is it fear? procrastination, or lazyness, the green mile of hotrodding.

[Lord Warlock]

What keeps me from enjoying my old car?  it seems there is always an excuse, there is an excuse for putting it aside to focus on the wife early in the relationship/marriage, then when you have kids you never have time for anything else, and by the time they've gone off to school, 20 years has slipped by and I sit here still making excuses....it isn't tagged, nor insured....blah blah blah.  I'm beginning to think that when I drive my charger again for the first time as a running driving vehicle, I won't be satisfied with how it drives or feels,  and then why have I saved it at all? 

How many of you have a car that is fully assembled...meaning all major parts are connected, some of the details still need to be worked out, but its all there all together, and looks pretty darn nice BUT still want to "finish" it properly before taking it out again?  Seems there will always be niggling details to fix on the car no matter how long I take to restore it.  Some days I can't be bothered, I'm dealing with pain issues, or its just too damn hot outside (its 100 degrees outside now, and that is my excuse for delay at this moment).  But it seems to be taking longer and longer to actually start the car and drive it again.  Doesn't matter what I fix I'm still not .....ready....to license and insure it, because if I paid insurance I'd have to drive it or I'd be wasting money. 

I've had this car since July of 1978, in June of 1984 it went into storage and has not been driven like a real car since.  Twice since it was stored did the tires roll around on asphault from the road, once when my dad hauled it from his house to mine and dropped it off in the driveway, I drove it around the block very slowly, then parked it in the garage and didn't touch it again till 1991 when we bought a different house and hauled it to the new rolled it off into the garage, and it sat there for 15 more years.  One time I had it towed to a repair shop, probably to have the brakes checked because the rear brake had frozen to an axle, and I drove it home...slowly to avoid cops since it wasn't insured or tagged, and was nervous as hell.  Got home parked it, then in 2006 I built a 2 car garage in the backyard and parked it out there so I could park two cars in the attached garage.  Then soon after, my best friend, also a car nut, who owned a pristine 30k 1986 grand national, up and died of a heart attack.  He was gonna be my car show buddy, and my car was never ready.  I swore to myself then and there that I would get my charger fixed, and rebuilt again, and started the restoration sometime in 06, got stuck several times on parts that didn't want to cooperate, which just stretched out the final drive out date, one fender which will always it seems have a ripple, one I couldn't fix with extensive block sanding and repainting, finally gave up on it and figured I'd take it to a paint shop and have them fix the ripple later, for now it had new paint and looked good enough, and decided to move on with the rest of the restoration. 

Now the car sits in the garage out back, body looks great, paint looks great even to me, although I wouldn't say its a concourse job its better than a cheap shop could do.  has a new top, the interior is done, the motor was torn down to the shortblock and detailed upwards as I put it back together.  (and I started it before I tore it down, just to make sure it ran)so now even the engine bay looks great, not perfect yet but is perfect even attainable, and why bother with perfection if things loosen up or fall off while driving. Can't sustain perfect.  I don't know where I thought perfection was even a goal, I always just wanted to get it drivable again. 

Its almost time to let the old girl out of the barn and run around in the pasture a bit before even thinking of doing burnouts or racing it again.  Need to get the seals and pumps in the transmission wet again and see if they leak or not...but that will come when its driven.  In reality, off the top of my head, I need to pull the door panel off and tighten down the passenger side mirror, have to put the plastic trim around the back window on, have to attach the two lower corners of the rear window chrome trim, and crawl inside the trunk to tighten down the speed nuts on the vinyl top chrome, have to prime the new gas lines with fuel, and get this puppy to start up and run, so I can check for leaks.  Doesn't sound like much...in fact I have no doubts I could finish it all in a day at most if I seriously put an effort at it...but I keep putting it off.  Why? I don't know why.  Just having it in the garage has been enough for me for almost 40 years, but now I want more, I want it to be a running/driving/3rd car for emergencies or showing off.  Just gotta get off my lazy ass and do it. 

but daaaaammmmnnn  its hot outside!!!!

