At what point do you cry, "Uncle!" on your project?

[DusterRT]

My project car has suffered a huge number of blows over the years; initially it was my complete lack of knowledge of cars. But I learned. Then I ran out of money; easy to do on a highschooler's budget; so I just did whatever I could that didn't cost much. Then I went to college and as planned I haven't done much more than look at it in the past 4-1/2 years. On top of that my parents remarried my freshman year and moved in with their new spouses with already filled garages and houses; leaving me with the choice of selling it or storing it. $3000 in rent later I still have it in a storage unit out in the middle of nowhere:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/12/DSCN1032-1.jpg

So I just graduated and have been offered a great opportunity for a first real job. However, it is in Seattle area, 2200 miles away. My relocation is covered, but my little project's relocation is specifically called out in the "Items Not Covered" section of the relocation handbook I recieved this morning. My salary is going to be OK, but I'm not going to be a millionaire anytime soon I guess you could say.

I'm waiting on quotes from an acquaintance that does auto hauling; however I know it is not going to be cheap moving an 85% disassembled, not really rolling car, even if he does cut me a good deal.

The car is no Hemi 'Cuda or Yenko Camaro. It is a #'s matching Duster 340; however it's got it's share of rust issues in the body and frame, and I've sold off some parts to help fund the storage of it. However in other areas, it's pretty solid for a midwest car. It'll never be a perfect show car, and I never had any intention of trying to make it as such so I wasn't worried about retaining some of the original parts. But at this point I am thinking this may be the point where I have to fold and start over with a different car.

Probably the worst thing though that's been eating away at me as I mull this over is the fact that my dad bought it for me when I was 15 from the original owner; two years into it as I was learning things the hard way (and my dad filled in the guy's brother at work of my 'progress') he mentioned that he kind of regretted selling it since, "It'll probably never see the road again." The state of the car is such that anyone I would sell it to would probably just part it out since it would be near impossible to make a buck restoring it.

From the economic and sanity standpoints, I should have parted it out long ago and taken it as a lesson learned, but obviously there's more to it than that. I kind of feel like I am facing a major failure, like I've let myself and others down, and that I'm destroying another bit of the musclecar era..

[1970cuda]

give it to me and it will live again

[Mean 69]

At what point do you throw in the towel?

NEVER. Ask anyone who sold "the" car in their lifetime, you will regret it in the future. Yes, you'll have other cars most likely, but not THIS one. Dad bought it for you at 15, that makes it priceless in my humble opinion.

Get a job closer to the car?!?! Ahh, just kidding...
Best of luck,
Mark

[Damn True]

Leave the thing in storage. Take the job in Seattle and get on your feet. Then ship it out. You dont want to be starting a new gig, looking for a place to live temporarilly, while looking for more permanant digs and fussing over where to store the car all at the same time. Be patient. I have had a vision in my mind for my car since I was 16. At 37 I am just getting started on it.

[Bigblue73]

Are you going to be making it back to the midwest anytime soon? If not the storage and insurance is a mute point. Move the thing and make some progress. Did the new company specify a dollar amount for the relocation. Another thing.....watch out because relocation expenses are taxed as income. I got nailed by this when I relocation to Missiouri from Wisconsin.

[Damn True]

Are you going to be making it back to the midwest anytime soon? If not the storage and insurance is a mute point. Move the thing and make some progress. Did the new company specify a dollar amount for the relocation. Another thing.....watch out because relocation expenses are taxed as income. I got nailed by this when I relocation to Missiouri from Wisconsin.

You can usually offset that by claiming any personally incurred expenses that are not paid by the company.

[68Formula]

If you do keep it, you should keep it in storage until you're settled like DT said.

I kept mine garaged for over 10 years at my parents. Bought it in college (which seems a stupid choice, but I learned a lot from working on it). Similar thing, got out of college, broke, found a job several states away. It actually ran at the time (sitting does not do a car good). Bought some parts along the way. Finally towed it to its new home. Took a deep assessment of the situation, and put it on eBay.

I realized with a new baby and new responsibilties at work, I didn't have time for such an in-depth project. For me, other than it being my first musclecar, it wasn't tied to a person in terms of sentiment. I had also been thirsting after another car from my childhood that I really wanted. And I decided after parting with my motorcycle, that I really wanted a convertible (not an option for this car). Plus I decided for the money to get it where I wanted it to be, I would be much farther ahead with something else. It wasn't any one factor, but the reality of several combined that helped my decision.

So within two months of selling her, I found a rust-free driver (convertible) that needed the mechanical work I was capable of. I was able to do upgrades with little downtime making it something I could enjoy immediately.

I will always think fondly of the first car, and wonder if she'd ever been properly restored as the new owner hoped to do, but don't regret the decision. Actually I think I did her a favor as she is more likely to be still sitting in pieces if I owned her.

