At what point do you pull the plug?

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inkjunkie

inkjunkie

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On your project. I have zero interest in finishing the Dart. Was determined to actually finish something. Had this big plan going into retirement. Than reality set in, $$ is tighter than I thought it would be. Fell apart physically....should say continuing to fall apart, have gotten to the point that even a simple oil change/tire rotation kicks my *** physically. My mental health BS compounds all of this crap tenfold. Every time I go out to the garage and see the car sitting there I can't help but hate myself for even starting on it...
Can't help but think it is time to just bail on it....recoup what little $$ I can out of it and just put the funds into more camera gear....
 
Yup, sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs (same principle sorta)! Been working on my Demon since 1989 and maybe put 4 hours into it this last summer. It's become a stress rather than a pleasure and not being able to work on it during the cold months doesn't help. Plus a bad shoulder, back and arthritis makes for a lack of git up and go sometimes. Plus life, family and other projects are always beckoning.

It's a personal decision that only you can make, but for me I've put too much into it to quit now. Planning to have it ready for the car corral at Carlisle next July (think I've said that before more than once, but this time I mean it!).

You do sound like you are DONE though, so move on and get that stress off your plate is my 2c!
 
Been there before trying to rebuild a 1966 VW Beetle about 20 years ago. It’s sad, but sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on.
 
inkjunkie said:
On your project. I have zero interest in finishing the Dart. Was determined to actually finish something. Had this big plan going into retirement. Than reality set in, $$ is tighter than I thought it would be. Fell apart physically....should say continuing to fall apart, have gotten to the point that even a simple oil change/tire rotation kicks my *** physically. My mental health BS compounds all of this crap tenfold. Every time I go out to the garage and see the car sitting there I can't help but hate myself for even starting on it...
Can't help but think it is time to just bail on it....recoup what little $$ I can out of it and just put the funds into more camera gear....
Click to expand...
nearly everyone has that moment and sounds like you just did
 
Doug, I've felt that way with my "finished car". At one point I felt like I was always throwing money at it or fixing something. Then it dawned on my.. I always will be fixing or changing/throwing money at something. So I've said hell with it, it can sit when I dont want to do anything with it or I will start playing with it, and enjoy it again.. Its a little bit different scenario, I get that...

3 possibilities:

1)Keep it with dreams of completing it, and driving it. Is this just a phase and you'll get back into it??

2)Give yourself a deadline. 6mo., 1yr, etc.. If you dont work on it and have the drive to finish it and that deadline comes, then sell it.

2)Sell it, It could be going to a good home and become a car that will get the attention you wanted to give to it.

Whatever your decision, I get it and best of luck.
 
Sounds like you're getting some good advice from those who've been there!

Me too,, 3 knee replacements, back surgery and so on! Have slowed the cash output but I still want to finish it.

You'll make the right decision!
 
Imo if any hobby becomes more of a burden and adds more stress than enjoyment and stress relief it's time to call it quits.
I made a similar decision with hunting a few years ago. I really enjoy it and it's fun to me but it became more of a hassle and aggravation than it was worth. My family owns a small lot of land (50 acres) and every year we was fighting with trespassers and poachers and the game wardens wouldn't do anything about it. And it just got to where It wasnt fun anymore i can go buy a steak for 10 bucks its hell of alot easier and it will keep me out of jail! So i haven't hunted in 3 years. I do miss it and I always say I'm gonna go but I don't I know its not worth it.
 
I hear ya Doug. I've been contemplating selling the 69 vert. I have nearly 95% of parts required, but lack space and time. 67 barely moved this year due to electrical woes. My therapy this year was 16' tin fishing boat.
I am in the middle of putting a shelter up to put the 69 in. I'm depressed even thinking about it. The 69 is super rare but 67 is beautiful and I dont have time for 2 cars, boat etc etc.
Good luck with your choice.
 
inkjunkie said:
On your project. I have zero interest in finishing the Dart. Was determined to actually finish something. Had this big plan going into retirement. Than reality set in, $$ is tighter than I thought it would be. Fell apart physically....should say continuing to fall apart, have gotten to the point that even a simple oil change/tire rotation kicks my *** physically. My mental health BS compounds all of this crap tenfold. Every time I go out to the garage and see the car sitting there I can't help but hate myself for even starting on it...
Can't help but think it is time to just bail on it....recoup what little $$ I can out of it and just put the funds into more camera gear....
Click to expand...
Easy big fella I don't think you need to go off the deep end here. Here's what I've done and I'm feeling you and I know what you're saying. It becomes overwhelmingly expensive and too much pressure and stuff so lately I started thinking and doing is making the car a little less for the track and one more for the street and making it all comfortable so I can enjoy it more. not so much pouring money into it to race it and all that kind of stuff and worry about breaking parts and having to go real fast. The mental aspect you touched on was very strong of you to say which needs to be brought out and talked about a lot more of these days because there's a lot of people having problems in this ballpark. I say try and sell some of your real expensive speed parts or high-end nos parts and just get some inexpensive stuff so you can keep the car and enjoy it. even if it means tossing a slant 6 in there or something and getting some money back out of it but still being able to have it and enjoy it and if you change your mind later you can always supp it back up or something.
 
