So why does it take so long???

[fuzz]

Mike...post pictures of your build and ask questions. I find it very encouraging to see my builds on this site and get some favorable comments from these guys. You've already got lots of positive comments just from this one thread..hang in there buddy, we've all been where you're at...

 

[rex1927]

We all feel like you do sometimes.If I were you I would walk away for a couple weeks.Then I bet when you go back at it things will be a lot easier.
I have never had a quick build.My funds make it very slow and hard.
I would like to be able to just pick up speedway motors catalog and order everything I need.
That will never happen,but I am too car crazy (or is that car stupid[S) to quit.
I just love old cars and I could not even explain why.I just love`em.[dr
P.S. I have never had much luck fitting hoods either.I just get it where a good slam will close it and thats good enough for me.

 

[King Herald]

seriously check out the "pictures of your garage/shop" post.
holy moly ive looked at it at least 50 times and i still get jealous
and awestruck all at once ...

I'm hoping my new 'shop will some day be worthy, but I can see it just being a basic bare workshop for a long time to come. It must take years to build up those collections of tools, parts and other motoring memorabilia that some guys have. I'll be lucky to start with a workbench and a toolbox, so tight has the budget been drawn building the workshop and house.

But still, I'm doing very well compared to a lot of people, so I feel guilty to complain at all.

 

[CR55]

Mike, I think its been said quite a bit here and I'm gonna say it again.......walk away for a while.....we've all been there...when it becomes a chore all of the fun is gone. Seems like a giant problem at the time and it becomes insurmountable, but sometimes only a brief break will shine a whole new light and the problem is now very small. Hang in there because the end result is worth all the grief and heartache you're enduring now!

 

[Flipper_1938]

I love the bomb proof/nothing to burn construction techniques!

 

[justsomeguy]

Mike, I think its been said quite a bit here and I'm gonna say it again.......walk away for a while.....

I'm gonna disagree. I don't get frustrated, I get EVEN!!! That hood latch giving you problems? Cut it off and start over!

A quick build is not hard to do if you have the money and tools. Take a look at the timeline on my build so far. This is the first "toy car" I have ever personally owned, but I have lot of time under the welding hood and have all the proper equipment. It makes a world of difference.

 

[Ricks Garage]

It took me two years almost to the day to: locate all the parts, modify the body, redo the engine, make up a front and rear suspension and do the interior. I am an experienced fabricator and welder, scrounger and mechanic and I worked about 30-35 hours a week on the rat rod. Out of the two years I would say there were 5 days that I did not feel like working or things did not go right and I walked back out of the garage. I did 98% of the work myself, by myself. I would usually spend an hour planning the next five operations. When I had to move things around in the garage it took some planning to move 5 things to get the one thing in the proper posistion. Air conditioning the garage was a MAJOR incentive to work longer hours as my last build (O/T) was mostly outside. [ Oh, what also helped was that I am currently not married nor have a girlfriend.

 

[donsrods]

We just had a visit from a friend and his wife from England. Steve owns a hot rod shop there and builds cars for other people. I asked him how many cars he turns out in a year and he said "about 3." That would be 3 cars built from the ground up ! I asked him how he does it and he said his shop is right behind the house and he will work for a bit, then go get a sandwich or get on the forums, then he goes back at it. He also is building a T coupe and a 40 Willys Gasser for himself, during all this !

So, I guess every one is different. I would be VERY burned out on cars if I had to work on them every day of my life, but he seems to just take it as going off to work at the office.

Don

 

[Tripper]

I'm just wrappin' up a 4 1/2 year build. It takes quite a while for a ground up build especially when you're the only one workin' on it. A pro shop has 2 or 3 people working on a car 8 hours a day & they usually know what they're doing because they've done it B4 & do it for a living. Sometimes it takes me longer to figure out how to do something that it actually takes me to do it. I just take the attitude the car's not gonna beat me & I will prevail... at least that's what I keep tellin' myself! [ddd[ddd[ddd

BoB

 

[agdeuce]

Take a deep breath

Mike:
I here your pain but remember "good things take time". I have never finished a project before because of all the things mentioned i.e. money, tools, time, etc. This time I am going to get it on the road in a safe drivable condition. If it is not exactly like I expected I will change it later. Think how much fun driving the beast will be and YOU built it. My friend is building a house and we talk a lot just to keep each other going and it helps. Can you imagine how hard it must be to build a house virtually by yourself.[S I would never attempt that, so have a beer, go on a vacation or just walk away for awhile. Let the problems simmer in the old noodle and the answers will come. We are all behind you as you can see. Think of those pipes! Steve

 

[TiredIronGRB]

It's doesn't take too long, about 6 months or so from the ground up

 

[mikec4193]

Holey Cow guys

Looks like I am supposed to be enjoying this whole Rat Rodding thing huh??..I think I dont have the patience...I dont know how Henry Ford ever did it when he built his first car in his basement...now that man was the ultimate Rat Rodder...in my book at least...
Kinda sounds like I gotta take a break from it....maybe a different mind set would be helpful too....make it like a therapy...(a rusty therapy)...session...
I think what gets me is there is no end in sight..I get one piece to fit and then there are 15,000 more down the road that dont fit...
So I will keep grinding and cutting until I get this thing done...It will be nice to see it move under its own power...whenever that day comes

Thanks for all the insight...

