Losing patience

[Sidthing 10]

It's been since May since I've been able to get on here, and even then I think I was just trying it out to make sure I remembered my password.

I don't know how you older guys do it ? (I turn 30 this month). To specify, deal with the time/ money balance. You know, when you have the time, there's no money, and vice versa. I've been messing around with cars for 15 years, and I keep hoping that I'll mellow out and get that older guy chill mentality of," Someday I'll get it done." My patience is getting shorter the longer this project sits (12 years come August). The only thing that helps is beer.

[maxum96 32]

Looks like you have a a bunch of other projects too according to your signature. When I was 30, I didn't have time to mess around with a car. I had a family. Now that my wife and I are empty nesters, I have far more time. And money!

[Big Secz 26]

I just turned 33 this past November and I didn't get my first Mustang, which is my current one, until I was 31. It is hard, I have two kids, a stay at home wife, a full-time career, and grad school that consume my life and I have to fit in time for the car. I make a great sallary but when you are the sole provider for a family of four it doesn't go that far these days, so money is always an issue when it comes to working on the car. Time is a whole other ordeal. I admit I don't have as much time to devote to the car that I'd like to but I fit it in when I can. There really isn't much advice I can offer, I just tend to pick days that I'm going to work on the car and stick to it and make up to the family after. I figure giving myself a couple days a month to focus on the car isn't taking too much away from the family. Good luck.

[RogerC 136]

When I was 30, I didn't have time to mess around with a car. I had a family. Now that my wife and I are empty nesters, I have far more time. And money!

 

Very similar situation. Still have one kid in school.

 

Mine has been apart for 20+ years, a lot of that time it has sat covered up. I started back on it about 3 years ago and still don't get to spend a lot of time working on it but I do continue to make progress. I feel your impatience and I deal with it realizing I am making progress even though I have this almost nagging urge to drive it.

[jnet4jt 10]

I feel your pain. Just turned 29, stay at home wife with two kids and another on the way. I get to order parts with deployment money and try to sneek in time to spend time with the kids, go to school, and projects on the house. Luckily I can give the kids some sand paper (one is 6 and one is 3) and they'll sand on the rusty parts that I will cut out later. That lets me do a little of both working on the car and hanging out with them at the same time. They even grab the beer out of the fridge for me. Gotta love that.

[70mstang 11]

I know exactly what you're going through. I've owned mine for 24 years .. dragging it from state to state in pieces, one layoff after another. I turn 46 in a couple of weeks and don't have any more time than when I was 30 LOL.

I'm really close to being done with my car and have been taught a lesson recently about wanting to rush through something. I still have very painful fingers to remind me. So now I wander down to the garage and do a little something each day, even if it is just laying out the next part to work on, at least it's progress.

 

Oh, I just click on remember me so don't have to use brain cells to remember my password. =)

[Daves69Coupe 10]

had my car 2years in a couple months and hopefully will be running by then also. Full ground restoration. My plan was to do it young (started when I was 22) and do it while i still lived with my parents. Now that the cars almost done and after a recent promotion ill be able to move out and the car will be done when i do it. Im not married but Ive had the same gf (very understanding one) over the time Ive had the car.

[Pakrat 1,043]

I think this is a case of the grass always seems greener, it's not any easier on most of us then it is on you, you just don't hear about it a lot. This site is the only thing that keeps me going some times, when I don't have time or money or the energy or temporarily lose interest and patience and I get frustrated I live vicariously through the progress of others here, thankfully someone here is always able to work on something at any given time regardless of the struggles we all face in one way or the other. For me being a part of that is what lights the flame and gives me the incentive to find the time or a way to save the money or whatever obstacle is currently in the way so no matter what I always make sure I at least find a little time to spend here and keep me sane.

 

I bought my car at the age of 32 in 2000, it took 16 years to get the car I wanted since I was 16 and I was not about to get a project car because I wanted to enjoy it right away. I had just gotten married the year before, life was good and fat and I bought the best car I could afford, not perfect by any means but good, solid, reliable, completely rust free and operable and requiring just enough attention to get my feet wet in the hobby. That ride lasted 4 years and then a carelss punk ran a red light and totaled me and my car. I spent a year in physical therapy and eventually got more than enough money for the car and the pain and suffering to rebuild it as my dream car, it wasn't the plan but at least it was going to turn out well, or so it seems. A year into it I got laid off for 13 months and the wife was pregnant, I had to use most of the money that was left just to pay the bills, I had all the time in the world but couldn't justify not putting my family first and reallocating all the funds. Now I'm stuck trying to rebuild my surplus cash but between the wife being seriously ill and staying home with a 3 year old leaving us on one income and my commuting 4-5 hours a day round trip for the past 3+ years on top of my work day for my new job I don't seem to have the time, money or energy to do anything about it. My dream slowly turned into a nightmare and my non project car became a far off memory that has been in project limbo for 6+ years now. There are days I can hardly recall the enjoyment those first 4 years brought me anymore. Some day though, some day, that's what I keep telling myself and I just keep hoping that some day is sooner than later.

