GD beat me to my suggestion, if it's roadworthy, just get in and drive the car. Let loose on it some and feel the rush you get from driving it. If that doesn't motivate you to make it better, than you may need some more serious help!

 

Yep, take her out and enjoy the fresh air, sound of the engine and envious onlookers. It'll motivate you to change the fluids, cruise a bit more and eventually tackle your interior issues.

You'll end up with a bigger "to-do" list if you let it sit.

Enjoy it!

 

That's how we do it up north in PA to, i'm pretty sure there's a law somewhere.

if it's drivable the take it for a cruise, if not then i would start with the smaller projects that make you feel like you've accomplished something.

for example: the lights on the passenger side mirrored visor rattled incredibly badly. 4 small pieces of electrical tape (black interior) is a good "quick fix" that didn't cost anything, but at the same time i felt like i had accomplished something.

 

What always did it for me was driving the car. Go for a ride and when you pull back into the garage you will be pumped up to get the job done. I do this everytime the work becomes boring.

 

I've been very motivated for the last several months as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have had my 69 vert for coming on 4 years and have never driven it as it had no brakes and other issues when I bought it as a resto project. I'm ready to drop the body back on the frame in the next 2 weeks or so. I have a lot of the bodywork done, but do have to glue the front end on and then finish paint.

I tried to do one thing every day that I was home on it over the last couple years even if it is just cleaning a part, shooting some paint or ordering some parts. It doesn't have to be big, but just do something. Just like exercising you don't have to kill yourself, just do something every day and it adds up and becomes part of your routine.

 

all you have to do is remove 1 seat or part of the dash.... then just let it flow

 

This is probably the best advice I've seen posted. double the time is accurate. w/o a list, you'll get lost, don't be surprised if it grows instead of shrinks as you get into it. I like stageing the parts and starting with the most difficult job, then the next most difficult,, etc. I did this because the more difficult jobs are usually the ones that keep the car from being drivable. Once you get it drivable, you can judge what you want to tackle next. This forum is a great resource for parts that work, and all the little tricks that only someone who has done the job can tell you. Get Started!!! start with the rear suspension....

 

Just sit in your vette. After sitting there are a minute and seeing what you want to change. You will then think about when every you see a dash and other things you want to change. You trick your brain and it should get done

 

I would find a forum member close to you!

Make friends and get some help working on it!
I'm sure any body on here would be willing to help for a couple beers!

Once you get started that way, you won't want to stop working on it!

 

That's great advice!

 

The "list-makers" are right about this.... Do the following things: {don't think about this...just DO IT!}

1.) Write down how you would like to use the car; car shows, cruises, just FUN driving, all of the above. You need to know what you intend to do with it.
2.) Write down a description of how the car is configured when you are done with restorations>> [stock, lightly modded, heavily modded, full custom...]
3.) List the areas of the car that need work to reach your final goal for it. Prioritize that list by the importance of getting that work done. The usual order of priority is: SAFETY ITEMS (brakes, suspension, lighting); FUNCTIONAL ITEMS (engine, engine accessories A/C/heat); OPERATIONAL STUFF (windows, doors, wipers, radio, etc.); APPEARANCE ITEMS (paint, interior, wheels).
4.) Make detail lists of each parcel of work and in what order you will do it. Note: if you plan on painting the car, DO NOT finish the interior until the painting is done...or you will be doing a lot of work over again.

This might be classified as "busy work"...but if you can't even do this, maybe the purchase of your car was more of a "feel-good" move; kinda like eating a quart of ice cream when you get depressed. If making these lists and thinking about the car's future doesn't get you inspired....sell it. Good luck.

 

Well shame on me for starting this thread, and then taking days to get back on.

Work has been a beast this week though, not to mention either going to or coming home with a migraine that has it's own heartbeat.

That said, I liked the suggestion to take the car out. I think that would get me fired up, however I took it out a couple months ago on a nice day, and now the speedo needle is laying in the bottom of the guage, and the buzzing noise coming from the cable is beyond the point where I could enjoy driving it. Not to mention it was an incredible downer, but I talked about that on another post.

Anybody know a simple procedure for disconnecting the cable without diassembling the dash? I'd be happy to drive it around town with the speedo or the tach working, just taking it easy.

 

On my 72 auto there is a two section cable and I could unscrew the cable here. Or on any of them on the tail shaft of the transmission you can unscrew the cable on the tail shaft of the trans.

Here is the only pic. I have but it should give you a good idea of where to undo the cable. Besure to tie up the cable where it won't come in contact with something and damage it.

 

Sell it to me......

(good luck and get goin )

 

For me, it usually starts with the beer. I put on some good music, open a cold one and start looking at what needs to be done. Before I know it, I've ripped into something and have it all apart. I've found that sometimes you just have to jump in; once you get going it's not so bad. You just have to find a way to break that mental block.

 

Yes quick win's is the way to go, for the motivation. Another trick is to get someone else involved a friend or neighbor.

 

Get really drunk so that you lose your sense to think realistic.
I cant' tell you how much I have put into this hobby over the years.

 

Thanks for the info; I also did a search and found something about there being a top release button where the cable goes into the speedo; only thing is I would need to like you say, tie up the cable somewhere so it doesn't grab ahold of something.

 

Your motivation should be that your Vette isn't perfect.<---period

 

In my opinion I would take it loose at the trans., The cable at the speedo it not very easy to get to. I have fairly small hands and It is still a pain to get your hand up there.