Needing Some Direction

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74Scamp

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2018
Messages
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Location
North Dakota
Hey guys, I don’t want to get too long winded here. October 2019 our basement flooded and since then we fixed it, sold our house, bought a new house, and just had our son two weeks ago. Our lives have been nothing less than busy and my Scamp has been on the back burner since October. With the amount of time since I last worked on it I’m overwhelmed by what’s going on. I did a /6 to V8 swap just for the background. Still running a 904 trans.

Here’s my list of things to do/ unfinished;
-Carb has been rebuilt by me, but isn’t adjusted. Factory fuel lines are installed but not hooked up for current carb.
- Electrical is a mess. My MSD box, fuel pump, starter, charging system, and engine sensors aren’t wired in.
-Battery is being relocated to the trunk too.
-The radiator I bought is a Spectra CU499 (for the later V8 A bodies), but it doesn’t mount up like the factory one did. I don’t mind drilling holes to bolt it, but I don’t want a bad fitment either. I’m not sure why it’s not the same if the front support is different from the /6 to V8 or not.
- Either mount up a trans cooler or just loop the lines for now for initial running.

  • This is all in order to start the engine and break it in. I still have the interior to reinstall, swap out the rear axle, and hopefully have the engine running properly and not wipe out the cam (solid lifter). It just seems like a mountain in front of me. I don’t have the full old school knowledge on these cars. I don’t have all the time and even less money to do this work. I’ve wrestled with the idea of selling it because it’s stressed me out so much. I want to get my car going and everything, but I’m in over my head now. Im not sure how to exactly say my full situation as a visual would surely help. It’s confusing and I apologize for that. I feel like I need to vent or talk things out. I appreciate any comments, good or bad, on this thread.
 
First, congratulations on the new baby. Keep your family your first priority, your car can always easily be replaced. Provide for and enjoy your family. Children grow too fast. Enjoy them, take them with you wherever you go. Spend as much time with your wife and kids as you can. You will never regret it. Work on the home first, then the car when / if you can. I wish you the best.
 
I agree with coloradohill. Family first. You sound young so you've got lots of time. If you've got the space, throw a tarp over the car in the corner and prep your engine for storage. It will be there when you are ready. The last thing that you want is have your car become an "issue". If you feel overwhelmed, your family will feel it too, and that's not good. Best of luck.
 
Coloardo is right. Family first, **** 20 years goes by fast. Tackle one thing at a time. I bought my 72 duster running almost 4 years ago and 3 of those years I spent working my tail off with a 60+ hour a week job and when I had some free time I would tinker on the car to destress / stress and cuss cus of the amount of stuff I wanted to do to the car. But that day when you finely get her started and day you finely take the car for the maden voyage you’ll be like a kid in a candy store with a huge grin... then you get the bug or habit and next thing you know you have 3 of these damn a-bodies :BangHead:
 
We are all involved in this hobby together, sharing knowledge, parts, and cars to keep these cool old cars on the road.

You can always feel good about aquiring your car and getting it to the stage it is at now.

Turning your car to a good mopar candidate always feels good to get it into the right hands so it can continue on and bring others joy and learning experience.

It is all stepping stones in life and change is all part of it. Sounds like you have a good package there that is worth some money.

You have a lot on your plate right now and it is not worth turning your world upside down for a car.

You can still be involved in the hobby without having to own at the immediate moment. Take breather and let your life come together, there is always time to jump back in in the future.

You can always specialize in one of the simpler avenues of the hobby, like collecting carbs, mopar literature, lots of photo work to be involved in, could start a mopar web page to share with others. Engine dress up goodies, you name it.

Something to keep a hand in it, without draining your life, checkbook and your energy by getting deep into the big projects that can go on forever.

Your call, happy you are here !

 
I feel you man. I bought a 68 B'cuda ragtop in pieces from a member here 4 or 5 years ago. Been collecting parts. Slowly. All I've actually done to it is swap the rear out for an 8.75. Oh yeah, I was going to have the car completed in 2 years. So much for that plan. It doesn't help that I sold my completed 69 Fury ragtop 2 years ago when we put the house up for sale, moved, done a bunch of stuff to the new house, putting a big *** pool, moved the oldest son back in, started a 318/360 swap on the Shelby Dakota.... yeah life happens. The Shelby "should" be done mid summer, maybe. The B'cuda will be next. I promise.

