thinking about giving up on build

[merlin3]

I am thinking about giving up,most every new part i buy and install is either wrong,won't fit , poor quality or defective and most of them are too old to return because i have been working on this truck for 5 years.every single part i touch gives me a problem that is way out of the ordinary.[except parts from ECE and GMC PAULS.]The cab is ready for paint,bed needs minor repair [short bed],truck runs but needs a drive shaft shortened.Every part is new except the rear end,509 merlin3 big block with a th400 just needs interior i have the glass.every thing else is new. Your opinion?

[Grumpy old man]

Looks like you already have the hard stuff done ,WHY QUIT NOW ? Grab a beer and have a talk with the truck about getting back on the road ! Or hit a few local shows to rebuild your interest and desire to finish what you started ! Or just sell it as is and loose most of the investment you already put into it. !

[truckdude239]

all i can say is you wont get have you have in it so why quit now?

[19673ontree]

Well I can't say that I understand the wrong part won't fit won't work situation ? Because I don't when i'm working on my old car or truck IT WILL FIT ! IT WILL WORK ! IT AIN'T GOT A CHOICE ! But now I do understand the feeling like giving up as a young man I married a horrible woman that picked up on my mechanical ability and she just saw my old car's as income and being blinded by actually thinking the witch was a good person I let her trick me into selling several good car's after I finished them , once I realised what she was doing I refused to sell any more and I felt like giving up ! But I did not ! I have a 1967 RS 327 camaro that I enjoy I have a 1967 C10 shortbed that I enjoy and even bought my son a 68 C10 that we enjoy ! She demanded me to sell my car and truck or she would leave me ! She is gone ! And I have a good life now !

The moral to my story is DON'T GIVE UP ! And as mentioned above the economy is bad we live in a turn key sale world now as far as old car's are concerned if it ain't done and is in project form like your's and you sell it sadly you will loose.your shirt on it !

GOOD LUCK !

[hugger6933]

Being a car dealer/body shop that builds late models for the living and old muscle and trucks for fun Believe me I know where your coming from. I know what it is like to work on trucks all day every day and not get to make any progress on my projects that are sitting just one stall over. Once I do get a slack moment in the shop and get to work on something the sale is every wed so it normally isn't long until I am back in the trap again. You have most all of the work and sweat stuff done. I'd say it is not eating anything cover it up and wait a year or so and see how you feel. You might recover a 1/3 of what you have spent being in that stage. I have a 68 LeMans convert ls1 6.0 . in my shop that me and my brother built or were building it has new metal and the paint has been done it needs the int put in and the bumpers put back on it. I just have it covered in a corner I just don't feel the same about the car now after I watched him lay in the driveway and pass away. He loved that car and had no ability at all except my direction. There are times I need to sell and would like to sell it knowing I could probably only get about 7 grand and that would be ok but I just sometimes can't even bring myself to uncover the car. I know that in your case as well as mine if you sell there will be relief briefly then regret. So I would urge you to think it over not over a day or two but over a couple of months or not even think about the truck for a while then revisit it again after say July or so and then see if you still feel the same way. Jim

[diggerbob]

Darn Hugger. Sorry about your brother. I have a 70 that got started sort of by accident when I made a deal with a guy to replace cab, doors and put in a 700r transmission and return to to me in primer. He immediately tore it down and then it sat for months. The guy hit me with one hard-time story after another and I finally got to the point where I started going to his place each weekend to move the project along. A year and a half later, I retrieved my truck with a car hauler and turned the job over to someone else.

My wife got awfully tired of me spending so many weekends on the truck but I persisted anyway and finally, after spending lots of time and $$$, I got it finished. I lost her to cancer 16 months ago so my truck represents some bitter-sweet memories for me too.

[Already Gone]

My truck is a running driving truck and looks great and I bought it that way in 2001 and around 2010 I had the thought of selling it and getting something ( a convertible, not a C10) else to cruise with. I put an ad on-line and a guy drove 2 1/2 hours to come see the truck. I pulled it out of the garage and as i looked at it while the guy was looking it over I thought to myself, you idiot what are you doing? I said to the guy, I'm sorry I can't sell the truck and I offered him 50.00 for his gas and time and he said, I don't blame you man an he didn't take my 50.00.

All I'm saying here is make sure that selling your truck is what you to do before you do it or like a lot of us on here you will have a "one I should have kept " story.

[leftybass209]

Asking wiw will get the thread shut down. If you need encouragement I'd say subscribe to the board. Sell some of the stuff you have with full disclosure about fitment, recoupe money and continue to purchase from reputable sellers with quality items.

