Who here enjoys the build

A LITTLE touchy tonight ?

Go get your wife to rub your BACK

I like building them ... BUT I really like the challenge of finding the right parts.

I guess that's why I am a 32 Ford guy.
Chasing down those elusive 32 parts and pieces
is a LOT of fun.

A couple of folks who really know me say I am the most dedicated parts chaser they know.

Randy

 

Larry, I think he really meant it when he said "no offense". I think you're a builder, your cars wouldn't exist without your vision, but I think he was getting at something else. It's the feeling you get when you take a piece of raw steel, cut it, heat it, shape it, weld it, grind it, smooth it, paint it, and finally put it in place with your own 2 hands.
I do appreciate that not everyone is in a position to do it all themselves, so they use whatever means necessary to make their vision a reality, and for many, that's the best alternative, but make no mistake, they are missing something.

 

Amen to that, Its frustratin when it don't work, and its rewarding when it does. When I go to a car show, the first thing I ask is, "did you do this yourself"? I have lots of respect for anyone that does it themselves but little for a guy with deep pockets and no talent.

 

I would rather be building one than driving it. could not agree more.

 

love the build... it keeps me sane. always have at least one project, usually more than one. like to have a motorcycle project and a car project at all times.

the build... hunting for parts, researching, learning... all leads up to a magical first drive. sometimes they even make them home from the first drive under their own power!

now, the build is also something shared with my kids... that added even more to it for me. when i was little, i'd be in the shop when my grandpa built his cars. now i'm here with my kids doing the same. some people have religion. my religion is (as cheesy as it sounds) fossil fueled, loud and yes spiritual: the hot rod and the murdercyce. my church is the garage. worship with the wrench and the torch.

 

Point taken Ron...I actually do know the satisfaction of building...30 years ago i used to build 747's from parts and blueprints at Rockwell...rivet guns and bucking bars...did all my own work on all my cars back then... just don't have the time anymore. Life and business gets in the way.

 

Awww, then you do know the feeling, and believe me, I do understand. My business and kids were keeping me so busy I could hardly keep up with it, and had very little time to build cars. Just about the time the kids grew up, I broke my back, and had a lot of complications, then the business went down hill. Now I've got time, but little money, and constant back pain, but with the help of a lift, (and an old recliner in the garage ) I'm building again. Glad you are too.

 

I love the build. Ive got 2 projects (actually 3 if you count the house) going on as we speak, a complete build up and maintenance on an OT vehicle (Muscle Car).
Im cheap, so I try to do everything I can in house, some comes out great (chassis, engine), some not so great (body work)!
Finally figuring out how to accomplish that which had been fighting you for hours is a great feeling...makes the prior frustrations disappear.

 

I enjoy the build. It's A very rewarding experience. Making something from scratch, learning new shit, parts hunting and conquering it when it gives you an ass ache. Going to a car show and telling people you did the work when they ask. What a proud moment.

 

Love the build!!

 

I like the build...

...but I must say, I like the beginning and the end of the build better than the middle.

 

ME, ME, ME

I have built all my racecars, my Chevelle, and now our roadster. This one by far has been the most complicated, and challenging. With any luck I'll learn to do upholstery and be able to say I did it all.....well maybe not the chroming.....but then again



Louie

 

I love the build from the first brain storm and getting out the sketch pad and all through the fabrication but I also enjoy the driving after it gets to that point.

I've come to the decision that I will face no more deadlines though. No more thrashing like a maniac for 20 hours a day for several weeks and being so tired when I am done that I can't enjoy that event that I thrashed so hard to be able to take the car to. The projects will be done when they get done and they will be done right with no short cuts that have to be addressed later.

I don't knock anyone for having someone else build their car for them. I do get tired of the mouthbreathers who think it is their sworn duty to badmouth them though. We have a serious number of highly skilled people on here who make their living building or working on the cars that other people get to drive when they are done and we all seem to do the "Oh Wow" thing when we are fortunate to see the progress and finished product photos.
In the past I was one who had a lot of time to work on my rigs but damned little money so I had to do everything myself if it was going to get done. The one thing I didn't have then was the patience to do things as well as I should in a lot of cases.
Right now I'm weighing the option of having a frame built for the A-V8 project that I all the sudden have seemed to be gathering parts and pieces for at an accelerated rate. It would take selling something or putting in about ten day of overtime to do it but after pricing used and crusty frames and the parts an pieces to build my own it doesn't seem all that expensive to have someone else do it and I can be doing other things on the car in the mean time.

