Projects Are you less picky on your builds the older you get?

As I get older, with more and better equipment, I strive to do it better than before.

 

I've definitely changed with time, now @ 73 not nearly as fussy with my rides, home, garage, things in general, just enjoying life. IMO as one realizes time is winding down, thoughts change on what's important, what do with the time left, example I still enjoy shows/cruising, but I don't spend nearly the time I used to keeping up with cleaning/polishing/etc, good enough has become the new standard for me. Something I did recently was renew my drivers license, in Wi. they are good for 8 years, which would take me to 81, Freaked me out some thinking about the possibility I just renewed my drivers license for the last time. No Regrets or complaints, my bucket list has been fulfilled, life is good. Merry Christmas everybody and Have a Safe/Healthy, Happy New Year !

 

Not quite 70 yet, but I find that I am wanting to be a perfectionist now more than ever. My last project took more than 4 years, and there were times when I would do something over again.

 

Picky is in the nose of the beholder...

 

I want every build to be better than the one before. I've only done one that was left unpainted. I sold it right away. But, I agree with Roothawg, my standards are higher than my skill level.

 

I think I go through phases. When I was a kid I would just find a body and slam a hot motor in it (or he hottest I could afford) and drive it. These days I go back and forth. It either needs to be perfect or just running and having fun in it is good enough.

The back and forth thing will get ya. LOL

 

At 75 I've accepted that I've lost a step, life is too short at this point to let it bother me.

 

Nope! Just the opposite. The older that I get... well, let's just say I'm pretty damn picky!

 

Ive been building and driving barely passable cars for 25 years with no end in sight.

 

When I retired, one of the first things I realized was.... I am not in a hurry anymore. I have the time to do things better because I don't have to go to work in the morning. So yes, a lot more picky. Build quality has gone up.

 

Yes and no. I have more skills now than I had years ago, but don't always use them. Something that will be up top and seen, I want it to look nice. Underneath, on the greasy side, I want it to work, damn what it looks like just so it works and doesn't break. I have been know to over-engineer things to hold off breakage. I'll never have all the tools a lot of you guys have, first I don't know how to use them, and second, I don't have the room, and third, I couldn't afford them if the first two were different. So, I make do with what I have. If it takes longer or just looks rougher, so be it, I'll never be in contention for the Riddler award anyway. As long as something works like I want it too, that's good enough for me. Anybody that doesn't like it, they have my permission to make me something different and give it to me!

 

Far from it. I keep improving my skills and keep raising the bar on each build. I learn from each build, so I know I can always do the next one better. Like jaw22w, I'm retired and I have several cars I can drive, so I'm in no hurry. Sometimes, I get frustrated and walk away and take a break but when I come back, I do it right or fix it. I do this because I like doing it and improving my skills, not because I want a car to drive right now. Building is better than driving for me because it gives me something to do nearly every day.

 

Yes

 

No, I've never been anal about some cosmetic things on my builds, and still not. But I do prefer finished cars, and to me that means paint everywhere. Not just the engine, and the body, but full chassis, and interior too. Whatever can be cleaned, and given a finishing touch, I want to do it.
Now I'm not a fan of show quality to win awards, as my cars have always been drivers. But I don't care for the rustic or primered look, and after a short time of driving my cars I always end up wanting to have decent paint.

 

I guess I must be more picky actually because I can never seem to get anything done. Every time I start to work on something I end up taking more of it apart to change something that just isn't quite right to suite me. This is one reason I have yet to get started on redoing my old coupe, I know it will take me to the end of my life to finish it.

 

I want something to drive, not to show.

 

Way pickier. The goal used to be to do the best job I can and get it done. Now its do the best I can and dont care if I get it done. The fun is in the build. I lose interest when rheir done.

 

I’m quite anal about it being mechanically safe and sound. When I was doing my Dodge PU I had the roof off, and spent at least 100 hours on metal dinging and patching, going over everything ywith a file looking for high and low spots, same with the rest of the cab work.
As I restarted on the fenders and bed recently, fuck that. A little filler won’t hurt the truck a bit.

 

I am always mechanical safe, but at my age, I want to finish the car and enjoy it before I am too old to do that. So I am more talented than I ever was, but since time is short, I cut corners on cosmetic stuff so it gets finished. I will not let it look like ass, but those in the know will see the faults.