I started feeling that way about my 'cuda. So slapped it back together. Got it running and Sold it. Part of me misses it, But other part of me doesn't I have some issues as well and my body isn't as forgiving as it was 10 or 20 years ago. Only you know what you should do. But, It sure sounds like you already made up your mind.
 
I started searching around, would have been easier to buy a running car. As i have spent most of my time on engine and transmission and 10 hours into the body i wonder myself if it will ever get done. I cant give up. I spent my whole life fixing other peoples **** and all i ever drive is beaters.
Thousands in tools and very little return other than income.
Im getting older,and want something to show for my life’s work. If anything something i can leave behind for my son or daughter.
 
inkjunkie said:
On your project. I have zero interest in finishing the Dart. Was determined to actually finish something. Had this big plan going into retirement. Than reality set in, $$ is tighter than I thought it would be. Fell apart physically....should say continuing to fall apart, have gotten to the point that even a simple oil change/tire rotation kicks my *** physically. My mental health BS compounds all of this crap tenfold. Every time I go out to the garage and see the car sitting there I can't help but hate myself for even starting on it...
Can't help but think it is time to just bail on it....recoup what little $$ I can out of it and just put the funds into more camera gear....
Click to expand...
When you describe your feelings like you have, it’s time to let it go.

The project sitting there is bringing a burden you don’t need while your photography is bringing you a new happiness. Drop the burden and embrace your happiness.
 
I haven't had that feeling yet with a project, probably because I haven't had that many projects lol... All I know is if I wasn't daydreaming every day fantasizing about driving the pi** out of my '70 Duster I wouldn't be building it. I put up with all the crap because I have a burning desire, almost a NEED for hot V8 classic Mopar in my life. My Duster has been down almost 2 years and I've been steadily getting more depressed which is even more motivation to get that sh** DONE!

If that isn't how you feel about your Dart then it might not be worth keeping.
 
I got that way with my Dart. Gung ho for about 18 months then physical ailments and Depression issues hit so I put it aside until I felt better. By the time I felt better I had lost all interest in it and sold it to a couple young kids that wanted something to build a street car with. Sold it for about half what I had in it but when it left on that trailer I didn't have the regrets I thought I might have but felt like a big burden was lifted off my shoulders.They send me pics on the internet once in a while and that satisfies me. You are good at photography and it seems you like doing it. Good luck
 
Damn, Doug. There's a possibility I might not live to drive mine again, but I'm not giving up............YET. This year sure slowed me down. "The goal" was to get the engine/ trans set into the Dart and hot wired so I can move it and work on it. Neither happened, three things.......got hot and I just could not get into the heat, this is the first year the fire smoke actually burned my eyes, so there was about a month I did nothing outdoors. Then, "we thought" the estate was sold and I had to move a bunch of stuff out, and THEN it didn't sell. That wasted a bunch of time.

Now I've broken two ribs, and this winter is gonna be a painful deal.

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
Doug, from I have witnessed, I have seen you find a hobby that not only you love, but has probably SAVED YOUR LIFE! I tell Kitty that about you all the time. You take fantastic pictures! You've found your niche! You shouldn't feel guilty about anything. Think about it and do what YOU want and if that's selling the Dart, so be it. IMHO, I don't think you'll miss it.........long.
 
I was afraid that would happen to me on my first car. So what I did was pick one piece and finish it. Sandblasted the upper control arm say, then paint it and rebuild it. When I got to feeling down I would look at the nice shiney finished part and it would help. It is really easy to get overwhelmed if you look at the project as a whole and not smaller sub projects.
 
