Stop Kidding Yourself, I Am Not Here to Impress You...

[81cutlass]

The first video outlines the downfall of SO many projects. The assumption that a rotisserie restoration is the BEST and ONLY way to do things. I can look on marketplace or CL and type in rotissorie and see dozens of crushed dreams.

I think magazines, TV, (I guess youtube and instagram these days) put off this vibe that stripping everything to bare metal is the CORRECT way to do things. The fact is very few people have the time, space, money, or skills to do one. I heard someone make a comment years ago about someone's old hot rod that was driving around with mismatched body panels that "they shouldn't be driving it around because it looks like it's not done and doesn't look good". Looking back I think they had a 2nd gen F body that was sitting in a restoration shop prison and I would doubt it's out now.

In the long run nobody cares (with a few exceptions and they likely don't have a fun car project complete anyways) if your floor pans are painted or your trunk has some pinholes in it.

I think the best thing lately is the Roadkill, ratrod movement and (some) youtube people who show it is OK to have a rolling project car. Before that to make it on TV or a Magazine it had to be done and perfect.

 

[motorheadmike]

The first video outlines the downfall of SO many projects. The assumption that a rotisserie restoration is the BEST and ONLY way to do things. I can look on marketplace or CL and type in rotissorie and see dozens of crushed dreams.

I think magazines, TV, (I guess youtube and instagram these days) put off this vibe that stripping everything to bare metal is the CORRECT way to do things. The fact is very few people have the time, space, money, or skills to do one. I heard someone make a comment years ago about someone's old hot rod that was driving around with mismatched body panels that "they shouldn't be driving it around because it looks like it's not done and doesn't look good". Looking back I think they had a 2nd gen F body that was sitting in a restoration shop prison and I would doubt it's out now.

In the long run nobody cares (with a few exceptions and they likely don't have a fun car project complete anyways) if your floor pans are painted or your trunk has some pinholes in it.

I think the best thing lately is the Roadkill, ratrod movement and (some) youtube people who show it is OK to have a rolling project car. Before that to make it on TV or a Magazine it had to be done and perfect.

My Monte has file folder windows for a reason...

 

[87National]

I think the best thing lately is the Roadkill, ratrod movement and (some) youtube people who show it is OK to have a rolling project car. Before that to make it on TV or a Magazine it had to be done and perfect.

Couldn't agree more.....back when you could actually get a Car Craft magazine, I would flip right past the $100k nut and bolt restorations to look at the Road Kill type articles.

Sloppy mechanics has also helped in this area to teach up and coming gearheads that you don't need a $50k, 5 year project to get into the hobby.

 

[69hurstolds]

Cars won't make you happy. What a fuggin' loser. What other world is he from?

Of course cars themselves don't make you happy. It's what you DO with them that makes you happy. But yet, without the car itself, you have no chance to be happy. Lack of cars won't make you happy either. Can't be both, unless you're a f*cktard.

I totally get keeping your expectations in check and being in tune with your own skill levels. Nobody knew how to rebuild a 200-4R in 1972. Nobody ever THOUGHT about an LS swap into their G-body in 1991. In 1974 nobody EVER talked about T-top leaks eating out their A-pillars. Go grab your tools, get your hands greasy, do what you know, read and learn what you don't, don't be afraid to fail, and make sure that bank account is fat enough to cover your mistakes that YOU WILL MAKE. Don't lie to yourself. Don't act like there's not enough time to do it right. Because there's always time to do it again. Perfect? No. Take the small wins as wins. Don't discount them. There's only so many welds, so many bolts, and so many parts to get your project road-worthy. Show car, rat-rod, or modified the way you want it to be, however you decide, just make sure it's overall FUN. If you end up hating your car for giving you "experience marks" (aka scars), then you're doing it for the wrong reasons.

My dad always told me to buy the best I could afford. That doesn't mean it'll be #1 all the time, but do the best you can. Be proud of what YOU did, what YOU learned, and share the HOW along with the WATCH-OUT-FORs with guys that are just starting their projects. Be brave. Follow-through. And never be ashamed to put your signature on it when you're done...sorta. You're never done, really.

 

[Texas82GP]

I think that's the first donut media post I've seen that I didn't want to punch the presenter in the face. Until the last 2 minutes.

I think the biggest rule I have is don't take a car down in the summer for over 2 weeks and don't take a car down during the winter for more than the time you can't drive it due to weather. Honestly I learned that from Dad, he watched people strip a car entirely when it just needed a cam or floor patch. I bet the home shop rotisserie restoration completion rate is under 10%.

Second, If I did everything (or anything) right the first time I'd never get anything done. Doing stuff twice or more is fine if it got the car down the road. You never know what right the first time is anyways until you did it wrong. When you spend minimal time or money doing it the first time isn't as big of motion to not touch it again if you spend a lot of time or money and didn't end up liking the results

Third, I try to keep two maybe three projects going. I'll do interior stuff or engine stuff, little bites at a time.

It's not easy by any means, but success keeps me going. Little wins every week or two and I plan of where I was, where I am and where I need to go makes achievable.

A lot of good advice here. In some ways I regret taking my car apart as far as I did. Six years later, I'm not driving it.

 

[69hurstolds]

A lot of good advice here. In some ways I regret taking my car apart as far as I did. Six years later, I'm not driving it.

But when you do, you probably won't have to take it apart again. The appreciation of what it took to get there will be well worth it. Plus, you won't have to guess about the longevity or lack thereof of any part on the car that could leave you stranded somewhere. And you'll already have the experience if something does go wrong to quickly troubleshoot and repair it. Maybe. 🙂

 

[303'505rollin]

I love to drive my cars so when it comes to those I need new speakers so let's strip the interior out or the I don't want to rebuild the carb let's motor swap it type of builds they are not for me, if i can plan ahead and get my parts together and do it in a few days or a weekend then that's how I'll do it and don't want to tear it apart for no reason and then be stuck with parts scattered and a loss of interest or on a rotisserie because I wanted to change the gas pedal. I am for changes to make your car stand out but not if I'll never get drivin again

 

[druggles85]

I'm in over my head and all I really need to do is sand enough bondo to put my glass back in. Not saying I'm not making plans for a different frame and body in the future... Gonna be a grandfather's axe type deal. Lol

 

[81cutlass]

A lot of good advice here. In some ways I regret taking my car apart as far as I did. Six years later, I'm not driving it.

It's a tough call for sure. On one hand being proud of everything once it's together is awesome and not dealing with it continuously, on the other hand it takes a long time to get there and unless you have a strong personal drive and can put a plan together, it's tough to get it done.

I do enjoy your meticulous attention to detail and what you are doing is something to be proud of!

 

[64nailhead]

The only person that I care about impressing is my better half, but that's a tough battle. For some reason she doesn't understand that we've sold two pickup truck loads of fenders, hoods, trunk lids, trim pieces and we still have spares - she thinks that's crazy, and I think that's frugal.

She doesn't understand :

that you never know when you'll need to build a new hotside and these kinda parts can't be had locally (I have 3 boxes of mild steel pipes from 1 3/4" to 2 1/2") and that's what basement shelves are for damn it!!! Too may cars, too many projects, too many turbos does not seem to maintain her interest.......I've been working hard to convince her for more than the past 30 years 😍🤣😎😛

No one to impress here, only someone to convince 🙂 and she'll say that I'm persistant.



Build what you love and love what you build.

Sincerely - Jim
(inspired by 69hurstolds)