Juggling Two Projects

[Kenova]

Most people are smarter than to try juggling two projects, but I'm not one of them.
I have a '71 Nova that is taking so long that I'm embarrassed to say how long I've had it. It was taking so long that I bought a '77 Vega to drive when the urge hit me. Yeah, I know, the money would have been better spent on the Nova but the Vega was/is in such good shape. Of course I have plans for the Vega too but swore I wouldn't touch it untill the Nova was at least on the road.
Lately I have come to the realization that I am going nowhere fast so I'm wondering how others are doing it.
One question I have is about parts. I am constantly find screaming deals on parts ...... for the Vega. Do I take advantage of the opportunity when it presents it's self, or put the blinders on and stay focused on the Nova and hope I can find a similar good deal down the road?
What do others do (other than seek therapy).



Ken

[silvermonte]

Im in the same boat as you. I have a s10 project that is tore to pieces and a 80s cutlass that i keep as a driver. As long as you keep the vega running and you are finding screaming deals for it i see no reason why you cant spend the money on it instead of the vega. Now when it gets to the point that you have to tear the vega apart and cant drive either thats when you have to step back and look at what you are doing and then focus on the nova. Thats what i do at least, keeps you in the hobby and having fun and reminding you why you enjoy have a car sit on jack stands for years on end.

[bs46488]

I have two projects. A 1970 Nova and the renovations to the house the wife wants to do...guess which one gets done the most.

My father bought a 1939 chevy. He got so deep into the project, he bought a 1950 chevy to just drive around and beat on.

[moreHP]

I have project A.D.D.! At least thats what my friends tell me! But if one is being a pain in the butt I just go work on a different one.

[derekf]

Yep. The wife is back to outright bribery attempts: She knows I won't sell the El Camino, but now she promises if I sell the Chevelle and the Trans Am, she'd be ok with my buying some sort of modern muscle (thinking C5 Z06).

I figure it's win-win. If I sell the Chevelle (not trying very hard), I get something cool instead of the Honda DD; if I don't sell the Chevelle, I have a Chevelle. I just wish I had covered storage for both.

[Kenova]

I have two projects. A 1970 Nova and the renovations to the house the wife wants to do...guess which one gets done the most.

I forgot about that! I guess that means I have three projects on the go. LOL

Ken

[ho428]

I have a habit of getting stuff that's good enough to use, (cheap) but needs work.
So while the race car and street coupe are being worked on when needed and time allows, the RV needs to be finished where I started renovating the interior, plus I'd like to give it and the enclosed trailer a custom paint scheme and some mechanical upgrades.
Meanwhile, as I find parts for the OHC-6 Firebird I get them and squirrel them away for when it's time approaches, probably in my next life.

I don't have time for a job, I just need the money...

[Ron.in.SoCal]

I have found it next to impossible but as Gordon mentioned, picking up parts when deals come up helps.

[69496]

I was dumb enough to do the same thing. I have had my 69 Chevelle for 20 years and it is stripped to the bone about ready to be reassmbled. I had all kinds of parts waiting to go on it. So I find a 70 Camaro that a guy HAS to sell and after talking to the wife and catching her in a rare moment of weakness I now have 2 projects. The camaro was actually in pretty good shape and I have been driving it and upgrading it over the last year or two. Unfortunately the Chevelle is being neglected now. Money is one thing but finding the time has been the biggest challenge. Always something going on

[GNon18s]

That reminds me, I need to get on Craigslist!

[esenior]

Been there done that....had my 69 Camaro, my 66 El Camino, my wife's 70 Chevelle, and my dad's 66 GTO all torn apart at the same time. I don't even want to think about how many times I picked up a part and said "Which car is this for?!"

I think the biggest concern with picking up parts as they come available is the timing for the project. If you aren't a slow poke (like I am), you can save quite a bit watching for the deals. Unfortunately for me, I took way too long getting my Camaro built. Ended up buying parts well before they were needed and by the time I was ready to use them, I had either changed direction (e.g. bought all new dash components from classic. Later decided to go with the DSE dash. Sold the new dash on eBay for a huge loss.), something better was now available, or there was something wrong with the part and now it was too late to do anything (e.g. purchased Marquez front/rear panels, when I finally went to install, found that Prodigy had sent me coupe, not convertible! Had to pay another $800 for just the rears ).

[Auto Rod Technologies]

I have two going for myself as well, I work on one till I get irritated and then go to the other one..
Along with 5-6 restorations for customers going at any given time...
It can be overwhelming at times but you just have to focus on one thing at a time.. Even if it's one thing today and something else tomorrow.

[MonzaRacer]

"What If,,,?" 1984 Caprice 2dr getting 454/TH400,air ride,circle track modified racing suspension mods and making it look like GM did it factory
"Cheap Trick" My 77 Monza, given too me 283, forged rotating assembly, LT1 FI intake, twin ebay GT2871/GT2876 turbos/intercooler, ridetech coil overs and both getting Corvette brakes and possibly wheels.
My old air ride equipt 78 C10 needs to be back on the road too
AND my new/used 98 Regal DD, thinking about exhaust,suspension updates/mods, possibly wheels and tires(17" over stock 15's) and possibly factory blower or a turbo and fixing all the little things that need addressed by $350 car.
And I have my 06 Buell Blast I want to get legal to do some riding and help on gas going to work.

Oh and trying to get things cleaned u around/inside trailer, aint, tar down entertainment center and mount tv on wall and get grandmothers furniture I bought home finally. and trying to figure out at least a small garage for home use, or enclosed car port/garage.

[YancyJohns]

I think most of us on here have one or more project going at once.... Unfortunately, I think they're never complete or finished....LOL Good Luck on your builds!!

[brownz]

I always seem to he side tracked as well. It took me 10 years to get my Camaro on the road. Started a drag car build and lucky didn't finish it and sold off those parts for a loose. Started it again and bought a 70 nova a motorcycle and so on the Camaro just sat. Then I sold the bike and nova and got the Camaro on the road. The month I got the Camaro in the road ( still needs interior and paint ) I bought a 72 nova that I said I would touch until the Camaro was complete. Well I started to find "deals" and started collecting parts. Next thing I have money in it that could have finished the Camaro. But the nova will be back on the road this week so I will now focus back on the Camaro. The thing that helped me getting side tracked this time was the fact I can drive the Camaro anywhere.

I also have a 65 nova wagon that is a nice car that's a drive that needs some work and I'm wondering when I will start that. But it's a reliable car so that helps. I have come to the realization that I want a couple nice cars that are reliable rather then 4 or 5 cars that are apart. I guess I want to own them all lol