Project fatigue

[marlinspike]

Had my classic car for nearly 10 years now. Drove it for a bit then realised it was far rustler than we realised. Thanks to life in general and project creep here it is still unfinished. All the welding is done, lots of bits replaced, but every time we are nearly there with it being mot ready something else crops up.

I've saved a lot by not paying others and buying spares on deals but I'm wondering whether to pack it off to a local specialist to finish the stuff it needs for the mot.

What do you guys do when you've lost your mojo and started falling out of love with a project?

Weather not helping. Might feel different in the spring.

 

[Gragson]

I've never had a project run that long, but mojo is an odd thing, I tend not to worry about it and crack on when the mojo is back, an yes weather / darkness isn't going to help.

Tend to set targets of getting one thing done, then move on, helps overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed by the whole. Getting outside help to crack on with a difficult part can also spur me on.

Hope you get the elusive mojo back and crack on in the spring

 

[Pete.]

Go out every evening, and do one thing.

Advice given by a guy on the oldskoolsuzuki forum years ago and it really works. You're not daunted by the amount of jobs to do because you're only planning to do one of them, and doing one job per evening get's a lot of work out of the way in a very short time.

 

[Blobber]

It sounds like you have done all the hard work, is there that much left to do? "specialists" can be a bit hit and miss and the bill will mount rapidly!

 

[Parm]

Go out every evening, and do one thing.

Advice given by a guy on the oldskoolsuzuki forum years ago and it really works. You're not daunted by the amount of jobs to do because you're only planning to do one of them, and doing one job per evening get's a lot of work out of the way in a very short time.

yep, break it down into manageable chunks then set your self realistic goals that you can achieve in each block of time

you‘ll get stuff done and have the satisfaction of making progress

 

[marlinspike]

Thanks, guys. We have kept chipping away at it. It's on the drive so doing stuff over the winter months is hard. I think it's just being on the final straight that's made it so frustrating.

 

[Cobbler]

yep, break it down into manageable chunks then set your self realistic goals that you can achieve in each block of time

you‘ll get stuff done and have the satisfaction of making progress

Like eating an elephant ….. bit at a time, keep at it, give it to a specialist to finish & you will look back & regret it.

 

[jsf55]

Tick list helps, in fact spend a few hours listing and ordering the list too manageable chunks and budget often helps too focus a bit

 

[julianf]

Lists and deadlines.

Imagine it's on someone else's yard and you have a deadline to move it.

That's the only way my defender ever got an mot. It was on my space but I wanted the space for something else (that was on someone else's, on a time limit!)

 

[mr haynes]

Yip make list and one job at a time
Even if only 10min jobs, don't force yourself to do more.
With all the wee jobs getting done, the ticks will mount on the list and you'll start to feel more positive

 

[Nomad]

Go out every evening, and do one thing.

Great advice and it works well (a shame I don't stick to it myself)
The thing is to keep momentum on it, once it stalls it quickly moves down your list of priorities. Ask me how I know

The other things I find keep me motivated are photos of it on it's prime (sunny day when it looked it's best) or photos of similar vehicles once they've been restored.
A list of to-do jobs helps me a lot so I don't lose track and seeing ticked off things on the list is very satisfying.


This week I'm paying the final installment for a project that I handed over to professionals after spending too long trying to work out how I could do it myself. I'm glad I wasn't working to a budget. I paid a fair price for the work that's been done but it's 10 fold more than DIY costs would have been and I'm already redoing some details that were done "right" rather than the way I wanted them done. It can be a great solution but it has downsides.

 

[ajlelectronics]

I have my Scorpio in the same condition to do. I have decided to leave it until the summer, when I have so many more jobs to complete.

 

[johnik]

Many moons ago i ventured into my garage at home to find something, imagine my shock when i found a half completed MG midget instead...i had started rebuilding it years before and just forgoten about it

 

[frank horton]

been collecting parts for my avatar ....nearly 30 years now.....
still have an Indian Scout to do that I've owned for over 40 years....
looking forward to getting on with them when the new shed is done at long last.....
I also find it helps a lotif everywhere is tidy and get at'able.....not climbing over sh1te......

 

[Burdekin]

A resto is probably 1000 to 2000 hours. I totally get where you are at and it can be frustrating being so close but still have stuff to do after that long. But to flip it around you've put in a lot of time and do some reflecting on how far you've come. Do you know anyone with a dry space you can do some work over winter to finish her off?

 

[Burdekin]

Lists and deadlines.

Imagine it's on someone else's yard and you have a deadline to move it.

That's the only way my defender ever got an mot. It was on my space but I wanted the space for something else (that was on someone else's, on a time limit!)

I use to do that but it made me miserable. For me it needs to be enjoyable and at my pace. Folk ask me now when will the car be finished and I tell them it never is finished. I'd love to spend more time at the workshop but I also have a wife and other commitments that I also enjoy spending time with so I always try and find a balance. If I wasn't working I'd quite happily be there every day tinkering away.

 

[AVI_8]

I can’t add much to what’s been said, I follow a few guys restorations on DDK, some of them have also been going for years, tackling one particular area at a time wherever possible is a good idea, that way you get to see bits completed rather than being overwhelmed by the big picture.
Have you created a restoration thread? It’s beneficial to get some encouragement along the way.

 

[JOEPRO]

I have acute project fatigue on several classic car projects. I have 11x MB cars with 10x of them being classics. A handful are restored and as finished as they will ever be.

But 6 of them are on axle stands being restored / abandoned. I plan on going back to my S430 over the holidays now as its sat for 2 years. So I'll try to get the engine back in and get it off the scissor lift. Ps I have projects stalled for 10 years+. But I am determined to complete them it's "just" a matter of when.

 

[colnerov]

Been there, done that. You are not alone. In my case, it's Rovers.

 

[atomant48]

Years ago I was restoring an MGB - hoping to have it for our wedding. At the same time my wife was doing a masters so my weekends were absolutely free to spend all day sat/sun on it. I had a project plan with dates I had to hit … it fell behind and got worse. The day I shut the garage door and accepted it wouldn’t get done I actually felt great - it had become a chore that I resented somewhat. I’ve got another project (bought while we were in honeymoon ) but fortunately I have no timeframe and no issues with storage. So to your point - I keep the interest by using time to collect/buy all the parts I’ll need and laying the foundations - buying/making a rotisserie etc. Lots has got in the way (kids and all their interests) in the meantime but one day I’ll find a slot and get to it. You’ve invested so much blood and treasure i bet - seen it through and enjoy the other side.