Help, I'm Freaking Out

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GoFish

GoFish

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I'm sure many of you have reached this point at one time or another, but with the economy in the toilet, I'm freaking out.

I got a great deal ($200) on a rolling '71 Scamp two years ago and planned on turning it into my $1500 daily driver. I was going to rebuild the /6, add a couple of minor upgrades and have a fun, dependable car. But how many of us can stick to a budget on our cars?

I decided to send the car out for paint and body work. Business was good and since I work 7 days/wk., I didn't have time to do any of it myself. Then, to add a little punch to the /6, a turbo came to mind, but that would take a lot of customized fabrication that was beyond my knowledge/abilities. Instead I decided to buy a used 360. A turbo on a 360 would be bitchin'. Better do a rebuild with all forged internals. Of course, with a bigger motor, I needed an 8 3/4 rearend, and to stop, 4-wheel disc brakes. This is California, so enter Classic Air A/C, then fuel injection, all new interior, 17" wheels, etc, etc, etc. My $1500 beater has turned into my $20,000+ money pit, and I don't yet have the radiator, water pump, trans cooler, drive shaft, and 50 other miscellaneous parts.

I know this was my own fault, but who among us doesn't want to have the hottest car around? Who can resist all the shiny parts flipping through the Jegs or Summit catalog? Who can flip through Mopar Muscle, Mopar Action, Carcraft or Hotrod magazines and not want to copy a really neat build?

I guess I'm just at that point where I need some assurance that all will be well when the car is done--a figurative if not literal arm around the shoulder. Somebody please tell me this is going to be okay. I need an "always darkest before the dawn" kind of pep talk.
 
You will be OK. I do that from time to time as well. I hang my head and say. "The Dart will never be what I want it to be" We all get bogged down from time to time. keep at it. Just work hard and save and be pashent. It will all come together in the end. If you want it to.


Good luck, have fun and happy motoring!
 
You are tellin my story!!!! I pulled my 67 Barracuda out of the barn after 20 years and figured I'd "throw a motor in it" and be back on the street. Well 15k later its close, but not quite there. Wife says she'd rather have me in the shop than sittin in a bar.:-D
 
I hear ya Bro !
I'm in the same boat My car is nowhere near what I want it to be and I've got over $10k In parts . Mostly still sitting on the shelf . My car was also gonna be a low-buck build-up but somehow got sidetracked .I just try and remember that it's "Progress not Perfection" . My project got bogged down as I just felt like I've put almost two years worth of My spare time into it and I still don't feel comfortable driving it yet . I wannna get the suspension and brakes working to My satisfaction before dropping the new engine in Place.
My advice seek inspiration . I was watching burntorange70's burnout video earlier and that helped. you should check it out . :toothy10:
Last weekend I test drove another 72 Dart it ran well but was a total rust bucket. I felt so Happy to have the car I own as a starting point .I went home and immediately began the bodywork I'd been putting off for so-long.
I keep dreaming of the day when I can fire the Dart up and just drive and not worry about anything . That's My goal . Hope you acheive your vision for your Scamp !
 
Dude you're screwed :angry7: Just kidding, it isn't all about money, in fact it isn't about money at all, it's about making yourself happy, and a fine car will do that for a guy :-D

Get it done and enjoy it, don't sweat the details, in fact look at it this way, if you put that 20K in the stock market a couple years ago it would be worth less than half that, believe me I know :angry7:
 
Tell me aboutit Rob. Last market crash I took a 90G hit. God thing it's only money, LOL, Groooooooooooooooooooan.

GoFish, how's your own economy? Job safe?
 
rumblefish360 said:
Tell me aboutit Rob. Last market crash I took a 90G hit. God thing it's only money, LOL, Groooooooooooooooooooan.

GoFish, how's your own economy? Job safe?
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I won't get into the gory details but I got hit for all of that and then some but it's not even money, it's a number on a piece of paper, a much smaller number at the moment, hopefully there will be a brighter picture in a few years :-D

As long as you have your job and your project, life goes on :-D
 
Thanks, guys! :cheers:

See, that's why I like this board. Just what I needed--to hear of guys who are getting spanked harder than me by this economy. LOL

I own my own retail business selling upscale dog accessories (collars, beds, sweaters, etc.) in Beverly Hills. Despite what you may hear in the media, this is NOT a business to get rich on; after expenses, I think I cleared $15k last year. In December alone, my business was off 35% compared to December of 2007. I'm studying to get certified as a dog trainer now so I can bring in some extra cash after hours.

So I keep throwing money at this car (and trying to hide as much of it as I can from the wife!). I may not equal RPM's $35,000 Duster, but by the time I'm done, my Scamp will be dangerously close! I should use a futon as a back seat, 'cause if my wife finds out where this is going, I'll be sleeping there.
 
GoFish said:
I should use a futon as a back seat, 'cause if my wife finds out where this is going, I'll be sleeping there.
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Thats good!


