with the cost of chroming through the sky( even if you could find one locally) and Paint up to $900 a gal,& body work products, it's getting insane to try a build a hot rod nowadays. ( even though you can get everything you need on line now a days) But this has been discussed to death already, I'm knee deep in building a 49 dodge pickup and I figure I'll be into this thing for 40 grand before it's done, without finish paint. I fined I have to farm out some big things I no longer can do by myself,($$) It is SO much the smarter move just to buy one done close to what you want and make it your own. But that never happens, I always say I can do it myself, but he reality of the thing is I'm 75 and though my mind says "sure you can knock this out in no time" my BODY says who are you kidding buddy! I've done it in the past, but I know it's getting more difficult, plus I'll never come close to recouping the money invested, but that was never my intent in building all the cars I have in the past, Not much takes the place of the satisfying feeling you get, when you first fire her up, the first ride, That feeling of pride and satisfaction that you did all this, in your garage, usually starting with a hulk that people thought you were nuts for buying! I know for me it's the building of the car that keeps me wanting to do it, after I build it I soon lose interested and want another project. well he reality of it this is probably the last big project I'll be doing, but the memories were well worth it ???
It is what it is. But nothing, that I have ever done, equals that ride in a fresh project. Today's bones and flesh are minimal toward achieving the calesthetics (?) and iron pumping required..
The body remembers what the mind forgets - at close to 70 I can understand but I feel that as long as I can I’ll keep going it’s the therapy of this hobby the physical and mental challenge’s that help me keep moving forward and onward
I thought I was done buying cars at 81 but then this unfinished project came along which seemed to be almost done. Turned out that there was more work than I anticipated but after 4 solid months working on it, I have to put it away for the winter. When I'm done, it will be a new car and the previous owner did all the really hard work. So don't give up your idea that a project that is well along on the build and needs finished isn't out there, as I know they are. Took the engine out to paint it so it sets high.
I know how you feel. I had finished my 53 before the prices went insane, now I am staring at my two Buicks to try to adjust to a plan. My painter can't paint anymore, and my upholstery guy quit doing it. I guess it is DIY time.
That's part of why I build such weird stuff. If I wanted a "commodity car", like a stock muscle car or stereotypical tri-five, It would make waaaaaayyy more sense to buy what's already out there. My vision of a cool ride always steps outside the mainstream, necessitating me spending thousands of hours going my own way. I'm very much about staying true to my wants, not anyone else's. The down side is, it makes finding a buyer a lot harder at the other end. My solution to that problem is to just keep them 'til I die!
I know how you feel, iam all most 90 and still try to do what i can, but my body will not let me do any heavy work. But still do what i can. Any thing to stay busy.
At 74 I have gone to the funerals of too many of my old friends and classmates who did not have any hobbies. When they retired from their jobs, they had nothing to do but sit and watch TV or drink. They didn't last long. I still work 3 days a week building cars for someone else, and the other 4 working on my stuff. I don't work as fast as I used to, and knock off early most days. But at the end of the day, though I usually hurt somewhere, I have a feeling of accomplishment. I believe that's what keeps us going. Go out in your shop, do one thing, then sit there drinking coffee the rest of the time. Just go out there.
I bet you could find this lament in a Model A resto newsletter from the 60s! They haven't taken away the pursuit of happiness yet, so as long as you aren't harming anyone do what you can. I dream of 40K cars, but dabble in sub 10k projects. I'll have fun in my little driver as much as I would in a borrowed supercar. If and when that's not viable, I'll take up something that holds my interest and keeps me from pulling weeds for entertainment.
I'm going to try and keep building until I drop. As others have said, when you stop doing things, you stop living, literally and figuratively! Even if you bought an old car, there would be lots of work to do on it, cleaning, detailing, and the inevitable maintenance and break downs. True, it would be lighter work, but still work!
I'm 80. You are a kid I was younger than you when I bought a 53 Stude rust bucket, I ended up buying three Hawks for parts, I was afraid if I croaked the wife would have no idea how to dispose of the project. I finished it, lost interest and that car ended up in Florida. One day my wife asked me if I was going to do another car. Actually I'd been looking a little and in a few days I picked up a T roadster project. It's finished..now what do I do? Looking for another project, just haven't hit on the one I want. In the meantime I'm building a 12x24 she shed/he shed structure for something to do. The yard equipment and her gardening/plant stuff will occupy it. Gets the big mower out of the shop. I have aches and pains but find that if you don't keep moving you rust in place.
I'm with you. My 3 to 4 month project has been running 11 months now. I'm hoping I'll be through before the end of the year. Once the cold weather hits, my old bones don't allow much time in my unheated garage.
I'm also 74 and I know how things have gotten harder to do. And since I've always worked alone on cars it's even tougher as we get older. And the cost of building certainly is getting much higher, but I've found you can still build economically if you spend enough time looking at places like swap meets, craigslist, and wrecking yards for parts. I started my '39 Chev coupe in 2019 after buying it at our big April swap meet cheap. I only have a little one car shop, so that just adds to how tough it is to build. There were times I had to move the car halfway out the entry doors to do work like dropping the engine in, or other things requiring space up front. But I work with the obstacles because that's what I have to do to build. I spent about 2.5 years building my coupe, and bought very few brand new parts. I'd never painted a car, but decided to give it a try and painted the car. I'd never done upholstery either, but bought an old used commercial Singer and sewed all my interior also. Tried my first lettering job also, and it came out pretty good. Found a 1990 SBC engine on CL for $100 as a rebuilt short block, and bought that. Brought it home and tore it down to check gaps and clearances, and it was as advertised. So bought a nice pair of used heads and bolted them on. A junkyard 8.8" Ford rear axle in 3.73 posi for $110. A trans used from a guy for $175. A front axle for $100. I got a bunch of parts with the car and sold them for $1500, which canceled the $1500 I paid for the rolling body. When I was all done and driving down the road I've got less than $6000 total in my build. A lot of 5-7 day weeks, with 8-10 hour days, but well worth the time to hunt down cheap parts, and do all the work myself. A '39 Chev was something I always hoped to own, so not much was going to stop me. A couple surgeries during the build for a hernia, and gall bladder removal set me back for a short time, but not too long. Before: After:
A few of my "random thoughts" - My projects take a lot longer to complete these days but they are better planned out. - I find it more important just having a project than actually meeting a self imposed deadline. - I can easily be persuaded to drop whatever job is currently being worked on to do almost anything else suggested. - My dream bucket list of cars that I'd like to own is rapidly getting very short. - The gap between mindset and ability is expanding faster than the known universe. - 74 year old used and abused body, forgot more than I know, still having fun though.
I think as we age we all pretty much travel down this same path. Loved building and driving, always want something else or something new, don't want to pay what it costs, think I can save money and do it myself, and on and on it goes. Before we know it we are in our 70's going I can't do that anymore without help or tools like lifts or battery operated stuff... ah the cycle of life!
Two days ago I was horsing a heavy crankshaft around trying to get some petrified parts off it. Blew out my back, couldn't hardly stand up straight going to the store before dinnertime. Thinking man I better cool it. So what did I do yesterday? Same goddam thing. Not quite upright yet today, headed to the shop soon.
I do paint and body I don’t paint mine (not yet anyway) already lived that has to be perfect and shiny life. Enjoyed it. I like driving beaters Grew up with em, that’s all I’m messing with now. Much more fun I’m not as agile as I was 30 years ago I’m a lot smarter. I have no timelines. Building is life
The Jalopy Journal
