For me, there is nothing as motivating as a running, driveable project...and nothing as discouraging or overwhelming as a pile of rusty parts. I try to fix the mechanicals and keep everything up and going with as little down time as possible. Having fun with my truck keeps me motivated, even if it doesn't have shiny paint yet.
When the time is right, I'll tear it back apart and do the paint but only if I have enough time and money to get it finished fairly quickly.