[jeffahart]

You have to know your limitations. That's the lesson, maybe learn it and move on.

I personally have never learned to massage out dents or fit panels properly. So I just take on vehicles that are in mechanical distress. It's my comfort zone. Body's got to be good shape, with no bad body or floor, rust for me to purchase. I can handle electrical, drive and power train and it's what I enjoy working on. Just not body or paint. I've learned my skill and temperament for body work... not good!

[Old Truck Man]

You yourself stated that none of the new parts worked or fit properly. so its obviously something made from inferior ill fitting parts?

[FRANKENSTEINC10]

Merlin3 we have all been there!! My dad finally gave me the green light to have his old truck. He didn't want to part with it even though it's never leaving the family. I've put 3 motors in it now, 2 305s (garbage stay clear of these) and now a 454. The big block is the first one that I did on my own without dad's or anyone's help. If had known what all I would have to go through I could have had a nice built sbc for what I've put in to just new hardware. I've been trying to get this things road worthy since Christmas, and something always comes up. A couple of weekends ago, I took it for a drive around town. Even though the ride sucked and I think my old rusted mufflers were choking the engine a bit, It gave me a renewed since of hope. I saw a pair of "finished" 70s cruising down the higway the other day and that was enough for me to make me, my little brother, and my dad proud and finish the old truck. Good luck man. Maybe you can post some of your issues you're having because I can almost guarantee that at least 4 people have been through the exact same problem.

[Artikgrau325is]

Giving up because of this setback would be like slashing your other 3 tires because you got a flat. I would absolutely love to have either one of my trucks as far a long in progress as yours is. It's a long road that takes a lot of money, time and dedication.

I'll be honest, sometimes I go into the garage and I think to myself, "What the heck did I get myself into?" I started my project full speed ahead, and I always had Mark/Livrat to talk to for advice and inspiration. Since he's moved up north now I don't really have anyone to share my interest with anymore, and my friends certainly don't understand my obsession with these old rigs.

In the end though, I have to keep that vision in mind of what I want these trucks to be, and complete what I set out to do. I'm sure you can do the same, just don't get overwhelmed and take things a step at a time.

[19673ontree]

To give you what happnes after may help nobody has mentioned this

In 2000 I got my 67 RS camaro drove it till fall 2001 tore it apart rebuilt motor fixed body painted it redid interior drove it 10 year's without any problem just oil change's dwell point's put 90K on it , in 2012 tore mechanical's apart bored block put 202 head's alum intake 750 holley new super T10 flow master exhaust drive it every chance I get !

In 2006 found my 1967 C10 tore it apart put new rocker panel's fitted all other body panel's painted it drove it 5 or 6 year's then added AC still driving it , this spring lowered it painted door sign's still driving it ,

Not once in my life have I ever had a mechanical problem but I will admit I did have to make myself learn bodywork but I can't figure out why ? Fix it AND DRIVE IT !

[Lattimer]

Giving up is too easy. Parts don't fit, a lot off stuff is junk, its all part of the the game.

I spent 2-1/2 hours this afternoon replacing a door handle and a lock. Must have dropped the one bolt inside the door 30 times before I got it threaded in. Giant hands, carpal tunnel, small parts, small spaces-----don't go together well.

I was ready to throw something, but instead I had a drink and put everything away for tomorrow.

Now, my truck is a running driving project---but not without its share of issues. I've had it a year and a half, and it has the third engine and third transmission in it since I've had it (including what it came with).

Back away, think it through. Taking a huge loss on a partially finished project that you never got to drive would really blow.

[hugger6933]

Thanks guys for the kind words. That is the second brother I have lost . The first was in a wreck that I rebuilt[nothing to do with his death] and he ran into a piece of farm equipment 51 feet long that was being pulled down the hiway in front of his house after dark. he was coming home and just about to turn in his drive and his wife heard the wreck standing in the kitchen cook his supper. At the time it had happened I was using his last trade in S-10 for parts[he would use them up] to get the frame and bed for anther wreck I was building. It was hard going back to that job on his old truck after going to his funeral. Once again thanks lots of support here of all kinds not just chevy truck or paint and body like I hand out a lot of. Jim

[Ozzy2013]

Hang in there it happens to all of us I broke my back in 06 and have had several surgerys,shoulders ,elbows,knees,back fusion sinus surgery and hurt 24\7 but you have to keep going!I look at stuff that's sat since06 and its depressing but junk if I don't get them fixed.

