It was Easter weekend 2 years ago when Lightspeed Mike and I drove down to New Hampshire to pick up my pick up. I have always been into cars of some sort. Built models as a kid. Always went for the hot rod magazines in library's, always dreamed of building my own car. A few years ago I did buy a race car but that turned into a bigger money pit then I was comfortable with at the time so it had to go. So as I sit here thinking about that a few thoughts come to mind:
1. At times this seems to go slower then I would like
2. Other times I am really happy with what I have done, and others seem to be impressed as well.
3. When I first seen the truck I became over whelmed and was not sure if this was a good idea but after driving for 10 hours I felt I had bought the farm per say. At times nothing has changed.
4. There have been a few people that have been a great help and for that I am very thankful.
5. I have learned to weld, well at least melt wire into steel. That has been very cool to learn and not as hard as I thought.
6. Planning is everything. Just like my work world. So I guess over 30 years of building buildings has helped with that.
7. My shop is not big enough, but seems like others say the same thing, have not seen anyone say their shop is the right size or to big.
8. At 53 years old my brain and body are not always in sink. My brain wants to do stuff but my knees say take a bit more time to rest. The joys of being more of a finishing carpenter is that I spend a lot of time on my knees.
9. I have always had plans when building, even for my woodworking toys that you have seen. This is the first time without that, so it has been a bit different that way, thank goodness for the internet and pictures to help.
10. I love the smell of welding, cutting and grinding steel. Is that weird?
11. When working on this truck my mind drifts to thinking of other ideas and builds, is that wrong? On my next project I would like to try building....?
12. I am signed up to start a night course in automotive restoration. Well actually it is the third time I am signed up, first two times it got cancelled. Really looking forward to that. Starts next month.
13. Bad luck.
14. I am so new and at times lost that I don't know what questions to ask.
15. I have 3 kids, 2 have there own project vehicles and the third says he will someday. Hoping they stick with this hobby. Way better then spending their lives staring at a computer screen
16. This truly has got to be one of the biggest long term thrill I have had. Lots of shorter thrills, water skiing, going for rides in other race cars, getting married, having kids, etc. are great things as well but to have this last as long as it does has been amazing.
17. My wife is into animals but they need attention every day, I like the fact that my truck does not care if I work on it today or not. Not as big a commitment.
18. My goal is to have a finished, showable truck in 4-5 years. Think I am on track, guess money will guide that as well. Hoping to have it running and drivable in a year to year and a half. This is for me a competition and I would like to win prizes for my work. Same reason I play sports.
19. Henry, Ross, Mike, Beans, Chuck, others thanks you guys have been a great help.
20. That's it for now, take care and enjoy your Easter weekend.
I know what you mean by race cars being a pit. Fortunately I got out of that about 25 years ago and started with the "old cars". Bought my 1940 Chev on the long weekend in May 1978 the day before my son was born. As an original car we picked them up at the hospital a week later and proceeded to rebuild the car that winter. Fast forward to 1984 with a lot of the thoughts you mentioned and the car is on the road. Fortunately we still own it but have had numerous others in between. I am extremely fortunate that the wife enjoys working on these as much as I do and many holidays spent at car meets etc along the way. Try to do everything except paint and upholstery so usually try to buy a car that doesn't need much of either and tinker and drive it for a couple of years or less and then it gets sold and another one takes it's place. We enjoy the hobby and especially the good people in it.
You are doing your truck the right way. Work on it when you enjoy it and if it takes an extra year so be it.....
Marten
Whatever you do, however tired you are, hurting knees , sometimes you get overwhelmed, and so on, DO one thing a day for the truck!!! Doesn't matter how large or small the job is just one thing a day. It keeps you on track, keeps the project moving forward and toward completion.
Any car build has its slow days...and sometimes it seems its expensive fast days..... Taking the time to enjoy the build and feeling the pride of accomplishment is the key to getting it done. As Rochie says try and do a little something everytime you enter the garage. Even if it is just putting away and tidying up all the tools..... Smile and keep at it, and you will have an awesome Effie to enjoy for many years to come.
It's a long expensive trip Marten, don't get discouraged or frustrated, just keep at it when you can.
Sure, if you won a Lottery, you could send it out, but anybody with tons of money that does that are just posers to me. It's more the 'I built that, I did that, I made that' thing with me.
