Lost interest

[boggerless]

Good points. Here is the problem with building our trucks. Most of us are non professional novices. Yet most of us at one point or another seem to think we can preform a complete ground up rebuild in the driveway with little more than a set of home owner hand tools. We take on too much at one time. It makes no sense to try and do an engine swap, suspension make over and paint job all at once, yet many of us try to just that. I tried to do it all at once a few years ago and went through the money fast, and could not focus. I finally had to step back from it and let it sit. Now I have a plan and a focus. Step one is to get it painted, and that is all I am doing at this point. After that I plan on doing the interior. Next step will probably be some suspension mods. I know I am not a pro nor am I rich, so I can't do it all and I can't do it all at once. Over the last few months I have spent probably around $500 on it doing the body work. That includes the cost of paint as well. Right now things are getting done and the cost is not killing my bank account. I also have a focus I can handle with out overwhelming myself in a project I can't handle. One step at a time is the way to go.

right on Corey.i did the frame off thing in the driveway.my junk sat for years before i started.it went OK most of the time,but i was racing the clock. i was getting my DL back and needed transportation. i ended up getting my SD. that took the pressure off. but one thing that was said is true. i was trying to build a rig capable of shiit i was never gonna do.it is mostly mud in Michigan.i will still narrow and dovetail incase i go to bundy hill. but i don't need three or four link anything.the depression of not being with my son has taken the wind outta my sail's on more than one occasion in the past few years. but having a running, capable ,DD able rig. makes it easier for me. i try to only start mod's on JR that can be completed in a weekend.getting to drive it when i feel like it keeps the fire lit.when i get the 14 done, it will go in.i need a 4 10 or 11 gear set. but no money for that right now. the 12 bolt is holding up just fine.. my main problem is my addictive personalty. when i start a hobby, i go hardcore.when i was a freshly certified scuba diver. i got EVERYTHING!! most people just rent their stuff , not me.i have 6 tanks, 2 BCD'S.and so on..hell, i was trying to get a job on the Calypso?? i know those guy's have thousands of dive's in deep sea excursion's and i was certiffied in a quarry in OHIO? but that's my nature.JR was a running rig when i joined CK5. the same thing happened.. i need to do this and that..

 

[CyberSniper]

I haven't used mine in 3 years. It's for sale because I'd rather do something else now that wheeling isn't convenient.

 

[howdiy]

I'd rather send it to the scrap yard than fix rust personally

 

[obijuan]

i am constantly wrenchin. ive got two vehicles over 25 years old. it gets mind numbing after all these years. i cant afford a payment, or even the insurance that comes with new cars. so the nickels and dimes the trucks demand is OK with me. youre lucky in that you can stand back and take a breath.

 

[bigjbear]

I parked mine for almost 3 years. I just started messing with it again a couple weeks ago.

 

[chulisohombre]

mine was a daily driver for 6 years,then sat for the last 4.i got to the point where it was so hard to keep it on the road and gas was 4 bucks a gallon.im currently makin it a semi driver on sundays only.i work 6 days a week so i only need it one day a week.i got sick of seein it in the garage rotting away so 2000 bucks later in parts it will be road worthy next weeek.

 

[79bonanza]

yea wrenchin on other peoples cars and trucks all day makes me not want to work on my truck hahaha. it helps that i have a nicer truck to DD but the old one needs some serious work to finish

 

[hammermachine]

Work

A couple of days after I started this thread I had some time off from work. I felt guilty that I hadn't done any work on my K5 so instead of watching TV I went out (with the best intentions) to replace the rusted through rocker panel. After digging all the tools I needed out, getting the (brand newly bought (Feb) solar powered welding helmet and welding jacket I got to work. After almost a year of not welding, I can say whatever little skill I had is completely gone. I first botched the cutting of the replacement metal (too short, and off) then I burned through the sheet metal at several places during the weld. In the end I think I did a (grade D) job on the replacement. It's better than the rot that was showing, but I am not happy with it. Maybe I should have stayed in front of the TV.

 

[dirtygoat]

Welding is something that you have to stay in practice to be decent... Unless you've done it for 40+ hours a week for years...

If I haven't touched a welder in a while, I'll weld up some easy stuff first... Kind of getting warmed up, then when you can "see it", it comes back pretty quick...

My dad on the other hand can grab just about any lead and jump in head first... But, he welded for most of his life, with a pipe on 45*, restrictor plate, x-ray cert... Watching him set up mirrors and start a bead with his right hand, then pass it over to his left without stopping, then around the blind spot looking in the mirror handing it back to his right hand to make a continuous bead all the way around still impresses me...