I say all that to say this - If you have the space for it, pick at it little by little in between family life. Save the break-in of the motor until you need to move it under its own power. If you sell it now, you won't get what you have invested. Couple that with trying to come up with the money to buy another one in 10 years. By the time you get serious on the car again, make it a father/child learning project.
 
Thanks fellas. I have so many avenues in my head to talk about, but I agree to keeping my family a priority. With so much going on in a very short three years I’ve had my Scamp, looking back I wish I had just replaced the /6 with a running one and kept it driveable. The younger me with ambition and an idea wanted to have it V8 swapped and running by the next fall back then. That whole idea of “by this summer or this time stamp I’ll have it checked off” has probably been the mole hill turned into the mountain I face. Mopars have gotten me into this passion/ hobby we love and I guess as much as it gives joy it sure brings the opposite just as much. I appreciate the supportive replies. They’ve helped put me more at ease. Maybe this won’t be as huge as I’ve thought of it to be.
 
My Barracuda sat under a tarp for 18 years while my family grew up playing all around it. Finally I got started on it, and then it still took another 3 to finish, on my cash-flow with me doing everything but body and paint. I took out and installed every single bolt and screw in that hummer.
 
dont sale ya car! youll regret it for sure!! put family first but dont forget you come in some wheres on that list! take it one step at a time not so focused on the big picture and sooner or later itll come together! itll give you some thing to take your mind away from the every day stresses, and one day you can take your family for ice cream in it!!
 
Like others said family first.

But rather than make modifications, just go back to oem. No problems to fix, just bolt on, snap on, hook up, and drive.

You could also submit your story to garage squad, some of their stuff is less than perfect, but at least you will have a car you can drive.
 
You have a family to take care of now, Priority Number 1. Even if the car is a /6, you have something nobody else does. If you need to sell her to support you family, so be it. It's not worth much, on paper, so try to keep it for a project for when you an your new child can work on it. It's only a couple of years, now. My Father did this with me, and it stuck. I'm 63 years old today. I miss, love, and thank my Father.
 
Maybe this won’t be as huge as I’ve thought of it to be.

When I built my 68 Hardtop I stripped it to the shell. I would go out to garage and get pretty overwhelmed and go back in the house lol . I decided to pick 1 thing to do each night even if it was small and believe it or not, I got it done. Take baby steps and things will get better. Enjoy your baby. I'm glad I did and I still wish they didn't grow so fast. Good luck and hang in there. Think of it as a hobby. You want to enjoy working on your car though sometimes it can get frustrating .
 
When I built my 68 Hardtop I stripped it to the shell. I would go out to garage and get pretty overwhelmed and go back in the house lol . I decided to pick 1 thing to do each night even if it was small and believe it or not, I got it done. Take baby steps and things will get better. Enjoy your baby. I'm glad I did and I still wish they didn't grow so fast. Good luck and hang in there. Think of it as a hobby. You want to enjoy working on your car though sometimes it can get frustrating .
I think that’s the best route to go about this. I’ll just need to do a little here and there without going full bore at it in a day trying to get as much done as you can. I’d rather enjoy my car than hate working on it.
 
Like others said family first.

But rather than make modifications, just go back to oem. No problems to fix, just bolt on, snap on, hook up, and drive.

You could also submit your story to garage squad, some of their stuff is less than perfect, but at least you will have a car you can drive.
Its crossed my mind to get a plain ol 318 or 360 that’s running and install that, but long story short my current 360 was a PITA to install with the engine mounts, headers, and k frame I’m using. I’d dread pulling my engine out again and doing that run around.
 
Hey guys, I don’t want to get too long winded here. October 2019 our basement flooded and since then we fixed it, sold our house, bought a new house, and just had our son two weeks ago. Our lives have been nothing less than busy and my Scamp has been on the back burner since October. With the amount of time since I last worked on it I’m overwhelmed by what’s going on. I did a /6 to V8 swap just for the background. Still running a 904 trans.

