The Balloon Effect

[Bigblue73]

I hope everyone is in the same boat as me when doing these projects. I converted to fuel injection this spring and replaced everything in the fuel system, back to front, added the II Much vent system (which I highly recommend) and that's when things went crazy. While bending fuel lines and laying on my back under the car I look at my headers, they are old, look like well abused items, I find a crack in one of the tubes. Ah hah! Found my exhaust leak - glad it wasn't on the same side as the O2 sensor! I proceed to order up some new headers, the super duper seal anything exhaust gaskets and replace them. While I'm under the car installing the headers, I look over at the transmission and see the prototype shifter bracket that I did for Classic Mopar 5 Speed - It looks like a two year old welded it up. Please note that I'm not the best welder, however the thing has lasted 8500 miles. Not bad. So - I unbolt the transmission from the bell housing so I can pull out the transmission and take it to work to fabricate a new shifter bracket. The new shifter bracket is a clean looking design that matches the current production units. Since I had the exhaust out the way and transmission out, it's time for some subframe connectors to stiffen the Challenger up. In go the subframe connectors last night with special help from my buddy that TIG welds. So this morning, I walk out into the garage, ram my ankle into the input shaft of the transmission, I'm hobbling around the garage to get to my truck to go to work and I notice the front bumper is looking a little shabby..... So here it goes again. I hope you all are like me and things just balloon for no apparent reason. Man I love this stuff. Have a great day!

[USAZR1]

Yep. For some, it's a never-ending battle with these old cars.

[rickpaw]

Yep, I'm in the same boat. Pulled engine/trans last October for a 6spd swap, now it's got a new (to me) LS2 engine, whole new front/rear suspensions, and I'm still not done.

[CarlC]

Scope creep. It never ends......

[TheJDMan]

Creep is why we tell people to estimate the cost of a project then double it. It also happens to commercial shops and people think they are just padding the bill. Creep is just a fact of life.

[Bigblue73]

What's funny is I found a slightly narrower rear end than mine and it got me thinking. Here I go again.

[Steve Chryssos]

My daughter keeps asking for a ride to school in the hot rod. That makes it all worthwhile. Lately I have been turning wrenches on my old Kawasaki and collecting guitars. Smaller, lighter, cheaper hobbies, but nothing compares to rolling out in the hot rod for a road trip. Keep fightin'
/Steve

[rustomatic]

It's a losing battle. Just give in. People who don't have hobbies are, well, not compatible.

[Zachalanche]

I usually start every oil change by pulling the engine.

This "scope creep " seems to happen to me a lot. Last week I was organizing my garage. about 30 minutes into it, I had found a leftover piece of roll cage tubing, I had the bender out, and I was building a new bumper for my truck.

garage is still a mess.

[Interceptor5588]

You have to be careful with this, that's how so many cars end up in garages forever and then sold -- we are too concerned with making things perfect. If you want perfect, buy new. Otherwise, get her ON THE ROAD!