Anyone out there reached a point on project that is a runner driver where you got to the point of done.......it's gotta go...had enough.....I am getting there on this 50 dodge......put a slant six with 3 speed tranny in her....redid the wireing....redid the seats.......tires ,brakes,and so forth......the thing is driveing me nutz...........
Yep, when working on the hot rod becomes work it's time to go do something else for a while. I've been at that point too many times and even sold the 48 once because I didn't want to put any more money in it. It was painted and upholstered then and probably looked the best it ever looked before or since. A year and a half later I traded back for it and am still spending money on it. The car will still be there when you catch your breath and feel like going back to work on it. Take that weekend trip with your lady that she has wanted or do something esle you have been putting off. Then come back to the car with a fresh mind and some enthusiasm.
Hey Chunk, Yup It,s Time To Shut The Lights Off And Close The Garage Door For Awhile, Sharpen The Lawn Mower Blade And Cut Some Grass. Wayne
I get pissed the first 30 Min. into working on the car. But then I remember how much I miss driving it, Then I get right back to it. A very crazy cycle indeed.
I have only been defeated by one car in my life... A '59 El Camino. When I bought it I could see some obvious body damage, no big deal. I ran my hands under the floor pan and felt no rust or holes, bonus! Got it home and went to pull the seat out and it wouldn't budge. After several hours or cursing and sweating, the whole floor came out with the seat - sculpted completly of roofing tin, street signs, fiberglass then artfully covered on both sides with roofing tar including molding in the stamped ribs. Over the course of a year I literally replaced everything below the door handles with fresh metal, and walked away for about a year to cool off. In the home stretch, (or so I thought) my girlfriend had seen a car at a show with me with the roof flaked and star and moon confetti buried in clear and asked if we could do that on the '59. Sure! Might get me interested in it again.... Absolutely no signs of rust at all in the roof around all the trim when just looking at the car, 'till you took the trim off! Beneath the trim the roof skin had rusted off the pillars completely! Done! Sold to a guy that wanted an El Camino "roadster"... Sometimes it's good for the soul to quit.
Trade it for a HotRod, they're smaller. A big ol car like a 50 Dodge sounds like a lot of work. A model A is like a 1/3 the size & a 1/5 of the parts & has about 20 more drivetrain options
Sounds like you've got the Snowball syndrome, stop trying to do everything at once and focus on simply getting it drivable and enjoyable. Here is some motivation: This was a stock 1950 Dodge Coronet we put a slant six three into, with split headers and tiny pipes with no mufflers, way too lowering lowering blocks in the rear. Mexican blankets hogringed to the stock seats. It was a low-buck bomber that I still miss today, simply because of the simplicity and fun we had in it. I'd gladly build another! Push on, get your car going so you can enjoy it, don't worry about making it perfect. Too many people slave on for years when they could have enjoyed it by just not worrying about every detail. If you weren't so far anyway I'd be interested in your car, BTW...
You could take up knitting or baking . Then you might get all antsy because someone keeps eating what you make. It never ends , just slows down.
Ha I actually use cutting the lawn for an excuse to not go to the garage more than one would think. If I feell crappy, being the HAMB doesn't cure it I can always go sit on the mower for 2 or 3 hours.
My advice, would be the same as some of the others have said, take a break from it for a little while and then start back on it with a fresh outlook. Be proud to own something that is a little bit different. 50 Dodges aren't your typical cookie cutter car. Build it, drive it, and enjoy it!!!
What they said. ^^^ Seriously though, when I get tired of working on one, I switch to the other. When that doesn't work, I close the garage door, dig into my record collection and listen to some good old rock and roll on vinyl. Come back in a week or two and start fresh. Dave
thanks everyone..............needed to know that there are other people out there with the same probs .....not much of a knitter though keep wanting to use the needles for kabobs........will have alot of pics of the summer of work soon.......car show in mascoutah IL with a chili cook off the dodge will be there......not gonna let it beat me.....I'll push the damn thing the 4 blocks.....LOL
Work on some easy stuff for a bit and do something that will show an improvement to give yourself a bit of personal encouragement. Focus on each little project as you do it, one at a time, and try not to think about the whole project all at once and all the other stuff that needs to get done. But in the end, it is a hobby and should be enjoyable. If it just isn't enjoyable, find another project that is. No sense in keeping putting work and money into hobby stuff you don't enjoy. Don't make your hobby your job, especially a money losing one. If it is going to be a job and not enjoyable, at least make money at it. Good luck with the chili cook off. At least can maybe help get it back on some jet propulsion.
lots o gas from the chili cook off...........here are two pics of the dodge....won the 50 50 twice.....great day
Seems like your mind has changed about getting rid of the car. I feel the same on most days. My problem is I'm learning as I go so everything is frustrating and expensive, I break a lot of things. Its still fun for me with this car on most days so I won't torch it just yet.
only on cars that i shouldn't have dragged home. i was the worlds worst at buying something old because it was cheap. bad idea. you can only put so much energy into something your hearts not in. get a car that you actually want and you won't ever have this problem again.
Just living in Illinois can be depressing ! But after retiring I discovered it ain't the most depressing place in the world. I see you beat the old car blues. When it happens again just take a break from cars and play with something else. At least you can play in the snow soon. My very first car was a 1949 Dodge Coronet. Thought it was a granny car. Wish I had it now. We all get depressed but when the sun shines again life is good.
The Jalopy Journal
