Projects Discouraging Project

I bought my dream car to build my dream traditional rod. The more I look at my Model A coupe, the more discouraging it gets! I know a car just isn't built over night with bolt on goodies. And things don't always goes as planned. Currently saving up for a welder. What do y'all do to overcome this? I thought about selling it and try something else. Don't have anyone nearby to help me build it.

 

I look at it like eating an elephant....one bite at a time. I don't have anyone to help me either, that's one reason I'm a HAMBr. I glean any info I can, go for it and try to learn from my mistakes.
Hang in there, you can do this.

 

Pics man pics.

 

Don't try to build a $150K magazine cover car for $5K. It will not happen and you will always be disappointed. If you want a Mag Cover car it will cost you what a Mag Cover car cost. If you can't do the work you will need to pay someone to do the work. The most cost effective way is to buy a running, driving, titled, and registered rod. Then change what bothers you. Let someone else take the deprecation hit. Something else is you will loose money on the car 99.9% of the time. It is a hobby not an investment.

 

it's difficult, believe me. I try to do something at least a few nights a week. Do not over do it.
Pick a job, like weld in a patch panel. Do it, and go back inside. Do not try and do everything at once. Take a break from a rusty stuff and rebuild the taillights, wrap them up and put them on the shelf. Go back to the Chassis, etc.

if it was easy, everybody would use this metaphor.....

 

And this his why project cars get sold at a loss 95% of the time. Its hard to keep going. You have to want it enough to spend the time and energy and MONEY to get it done. If you dont have a welder, chances are you don't know how to weld. Is there a place that you can take a class and learn on someone else's machine? It becomes less intimidating if you learn the basics of what you have to do.

 

Just keep at it!!!! small jobs at a time, I'm goin on 7years with my build

 

It took me ten years to set aside the cash for the next small block for my Fairlane, it takes perseverance and patience. Some people do it with debt but I don't, I'm still working on the chassis maybe this summer it will get on to road. Part of the satisfaction of the thing is just have it in my live, the planning, building along with completing. No matter how long it takes.

 

Compartmentalize.

Buy a chalkboard and write out what you want to get done each day.
Start at the front if you have to or make a list of things that you have on hand that you can finish. i.e. clean and paint spindles....done, sandblast backing plates.....done.

I do it in every aspect of my life. I have one for my finances on my laptop. It works. If not I would go crazy.

 

Appreciate the spirit guys. I do what I can with what I have. Pulled all the rotted wood just about and gonna clean the brackets up.

 

As the other said, it takes perseverance. Sure there will be big hurdle items that take a bigger chunk of money. So save up for them over time. In the meantime, there are likely a lot of items on your project list that take more time than money. So work those while saving the money for the welder, or engine, or whatever bigger money item it is.

There are many of us that do our own work, mostly by ourselves. Occasional help from a friend or neighbor for those jobs needing second person. We all learned by doing, and reading all you can to get the best techniques, or methods before starting the specific job. If something is not working out, stop and give it a break. Come back later and you will notice why it didn't work before, or fresh eyes will help get it figured out. You just need to have determination and motivation.

Another key point, try to do things where you can still have fun with the car, instead of a huge blowout project build. Shorter downtime means recharging the motivation when you can take a spin around the block or to local show.

 

It's a big job, it really makes you appreciate the amount of work in the finished cars you see on the road. Sometimes it helps to do some small piece of the project just so you have something to look at while you take on the next step. But as long as you keep working on it, eventually it will get done.

 

I built my first car at 15 years old. The most important part is the desire to have a hot rod.

 

Man I feel ya. I bought a basket case and immediately regretted it. But I took it one step at at time and after 4 years I had a running and driving car. If I can do it, you can do it. Here's a before and after.

 

I've completely torn down and restified two cars in my two bay garage. Like others have said. Do one small job a day if you can, use ziploc bags with the panel you can write on for small parts and fasteners, have a radio in your shop if you're working alone. It's amazing how much my productivity and attitude lift when I remember to put the tunes on.

 

I still wanna see pics.
Then the real advice will happen.

 

I understand how you feel. I grew to hate my truck and wish I had never bought it. But I am too stubborn and cheap to let it go for less than what I spent on it so I kept at it, bit by bit. Sometimes only managing to clean parts. It took many years but it turned out like I wanted even though I started with a rust heap and actually replaced more parts on it than I kept.
Don't get in a hurry if you aren't rich. Get the tools it takes to build it yourself, you will use them the rest of your life because none of us stops with just one hot rod....

 

I started this hot rod journey at 14 and it took me at least that many more years to acquire enough skills and workmanship to work unsupervised...LOL. Another 2 or 3 decades to get most of the tools and dedication to finish more cars. Now I’m 78 and feel like I’m losing ground on the ambition and dedication front. Still ot in the shop pretty much every day though. List making, having a plan, sticking to it and learning how change approaches as required, and regrouping every now and then can bring the fun back.

 

Here is picture of my '40 Chevy that I built starting at age 16. I had no welder or any cool tools, just
a simple 3/8" socket set, open end wrenches, etc. Had to get 2 rollers welded to complete the tilt
front end, but did everything else myself, using bolts and nuts and only in a carport. Didn't have a lot of
money, but lots of patience so had to wait for many things. Wouldn't have done anything different.
You may be surprised to find out that the more you ask for help or ideas, your circle of hot rod friends
with similar likes will grow exponentially. By the way, my coupe evolved over 3yrs. I would fall asleep at
night with a picture in my mind of what I was going to do next.

 

do a little each day, as long as you feel like doing it. If you decide you have had enough for the day quit for the day. If you still feel up to working start the next item on your list. Also check offer up, craigslist, the classifieds here etc
frequently, you never know what you will find. I bought the completely redone seat for my truck for $100 just because
I checked offer up, to have my original seat done would have been several hundred. There are a million small jobs
to do on a project car, plan to spend time picking away at them and you will see progress being made. Sometimes a
big step like getting the motor in seems like it will never happen, then when it does you realize how many additional
steps need to be done( fuel lines, wiring, brackets, tranny mount etc.
Remember even just locating parts and planning is part of it and is a form of progress.

 

Yup, get over it or get rid of it......

 

even when you have the skills, tools and money at times it can be a long road to finish - you have only given us enough to let us know that you feel like you are drowning. but, not enough info on how we can help rescue you. share pictures and what you need to do next to make any progress with your build.

Sent from my SM-G930V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Just keep plugging away at it; everyday if you can. I tore my '40 apart in the mid-80's and just got it back on the road last year... had to retire get it done.

 

It’s funny.
Whenever I bought a dream project, I actually enjoyed working on it and learning as I went.
It’s all about having fun man.
Stick to it and ask us as many stupid questions you can find.

 

It's the journey, not the destination. I like working on them more than having them done.

 

Needs a sub rail/frame job. Just imtimdating. Draw a line 6" from the bottom up. Everything below that line is shot! I've seen worse become prized rides.

 

I would love to find an A in that shape.
It’s just metal.
Sub rails are a a available new. Yours look better than ya described.
A patches are cheap but if you make your own you learn a new skill.
We can help.
Place the body on a square and dimensionally correct frame.
Start squaring up the body and fitting doors
.

 

Its not the worse I've seen.

 

That is a "Dream Car" for someone like myself that has added a channeled 30-31 Coupe to my list. Builds and projects are the fun part, how many weekends would you use a finished car?

 

Dang skippy.
That’s joker is mint for my neck of the woods