Frankenvette

So after nearly wrecking my vette Feb 2011 I parked it for a front suspension rebuild. While I was at it I decided to also replace the steering. Here it is a year later and I'm still working on the front suspension and steering install. I always think this will be the week to get the vette on the road and something gets in the way.

Got me thinking about the experience of others who may have taken the long road to project completion.

Jim

Jughead

It took me 3 years to build my engine from scratch. Time & $$ were the limiting factors.

Derrick Reynolds

I bought my present car in August of 2008. Shortly thereafter, I wanted to install shoulder belts, so I started buying parts. I'm hoping to sandblast the seat backs tomorrow.......

7t2vette

Pulled my vette into the garage for the winter in 1996, pulled it back out after a full body off restoration in 2004!! I had only intended to replace the brakes and suspension that winter, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, the body was off and the car was completely disassembled!!!

jcloving

Four months for me. Interior redo. Seemed like forever at the time.

I am 1.5 months into a clutch swap that has turned into a midsection floorpan/frame/tranny refinish. I put some new black paint down there this morning. Putting it all back together won't be far off now.

On the other hand, I pulled the engine from my '68 Fury in '05. I am going to work on it this year though.

birdsmith

I started strippng paint off my '70 last May to begin the process of refinishing it back to its original color after two repaints. As of now I have the car sanded from the rear up to the firewall, and much of that has been by hand. The job is starting to regain some momentum now but it was pretty well stalled for awhile. By far it's been the most time-consuming project I've yet embarked on with this car...

oldsarge

It's been way too long for my 73, for lots of different reasons, I will let you know, when I am ready for the unvailing, and then you will know how long it has been, almost embarassed to admit, just yet.

70BBvert

For various reasons I spent 18 month+ hanging the new nose

Jim

mffi115

I don't know...I haven't finished yet!!!

rainmaninwa

I've been doing a frame off on my 68 BBC for 6 years now.

Count em...... SIX years.

So far, chassis, engine, trans, rearend, suspension, brakes, fuel system... almost anything connected directly to the frame is complete as of last fall.

NOW starts the body..... Hope it goes faster...

Dustup7T2

The ole "while-I'm-at-it" bug, mauled your clock, didn't it? Been there-done that. LOL.

We're a patient lot, Sarge. Besides, we're entertained with the sweet-hot new avatar! Righteous.

You'll get there. Life happens sometimes and what are we going to do? Got any picture updates to share?

To Jim (OP): my last session lasted 3 yrs + 2months, from parked to road test. THAT was the real learning curve.

Currently, it's been since last October to sometime in next 20-30-40 days, I hope (winter cold is messing with my program). Project reassembly skills have improved some.

Gotta admit, this time will be nothing compared to last. Mostly, just cleaning up and swapping motors.

Mod75

I spent 5 months repainting the car, felt more like 2 years.

71scgc

I started working on my car's rear end in early Dec. 2011. Had hell removing TA's. TA pocket rust in frame, all three sides, bottom too. Thinking donor frame time...
I'll be a while on this.
Carter

garage-ghost

Well 27 years ago I decided I wanted to re paint the 72, because it had been painted laguna gray and it should be steel cities gray. Well here it is 2012 and I still haven't done it. I'm afraid I won't drive it anymore if I paint it.

Mooser

Ratchet is stuck on the loosen setting.
I'll let you know when I get it fixed...
Mooser

Easy Mike

Hmmm. Bought the car in 1984. Still have things I want to do. You do the math.

TWINRAY

. My project started the summer of 2008

Today I hope to get the radiator/shroud/support "sandwich" assemble put in along with the heater box. Then I have to finish up the vacumn hoses, attach the power steering lines, the transmission cooler, install the top surround , then the fenders, then .....................

77custom

I bought my 77 as an all original car in 1998. Drove the wheels off of it for 3-4 years then blew the motor. Pulled the motor and built a bone crushing 383 stroker. The motor turned out so nice, that I just HAD to "change some things" on the car..... 2 YEARS later, I premiered the first iteration of my custom at the 2005 Hot Rod Power Tour:



Showed her for a couple of years, had a blast driving, and then decided to race it. So in went a full cage, custom suspension, new motor, trans, drivetrain, etc...

Then she burnt. (VERY long story not worth going in to here!)



After Haggarty lived up to their policy agreement... I got to do it again.... but differently this time!

A totally new custom made firewall, front clip, door hinges, splitter, tilt hinges, and a boatload of other things took me 3 YEARS to hand fabricate... and she still isn't quite done yet! Here is Full Tilt now:





So I guess it has taken me damn near 14 years to get mine the way I envisioned. But I did have a ton of fun with it in between builds!

69 Chevy

I procrastinated for months and months on these fender flares and the HD hood swap. Why? Because after doing bodywork 40 hours a week I had no taste doing my own. Contouring those compound curves was very time consuming.

70BBvert

It doesn't unfortunately Between work & family there's only so much time.

Been working on mine for 10 1/2 years

Any day now

Jim