and plans for all three. I will still help my buddies but prefer to do it in there space and save my space for me

 

Not stalled but very slow at the moment, trying to get my enthusiasm back despite the crazy year we had and seem to having again...

 

Good luck with your battle with that dreaded cancer, praying that you get to enjoy a lot of time enjoying your new hot rod!

 

I, just like you, deferred my gratification for decades (47 years and counting), and after retiring nearly 6 years ago thought I'd make great progress on my '29AA. Then doctors found esophageal cancer in May. Well, after surgery, chemo, radiation and then a clear scan, I'm weak, and lighter on the scales and in the wallet, but damn it, I'm not going to give up. Once the tax man gets paid, I'll see what's left and maybe spend a little to make more progress.

 

I'm rooting for you, as a cancer survivor myself, and encourage you to drive the wheels off of that '38 with a wide grin on your face. Don't look at the clock or the calendar, but the view through your windshield and enjoy every second.

 

My car had been sold 2 or 3 times in this condition before I bought it. I've put about 9500 miles on it so far but it's still not done.

Gary

 

If things go as planned, someone is going to be buying my stalled project this spring, I'm guessing for a lot less than I have into it.

Pretty sure that tomorrow I'm going to be told I'm retired, or at the very least find out when my position goes away. No worries, I planned on retiring this year anyway, but that means my toy fund goes away and we'll probably end up moving, so decisions need to be made on what makes the cut. I've already sold off four of my (off topic) Ducatis and the hot rod didn't make the cut either. It'd be for sale already but I can't get it out of my basment when there's snow on the ground...

 

I bought my 51 Merc from a storage facility in San Diego, the owner of the storage got it on a lien sale. The owner of the storage and his son were supposed to build the merc as a father and son project. Never happened and they sold it to me in 2008. I bought it and planned on getting it going ,then life got in the way. 2020 gets here and my buddy offered to help me get it going and in 2021 it's a running driving car.

 

Drove for awhile today.

 

Well this thread is like a kick in the tender bits! I bought my avatar with a blown engine... not to be out done, I doubled down by dismantling the damn thing down to the last nut and bolt. I'm pretty sure I have a vision for where I am headed with it, or it might simply be delusion!

Good to see that quite a few have turned their projects around and into some cool rides though. It gives me some motivation to get back to work on mine! Tomorrow perhaps...

 

First off, not like most here I am not a builder, I am a rescuer.
The main reason is I have about ZERO patience!
I have always been about the driving not the wrenching.
I am always looking for something I can get driving in a short time.
I love the hunting, haggling, dragging home, getting running and driving.
I am lucky that I don't focus on one car that I have to get.
If it was built before the '60s all are fair game.
My result after over 50 years is that I have driven many great cars all over the spectrum.
I'm also lucky that I have been able to scrounge parts, which I also sell.
For me, I don't regret any of the cars or parts, I had and sold, or that I don't have a collection to show.
I am totally amazed at the guys that can spend 5 years building their dreams!
I'm lucky if I can spend a month!
My signature below sums up my particular philosophy.
Just my $.02.

 

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My 34 was sitting on the fab table over in the corner of the barn for 9 year's... I started cleaning things out and found it again ....lol. I have been working on it and hope to get it going this year