5 Exciting Milestones in DIY Projects
There are many points of joy experienced by those who spend their time under the hood, hunched in a wheel well, or practicing that unique kind of yoga that is working under dashboards. Reviving or just keeping project cars running is an art, and like any form of art, it can consume the creator if they are not careful. There are bright spots that come out during those late nights trying to figure out why the cooling fans won’t run and the engine overheats. You just have to know what you are looking for.
Everyone gets reward from different aspects of working on cars, and that’s part of what makes the tasks so great. Regardless of what kind of project car you have, these are a few positive milestones you are likely to experience at least once.
Buying one
The thrill of the hunt is one thing, but if we are being honest, the thrill only comes when shaking the hand of the seller as you transition from buyer to owner. It’s a time of incredible optimism for most of us, with vision clouded by the potential of the project which serves to block out the known darkness that is looming. The struggles of diagnosing problems, fixing what you find, and preparing to do it all again pale in comparison to that beautiful pocket of time when your project car is 100% potential for success.
Getting it running
If you purchased a non-running project, first of all kudos to you for being so brave, and secondly prepare yourself for the excitement that comes with hearing that car run again for the first time. Someone else gave up on that project or generally get it get to the point of no longer functioning and you brought it back. Even when amounts to charging the battery and putting gas in the tank, it’s still decent step forward. A running project serves as concrete and inarguable evidence you have completed something. It might not be mastery, but not all progress is so visible. Have to revel in it when you can.
First drive
Even if you bought a running project, the first drive is one of the key moments that establishes a lot of emotions about the car and what kind of relationship you might have. Is this drive a gleeful stepping stone in an engine swap, or the second monumental step in the resurrection of a decrepit hulk that was previously left for dead? At some point it fails to matter as we all get drawn into the wonder that is the contraption around us function as designed, with the bonus knowledge it was us that made it happen.
Accurately diagnosing a problem
There is always a stunningly long measure of time between diagnosis and rectification of an issue on a project car. While performing the fix, it doesn’t matter how confident you are, there is often at least a tiny kernel of a chance that your effort will not solve the issue. Experience can help stack the deck in your favor, but even with certainty on your side there remains a warm feeling that comes from the confirmation that you not only found the issue, but also solved it.
A hack roadside fix
While a lot of the highs and lows of project cars happen in your driveway, garage, or neighborhood, there are a whole crazy subset that happen while out and about. The first time something goes wrong unexpectedly while on a drive is one thing, but handling the issue with aplomb despite being in the wrong place with the wrong tools. Overcoming the odds is something normal people have to go out of their way to find yet those who choose to occasionally drive questionable vehicles often find the opportunity to rise to the occasion is one that appearw more often than we might wish.
Not everyone looses their shirt selling a classic. Before investing in a classic check out the cost of parts, including freight and their availability. You may find out it’s less expensive to purchase a classic that has been restored. More fun driving and getting that thumbs up as cars pass by you.
After more than two decades in a restoration shop we have told numerous clients that it’s cheaper to buy one well restored. If you can find one…
The author left out the feeling you get when you teach yourself to do something for the first time. The first time I rebuilt an engine in the garage, the time I bought a $150 MIG welder and taught myself to weld, or the $300 HVLP rig and painted my first motorcycle. Experience makes things easier, and of course gives confidence, but there’s nothing like the feeling you get when you complete a task that you have never, ever done before (and probably shouldn’t have attempted yourself with your particular tools and skills).
Another important milestone is finding parts. Especially for nearly unobtanium items for limited vintage production vehicles. When you find something you’ve spent hours or years on the internet, magazines, swap meets, etc and find that part, there is elation like you won the lottery!
Right on!
Thomas ..
Quite the buzzkill!
Picking on the writer?
Really???
Keep up the good work Kyle!
I agree with you, I thought it was an easy and entertaining read that I could identify with. To be enjoyed not graded.
You can proofread all you want, but some of the words spoken during the rebuilding of a special project do not fit in the context of fifth grade vocabulary.