[F8-4life]

Sounds like the time is now for you. You have to purposefully set time aside to work on the charger or else it likely won't ever happen.
If its a week or one day a week or a couple hrs a day, whatever it is, the charger comes first during that time.
One step at a time, get it safe and driving and once its on the road that will get you back excited about the car.
Forget perfection, most people that admire it will be happy to just see a 69 charger.

[Lord Warlock]

There are a few other kinks to work out, still haven't finished electrical, eventually will need to replace dash wiring and gauges, but they seem to work still so aren't a requirement yet.  Also need to troubleshoot the headlight doors which haven't worked since I got the car, something between the tank and switch I think, hoses in engine bay and headlight area have been replaced already. 

[HANDM]

Yes and yes.....

Tiny things keeping me from driving the Charger. For now and the forseeable future, it sits. The wife says sell it, I say, I'm gonna drive it someday
Who knows what the future holds

[ws23rt]

Maybe the biggest reason we keep and play with these cars is they represent something important to us from good times in our past.

For myself I know that no matter how finished my projects will get I can't relive the days as I remember them. This could be a good thing because it just might spoil the memories if I tried too hard.

The procrastination, or laziness that I'm dealing with is tuning up my life as preparation for retirement. (Financial planning, a proper will, etc). When I get those bugs resolved I will gain more freedom to play with the car hobby and make new memories. And If I didn't have a car with issues I would need to find one.

[birdsandbees]

As I told in my intro here a few days ago.. life gets in the way and the cars go away. Then they come back out.. and they go away again. Repeat. Whether it be the love of the car, the history to go with it, memories of that 6' back seat... or what not... somewhere down deep there is the desire to drive it again or you'd have sold it a long time ago.

The same "excuse" you speak of crossed my mind today, while I was working the next damaged customers airplane out of the mess in the hangar to get it into my work shop. I thought I should get one of those cars out to drive, like I've done MANY times in the past decade, but then I'd have to move all that crap.. plate them and find insurance to cover them on the road. Then I closed the big door...   The desire is growing stronger though and considering all the parts I've ordered in the past month or so it won't be long 'till I give in to the voices in my head!

[Lord Warlock]

37 years of hoarding cars, not in a bad way, but I trade the wife's in on newer ones, and roll mine into the back yard if they'll fit.  Now at 54, stricken with prostate cancer, haven't the energy to do much while being treated.  Never knew how much the body needed testosterone to live normally.  I was lucky, and started the serious daily restoration of the car before I was diagnosed, and before the Lupron injection, I got all of the hard work done so that after the treatment I could still handle the small stuff.  Being out of work a year also gave me the time.  

When I was younger, had tons of energy, I never had much extra money laying around to restore the old cars.  The few years I made good cash, there were other priorities.  I'm glad that I took the time to restore it when I did, If I didn't it never would have gotten done.  But what will I do when I finish? start another? not likely, I can't even crawl under a car anymore without wincing or groaning.  My daily driver from 94 to 2003 I've been steadfastly holding to restore again,  but realize it isn't likely, now the only reason I hold on is to save money I need for other needs. Logically I should sell it and focus on one toy in prime condition and be happy with it.  Wife would love that, she likes the charger and has never endorsed selling it, but has nagged endlessly about selling the stealth turbo.  Probably because I spent close to 20000 extra on it rebuilding it before I stored it.  has a new motor and drivetrain, but hasn't been started now in 4 years.

I just replaced a head gasket in a Miata so that I can sell it, I also manually dragged the stealth into the extra garage stall so I can get the charger out when ready.  As soon as I put another coat of clearcoat on the Miata, its being listed for whatever I can get out of it.

[birdsandbees]

Sounds like you need a few good lads to drop by and help you put the spit and polish to the ride and get her back on the street.

