Restoration insanity

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

I don't have a build thread because I already have enough voices talking in my head

Guys spend a lot of time on that. Do work, take photos, repeat, then post on truck forum and Facebook.

There's a guy on the 73-87 forum who has been posting details of his project for around 8 years. The thread is 274 pages long! As I recall he's gone through at least 3 engines and transmissions due to problems. The latest I'm aware of is an LS with a 4 or 5-speed "E" trans. Poor guy must have spent at least $30K on parts in that time, and it still looks like a $10K truck, unless he's had paint and body work done.

[body bolt]

Who says a hobby has to make sense?

[OneOffStroker]

I've had my '57 since I was 13 years old (40 now) and it has been through a few iterations, but only driven for a few years when I was in high school. Joined the Navy and it sat while I was overseas in Japan for a few years, then Hawaii for a few more years. I eventually came back stateside and got the truck shipped to my new home. I began updating it now that I wasn't a broke teenager, and it got a Jag IFS, and a fully custom rear suspension with a 4th gen Camaro axle. I built an engine, and then it was time to deploy to Afghanistan. The truck couldn't sit outside my house, and there wasn't room in the garage, so I disassembled it and stacked the pieces Tetris-style in the garage to make it fit.

Eight years later, it's still disassembled, but in a different location. The engine that I built is now in my '72 C-10, and the frame is about to get cut up (again) because I have something I want to use for the front half that will make it way more bada$$ than the Jag IFS.

But there's more...
I have 13 cars total, and about five of them can be considered 'drivers' even though they all need some work...some a LOT more than others. I am the guy who has ideas for cars he wants to build, and as soon as a decent one comes up for sale, I secure it because I'm afraid that the year/make/model just won't be around anymore when I have the time to actually work on it. That is a rational 'fear' although owning 13 project cars in itself isn't actually rational. Oh well.

I do all my own work and have bought more tools than I have room for. This is one part of the 'restoration insanity' that I will always promote to someone who has a project: BUY THE TOOL! You know you'll need it, and it will cost less in the end than hiring someone to do the job for you, and you have it for later on in the project when project creep comes along and you want to do more...or you buy your next project car.

I build my cars on video and put all my builds on YouTube, which is another reason I don't mind having so many project cars. I post build threads here and elsewhere to shamelessly promote my channel and my brand. When I'm done with the Navy in a few years, I plan to do cars on YouTube full-time, and eventually I might finally earn enough to make my countless hours of labor worthwhile, all the while helping the car communities by showing teardowns, engine builds, tips& tricks, and other useful stuff with some humor mixed in from time to time.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Blow dryer or heat gun are your friends when installing rubber and such. Dishwashing liquid proves great for certain rubber bumpers, like for the A-arm. A ball-end tool will change your life for installing grommets.

If you have A/C, the hose to the LH side of the center vent can be a real (*)^^ or rather it sure gets crowded in there. I optioned to cap the side off, no harm no foul.

Tape everything you don't want damaged. Basic rule of thumb don't tighten anything until the assembly is fitted, and always keep things flush on their mounting surface on & off - saves you from breaking or stripping stuff.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by body bolt

Who says a hobby has to make sense?

I keep telling my wife it's cheaper than bars and strip clubs. Or even golf!

But I actually broke even or made a few bucks on my last two projects. Seems like appreciation these days is overcoming what financial guys call "sunk costs". (Funds that can't be recovered.)

[jabborabbo]

Originally Posted by MikeB

I keep telling my wife it's cheaper than bars and strip clubs. Or even golf!

….

The problem is that with bars, strip clubs, and golf, the money is spent and the wife doesn’t see it all piled up in trucks, motorcycles, or whatever is piled up…she looks at the pile and thinks “New carpet…That pile would carpet the house!”

Money spent on bars, strip clubs or golf doesn’t visibly get piled up like that….

[leftybass209]

Originally Posted by jabborabbo

The problem is that with bars, strip clubs, and golf, the money is spent and the wife doesn’t see it all piled up in trucks, motorcycles, or whatever is piled up…she looks at the pile and thinks “New carpet…That pile would carpet the house!”

Money spent on bars, strip clubs or golf doesn’t visibly get piled up like that….

Well, this does ring true in a sense.

I'm in the carpet cleaning industry. Upon going to one customer's house, she says her husband is deceased and this will be one of her last times needing the carpet cleaned, as she's having it replaced after she sells "his old truck".

In the garage was a pristine, bagged 56 Ford F100... I estimated well north of 100k invested.

So, she wanted the truck gone... for new carpet.

