When LIFE gets in the way of the car projects.....

[Kern Dog]

I hate this part of life.
I love having the freedom to wrench on the Chargers, tear up and down the local roads peeling out and shifting gears but all too often, the obligations of life get in the way.
It could be the long hours of the job, family needs, health issues, a lack of money or obligations to other projects.
I've read some here that some members have cars that are still not roadworthy even after 5 years of ongoing work 30 minutes at a time.
I'm fortunate to not have kids to take up my time and being retired should have resulted in more free time.
Yeah...I do have what WAS free time but now I'm under the gun to complete several repairs on this house so we can put it up for sale.
I miss tinkering with the cars though.....I bought a new electronic distributor for the red car to replace the circa 2000 Mopar Performance unit that produces ignition timing as stable as a tweeker that has been up for three days stripping copper wires for scrap $$$.
I want to get the heater/def working right in Jigsaw before winter comes. I need to do stuff to a few other cars out back but obligations at the house are eating all of my time.
Who else feels the pain of delayed projects?

 

[eldubb440]

story of my life...... I've been "retired" for about 35 years now

the house, property, work obligations, family (no kids, but 7 older siblings, guess who they call?)....... it's all a full time job, and then some

 

[Cojohnso1]

I'm sure everyone at some time has this. My B-body is a pure joy. It's the one car that gets better the more you rub. I've had cars that didn't follow that pattern. My Duster is one. You fix one thing. And two more issues pop from nowhere. I get close, then some other family obligation enters. I think it's A-body jinxed? And I'm not sure of others, but it does wear on motivation for me. So I got a day to work on GTX. Gave her a tune up and replaced brake master cylinder. (Will see if that cures occasional air line lines.) The B-body was so happy the gas gauges began working again. And that was next on list. Lol.

So I guess we have to live for small victories when time and circumstance allows.

 

[1STMP]

5 years?
Try 30. After completing my first
restoration ( the kids were babies)

I started on this one, in 1993.

It's now roadworthy, waiting on a title.
I commend you for meeting your
obligations to family and home.
You'll find that working on your
passions take on an extra meaning.
Others may not realize your
sacrifices, but you will. The attitude
is to never give in, and keep the
ultimate goal in sight.
As Johnny Cash's song "One Piece
At A Time"
Evey single member here has the
same frustrations.
Hang in there, and see it done.
PS....
I bought and moved to different
homes, in different states 4 times
during this build. I've hauled all parts
all over the country. New Mexico,
Texas. Indiana, Ohio.
Moved from Ohio back to NM when
my mother became ill and could not
survive on her own. Family
obligations.
No need to hate where you are
at this point. You earned it.

 

[Demonic]

I sympathize Greg, but still...first world problems. You wake up and have to pick which car you'll drive today.

 

[Xp29h]

My last 2 years have been that way too. Always something else cropping up to get in the way! Sucks for sure!

 

[Ghostrider 67]

I used to be hot and heavy on working on the Express. But, as I get older I find that the welfare of my wife and animals are more important to me on a daily basis. When I move on to the next adventure I really doubt that anyone will ask me about a car, but I fully expect to see every animal I ever owned waiting for me and I don't want to have to try to explain why I didn't do my best for them when they were with me. My wife comes from a much more problematic gene pool than I. I am in nearly perfect health at 65. Battle damage aside I have no major issues. My wife on the other hand has a collection of health issues that, absent daily meds, would kill her in days. She relies upon me more than she likes and I have a duty to care for her before I do anything else. Our land and animals are her daily joy and I must see to it that she CAN enjoy them in peace and relative comfort which means lots of outdoor management and livestock care. When she goes I will likely move to a smaller place with less work involved.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

 

[Black_Sheep]

It took 12 years to build my Plymouth mostly due to the financial obligations of raising a family.

 

[PlymCrazy]

I hate this part of life.
I love having the freedom to wrench on the Chargers, tear up and down the local roads peeling out and shifting gears but all too often, the obligations of life get in the way.
It could be the long hours of the job, family needs, health issues, a lack of money or obligations to other projects.
I've read some here that have cars that are still not roadworthy even after 5 years of ongoing work 30 minutes at a time.
I'm fortunate to not have kids to take up my time and being retired should have resulted in more free time.
Yeah...I do have what WAS free time but now I'm under the gun to complete several repairs on this house so we can put it up for sale.
I miss tinkering with the cars though.....I bought a new electronic distributor for the red car to replace the circa 2000 Mopar Performance unit that produces ignition timing as stable as a tweeker that has been up for three days stripping copper wires for scrap $$$.
I want to get the heater/def working right in Jigsaw before winter comes. I need to do stuff to a few other cars out back but obligations at the house are eating all of my time.
Who else feels the pain of delayed projects?

