Am I the only one catching hell over the length of my Charger resto?

[bull]

Not sure where this belongs but I'll try it here first.

Sometimes I wish I'd have never told anyone but yous guys that I'm restoring a Charger because I seem to catch a lot of hell from friends, coworkers, relatives, etc. It always starts out with, "How's your Charger coming?" and then right after I report my latest progress I hear stuff like, "You think you'll get it done before they ban gas?" or "You think you'll get it done before you retire?" "What's taking so long?" Blah, blah, blah. I know it's all in good humor but after getting ribbed about 600 times it's starting to get old. I know some people who've had projects for literally decades with no progress so I don't think 4 years is too out of line for the progress so far. Pete's sake, I didn't know it would take this much money and that I'd have so many setbacks for one and two, I had no idea I could actually earn and squirrel away the amount of money I have had to save so far, which in itself is a hell of an accomplishment IMO. Oh well. I'm just whining again.

[62dodge]

I have owned my charger for 22 years it sat in a garage for 18 years as we raised our kids now that the last one is out I have finally started work on it. I figure it will take another 3-4 years to finish it,now that I have all of the parts (dana60,440sixpac,4speed,etc) I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[oldrock]

I would not worry about what they say... take as long as you need and be happy 

Let them whine all they want... but remember that when they are asking for rides in your cool charger once you get her done.

[green69rt]

It's not the destination grasshopper, it's the journey.

[jaak]

You are not the only one.....
My 69 is a long term project, since buying the car I have...gotten married (2000), had first child (2002), had second child (2003), bought a house (2005) and had third child (2008). I stripped the car down for rebuilding in 2001, a "friend" kept it in "body shop hell" for 2 years, so its had its set-backs. Now since I have bought my house and have a shop to keep it in, the only time I really work on it is in the winter....December to March is the best time because I usually don't work any overtime, and basically there is nothing else to do, no yardwork, no little league games, football season is basically over...etc.
I get those comments all the time, 'you ever gonna finish that thing', 'you aint doing nothing with it', 'sell it to me, I'll finish it' blah blah blah. I just ignore the shit.

I just chip away at it a little at a time, collect parts along the way...I'll get it done someday, I mean really whats the hurry?

Jason

[MoparManJim]

Man, I hear ya, I loose to get the same bs from my aunt and her boyfriend all the time. "Oh that car won't every leave the driveway" "He'll won't ever get it done" "He's sticking to much money into that pos"  

Well one night on the phone well talking to her, she bought it as she ask me how I was coming on it. I said I'm getting stuff doen on it. The next thing out of her was "we thought you would have that thing done by now as you had it for along time" and I said "working on cars like these are not liking working on your cars, you just can't go to the yard and walk in and find a charger to get a part off it ya know". Then her boyfriend started up in the background also dishing me well the car and I said "tell him I'm not doing a car repair but rather trying to restore some what right now and the car isn't bad as you all think it is" and then she had to come back with "well at least I have a nice truck" and I came back "yea I was the one that had to fix that truck up like it is now as no one wanted to do it for you all!" and there was a long pause on the line  :smilielol  

We still took rounds all the time on the phone about my car , but she was the type that like to started a fight and arguements and then watch as folks fighted  . When got talking about my car, I would just let it go with her and just went along with them on everything and showed her she couldn't start anything    

So I somewhat know what you are going through man. Just hang in there and keep your mind on your car and don't worr yabout what the others are saying.

[Back N Black]

Yep! i get the exact same comments. I feel your pain. 

[Charger-Bodie]

I never seem to get that!   

[jb666]

Now Bull, I know you're the type to NEVER give anyone grief about their car, so I can definitely feel your pain. No, wait, I can't, because I'm not doing the work on the car myself.. BUT, if I were, those questions would bug me after a while...

What shocks me is that you haven't mastered all of the instantaneous and responsive insults to zing the person right back......

"Bull, what the Hell's taking you so long?"

"I'm not sure, but I never heard your old lady ask that!".

Ya know, one good jab deserves another.

One thing I CAN relate to is this statement:

Pete's sake, I didn't know it would take this much money and that I'd have so many setbacks for one and two, I had no idea I could actually earn and squirrel away the amount of money I have had to save so far, which in itself is a hell of an accomplishment

[FlatbackFanatic]

Just tell them that if they finance the resto it would be done alot sooner.

