Captainkirk's Duster project

I've been reading a lot of these resto threads lately...a LOT. And I've subscribed to quite a few that have captured my interest. Some of you guys have skills....MAD skills! Way beyond my meager abilities. Some of you have interesting histories behind the cars themselves. Some of you have spent a King's Ransom building the car of your dreams (and most of ours, as well) Some of you have built cars that dip into or below sub-10 second brackets. Some of you have final paint and detail work that border on fine art and cost as much.
So what is it that makes my build....ummm..."worthy"?
Well, if I may-
1) If you've read the early ramblings you might find I've pretty much laid it all out here...from Day One. Not only the history of two cars, but the history of The Captain as well. You don't find that in a CrackerJack box.
2) I'm quite sure this has to be one of the longest builds on the block. Not that this is a good thing, but interesting, just the same.
3) Not being a whiner or bitcher/complainer here, but seriously....the last couple years personally have been a drop-kick in the nuts with steel-toed boots mentally, physically and financially. If there was ever a time NOT to start a restoration, this would be it, brother. And so, I find it completely amazing when I go stare at The Duke and see the progress I've made over the past month or so at a time when I should have been tying the tarp down ever-tighter, or putting it up for sale. Instead, I've managed to forge ahead despite being over-worked, over-stressed and flat-friggin' broke. I must confess part of the tenacity is due to the "cold, dead hands" philosophy, and part of it is that losing myself in the labors of The Duke is mental therapy. Even if it means spending the last few bucks in my pocket on a can of spray paint (yes, I've done that several times) or working in the cold or sweltering heat much, much later than someone who has to get up in the morning and go to work has any business doing, often to the point of exhaustion. Not looking for sympathy or props here, by the way...just telling it like it is. In the end, this is how it is; if The Duke ever does get finished, it will be my personal Mt. Everest conquered, even if it doesn't appear to be more than a small hill for some of you. And this, my friends, is why reading some of your resto threads have been so inspirational. Because underneath it all, if you read between the lines, we all have our own dragons to slay to complete our projects whether spoken or unspoken. In all honesty, this is The Project That Should Not Be, but then....."damn the torpedoes....full speed ahead".