[ruger1 10]

Amen Pak. I think there a very few of us with the expendable cash and time to restore a car the way we dream it should be. I just turned 45 and have had a lot of nice cars along the way. Over the years my 69 FB, 70 coupe, 66 coupe & 65 FB all got sold to help pay medical bills. I had an awesome 65 Dodge Cornet I sold to help buy our farm. Now our current 69 FB will be sold as soon as it's done to pay more medical bills.

So why do we ride this never ending roller coaster? I guess it's kind of a love sickness for classic cars with no cure. The old saying "It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all" is the best way I can put it.

Like Pak, I view this forum often for the inspiration to keep focus and inspiration. The talent level in this forum is priceless. One of the best parts of owning and restoring a classic Mustang (or other classic for that matter) is the friends you develope along the way. Another cliche "It's not the destination that is important, but the journey" and sometime we forget to enjoy the journey as much as we should.

[Fordrevhead 29]

I am 40, our only child just started college. Wife lost her job a year ago and luckily was already going to school for a new career. She just graduated. So, two "girls" in college and one income. I just built my own house 7 years ago after doing a flip house three years prior. Just built the shop 4 years ago.

 

After buying a few junkers and collecting parts, etc. I finally found a solid 70 body two years ago. It is stripped, mostly blasted and cut apart. I sidetracked myself building a rotisserie which became its own project but it was worth it and the way to go. Now I also have a 64.5 project that I couldnt turn down. I also have a drag car apart with an engine problem and a VW powered sand rail that I built when I was 16 that I am "restoring" to teach the daughter to drive stick.

 

With the wife out of work and her '03 SUV with 100k+ and the daughters '98, I am always working on one of them. I have a brother in law with a large family and a fleet of cars I seem to have one of those every couple months as well. SOME side work does pay for tools, primer, parts cars, etc. but nothing huge.

 

I have only logged about 30 hours on the 70 since last Spring... sad. I have a week off coming in Feb and I am going to hunker down and update my project thread I hope!

 

Anyway, we feel your pain. Last night I swept and vacuumed the garage and moved the 64.5 to free up the "paint area." Today I am painting a junk yard rear bumper for the daughters car after her 180 into a guard rail. Then at 2:30 the bro in law is scheduled for a visit to find the noise in his front end which I suspect is u-joints (3/4 4x4).. so we can order parts for next weekend. Then dinner with the wife, then to the bar to meet some friends for the Jets game. Tomorrow I will put the bumper on, and MAYBE have a little time left for my own projects.

[d.reese 13]

Your stronger than this old man with all those projects. Hell I let all mine go when I was 22 or so. Then stayed clear, lost touch with all my running buddies for 20 years. Seemed like I would never got back to cars, but when I did the only real thing left behind was my lack of control for my temper. I still talk to my cars today, just smile and remember they are just like a woman, but don't talk back!

[Jack 10]

I know your pain, I had my first 69 mustang fastback in 76, drove it for a year and turned it into a restoration which idled for 16 years while I collected parts. Gave it all away for a song due to financial/job difficulties. I thought I would never be able to complete it. Fast foward to 2007, and I was longing to own another one. Found a local car, drove it home, and stripped it down, wanting to go the restomod route. When all the steelwork was done, the car has come home and I am finding it hard to get inspired to finish it.

[rangerdoc 22]

It looks like we've all experienced the same issues. I bought mine in '93 after initially driving a '66 for a couple years. I drove the '69 everyday for 3 years and finally bought my mom's Escort as a daily driver. I've dragged the '69 all over the country for nearly 10 years without doing much to it. It didn't run for a while and I finally got the engine rebuilt in '06. Now in '10-'11 I've finally been able to get the rest of the car done. Many times I thougt about selling it for some cash but my wife wouldn't let me (we met/dated while I was driving the car). Now I'm glad I never got rid of it.

[Sidthing 10]

I want to thank you guys for letting me vent, it's a good thing I'm not married or have kids. That allows me to be completely irresponsible with my money and push to get it done this year. I just need to start taking pictures.