Thinking of giving it up (a bit of a rant)

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wow! I admit to being amazed as such there in your rust belt!!! even looks like a couple of decent builders!

one thing some guys miss, and I know lack of space or ability to "have" a non driver sitting in their suburban yard won't work>>... but buying a fairly complete parts car... not as e asy as decades past, but there are junkers on say CL or "out there" that after a few months go by, they find out what it is REALLY worth... parts car and that's it! use the paers you need, sell off what you don't or store those parts for spares.

like Cosig I believe said,,,,, it is the journey not always the destination. what helps me, is having a drivable car while I work on the projects!! I realize though, not everyone has a couple.
 
cosgig said:
I think the one thing that most people lack in this day and age is patience! So what if you don't get your car running and driving in 2 years, or 5, or 7!!! The journey should be just as enjoyable as the destination! I personally love to hunt down parts, and just went to a new junkyard yesterday full of Mopars, yes, Dusters included!! And, in talking with the owner, my friend who told me about the yard, and here on FABO, I know of a bunch of other yards now that I need to visit!! Stuff is out there, you just gotta be patient and be in it for the long haul!!
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You can thank the internet for that. Instant gratification is what this society's all about now. I want it all, I want it now and I want it cheap.
 
Well said...

Don't sweat, just get them running, then do small projects that won't take it off the road for too long so you can keep driving.

Once spring gets here you'll be glad you didn't sell.




acpat said:
I sold the 66 belvedere and 70 duster cause I had perfectitus. They needed this and they needed that. I had lots of time to reflect on memories while driving over the road in the semi. Things I learned.
1. All my hotrods we really wore out hand me downs.
2. floor mats were for covering holes in the floor.
3. Cars came in two colors black or grey primer (backyard picasso style)
4. Half the parts came off other junk **** at the salvage yard. (Some on weekends and nights)
5. shag carpeting was a option in most mopars I owned.
6. Correct was what fit and worked not what some idiot deemed contours correct
7. Earl scheib paint job was a dream.
What I am telling you is bolt the damn thing together and drive it ! fast or slow painted or not cars suck as yard/garage art. It was nice in Topeka friday and I drove the valiant all over town with the windows rolled down having a blast. I got out on the highway and rolled up to about 70mph. Yep passenger floor mat blew up revealing the header and highway. I laughed made a note to fix it someday and smiled. cars are to be drove and enjoyed.
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Rainy Day Auto said:
you "older" guys cant live in the past.

There are a lot of people like me who were born in the mid-80s and later while you guys were getting everything dirt cheap and in abundance.

For us 80s babies and later, the way it is now is pretty much our world. I do admit that it has changed because even ten years ago when I was younger I used to see more cars than now.
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Dirt cheap and in abundance. Yes there were plenty of parts around, but they weren't what we considered dirt cheap. Back in 1968/9, I earned a whopping $1.25 an hour and worked a minimum 56 hours a week in a scrap yard ( where the customers had first chance at the parts), anyway out of the huge paycheck I had room and board (no one lived at home for free). Then there was my gas insurance an other daily requirements. So the parts might have been there, but the money wasn't always there.
 
First to the OP. We all get frustrated with our car projects. Either have patience or just give up. It's that simple. Either you enjoy working on cars or you don't. Being able to drive a car helps with the reward of working on them. So dig deep on what you want to do with this hobby your in and find an answer.

As far as money this Mopar world has gone up even with inflation. In the late 80s I made about $200-250 a week. But was buying Mopars for ( a 69 RR $800, 65 coronet $200) and so on. That $800 RR would now cost $6-8000 now. That's a big increase. And now I'm making $500-600 a week. So yes things have gone up. On the plus side there is A LOT more repo parts available then years ago.
This is why I will only have my Dart for a Mopar. It will be the only thing I can afford. Yes it will take me years to build but it's about the journey of building the car. I also cheated and bought my 93 Mustang for a cheap toy to have fun while I slowly collect parts for my Dart.
 
This hobby is not for the faint of heart or small budget for sure. Add to that if you do not have a good place to work on a car, the thousands of dollars in tools or ability. Bodywork and paint is big money unless you can do it yourself, same with engine building and interior. Yes, you can use short cuts and get called out by every know it all at a car show that your radiator clamp doesn't have the right date code on it (sarc), but if you have the right mindset, I like my car, I don't care if it is perfect, and I enjoy it and that's really all that matters. They are really never done, so drive and enjoy it as is and work on it when you can. Get rid of it and you may never find another like it. It's a hobby of rare in today's world and vintage. You can buy a new challenger and have fun too, I have an 06 Daytona that's fun, but I will not bring it to a car show. I don't see the point, I however do wax it, drive it, enjoy the sound, the modern conveniences, SRT8 hood and Go Mango paint. I think if your a car lover today you have a lot of choices, for some new makes more sense than messing with this old stuff.
 
I can feel your pain after 3 years and a lot of money I'm almost done. My obsession is a 1969 Dart GTS. I first fell in love in the Spring of 1978 fresh out of the Navy I heard the rumble and went to the front porch to see what it was expecting a GTX or a Road Runner only to see a strange looking triple black 340 swinger.