For you, sounds like you are young, single, and once you get settled the time and money will be there. Plus you have the sentimental ties. If (within reasonable limits) this is a car you really like, you should consider keeping it.

[chet]

keep it and store it where it is for a few months after you relocate. find a place with a garage and then fly home and rent a u-haul truck and drive it out.

[TonyHuntimer]

That's a tough one.

You've already paid good money storing it, so selling it now is like throwing all that money away you've invested.

How much work would it be to make it roll? If it's only a few hours of work it would be time well spent and make it easier to move.

This decision should come down to how badly you want the car. If you are only keeping it out of guilt...sell it! If you want to eventually drive that specific Duster all clapped out with go-fast hardware...you will find a way to keep it.

Good luck,
Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

[jaybee]

Is this your dream car? When you're alone in a quiet moment can you feel the shifter in your hand and see the nose lift as you hammer it off a corner? If so you'll always regret selling it. I have one in mind that I still miss...bad.

Even if it isn't your dream car so you see yourself being able to replace it ANY TIME in the next few years? Another good reason to not get rid of it.

If you frankly don't care about the car that much and see yourself behind the wheel of something different ditch it and put that money into your fund for a replacement.

[63SW]

NEVER GIVE UP !
at this point in your life it may not seem that big of a deal , but like stated above ...IF ITS YOUR DREAM CAR , or your first car , and your really into it.
Do what ever it take to keep it...

Most of us have said it once or twice " IF I ONLY HAD THAT CAR TODAY "

I ALWAYS wanted a 63 splitwindow vette ...almost gave up a few times .. BUT I DIDNT ...
Took me till i was 40years old -BUT , ITS IN THE GARAGE NOW , and i wouldnt let it go for the world!

[StRacerDuke]

I know how you feel. Let me give you a little info that may help.

Keep it:
I have to assume that this is your first project car and you haven't built a complete car from the ground up yet. You probably feel very attached to the car being that it is your first project and you really don't want to get rid of it. You can keep it in the mid west, pay a few grand over the next year or two to store it, then pay a few grand to ship it out to the North west. It will probably it for a few more years until you build up the finances to start really putting it back together. At that point lets recap where you will be:

3-6 years later (25-28yrs old)
probably $4-9K in storage, transport, and 'small parts/tinkering' costs
And your duster would be in about the same place as it is now

Now, with this option you have to ask how much the sentimental value is worth. Is it worth it? Only you can answer that. Will you still be motivated to build it? Probably but will you have any regrets? Again only you can answer that.

If you sell it:
You can probably get a few grand for the car and parts before you move west. It also saves you the above costs and time associated with moving and storing it. The opportunity cost on this is probably about 9-13K if you figure 4-9K for storage and transport costs you would save and 4-5K you can probably sell everything for.

How disciplined are you in investing and money management? If you take the 4-5K you make off of it, save 100-200 each month in to a 'car account' and when you are ready to get back into building another car in the north west, say 2-3 years later you will have a very nice fund to really build something the way you want it.

Again, it all depends on what value you find in that particular car. For me the choice is easy. Cut the liability and then set yourself up in a position to build anything you want (duster or otherwise) and have the funds to support it.

From personal experience I can tell you it's worth selling it:
I fully restored a 71 SS Chevelle with my father when I was 13. My mother is the original owner and we will never sell the car. I drove it all through High School then handed it off to my little Bro to do the same. You can’t place a sentimental value on that.

I built a 64 SS Chevelle, frame off, full custom starting at 16. Finished it 2nd year of College. Sold it and invested the $$$.

I built a 67 Nova on a rotisserie and created a nice mini-tubbed little roller before I sold it to buy a engagement ring and move to Italy for a year then backpack the world.

I built a 68 Pro-Street Camaro and sold it. Same timing and thing as above.

I painted & built a handful of other odd and end cars for friends during and after college before moving. (More $$ invested)

Now I'm 26, I live in downtown Boston with no garage or project cars, BUT, I will be in a position to build a 4-5 car garage and build 2-3 custom cars at the level of anything on this board in about 6-8 years when we move to the suburbs. Is it worth giving up the sentimental value of the cars I've built but retaining the knowledge I've learned and being in the position to build what ever I want later on? To me, it is.

Hope this helps.

[Roger Poirier]

Leave the thing in storage. Take the job in Seattle and get on your feet. Then ship it out. You dont want to be starting a new gig, looking for a place to live temporarilly, while looking for more permanant digs and fussing over where to store the car all at the same time. Be patient. I have had a vision in my mind for my car since I was 16. At 37 I am just getting started on it.


Exactly. Do not rush into anything! :hammer:

R.P.