I can relate to the crawling under a car, as I (or should I say my 53 year old body) stopped enjoying lying under a car a long long time ago. For my 50th BDay I treated myself to a two post lift for my work shop thinking I'd get back to working on my old cars if it was easier to do so, instead I've logged over 300 hours of hoist time with the kids cars, there significant others cars, etc with no day in site for the Mopars. I guess the good part in that is 300 hours at a local garage = $27,000. Makes that $2,800 lift look pretty financially friendly to the wife!

As for selling the wife's cars...  I can relate, that red plastic piece of junk (in my Mopar eyes) will be the first to go around here if I have to sell anything!

[don duick]

that is my story too. Bought my first basket case charger in 2003 it is complete and roadworthy now but could not be bothered to register it. Bought my second charger about 4 years ago that too needed a lot of work. Took me one and a half years to get it roadworthy and registered. It was not completely done but good enough. Being registered and driving gave me the incentive to slowly over the past 2 years to work on the finer details to get it 100 per cent. I only drive it about once a week and I do wonder sometimes why I bother. I don't really like driving much as I drive all day long with my job. The last thing I want to do is more driving in my time off. My suggestion to you is do the bare minimum to get it licenced then you will find you will have more incentive to finish it gradually as you enjoy driving it.

[Lord Warlock]

Promised myself I'd drive it this year...missed the day but still have some year left.  At this stage, I am content as long as I make some type of progress every week.  This week was a mirror replacement...lol yep that's all I did.  I did however just get the Miata headwork done though.  

I'm jealous RE the lift,  I've been wanting a Buddy Lift 4 poster lift since I built the garage, set the rafters at 11 feet just to fit one inside,  but now, just the thought of moving steel beams around to install it exhaust me, could have used one 10 years ago, today not sure I want one anymore, would rather just pay someone else to do work on everything but the charger, that one I understand and appreciate the simplicity, would have been handy when running brake and fuel lines though.  

I don't even plan to be an active car show attendee, once a month maybe I go to one show, but usually my daily driver 2010 challenger R/T is enough to show off at that one, did see a 69 hemi charger last month,  once I get to know him better I'll try to get his VIN for the site.  If I had the time and energy I'd participate more with the locals, they have shows every weekend somewhere in town. 

[Cncguy]

I'd like to think that if I could no longer enjoy my Charger I'd sell to someone who would.

[b5blue]

  I sweat my butt off the last 2 days, doing what I put off when it got hot again. My Cherokee got wonkie starting so the Charger has to get me around. (Like it's done 14 of the 20 years I've had it.) Do what you must to drive it and the inspiration to fiddle with the chicken shit details will come. 
  I'm not ill in any way, it felt good to sweat and strain but I can understand your on the mend. 

[Kern Dog]

Sorry to learn of your health problems. That sort of stuff really eats into your energy and motivation.
My situation isn't as serious as yours, but we all have our "baggage". I'm working a construction job 109 miles from home. Up at 3:20 AM and back home at around 4:30 PM. That leaves little recreation time and little energy. I enjoy buying parts and stuff for the car but the stuff sits until I can get the time to work on it. Add to that some friends needing help with their cars and my sideline of building and selling cars for extra $$$.....I too am a guy that needs to prioritize my life!

[Lord Warlock]

that phase is the fun phase, where you buy, buy, buy, and just store the parts to the side knowing you'll get around to it one day. Unfortunately, it stretches longer and longer till you're too old to enjoy it.  My dad still enjoys his cars and motorcycles and he's 84.  Takes either his 51 merc or 63 Volvo 544, sometimes takes both to local shows, drives down to Daytona for bike week and rides Harleys for a week then back home for more cars and home projects.  Wish I had his energy, can't bitch around him about being weak either, he survived colon cancer at 56, still around and seems to have fun at 84. 

