At what point do you stop and move on?

[Lord Warlock]

My car has been off the road now for over 20 years, this year it has gone thru a major transformation, including new paint, new fuel and brake lines, new brakes, new stripe etc.  For the past several months I have been prepping the rear valence, and rear fenders where the stripe goes including paint work for rear valence, and lower quarters that had a few paint runs on the bottom of the panels, when sanding the runs off, I cut thru the previous paint job, so decided I'd repaint them with the rear valence since the available paint was enough to cover all the questionable areas.  This weekend I finally painted the valence and rear quarters again.  Before I could install the stripe, I wetsanded the decklid fenders and pretty much the rest of the car and compounded and polished the body back to a smooth surface and it has a shine again. 

Over the last 4 to 6 months the rear deck has had power tools, and various supplies sitting on the sail panel behind the rear glass, sometime during that period I must have dragged one of the tools across the trunk lid and it left a few scratches in the surface.  Not really visible to the casual observer, but if you looked close you'd see the line.  Normally I'd sand the scratch out and  buff it out again, I did attempt to work the scratch out when I wetsanded the trunklid and fenders, using 400 grit, 600 grit, 1200/1500/2000 grits, but after all the work the scratch remains.  I'd have to mask off the area not scratched and try to cut deep enough to remove the scratch, but I'm afraid of cut thru's in the paint which would require a new paint job on the entire trunk lid.  Personally I just don't think its worth the effort to fix something that only 1 in 100 would even notice, plus I'd have to get more paint for it, I've already had to remove the trunk lid once after the last paint job, and respray it because when I installed the previous stripe and pulled the paper backing off, it pulled off a 4 inch long chunk of paint off the top surface, it was the same color underneath, but you could tell there was a spot where the layering wasn't right, and opted to respray it, (including removing the stripe, painting it, then sanding and buffing the surface out again).  The scratch itself isn't deep as it doesn't cut thru the layer of paint to the primer under it, but it galls me to have defects in the paint after all the work I'd put in to it. 

Since the car will not be shown in any real shows for trophies etc, and will only be used occasionally for cruising and going to meet and greets or other local shows to show off the breed, I don't see a point in it right now, I'd rather get it on the road again than worry about a faint line that nobody but me would know was there.  (there is another cut thru along the edge of the top of the rear fender, the stripe covered most of it, but again its something I know is there and would fix it eventually, likely using an airbrush or detail gun).

At what point do you say "screw it" and just move on and live with it, knowing the car isn't perfect?  I can't continue being so anal about every little thing on it, it would never see street time if I keep on like this - its been going on (paint work) for almost two years now.  The car itself is so rare that no one around here has seen one like it before.  Both bumpers really need rechroming but I'm putting that off for the future, probably will just buy repops and use those until I can get the bumpers rechromed.  Overall, the car is looking very nice now, much better than it ever has since I got it almost 40 years ago, its ready to see street time this year with a few small items to do first, like tightening the chrome trim from inside the trunk, and replacing some of the rear tail light chrome, the dash pad and gauges need a refurb, I have a new dash pad but plan on letting a shop do that as I couldn't get the old one off myself.  Plus that can be done after its on the road again. 

Do those of you that do your own paint work get as compulsive as I have on small details? or do you just leave the paint as is after spraying and live with a non show quality surface? (mine has no visible orange peel in it now) and would you repaint the trunk lid, or just live with it and enjoy the car instead of stressing over every imperfection? 

Thanks. 

[six-tee-nine]

Even the nicest paint job doesnt last if you drive it regular in the next 10 years...

That said I think you need to do the best you can up to the point you say its good. That point is different for everyone.

Oh and If you have a part that is nice and shiney, quit putting stuff on it or you'll never get done polishing scrathches. Shelves were invented to put tools on, not cars.