Fast forward to the summer 2012: my wife and I were walking through a cruise night when she popped "THE QUESTION" if you wanted an old car which one would you want, without a thought 69 Dart blurted out! so she said show me one...it took almost a month but finally showed her one at the Syracuse nationals. after looking on the internet and several trip out of state looking at them I finally bought a 383 big block car which I drove as was for a summer.

There were several very expensive rare pieces and parts to be had like the original exhaust manifolds, tail finish panel, 4615S carb to name a few.

Needless to say I was lucky to have an old Mopar junkyard (Forkey's) Just over an hour away with a resident expert Jack who I have became great friends with, not to mention several members of the local MOPAR club that have truly kept me sane! Its very hard to navigate through the people that are in this HOBBY to make money and the many good hearted folks that are there to help you. Please don't feel like your alone. I'm sure this site is here because of guys going through what your going through, there hasn't been a day that B-body goes through my mind during this restoration process... from almost buying a body shop in 1980 it was 33 years since I even changed oil and yes had several cars that I personally never popped the hoods of...I guess what I'm trying to say is there more to building your Ideal dream car, my patients have been tested, my wallets empty, I spend countless hours on the internet, and my hands are always dirty...dam I missed this stuff! if this was easy everyone would own a classic MOPAR!!
 
the car show. the show car. the perfect car.

we all have our area of interest no doubt. I for one , enjoy looking at the perfect show car, especially if the owner actually did som e or all of the work. meeting fellow enthusiasts. making new friends. for some people, that "show car" is their dream, some have the fat wallet to buy one, some have the time, patience, skills to make theirs. some have none.

but I have to wonder why people want to spend tens of thousands of $$ to pay $25 to enter the car in a show to try and win a $5 plastic trophy. a contest sometimes judged by either unknowlegable or slightly dishonest "judge"?? i've seen it at the local level and the top concours stuff at the nats.

then the car show guy gets his ultimate, rare and most desirable car finished and to the shows. then he finds that is SOooooo boring. o K so he won a mantle full of $5 trophies. plenty of congrats. heard hundreds of stories had Joe's uncle's dad had bought one of those Hemi Valiants with the 4 carbs that could go 200 mph. so the show car guy then decides he wants a car to actually drive and enjoy. can't do it with his "perfect" show car, it won't be perfect anymore, and would never get that $50000 he has invested in it. besides the last show he got beat by the 2015 Challenger with the cool add ons! maybe time to move on??

then there i s the guy that cares not of show car competition, but has the renoun disease of "perfectitis"......every part, every bit of work has to be the best, ultimate, over build every thing!!!!! yet for years it occupies its rightful place in the garage, slowly getting perfect in every manner. a total money pit. but, by gosh when finished it will be perfect. never mind he will be too old to drive it when finally finished!??

I make these observations after 30 years in the hobby, just my opinions. BUT, I for one, and others no doubt, can get the case of "funk". feel burned out. hopleless in our struggle to restore a car to some degree, the costs of required tools, parts, finding parts., time for the work,,,,etc..... that is why it is so important to understand what we really want in our car. a driver.? a perfect driver?. a show car.? a show car that beats everyone.? a project to work on and build it to our standard, ??? whatever it might be???????

but in the end, no matter what the goal,,, it has to be FUN for each person, otherwise it is not a HOBBY??????
 
I cry at all the used cars i passed on 25 years ago, when they were just used cars. Mopars, chevelles, Z-28s etc. would have made a small fortune.
Now im happy that ive held onto a slant six powered more door, and an over powered rat rod. Neither car is worth much, nor ever will be. BUT , i bet i have more fun with these cars than my buddies with their numbers matching whatever , that they cant take out because it might get chipped or rained on , or have too many miles put on it.
Wait , isnt that why you wanted a cool car?
Yeah everthing costs alot, but be glad with what you got!
 
Try... Search tempest.com
Searches Craigslist, eBay, etc.
Enter a keyword, set a radius.
Good luck.

:drinkers:
 
On the flip side, you possibly don't appreciate just how good you've got it in terms of access to parts.

I recently purchased a 72 Demon and live in the UK. Sourcing parts for a car that was never sold in this country is REALLY something of a challenge!
You do at least have the option of grabbing a $1000 parts car from the local small ads and cannibalising it for whatever obscure parts you need.
For someone like myself to acquire such a parts car would cost the same $1000 plus another $3k to put it on a boat, pay my lovely government duty and tax and then pay for someone to get the thing from the docks to my home.
That $1000 parts car is more like $5000 to someone like myself!

I just ordered a switch tonight for my Demon from America. It worked out at something like $100. It'll turn up next month. To you? $50 and you'll get it the middle of next week.

So take heart my friend - it could be a lot worse. Besides, when you fire the car up and take it out for a spin none of it'll matter. Keep the faith. :thumblef:

All the best,

Jon.
 