[Part Time]

Sounds like you're being very honest with yourself which is good, however, you sound as if you are pretty depressed about the situation which is not a good time to be making this decision. Look into other storage options. You said that you won't be getting rich any time soon.... what you get for your car in it's current state probably won't go very far on your next purchase and it will never be the car your dad bought for you. And if you think money is tight now wait until you meet Mrs sleepless in Seattle and crank out a couple of tricycle motors... then you'll truly be sleepless in Seattle, money will get allocated to other things and you won't even have rusted duster to even think about getting back on the road. Get to Seattle, live cheap, don't make stupid purchases, ditch the credit cards, sock money away to get the car at least driveable again (hire it out if you have to get it back together). It may not be what you want right now but it'll be a hot rod for sure. Then U-Haul the thing back to Seattle. DO NOT SELL !!!! Keep your head up and make it happen!!

[smack_talker]

If you do throw in the towel, PM me a price. I always wanted a 340 Duster. And when its done i'll even let you take for a ride. I'm not trying to be a vulture, I just would rather see in on the road then in pieces. Good Luck on whatever you decide.

[bookends]

I've moved my 69 Camaro three times so far, I'm finally getting it back together after being in pieces since the spring of 2000. it was my first car and I've been frustrated to the point of almost selling it. what stops me every time is knowing that I'd spend the rest of my life regretting selling my first car. if you do sell it offer it back to the original owner it would be a cool thing to do.

[Dayton]

How much is the mini storage costing per year? That size out here in Cali is @ $1200/yr.
Plan A Liquidate. Somewhere down the road, you can start another project once your finances are on solid ground.
Plan B Move to Seattle and continue to pay storage

[BA.]

I may have missed this, but I don't recall seeing but maybe one person mention the negotiation of those moving expenses. This kind of surprises me cuz I know I'm not the only one with a ton of corporate/business experience.

Depending upon the size of the new company you are with, I'd be willing to bet that they would be willing to help you out as long as you negotiated it professionally.

eg. This is your stuff, the car, the parts, it's your stuff. Regardless of the wording of the 'rules', you couuld safely argue that you need it moved northward just like all your other belongings.
Those kinds of business and Human Resources rules are ALWAYS negotiable.

I hope you keep it. I'm sentimental for the 70-71 Duster 340's as I bought one back in February of 91 out in the deserted desert of Southern California while being recalled for Desert Storm.
I drove it back to Ohio with those 3.91 gears and had to check the oil at every stop! lol.

Ok, enough rambling. I say to call the company HR guy and politely request their reconsideration of your situation.

2nd Best option: wait a few months, take an extra day or two and get a friend or two and go get the car to bring it to your new home.


Good luck man.

PS. I'm 40 and just now doing the car I've owned for 22 years. Schtuff happens.

[DusterRT]

I'm presently paying $75/mo for the unit. It's not the cheapest around nor the closest to where I used to call home, but it's all that was available at the time I had to move it. The fact that I've already got so much in it just for storing it is a point I've thought about. I'm hoping if it doesn't make the move with me, a few grand spent storing and moving it in the future isn't the big deal that it has been the past few years.

Moving all the way across the country to start a career is going to be stressful enough, I am leaning towards focusing on that rather than adding this whole mess to it. However my paperwork states if I elect to move myself via a rental truck, they will cover all the rental fees, fuel, etc. I am considering maybe moving it but just putting it into a local storage unit while the moving is free (other than giving 1/3 of my reimbursement to the government..). That said, trucking a car in a moving truck that isn't supposed to have a car inside it might be risky; I don't know what the repercussions of being caught would be. 3-4 days covering 2200 miles; not exactly a quick job. I suppose I could put the Duster on a car trailer behind the moving truck, sell my Neon (DD) and get something else after I get out there; an upgrade in that department wouldn't kill me, although it is paid for!

Yep, I'm single, no kids, minimal debt. My income won't be a lot for someone who couldn't say those things, but for a 23 year old that can (and whose last job paid $7/hr for comparison), it's going to be pretty good money for just starting out. I am worried that if I don't have the car around to sink my time and money into, "Ms. Sleepless in Seattle" might become an issue, lol. Maybe I'll keep the Neon to help ward off that problem for a little while longer, lol.

As of right now I am thinking moving it to a storage unit out there might be the best compromise, as it probably won't cost much more to store, and would allow me to live in an inexpensive place initially while I am getting settled. It'll be a gigantic pain if I can't convince them that I simply can't live without it and they should take care of it for me, but it would probably save thousands of dollars. I'm just glad I don't own a whole lot else!

Thanks for the input guys..it always helps to hear you're not the only one who's faced something like this before!

[ProTouring442]

At what point do you cry "Uncle!" I dunno... when your Uncle has just hit the lottery for 300mil? :lmao:

Sorry, couldn't resist... I dunno when you should call it quits, my project has been a project for 13years now. Hell, it even moved with me. Come to think of it. only time I have ever driven it is when I pulled it up the driveway to take it apart!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442 (http://www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442)

[68Formula]

Careful on the moving storage units. My friends parents had a storage unit for years at $80/month. I needed one two months after they decided to empty it and close the account. Price for the same unit today...$130/month. Too bad he I didn't know about it. Another $10/month just to sublet it would have still saved a bunch.