Loved the “unique kind of yoga that is working under dashboards”. For those that face bewilderment from our partners, friends or entertained onlookers that we would engage in such masochism…its actually our approach to staying fit.
Yes, being able to apply torque while being a contortionist is an aquired skill.
As someone who hates bodywork, but who can do a good job with it, (I’m the only body man I can afford) the best part is finally seeing my project in paint. Putting it back together is all downhill from there.
Agree with all of your points Kyle! A very enjoyable piece that applies to vintage motorcycles as well. Nothing like the elation of getting a vehicle you bought for a song up an and running. And I have no issues with your writing (hear that Thomas?) Keep these types of articles coming!
Wow! Great article………I have written articles off and on for the Lone Star Street Rod Assn since 1974 and my byline has appeared in a few other publications, but as a “hobbyist” writer, I have tried to think up articles that drag the reader into the moment and you accomplished that in spades. Have always felt the best stories are not about the car show but how you got there, what happened while you were there, who you met, and how you got home.
Personally, I have been building cars since the late 60’s and I, not to mention my buddies from coast to coast, can relate to every one of those topics and have written about most of them. Again, great job and now I’m going to read it again and recall some more of my own experiences through each one.
By the way……..Wonder how many folks out there looked at the lead photo and keyed in on the Honda with the Matise frame?
Thank you for the kind words! And sorry to disappoint, but that is a factory Honda frame on the 1972 SL125.
Fooled me, but at this age, what do ya expect?……..LOL
Nothing like that sickening feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you are out in the middle of nowhere and the engine starts to splutter and finally stops. No service station for miles around and the only tool on board maybe an old pair of pliers. You need to walk away for a while to let the emotions subside so that you have a clear enough head to even start to think about how to diagnose the problem.
The joy of fixing a problem and getting an immediate result (maybe after a few unsuccessful tries) is why I don’t stop trying to fix cars.
Do some racing with a couple of guys whose moto is “never give up”- have put back together race cars that any sane person would have rolled back into the trailer and headed home- only to (12 or more hours of thrashing later) have a running, driving car that is mostly good. LOL. Determination and grit is what it takes for any project- my suggestion- get a white board- make a list of tasks and get one or two done a week- its that old adage- “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Start with little tasks that are easy so that you are encouraged by your progress.
Nobody’s talking about making a profit, but most people will eventually sell their project. Some will move on to another project, some will experience life changes that mean it’s time for the car to find a better home. You rarely get back all you invested, but it would be nice to not “lose your shirt” as Hyper said. The market has dropped so much that my 57 Bel Air is worth less now than it was when I bought it (at a fair price,) even without the 10K or so that I spent improving it (not counting routine repairs and maintenance.) There’s a difference between selling it for less than you have in it, and taking a bath financially. Since my car isn’t nice enough to live in a museum, its only hope is that someday, after I’m gone and gasoline has been outlawed, someone will transplant a Tesla drive train into it, and it will live on.
I’ll never forget first ride on my 1940 Indian 4, after much wrenching, jumped on & blasted down the street, turned around & headed back. Waiting for me was the law, no helmet, no plate & had me down at 61mph. My response with a big smile on my face was no sh!t, he was so taken back after I explained what was going on, no ticket, verbal warning only.
I might suggest another major milestone for a project: Successfully Registering/Licensing Your Project.
Because projects are frequently attended by a bonded or salvage title, an out-of-state title, or the even less desirable bill-of-sale, the eventual trip to the DMV or county tax office to register your new prize can sometimes be a complicated and time-consuming (and sometimes costly) process. The anxiety level runs high even with the revered “clean title.” Nevertheless, the feeling of relief and accomplishment is palpable when the clerk finally hands you your ownership documents and your temporary plates. Smiles ensue… 🙂
When your pre-war Velocette starts on the first kick and runs all day with only a thin layer of oil on your boots.
Pull the other one – it’s got bells on. 🙂