Wonderful customer btw... she really did know what it was and spent time talking with me about it. Noone in her family knew anything about them, and he sent it out to get everything done so she didn't want the hassle or to be taken advantage of.

[68 C10 Driver]

cj847; I have been working on my project 68 stepside for almost 2 years now. Yes, life often makes you momentarily redirect, but I try to do as much as I can each week.

To me, the joy in the project (I am doing a frame-off restoration) are the little rabbit holes I go down as I am doing the repairs. One repair will uncover another item needing attention, but these are after all, 50 year old trucks.

I am leaning more than I ever thought I would, which gives me that unique connection with my truck. There is not a single square inch of the truck I have not stripped, sanded, removed rust, sanded, welded, primed, or even seam sealed...no one knows my truck better than I. But I think all of us here have similar stories to share.

I guess I am saying, yes, there will be frustration during your build, but that is momentary. The final outcome makes it all worth while.

I say don't over think it, enjoy the experience challenging yourself as you build your truck; it will be fun and rewarding.

Good luck on your project, I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

Cheers-

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by sick472

An old friend told me once that in order to keep a car restoration or resto-mod moving along and to avoid project death...you have to average a minimum of 10 hours a week on the project. That sounds like a lot of time to the average person with a family, but trust me 10 hours is a MINIMUM. At that rate, a full no-bolts-unturned project can take 10 or more years. I easily spent 25 hours a week on a very rough Rustang project and it took me 7 years. I like WCT's idea of doing something on the project every day alot, just try to make some days a lot longer.

My truck project took me 17 years collectively (over the course of 24 years and with the Rustang project tucked in the middle), but that was with several job changes, several moves, and a family. Never give UP! The beginnings of my truck project predated digital cameras and cell phones or I'd have more progress pics...lol

From the bringing the old Rustang home...to dismantling it...to done!

Very nice job! The before looks familiar, as this is what I drove all through high school and then some. The only known photo to exist, taken in about 1971-72... 289 4 speed 67 Mustang

[Low Elco]

One thing every day, no matter how small... even if it's just cleaning up and prepping for the next round. Also, tearing it down to nothing right off the jump. Much better to keep it running and driving, which keeps the fun in it and keeps enthusiasm up. I'm desperately trying right now not to tear my 87 down to the frame and REALLY get it on Z'd frame, custom body, custom susp, big LS, etc, but I have a lot of other irons in the fire, and a lot of work at work.

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Also, tearing it down to nothing right off the jump. Much better to keep it running and driving, which keeps the fun in it and keeps enthusiasm up.

Very strong point. Too many people tear things to pieces and it stays that way for years or forever....

I was gonna do nut-n-bolt.....
I was gonna do frame-off......
I'm the kinda guy that does things the right way, all the way, it's gotta be perfect....

Yeah, way too many people think that way but get way in over their heads, parts get lost, ideas get forgotten................ enjoyment goes down the drain never to return. Lifes too short, even if you have to spend it driving a rusty old truck it's always worth it.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

One thing every day, no matter how small... even if it's just cleaning up and prepping for the next round. Also, tearing it down to nothing right off the jump. Much better to keep it running and driving, which keeps the fun in it and keeps enthusiasm up. I'm desperately trying right now not to tear my 87 down to the frame and REALLY get it on Z'd frame, custom body, custom susp, big LS, etc, but I have a lot of other irons in the fire, and a lot of work at work.

I remember the 87 from reading the build on the other truck. Or at least I think I do, is that the right one? If you decide to get going on it, will you think about doing another build thread?

This is an interesting discussion. I think it helps to know why you are restoring a truck. For me, it is a diversion. I enjoy making the improvements. I enjoy doing the research and coming up with solutions. I enjoy driving something that's old, has character, and is better than when I got it. And often times better than when it left the factory in performance and handling/braking. So, body-off-frame restorations are not the right thing for me. Taking apart one area, cleaning it, repairing it, refinishing it as needed, and putting it back together is the right thing for me. Some guys were just made to pull these trucks all the way apart and build them back up. I like reading their build threads ; )

Much of this thread talks about things that I think of as efficiency. I have shifted my efforts toward what I call effectiveness. For me, enjoying what I'm doing is the very most important aspect. So, for me to be effective, I need to be enjoying myself a good portion of the time. That means, not to be in a hurry, not to have a deadline, and to have the right tools, good access, and a reasonably comfortable environment. For others, being most efficient may be the most important aspect of being effective. I can understand that, but for me, that's what I do at work.

