starting to drag me down..
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: WAY SOUTH OF HEAVEN inebriated
starting to drag me down..
I started this project with the best of intensions full restore and modified the way i want but the deeper i get into it the more i feel like giving up.....if its not the government wanting to take all my cash its my corvette for months all i thought about was my car night and day how great it would be flying down the cocahala (british columbia) with the tops off and the kid rock pounding but now i feel like its a never ending battle i live off hot dogs and cant even afford to buy new work boots and i make some serious cash man.and my job ... thats another battle all together having to work around a bunch of pin heads 90% of my time really doesnt help.have you ever felt like your so far ahead of everyone else you feel left behind? anyways the corvette fever is wearing off some positive modivation would help out here guys i really enjoy this sight thanks to all that have helped out..kelly. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,041
Likes: 0
From: Wichita, KS
Get away from the car! You need to step back from it from time to time and take a long break. I have shut the garage door for weeks at a time when things were getting the best of me. When you are fresh from a bit of seperation you will be able to work through your problems.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
we all have days, weeks and months like that....once i walked away from a 2year restoration for 4 months....and then all of a sudden the interest came back....so if you are getting burned out wrap up what you have hanging, tie up loose ends, make some good notes and walk away for a little bit. good luck
Senior Member since 1492
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 87,921
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
If its a choice between spending money on food or money on the vette, food will win. I like to eat.
Work is work, if it was supposed to be fun, they'd call it play.
Work is work, if it was supposed to be fun, they'd call it play.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,255
Likes: 82
From: Brampton Ont.
There's some good advice here 1980 454,I think I can speak for most who work on there own vette's that we all get frustrated from time to time. Hell sometimes I wanna throw something at the car cause I feel she's not co-operating with me. Don't feel bad, I stepped back and took a 15 year break from mine and for some reason I decided that she deserved better than to sit in a garage stored for all those years. Take your time, take pride in what you do and try not to rush it. Were here to help if we can.
Good luck. and take a deep breath.
Good luck. and take a deep breath.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Take a break from the car like everyone is saying. Also don't take too much on so that the car is down for a long time. Little projects are better then drive the car then another project. Heck I took a 15 year break from cars, then I quit drinking 
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,431
Likes: 52
From: Florida
You've got burnout...not the good kind either. Don't give up but do take some time off from project as suggested by others. Hang in there, you'll get it finished eventually and you'll be glad you didn't give up. 
Jim
Jim
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 560
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From: The Valley of The Sun AZ
Originally Posted by 1980 454
thats another battle all together having to work around a bunch of pin heads 90% of my time really doesnt help.have you ever felt like your so far ahead of everyone else you feel left behind?
Haha.. try working with U.S. federal employees. Sometimes I feel like I am working in an insane asylum and they are the patients. As long as they are sleeping, outside smoking, on some union break, at lunch, or off on one of their 50+ days of leave a year, they do no harm.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham AL
If it's any positive motivation, we've all been there. I even documented it in my blog: http://77vette.blogspot.com/ The way I deal with it is a little different than walking away from it for a while. I personally have found if I do not set goals with a date on them (mind you not unreasonable goals) such as get the half shafts and diff mounted this weekend, then I'll just look at a pile of stuff and be overwhelmed with how much needs to be done. Narrow it down to a manageable list of short term objectives and I feel much better. Let's you feel accomplishment while still a long way off from driving your dream machine. My overall goal for my restoration from start to finish is 6 months. The reason is simple, if I don't paint it (which I am doing myself in my garage) by the end of June it will be too hot to do it and I'll have to wait until October at which time I will be highly pissed not being able to drive it in the summer.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 9
From: Science Bitch! Mississauga, Ontario
Canadian Events Coordinator
Originally Posted by Jughead
If its a choice between spending money on food or money on the vette, food will win. I like to eat.
Work is work, if it was supposed to be fun, they'd call it play.
Work is work, if it was supposed to be fun, they'd call it play.
