The Ford Barn - View Single Post - How to decide when to throw in the towel?

Model A Fan · 01-26-2015, 11:24 PM

So I've had my project since September 2012 and was absolutely thrilled to have a 30-31 roadster in my garage. I started tearing into it in August 2013 and ended up bending a valve after emergency removal of a stud that snapped while I was putting a freshly machined head on. Well, there it sat with the bent valve and partially disassembled.

I've run into a situation of sorts where I don't have a way to transport parts for the car (can't haul the body to a sandblasting place as I have no trailer/truck), I don't have a welder nor do I know how to weld, I got tired of buying parts for the car and tired of not being able to do anything, and finally I have very little space it seems.

I have run out of motivation and now am working quite a bit (50-60HRS per week). Coming up, my schedule will be slightly better as I will have weekdays off on a rotating schedule (six on two off), so the places that actually can do work on my project will in fact be open when I have days off. Seems that companies that can do work that I need done are not open when I have the time to even get parts to them.

I feel like I'd rather buy a 46-53 Chevy or GMC pickup and just have something cool to drive around and be able to enjoy, rather than have something cool sitting in my garage that I don't work on, just gets stuff stacked on it and it essentially takes up the space that I could have a table saw or some other cool tool instead.

I am sure lots of you have faced this issue and somehow powered through the disappointment, lack of enthusiasm or just plain disinterest in your project. I am at an impasse now that I'd rather free up the funds for potentially branching out to a different hobby (woodworking) and having the space and sell off my car project and associated parts.

I'd appreciate any reflections from members who have dealt with the same dilemma and who may have advice on both sides of the coin. One of the only things preventing me from selling it off is that I may never get an opportunity in the future to have a project like this. I bought it with money I saved and I don't want to try to find one like it when I am buying a house or raising kids because I know and have heard how budgets for hobbies get so constricted.

For your information, here is a thread I made on the HAMB about the project when I first bought it:

My humble start:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...and-me.580645/

Where I am now:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...-build.734758/

Thanks for looking.

01-26-2015, 11:24 PM	#1
Model A Fan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bellingham, Washington Posts: 362	How to decide when to throw in the towel? So I've had my project since September 2012 and was absolutely thrilled to have a 30-31 roadster in my garage. I started tearing into it in August 2013 and ended up bending a valve after emergency removal of a stud that snapped while I was putting a freshly machined head on. Well, there it sat with the bent valve and partially disassembled. I've run into a situation of sorts where I don't have a way to transport parts for the car (can't haul the body to a sandblasting place as I have no trailer/truck), I don't have a welder nor do I know how to weld, I got tired of buying parts for the car and tired of not being able to do anything, and finally I have very little space it seems. I have run out of motivation and now am working quite a bit (50-60HRS per week). Coming up, my schedule will be slightly better as I will have weekdays off on a rotating schedule (six on two off), so the places that actually can do work on my project will in fact be open when I have days off. Seems that companies that can do work that I need done are not open when I have the time to even get parts to them. I feel like I'd rather buy a 46-53 Chevy or GMC pickup and just have something cool to drive around and be able to enjoy, rather than have something cool sitting in my garage that I don't work on, just gets stuff stacked on it and it essentially takes up the space that I could have a table saw or some other cool tool instead. I am sure lots of you have faced this issue and somehow powered through the disappointment, lack of enthusiasm or just plain disinterest in your project. I am at an impasse now that I'd rather free up the funds for potentially branching out to a different hobby (woodworking) and having the space and sell off my car project and associated parts. I'd appreciate any reflections from members who have dealt with the same dilemma and who may have advice on both sides of the coin. One of the only things preventing me from selling it off is that I may never get an opportunity in the future to have a project like this. I bought it with money I saved and I don't want to try to find one like it when I am buying a house or raising kids because I know and have heard how budgets for hobbies get so constricted. For your information, here is a thread I made on the HAMB about the project when I first bought it: My humble start: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...and-me.580645/ Where I am now: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...-build.734758/ Thanks for looking.