Here’s my list of things to do/ unfinished;
-Carb has been rebuilt by me, but isn’t adjusted. Factory fuel lines are installed but not hooked up for current carb.
- Electrical is a mess. My MSD box, fuel pump, starter, charging system, and engine sensors aren’t wired in.
-Battery is being relocated to the trunk too.
-The radiator I bought is a Spectra CU499 (for the later V8 A bodies), but it doesn’t mount up like the factory one did. I don’t mind drilling holes to bolt it, but I don’t want a bad fitment either. I’m not sure why it’s not the same if the front support is different from the /6 to V8 or not.
- Either mount up a trans cooler or just loop the lines for now for initial running.

  • This is all in order to start the engine and break it in. I still have the interior to reinstall, swap out the rear axle, and hopefully have the engine running properly and not wipe out the cam (solid lifter). It just seems like a mountain in front of me. I don’t have the full old school knowledge on these cars. I don’t have all the time and even less money to do this work. I’ve wrestled with the idea of selling it because it’s stressed me out so much. I want to get my car going and everything, but I’m in over my head now. Im not sure how to exactly say my full situation as a visual would surely help. It’s confusing and I apologize for that. I feel like I need to vent or talk things out. I appreciate any comments, good or bad, on this thread.

Take deep breath and relax. Work on it when you can. Do one thing at a time. Get it running. If you sell it you will probably regret it.
 
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As 66fs said, take a breath & relax. Do what you can & enjoy the youngster. As you go, collect up parts a pieces, refurb them if needed. Box up your parts & clearly label them & install what you can with your free time. You will have it going soon enough & you can put the youngster in his car seat & take him & the wife for a cruise. Building/rebuilding a car is not an overnight affair. Many of us have been "BUILDING" our cars for years, they are never finished & anyone who tells you their car is finished & they are not doing anything else to it is lying to themselves. LMAO
 
When I built my 68 Hardtop I stripped it to the shell. I would go out to garage and get pretty overwhelmed and go back in the house lol . I decided to pick 1 thing to do each night even if it was small and believe it or not, I got it done. Take baby steps and things will get better. Enjoy your baby. I'm glad I did and I still wish they didn't grow so fast. Good luck and hang in there. Think of it as a hobby. You want to enjoy working on your car though sometimes it can get frustrating .

That's what I did with a frame off resto car. I never thought it would get finished however I broke it down into parts and just dug in. But I never left it alone. Once it fired off the X and I got stoked and poured the coals to it. Took a week off from work for the final push and sure enough at the end of that week it got some miles on it....

I wasn't raising a family however I was a workaholic and that was just as bad IMO from a time management standpoint.... Hang in there OP. Set realistic goals and you will get it done.

JW
 
My '70 Swinger 340 was blown apart in 2007. It's in the garage, never exposed to weather. I bought parts when the were on sale, and bought at least one part per paycheck. Now that I'm retired and rebuilding her, I have parts coming out of my ears. Rather than buy something new, I have to check my attic first. For example, my driver's side rear view mirror is so worn in the pivot socket, it just flops down. I looked in my parts stash, and sure enough I bought an OEM part in 2008, still in the box. The point is keep the faith. Once your little one is old enough to hand you a 9/16's wrench, you're on the right path.
 
I think that’s the best route to go about this. I’ll just need to do a little here and there without going full bore at it in a day trying to get as much done as you can. I’d rather enjoy my car than hate working on it.

It's like going to the gym. A little here and there. I would try a do 1 thing a day on my resto . Even if it was small like paint a part, or sweep the floor, just some thing no matter how big or small will get you there.
 
As everyone else said, just chip away a little at a time/ Do your battery and the wiring, then do radiator, you need these done first to fire her. I've been working on mine for close to 20 years. Little here, little there. Enjoy your little one as they grow way too fast!! If need be just let it sit awhile it ain't eating anything and you will regret selling, unless you really need the cash.
Slow down and relax with it. Do what you can when you can and it'll all come together.
Keep the faith!!
 
sneak out to the garage when the baby and momma are sleeping, just keep the noise down! You'll find youll get about 8 minutes of garage time a day so plan accordingly. My best time is sat sun 0500-0700 when everyone is still sleeping...after that it balls to the walls doing family stuff. Family first, those first years with the baby are very important to bonding...and the first month with a newborn...hold 'em as much as they will allow.
 
I had two great years working on my Project as I had a 3rd shift job. Wife at work, kids at school, all alone !
 
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