How many projects?

[66/440]

How many on going projects does everyone have and how do you manage them? And how many are currently driveable?
i have 5.
'76 T$C
'85 Ramcharger
66 Coronet.
72 Scamp
59 series 62 Cadillac

The Ramcharger is the only driveable project I have. I just finished it after 3 years.

The Cadillac was but I decided to pull all of the accessories to detail. Then I decided to upgrade tha AC system, and since I have not driven it in the hot weather here I decided the radiator need a cleaning. Then since everything was off the engine it only made sense to pull the heads and have hardened seats installed. Then I decided the engine bay really needed a good detail and freshening so the engine is coming out, besides I needed to reseal the transmission and replace the engine pan gasket......now the plan is just do a rebuild on the entire engine because the compression seemed a little low...

The Coronet has had all the body work finished, mini tubed, sub frame connectors and torque boxes. It is waiting on a slot at the paint shop. It will be red with a white interior.


The Scamp has the frame connectors and torque boxes and the mini tubs are just about finished. Starting work on the front suspension soon.

 

[KcImperial]

Do you mean projects like if I actually plan on finishing them?? :sign10:

I currently have the following
(5) 1958 Imperials - 1 driveable, 1 could be if I finish the year long disc brake conversion, 1 is waiting on the motor to be installed, 1 is a parts car, last 1 undecided fate.
1967 New Yorker - waiting on motor swap
1968 Newport - most recent purchase, drove it today
1969 Cougar - bought in 1988, drove once for 5 miles in 1996
3 days ago, blew the head gasket on my daily driver Civic so it's now in project stage too.
My truck runs ok

I effectively manage my projects with denial, avoidance, and lots of excuses.

 

[detmatt]

'68 RR almost ready for paint for a few years now.
'68 Coronet R/T which I haven't touched since I bought. It was on a rotisserie when I acquired it and I took it off the rotisserie to trailer it home. This one I didn't plan on working on till the RR was done, I just had to have it.
'71 Challenger convertible was a driver until I pulled the engine and trans out of it last winter as both were in desperate need of rebuilds. Engine is almost done and trans is still on the shop floor where I put it upon removal.
'67 Imperial is almost my dd during the season but it's also an ongoing project.

 

[bluefury361]

I have come to the conclusion that everything I have is a project at some level. We drive and show Jazebelle a lot since being restored over three years ago, but the "to do" list never gets shorter.
My 65 Coronet 500 is a very reliable driver, usually ready to go anywhere, but the A/C quit, A control issue I think, and she also has a list.
The Admiral is my DD/project right now. I'm sprucing up the interior now.
And Virgil, my 61 Plymouth Fury convertible is the big project. It will run and drive but I've been working on refinishing the trim and collecting any and all NOS pieces for him I can. Due to the difficulty in locating stuff for a 61 Plymouth I want to have everything in place before going down for body, paint and interior.

Project status turns into maintenance once you start using them.

 

[commando1]

I've got two constant "maintainers"....

 

[66/440]

I have come to the conclusion that everything I have is a project at some level. We drive and show Jazebelle a lot since being restored over three years ago, but the "to do" list never gets shorter.
My 65 Coronet 500 is a very reliable driver, usually ready to go anywhere, but the A/C quit, A control issue I think, and she also has a list.
The Admiral is my DD/project right now. I'm sprucing up the interior now.
And Virgil, my 61 Plymouth Fury convertible is the big project. It will run and drive but I've been working on refinishing the trim and collecting any and all NOS pieces for him I can. Due to the difficulty in locating stuff for a 61 Plymouth I want to have everything in place before going down for body, paint and interior.

Project status turns into maintenance once you start using them.

Maintenance is something I can live with because you are getting some payback/enjoyment
But the constant project status is becoming issue. I am not sure if it is a character flaw or if it is a subconscious feeling that my father is standing over my shoulder saying "are you really going to do it that way" or maybe I just don't want to wake up in the middle of the night with that OH NO feeling. In any case my projects seem to be out of control right now and I am looking for a way to manage them. You seem to have yours under control what's your secret?

 

[66/440]

I am having "Maintainer Envy". Has it always been that way? Were you insightful enough to pass on major project cars?

