Sorry I haven't responded to your thread Greg. I don't come into this area of the board very often.
This a pretty good discussion, and much that has been said, I can echo easily. 7.5 years into a project with the car undriveable and off the road for the entire time. Parts in boxes, cupboards, under the bed, in the wardrobe, hanging off walls, in storage containers - you know I live the 'dream' and you know I have a vision which we discussed when you visited me here in NZ.
But as I have been waiting for my panel beater to finish the exterior of the car for me, I have had time to reflect on what I have achieved so far and potentially what the next challenge for me could be and I feel I've made some interesting observations, which I will share.
If you are passionate about the car, then it will always remain with you in some form or another. There may be some sort of emotional attachment in the way of family, idolisation as a child or in your teenage years, your first driving experience etc. No matter what, you can't shake it off - it is a part of your being and soul. If you look at your car that way, then you're unlikely to get rid of it and will absolutely make it work out for you are in a situation when you can make something of it.
If you're keeping it because you predominantly have a financial investment in it rather than the emotional, then the addage is: let your profits run, cut your losses short. Cars come and go, there will always be opportunities in the future to get the car of your dreams when you are more financially sound or in a more appropriate situation to enjoy your dream. Which is why you see so many older people buy the cars of their dream much older in life when their situation allows for it.
For me, the predominant driver is to finish something that I started. To see the completion of my vision and get the opportunity to drive it and enjoy the labour that I have put in. My passion is only derived from the fact that I have invested so much of my time and energy into something, that it would be a huge disappointment to myself not to see it to the bitter end. I ignore those that don't understand this and am luckily supported by friends and family who understand my need to see it finished. Note, I had no prior emotional attachment to this car, nor cars in general before I started working on this car. It is a life lesson and project for me, and what I have experienced serves me will in the application of life.
From my perspective, you have those that do do and those that don't do. Your current life situation is not favourable to getting stuck in and working on your vision/dream. I can understand the crossroads you are in, as I have been at that point many times over the course of my project. Do I sell up and give up? Do I keep it on the possibility that I'll get to the end? Do I have the money, space, time to really invest in something that I have thought about, dreamed about, obsessed about for years and years?
If I had to re-visit some of my previous crossroads, then I would almost certainly reconsider some decisions and choices as my project has been drawn out far longer than it should. It has impacted me financially, socially and mentally. I don't socialise as much as I should, this project has stopped relationships from forming because of my obsession to finish what I have started, I have not taken opportunities to travel extensively or spend my money elsewhere for the simple fact I need to spend money and time to finish my car.
But I don't for a minute regret what I have done as it is part of my life lessons. I just wish I had made better decisions instead of learning my way through the car modification game. Sure, the information is out there, but very rarely will someone who is on a long term build really articulate the highs and lows of their experiences.
While I am in this to the bitter end, ultimately I wish that I had started with a car that I had a deeper passion for. Unfortunately while I am attached to the car, I look more to the next project which I can apply my lessons and experiences to. Current obsession is with 240z's. I have held back from buying 2 bare metal restoration 240z projects because I knew I had to finish the Celica before I took on something else to consume my time. Every fibre of my being says to not take on a car that requires lots of time and money, and just settle for a running car and some bolt on's but the perfectionist in me would demand I fix up stuff, which would ultimately mean that I would strip the car down and rebuild it. Chassis which flexes, no power steering, rust issues throughout the chassis etc etc. Something about a 240z drives me to want to have one, and there are many reasons why I shouldn't have one (i have a list of pros and cons and cons are far more than pros).
Honestly, if you have no deep emotional connection to the car, sell up and come back to your dream later when you are in a better situation to actually invest some time into it. You may decide that you want to take on a different dream or something that you are deeply passionate about, but it isn't any use to you if you are tied down to something that doesn't work for you in life. 3 years of not working on the car is something you need to address. Even MacGyver visited his car every so often to maitain the connection.
If you can afford to keep the dream on hold (in a dry area where there would be very little weathering - don't like the pallet shed in the forest due to moisture and ability for wind to get under those gaps at the bottom of the walls), then do it if you are passionate enough about the car. Don't think about the financial investment. It really comes down to your commitment to maintain and ultimately complete your vision vs the money. Money comes and goes, but if you want to make it happen, you will eventually make it happen.
If you do plan on keeping the car, then plan your vision to the nth degree in your free time. Make the decisions up front on what to buy, what you will need, how you will accomplish something, be it by yourself, with friends or through a shop. Plan your dream car with confidence and certainty and when it comes to build the car, then you will know exactly what to do, when to do it and how you will finish (make sure you plan activities concurrently instead of working in a linear way). While some of the fun is mucking around testing out things, it has cost me months and months of time before a decision was made - be it for financial reasons or some self imposed justification that it should be done a certain way that I know meets my expectations.
Do let us know what you decide to do. Would rather you be happy about making your decision for the right reasons instead of regreting what-if.
If you need to chat, happy to make the time on skype.
Cheers
Dave
PS - I'm about 40-45k in parts and labour to get to where I am at the moment, around 35k in tools and consumables and you know I do the majority of work myself. Works out to be around 7 - 10k a year to sustain my project and keep it pushing along. Some years are higher, some are lower, but I'm spending up now since I am so close to the end. I'm to the point where I don't look twice at the money to complete the vision..
This a pretty good discussion, and much that has been said, I can echo easily. 7.5 years into a project with the car undriveable and off the road for the entire time. Parts in boxes, cupboards, under the bed, in the wardrobe, hanging off walls, in storage containers - you know I live the 'dream' and you know I have a vision which we discussed when you visited me here in NZ.
