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Before the Corvette, when I was younger (much), I built cars, no project seem too big.
These days it just seems like so much effort… I have a mechanic now for the 05. I did the rad replacement, changed some fluids, but I just don’t have the desire to take on a big project anymore.
Was just looking through some old pictures of one of my favorite projects. I did a complete 100% restoration on this car and then got bored and Then started to mod it. When I was done nothing was stock on my stock mustang and I was so top-heavy in what I had invested versus what it was worth it makes me cringe.
God it was fun, but there’s no way I could ever do it again. Just to show off
306 ci 360hp/375tq
rpm heads
comp custom grind
soo fun. Cars will never be this much fun again I don’t think.
cool note, every component aside from the body and doors was 100% new when I was done the first time.
Fasteners,wiring harness, dash etc, even the seats were bought in the factory plastic, all this back in 2004. I always wanted to brand new Mustang though I could never afford one at the time… So I built one.
It;s alway fun building your own stuff...A couple of my projects over the years
1970 VW bug...This was a full build while i was in the military. Bug started out red and yellow, just a beat up old car. Car was in VW trends back in the day(not a featured car though)
Built this sandcar from the ground up, LS motor 24in of wheel travel...just a beast in the desert.
99 Jeep TJ Built it up from stock
Jeep JK built it up from stock, has a RIPP supercharger 4.5in lift on 37in tires...way to many mods to list. 2018 Camaro...Just my DD. The Corvette gets all my speed mods...lol
To many other small projects to list but its alway fun to build your own stuff...my wife thinks i may have a problem.
I was tearing lawnmower engines apart as a little kid, then swapping engines in cars when I was old enough to drive, etc. I bought my first motorcycle at 19, and learned my way around them.
In 1990 (at age 40) I bought a '72 Vette as a project car (had a bad frame) but by then I had lost a lot of my "youthful vigor." Pulling a body off is something I had never done, and all I had to work in was an unheated barn with a dirt floor. I ended up driving it about three years and dumped it. It was just a base 350 and wouldn't have been worth all the effort anyway.
My last motorcycle (Harley) I redid the top end and souped it mildly, updated the tranny internals; that was around the year 2000. That was it for me. At 68 I have zero interest in working on anything anymore, although I still change my own oil. Everything else a trusted, long-time buddy does for me.
There are a lot of guys on this forum older than me who still like to work on their cars -- and more power to them. But I'm done -- I'm coasting from here on out.
That is one beautiful Mustang, great work! It's great to 'show off' and that car is definitely something to be proud of.
I would guess we all had a car or two before owning a Corvette, although I did have a 1965 Vette in the '70's.
I've built some fun cars too, a restored 1964.5 Mustang that I sold to a fellow from Sweden, drove it to the ship for transport. Then, like jchappies@, I used to build VW's , some into sandrails and others into off road Baja Bug's and blast thru Baja California. This 1970 'vert was in Hot VW's in 1975, had a 120HP 1835cc with twin Weber IDA's. Went over to Mickey Thompson's shop and got some of his suspension parts for it too. For that era it was a fun car, my DD and went all the way to Cabo San Lucas with it.
Last edited by CWIC; Feb 5, 2019 at 09:35 PM.
Reason: spelling
I have built a few cars and motorcycles over the years and I can do just about any modification myself but I just don't have the time or desire to do them anymore. I still like tinkering with simple things like headers and intakes but no more engine builds for me. I currently have a cam, Trick Flow heads, Balancer and a Yank Converter for my Vette that have been sitting in my garage for months, 15 years ago I would have had these parts installed the weekend after I got them.............now I am going to pay a local shop to install them.
Here is my Fox Mustang I built in 2004. Heads, Cam, Intake, Paxton Supercharger, Steeda suspension etc, etc, etc, all installed my me. I spent way too much money but I enjoyed every minute of building this car.
Those old fox bodies were fun. Hilariously the LX models were faster (in a straight line) because the GT package added weight. A guy in my neighborhood has a ‘92 Cobra for sale. I’m quite tempted to buy it.
Those old fox bodies were fun. Hilariously the LX models were faster (in a straight line) because the GT package added weight. A guy in my neighborhood has a ‘92 Cobra for sale. I’m quite tempted to buy it.
I think I’d skip that ‘92 “Cobra”....
I’ve had Mustangs since I was 17, gonna be 45 in May and just got my first Corvette last fall. So far all I’ve done is cosmetic stuff and I’m now working on a stereo/sound deadening project. Every Mustang I ever had I took too far. I’m really hoping I don’t do this with the Corvette!
Last edited by Boostedsvt; Feb 6, 2019 at 05:11 AM.
I’ve had Mustangs since I was 17, gonna be 45 in May and just got my first Corvette last fall. So far all I’ve done is cosmetic stuff and I’m now working on a stereo/sound deadening project. Every Mustang I ever had I took too far. I’m really hoping I don’t do this with the Corvette!
you and I are one in the same. I struggle with buying headers, fast intakes etc, but I know my it’s best if I leave it alone. The more I worked on the fox the harder it became to actually want to drive it. My 05 is all cosmetic with a diablo, corsa sport cat back, hurricane intake and that’s the limit for me.
I did a complete ground up Factory Five Roadster build including a 351 that I hand built before the Vette and a Mustang 64.5 restomod before that. I've always enjoyed project cars, but now working less and less on ground up builds. I'm doing a Euro project car now, but nothing nearing a complete build.
Last edited by BlindSpot; Feb 6, 2019 at 09:41 AM.
Beautiful FB, always a favorite and I've never even been a Mustang guy.
Projects like this are more than something to do, they're an escape, relaxing. A function of youth?
About the FB, though.
Reminds me of new F Chassis cars Camaro/Firebird introed in '93.