If you don't have a lot of stuff that could be a bargaining chip. Afterall if you had a house full of furniture, kids, etc. it would be costing them a heck of a lot more. Transport for your car is probably far less.

[Neil B]

Leave the thing in storage. Take the job in Seattle and get on your feet. Then ship it out. You dont want to be starting a new gig, looking for a place to live temporarilly, while looking for more permanant digs and fussing over where to store the car all at the same time. Be patient. I have had a vision in my mind for my car since I was 16. At 37 I am just getting started on it.

I agree with this too. When I moved from Atlanta to San Francisco, I left my project car with my parents. I brought it out a few years later when I knew I'd be staying on the West Coast for awhile.

[muthstryker]

i live in washington and im moving back to seattle 2 days after xmas (ya ****ty time to move) but the house we are going to be staying in doesnt have a garage. ive called alot of places in seattle and none of the ones ive called will allow a car that doesnt run or drive. since if you lose the storage they dont have to get rid of everything, in my case they dont understand that i wont lose the car for anything. i think i have to bum in my cousins garage shes a 31 and doesnt need a 5000 sqft shop to herself. lol

[DusterRT]

So you're saying the storage units around there won't allow inoperable cars? That could be a bit of a problem, lol. I'm glad you mentioned that!!

Most of the places around here could care less about what you put in them unless it's a meth lab or something..

[JChristian1835]

One thing I can say.. if you keep the car.. one day you'll have it finished and set in it and fire it up.. then you'll look around and be like.. dang i did it.. that is the ultimate satisfaction...

[muthstryker]

So you're saying the storage units around there won't allow inoperable cars? That could be a bit of a problem, lol. I'm glad you mentioned that!!

Most of the places around here could care less about what you put in them unless it's a meth lab or something..

there has to be atleast one, im going to keep calling around and i will let you know if i find one.

[DusterRT]

Good deal...thanks muth!

The transport quote I got from a friend was actually really reasonable. I'll have to talk with the relocation people, maybe we could meet halfway; if I can find a place to store the parts and they'll move them with the rest of my stuff, I'll foot the bill for moving the shell. Heaviest thing should be the engine block, since the rear end is still under the car. I'm considering having a local friend do the metalwork before I move it, he does that stuff on the side, and he should cut me a pretty good deal since it's been my welder he's been using for the past 5 years or so, lol.

[Bow Tie 67]

All you have to do is take it in for paint, and you will end up with 3 or 4 years of free storage.

[62fairlane]

travis it is kinda where I am. don't forget the fact that if you move it will you really be able to do much on it? now might be a good time to send it off to a long term shop for metal work/paint. move the other parts with you. build a motor and collect parts in seattle and then get the car moved out there in a year or so after metal work.

My fairlane has been in storage for a year in a damn near similar pic (shelves on same side even) I dragged a spare motor south with me to start building up. collecting the parts now is nice as I don't have a shop to work in or the tools (welder, lift etc) basicly I collect parts and take them home with me on the holidays. to keep me busy here I also picked up a couple cheap bikes to work on (building a cafe racer) they take a little funding off the car and all but rebuilding 100% from ground up can be done in little space with a bike. See if you can have parts shipped so someone back home that can put them in storage for you or onthe car even. I let a friend keep his bike in my unit for free as long as he puts up parts, takes measurements, etc for me. I would have sent mine out for paint but I am going to front/backhalf the car so need to get the chassis work finished and the wheels on so I can get the new fenders made up (oh yeah BIG project)

make a list of what parts you need/want. (carb, ignition, wheels, brakes) and keep an eye out on ebay and forums for a deal on what you want. I say keep it but move some of the parts west and look for some cheaper storage (I pay $60/m for mine just outside of peoria for a 10x22....my one in Anna is $50 for 12x18)

also since I ended up with a place with no garage or covered parking I use my storage for keeping the bulk of my tools and such at.

I say keep it, send it for paint/body and collect a pile of parts for it.

[gsxrken]

All you have to do is take it in for paint, and you will end up with 3 or 4 years of free storage.

The words of experience right there...

[69TAPoser]

All you have to do is take it in for paint, and you will end up with 3 or 4 years of free storage.

:lol: So true! I am living this now... :squint:

Phil

[Jim Nilsen]

Just look for the sign above the body shop that says "PAINT HELL" and there is dust on the cars there over 2 years old and you will have your place to store it. It sounds funny and enough to make you cry if you really want your car done, but if you don't you might be able to swing it. Good idea Bowtie 67:twothumbs

[novanutcase]

They don't call it paint prison for nothing!