te72;2048088 said:
I can certainly understand enjoying the car, nobody could blame you. If it doesn't NEED fixing, enjoy it!
Hoping my car turns out as nice as yours, honestly. Question for you to that end... Where did you pick up the skills to put this car together? It seems to me that you did most all the work, yes?
I mean, I can do most mechanical jobs. Learn new things all the time when tinkering, but your car goes beyond mere tinkering I'd say. I think I just need to get over the hurdle of being scared to screw up, or to have my work result in something less than greatness. I always did have a perfectionist streak as a kid. Great for what I do at work, but it complicates my hobbies sometimes...
Basically what I'm trying to say is, got any advice? Mistakes I can learn from? Wisdom that isn't exactly obvious?
I appreciate it! It's nice setting a goal for something nice!
As for obtaining the skills.... mostly, I just honestly can't really afford to pay other to do things for me. I really can't imagine what it would have cost to pay someone to do everything that I have done! So in the end, I just HAVE to do it myself. It sure is nice to be able to say, YES, I DID THAT, and that, and that, and yes, that too!
I do enjoy doing a lot of this stuff though. I have just always really enjoyed learning how things work, so I just try to figure it out. A lot of the stuff, I have a general idea about, and then just do some research online to tell me the rest of what I need to know! The answers are out there if you look! If they are not, then there is really no other choice but to try it for yourself.
I have tried letting other people work on my car, but it never goes very well! I had an extremely experienced guy rebuild my R154 for me years ago... it worked for about a week before it started acting up. and then a couple weeks later, the counter shaft blew a hole into the bellhousing because he had left a snap ring out on accident. Ever since then, I don't trust anyone to do anything mechanical on something that I am trusting my life to.
I did not so my engine machine work myself, because I do not have the equipment, but I wish I was able to. They screwed that up too, and now I am going to have to buy a new block and rebuild my engine at the end of this season again because of their mistake. So really, I have just had bad experiences that have made me only want to do my own work.
Don't think that everything I do turns out perfect though! I mean, i am a perfectionist, but it doesn't always work like that.
For example, I rebuilt my differential with new gears and a new center section. i didn't want to pay someone to do it for me, so I just figured I would do it myself. Did some research, piece of cake right??? Wrong! After of effing with it for almost a month, I just got it as close as I could. Perfect? no. It's a bit noisy. It's actually quieted down a bit with time, but it does work just fine, and I did do it myself. But maybe next time I can do it better.
I did all the bodywork on the car... probably 100-1500 hours of my time... It turned out great, like really really great. I wish you could see it in person!
I had never ever done bodywork before! I asked hundreds of questions to my friends that worked in bodyshops. I asked for advice, I asked them to come look at what I had done to see if I was going in the right direction... They gave me lots of tips and pointers along the way. Some great advice, some not so great! I listed to differing opinions and just thought about what seemed most correct to me. I had one side of the car all finished and the body line crisp. AND THEN, my buddy asked. You striped ALL the old paint right?? Um, no I did not, whatshisname said that I didn't have to. Well, Long story short, I ended up stripping that ENTIRE side back down back to bare metal and starting over fresh. 200+ hours and materials wasted. But, live and learn. I am now confident in my bodywork ability, but I sure don't want to ever do it again!!
Same thing with my Megasquirt, it has a little completely random misfire. Nothing serious, but I haven't been able to figure it out, for years... getting closer though. I have narrowed it down, but after everything I have done... it runs incredible, it kicks ass, and there is NOBODY that has the same car or parts that I do. i think that is worth the thousands of hours alone.
If I go to car shows, people ask where I found a car like it, or where I got the work done, or where I had it painted... it is quite a feeling to see people in awe or disbelief when I am able to say that I did it, all in my own garage. It's not like I just threw it together though! It took me 8-9 years to get it this far! It also helps that I am a single guy that lives by myself! I have a lot of spare time to mess with things when I actually have the motivation to do so.
You know that you can do the same!! Just do a bit of research before you jump in head first! And don't forget to label everything you take apart :nono:
