What has kept you focused on restoring your Classic Truck?

[70cst]

I bought my 70cst back in 2001. With plans of quickly restoring my truck many of road blocks came up which forced the delay of transforming my truck back to road worthy condition. Back to the glory that she use to have. There were times I grew frustrated and had thoughts of selling my prized possession. But I could never pull the trigger and sell her. I am not sure why but just something inside me said "don't sell, don't sell". In retrospect I am glad I didn't and after six years I am planning the long awaited transformation of the "Lean Mean Green Machine." The mechanics forst and then the body and interior. I am building driver and not a trailer queen.
Soooooooo...what has kept you focused on keeping and fixing your truck when you temporarily lost your enthusiasm?
To those who have keep their dream alive then I say

[68 short step]

i get bored easy.

[BB72CHEVKT]

I was seriously derailed on my build back in 2002 and did not get back into it until I recently found this site and another 69 truck. I have had the motor ready to go for the 72 since 2002 and it was even put on the dyno.I recently got the correct mounts. It took me about a month to get the 69 I just bought up and running and that has inspired me to work on the 72. I have a rock driveway at the new house though and that is kind of a problem for dropping the motor in place. So I have the 69 to keep my interest since it runs.

[Dingfodgy]

Working on my truck beats the hell out of;
Gardening
Mall Shopping
Antiquing
Chick Flicks
or anything else my wife would drag me off to do if I wasn't holed up in my shop, makin' sheet metal magic!

[BACKYARD88]

My wife tells me she'll kill me if I sell another project. I have to stay focused cause I'm too young to die

[2bits]

I just go in the garage and look at it and say Dang that looks good... or I put a picture of it as my desktop on my computer and say the same thing. I remind myself that someday I would drive it!

[MisterE72]

My wife. She says if I don't do something to it she's gonna sell it and get me a TOYOTA. I haven't seen a Toyota yet thats as nice as a 67-72 c10.

[PanelDeland]

I've been in a slump too.I have had so much going on since the Nats at MV that I've done very little.I have one week until vacation when it's over then it's truck time,at least between covering for the rest of the dept.s vacations,
finishing clearing and organizing my garage and trying to keep Mrs.P from using up my time doing mundane stuff like grocery shopping and bull.
I find that going to a show where other members are gets me motivated again.I hate not having updates when they ask,makes me feel like I'm falling down on the job.

[70GMCer]

I kept telling myself....."This truck is NOT going to kick my ass". So, I'm just about finished......

[RedZ71]

Originally Posted by 70GMCer

I kept telling myself....."This truck is NOT going to kick my ass". So, I'm just about finished......

man, that is a beautiful truck. if the rest looks like this view... my hat is off to you, sir!

[Big White GMC]

Originally Posted by 70GMCer

I kept telling myself....."This truck is NOT going to kick my ass". So, I'm just about finished......

Wow, Nice Truck. I'm Partial To GMC's Myself. Beautiful, Man !!!!

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

I like to tinker, could not imagine life with out a shop. When I get a vision for a project it's just a matter of time before I do it. A rule that I try to keep is not to let a project drag out for too long. Try to have a realistic start and finish dead line. Long project deadlines are one of the biggest reasons projects die and are sold.

What keeps me focused is that this is a lifestyle, It's part of who I am and why I get up in the morning. Every project has it's unique challenges and I find myself in a constant learning curve. I consider myself very blessed to be able to do what I've accomplished.

esll.

[BurnoutNova]

i get burned out easily to... actully, trucks are a big sidetrack for me. i started out with my nova years ago, and then got my 71 k10 just becasue i needed a truck for hauling/towing stuff... and now i like trucks more, and the nova hasnt been worked or even driven forever. i was more into my nova when all my friends were into muscle cars, but everyone sold thier cars or doesnt drive them anymore so it just sits. i just find that trucks better suit my personality, and i actully use them... so its a hobby and a useful vehicle

[retodd7711]

Car shows really get me ready to work. Seeing someone's finished project next to my barely started resto makes me want to get dirty. It also helps when my wife puts her hand on her hip and says"when you gonna put that bumper on?" and I say "as soon as you get yer a$$ out here and help me!"
Surprisingly, she's a better mechanic than I am,

[70cst]

Very nice GMC 70GMCer...
I agree with retodd7711...I think when I see finshed trucks it kind of keeps me focused on getting my truck some day...

[corn]

Id have to say, its honestly been this site thats done it for me. Well, as focused as I can get anyway. If I would spend less time on here, Id have a lot more done to it by now. Catch 22 I guess...

[Bishops Trucks]

The vision of something differant.

[70GMCer]

Honestly through, what kept me going was looking at other nice trucks on this site. I did the body and paint first, then the interior and now just about finished the 383 build. Next will be installing a 700r4 in it.........then drive it!!!

[timcos]

I am not done yet...that is what kept me going.

[wibilly]

focused! who's focused? i find that i have to work on it as a job. that means not go to work and go play in my shop.when i work on my truck thats all i do nothing else. unfourtionitly sometimes i must work to fund it then i do nothing but work. whatever i do i do it hard for 15-20 hours a day till i do somthing different

[Palf70Step]

The board and a few of the local board members keep me going. Also, I refuse to be distracted again with another project. I started to get a second truck to drive while I do the 70 and it turned out to be a not so good thing. So one at a time. The board is the best influence on me though.

Just wish I had enough money to do all the cool stuff I see on here.

[Already Gone]

Ttt

[John Fabris]

For me, it took almost 8 years to finish by truck. When I brought it home, I thought I could have it done in about 6-7 months... WRONG!!! What really helped me to make progress was to break down each little task onto a huge whiteboard in my garage. Then when I had a little time, 1-3 hours, I would pick just one task and finish it. That way I felt a lot better about working on the truck as I was looking at each task as a project, not the entire truck as one project.

[bad6772]

Originally Posted by John Fabris

For me, it took almost 8 years to finish by truck. When I brought it home, I thought I could have it done in about 6-7 months... WRONG!!! What really helped me to make progress was to break down each little task onto a huge whiteboard in my garage. Then when I had a little time, 1-3 hours, I would pick just one task and finish it. That way I felt a lot better about working on the truck as I was looking at each task as a project, not the entire truck as one project.

thats a great idea, im in the middle of my project 72 . i dont have a huge whiteboard, but i do keep a note pad with me and i follow it pretty strict. i do not have much time during the week maybe an hour a night, and to be honest with you after i work on vehicles all day its hard to get motovated. but when my saturdays and sundays come into play . i sit down friday night and plan out my weekend . it makes it alot easier, what sucks is none of my freinds are into the trucks or fixing anything up. so this board helps alot.............thanks for the site............tony

[GOPAPA]

As for motavation I compare more like Panel Deland..I have to much other distractions also. Yes, ,going to shows helps but my summers lately have been taken up by traveling to the kids and yard and wood getting ..thats some of my excuses but right now I need help with gas lines and transmission lines run and I know of no one close by that really knows his sh** on doing this to help me out ..

I would prefer a person who could use some extra money to do this with me and also who owns one of our trucks and has refurbashed his own ,,that would sure get my focus agoin ..LOL

Hate to say this ,,but sometimes I don't even like the truck in the shop because it is in my road to do anything else ,,sooooooooo forgive me 67-72 Chevy Trucks God as I have lost my focus and I guess this is why I just said what I did ..my bad!

Great question 70 cst GP