dntsimmons@msn.com writes:
> Do you guys ever bet bummed about your old truck just sitting there in
> pieces?
Don, if your name isn't Jay Leno, join the rest of the " working
class poor", who don't have the extra ( ten )thousands of dollars a
nice restoration takes, or gets caught up in the " no time for my
project due to LIG ( Life in General )" syndrome. I've got many
projects ( 25 of them! ), all pretty much sitting, for the same
reason. MY reasoning is, though, that I saved that many vehicles, if I
get lucky ( Lottery ), or inherit family money, then the time wait
would have been worthwhile. Storage is the main key for me, of
course. I have a rusty '55 TF Suburban I've had for over 10 years,
haven't worked on it in 8, due to money/work layoffs, etc. It's just
sitting in a field at the moment, in storage on a farm. I need to
consolidate, and get rid of unnecessary projects, but I would still
have at least 12 vehicles I'd want to keep and work on.
What to do? Well, you could compromise, and if the vehicle could be
made roadworthy without a total restoration, go ahead and make it a
partial "Driver" vehicle. Better to have it on the road even
unfinished than to just let it sit! Go ahead, stick the motor/trans
in, fix the firewall, get the brakes/wipers/electrical working,and
drive it to a few local cruise-ins. So what if it's a beater? It's at
least functional! Don't try to do it all , or save it for the
detailing. You can paint the firewall later ( with extra effort ), but
to let it sit is indeed a waste. I was hoping to get my '57 Chevy
4-door car's firewall painted, too, but it's been sitting since '87 in
a garage with no motor/trans, I should just go ahead now and stick the
motor/trans in, and get it running, and worry about the green firewall
clashing with my nice white and grey paint job another decade ( when
I've hit the lottery? ).
The other thing which I've done is, make a list of what you want to
do with your project, then set a DATE and a TIME ( Next tuesday night
at 7-10 pm ), and do ANYTHING to your old truck! No cancellations
except for medical emergencies. Let the wife and kids know no surprise
trips to the mall or whatever, that's YOUR night. Even if it's just
once every 2 weeks, once a month, make the time for YOUR truck. NO
excuses.
Another way which works for some of my other car club members is to
have 2 or 3 guys rotate work on your vehicles. They'd rotate every 2
weeks to another guy's project, come over and help out on
anything. One guy has spent 20 YEARS getting his '55 Chevy convertible
ready this way, he did a frame-off in his garage with help, and it
finally DROVE last year, he'd gotten it finished and put back together
enough to drive it, finally! This way, it forces you to "get ready",
just like you don't feel like cleaning house, but if Mom or the
In-laws are coming over, you'd move your butt, right? WIth the
"threat" of other guys coming to help, you'd prepare more than if you
just tried to self-motivate yourself ( Some of us have a HARD time
with S-M, I benefit from some external reasons to get me motiviated! )
Bottom line is, start small since you haven't moved on it in awhile
( sand and paint a water pump or something, accomplish ANYTHING to get
the motivation going! ), then work up to more involved resto work on
it. Set some time, even if only 2 hours one night a week, and DO
it. Put it ON your To-Do calendar. Then don't change unless it's
really important. THis works for HOney-do projects as well, set a
date, time, plan for it, then DO it, then you can justify your own
time for your truck. :)
Well, good luck, finding the time and energy after a long day's work
is hard, I know, I've come home wiped out and barely alive, so hang in
there. Try to find some way which works for your unique
situation. Keep the dream alive, man! Truck on!
Jerry Casper
'55 Suburban project, stalled in the fields...for NOW.
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|