"I'm going to fix it up some day"

[1937hd45]

Ok, we've talked about rods vs. restored, and car & parts hording, time to talk about long term projects. Does anyone know of a car project that is 25+ years old? I just bought a 1930 Ford roadster body from the fellow I sold it to 25 years ago, NOTHING was changed. I'll have it at least another five years before it is finished.

[Tom Deering]

These "life-long" projects seem to be a way of life around our area. I have lived here over 30 years and am aware of many houses where operable cars have never seen the inside of the garage. Instead, there is some partially disassembled relic that gets maybe an average of 40 hours/yr. attention. Of course they're all very valuable. Just ask the owners.<P> I have a friend who owned two collectable cars. He had never driven either one during his 15-20 years of ownership. His friends were the last to drive the cars into his garage after their purchase where he promptly began disassemblly. I finally convinced him they should go to new homes. I finally found new owners for them and everybody is happy.<P> Guess I can't be too critical though; I did two cars simultaneously and they took 21 years and 19 years respectively. Maybe we westerners just have a short attention span.<P> Tom

[Guest leadfoot]

As I pointed out on the rods vs. antiques thread, the marque club registeries are a good indicator about what happens to most projects. The number of running cars and live projects seems to be about 20%. Acquiring a new project car is just like teenage puppy love, hot and heavy until the novelty wears off, or realization about what it takes to finish the project, or one million other reasons.<P>I've had two running project cars that mostly sat in the garage for ten years each. Everything had a higher priorty than either one of these projects, although I spent a lot of time at parts meets all over the country looking for things. And yet, my third project was a rescue and I've stayed with it for more than ten years - and it has been in nunerous shows, parades and events all that time.

[ply33]

Tom Deering ~ "Short attention span" or too many other neat activities to distract us?

[Tom Deering]

ply33,<P> You have a valid polint in citing other activities as distractions. I guess in addition to the usual interests of raising a family, participating in their activites, developing your professionl status etc.; ya gotta admit we do eventually develop a "manana mentality". I know when I lived in the Great Lakes region, schedule urgency was Job !. Sure caught my share of flak from the folks back there. I think my mother was so relieved to see my first car finished and winning the most prestigious awards in Dearborn in July '94, that she thought she saw the end of the world. It might have been. She passed on in Dec. '94.<P> Tom

[another old car]

hows everybody doing , subject seems to be how long can you keep your project going .lets see I guess you could call my old heep (71) a running project seeing I had been driving it everyday for last 22 years .been tore apart twice , getting ready to start on it again .but its not my driver anymore,so here we go again ,good thing "wife" used to seeing this around. compared to some things I've had towed home ,very ugly , and you start taking things apart , taging & baging ,cars really get ugly . parts all over garage , work on it when you have time , get new parts ,sent parts out , work on car , months then maybe years , then you start putting every thing back together again ,only then do you really get that good feeling , that heres something to be proud of , and can say I did it myself<BR>and with any old car drive it let people see , I am sure you'll get the thumbs up

[Guest]

I used to work with a guy that had 2 very desirable mid-60's mustangs(maybe one was a shelbey the other a GT?). When asked why he hadn't had them out in 20 years, he replied: " I'm afraid if I drive them, someone will follow me home to see where I live and mess with them or steal them at a later date". True story. I believe they are still there today. Maybe I should take em to get them back in the mainstream? Just kidding, no desire to head to the crowbar hotel!! When I get my car out I'm going to head over and check them out, he said stop over and take a look. <p>[ 04-18-2002: Message edited by: 54 OLDSMAN ]

[56Roadmaster]

By Golly,<BR> a great thread, I have a 1966 Tempest that last saw the light of day in 1989, I stopped using it when the frame went It has been going on since then, I won't get get rid of it, I has out weathered 3 spiteful girlfriends and has been moved in parts (body off) 3 times with me ( friends got sick of lifting body), But I have nice Texas frame under it, fresh engine, an exhaust system (bought with six months pennies and quarters). It is in the garage and eventually it will go again, Hey you just gotta keep at it.<BR>

[John N. Packard]

Well, here's a thread I can really relate to! I started collecting Packards in the mid sixties when I joined AACA and the Chesapeake Region. I have told everyone over the years that I would restore them when I retired. Now I have been retired for almost a year and am working at it! I drove three of them as second cars, which was the excuse that I used to buy them. Put 11K miles on my '40 Club Coupe, about 10K miles on my '47 Custom, and 60K miles on my '52 200. I completed restoration of the drive train and chassis on the Club Coupe about four years ago. I have started on the body work; but it is going slowly. My second purchase, a '37 Super 8 limousine has sat forlornly waiting for my loving care for 35 years. My most recent acquisition? A model 526 sedan that needs a new top and interior. When I pulled that one in, my wife said: "Don't bring home another project car. Sell them all and get one good, fully restored vehicle!" Can't do that, I've loved these carriages too long!<BR>jnp

[critterpainter]

Talk about hitting a nerve! I just sold a car that I'd had for close to 30 yrs because I finally figured out that i was never going to get to it......and the money will go a long way towards the other garage queens.<BR> I sold another long term project a year and a half ago when someone offered me way way more money than it was worth. Now if I could just work on the remaining 7 cars.....instead of working, finishing the yard , hauling hay, maintainance on the daily drivers, tending the livestock etc etc.....<BR>Bill

[Guest c.johnson]

My father found a '17 Overland when he was in his 30's. I went with him to retrieve it when I was 7 - some 10 years after he first found it. I'll be 40 in August, Dad is over 70, and the Overland is finally receiving it's last coat of paint. I don't know exactly how long it's been sitting, and how long the restoration took but I think that constitutes a legacy of restoration. <P>cj