do you enjoy working in the garage on cars as much as driving? a poll.

For me? It's all about the build.

 

Well, I like old cars. I like to work on old cars. I don't care for driving all that much as I did that for a living.At my age and with my past work experience of driving all day I pretty much have had my fill of driving in today's traffic. I like working on them until it becomes work, then I stop for a while until I get the urge again. I have a car that has been virtually finished for nearly ten years and I still haven't driven it more than a few yards so far. It doesn't bother me not to drive it. To me they are a lot like model car kits. You put them together, look at them, then decide you want to change something and never get around to driving it. Traffic today sucks the big one anyway, its not too much fun unless you get way out in the country.

 

It's too late now but this would have been a great thread to have a poll, feels good to be in the majority for once. Bob

 

My friends and family drive my rod way more than I do. I enjoy building stuff.

 

Driving is great, but building is where it's at!

 

^^^^ What he said!!!

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Its my hobby, I like working on my cars, but not as much as years past, been playing with cars all my life. I will say, I enjoy driving them more and more as the time is flying by. Getting together with friends and going to a show or cruise is big for me, I enjoy the the social part of the hobby greatly. Sometimes, it is great to just get in and go, nowhere in particular, just cruise and enjoy the ride. John

 

I spent 2 years of every waking minute working on my truck. The first time it fired was the best feeling in the world. The first time I drove it was even better. And I enjoy it everytime I get in and turn the key, no matter where I'm going I don't get bored driving. It's so much nicer than driving a new car.

I enjoy both. Working on a gto with my dad and grandpa right now for my grandpa and am really excited to finish it. While working in the garage I get in a zone where I concentrate on one specific thing and I love that, making myself think of how to do something.

Starting to collect parts for the next 2 projects and I'm really excited to get started working on those.

But we spend so much time, money, and effort building, why not get out and drive them and enjoy them.


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Had to sell my Model A projects ('29 RPU and '30 coupe) last year due to RA and bad knees. Thanks to modern chemistry (methotrexate) and new knees, I'm back out in the shop with my new A-bone '29 tudor project. I have always enjoyed the build more than driving them....Life is good again.

 

When I parked my T Bucket, after the first REALLY long drive, I sat, smoked a cigarette and thought, "Now what?". The year and a half I had spent building her, consumed me. Building was my answer to a good OR bad day. When she was done, I was a little empty.

So, I tinkered and changed things just for something to do. After the wreck and final payment, I went through it all over again. Building was more fun. Only in the last year, have I REALLY enjoyed driving more. I find myself pushing my car more. With this new engine, I REALLY want to see what she and I are capable of.

 

http://www.humanhoist.com/ This could help with the bad backs.. I would love to have one of these

We work on them in the winter & Drive in the summer

 

I can get lost in the garage zone for hours on end.
Sometimes it drives my wife nuts.

When the project is done, I'm already looking for the next challenge.
I enjoy driving the cars when they are done, but the thrill of searching for a car, finding one that is "acceptable", negotiating the purchase, getting it home, planning the project, collecting or making or fixing all the parts and assembling the whole shebang is 80% of the fun for me.

 

If you have to fix it in order to use it it sucks! If your wrenching to upgrade,not so bad probably improving your ride. If all you have to do is get in and go for a ride? Awesome! I enjoy the building,upgrading,tinkering,but using as a daily driver is too much fun! The best part about driving this old stuff is the people that will come talk to you! Little kids,grammas, old dudes,they all have a story to tell and only common denominator in it is that old pain in the ass you just pulled up in! Keep driving em boys!

 

for me, i have to throw in one more dimension ............

Number one = working on them
Number two = seeing them in motion (going down the road)
Number three = driving them

And if you have never seen your ride going down the road, i highly recommend sending your wife, significant other, best bud, etc, down the road in your ride and watching it drive away......boy oh boy, what better way to see your work than making that happen (just make sure they will bring it back).

 

I love the build, for me once the build is done I get the itch for the next one!

 

Driving is numero uno with me, but I also enjoy the creative process of making an idea/minds-eye idea take shape and come to life. The day to day work in the shop is a necessary but secondary function.

 

Just a short time ago I would have said I would rather work on my cars then drive them but this past year things have changed...now I would rather drive them..I helped a buddy do a body off on his 56 Ford ....he would have a body man do the body and I spent 5 months,40 hours a week or more doing the other things...I believe I got burnt out.....after all, retirement is supposed to be fun...it started out fun and became work......but....I did learn a lot and developed a friendship with the body man that I hold dear....spring is coming I will be ready to drive my 55 Ford and my 56 T-Bird....

 

It's a tricky one.. I'm torn. I have two old cars so I can do both most of the time. If I'm working on one I can drive the other...... But now I would like to build another, even though neither of my cars are "finished", they are just drivable.

 

yes

 

Yes to both. I like working in my cars as long as its something to make it better. Something broken or not working, that's when it starts to get on my nerves. I drive something old everyday, so I'm always enjoying the ride!-dd

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Some people spend all their free time digging in their yard and they tell me it relaxes them. Rubbing on an old car does the same thing for me.

When I take the rig out to drive it, having a "civilian" comment or give me a positive stroke makes the garage time worth it.

 

Mostly I enjoy bringing them back to life. Anyone can drive a hot rod but not everyone can bring 'em back and make them faster, louder, more dependable and more attention grabbing than when they were new.

Building them also humbles me when I realize the limits of my various skill sets but elated when I solve a particularly difficult problem.

Driving them is a test required to find and fix stuff you can't anticipate in the build and its reinforcement that I can make a road worthy rod.

Yeah, sometimes I need a break and will take a road trip. I even entered a few local show n' shines but quickly got bored with that. Now I pick a place I've never been and go see what the locals think is unique about it. A couple of days and I'm ready for the shop again.
Jerry

 

It's becoming more enjoyable to work on them now considering the heavy traffic and inattentive cell phone drivers in my area of Eastern Massachusetts.
It's scary on our roads these days.

 

When it's snowin' and blowin' out, I'm stoking up the fire and working on something with the tunes going, that's my happy place. In the summer it's listening to the pipes and knowing that bracket you re-did 3 times Cuz" it just wasn't quite right" is now perfect and everything is humming along great that's my happy place too...Wait, was that the glint of a headlight behind some old overgrown lilacs? Hhmmm...
And the cycle continues...

 

I love building them, I crank up the tunes and focus on the task at hand, before the car is done I'm already thinking about the next one.
Then I love driving them however some are built to be worn out and some I would prefer to sell and let someone else wear them out, having said that my dream is to drive route 66 from LA to Chicago in an old car.I read somewhere on the Hamb that somebody bought a map of the original route. I would like to get my hands on one.

 

As a lot on the thread have said already, I like them, enjoy the building , putting in new ideas, and the bringing back to road worthy ness.

Each time I finish a project I say to myself " Right I am going to drive the wheels off this", but it never seems to happen, because I get so engrossed into another project.

At least its keeping my old grey matter up top working, that's what I like.

However, I do get a real buzz when I am out in the Center Door "T", which is so pleasant to drive, and then an adrenalin rush when I take out the "T" Coupe,
They are so different.

See my thrad
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=789981

 

since I have been spending the last 7 years working on it, and it hasn't hit the road yet--I must

 

Too old and stiff to enjoy working on it like I did when younger but I will always love driving it!

 

I would love to do the route 66 myself (actually with my Dad)... it's on my bucket list.

 

I too like both sides of the hobby...but I dislike having to troublesoot or fix a ride while on the road...especially a long way from home or civilization.