But as I have been waiting for my panel beater to finish the exterior of the car for me, I have had time to reflect on what I have achieved so far and potentially what the next challenge for me could be and I feel I've made some interesting observations, which I will share.
If you are passionate about the car, then it will always remain with you in some form or another. There may be some sort of emotional attachment in the way of family, idolisation as a child or in your teenage years, your first driving experience etc. No matter what, you can't shake it off - it is a part of your being and soul. If you look at your car that way, then you're unlikely to get rid of it and will absolutely make it work out for you are in a situation when you can make something of it.
If you're keeping it because you predominantly have a financial investment in it rather than the emotional, then the addage is: let your profits run, cut your losses short. Cars come and go, there will always be opportunities in the future to get the car of your dreams when you are more financially sound or in a more appropriate situation to enjoy your dream. Which is why you see so many older people buy the cars of their dream much older in life when their situation allows for it.
For me, the predominant driver is to finish something that I started. To see the completion of my vision and get the opportunity to drive it and enjoy the labour that I have put in. My passion is only derived from the fact that I have invested so much of my time and energy into something, that it would be a huge disappointment to myself not to see it to the bitter end. I ignore those that don't understand this and am luckily supported by friends and family who understand my need to see it finished. Note, I had no prior emotional attachment to this car, nor cars in general before I started working on this car. It is a life lesson and project for me, and what I have experienced serves me will in the application of life.
From my perspective, you have those that do do and those that don't do. Your current life situation is not favourable to getting stuck in and working on your vision/dream. I can understand the crossroads you are in, as I have been at that point many times over the course of my project. Do I sell up and give up? Do I keep it on the possibility that I'll get to the end? Do I have the money, space, time to really invest in something that I have thought about, dreamed about, obsessed about for years and years?
If I had to re-visit some of my previous crossroads, then I would almost certainly reconsider some decisions and choices as my project has been drawn out far longer than it should. It has impacted me financially, socially and mentally. I don't socialise as much as I should, this project has stopped relationships from forming because of my obsession to finish what I have started, I have not taken opportunities to travel extensively or spend my money elsewhere for the simple fact I need to spend money and time to finish my car.
But I don't for a minute regret what I have done as it is part of my life lessons. I just wish I had made better decisions instead of learning my way through the car modification game. Sure, the information is out there, but very rarely will someone who is on a long term build really articulate the highs and lows of their experiences.
While I am in this to the bitter end, ultimately I wish that I had started with a car that I had a deeper passion for. Unfortunately while I am attached to the car, I look more to the next project which I can apply my lessons and experiences to. Current obsession is with 240z's. I have held back from buying 2 bare metal restoration 240z projects because I knew I had to finish the Celica before I took on something else to consume my time. Every fibre of my being says to not take on a car that requires lots of time and money, and just settle for a running car and some bolt on's but the perfectionist in me would demand I fix up stuff, which would ultimately mean that I would strip the car down and rebuild it. Chassis which flexes, no power steering, rust issues throughout the chassis etc etc. Something about a 240z drives me to want to have one, and there are many reasons why I shouldn't have one (i have a list of pros and cons and cons are far more than pros).
Honestly, if you have no deep emotional connection to the car, sell up and come back to your dream later when you are in a better situation to actually invest some time into it. You may decide that you want to take on a different dream or something that you are deeply passionate about, but it isn't any use to you if you are tied down to something that doesn't work for you in life. 3 years of not working on the car is something you need to address. Even MacGyver visited his car every so often to maitain the connection.
If you can afford to keep the dream on hold (in a dry area where there would be very little weathering - don't like the pallet shed in the forest due to moisture and ability for wind to get under those gaps at the bottom of the walls), then do it if you are passionate enough about the car. Don't think about the financial investment. It really comes down to your commitment to maintain and ultimately complete your vision vs the money. Money comes and goes, but if you want to make it happen, you will eventually make it happen.
If you do plan on keeping the car, then plan your vision to the nth degree in your free time. Make the decisions up front on what to buy, what you will need, how you will accomplish something, be it by yourself, with friends or through a shop. Plan your dream car with confidence and certainty and when it comes to build the car, then you will know exactly what to do, when to do it and how you will finish (make sure you plan activities concurrently instead of working in a linear way). While some of the fun is mucking around testing out things, it has cost me months and months of time before a decision was made - be it for financial reasons or some self imposed justification that it should be done a certain way that I know meets my expectations.
Do let us know what you decide to do. Would rather you be happy about making your decision for the right reasons instead of regreting what-if.
If you need to chat, happy to make the time on skype.
Cheers
Dave
PS - I'm about 40-45k in parts and labour to get to where I am at the moment, around 35k in tools and consumables and you know I do the majority of work myself. Works out to be around 7 - 10k a year to sustain my project and keep it pushing along. Some years are higher, some are lower, but I'm spending up now since I am so close to the end. I'm to the point where I don't look twice at the money to complete the vision..
). Hard to get out of the Alltrac game (They seem to be that "lifelong" car for me). I've owned 9 Alltracs total. I have a few I'm completing (madness I'm managing). I could have easily gone a different route and gotten one car that has a better aftermarket, will yield similar results (Horsepower) if not better in some cases and more than likely cost less in the process. Yet, I'm here persevering with Alltracs. No regrets either. To some who don't get it, it's down right lunacy to own more than one Alltrac. 