View attachment 1490725

story of my life...... I've been "retired" for about 35 years now

the house, property, work obligations, family (no kids, but 7 older siblings, guess who they call?)....... it's all a full time job, and then some

Potentially retiring in 5 years and some change. Appreciate the encouragement fellas

 

[Mopar Hunter]

I used to be hot and heavy on working on the Express. But, as I get older I find that the welfare of my wife and animals are more important to me on a daily basis. When I move on to the next adventure I really doubt that anyone will ask me about a car, but I fully expect to see every animal I ever owned waiting for me and I don't want to have to try to explain why I didn't do my best for them when they were with me. My wife comes from a much more problematic gene pool than I. I am in nearly perfect health at 65. Battle damage aside I have no major issues. My wife on the other hand has a collection of health issues that, absent daily meds, would kill her in days. She relies upon me more than she likes and I have a duty to care for her before I do anything else. Our land and animals are her daily joy and I must see to it that she CAN enjoy them in peace and relative comfort which means lots of outdoor management and livestock care. When she goes I will likely move to a smaller place with less work involved.

I couldn’t agree more. As much as I like my car, I love our pets and family more. I told my parents I would sell my Charger to help care for them, my siblings and our pets.

 

[WileERobby]

Through the years, my career and my businesses, all required my attention, but always, ALWAYS, family came first. The toys were always there, even now. But the toys knew their place in the overall scheme of things. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

We have owned upwards of 94 animals over the years. Each a rescue or born into the family. Each has had a great life.

 

[PlymCrazy]

When we started having kids money was tight. We liquidated all the toys so we could get a nice home with some land. My passion for wrenching on cars was satisfied exclusively by keeping our daily drivers running and having the kids by my side when I did. We typically didn't drive anything new so that kept the kids and I busy enough with repairs and routine maintenance. Not having the car payments also helped us to afford the kids hobbies too. Now that the kids are older and managing their own lives, this allowed the financial freedom to get back into the older cars and build a shop. I'm still called on regularly to help the kids with vehicle repairs, house repairs, marriage counseling, etc...

 

[Mackman]

I’ve been working on one particular John Deere tractor for 30 years now. Done 20 other projects in between. I’m now 2 weeks away from having it done. Only problem is, it’s been around so long I’m beginning to hate it.

 

[1967coronet]

Like it was said on up the thread.
Heck most all of us face the same problems and choices at this point in life.
I do have kids in their 40s , 5 grand kids and a honey do list that is older than a couple of the grandkids.
I did retire last month but I'm still working 40 hrs a week.
We do have a person interested in the shop to the point of he is dealing with the money end of things.
That can go ethire way.
I'm ready to just work part time like 3 days a week.
I think I will always have projects unfinished, that is what we do. I do not think I ever want to be done.
What comes after that ? I just dont see myself feeding birds and going to am coffee.

 

[Hey-O]

I remember working, what felt like everyday of my life. All of you are right, life gets in the way and I guess that's how it is. When life freed up, other things started crumbing in around me. My wife needs me and no amount of money can or will change that. About a month ago, I was out driving the Coronet, when a young lady wanted my lane more than me. Rather than letting her hitting me, I ran up and on the raised median dividing the road. It was about 5 or 6 inches tall. Long story short, it bend the tie rod and tie rod ends of the unit on the drivers side. Unisteer stop making that unit for B-Bodies in 2019. So they offered to stop production and throw mine in and make new tie rods and ends. I sent in the unit for them to rebuild and put the new parts on. I guess it's my turn and as far as the young lady that ran me off the road. The last thing I saw was her eyes in her mirror, they got as big as a silver dollar, as the light turned green and she ran and left me there. I drove the last few miles with the tires squealing to my house. Money, time, or *** time waiting for parts, that you hope they can make or fix, pick your poison.

 

[Builderguy]

Delayed projects?
1972 Challenger sits in storage waiting for a garage space, or at least "a garage"
Still working on my sisters house. One bathroom became two.
A little tile work became a lot of tile work.
Some landscaping turned into the entire yard.
New driveway, siding, windows, deck, and the list goes on.
A quick mini vacation turned into installing a boat lift, repairing a garage door spring, and installing 3 50 AMP trailer hookups
The wife and I still look a couple times a week for an existing home but none are meeting our wants/needs.
The search has now turned to land. 5 acres is all that we need but even that search is not producing any good leads.
Pressure now is to finish my sisters' project and nail down a property purchase before fall sets in.
Travels out west are suppose to start late August early September so we need to focus on finishing the tasks at hand.
We will NEVER get caught up, best we can do is arrange projects to an acceptable level so that the car gets a home and her
wood working shop has a shop.
Just moving pieces on the chess board is all we do.

 

[moparwacko]

Ah retirement.......
In the eyes of others, you have nothing to do. In our eyes it's been a lifetime of doing for others, and now it's my turn. Most of the time it is doing things for the kids/grandkids, and elderly parents. I don't forsake doing those type of things, but sometimes I just want to do what I want to do.
Retirement only removed the actual physical requirements of "going to work". Everything else remains- only now I get to choose when I mow the lawn, clean the pool, weed the garden, etc. That part is great, but there is always something pulling me away from car related stuff. My point is most people do not value your time- "well you're retired, and it will only take a couple hours"
I have to learn to say no.
Maybe I should build a shop away from the house, that way I can say I'm not home/not available.

Signed- grumpy old retired guy

 

[RT68440]

I started restoring the Charger back in 2009. I was 26 years old. I warned my dad when we started talking about tearing it down that it may be five years before it's done...fast forward 14 years, buying a house, getting married and deciding to have a little one last year the car still isn't done. It's getting close, but working an hour or so at a time for 3 for evenings a week doesn't get you far...