 

I'm amazed I got this old

 

I'm probably more conscientious about my work, only because when I was young, I had to have my car
working by the morning so I could get to school and work, which meant I did whatever I had to, with
whatever I had on hand...leave out that washer, use wire for a cotter pin, more goop instead of a new gasket.
Now if I'm lacking something, I just wait until I get the right bolt or nut to finish it.

As others have mentioned above, I belong to local car groups, but don't go to any meetings as I'd much rather
be driving my car or working on it that debating that something can or can't be done. Rather than debate,
go find out and try it!

 

Not Picky.... Just SMARTER!.......Who hasn't installed something on their car, half assed in their youth.... We all look back at something we did, and say I can't believe I did that........AHHHH ! ....Being Young, you had to love it....

 

Hello,

When we were younger, it was the adventures that kept us on the road, whether just cruising around So Cal or elsewhere. It took us to places that we could only see in magazines and maybe on TV. So, whether the broken hood handle from the 40 Ford Sedan Delivery was fixed with a NOS piece or a similar one at the local hot rod swap meet? Back then, it was get on the road for those adventures. Heck an emergency solution was a pair of vise grips to give some leverage to raise the hood. Not too picky at the solution, just so we could get on the road.


Today, that broken hood latch would be replaced instantly from a reputable dealer, hopefully NOS. So, no, we are more picky these days. Ever since we sold our 2nd 327 powered Ford Sedan Delivery, we have been looking for a station wagon or sedan that would fit our needs. Time obviously has passed and my wife likes a certain look on old hot rods.


She does not like the super large wheels lowered to the ground look of the resto rods. So, a nice build of a 1940 sedan would be fine, as we grew up together buying our first hot rod and repairing it to make it our road worthy transportation. Currently, our eyes are on this green 1940 Ford two door sedan.

Or every time we see this cool 56 Chevy two door station wagon on the road in So Cal, her thoughts go instantly to another station wagon.


Jnaki

Whether we actually buy one or not, that is a question as it would be very hard to get rid of our current paid for, trouble free sporty cars/station wagons to make room for a cool hot rod station wagon or sedan. Being reliable and having the family cars paid for is hard to over come with more responsibility.

Since the local green 1940 sedan recently sold, we are now focusing on owning a Candy Apple Red 40 two door sedan that is set up almost the same as the green So Cal version. We saw an old Chevy sedan delivery being trailered and my wife liked the bright look of the Candy Apple color that made the sedan delivery stand out across the intersection in South OC. The prices are good, so those well built ones sell fast, even during this awful pandemic.


But, they do have to have met all of our qualifications and accessories. The older we get, the less hassle we want, while driving short or long distances on our daily driver cars.

 

Never been, not now, kinda' love drive a while, then re do, drive a while, then redo, etc.

 

Interesting to see the responses being a younger guy, 37 years old. As a teen an in my 20s, I definitely would just "get it to the race" or to the "parking lot/cruise in" but now that I'm older and working at a top shop, I'm super anal and see the way things SHOULD be done so I'm emulating that in my own cars. I'm curious if by the time I reach retirement if I will have tired of doing everything as perfect as I can, and revert back to my youth of getting it done. Thanks to all the elder statesmen responding here who built these cars that inspired the younger guys like me.

 

Way pickier but it helps a ton to have a car I can already drive so there isn’t any rush on the current build.

that being said when I go back into the driver I do tend to try and walk the fine line between making it better than it was before, but not
Going so over the top that it stands out in comparison. It’s a car that’s been together close to a decade now and for the time being I’m wanting to leave it more or less what it is.

But you know how it is, they aren’t ever done and the “while I’m at it’s “ tend to run rampant so who knows lol

 

I find I hold myself to a higher standard as I learn more.
Im also pickier about what I buy to build with, rather shell out more$ for a better part than spend 3x as much time beating out a lesser quality piece.

 

Eventually you get to the point where "good enough" is indeed good enough.

 

My biggest problem ( at 72) is once they run and drive I loose the urge to finish them. I’m always planning something else too. so the projects overlap. I used to have two at a time, one being built, and one to drive kind of “as is” My buddies used to give me crap about never having the interiors done or being happy with a brush paint job! I don’t care, I do it for therapy and because it’s fun ( most of the time)
Now I’ve got one inside ( more refined)and one outside in the snow.


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As I think more about this post, I am a lot pickier about the things I have to pay for. I recall doing an OT suspension in one of my projects, where the rack came into the arm, the hole was off center. Still worked, 30 years ago it didn’t bother me. Now I’d take a pic, tell the company to send another along with a return shipping label.