[special-K]

On my '67 project I didn't start out tearing it down to the frame to build back up from scratch. I'm too lazy for that. But a ground up build is required and the first time I drive it will be when it's done. I started out with no truck and just parts.

[Phillip Owings]

Originally Posted by jumpsoffrock

Be ok with rust. Just drive it as is.

one of the best quotes yet.

[GASoline71]

Rust never sleeps, but careful how much metal you cut out. It's easier to replace smaller amounts of metal if you can.

Rust converters and weld through primers are your friend.

Never underestimate how much time and money you'll actually need.

Also, when I hear the word "restoration", I think of a way too much involved, frame off, bolt to bolt, and all the weird markings and "stock" things that came from the factory assembly line. Which, doesn't sound fun to me.

"Fixing up" a rig to make it fun as hell to drive, and look good doing it... is where it's at. Well, for me anyways.

Gary

[LS short box]

For me hot rod projects were a stress reliever for work. Never thought about work when I worked on projects.
My time is worth about 50 cents per hour. I always try to get the base car/truck cost and all parts cost out of the project when I sell. Some I've made good money. A couple not so much.
It will seem odd but I also look a project kind of like the money you spend on a vacation. You go. You have fun. You don't get any money back.

[special-K]

This whole get your money back out of them or even making money thing never existed when I got into doing big jobs on vehicles... or even small jobs. So, money doesn't even come into it, other than the money needed to make it happen. That's where the pleasure comes in, not being about the money. If it was about the money I wouldn't be doing it

[weim55]

Posted via Mobile Device

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by special-K

This whole get your money back out of them or even making money thing never existed when I got into doing big jobs on vehicles... or even small jobs. So, money doesn't even come into it, other than the money needed to make it happen. That's where the pleasure comes in, not being about the money. If it was about the money I wouldn't be doing it

Yep... Trying to justify the cost of the build by how much you can sell it for would be nauseating. I just build them to enjoy them. If I have to sell a rig, so be it... I sell it. But then again, I've never tried (and never will try) to do a high dollar perfection build.

Gary

[MikeandCheryl]

My 72 K10 started well, but has stalled - this would be the beginning of year 2 on a busy project. I didn't see the point of fixing things as i took them off, but rather bagged, stored, marked, and carefully hid most of the bits and pieces where i could find them. The theory was to begin at the frame, to ensure every dollar spent was being bolted to a solid frame, with a good suspension. However, surprises take you by surprise...the frame was needing repair, the suspension was broken, the ubolts and such were seized and needed cutting off, the front and rear ends remain unopened and an unknown quantity - etc...so there is now a pause at the fork in the road...new frame? frame repairs? new suspension? Marketplace for a good used running chassis? Not too sure what to do...so just trying to ready myself for a bigger than i thought job.
Returning a vehicle to the original condition (not from 1972, but from 2021) will mean bolting back the original, worn pieces i removed to get at the frame. The paint will be old and faded, the interior not too pristine, but the stuff that rolls, will be solid, new (somewhat) and gone over.
Certainly the reality of a frame off rebuild will clash with the costs of a frame off rebuild. We'll see how it goes.

[A1971Blazer]

Interesting thread, this one...
It covers the entire gamut...improve and build while you drive or strip it down to the bare frame and start up.

One may start out with a certain intent and then we see the words on a parts-for-sale ad that says "decided to go a different direction, my loss is your gain"

Most projects I have done started with a decent vehicle to begin with that just needed some TLC and perhaps a mechanical makeover......until...I bought a 67 step side. A truck that I have always liked and always wanted to have.

At first it appeared to be fairly solid and I knew it needed some work on the engine and drivetrain. I was fine with that as well as being excited and motivated.
Once I started, I quickly realized it wasn't as solid as I thought and the fun began.

Today I am at the bare frame juncture...over the course of the last 2 years, I have bought lots of parts in preparation and have reached the point where it's time to start putting it all back together.

This is a monumental task which will require lots of time....but I am still motivated and prepared to see it through to completion. I will work on it as much as time allows in order to finish it within a reasonable time.

I think that some projects drag on for so long because the builder enjoys working on it more than finishing it...IDK?
Anyway, wish me luck...

[CKfan]

Originally Posted by special-K

This whole get your money back out of them or even making money thing never existed when I got into doing big jobs on vehicles... or even small jobs. So, money doesn't even come into it, other than the money needed to make it happen. That's where the pleasure comes in, not being about the money. If it was about the money I wouldn't be doing it

Found all the posts and takes interesting but Special K sums it up perfectly. IMO, if you are working on these trucks to make money you probably aren't enjoying it.