MikeC...
(So how do you guys spend all this money and time and then go out and do burnouts??)

 

[Old Iron]

In my case most likely stupidity
Well that's part of the fun for some of us and we don't mind fixing it if it breaks

Jim

 

[King Herald]

I love the bomb proof/nothing to burn construction techniques!

Earthquake proof, nothing for termites to eat, is the real truth.

 

[donsrods]

The old line goes, "How do you eat an Elephant?" and the answer is "One bite at a time." You are looking at the enormity of your project and it seems like you will never get done and that you are making no headway. You need to take one task at a time and concentrate on getting that little job done, then move on to the next little job.

Frankly, you may find you are not cut out for building a car from the ground up. Not saying that in a cruel way, just being honest. Not everyone is cut out for doing it. The ones who stick with it and who get to eventually drive their creations are a unique breed, and maybe a little nuts.

People have posted on various forums that they have been working on one car for 15 or more years. Those people seem to enjoy the journey more than the destination, and I can understand how that might be true. I actually enjoy the build more than the driving (sometimes) and it is rewarding to see chalk marks on the garage floor gradually become something you had in your head.

Don

 

[bob w]

It takes me around 1,000 hours and 5,000 bucks to build a ruff rat rod. I have no fancy tools or equipment and buy very few aftermarket parts.

How many years a builder spreads the hours and money across is up to him. I usually get them done in a year.

For me, it is important to break the project down into bite-sized little projects. Each completed sub-project is a victory and motivation to keep going.

Don is right, many guys start a build only to eventually figure out that they are more interested in driving than toiling away for hours and hours.

 

[Sam_Fear]

(So how do you guys spend all this money and time and then go out and do burnouts??)

You push the go pedal to the floor.

I plan a big project for the winter and get it back on the road for the summer. Even if this means taking it back apart to a point to finish up last years project, it's still loads more fun driving around a 50% finished car than having it sit in the garage until it's 100% done.

Right now, my trunk looks like a weld spider made a web on it, my radiator is too small, my roof welds need flattened out, my seat is springs with a moving blanket on top, no interior, no shocks, no side windows, etc, etc.... I'll get to that stuff eventually, but right now it's a blast to drive and I get loads of looks. What more do ya want?

 

[sgtpontiac]

It's never the same with any two builds....

Holey Cow guys

Looks like I am supposed to be enjoying this whole Rat Rodding thing huh??..I think I dont have the patience...I dont know how Henry Ford ever did it when he built his first car in his basement...now that man was the ultimate Rat Rodder...in my book at least...
Kinda sounds like I gotta take a break from it....maybe a different mind set would be helpful too....make it like a therapy...(a rusty therapy)...session...
I think what gets me is there is no end in sight..I get one piece to fit and then there are 15,000 more down the road that dont fit...
So I will keep grinding and cutting until I get this thing done...It will be nice to see it move under its own power...whenever that day comes

Thanks for all the insight...

MikeC...
(So how do you guys spend all this money and time and then go out and do burnouts??)

I thought I'd breeze thru mine and a year later I'm still trying to get a roof back on.....it's supposed to be a stress reliever, not a stress builder... sometimes you do have to step back and take a breath..... the end results will be something you built.... not bought..... we all have different skill levels, finacial levels and build goals.... one step at a time and we'll both be driving what we started to put together.....some of use can wing it....some of us have to put it down on paper step by step.... find your niche and follow it until it's done..... everyone of these guys can help you along.....when you get fed up...walk away... go back with a clear mind and get back to the task at hand... my problem has always been getting one thing done before I start on another.... I get too many things going on and lose track of where I was when I turned out the lights and went into the house....LOL... hand in there....[P

 

[tw7256]

Try setting your goals small for each time you go out to work on it,then if you get that accomplished you can work on something else. This wiil give you the feeling that you are ahead of the game. Take your time and have fun while your building. Live in the moment and don't focus so much on the end result. i'm going on 2 years on my build and when I first started I was thinking I would be done in 6 months. I got discouraged untill I decided to take my time and have fun with it.

 

[sweetnomad]

Four KEY parts to building

In my past experiences there are four key parts do doing any kind of car. It seems like if there not all there it can really make a project a drudgery. What I'm talking is :

1. Time to do the build
2. Money to finance the build
3. Space to do the build
4. Most of all the DESIRE.

Hopefully you can be blessed enough to have all these at one moment in time !!!! Your thoughts ???