thinking about giving up on build

[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!

[Tinkermc]

Sorry for your loss.

[mechanic350]

Merlin3 I'm definitely new to my project and to the 67-72 truck world. I can say that I have wanted to build a truck like mine for 15 yrs now and the first big project I dove into on mine was to upgrade my brakes to wildwood 13" rotors front and rear. And I can agree with where you are coming from. 3 months later and my truck is still on jack stands bc I can't get the parking Brake to work. I would agree with what some of the guys have said and think about it for a while before you throw away all your hard work. You are probably closer to be finished than you are To the beginning of the project anyways. Good luck and I hope you chose what is best for you and your situation at hand

[67chevy1]

Unless you absolutely can't afford it anymore. DON'T GIVE UP!!!! I had a 67 c10 short bed, BB, then I decided I didn't drive it enough and sold it. I spent 21 yrs regretting that decision until I finally decided to buy another 1 last winter. Now I have to start at the beginning again.

[davepl]

Put it away somewhere. Go do something else (learn to program, I dunno). Wait six months and the craving will return. Then, instead of wishing you hadn't sold it you'll still have it. Everyone gets tired of projects at some point. If anyone has my torch red '94 Corvette 396 LT4 Supercharged, let me know. I was angry at it and sold it. Now I miss it.

Besides, you'll take it in the shorts if you try to sell it. Nobody pays anything for unfinished projects (it ain't a Hemi Cuda shell) and a motor that's not running is worth its weight in scrap.

Long story short, no good can come from unloading it, and you'll wish you hadn't, and it makes no sense financially.

[jlaird]

All these comments have been great. Here is what I would add:

Who inspires you? What inspires you? I would try to look at these things to renew your interest in this truck.

Also...

I would try to think back to the when you first got the truck and the reasons why you wanted to build it. You may tap into some forgotten emotion that will spark some motivation.

If all else fails, I would consider the possibility of getting the truck so it will go down the road. It can be far from finished, but at least running. That may push you to finish it.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Just do what I did.... Park it in the corner and work on it when your ready with a renewed view..

[69chevytrucker]

dude i dam near cut my finger off fixing a part that didnt fit right spent 4 hours putting one door on and im still no where near done and i had a heart attack to boot while working on my truck so whatever you do don't give up if i can do it anyone can

[hugger6933]

I know I have weighed in maybe way more than my share on this post but do you have anything big close by like a Super Chevy show that comes close by? If you do by all means go and walk around smell the smells watch the sights see the car/truck show part. I use to go every year when it came to Memphis, the last two years I didn't go I had to fight off depression when I went because of the people getting to enjoy their projects and mine still stalled. It is hard when your vocation and advocation are the same thing after working on trucks all week the last thing I want to do at night is to go to the shop on the weekend. I could see where if I was at a job where my hands needed to be set free it would be freeing to go to the shop after supper or on the weekends just not after being there all week. That is the main reason my projects don't get to move along. But if you could go to a show and see the people enjoy the fruits of their hard work and see you are close to being right there with them it will refresh you. If not the spark may be gone and a new HEI may not help and it may be time for a for sale sign. Jim

[merlin3]

i guess i am at my limit at this stage of the build,for example;i installed all new brakes, now the steel front lines all leak so i replaced all the lines again and the brass T fitting they still leak,the right front hose leaks,new hose,caliper and crush washers ,still leaks and the last straw was i noticed a oil leak between the block and head-on a motor with about 500 miles on it i decided to have a custom shop finish all the mechanicals.thanks for all the replies.

[hugger6933]

The dollars you spend to get you past the hump may be well worth the investment in not having to fight the aggravation. Jim

[73737373]

Its a big elephant; eat it one small bite at a time.

[jocko]

I can understand your dilemma. This hobby can sometimes be a love/hate relationship (but the love of it outweighs, or we wouldn't be hangin out on this site...). I can tell you that if you love it enough to do what you've already done that you will miss the headache you have in your garage when it's gone. You will lose a lot of money if you sell now AND you'll eventually want another headache to fill the void when it's gone. You love this stuff, admit it

I have a similar issue. I love my Harley. I've got a butt-ton-load sunk into it, and I'd lose about half of what I've got in it if I sold it. However, that's not the operative question. The real question is what would I rather have TODAY? The cash value for what I could get out of it - or - the pleasure I get from riding and tinkering with it? That's a tough one because I don't get the chance to ride it nearly enough. And too many friends have been shwacked by inattentive drivers while riding, or they screwed the pooch themselves on deadman's curve. So, the risk factor goes into the equation also.

In your case: If you can get X dollars out of the pile of parts and the shell, would you be a happier man? And if you get X dollars out of it - will you really miss it so much that you want to turn around and repeat the process, going that much further in the $ hole?

Ha. You sound a lot like me. I did the same with a 57 Bel Air (about 20 yrs ago) that I had had since high school. Had owned it for around 10 years at that point, and it was in the "put it all back together stage". Circumstances drove (no pun intended) me to sell out of an inability to stay in one place long enough to be able to work on it (my job had me moving all the time), the inconvenience it caused the folks storing it for me, and so on. So I sold a 57 I had about $15K in (looked about the same level of completion as your truck) for $3800. I could still kick myself to this day. Moral of the story - if you know this stuff is in your blood - and you know you will miss it - and you WISH you could complete this and know it would be what you want - then stick with it. If not, then sell it and accept the loss and don't worry about it. There will be another...

EDIT: And I still haven't decided if I'll sell the Harley, ha.

[davepl]

I'm sure the first 10 flared lines we all made were garbage. I know mine were. Now can I flare you up a set of lines for a fighter jet, but 25 years ago laying in my Dad's hand-dug dirt garage pit trying to flare a cut transmission line with a ten dollar Canadian Tire flaring tool I sure couldn't.

But as everyone logically keeps saying, just put it aside until you miss it. You will. And if you don't, at least you won't have rushed to judgment.

[Mr Chevorlet]

Like a few of said, set it to the side until you get your head on straight because you must be crazy to quit when you have gotten as far as you have, Good luck and may the wench gods be with you.

[red rider rudy]

On you brake hose, check the bottom for being flat? Had one that would not seal. All it was is that the there was a small peice keeping it from sealing.

[jlaird]

Looks like you found a solution to the issue. Nice decision to keep going!

[jlaird]

Hey guys,

I started a blog with threads like this one in mind. I only have three posts so far, but intend to post once a week...mostly quick, inspirational blurbs. Check it out here. If you like it so far, you can subscribe and get them delivered to your inbox. Hope you enjoy...

[quick60]

This guy may have replied but if not check out his build thread. I didnt follow it all the way but noticed he started in 2009 and still going for 5 years.

Hate to see you give up but if you do maybe find another truck first that is in decent shape. Swap over stuff that you know works to new build and part out the rest.

But I say stick with it. Good luck.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...354738&page=80