motivation advice needed...

[1987 Shortwide]

For the last month or so I've just been sorta bummed, for no aparent reason at all really. Unfortunately, along with this I have had little to no desire to go out and work on the truck. Part of me thinks it's because I've got it so far apart and doing cleanup work that I don't really enjoy, and I'm sure the fact that I haven't driven it in like 5 years doesn't help my motivation.

What do you guys do to get some motivation, and what do you suggest? I want this pile of crap finished so I can enjoy it, but I almost feel like I'm going out against my will to work some days.

[86 GMG]

the modivation has to come from your heart, im like you i want to drive my truck but the best thing that helps me is i dedicated my truck to my new born son a year and a half ago. i did this because he was a premie and it was iffy of him making it I absolutly love me truck and it is his as soon as he turns 16 if he wants it. the hole comment was made as a waiger of if he made it through it was his my wife has made me stick to it also everytime i say i bought a new part for my truck she says no it your sons

[sixty8c10]

jsut thought i would do my part to help a fellow kansan (i'm originally from hays). alot of folks have told me that my post has helped motivate them, good luck and hope to see you driving it soon. here's the link:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=168231

[bigblock73]

Steven

Don't look at the big picture, look at the project one "area" at a time. Get your firewall finished...focus on that only right now. Once that is done, tackle the next phase/step.

My truck has been apart for almost five years...I have my bad moments, but all it takes is a little bit of inspiration. Wheter it be a dream (happens alot to me), a pic you saw, competition from another truck builder, whatever...just don't give up and keep plugging away.

[75stepside]

wow, been there!

during my resto, there were weekends where i'd spend 12 hrs at the shop each day and still not get everything done i wanted too... then there were weekends were i would spend 12 hrs/day on the couch!

its especially tough when your in the middle and seems like your on the road to "no-where's-ville"... i found that, as others have said, focus on each aspect of the project. All i know, when i got to do all the detailing, (wiring, putting on the grill, wheels/tires, wood in bed, etc) I WAS PUMPED! and couldn't get enough... each part i put on really set it off...

good luck man!

[live85]

Visit a car/truck show ASAP
It'll come back to ya

[Joe67]

Originally Posted by 1987 Shortwide

For the last month or so I've just been sorta bummed, for no aparent reason at all really. Unfortunately, along with this I have had little to no desire to go out and work on the truck. Part of me thinks it's because I've got it so far apart and doing cleanup work that I don't really enjoy, and I'm sure the fact that I haven't driven it in like 5 years doesn't help my motivation.

What do you guys do to get some motivation, and what do you suggest? I want this pile of crap finished so I can enjoy it, but I almost feel like I'm going out against my will to work some days.

I feel ya.

I had a few times where I wasn't motivated at all to work on my chassis restoration. It ended up being I felt overwhelmed, no real plan of attack.

I sat down and wrote down what I would work on and in what order. You may not follow it to the T as things come up, but at least it gives you a plan.
Then, as you are working and start to check things off the list, it shows how much you have actually accomplished

Good Luck!

[crawdad]

Originally Posted by 67c10step

I sat down and wrote down what I would work on and in what order. You may not follow it to the T as things come up, but at least it gives you a plan.
Then, as you are working and start to check things off the list, it shows how much you have actually accomplished

For the most part, I'm the type of individual that when I start a project like this I get totally immersed in it, and I mean TOTALLY. I have found over the years that this can be good and bad. Good in that I get highly motivated and get a lot of work done in short amount of time, but BAD in that after a while (sometimes a short while) I get totally burned out and can't seem to find the motivation to carry on the project to completion (sorta like you right now). 67c10step and some of the others have hit the nail on the head. You absolutely have to come up with a plan of attack, or plan of action. Do as they say, sit down and write up a list of the things that need to be accomplished. Try to put them in the right order, but you don't have to be tied to that. Next, plan on a "realistic" amount of time to accomplish each of the task you have written down. Don't be afraid to deviate from the plan if you need to, and, ABOVE ALL, if you need to take a break, take it! Don't feel that you are tied to the project. In fact, it's good to take frequent breaks. It helps to rejuvinate the juices, so to speak. Good luck with your project, and now that I've said all of this, I hope I can follow my own advice.

[84 400]

man i have ben there. it really sucks when you can't even drive it around the block and some days you just want to go out and beat on it untill the tires burn off. what about your wagon? have you lost the motivation on that as well?? I really recomend going to a drag race or to a car show. that worked for me when i am feeling the way you do. i see some other cars and i am like wow i can do a better job. good luck man i know it sucks but try to get into it agian

[82c10]

for you i would watch some racing, , be like **** i can beat them

[piecesparts]

Sit in the chair and look at the wife, while thinking---I have to do a HONEYDO---That usually motivates me out the door.