 

[bluefury361]

Actually I'd much rather "build" a vehicle then maintain one. I really dislike maintenance, but do it out of necessity. Most of the pleasure I get from a vehicle is the build. Thing is, once it's built and in service....... It becomes a used car right away. And since I'm not into a trailer queen and love driving them, there is a very short interval between a finished car and a used car.

I try to keep two or more projects going. When one comes to a halt due to service or material shortage I'll organize/order what is needed and go on to the other project that came to a halt for the same reason, and now has the needed stuff to continue.

I don't suffer from lack of motivation. To me it's a passion. If you need to force yourself to do the work then your missing the point and maybe should just hire it out. JMHO.

 

[MYSINBIN]

I think the biggest challenge for any car maniac is discipline.

I focus on two things: '67 Newports and Gravely tractors.

I only buy running, driving cars and parts cars. For me cars are for driving. The parts cars keep the drivers going.

I try very hard not to have more than one car apart at a time. My biggest fear is to have a building full of parts that used to be cars, and not have one to drive. I know many car people that own several cars and none drive.

My advice would be to focus on one vehicle and get it done. The more progress you make the more motivation you gain. Once you get one done, you will regain your confidence and want to tackle another.

Don't buy any other vehicles/projects until you get one or two of your current stuff done and driving.

For me there is huge satisfaction in finishing a particular task on a car and then cruising in it.

I don't think I will ever do a full restoration of any car unless I can print enough money to pay someone else to do the major work.

Discipline is the key.

The Gravely tractors are another story.

Hope the input helps.

John

 

[mr. fix it]

I have officially 1 but there is the Honey Do list that keeps us preoccupied.

Right now it is the roof and then an expansion on the driveway with extra drainage so we can store trailers around the back of the house.

Next will be the yard shed

 

[LocuMob]

I have 3 projects:

66 Polara, running and driving but needs all kinds of improvements
67 Dart that is a roller, just finally getting to it after 15 years
72 W200 crew cab stepside that I'll get too eventually

The Polara will never be "done", but is a driver, constantly evolving. The Dart and the W200 actually have a end result goal. I know how I want them to turn out, and I have most everything I need to do it. The Polara is an open book, who knows what will happen next. My motivation is based off how tired I am after work, 12 hour days in a hot environment don't help, and what chores the home office has for me each day. I like the build and driving them, equally.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I only have 4 vehicles and those are my 4 projects.

1. 67 Barracuda, basically restored but some items were put back on as-is like the dash bezel. The engine was a Krylon rebuild and needs rebuilt/replaced.
2. 70 Dodge Truck, more a driver but like anything this old it needs work, currently the driver door is gutted while I rebuild the lift bracket.
3. 69 Polara, my daily driver will probably be sold before I ever really do anything with it.
4. 69 Polara CHP, my only true project, till this is done everything else is in survivor mode.


Alan

 

[bluefury361]

Alan, If your referring to the glass lift regulator, I have one from a 69 Adventurer should you run into problems.

 

[Samplingman]

I have two:

1970 Chrysler 300 coupe "parts car" that runs, and;
1970 Chrysler 300 vert in parts, that doesn't.

Gonna fix 'em up, one of these days....

 

[1969vert500]

I have TOO many and maybe someday they will all get done but always seems to be a better one pop up

-1970 V code cuda, 4 speed, shaker, dana super trak pack car EV2 (just sitting)
-1969.5 Super bee A12 EV2, white gut, auto column (almost done)
-1971 V code super bee, FY1 yellow, auto (just sitting)
-1969 M code Dart GTS 440, T5, Mr Norms car originally (actually at the body shop)
-1970 Polara 440 Vert (Dave's old white car) EW1 soon to be FC7 (torn apart getting ready to go to blaster)
-1970 Polara 440 Vert EV2 loaded 2 tag car, superlite (just sitting)
-1969 Polara 500 440 Vert B7, B7 with white top, 375 horse #'s matching, superlite (just sitting)

I don't need any more I just need to spend the next 30 years getting these done!! Projects are cheap, getting them done is a whole different story!!

