Ever wind up with a lot more to do than planned?

What started out to be a relatively small rust repair is turning out to have me well on my way to a full paint job, LOL.
I was planning to patch some rust above the rear window on my wagon and found the back windows have to come out to do it.
At this point the car is nearly stripped and I have some rust free parts on order from out west (we will see, it is my second try at replacements). It looks like it will take the whole winter but it will help it go by faster. As usual my goal will be to have it back on the road in time for summer and Back to the 50's
oh well, I guess I really knew all along it was the way to go if it was to get done as best as was possible for me to do.

 

i think thats the way it always goes

 

LOL...here's five and a half years worth of "it'll take just a little to get this one on the road"...http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

R-

 

If I ever just did what I originally set out to do, I would be driving my Plymouth right now.

 

"Ever wind up with a lot more to do than planned?"
Uh, yes I have had that happen once or twice in my life. Damn near every project that I touch bites me in the very same fashion.
It stems from a couple of things, usually, I see what I want the (whatever) project to be. Doing anything half-assed is simply not acceptable. Do it right or put it away until you have the time/tool or talent.
Have spent the evening making a part using the metal lathe. Making this part which will then become a part for a jig to make yet another part on the wood lathe... to make a part for the ..... Yes. It has happened more than once. I'm ok with that.
Be proud that you are doing it properly. Ain't it great !

 

it happens every time i even look at my car, i could turn installing a dashmat into a frame off restoration. the extra work just means you are doin it the right way and not half assed, your car thanks you.

 

friend of mine was just going to have his 57 BA fixed where he'd gotten a blowout and kind of banged up the fender till he was able to pull over. Took it to a bodyman of note up in the great NW and by the time the little repair job was done...there was about 40 lbs of old bondo on the floor, several pieces of perforated sheet metal that had been fairly well covered over....so much for THAT 'weekend project'.

dj

 

my rambler was like that but it's cool i needed to learn some fab skills anyways

 

All of my projects start out with the best of intentions, then the gremlins get wind of it and WHAM money is being spent, time is flying by!
A budget will go out the window, things break, parts get lost or taken by the gremlins, injuries occur, a disaster is beginning to take shape....... OH THE HUMANITY!

 

Yup.

 

Working on old stuff is always like that, doing one job creates another five. All the same if its old cars, old houses, or old whatever - everytime you uncover something you uncover something else that needs fixing or someone elses stuff up or dodgy repair that needs fixing.

As long as you are not on a tight time frame its all part of the fun and an opportunity to do it right!

 

Mine all stemmed from a cold Dr. Pepper whilst sitting on a 5 gallon bucket staring at my truck getting the plan in my head for the "Quick" 1 year tear down, polish, paint and reassemble....that turned into a section, which turned into finding major rust damage I didn't know about....I'm in it for bout 2 years now....prob nother year to go....

Yeah I can relate....see my build in my sig line.

 

Only if I wake up in the morning.

 

"Ever wind up with a lot more to do than planned?"

Yep, many years ago a friend of mine had just bought a used Chevelle and asked me if I would put a new cam in it for him over the weekend. I said sure without even seeing the car.
The cam swap kinda snowballed into a 3 year project including bodywork, paint, and redoing the interior.

 

everytime

 

Save the holes and replace the metal

 

Yup. I drove my Chevy into the garage just after I got it 4 years ago to do a few little things to it over the winter. I am planning on painting it early next year and driving it again this summer. I hope.

 

Yup my simple paint job turned into a 4+yrs rebuild....how did that happen.

 

I guess i knew the answer but wanted to hear it wasn't just me. It will continue to be a learning experience. thanks for the comments.

 

This is a rhetorical question, right?

 

This lesson no only applies to cars, but just about everything you attempt in life

 

You could say that I found more than I planned to do in my 55 chevy.

 

Yes, everytime i buy a car. Doin it now with my wifes new one.

I saw on an ebay "has some minor rust. Could repair or drive it as is" Which loosely translates to "Needs rockers, and lower quarters replaced"

 

This is a rhetorical question, right?
__________________
there can be only one...

Yep, it is.
It also confirms that every time i violate the "no rust buckets" rule it talkes way more work than i let myself imagine! Too late to turn back now, and i do in general like a challenge.

 

The shop that will be doing my car interior had a flat fin long roof in for a complete interior miles of red carpet and red & white seats. I think it came from Conn. it was a total rebuild too.

 

Pretty much every dam time

 

I usually plan on doing a frame-off build. Bought a driver recently that was for driving, but it turned out to be much more than planned. Oh well, it sure beats watching reality TV.

 

There are no small rust repairs.

Bob

 

That is for sure, much better for the mind, body and soul.

 

About twenty years ago a magazine called "Old House Journal" coined the phrase "the mushroom factor" to decribe this process. You start out to fix one small thing and in the process find two more things, fix those two and find four more, soon the project has "mushroomed" into a complete renovation.