 

Wasnt knocking people who have a car built for them at all ,Just basically talking about after you slaved over your car for many months of just doing things ,Whether its a motor job or bodywork,or whatever.Is it the build or driving ,I also understand that some people that have a car built dont have the time or resources .Thats ok,I think its that feeling of accomplishment you get ,From being hands on.....

 

I have learned through experience that the journey is better than the destination. It is great to finish a long-term project but when I have nothing to work on in the garage I am frustrated.

 

It is always a ton of enjoyment fabricating parts, I have been acussed of still building cars like we did in the old speedway days but at least they don't brake. I have only farmed work out on one car and that was a total disaster, never again, well maybe paint.

 

I also love the build. As soon as they are done, I get bored with them and sell them. It seems that the build part is what I enjoy the most. Granted, I love driving them. but something about the creation. And I also do it all myself (except the chroming).

I am actually learning the "coachbuilding" trade from the 30's era. Talk about exciting. Creation at its finest. and quite a challenge.

Welcome to the world of ADD.

 

That's me too. I love to take something that needs "fixing" and see if i can make it work.
I do like to drive as I go so my current car is on the road each summer,even though i know it means more work overall. That is not a big deal since, as others have said, the planning and building has its own reward and satisfaction.
Getting to the last little details is where I lose interest. for me, be it cars or life in general, "perfection is not needed, just get back on the road".

 

Even when I'm throwing tools, cussing the car and the previous owner I gotta say the build is always exciting.

 

Ya Zombie you nailed it there, i'm deep in the MIDDLE right now

 

I like the build of any project and although things tend to gather dust in my garage I still have interest after they are done. "It's not the kill, it's the trill of the chase"

Can't wait to drive it though!

 

I really enjoy the build as well. My most favorite part of it all is the chase for the parts. Driving it is just an added bonus.

 

Music, art, cars, or tools to biuld cars- must create. It's a joy, but it's also a necessity.

 

Writers, write. Painters/Artists make pictures come to life. Builders, build. If it's your thing to do you understand it's a NEED, passion if you will. Life when you aren't able to build, lacks color/fulfillment. It's just somehow less LIFE, more of an existance, when you can't build ...
Do I enjoy the finished product? You bet! However, once they are done, the next one beckons! Ha

Dan Stevens
dba, Steelsmith

 

What is that though,,

the kinda losing interest in it when its done ??

That whole thrill of the chase thing??

That always bothered me,,it was like,,"ok what was the point of this"

I enjoyed riding the bikes I had finished,,yet i guess "the love " did'nt seem as strong as it was.. kinda like "after" xmas morning and all the presents are unwrapped

 

Truer words were never spoken. That's exactly how I feel. Some people might get pissed at me for this but the creation of an object from scratch is the closest we can come to being God. To me, it's not just a burning need to create and not just fun; it's also deeply spiritual. When things are going really bad in my life (like they have been the past couple of weeks), the only thing that keeps me sane is building things. Those poor folks that don't have that in their life (one way or another) are truly missing out on one of life's greatest pleasures. The sense of accomplishment you get when at the end of the day you can say "I built that. From my mind, to my hands, to reality: I built that." Nothing I have ever done comes even close.

So, yeah, I'd have to say it's the build for me.

 

Amen Brother!

 

Its the only thing that gets me through the winter!

 

But don't you think it would be more fun to use all those hours, days, weeks and months doing it yourself? And if you don't know a certain skill, having a friend show you how so you can do it next time?

Every time I have a friend do some milling or turning on his lathe (I don't have those tools or skills), I want to ask him a million questions, then grab the controls. It looks like so much fun! Granted, my result wouldn't look as nice as his, but I bet my next one would be better.

 

Been at it 40 yrs the build is the best, and all the great people I meet, shows and bling ya get just make for hard feelins, and it then about who has more dough.... to pour into winning