[justcruisin]

I have owned my 71 R/T for some time, I did a bare metal strip down on the car when I first got it, I did the paint myself and was very particular with it. I was very nervous of driving the car and was on edge when ever I parked the car and it wasn't in my sight. These days I am considerably more relaxed about it and have done some mods on the car - deviating from stock, I use the car a lot. I enjoy it far more than I ever did, I intend to run it down the strip a few times next year which is something I would never have done. My point is that what one is happy with another isn't. I can certainly appreciate a rotisserie resto and if that's where it's at for some that's cool, but I recon these cars were born to run and a few imperfections is OK by me, just enjoy it, get out in it and have some fun. IMO people who go around pointing out imperfections and shaking there heads don't really get these cars anyway.

[myk]

"Personally I just don't think its worth the effort to fix something that only 1 in 100 would even notice..."

You said it best yourself.  As for the relentless pursuit of perfection, I don't know about you but I'm too busy having fun with my car to worry about achieving that level of a car, or anywhere even close to it.  When you have something that nice I think it truly takes away the joy of owning a road-going machine like a classic Charger.  I mean, heaven forbid you get a door ding or "gasp" get it dirty from driving it down the block to the local show and shine.  I think you've got yourself a great machine; don't sweat the little things and get it back on the road...

[Ghoste]

I agree.  You are the only one who can decide when its enough but it sounds to me like yo could be there, its time to enjoy the car.

[Cooter]

I've found that restoring a car by ones self is harder than most tend to think, looking at forums.
they see what appears to be perfection and strive to get that one car on the planet that nobody can find flaw with. Bottom line? Chasing unicorns. Someone's gonna talk smack about this or that I don't care who or what it is. Hell, it appears GYC can't even get that level of perfection. All I can say is, everybody is lookin for perfection. None ever find it. Most give up and would rather be without. I know driving and enjoying flawed cars is more fun.

[Dreamcar]

If its too perfect, you'll be too scared to drive it. My wife's uncle spent 100K on a custom show Mustang. No one is allowed withing 10 feet of it and it has maybe been driven once on road. For that car, it's trailers only. I think what happens too is that we sometimes see others cars in pictures only, and we start thinking that all these other cars out there are perfect, so we need to get ours to that level and we never stop trying to get tthe 100% perfect, thus we never actually drive and enjoy. However, those pictures we see don't tell the true story sometimes. Everytime I go to cruise night, I'm reminded that 9 out of 10 cars there have a few flaws that are sometimes very easy to see.

When I restored my first car a few years ago, I spend months block sanding and priming, then had the final blocking and paint done by a pro. Because of all the prep I did, the job cost be about 2k, but the car looked amazing. I then brought it to local cruise nights, and I swear my car looked as good or better from a paint and body perspective then most cars. Did it have a few minor flaws? Yes. Did most people notice? NO! Did I get tons of compliments? Yes!   Once I started driving the car, and not worrying about the few minor flaws that nobody could see, I had way more fun with it!

[Lord Warlock]

Looks like the scratch will just have to remain for the time being, not willing to respray just for that one item.  I'm getting tired of painting anyway.  I have another car I need to paint just to get rid of it to help pay off some debts.  Just can't paint it in the same garage as the charger sits, learned the hard way that was not a good idea as overspray gets into places even if its covered.  Actually I have two cars needing paint work, one is just a bumper, the other is the whole car.

[HeavyFuel]

There is this incredibly annoying wrinkle area in my vinyl top.  I'm so self conscious about it that for SURE, everyone that sees my car is looking right at it.     

Sometimes I find myself making excuses for the wrinkles to people....and about half of them say that they didn't even notice it, or "Big deal, your car is awesome."

Respectfully....get over it.  You'll be happier.

[Patronus]

A syringe with a lil bit of adhesive would prob let you sleep better!

[Mopar Nut]

Push the car out and post a picture, I would love to see it.

[Lord Warlock]

Can't push it out, the stealth turbo is blocking the path as I pushed it out of the garage a while back (its the full paint car I've got to do, have to sell it now to pay for dentures) I can however get a few new shots of the charger in the garage.  I'll see what i can do about that in the next few days, have a dental appt tomorrow, and cancer scans on Thursday.  Just found out the dental work I need will cost me between 13k and 22k, knew it would be expensive, but only thought it would be about half that amount.  Compared to the cancer treatments though, its a drop in the bucket, already had over 50k worth of work done, one scan cost the insurance co.  15k alone.  (One shot cost 5k)

If i had wrinkles on my top like yours, I'd get a syringe and some glue, and work it out as best i could, just push the air out the hole made by the syringe.