Way back in the 90's ?? sometime, I was riding the roads and came up on a farm stead with a 71 RoadRunner sitting where I could barely see it from the road. I pull in there and it is pretty cold Missouri day. ( never know when you find a Mopar needing buying!?)...It is running, with someone sitting in there. I get out and walk over to the car, and there is an old guy probably in his 80's. Well the car is ay 25 years old and looks it, but sounds really GOOD!!! I start up "car" conversation with the old gent, he is pretty deft, tells me he has cateracs and his grandson takes him to town for doc and groceries. He tells me he just goes out every day and starts the car, moves it around the yard so the tires don't go flat, just loves to hear it RUN!!!
The older I get the more I relate to him!! Fact is that old car gave that old man pleasure. !!! Sure he would have loved to drove it down the road like he did when he was younger and the car was too. But life changes and things never stay the same.
We have hobbies basically because they give us pleasure. Sure they can be hard work, expensive, and not always make perfect sense. But when thy become a burn w cannot bear, or we physically cannot do, we have to consider it all.
I know plenty of car guys that have a yard full of "projects", non restored, none run, but they love it. Then there are guys that will work on a car for, 20 years, and it still does NOT run! But they love it.
I have raised, trained, showed, used quarter horse all my life. But at age 70, I can barely climb up on one. Have a 5 gal. bucket to "help" me up. Had triple by pass 1 year ago, blood thinner makes me bruise at nothing. I have 2 geldings left. One is well broke, the other I put 3-4 rides on right before I bought died last year. I want to finish him but I know I DO NOT need to get on him. He had no buck, but they can all blow. If he dumped me I hate to think what bruises I would have, read blood clots!! So I feed them, they give me pleasure just taking care of them. Yes I miss using and really enjoying them. Wife tells me NOT to sell them. Bottom line .... They give me pleasure. If I had NO cars or horses, a part of me would just die....... You can see how all this relates.
 
It’s your car - don’t let it own you or drag you down.
It can be good to let some things go. My buddies that raced motocross bikes had to give that up when they hit 30 years old, but it’s hard to accept this stuff.
I’m thinking that I probably shouldn’t be water skiing anymore, I just can’t afford to get hurt.
Getting rid of a long term project that may never be done can be very liberating. We just don’t want you to do something you regret by getting rid of it too soon.
 
Didn't read through all the post, but when it's not fun anymore, or too much of a financial burden, or the physical body won't permit it, it's time to let it go.

It does not mean you failed. Happens to everyone, for at least one of the 3 reasons I listed above. I was at the drag strip this past summer and watched Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick stand by the water box while another guy was driving the "Tameless Tiger". Because Arnie can't drive them no more.
 
When you said you feel bad whenever you look at it, that told me it's time to let it go. There's nothing wrong about getting interested in different things as life goes on. I think about my Dad getting into so many things from boat building to learning to play different instruments, make pottery, furniture, kit airplanes, he never felt bad when he put something aside. He sold an electric car project he was building for quite a while, lost interest and moved on to the next project. I say sell your Dart with gusto, not a heavy heart. But don't disappear from FABO.
 
inkjunkie said:
On your project. I have zero interest in finishing the Dart. Was determined to actually finish something. Had this big plan going into retirement. Than reality set in, $$ is tighter than I thought it would be. Fell apart physically....should say continuing to fall apart, have gotten to the point that even a simple oil change/tire rotation kicks my *** physically. My mental health BS compounds all of this crap tenfold. Every time I go out to the garage and see the car sitting there I can't help but hate myself for even starting on it...
Can't help but think it is time to just bail on it....recoup what little $$ I can out of it and just put the funds into more camera gear....
Click to expand...

Anyone like kids you could gift it too? That'd way it'd stay in the family and you could help here or there?
 
I have noticed that I go in cycles. Bicycles, A Bodies, engines, music, fishing, and hunting. Work was overwhelming and I had no time. Things just sat, and I was OK with that. I would get parts that I would want and could wait for. I am now retired, but I will not put any deadlines on myself. I just make a list, and work towards the end when you want. Another mistake people make is having to have the latest and greatest. You don't need to have a 360 or a stroker if you have a 273, or 318. You don't need aluminum heads or super parts to have a blast on the street. That is why we have Mopars. Do a descent job on what you have, get it going and enjoy it. On the other hand I have been getting rid of things I have no interest in. But I cannot imagine not having a 4 speed, HP V8 early Barracuda. If you don't have space that is another point. Only you know what to do.
 
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I was kinda in the same boat. I started restoring my dart over 15 years ago. I got side tracked with a new girlfriend and moved on to a different hobby for about 10 years. Finally I decided I was going to finish the car and decided it would be on the road by summer. That was last winter :) Moved my finish date to this coming summer and decided to spend the money to farm out the paint job. I like to do everything myself but I knew it would add another year to the project for me to do the paint. Best decision I ever made. I am now in the process of assembling the car and right on track to drive it this summer.
At the end of the day you need to do what you enjoy doing. If you are not enjoying working on the car you should sell it or set it aside for a while.
 
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