[Stegs]

maybe, its time to be honest with yourself. Think about it for 1 full week. If in the end you still dont think you will have the time, energy, motivation to work on the car, I think at that point it should be sold to a younger guy and turn him into a car guy.


I mean the car is meant to be driven, not sitting in a barn. If you cant do it, be honest with yourself, find a father and son who are looking for a minor project to work on.


Pass it on....imagine the look of a 12 year old son. Hearing that Big block fire up for the first time (to his ears).

The sound, the smells, the whole car shakes from the power of the motor.


Just like that you passed on the "car guy" attitude, He is hooked (and hopefully he will be a mopar guy)


be honest to yourself, if you cant do it, now is the time when you can still have the energy to help out the new owner, or be there to give him the history on the car!

[Lord Warlock]

While I agree somewhat in that a car is meant to be driven, it also was built to last 100k miles (at the time) and mine has already been driven that far, so has earned a retirement of sorts.  Finding a real father and son who want to truly have a project to share between them  is almost impossible to find, many fathers would like to share such a project, not as many kids seem to be interested these days, I know neither of my daughters showed any interest in cars.  What is far more likely is someone who claims such a project and weeks afterwards flips it for a payoff because you felt moved by their plight and you sold for less than you could have. 

I'm pretty sure my car is a bit beyond what most people want for a father son project, all the work has already been done so all they'd be able to do is go to shows in it or drive it around.  And to be truthful, dad's don't need a muscle car to involve their kids in mechanics, they can do that in any car.  I got my F/S time in on a 66 ford country sedan wagon and a 65 rambler convertible.  And a little later during my driving teen years a 66 mustang convertible with a v8 and a stick shift.  Getting experience on more normal cars just encouraged me to reach for a more powerful one when the time came for me to buy my own.

I've sat and thought about it for days, weeks, months and years.  Its like taking the drivers license away from an old person, next to impossible to separate the thought of connecting the present with the past.  Doing so to further the hobby would be nice but what is more likely to see the car on ebay within weeks or months after letting it go. 

I didn't hold on to it for 40 years to see someone else drive it, heck, I didn't even let my wife drive my charger, only my dad.  And my dad drove it the first time before I even got to.  I get to remember my dad by owning one of his toys, don't need to keep mine to remember, but mine is too connected to me to just pass it on now.  When the day comes that I can no longer drive a car, that is the day I would sell the car. 

I get to see the look of wonder on faces of 12 year old boys, just by driving my daily driver 2010 dodge around, they don't appreciate the smell of oil or burnt rubber, the joy of cranking a huge steering wheel around like driving a semi truck, the joy of sweat dripping into your eyes as you drive because the AC doesn't work or even if does doesn't do nearly as well as newer cars do, nor do they enjoy the need to "pump" brakes to stop a car, all they normally do now is slam on brakes and keep pressing it.

A charger with a big block is the epitome of what people want in a fast car.  Looks, function, sound, and smell.  For decades I've been trying to duplicate the sound of the charger in every other car I've owned, none have come close in looks, function doesn't compare to new cars of today but it is still impressive as well as competitive with the fastest cars sold 40 years later, personally I don't know if my heightened sensitivity to smells/odors will hurt its chances or not.

[rt green]

sounds like you are yelling at yourself for not working on it. I yell at myself too for the same reason. one thing that has helped me was to get up way early in the morning when I'm rested and its cooler out and then work on it. by the time you quit, you still have most of the day still ahead of you. 

[Lord Warlock]

sometimes gotta kick myself in the seat of the pants to go out and do something productive.  The little beater car my kid used to drive is ticking me off, seems every time I look at it something else decides to crap out, can't sell if it doesn't run, can't get a good price unless the motor equals the rest of the car, so fixing what I have to, hope it sells quick, would prefer to be finishing the charger than working on an import sportscar.

Haven't done much of anything on it this week, now that its officially summer, going to have to force myself to work on it, despite the temps outside.