Yes, I'm not great or know everything. What I don't know I find out or somebody that does know does something for the project. (Never under-estimate the skills and years to do things you can't)
For example: I tried to chop a 9" housing, measure it, shorten it, weld it back together. I even made the tubes to pound inside so it was straight, when I welded the ends back on. Another buddy had my specs and he did the same with the axles so they fit. (chop shaft, drill big ass hole, machine one end to fit hole (dowel it?) and weld (yes he's a pro welder).
First Launch, I snapped one axle off 12" from the weld and dowel. It seriously looked like somebody sawed it with a sawz-all. (The dowel I speak of was simply the original axle shaft machined for a press fit and weld thing)
After doing that a few times, I just had Bears in Windsor make me some 'Strange' Billet things and sent the housing to Van Stahl to make sure the housing was still ok. It wasn't, so he chopped and fixed what I did.
That's my cheapest fix on this car. It took years to master much of it because well, AMC isn't exactly easy to find stuff for, and when you do, take out a mortgage. My Chevs are easy.
I'm almost in the same Boat with the frustration as you. I sell stuff I shouldn't just for the financing.
What seems to be working for me lately is, I made a list (triple spacing to add stuff later).
It's in my mind (and list) to start from the back and move forward. I have a Pit so I can stroll around down there, but it seems to be working for me. Checking stuff off the list seems better than sex !
Again, do what you can, and call guys for help/work if needed. You have a huge support group right here on this site.
It's a good feeling when you can say 'I built that with some help' rather than 'I sent that out and it came back like this'.
marten, you are not going through or feeling nothing that most of us haven't at one time or another, numerous times for some. i got into this thing about 15 yrs ago after my wife passed just to give me something to focus on that gave me a grin and i knew a couple of things about, or so i thought. i grew up in the era when these cars were our drivers and fixing them was just what you had to do to stay mobile or learning by trial and error. this internet thing has changed the way things are done today compared to the old days, is the biggest difference today. in the old days there was a lot more cobbling things up to work with a couple of people who you could ask how to or show me compared to today's world of you-tube vids and any part you need both new nos, reproduced or good usable from around north america and beyond. that was/is a big surprise to me. today we are changing heads, carbs, intakes, throwing pistons in or building frames for an improvement rather than a necessity to drive to work.
-your not alone with this thinking. i have been having a hard time just going out to the shop to do anything let alone work on a project which has led to the shop being an embarrassing mess for a year or so, probably more. this winter a buddy and i re-built my hemi engine at his shop, excluding machine work, and that is the first time i have actually done any hands on motor work since probably the 70's other than new heads or a carb, etc but it has me wanting to go out to my shop again to at least start the clean-up process. the point being that something will re-kindle your spark and go from there.
-i actually remember when you and mike made that trip to p/u the truck and buddy you have made a lot of progress for someone that hasn't or hadn't been around it. i can relate to your comment, "I have learned to weld, well at least melt wire into steel." me to, lol. i could always stick stuff together using stick but this mig and tig stuff has taken that to another level. or this one which is a classic, "My shop is not big enough," lmao. no sh!t, lol. the want to do will come back i am sure. you have set realistic time frames for the project which is a big plus also. i started back trying 2 job's, hemi into the coronet and big block into the chevelle which in hindsight was a stupid thing to do, lesson learned. something will tweak you again i'm sure as it always has done for all of us. i don't know what you are into for music but this tune seems to be in line for a new shop anthem, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deB_u-to-IE. you never know what it takes.
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-p.s. hope you had a good easter also. i spent mine in peterborough with the kids lol, 48 and 40yrs, and the grand kids, 18mths to 20 something and enjoyed it muchly.
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"if you are not the lead dog, the view is all the same"
You guys are great. I am having a great time building this truck. Like others have said, I will be able to say I built it myself. That was always the goal from the start. The way I see it, anyone can buy a rod. Please, I mean no disrespect to anyone that has done that. You either work hard to buy one or work hard to build one. Have talked lots of guys that have done one or the other. They are all proud of their rides. Same thing at the end of the day, you have one. Thought I would be learning to be a mechanic, turns out more of a body guy or fabricator would be a better term. These were just some random thoughts I would put down, looks like others have the same experiences.
I am having a great time building this truck. Like others have said, I will be able to say I built it myself. That was always the goal from the start. The way I see it, anyone can buy a rod. Please, I mean no disrespect to anyone that has done that. You either work hard to buy one or work hard to build one. Have talked lots of guys that have done one or the other. They are all proud of their rides. Same thing at the end of the day, you have one. Thought I would be learning to be a mechanic, turns out more of a body guy or fabricator would be a better term. These were just some random thoughts I would put down, looks like others have the same experiences.