[us111]

been there,done that,,only problem is mines out in an old tractor shed,,live in n.e. ohio and am now freezing my a## off trying to do it because there were day's that you could not force me to work on it!!!! long as i was tearing it apart or putting something together i was fine,but i figured out once i had to do something i didnt like for a long period of time,,that's when i would say sc**w it!!!!! finnally figured out (a little late,lol) on those bad day's if i just went and picked out something small to work on that i liked doing for a day or so then i could catch my breathe and go back to the crappy job for awhile!

[1987 Shortwide]

Well, thanks alot for all the input guys, and I succesfully finished sixty8C10's thread (I had lost track of it half way through).

For starters I guess I need to quit screwing with my DD when I have a little extra time... I knew I shouldn't have gotten one that I wanted to tinker with.

I think a few of you hit it on the head that it's extra discouraging looking at the whole thing in pieces, so I will be sitting down to create a list tonight. I'd like to get it all the way to finish, but it'll cover quite a ways into the project if not all the way. I'll post my list and maybe I can turn this thread into something like sixty8c10's.... yea I wish

I guess it'll help too that I'll have a bit of a break from school for a while (this is finals week) and maybe I can focus on it a little more. One of my favorite things to do is post progress, but that's kinda hard when there IS NONE!

Again, thanks guys. Very uplifting to read some of your related issues and see some input.

[sixty8c10]

sorry it took so long to get through my thread. hope it helped.......i all can say is that i wish you the best.....and i am looking forward to those progress updates

[1987 Shortwide]

First off, here's where I'm at now.


The frame is actually bare now, I've got it on jackstands



well, here's my rough list of things to do in some kind of order....

1. Prep and coat frame/suspension components (eastwoods chassis paint)
2. Re-assemble rolling frame (poly bushings and all that stuff new)
3. Mount proportioning valve and run brake my new brake lines
4. Finish the bodywork on the firewall and get it under primer
5. Prep and coat the underside of the cab and bed (eastwoods chassis paint)
6. Finish the bodywork on the bedfloor and get it under primer
7. get the bed assembled, seam seal it, and get the inside and front painted and clearcoated, at the same time paint and clear the back of the cab where it meets the bed.
8. put the bed on the frame, install the fuel cell and battery, and get those lines ran at least to the front frame area.
9. sandblast all my door jambs and window jamb areas and get them under primer, and set the cab on the frame. (I should probably test fit doors and front clip then too)
10. get the steering column in, new master cylinder on, and finish the brake lines up as well as the linelock.
11. Install motor so that I can determine all the final holes in the firewall, etc. Then pull the motor back out.
12. Paint and clear: Firewall, lower dash, door jambs, window jambs, inside of doors, inside of fenders, and underside of the hood.
13. Install wiring harness and ignition stuff (all of that goes under the dash)
14. Re-install motor with trans this time, and begin all of the turbo kit mach-up, as well as final wiring routing.
15. Mount the turbo, then fab headers and Y-pipe, then fab cold-side plumbing to the carb.
16. Remove all the header plumbing and send it off for TIG welding, and while it's gone pull the heads for new head gaskets, and finish preparing the motor for the new setup.


I could probably go on, but after that point I'm not sure what I will do next. I'll probably come up with some stuff that needs wedged in, but I think that this list will be a good map of where to go next.

Again, thanks for all the input guys. This list is extremely helpful when I look at it, and I'm not quite sure why I didn't think to make one earlier...

[bigarmzz]

hey man, i do around 2 of these a year.....

get-r-done

there's nothing like it when its finally done!!! a great feeling of accomplishment unfortunately for me...i have to do these resto's fast, mainly b/c if i didnt, it'd never get done....i have a serious attention span problem...

[82c10]

oh another, i hope i am as good at the work you have done to it when i am 20 years old, i know i won't be

[boxrodz]

With the amount of work guys like you put into frame-offs or for that matter any large undertaking, it can be overwhelming. You need to give yourself more credit for the amount of mods that you've done so far. At least, you're well on your way...

Good advice on what the others have said. Along with a plan (of action), puting a reasonable timeline on each task may help keep the focus and give you an expection of when it will or should be completed (or near completion).

BTW, would bringing in Paul, Sr. or Boyd's shop manager help to motivate you?

[1987 Shortwide]

Originally Posted by boxrodz

BTW, would bringing in Paul, Sr. or Boyd's shop manager help to motivate you?

LOL, I'd just end up hurting them with a large metal object

[TEAM THC]

Wow.. Listen To This Out Pouring Of Motivation. Dude Remember Its Winter And Lots Of People Get Depressed. Im With Bigarmzz Focus On One Thing At A Time. Set Goals For Yourself. Yuo Can Do It!