Was wondering if anyone else ever had regrets on decisions that they made in the hobby? I don't know if it is myself being overwhelmed by all the projects that I have to get done or if I'm just getting burned out with it all together. I want to replace the coilovers on the roadster and it is already June. Have found that I really don't enjoy driving the car like I once use to. I need really badly to get the Falcon done for the Meltdown but with work the way it is and trying to motivate my brother to do the bodywork, I'm getting nowhere fast. On top of that I need to paint the house outside and do some other odds and ends before the little one comes in Dec. In 1996 I bought a brand new truck. GMC Z71 Offroad extended cab. Turn the clock ahead to 2013 and I only have 18,832 miles on it and have never hauled anything in the bed. My thoughts here as of resent, is to get rid of everything and get a 30-31 Ford coupe. Sorry for the rant, just feeling frustrated and felt this was the place to share my old car frustration.
None whatsoever, Everybody goes through the frustration of having too many projects,,ether close the door on the shop and take the summer off or kick yourself in the arse and get to work. If you have too many projects think about selling some and concentrate on one at a time. HRP
My regret is that I'm stuck on the same damn project for fifteen f@#$&*! years. Some day...some day...some day...
You're just getting burned out! You need to take a step back, and deal with your priorities first. As you stated it your HOBBY not your LIFE! Take a breather, you just need to step back for awhile. Enjoy life! Don't fight it! Good Luck, and God Bless! KK
Just think what you would be saying if it was twenty-seven years! -see avatar- and that is not the longest!
Selling anything. Everytime I get rid of anything at all, I end up regretting it. Poor man's got poor ways.
Trading my '39 Ford Coupe for a straight axle 1960 Corvette. Especially when the straight axle collapsed while towing the Corvette. Not selling my T when someone wanted to buy it! Bill
No real regrets here, sure there have been cars and parts that have come and gone, but in the bigger picture, nope, no regrets here. I view myself as fortunate, my Dad helped me buy my first car, a 57' Chevy, 36 years ago. Taught me a lot with that car and has been teaching stuff ever since. We have spent the past 3-4 years building a 32' Chevy 5 window, and we're now starting a 31" Model A roadster. My dad's getting older, but still has skills better than mine, and continues to teach them to me. I know the day will come that he's not able to continue building, till then I will enjoy every opportunity to work with him, and all the memories made. Unfortunately, none of my kids got the bug, so I wonder, will I still have the passion once I'm on my own? Drivings cool, the build is better, but the real reward is sharing the experience with someone. Yep, no regrets here so far.
In the hobby for 52 years, Dad's Roadster last ran 30 years ago, my '12 T last ran 15 years ago. Got the '32 bones welded for the '30 Roadster last week, a project I started in 1962. Its a HOBBY. We start to reroof the house tomorrow things like life get in the way, and there is never any play money. Bob
You just have to keep repeating to yourself that this is a hobby and it is supposed to be fun. When it stops being fun you take a break from it until the desire to return to it comes back. It is really easy to get burned out both mentally and financially on car projects. I just walked away from my project for about the last 6 months and didn't miss it at all. Now the desire to start doing things on it is returning. This is a hobby, no different from golf, fishing, or anything else. Sometimes we feel like doing it and sometimes we do not. Don
Sounds like you have too many projects. Selling them all and buying a finished coupe is not the worst idea you could make. There's nothing wrong with jumping into a finished rod and enjoying the road.
there's a twinge of regret for almost every car I've ever flipped to pay the bills or support the hobby. that happens when you trade in what you like though.
I thought that when I retired that I would be in the shop everyday and get all my projects done. I have somewhat refocused my life. If the grandkids want to go fishing and hunting, I drop everything and go. I attend their baseball games, go 4 wheeling with them, and am making memories for their lifetime. The cars can wait. My 10 year old grandson likes to spend time in the shop with me if he has the time, and told me the other day that if he ends up with my cars when I'm gone he's not selling any of them. He has the hot rod spirit, and will carry on with my incomplete projects.
I hope you know, and I some how feel you already know, you could be doing much worse. You have it figured out!
Keep the truck! If you have a baby on the way, a paid for, safe, vehicle is a huge blessing. Family first! Cars are second. I have had to scale back and get rid of projects myself. You can always find a new project when the time is right.
Here's my two cents as a College instructor here in So. Cal. I teach collision repair and everything related to it, i.e. estimating, color matching, refinishing etc.. As I always remind my guy students, we as a gender are terrific starters and terrible finishers of projects, no matter the type. They are made clear that we in our profession don't get paid until the vehicle is leaving down the road. I have to teach them to be great finishers as well as good starters. My students also know that I sleep 4 hrs. a night because I'm working on a lifetime worth of my own projects PLUS customer work! Your work needs to be your passion if you plan on working at this level. I'm not the only one out there doing this. Take a break if you need but PLEASE don't give up on what you love, whatever that may be! - Larry
Biggest one is that I didn't work on some of my welding and body work skills when I was a lot younger. The other is that I was damned short on patience when I was younger and didn't finish out things on the truck like I should have and cut too many corners. My biggest regret is that I sold my 51 Merc coupe that I bought when I was 16 because I was so broke at the time that I couldn't turn down what truly was a fantastic offer at the time after owning it for 32 years. Patience, making a plan and sticking to it and keeping one's personal life in good order have a lot to do with enjoying one's hot rod activities be it building or going.
I regret buying my 1960 Impala. I should have built my 1957 BelAir instead of building the Impala. Both are 4 doors, (Impala Sport Sedan and BelAir sedan). However, I've owned my 57 much longer and have known the car since I was 7 years old. The Impala turned out,(very), nice, but I hardly drive it anymore. I drove the wheels off of the 57, (it was my daily driver for 10 years), which is why it needs a total resto, but that's also why I miss driving it so much. Sure wish my 57 was as nice as my 60.
I've sold off quite a few of my projects this spring and plan to keep doing so until I'm down to a much more manageable number. My house needs a roof (which is now funded) and if things keep going the way they are, I can pay off my shop which would make my life a heck of a lot easier. My '52 hasn't even come out of the garage yet this year, and it might just stay there for the rest of the summer. It's been really good to move things around and re-assess what my goals are. I thought it'd sting to get rid of some of my cars and bikes, but it's actually kinda "liberating" in a way. If that's what you have to do to get your mind right, I'd say go for it, it's been working for me. Plus, for the first year in a heck of a long time, it seems like there are buyers out there with actual money.
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