The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk when do you call it quits

I have a different twist here...I was given a 1947 CJ2A Willys Jeep that I thought I had to have to make myself happy...I sold another running vintage truck and 2 racecars and started the rebuilding process...every single day I spent time on it..at least 2 hours most days....someday more.....18 monthes later I drove it out of the garage...I was so sick of it I could not wait to start something else...to the point where I wanted to sell it because it was nothing like what I had hoped it would be...it is dog slow and way too loud for me...still not sure what I wanted to do with it...so I put it under cover for now and I jumped into another project just to keep myself busy...I am thankful I did the rebuild...learned a ton about old vintage Willys Jeeps but also learned what I wont do on the next build...next one will be more driver freindly and cost a whole heck of a lot less to build...if you get sick of them...find a spot for them and start something new...maybe down the road you will get re-energized and get back to work on it..
just my smelly old 2 cents....
MikeC

I've been working on mine, on and off, for nearly 6 years now. I hit a wall, lose interest, etc., like everyone else in here, then realize that if I do just one thing a day, remove one dent, run one set of beads with the welder, sandblast or sand down one item, you look back and realize just how much you got done. Can't eat the whole elephant in one bite. Then of course it helps when 52Carl calls and asks what I've gotten done....knowing he's driving his '50 around, showing off while he's still making progress on both his '49 and '52!

Was invited to join a local old truck club last month and got around a bunch of folks who love AD's and old trucks in general. To see those pulling up in the parking lot definitely re-motivated me to start back up.

Nothing more I want to do than get my truck on the road, the wife in the passenger's seat (if she doesn't wrestle me for the steering wheel) and cruising around like we did when we were kids and I owned my first '52!

A lot of good advice and experiences here I can relate to. I would like to summarize my thoughts in the following points:

1. If you don't have the passion and are in it for a financial investment, then call it quits, sell the truck, take the loss, and invest in something else. This isn't for you.

2. If you have the passion for this, you will never call it quits. Sometimes you may have to take a break. Know yourself and what motivates you to get the fire lit again.

3. Do a little something everyday and you WILL consume the elephant.

4. A running/driving vehicle will keep you more motivated. Keep it in that state as much as possible.

5. Organize yourself. Make a list of what needs to be done to get it on the road and focus on those things one by one.

6. No one is born knowing how to do this stuff. If you're not experienced at this and are frustrated because you don't really know how to do a lot of the things that need doing, see point #5 and just learn how to do each thing at the point that you need to know it. This is called "just in time" learning. Pretty soon you will find that you know a lot of stuff and can apply the knowledge to other tasks as well.

7. Turn to your Stovebolt brothers and sisters for advice, when you need it.

8. Keep in mind that when it runs and drives for the first time, you will hear angels singing and you will joyfully realize that a miracle has occured.

9. Once #8 occurs, you will never be the same and will spend the rest of your life looking for that high again. Yes, it's a disease. Welcome to the club. You're screwed.

10. Now repeat these words at least 10 times: "It CAN be done. It SHALL be done!! Not rust, seized engines, missing parts nor rounded fasteners can defeat me. I am prepared to die with a wrench in hand, if necessary. I shall never surrender."

Now, this therapy session is over. Are you ready to get out in the garage and get that thing so that it will run and drive? OKAY THEN!

It's time to focus on specifics. Where are you right now on this project? Maybe we can help you determine what next steps you should take.

Bucketorust are you still here?

Wayne, I sent him a PM so maybe he'll check in. Maybe the cable lines up in Canada are still frozen. Hope he is OK.

Hmm...I guess he called it quits, huh?