I have been on my latest project car for three years ,not making much progress. I had promised my wife we would travel to some races ,shows and swap meets and enjoy ourselves more after she retired. Well she informs me were not going to make it at this rate. She gave me permission to raid the 401 and just buy a turn key car. Now I know someone is saying whats the deal ,are you that dumb? Well as it goes ,I am that dumb. I have always put my cars together, only farming out some of the machine shop work. I really like the idea of them being my cars. Ok here is the stubborn part ,I don't think I will enjoy driving someone elses car . I can change a few things I guess but if I'm going to do that why buy one all finished. Am I being dumb on this?
Sometimes ya gotta go with the head and not the heart. If you have the itch go scratch it and have fun.
Every car I have owned was someone else's car before I got it. Pride in building a car is certainly understandable, but so is having a good time with the wife and living life. My only hang-up is raiding the retirement fund, not buying a finished car. You will be sacrificing not only the principle, but the interest ( I am well aware of the terrible rates) the money would earn. But you know whether you can afford the hit. Obviously, some money would come back to you when you sell, so buy wisely. I would be looking for a fire sale. Right now, money doesn't talk, it yells. Have fun shopping and remember - Tempus Fugit.
How about picking up a cheap driver while you finish your current project? Like a '60s car or pickup? That way you can still have the enjoyment of driving something old.
To me buying someone's done vehicle is not a bad thing...........it gets you where you want to be right now and changing it up to be your car.......don't we all really do that anyways even when building from the start. After all the one you bought to build was somebody's car at one time wasn't it! Unless you plan on tearing it all apart to make it your car.....what's the point in that? Just pick out something you have wanted and never bought and go for it!
My wife is about to retire...I've been thinking about the whole idea of retirement, money, and what the money is for. I kinda think it's there so you can live on, after you quit working. But you don't know how long you're going to live. And as you get older, your ability to go have fun diminishes. Sounds to me like you have a smart wife.
the idea of buying a basic low buck driver while you finish your own project sounds good - not hitting the 401k too hard should work for whatever you decide - but, need to put $ aside over the coming years to repay at least part of that "borrowed" 401K $ for future needs - you both may live to be really old
If you are really not wanting to drive another's car, and feel good about it....the only option you have is to finish yours. I can see driving a low-end, dependable old car, while finishing your own personal build...just as a means to enjoy "the moment'' with your wife at some events...doesn't have to be anything too fancy, but still old enough to enjoy on the road, while your time in the garage is still your own, and at your own pace....it's realistic and practical....just don't take too much out of the 401 that could come back and bite you later.
From everything I'm reading/hearing, the stock market is going to have a a big adjustment again, so you are going to lose the price a real nice hot rod anyway and now is a great time to buy, many great cars for sale at almost fire sale prices. IMO. At the end of the road on your death bed, are going to be a, woulda/coulda/shoulda man OR are you going to remember the fun times, family, travel, the "Toys" you had, slide in sideways/woreout and say WOW what a ride. I have chosen the second option w/ no regrets. ONLY YOU can make theses decisions, It's your life, your $$$, Good Luck with YOUR choice ! My Standard Disclaimer, Caution !, Sometimes Free Advice, Is Worth the Price Paid !
Default back to the happy wife, happy life mode! And remember, there is no conflict between finishing "Your car" and also buying whatever cruiser your wife wants to travel in. Make that "Her car" and listen to every bit of involvement she wants in selecting it, and make sure she is comfortable driving it if she wants to, even if you end up doing most of the driving. My wife never drives the Falcon, but it is definitely "Her car"
If you dont think you will enjoy driving somebody else's car then you probably wont....but your wife might.. The two of you could do a lot of things in a running driving car, it doesnt have to cost ALL your 401k money. Look at something you can unload in a few years. Doesnt mean you have to stop working on your car, but it does mean it will take that much longer. Good Luck, have fun
Go buy a car. We didn't have old cars when i was growing up, my Father was more concerned about making sure we had everything we needed as a family and refused to do anything for himself. We always went to car shows and studied every magazine, but after dad sold his 34 5 window when I was two, there were no more till I was old enough to drive. He always said "ill be able to do all that when I retire." My father and I spent years building his 29 roadster before he retired, so that he would have his hot rod once he was retired. He finally retired and was able to play with all the car stuff we had accumulated and enjoy the roadster we built. Unfortunately, shortly after, he was diagnosed with a rather rare illness and because of that, he no longer has the strength to work in the shop, or drive the roadster. The roadster is now mine we built it together, but he only got to put about 900 miles on it be fore he could no longer drive it. That wasn't going to stop him. He and my mother flew to Barret Jackson and in a very uncharacteristic move he bought a nice finished car, a 57 nomad. he can still drive that because of the power brakes and steering. We drove it to Jalopyramma last year and it was the happiest I had seen him in long time. If you can do it, get a car that you can drive and still work on your project. you never know what will get in the way of your life, and then you can miss out on what you always wanted to do.