Truly revolutionary in every way, especially styling.
Ford had to answer, dumped the tried and true FB for a newly designed Mustang, '94?
After seeing GM's FC cars and comparing Ford's new Mustang?
Many Mustang faithful were not very happy, a'tall.
From: Central PA. - - My AR15 identifies as a muzzleloader
I believe in the Beer Fairy
Originally Posted by Dman302
Before the Corvette, when I was younger (much), I built cars, no project seem too big.
These days it just seems like so much effort… I have a mechanic now for the 05. I did the rad replacement, changed some fluids, but I just don’t have the desire to take on a big project anymore.
I've done the same, my 98 was basically a 2016 when I sold it. I even looked at buying a C3 recently, have no idea wth I was thinking. I don't have time for that!
Fasteners,wiring harness, dash etc, even the seats were bought in the factory plastic, all this back in 2004. I always wanted to brand new Mustang though I could never afford one at the time… So I built one.
Here's where I think you're (We're) mistaken. You could have easily afforded a new one if you'd simply stopped replacing perfectly good parts on it (like the rebuild car). In the longrun, I think my new cars were cheaper than my project cars. Wouldn't even be close if I'd also included my man hours and factored them in at $5 mowing the neighbors grass.
Originally Posted by Bruze
I was tearing lawnmower engines apart as a little kid, then swapping engines in cars when I was old enough to drive, etc. I bought my first motorcycle at 19, and learned my way around them.
In 1990 (at age 40) I bought a '72 Vette as a project car (had a bad frame) but by then I had lost a lot of my "youthful vigor." Pulling a body off is something I had never done, and all I had to work in was an unheated barn with a dirt floor. I ended up driving it about three years and dumped it. It was just a base 350 and wouldn't have been worth all the effort anyway.
My last motorcycle (Harley) I redid the top end and souped it mildly, updated the tranny internals; that was around the year 2000. That was it for me. At 68 I have zero interest in working on anything anymore, although I still change my own oil. Everything else a trusted, long-time buddy does for me.
There are a lot of guys on this forum older than me who still like to work on their cars -- and more power to them. But I'm done -- I'm coasting from here on out.
Each time you post it seems our stories are soooo similar. I have a couple projects to do to my current Vette, maintenance related, and I am having a hell of a time even getting to them. I know they're going to cost a few M notes, (tires, LS7 head work), wheels (one bent), and would like a Kenwood head unit (cha ching). Nothing too major, but costly nonetheless, and I simply have no desire to get ripping into it.
Looking back, when I was younger and truly shouldn't have been spending on cars, I spent on cars without a care. Now that I'm older and could do that stuff without worrying so much about the cost, I'm way more conservative about spending and would prefer to simply buy a nice car, get in and drive it, and go to work to earn enough to not worry about it. In addition, I have lots of other interests which have moved up the priority list above my cars. I think I could still enjoy doing car stuff if I was more willing to devote the time, but I'm not. For example, I had purchased an engine, trans, clutch, rear, TT, exhaust, suspension, brakes, wiring, pcm, et al, and had that stuff sitting here for 2 years before I finally decided to do it to the C5... 2 years later I sold it...
Yea....how long we wish to keep doing our own wrenching is a decision we all seem to creep into sooner or later. In some cases how healthy we want to try and stay are a factor. I got lucky and 10 years ago I got to retire early at age 55 and I knew for sure that I wasn't gonna fall into the retirement rut of sitting on my duff, putting on 50 lbs and planting my A$$ in front of the idiot box watching re-runs of Oprah. It doesn't take long of doing nothing before your body starts saying...."hey, get off your A$$ and do something". I try and stay off the couch as much as I can during the day and thats part of the reason I still turn my own wrenches when I can, and while the body still lets me do it....LOL. I plan on still turning my own wrenches as longs as I can, but how long that will be is always questionable when the age factor grabs ya.......
I'm one of the guys who still enjoys working on them and building new ones. My current project is a 1967 Plymouth Valiant that will use an aluminum block LS based DART motor. I am building it for drag racing, and doing everything myself except spraying the final color. I have back-halfed the car installed all new front and rear suspension with a 4 link and a Moser 9", now I'm working on the roll cage. Here are a couple of pics.
Each time you post it seems our stories are soooo similar. I have a couple projects to do to my current Vette, maintenance related, and I am having a hell of a time even getting to them. I know they're going to cost a few M notes, (tires, LS7 head work), wheels (one bent), and would like a Kenwood head unit (cha ching). Nothing too major, but costly nonetheless, and I simply have no desire to get ripping into it.
Looking back, when I was younger and truly shouldn't have been spending on cars, I spent on cars without a care. Now that I'm older and could do that stuff without worrying so much about the cost, I'm way more conservative about spending and would prefer to simply buy a nice car, get in and drive it, and go to work to earn enough to not worry about it. In addition, I have lots of other interests which have moved up the priority list above my cars. I think I could still enjoy doing car stuff if I was more willing to devote the time, but I'm not. For example, I had purchased an engine, trans, clutch, rear, TT, exhaust, suspension, brakes, wiring, pcm, et al, and had that stuff sitting here for 2 years before I finally decided to do it to the C5... 2 years later I sold it...
That's where I'm at! All I do with the Vette is cruise and clean.
I'm mentally tired of fixing things. My old tractor hasn't run in two years; nothing really wrong with it except it needs new battery cables, some other wiring, and maybe a solenoid. I don't cut firewood any more so I don't need it for that, although I would use it for snow plowing. Maybe this summer I'll fix it.
My cold water line froze last week and I dreaded fixing it. Once I got started, it only took a couple hours though. I'd like to just coast the rest of the way but that probably won't happen til after I draw my last breath.
Before the corvette
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