[hugger6933]

My oldest bro. was 15 years older than I and the reason I got into old cars and power. He had 6 pack road runner, GTO SS Chevelles and some 73 454 truck that was really fast in a kids eyes. Jim

[Spartan]

I figure my truck build will take more than 5 years. I'm poor, work 5 days a week 14 hours a day and work the farm on weekends.

Don't give up on it. Make a check list and move along. Like hugger said maybe take a break and let it stew a bit. You know what's best for you but I would suggest not giving up on it.

Cheers!

[First c10]

The hardest part is looking at the project as a whole. Break the project down into smaller projects so you can check them off as you complete them. For me if I spend even 1 hour on my projects and cant mark something of my list(even my mental list) I get a little discouraged. Sometimes you have to close your eyes to see your vision of you in the truck cruzin!!! The truck is well on its way!!!!
My son and I have been working on his truck for a year, he went to the gas station with my wife (as he is only 15 1/2 with his permit) yesterday to get gas for the lawn mower and 3 people came over and talked to him about the truck. the first thing he did when he came home was run to me and tell me about it. Seeing his face was well worth all the time we spent so far in the truck.
Good luck and we cant wait to see the pictures of you doing burnouts in it!!!! on!

[dmartin1]

when i get aggravated or discouraged looking at my pile i walk away head to the dollar general for a rockstar and a snack or beer and kick back inside and read everyone elses posts online and check stuff out.

i get inspired by the amazing work people here do, and realize mines not all too bad and get back at it if i have time.

keep at it dude youll love the end result, i wish mine was in your conditiion. especially with that engine. keep on trucking!

[chevy72blu]

My opinion (and its worth what you paid for it), is to get the driveshaft made, throw together a cooling system, and put together a rudimentary harness. It looks like the brakes, suspension, and steering components are in (or close to it). Sit on a milk crate if you have to. I've found that nothing gets me more excited about working on it just being able to drive it around the block. After 5 years, you've earned it and I'd bet it puts a big ole smile on your face to see it move under its own power. I've never done a frame off, but I can see how it would be difficult not to miss the forest through the trees.

Good luck brother!

[Ridgeclimber]

Don't give up now. It looks like alot of the hard stuff is done. I am just finishing my second restoration. My first was a 67 chevelle and now I am finishing my 68 c10 short box step side. Sometimes you need to walk away and take a break. It definitely helps to break it up into smaller jobs. when you look at the whole project it is overwhelming.

[67ChevyRedneck]

How much more time and money are you willing to invest?

I know most everyone is telling you to keep it, but at this point, it looks to me like you should sell. If you have no sentimental value, you should sell this truck. You're at the point where it's going to need a lot of time and money to finish (unless you plan to paint it yourself or do a cheap patina job) but if you're going for show truck, you're not even half way there.

With it being in pieces like it is, you'll probably get 1/4 to 1/3 of what you "have into it." You may actually get more $ by parting it out.

If you no longer wish to build it, but still want a truck, you'll be far ahead of the game to unload this one, save up, and buy a finished truck. If this is where you're at after 5 years, it will be at least that and then some before it's finished, unless you find an excess of:
1. Time,
and/or
2. Money

[terry b]

Part it out.

[Pargolf]

I FEEL YOUR PAIN BROTHER. I took my truck to my mechanic the second week of March (this year) because it just didn't run right. We decided the exhaust manifold need to be replaced, so we did, and modified the exhaust in the process, no big deal, right? It kept running hot during testing, so we pulled the head, the block looked bad, all grooved and pitted and leaking like a sieve. Had to do a rebuild, buy a reconditioned engine or have the wrench do it? Reconditioned is the decision we made because of cost and warranty. New engine goes in last week, tested it Friday and guess what? The mother/father ran hot! Need a new radiator ($375 on top of $1200 for the engine, on top of $200 for the exhaust manifold, on top of whatever I owe him for labor, which I am afraid to ask). All of this goes back to me trading a beautiful 2004 Harley Davidson Softail Deuce with 12,000 miles on it, ran like a dream and the PO basically screwed me by not telling me all the bs rigging they did to make the truck look and seem to run good. All of this said, I know am in deep and there is no turning back, between the value of the bike ($8000) and what I have spent (let's say $3000 - $3500) I guess I have $11K invested. I should get the truck back tomorrow, of course now it's too darn hot here to enjoy the spring driving around with the windows down (no a/c), thank God for wing windows, cause I am driving that truck everywhere, even if it kills me!