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Build or ride?

FOR MUD

FOR MUD

1/2 ton status
GMOTM Winner
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Posts
3,254
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Location
Clayton Del
I saw an editorial in one of the mags ( Yes I still read 4x4 mags....Old habits die hard ) about if you had to choose one or the other...Build or ride?
I think a better question would be, what do you like to do better?
I think for me it's split 60/40....60% to the build side and 40% to the riding.
I like the whole planning and building side of things. It's a stress release....Where the riding end of things can bring some stress with it. The whole getting ready/getting there/what might I break/getting back home....Don't get me wrong, I do love the riding...But I think I like the building end of things slightly better.
 
Not me,I'm getting too physically challenged to do much wrenching or work like engine swaps and transmission replacements any more--I'd like to be able to DRIVE something a few years anywhere I want without fear of mechanical woes for a change..

I used to like taking my trucks apart down to the frames and doing a "backyard" restoration and welding the bodies back together--now the thrill is gone,and its a painful ordeal just to keep one vehicle running and rolling any length of time.."builds" are better left to the young,the hard part is your brain never seems to age,just your body..you still have the desire to build the vehicle of your dreams,but lack the ability to do so..your better off buying one already built that you like once you get to that stage of life..
 
This is an interesting conundrum.





I really, really, really like my garage time.

It is by far my favorite place in the house.

But I also haven't actually taken the truck out. It needs a good shakedown run. I am worried about breaking it, but I think that I would still enjoy my garage time even if I was fixing broken stuff.
 
I enjoy the build, but I like driving the truck more. Using it to go grab a beer from the store, and take the wife out on a date are now higher priorities for me. Building is fun, but driving is more funner!!!
 
There is something rewarding about the random person giving you a thumbs up while you are driving down the road, or walking back to your truck in the parking lot and seeing a father and son sitting there talking about it.

Every single time my neighbor's 3 year old son sees me driving up he come running, yelling as loud he can, "Hey Justin! ccan you take me in the big truck Justin?"

And I do. Always.

It may only be a 10 mph trip about the neighborhood, but he loves it.
 
/\ that is awesome and you are that kids hero dude.. there isn't much that tops that feeling.

I feel I'll be perpetually in the planning stages.. I always cook up stuff and never have the time or funds, that however is changing.. hopefully now I can get more into the driving of things.. cause that's cool and catching air is cooler..
 
I really prefer the driving but without the build time,..... well you need to know your machine inside and out every nut and bolt every wire connection. driving 57%-----designing & building 43%
 
I only do stuff to my truck so I can explore even more places. I'm all about the drive.
 
I really like the building process. Takes the mind off of every thing else that is going on. Don't know about the drive yet. Pretty sure that is going to be fun too. I would say 50/50. Time will tell.
 
Now I only wrench so I can go somewhere. If I don't have a deadline, it doesn't get done. But I refuse to do last minute thrashing also.
 
A person has to be a little careful with the huge builds before ever doing a trail run. I've known a few people that did some pretty awesome builds, took their truck out once and didn't like it and totally abandoned everything. If your end goal is running a lot of trails, I encourage people to build a little then test figure out what you like/don't like, then build a little more then test, and so on.
 
I like that approach because that way you know if your going the right direction with the build. Some mods sound good but actually hurt the performance in other areas.
 
I got two thumbs up Monday, one from a Marine on base in a lifted round eye stepside squarebody, and another from a fellow old guy in a cherry old J 20. Made my day!

I'm digging the planning/building stage, even as slow as it is for now. I can't hardly wait to get to the driving part.

I do take out my grandson whenever possible. He loves going out with PawPaw in the "big truck".
 
mrk5 said:
A person has to be a little careful with the huge builds before ever doing a trail run. I've known a few people that did some pretty awesome builds, took their truck out once and didn't like it and totally abandoned everything. If your end goal is running a lot of trails, I encourage people to build a little then test figure out what you like/don't like, then build a little more then test, and so on.
Click to expand...

That's a good way to save money too. Your not wasting it on things that you don't need.
 
Justin V said:
There is something rewarding about the random person giving you a thumbs up while you are driving down the road, or walking back to your truck in the parking lot and seeing a father and son sitting there talking about it.

Every single time my neighbor's 3 year old son sees me driving up he come running, yelling as loud he can, "Hey Justin! ccan you take me in the big truck Justin?"

And I do. Always.

It may only be a 10 mph trip about the neighborhood, but he loves it.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. I was coming back from Denver last month in my K5 and stopped at the Love's as I came back into Pueblo to fill up (and check my mileage, yes I'm a big nerd). While filling up a couple of guys were walking back to their Dirtymax Silverado, asked me what year the Blazer was and said they liked it a lot. It's a great feeling when total strangers really see something they like about it.

For me the build is one phase. It's fun, but it's a means to an end. I want to drive it. Wheel it. Camp out of it. Basically make memories. It killed me not to even drive either my 75 or the 91 for over a year and a half. The 75's 12 bolt looked like the cover had been shot out with a .45 from the inside out and swapping axles to keep driving it would have just delayed the 91 from getting on the road when it did. Sure I did a couple of runs riding shotgun in buddies rigs but it's not the same. That's saying a lot because Larry's K10 is a very nice place to ride shotgun. I love that truck, but it's not mine. I relished just steering the 91 into Larry's garage with him pulling it with his lawn tractor while sitting on the floor. The first actual drive on the highway just felt like it was home again. Minus the 75's symphony of squeaks, rattles and groans.

Mine isn't done by a long shot, but it's at a point where I can take on tasks over a weekend and knock a item or two off the list and keep driving it.
 
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