[jaak]

Just tell them that if they finance the resto it would be done alot sooner.

True that!

Jason

[Silver R/T]

that's what I get from co-workers, family, etc. But I don't care. They all don't realize that mopar parts are so expensive and trying to pay mortgage/bills is priority, then whatever;s left over (not much at all) gets spent on Charger and other cars that I have.

[bull]

Just tell them that if they finance the resto it would be done alot sooner.

I've used that line more than once.

Actually, today three guys were ribbing me about it at work and one of the three has had a Pontiac collecting mildew for years so after he chimed in I said, "How about you, Mr. Firebird? When are you going to get anything done?" Stutter, stammer, "Uh well, I got one quarter hung on it" (sometime during the past 15 years).

There used to be this other guy at work who owns a '67 fastback Mustang that liked to give me crap so I'd give it right back. I told him he might as well park his car out by the street and bolt the mailbox to it so it would actually have a purpose. That usually shut him down. Still, the Mustang hasn't budged since he bought it and dragged it home.

People just need to bug you about something I guess. I'm just going to keep telling them what they want to hear and listening to their crap until one day I'll just drive it in and park it. Then when they start feeding me the BS I'll point toward the parking lot.

that's what I get from co-workers, family, etc. But I don't care. They all don't realize that mopar parts are so expensive and trying to pay mortgage/bills is priority, then whatever;s left over (not much at all) gets spent on Charger and other cars that I have.

Most people have no clue what it entails to do a restoration. Apparently they think it's like remodeling the bathroom and shouldn't take more than two months I guess.

[terrible one]

I absolutely agree! No one I talk to seems to know what it takes to even get one of these cars on the road again (in my case)

"Got it running yet?"

That's my favorite. Even if I tell someone what I've been doing to it last that's all that anyone wants to know. If only that was all I had to do!

[A383Wing]

These cars are never "done"....you outta know that 

[69bronzeT5]

Every time one of my friends says "Why isn't your Charger done yet?"....I simply reply "You got $15,000 for me to get body and paint done?" 

[Finn]

All. The. Freaking. Time.
And compared to some Ive been hauling ass.

[aussiemuscle]

Then they see shows like overhauling where they get everything done in 7 days (not realising they go 24/7 with 30 top notch pros and no other jobs/life/cues, getting in the way)

[Belgium R/T -68]

I always tell them I Don't want to be finnished because then the fun is over.

Per

[runningman]

The only people that never give me crap about my car are the ones that actually went through the process of restoring their cars themselves..

[six-tee-nine]

Bought  the Charger spring 2006. Today I havent even managed to get it onto a rotisserie....

I must admit, I was in a battle for 2 years to get my title in my hands to ever bring it on the road...In that period i did'nt want to start aproject that had a very unsure fututre.
But having an old house that needs a ton of work and a baby girl of 8 months sure doesn't help to make some extra time for my hobby.
Worst part is I had to move out of the place I had the Charger stored in for this period, and I did'nt find the time to build my new shop, so I have the Charger stored outside in my backyard.....

But hey, as long as we're healthy I'm sure the time will come to get going with it, so I guess you're not alone.

[69*F5*SE]

If I had the extra cash to get it where I want it,  I guess it would be done by now.  Bull, I wish my car was as far as your car is. It's been more than 4 years.  But, people will still make comments about it anyway.  Happens all the time.  I really haven't done much to it this whole summer other than remove the rear valance.

[b5blue]

Heck Bull mine sat dead end in storage longer than that waiting for money.....ironically I spent more in storage than it cost to fix (not restore) it! Tell them all "things are going fine" make it clear your not in a hurry (even if it's a lie) and boar them with details they know nothing about, after a while they will stop trying to get your goat....because that's what their doing, trying to stir some crap.   

[The70RT]

Haven't took too much flack. I have been on it 3 years and no one has helped do crap....so most don't ask. Hell I have had the car for 30 years so what's the big hurry  Like I tell them - I restored 2 others before I started this one. I only took a year and a half on one and a year on the other but neither were a rotisserie resto like the Charger. I work full time and some overtime and am half crippled (feel like it some times) then have all the other speedbumps in life that goes with having a family. Most all the car guys I grew up with have lost interest or no longer have funds so they are surprised I am as far as I am.

[Ghoste]

Bull, just remind them that if it was as easy as they think, then any moron would be able to do it.