Guys I'm suffering major burnout, my car went to my friends shop for bodywork about a year and a half ago. It's almost finished, they are prepping the jambs as I type this and all the panels are blocked out. I ended up spending 8 grand to have full floors, trunk, body mount braces, outer wheelhouses repaired, quarters, one fender patched and the entire cowl area under the windshield replaced. It's been three years since I disassembled the car but I did label most of it.ou: I have my bumpers rechromed my hoodlatch and booster plated, new exhaust from TA, new glass, new top coming soon, new gast tank and sending unit showed up last week. I have a garage full of new parts just waiting but am losing my excitement about this. Now I have to go to Dallas the two weeks before Salem and my wife is going to meet me in Dallas but told me she doesn't want to go to Salem now. I need serious help getting my car back together before July and some moral support to make it to the NATS. My patience and bank account are reaching it's end
yikes man.. never fear... kyle is here.. i'm gonna post something i posted for some friends of mine on another board... sounds like you're having trouble in the desire area of this... all i can say is this.. when you get it done.. you're gonna have the biggest grin on your face for weeks when you see it completed, that car will have become part of you and as such, you'll be happy you did it, even though it has been a long hard road... stick with it and you'll have one hell of a ride when the time comes... its worth it man..
You need to hook up with someone whose got a sweet looking and mean running GS Convertible and go for a nice long ride with the top down......and a few 0-100 mph blasts That should be about all the motivation you'll need :TU: Seriously Chris....what are the options here ?? 1) Finish the car 2) sell the pile of things that used to be a car and take a total hosing on the money you've spent so far.....and then get the HUGEST REALITY SLAP IN THE FACE when you see the car finished by the new owner If you're that burnt out, push your deadline back to next year. Set realistic goals from then to now that challenge you to finish on time. Prioritze the job into "Sub Assemblies" and work on those - instead of looking at a huge project look at small projects that together equals the whole ....but dont take any breaks or time off or else YEARS will start to fly by The other option is to have someone else put it back together. Take a year or two to save up the funds and ship it out.....but make DAMN sure of the person you give it to and set a realistic time-goal with them. If you really want to complete this project, remember this quote from Gene Kranz, Flight Director for Apollo, Gemini and Mercury Space Missions, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION Ohhh....and dont forget you've got about 4,000 friend here on the board pullin' for you :beer :TU: :beer
Here's a positive spin on this. It sounds like you're at the best stage of doing the resto work. Reassembly. You're getting the body back completed, and now you get to add the finished pieces back together and watch her take shape in the garage. Take a few pics and post them here. There's no better incentive than the pride you feel when the comments start pouring in. As far as help, I'm sure there's more than a few members in your area that wouldn't mind stopping in to hold a part while you tighten it down, or even hold a cold beer and comment on what a beauty she is. Keep your chin up Chris, it'll happen. Spring is right around the corner and that always helps put things into perspective.
Alan I will never sell the car, Mostly because when I got divorced it was the only thing I Kept. I want to finish it just to Tick her off:Brow: Maybe I do need to focus on finishing it for next year and spend this summer making sure everything is put together. I just really want to drive it to Salem.
Thats Right !!! Just look what happened when Ken Lisk asked for help with his car - I bet he NEVER expected so many people with such varied backgrounds :laugh: :grin: :laugh:
Chris, I only wish my car was as far along as yours! Damn, I think that picture is a beautiful sight. Desire is a hard thing but I think once you get it back from the shop with a nice paint job and looking like a car again things will change. The guys are right about one thing...break it up into smaller projects and don't let the thought of not being able to finish it for Salem keep you from trying. I'm in the same boat as you only I am doing the body work myself. Every time I finish a panel its a major victory and I can't wait to start on the next. I really wanted to have mine done for Salem too and I'm still trying but in the back of my mind I know it isn't going to happen (mainly because of money) but I'm not letting it get me down. While Salem will surely be a blast, I'm not building this car for that one event. I'm building it for myself and there will be other events. Its just going to be so sweet to hear that motor fire up and to see it with its new paint. And also like you I have just one car friend to turn to for help with the big stuff and every other little freakin' thing will have to be done myself but hey, nobody else could do it the way I can anyhow...its my car! So don't let it get you down. If you don't make it to Salem maybe you can make it to The Year One bash in Bristol or maybe you can make it to Bowling Green next year or the next Salem. But whatever you do, keep posting pics of your progress. It helps keep me inspired!
