usmilret

Will be going though a test drive today.
The storage compartment and rear carpet will be needing replacement. This is next on the agenda.
Will be needing another speedometer gear, I have to match the rear end gearing.
Will need to repair the cruise control as well.

USAFVeteran

Talk about giving up......I got another new 7" brake booster/master cylinder yesterday. This is the second 7" set up I've had. And, this is the 3rd time I've changed it. I changed it years ago, for a braking problem 10 years ago. Then just recently changed to the 7" booster for valve cover clearance, and now for a defective booster. I hate this job on this car. I'm old, I broke my back 5 years ago in a sand car accident, and I have bad knees form the military. Did I whine enough?? Hahaha

Sluefoot

Some of us feel your pain, Man...I was only in the USAF for 4 years, made SSGT in 3-1/2, I had a good time, and at single & 19 when I went in.....I would do it again.

"I'm Old".....I don't think so...I AM OLD...turned 69 today, but I don't feel anywhere near that old....and I stay active..."workin' part time" by choice, & staying active doin' what I do on my '79 'Vette, including droppin' in a 400 hp engine next week!
Lucky I haven't broke my back....and haven't broke my spirit, not by a long shot!

jr73

I'm working on a challenge myself

usmilret

Took the Vette out for a test drive today.

Brakes: The rear calipers will be needing O-ring seals.
Transmission will need a rebuild.
HVAC switch under the controls will need to be sorted out.
One headlight when on dim.

Hopefuls
Body prep and paint.

Faster Rat

Nope. Took some sage advice early on and chose to tear it apart in stages. Currently driving it occasionally on sunny days, listening for unusual noises and hoping something else doesn't go wrong. It is such a blast to drive and the temptation to mash the pedal to the floor is just too great to ignore. Purely addictive...never get tired of it.

Now, do I feel like giving up yard work? Yes. Painting and fixing the house? Yes.

suprkoop

I made mine into a challenge on purpose...

mortgageguy

Quite successfully I might add. I don't envy you, and I will pray for you.

jr73

Ok now I know where I saw your name before suprkoop
You are the guy working on your car in that amazing shop.

Buccaneer

Been there, done that... The car is going on 35 years and who knows what all the previous baba's have done to it. I've had my 82 for approximately 22 years and done a lot of restoration and mods over the years. Every time I felt like quitting and selling it, it would only take a quick power ride and everything was good again. Always a blast to drive. Keep at it, it will be worth it in the end.

usmilret

The HVAC control system is a can of worms to sort out. Even with the best vacuum diagrams I cannot get it straight.

momo608

Most people stumble through life and are too lazy to put the required years of hard work into being good at anything or accomplishing something noteworthy. That's enough to keep me going. I don't want to have to say when my time is up that I simply existed or wrote checks to avoid the hard work. It helps when you think everyone else work sucks and you have to do it yourself to be satisfied.

I think this is why some people say that family is the most important thing in their lives, gives them an excuse to do little or nothing themselves. People need to have a sense of accomplishment even if they have to lie to themselves to have it.

LS4 PILOT

This is the plan I'm on at this point in my life too. No more major projects.

Drive and enjoy

Street Rat

I'm fortunate to be retired. I can spend a lot of time working on my C3 everyday. But the key for me is to just walk away from the car for a day or so after being frustrated or just plain burned out.

I always come back with renewed enthusiasm in a day or so.

Jebbysan

In my earlier years....I was a hard charging bull.....unstoppable. No project could tear me down.
Now I am in my mid 40's and want to enjoy my time as I wasted much of it banging on mine and other peoples junk.
I have not touched my Corvette since I broke the drivers motor mount three months ago......after spending thousands and detailing eaver inch of the engine compartment and suspension......my ambition is not there to jack it up and change the mount.
BUT............it will happen.........
The trick is to not let the fact that it is sitting there get to you......let it sit. It will be there when you get back.

Jebby

usmilret

I want to say that there is such a thing as light at the end of the tunnel. My Corvette is now running great.
I am looking at small things to do to the car vs the big things.
The front bumper cover went on OK, Not perfect but OK.
The Transmission is shifting excellent, However I don't know if there was a previous shift kit installed or thats the way they come from the factory, she has a stiff shift from second to third. I initially thought that the transmission might have needed a rebuild. Now I don't think so.
I changed the rear end gear from a ridiculously high factory gearing to a middle of the road. This transmission shifts much better, much earlier in the RPM.
I am looking to prep the body for paint.

M. Young

All I can say is I feel your pain. My '81 was a complete pile of sh_t when I bought it. Id take one part off to fix or clean it and four other parts would break or need to be cleaned and reassembled. I've probably put more money into the car than I'll ever get out of it but its mine and I'm starting to see the light a year and a half later. The TKO-600, Ride-TECH style adjustable rear suspension, Iron 3.55 rear end, FiTech breathing 406, gutted and replaced steering system, and completely restored interior helped with my anguish. Good luck!!

Makonut

Daily.

Taarzaahn

May I ask what is the head on the table? Straight 8 or a part of V16?

AboveTheLogic

I've had strong feelings of giving up out of frustration. Whenever I start on a job, I prepare for it going completely wrong and if I have to just throw up my hands and revisit it the following weekend, then that's just fine. Only way I can keep my sanity.

This attitude is what got me through my T56 conversion last year. If I really lost my cool every time something went wrong I would have pushed it off a cliff long ago.

This is why you just don't see these cars on the road much anymore. When I bump into an enthusiast and talk about all the work I've done, I usually get huge respect points, which is nice.