=======================
hang in there!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Take a small break and sure enough, a good reason to get back into it will hit you.
For me, it was my 9YO son asking, "Dad, when are we gonna be driving the 'vette again ?"
He remembers from when he was 6. That jump started me big-time.
For me, it was my 9YO son asking, "Dad, when are we gonna be driving the 'vette again ?"
He remembers from when he was 6. That jump started me big-time.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Had mine in storage.Got inspired,went out,hooked up battery,and smoke came out by starter.Covered it back up for six months.Found out later mice had chewed wires and turned my air cleaner/intake in a condo.Laugh about it now.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 17
From: White Pine / Dandridge TN
I've had my vette 6 years now. Instead of taking on too much at once, I've set goals for the next 10-15 years. In other words, that's how long it will take me to complete the resto. I like to take baby steps versus full on resto. This way I keep cost down, minimize down time from driving and actually enjoy my hobby. Restoring a vette is more like a marathon versus a sprint. You have to pace yourself. Then you don't get so tired.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
Likes: 2
From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
Patience man..if you run out of money, just clean on it and wait to have more. when you get burned out, go and do what everyone else says.. just get away fromit.. also,it never hurts to get out to car shows to get your ambition back...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: WAY SOUTH OF HEAVEN inebriated
thanks everyone it really helped went for a drive lastnight( in my truck) calmed myself down a bit then fired up ol betsy at this point its on stands with the back end completely removed and the original 350 man those side pipes with no baffles sure got my heart pumping again and then looked at the huge pile of brand new parts sitting beside it........ 
the only thing i need now is my inner axles from vettepartsonline put the back end back together install the front monospring system brand new everything then the ls6 500 h/p monster i refer to as egore will be dropped under her skirt and off to align she goes and come heller high water i will be driving to the coast this summer.will post all the pics as soon as its finished i also do airbrush and im sure alot of people will be amazed with my ideas and concepts that ive incorperated into the car i like being different than everyone else i think the real big attention will go to my custom vertical doors and side winders as i call them side pipes and of coarse the mindblowing piant scheme ive designed.i just hope the redone th350 holds up to all those horsy's my fever is starting to rise again.thanks everyone. 
the only thing i need now is my inner axles from vettepartsonline put the back end back together install the front monospring system brand new everything then the ls6 500 h/p monster i refer to as egore will be dropped under her skirt and off to align she goes and come heller high water i will be driving to the coast this summer.will post all the pics as soon as its finished i also do airbrush and im sure alot of people will be amazed with my ideas and concepts that ive incorperated into the car i like being different than everyone else i think the real big attention will go to my custom vertical doors and side winders as i call them side pipes and of coarse the mindblowing piant scheme ive designed.i just hope the redone th350 holds up to all those horsy's my fever is starting to rise again.thanks everyone.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
I'm going through the same thing, so I feel for you. I have a long way to go, but it helps to ignore the big picture and concentrate on one thing at a time. My project this weekend is to hopefully get the t-tops put back together and the weather stripping on. If you set smaller goals you get a better sense of accomplishment when you get something done.
When I started my car in 1991 my parents got me a license plate frame that said "Go Broke, Own a Corvette". Been my motto ever since. The money was what finally made me totally sick of the car and store it for years. I had a total meltdown, but since I've polished it up and inventoried the parts, I started to get interested again. Half the fun has been tracking down the hardware for everything after 15 years or so away from it.
Now which box did I put that in?
You'll get there, just take it slow and easy and you'll get there....
When I started my car in 1991 my parents got me a license plate frame that said "Go Broke, Own a Corvette". Been my motto ever since. The money was what finally made me totally sick of the car and store it for years. I had a total meltdown, but since I've polished it up and inventoried the parts, I started to get interested again. Half the fun has been tracking down the hardware for everything after 15 years or so away from it.
Now which box did I put that in?You'll get there, just take it slow and easy and you'll get there....