Ok, Chris here goes I have a 70 GS that the last time I drove it was 1997.I got heavily into Nascar and foolishly bought overt 7 grand of diecasts.Then ,last year I got re-motivated and now I am focusing on getting one of my cars ready to rip on the street.When we went to get Dustins GS,I got to drive it home around 100 miles and that really got me motivated.Like Alan said,get a buddy to take you on a rippin spin in his and you will get re-motivated.Like you,I wanted to get my 71 to Salem but,since I didn't have the best year this year with overtime,I couldn't get all the things to get my 71 ready to go.So,I decided to wait till next year to attempt to go.Maybe,I will have it ready to go to E-Town in Sept and can enjoy it then.If not,I guess I'll make its debut at Salem next year then.Keep the faith and look in the future as you will eventually make it go.You know that we are all here to lend moral support and will help you when you need it most.Please, don't give up or we will all be bummed then. Pat
Chris, I feel your pain. I'm almost in exactly the same spot except I have spent a little more.... If I was closer i would come over and help out but what can a guy do. From the pic you posted it looks like its very close....DON'T RUSH to make one event, after all this time and work, take your time and assemble the car as well as you can. The events will be around next year. Watching the car come together is the best part of any project. Even test fitting panels on my car i got so excited I could barely keep from laughing..its gonna be coooooool once done! BTW, the color in the jambs looks friggin awesome dude.....!!!! later Tim
Chris, Here is another thought. Don't rush it, if you don't take your time putting it together you will end up doing things over. Break the job up into weekly pieces/jobs, also make up a schedule and stick to it. Look at how the car was assembled and figure out what you need to do first. Make sure you have ALL the pieces you need to do each job before you start. Then move to the next job. If you work on it a little every day, eventually everything will get done. That's how I did the X-Camino. If I thought about the work involved with the entire job it would have driven me crazy. I also had 2 rules for my visiting friends; either help or get the hell out of my way. I wasn't interested in talking about things, I was only interested in getting the car done. (I guess I had a touch of tunnel-vision.) Duane
Chris, We have never met,I don't know you. But, We share a common bond,Buicks! Performance Buicks per-say. I understand your frustration,it can get to ya at times but Keep the faith,your almost there. If you need more inspiration,just do some searching around on this site. I know every time I see pictures or other members posts about how they had a problem and then overcame or solved it it inspires me!! I look forward to tomorrow,a Sat. when all I have planned is to take back my rear bumper that was just re-plated and installed and looked great,untill last week when I was in the garage and the light was coming thru the skylight at a certain angle I noticed a definite flaw,it comes with the hobbie,these things happen. I will spend the rest of the day cleaning parts and detailing them,even though none of them are what I need to have at this moment in time. What I'm trying to say is don't get discouraged,stick it out you'll be glad you did. Hang in there Buddy,you can do it!:Smarty:
Damn that's a shiny bumper! Don't give up man, just do one small task at a time, eventually all of those small tasks will become a very nice finished car!
Hey.....we're in the same boat, man.........we'll get 'em together. I think the best advice here is probably to just tackle one piece at a time and keep plugging away. And like we talked about at lunch a few weeks ago, when you're ready for the top, let me know! You're on the home stretch now......focus....focus!:TU:
Chris, I know how you feel, I started on my project back in 1995 and I am not as far along as you are. I go thru the same thoughts that you do. I often find myself thinking how will I ever get this car done. There are 2 main reasons that I keep going on this project. 1) It is estimated that only 20% of all project cars get done by the person who started it, and I don't want to be a quitter. I want to be able to prove to myself that I can do this. 2) The original purpose of all this anguish- to own and be able cruise in what I think is one of the coolest musclecars ever built. .
Personally I think you should just let me come over there and remove that pile of junk . I have similar piles of junk in my garage and it will look right at home there .
