Projects Be Honest with yourself : Do You care if it ever runs?

As you are working on a project, fussing with fit and finish of different components, getting things "Just Right", do you step back and realize it will never run and you're fine with that? I spent a good part of yesterday on the '30 Roadster and it's a real life AMT model I was building in the 1960's.

 

Persistence pays off. I have a Pontiac that has not been driven in over 5 years now and not that I am excited about that but one day, one day......

 

No. It will either get done enough to drive or it gets sold. When my son was 10, he said "why own a car if you don't use it?"

I work on mine every day even if I am pissed at it. Nobody else will do it for me. Got the rear susp apart again today.. It still was not right and I refuse to drive a car that rides like a POS

Get the car to where it is yard drivable or even a drivable chassis with a cowl. It's all "being in tall cotton" from there

 

never...

 

I never expect it not to run. Now on a model that is a different story Vrrrrrrrm, Vrrrrrm noises will suffice.

 

finish it. drive it. or sell it. amen!

 

There was a time when I said I enjoyed building a car more than driving it, but since I have gotten older I no longer say that. The end of the project can't come soon enough these days.


Don

 

Considering I hate the engine in my car-and can't afford another one quite yet, I guess I am content to look at it right now.

 

I can't conceive the thought of working on something forever and being happy about the idea that it will never run. Life is too short for dickin' around like that.

 

I try not to think about that...It makes me depressed. But yea, sometimes it sure feels that way.

 

I too built model cars in the early 60's and they usually got burned up in pretend "accidents". I've been working on my 29 RPU and WILL finish it, hopefully with better end results. I think the build is the fun part though

 

My guess is that you have never had a running driving hotrod. I had a rep for never finishing anything in my younger years but I joined a club that stressed driving to the events. Since then I can't be without a driver. I have a perfectionist friend that has never gotten anything on the road in the 35 years that I have known him.

It's a lot more fun driving them than just talking about them on the HAMB. IMHO

 

One Thing I told myself after 5 years of working on my 39 was that at some point the work will end and the enjoy will begin. Its been over 20 yrs since I bought the car and I think about that every time I open my garage to drive it to a show or just take it out for a ride. Now I'm working a 48 GMC truck ,Its been 4 years so far and I have a ways to go,but I still look foward to the days when I all I do is start it and drive it!! Its the pay off for the hard part. Mel

 

Hell yeah I care if it runs. Actually I can't wait to get the motor back, throw it in and finish the rest of the re-do. Spring's coming real fast for us in the northeast !!!

 

if i start a project, i finish, otherwise i can't sleep. i do have a lot of projects that i have not started.

 

how can anybody build a car, and not drive it, that aint no hotrodder

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying the build process with my brother and dad. But I can't wait for the day that we all get to ride in it. The journey is great, and so will be the destination.

 

if you can't drive it why have it real hot rods were meant to be driven

 

I usually threaten to just shove it down to the curb. Or I tell people that it will never run under my ownership it usually keeps me going.

 

We'll just have to agree to disagree, because finishing it IS the project. However, being "finished", as in completely finished, probably will never happen for me, there's always somthing else to tinker with, but for now, I'm driving the crap out of this sucka!

 

I'm so pissed right now that the motor in my roadster decided to give up he ghost just as I finished the brakes. I've had enough of Eternal Projects.....life's too short. I want to drive the fucker........to that end my plan just got a lot simpler so that I know it will get back on the road ASAP. It might be a little rough round the edges but at least it'll be a living breathing entity rather than garage art...

 

What's the use of building a car if not to drive it?

 

Of course I care if it runs, what would be my motivation, if I couldn't eventually drive it?..after all I'm not creating a museum piece.

 

Yes I want to see it run, I'm getting tired on pushing it in, out & around the shop!!!!

 

I got my '38 when I was 18. I'm 32 now. College, more college, kids, house...it's still not done. But I work on it when I can and I'll be god damned if the bitch doesn't run someday.

 

I totally get what you're saying, Kid. You're simply expounding on your signature. I enjoy the creating part too. I also built models as a kid...I'm the oldest of 10, and it was one of the only ways for me to retreat into a world of my own. On hot summer days, I'd often take some time to go down to the cool basement and work on my models. With the real cars, it's kinda the same...go out to the barn, (my shop is the barn) and get lost in a world of my own. On some summer nights, I'll be out there 'til way after midnight.

But...not caring if they ever get done? I can't really say that. It's true that after it's finished, the creating part has ended, but then you can drive your creation. And there's always plenty of maintenance to do, so the fiddlin' with it never really ends. I guess the answer is somewhere in the middle. For some, the driving is the best...but for others, they really enjoy the build. Depends on the person, I guess, and also the situation.

My situation:

Recently, I had to sell all my cars except for the '47 Hudson coupe...including my dream project...my '29 roadster. Going to college, changing careers, money is tight, and my priorities have changed. But we have a transportation issue here lately too, and I need a car to drive. Now I could sell the Hudson and buy a stupid commuter car...or I could get the Hudson on the road, and use it as my daily driver. What do you think I'd prefer?....lol. I'm gonna try like hell to do a drivetrain swap, in spite of money and time restraints, and drive that Hudson. Not only for the enjoyment of it, but also 'cause if something breaks, I can fix it...don't have to pay anybody else to fix it...I can do it. Even the newer cars break, and I can't/don't wanna work on 'em. I've always mostly driven old cars. I hate the newer cars...despise them...for all the reasons.

So in this case, I really do hope to get this done soon. But I understand what you're gettin' at. I sure do like being out there, workin' on 'em, wrenching, creating, etc. Just so happens, it was an extremely nice day here today, and I got out there and tore into the engine I have for the swap. Enjoyed the shit out of it. Just gotta keep movin' along though, if I wanna do this.

 

I get what you are saying alot more than some guys do. When I start a project, I have a crystal clear idea of what the finished product will be, and I have NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in shorting myself on that vision. If it IS short of that idea, its not finished, full-stop, end of sentence. I really dont care if its running in primer, or the engine is a weak-suck auto wrecker dog, I cant find ANY pleasure or sense of pride in that. Its not done till its done, and I have no interest in compromising just so I can "get it running", For me lame-assed excuses like that just dont cut it. Theres no pleasure at all in driving something that I can't look at/drive without reservations or excuses to myself. But the intent is to, at some point at least, get it finished. NOT just running, FINISHED. But then, I'm an elitist bastard. Thank god.

 

It has to run for me. I can finish the rest later.

 

I drove my 53 vicky into the garage a Month ago. Out goes the fatty in goes a 302. Just ordered the mounts and isolators, yesterday from Speedway. Hope to get back running again in a couple of weeks.

The flathead will be reused later on in another car.

 

Hahahahaha...good for you. Keep it up, man.