[HeavyFuel]

A syringe with a lil bit of adhesive would prob let you sleep better!

Tried everything already.  The top is coming loose in other areas as well....improperly prepared roof before installation maybe....my fault most likely.   

[stripedelete]

I call it "shelf wear".  Move on.   You'll probably end up with a couple more before you call it done.
Been there.

Wishing you the best with your health.

[workworkwork]

I have purchased brand new cars and manage to have something happen to them sooner or later. If you use a car something will happen to it. Once, my son's bike scratched one of my collector cars while it was resting peacefully in the garage. So, take a break and just enjoy the car for a while. When you have had some fun with it you can plan the next improvement. I have also come to understand to keep these cars up is a life long pursuit. But, you have to enjoy the car and use the car or you have missed the whole point.

[don duick]

I did my own bodywork as well and went to great lengths to get it perfect. The following has happened within the first year of completing the paint application.

-dropped a spanner on the top of the door and left a dent
-forgot about the heavy jack that rolled in the trunk and left a dent in the rear quarter
-drilled 4 holes inside the trunk for brackets to fit a propane tank. the drill was not  held back and hit the inside of the deck lid panel and left 4 dents
-reversed into a bushy tree and the branches left deep scratches in the rear quarter.
-jacked the front of the car with the hood open (inside my low roof garage) and the hood hit the roof and chipped the paint
- found a new scratch on the front fender 2 days ago don't know how that happened.
- had the front wheels on bricks got lazy to jack the car to remove them and decided to roll off instead and one side I smashed in the bottom of the fender at the corner of the wheel arch.

there are a few more but they are long stories. I was over it by about the 3rd incident now I am not even phased when I get a new one. The only thing that will worry me now is an accident. 

[fy469rtse]

Don , she's got scars now ,
Now your not afraid to drive it I bet , it's not perfect , they never are, enjoy it

[PlainfieldCharger]

The first scratch or paint chip is always the hardest to accept. I have had more damage done to my cars sitting in my driveway and garage than the 40K miles I drive every year. Kids, kids friends, wife. I have lost much sleep in the past over these "accidents".   Hell, I just found a rock dent in the C molding on my grill that happened this week.... If your going to drive it...@#% happens..

[Lord Warlock]

Unlike some, I cannot put up with scratches very long, when the wife had a hit and run in the parking lot of a walmart, and came back with scratches on her bumper, I filled them and resprayed the back bumper in less than a week, basically as soon as I decided not to involve the insurance company to fix it.  I did have a  pry bar fall off the shelf and bounce off the top of the rear fender of the charger before I did the last paint work,  looked at it and found out the top of the rear fender near the rear edge of the body is double walled and couldn't get to it from underneath, so had to fill it and paint over it, couldn't put the new stripe on till it was fixed. 

Given the fact that the car stays in a garage 99% of the time, I hope it doesn't get scratched again any time soon, course once its being driven again, it'll probably get a few and I'll live with them for a while, but eventually will fix them as well as I can't stand seeing them as i look at it. 

[Dino]

For customer cars you either make it perfect or you don't touch it to begin with, for your own driver the parts should stay on when you take a turn.  There.   

I have done enough wetsanding and polishing to last a lifetime.  It looks stellar when done but I have no desire to do it on my own driver.  I took mine out last week just so I could go sliding around the dirt roads a bit and I don't think I could do that with a trophy paint job.  When I was done I ran it through the car wash and all was well!

Make the car look like you want it to look, everything else is moot.   

[don duick]

Don , she's got scars now ,
Now your not afraid to drive it I bet , it's not perfect , they never are, enjoy it

that's right lot more comfortable and relaxed driving it  and enjoying it more. That's the whole point of having a car. No fun looking at perfect car sitting in the garage. Not worth the stress worrying about your first scratch they are inevitable.