So far us older guys seem to be doing it both ways, the old way and the new. Cosgig and I spent the whole day friday in a new to us junkyard doing what we have always done, taking parts off old Mopars and looking at all the other old iron there. If the OP is tired of the hobby then maybe its time to move on. Thats not my advice just an observation as many get tired of the chase and never recover that enthusiasm and get kind of an attitude about their old car just sitting there. Many if not all of you have given great advice and I would say look at where your project is,assess what it might take to get it road worthy and focus on that. You dont have to have a show car to enjoy it. Dont get discouraged by the lack of yards in your area, thats just the times changing, but rather be glad that others still have that luxury and are willing to help you out with parts and shipping. And if you decide to get out nobody is going to fault you for making a decision that benefits you and your life!! Good luck with it!!
 
I just finished my 68 GTS. Yes, parts are hard to find, yes the aftermarket parts are sometimes spendy and of poor quality and yes a project takes a lot of personal time. I guess if take on a project there has to be a commitment and a realization that the parts needed will take time to acquire.

Your project can be fun. Nothing is more fun than to have few buddies come over and help install your motor. With mine it only cost me a large pizza as well as some time with some good friends.

I feel your frustration. I guess my suggestion is to sit down, make an assessment to where you are at with the car, make a list of parts you need and just be prepared for the long haul.

Hang in there
 
1BadDodge71 said:
I seriously don't know where to vent this but if it is deleted ,I understand.
I'm thinking of giving it up as in throwing in the towel and selling my Duster.
It's not that I want to.It's the fact that parts are getting too damn hard to find.
And when I do find them,many people want an arm and a leg for them.Or the parts are located in another state where I am unable to pick them up.
Some days I wish for the days of my youth in the late 80's early 90s when I had my first Duster when I could go to the local pull a part junk yard and grab what I needed for as little as $100.
I would bring home hoods,emblems,brake set ups,rear ends,you name it by the truck load.Sadly those days are gone.Finding parts locally is damned near impossible.Ive had my Duster going on 7 years now and havent really been able to enjoy it because it still needs many things.I managed to finally score a 8 1/4 rear non sure-grip ( please dont rip on me about how I should have gotten a 8 3/4,I know they are a better rear,but they are also another near impossible or expensive when found) so now I have to find different wheels .Its to the point where I panic if I even break a clip or lose a certain bolt or screw in fear that I will not be able to get another.
I've ripped on people at one time for fixing up modern cars ,but now im starting to see why.Parts are still very easy to find for them .Right now,I'm just weighing my options.Keep the car and let it rot because I cant find parts?Or sell it and get something I can actually find parts and I can actually drive.Everyday I search the classifieds here on FABO with optimism,but it gets frustrating.
Anyway,sorry about the rant.Just frustrated. :banghead:
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I feel your pain. I was determined to do an original restoration on my charger when I had it but clone a big block, fully optioned car. Afterwhile, it just got to be too much. So I sold it and the 2 parts cars and ended up a few years down the road with my dart. This time around though, I said from the beginning I wasn't going to give a thought to go original, if it was a Hemicuda, sure, of course I would, but for an A body, just build it the way you want and can afford.

Get your foot in the gas man, it'll be worth it in the end. I promise.
 
A lot of good points on this subject. My thoughts is once it's gone it's gone. I did a decent 73 roadrunner years ago, but it wasn't really what I wanted but had it for 5 years and enjoyed it. Got stupid I guess and sold it only to get another car. The 75 sport I have now I had to put a lot of coins in as it needed a lot of work even though it was a complete car, but to make it presentable it took hrs. and money to get it to that point. My advise, is if it isn't costing any money sitting then keep it. After getting back into this dart more then my plans to, I regret selling the roadrunner. Will this dart be my last one, absolutely. Parts are getting crazy and most of the used stuff, high priced junk and the after market quality is not good at all. My car has been done now about 2 years now and I enjoy riding my motorcycle more than the car as it's cheaper to operate and just like the car scene I've made many that have that same passion. Took me little over 6 years to finish the car as it is. Is it perfect no but a nice driver. I can't imagine the money it takes to make it absolutely perfect. Keep it and get it to the point you can enjoy it while the funds become available, best of both worlds.:D
 
a mopar friend asked me, " why do you work on these early a body slant cars?" over the years you've had them all , hemis, 440-6, AAR, TA's, you name it.


I said, because I like THEM!!, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I have gone down thast path before. NO! I don't care if my work is not SHOW wining quality, I enjoy working on them and driving them. they suit me.

if I get bored and have the $ and energy maybe I can drop in something with more power. I own cars I enjoy and CAN afford.

he says, you are driving a car with NO headliner or carpet! I say, SOoooooo!?? it suits me.
 
I took my dart off the street at the end of August, got tired of paying insurance for it to sit. Being a bracket racer years ago and hitting the strip with car the end of the season ,all stock and hanging around with old friends was great. Not into the car show scene, tried that years ago with the roadrunner. That car I did all the work except paint. I got tired of hearing the stories of doing the car only to find out in the conversation that #1 they wrote a check for someone else to do or bought the car.
 
Like I said..... Put it back together or rag it together and drive it.... It's more fun that was.... :)
 
My 13 year old is building an early a body using money he earns from mowing his grand parents lawn, birthdays, and chores around the house. Buck it up camper. Lol
 
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