 

[Wildaugust]

For me, it's a case of either not having the money or not having the time. Right now I have a little bit of time, but......... Yeah, you guessed it. :laughing7:

Anyway, at the moment I have two "projects" that I'm working on. One is my '71 Newport Custom and the other is my '69 F-100.

My Newport, which I've owned since 1993, is drivable. I do take her out every now and then during the summer, although last year I didn't drive her at all. It's a pretty solid car, except for the lower quarter panels and some rust issues with the "A" pillars because of the vinyl top. The 383 is still reliable, but a bit tired, so, rebuilding it is on my "To Do List". I plan a slight increase in compression, along with a slightly hotter cam and I bought some "452" heads that I hope to be using. I've been rounding up all of the parts that I'll need to do the front end. Other than that, all I need to do is make her pretty again.

My truck was a running, driving truck (just barely) when I bought it. It ran, but it was in rough shape. It seemed liked everything was either rusted, worn out, broken or missing. I've always liked the "Bumpside" Fords, which is the main reason that I chose that particular truck, that, and the fact that it had the 390 with the 3-Speed OD and Limited Slip. Looking back on it now, even though I liked it, I probably would have been smarter to pass on it. But, what's done is done and I did have a lot of fun driving it. Besides, I bought my truck several years before I became the proud owner of my Newport. I decided that the truck needed saving first, while there was still something left to save. So, I parked it after the summer of '96 and began working on it in 2002. It's been in my garage ever since, but is almost completely back together now. I plan to try firing up the engine in a few weeks!

The other possible "project" is a '70 Meteor Rideau 500, which is a Canadian Mercury and is essentially a Monterey with a Galaxie dashboard. It isn't really a project yet, but rather a spare daily driver that has saved my *** on many occasions, when my regular late-model driver broke down. Yeah, the new cars are so much better than the old ones! [sarcasm]

The Meteor has a 351W engine in it, which is coupled to an FMX automatic. The engine has the "good" heads, the early 351W heads, which have slightly larger valves than the later heads. The later 351W engines, '74 & up I believe, essentially got 302 heads with smaller valves from the factory. This engine is getting kind of tired too and could use a freshening up. I've owned the car since 1994. She could use some body and paint to make her look respectable again, but I don't intend on putting as much into her as my Newport. I don't plan on any engine mods. She's basically mechanically sound and I trust her more than I trust any new car to not leave me stranded somewhere.

I find with any car, and especially with the classics, that if everything is kept in good working order or once everything has been returned to good working order, it's actually not that much trouble or expense to maintain them.

 

[DasBoot]

I have a few in no particular order:

72 Duster (sons car). Just finished up the fuel cell install on it. Needs rear quarter replacement and trunk and floor pan replaced.
73 Duster. My car, I'm the 2nd owner. Currently engineless, but have a couple 360's laying around that are slated for it.
75 Duster. Daily Driver, slant 6. I tinker on it when I have the time, which is almost never.
72 Suzuki 175 Prospector Bike. Needs battery and it should fire up.
71 Honda Trail 90. Needs complete teardown and rebuild. My "someday" project.
04 cummins with crappy, non-working A/C.
And of course the 71 Yorker. Not sure why I bought it but it was an impulse buy regardless. I've grown to love this car in the 2 months i've owned it.

 

[tbm3fan]

Hmm, sounds like a fair amount of guys who should be in the pages of Cars in Barns. You know where the 70 year old grandmother says she is going to fix the car one day and won't sell...

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Alan, If your referring to the glass lift regulator, I have one from a 69 Adventurer should you run into problems.

No, the regulator is fine, the bracket that attaches to the glass had one of the channels break off.
I have a replacement now and all new weatherstrip for the full door, runs, vent and all.
Parts are cleaned up and painted, just need to attach one of the vent seals and I'll be ready to put together.

Thanks,


Alan

 

[mrmopar66]

Over the years I have usually have 2-3 projects at any one time. At the moment I have.........

66 Charger 440 running and driving. Was my dads car.
69 Chrysler 300 Vert 375 horse 440 HP car. Project will be a 4 speed car
39 Plymouth 4 door. Another car from my dad. Most likely a rat rod candidate.
90 Lebaron GTC/VNT Turbo Coupe. Needs engine work.