My aspen was saposto be do a little bit here and there and drive it type of car. After 5 years it is still torn down and I think I have 18k into her. I am taking her to school next to finish the body work and paint her. At least she will be exactly what I want.
 
Hey GoFish: That business can be very lucrative. People are going to take care of Fido so go online and you can cater to many more Fido lovers. Go quality and quanity. Got a guy in the car club here and he sells pet supplies online and makes a ton. Might work for ya.
 
keep up the good work on your cars no matter how you attack it,it's gonna be your car and done your way...good luck on it!!

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Thanks, everyone, for your kind words of encouragement. Ya'all got me through a dark day... Much appreciated.

I know there are lots of folks out there much worse off than me. I just want to stop building and start driving this *****! ;-)
 
Go Fish, if you even considering not completing your project, I and many others are going to be very upset since we have been following it closely. ;) Realistically, only you know how far you can go with it and how fast you can take it there. If it takes a little longer to get it done (or at least roadworthy), so be it. I am sure you have had a blast with it so far and just think about when the day comes that it is tearing up the streets. That ear to ear grin is going to be worth all those doubts.
 
Player-
Oh, I passed the idea of a "cheap" daily driver long ago, but one day (hopefully in the next 6 months), this is GONNA be my daily driver! LOL

GTXperience-
That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day! Knowing that others are following along gives me a second wind. Andy you're right. I can't wait until I'm holding that line lock button doing a massive burnout in front of my hated next door neighbor's house! :toothy10:
 
I throw those Summit sales mags in the trash as soon as I get them out of the mail box.

Reading what you have and going to do to the car it sounds like it's really going to be nice. Keep it a hobby is my suggestion ... if money is tight just do as much as you with what you already have and then keep it a hobby. lol

Good luck!
 
Same here, took 8 years and I'm still not done, have lotsa bugs to work out and nuthin ever goes perfect.

That's life.
 
It's an obbession, We are addicted.
But think about it; our cars increase in value. Play with it, and pass it on to a kid that you taught, that knows the value.
Meanwhile, have fun- you only live once.
 
well heres a topper for you I took my 69 cuda in for a paint job and am now 60k yes 60 and 2 years later and every nut and bolt is new , still need to rechrome both bumpers, recover the seats , new carpet , new seat belts and new tail light pots and I'm done just another 2-3k in parts but at least I'm done paying shop rate { till I pull the motor back out and stroke it lol } it's only money and time and it's way cheaper than the drinking habit I had in my 20s , don't worry once you get to where you can cruise it around while finishing it the stress disappears . :nike:
 
You just gotta keep in the back of your mind that family comes first and you can sell it all tomorrow if you had to.
I think this attitude has kept me sane through the ups and downs of this project.
Now with the economy getting so messed up and socialism coming down the pike, I wonder if and for how long will I get to enjoy this thing since I still don't officially have it on the road yet.

I'm even thinking of selling it all and concentrating on my family and our future.
It's only a hunk of shiny metal, and if someone offered me the right price today, I would not bat an eyelash and let it go.
 
Money is tight.That is probably the number one killer or stopper of a project.I have been working on my Duster around four years.Hopefully early part of this year I complete the car before I lose my sanity.I have over $25k in the car.It started out as simple paint job,rebuild the motor and transmission.However the more I took apart, the deeper the hole became.Something that worked for me: I made a punch list of what needed to be done.Starting from the least important to most important.Reason being no point spending money on a part you need 6 months later.Budget,what does that mean?Sometimes I have to tell myself that I can spend only so much this month or none at all.Create cash by selling parts I have taken off the car and don"t plan on using.Look for deals on parts.I hope this helps and sometimes you just need to walk and take a break.
 
............lol...........man.... my car went up $3K in two posts.... see ? they are always money pits !!

-RPM
 
cudaspaz said:
You just gotta keep in the back of your mind that family comes first and you can sell it all tomorrow if you had to.
I think this attitude has kept me sane through the ups and downs of this project.
Now with the economy getting so messed up and socialism coming down the pike, I wonder if and for how long will I get to enjoy this thing since I still don't officially have it on the road yet.

I'm even thinking of selling it all and concentrating on my family and our future.
It's only a hunk of shiny metal, and if someone offered me the right price today, I would not bat an eyelash and let it go.
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Well in my life the family comes second... I come first and that's the way it's going stay. My car isn't going anywhere buddy!
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Until I get p***y whipped again and let her tell me what to do as I ball up in the fetal position and I say "Yes Sweetums!"
 
mullinax95 said:
Well in my life the family comes second... I come first and that's the way it's going stay. My car isn't going anywhere buddy!
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Until I get p***y whipped again and let her tell me what to do as I ball up in the fetal position and I say "Yes Sweetums!"
Click to expand...

Eh, you batchelors got it made.
 
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