I will only buy turn key cars moving forward. 2 kids plus life I simply dont have the time anymore....both my current cars took over 6 years to put together each and well life is short....plus maybe i just suck at cars but the time it takes to work out bugs can be frustrating....more frustrating when your stuck on side of road and your 3 year old that just started wearing big girl underwear has to pee lol
No shame in buying a driver. They're all projects, even the finished ones. But the retirement account thing would bug me more. What could you get if you sold your current project car? Got anything else that could go to free up the money for a driver?
Everybody has different theories on life and how to live it but as I got older I was just as happy working on a project as driving it. Having more than one at a time also helps when you get that burned out feeling that it will never be done. Help friends work on theirs when you are out of parts money for yours or take up new stuff like upholstery or welding. My only regret is that I found patience late in life.
Understand your sentiments exactly. We must be close in age. Every old car I've owned was found either as a project or totally trashed. Have taken great pride in my accomplishments. Always said Id never be happy owning one finished by someone else. But as I get older, My drive to start and stick to a new project has waned some. Unless of course, I ever get lucky enough to find my dream car. (never happen) After, owning the ones I have for a total of 25 years together, I would still like to own a few cars I haven't gotten around to build. I am beginning to realize I cant have my cake and eat it too. My wife and I are retiring in three years. We know the importance of saving for retirement but we have friends who drop dead by the minute. So whats a guy to do?? I will tell you this. Just yesterday, I just offered an even up trade on a finished model A sedan. Crate motor and automatic to boot. Who knows.... I guess we can consider ourselves lucky we have these choices to make. Good luck
Buy one done as a fun stop gap car. The years slip by with opportunities lost . You don't want to look back with regret on what you could have done to share adventures with your wife. Often we do not realise time is slipping by till we look in the mirror and see your father staring back. I know too many people who have had projects for ever and tinker a little on them and 20 plus years later they are still not done , though they have amassed more parts and other part done projects over that period. The fun is in the build sure, but getting on the road and meeting other folk is where memories and friendships are made.
I agree with most of the posts so far - go buy a car. I appreciate your desire to build your own car in your own way, but at what cost? Being stiff-necked and proud won't allow you to spend the quality time with your wife that you promised her. The time you will get to spend together, even if it is in "someone else's car", will be well worth the sacrifice. You probably have a number of options... 1. You could sell everything you have and buy a runner that is finished 2. Or buy a runner that needs some work. With this second option you could work on the car while you drive it and make it more your own. 3. Beg, borrow or steal the funds necessary to get your car done as quickly as possible. 4. Other? Whatever you do, I would agree with Squawblow by saying that you should stay away from the retirement fund. My 2cents...good luck with whatever you decide.
I think the hard question you have to ask yourself is WHY? Why don't you like driving "someone else's car"? If you are just out driving it, does it bother you? Or is it because people say "Did you build it?" and you feel sheepish to say No. Be honest with your self here. I have built or rebuilt all of my cars for some 40+ years now. I also owned a shop that built some very high end nice cars for others. I had a real hard time with "Someone else's car"too, so If I bought a done or mostly done car, I "Had" to change it so I could say I did the car. It bothered me, as a builder, to be driving something I didn't build. My attitude recently changed - Why? No longer building cars for a living meant I didn't have to worry about someone saying "You have a shop but drive someone else's car" and I thought about my customer's - Most of them admitted they didn't build their cars (I did) but a few actually led about it. I thought "Well, if they could be proud of a car they didn't build why couldn't I". It really made me think when I got a stock, rotisserie restored car in a trade and decide to keep it. I didn't restore it, Anglia Obsolete did, and I sure as hell couldn't really change it. I dig the car, it's fun to play with and people seem to like it. And if someone wants to give me the stink eye because I didn't build it, well, I have no use for them! I got over it, so can you!
Buy a cheap car for now, use the rest to slowly continue with your car. Lifes too short not to spend time traveling with your wife,
Hey Joe, I don't know a lot about anything but........ None of us are getting any younger! On your home page you tell a lot. You like a beater-driver better than a checkbook car. I think you need to reflect on why you do what you do. If you take joy in the building... keep building. Real Hot Rodding is really making chicken salad out of chicken shit anyway. It still amazes me what guys are capable of! If your wife is telling you to go out and buy yourself a driver take the opportunity! Buy something you can use like a daily driver. It doesn't have to break the bank! Then start living the life of an early Hot Rodder. They only had one car. Whatever they did to personalize was over the weekend because they had to drive to work on Monday. There are great cars all over the place that are still screaming to be a Hot Rods! They talk to me all the time! Wish I could raid my 401 but I already live off it now! I am always selling a car to buy another. I've been doing it for 50 years. But I've bee driving what I think are cool cars my whole life! Take advantage of a great wife! She is trying to make you happy! So make her happy, buy a car she likes and can drive also, and go enjoy life. Time is VERY valuable! Good luck!
In my case,my stuff always seem to come first. My wife DESERVES a new kitchen etc.I always spent more money than I should have. My plan now is to get my 47 Oldsmobile back on the road,its only been in storage since 88.And that will take quite a bit of cash.New engine and a complete strip down to metal paint job.I would like to retire in 11 years.My wife is 5 years older than me.NO WAY would I raid your 401.Sell off a bunch of stuff and finish what you have.In the long run you will really enjoy that car better. Ive been told by a couple of old timers that by the time I reach the age I am the time goes faster and faster.Finish your build and dont have any regrets.You may not have the time to reverse things. Fedco
Raid the 401 and buy a completed car and drive the wheels off it. Why can't you enjoy a car someone else has busted their ass on? I know I could. Every day we lose people in our hobby. Nobody has yet to figure out how to take their money with them. Life is too short. If you have the where with all to buy a completed car-do it. Speaking of completed cars the car in my avatar has just received a nut and bolt frame off restoration with less then 500 miles on it and is for sale. Gary
I think some of the younger guys reading this thread are perhaps curious what project your sellin if you do buy a runner. If it's early and Ford maybe pm me?
help some poor soul out that is desperate to sell his 1/2 or 3/4 done project car/truck(the one you like) and finish it off YOUR way... if that means paying more than you've EVER paid for, like the chassis / paint / engine work things that you USUALLY do all by yourself then well go for it get the thing on the road... i'm in the LAST years of life-- i/ you / we --- deserve some ENJOYMENT and get the BEST of the BEST to end our lives in... er hell just buy the car of your DREAMS and DRIVE it... just an opinion and its mine...lol
Your results may vary ........Lots of good opinions already. We are ALL living on borrowed time. Not sure about your family situation.....parents.....brothers/sisters......children.....grandchildren. Right now, at age 70, family is #1 with me. I regret the time I spent at stupid Nascar races, drinking beer and talking trash with my buddies. Time would have been better spent nurturing daughters.... leaving corporate life/starting my own business......spending more time with father and brothers in the woods....etc. I am very blessed, that late in life I still have an opportunity to get this right......but the clock is ticking. I have sold all my projects except my dirt track midget and my 1953 CJ3B Willys. Everything I do will include family.....went to the country to look at an old Willys last week and took my grand nephew with me....priceless. Going to start putting some of my old engines on "test stands" and fire them up.....celebrate.....inhale the smoke....watch the fire out of the exhaust......have a beer and eat some Wisconsin cheese curds. I do plan to travel more, but it will be in my fairly new vehicle. I no longer have the "worry quotient" to do long road trips in an old car. I have been blessed to travel out West over the past 5yrs. and we loved it......no worries about brakes, steering or vapor lock while I was enjoying the mountains.....or the 100+ heat at El Mirage. I like fixing things and I always will. I have just moved past trying to impress people with what I have and how shiny it is. And most of all........DO NOT RAID YOUR 401K for any reason outside of family or quality of life.......ask me how I know !!!! Again, your results may vary.
I guess I think cars too much. when you said raid the 401, my 1st thought you were selling a Buick nailhead for some money......it took me a minute to realize what you meant.
I have the first car I ever bought still. At the ripe old age of 18 I went to a friends Pontiac dealership and bought a brand new 1972 Formula Firebird.... Yes it is OT but there is more to the story, the Firebird will always be mine till I'm GONE! In 1983 I bought a 1957 Pontiac Chieftan it was bone stock 2 owner car with 29,000 miles. Over the years I have made it "My" 1957 Pontiac...... It is not OT. Last year I heard that a friend's 1932 Ford Roadster Hot Rod was for sale. I have always "lusted" after Fred's Deuce ......... I have known Fred over 50 years and he always built great cars. My wonderful wife said it would make a good 62nd Birthday Present, so off to Connecticut I went with trailer in tow. I left it the way Fred built it for about 6 months, but I had to make it "mine"! I didn't change a lot just what I needed to, make it "mine"...... I have bought a new car 44 years ago, I have bought an old car 33 years ago and made it what I wanted over the years, and I bought Fred's car last year and made it "mine"! What all this leads up to is time is finite and if buying someone else car gets you to having fun and your wife approves GO FOR IT! When the title is in your name, it's YOURS! KK
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