[Shiny]

I have pull-down stairs in the garage and guess who's car is under them?

So the joke at my house has been "I'll get the Christmas decorations down by December".

I think it took me 3 Decembers, but the car will back itself out of the garage now !!

I just had to take a job in another state, so one of my sons will back it out this year and the car will have to sit again.

For every step forward, it has been two back, but every small job finished on the car has been a learning experience and ended with a good feeling. It's the journey, right ??

I do know that without all the help from you on this forum, I'd still be doing acrobatics to get up in the attic.

[old66tiger]

My car has been a rolling restoration...Every year it gets something new. This year it is 4 wheel disc, upgraded suspension and new wheels and tires. Last year, it was the 5-speed, the year before that was the engine...etc. I only spend money when it lands in my pocket or I get the side jobs lined up to pay for it.

BTW...I have owned the car for 12 years now and it is still not 100% done.

[johnreeves]

My 69 firebird took 4 years too get it road reliable. It was a basket case. I originally bought the car for the engine that was in it. 400/670 Head .Turns out I rebuilt the car and used another engine. I have the one that came in the car stored. Funny how things work out.

[goatman65]

Bought my GTO in march 1983.Fair but driveable condition.At that time I bought for my daily driver.It was in primer with fair to shi**y bodywork,OK interior and a 400 with a bad cam lobe and slight rod knock.Rebuilt the 400,drove it from Pa. to Ca. in 1985.Drove it back from Ca. to Pa.in 1987.Parked it under a tree in 1987 until 1992.Started a frame-on resto in 1992 that lasted until 1994.It has been 'freshened-up' many times since then but as they say,You never really finish a project'.

[performerrpm]

i drove and took my car apart several times since i got it but the last time i took it apart its been a work in progress for almost 8 years, though i did get to drive her one more time a couple years back which helps accorse then i offset that by changing directions and undone a good part of what i had finished and tho iam almost back to that point where i could drive it, i have made progress in other areas.

one thing i learned tho.....make a plan.....keep it til finished then make changes as neccesary

[The Boss]

I've had my 68 for over 20 years now, still collecting parts for it, and still haven't driven it.

[Murf'sDad]

Bought it new in 1976, drove it full time for 3.5 years, occasionally for another 6.5 years, stored it for 20 more with 35K miles on it and just started working on it again in '06. Hopefully on the road and screaming in '10.

Stewart

[Junkyard Dog]

Originally Posted by F ROCK

1 year. worked at least 1 hour per day on car; usually more, but 1 hour per day is 365 hours per year. its disipline. you have to want it. my friends and family knew where i was gonna be; and that i needed an hour for myself. did everything myself (first timer), and without a garage. on rainy days i ordered parts and read books and was on this site.


bought a shell, stripped it down; replaced rusted out quarters, patched fenders; bought rebuilt350 cause it was cheap on craigslist; bought rebuilt t400 trans cause it was cheap on craigslist; washed with hot soapy water and painted everything i could; took it to maaco for the budget paint job and i was up and running. the inspection sticker from the previous owner was still valid. at that time total cost including the car was 5000$.

that was last year.
this year:
bought a 455 core and had rebuilt.
bought 12 bolt posi
preparing for that nice paint job this summer.

That is an inspiring story!

[PLAY400]

Well I guess it doesn't end. Have rust showing up in all my seams. Was not rusty before we used aircraft stripper and took the whole car down to bare metal. Shop that is doing the repaint says we did not get all the cleaner out of the seams and are seeing the results. Really cheeses me off to have to paint it again because the whole reason for stripping it was to have thin paint as the car had previously had a color change and I didn't want to go over it. Anyways it is stripped of all weather stripping, moulding and interior ready to go back into the shop.

[Old Bird]

Picked up the 67 bird in 1983. was our daily driver for nine years. The wife would load the kids up in the car seats as they were growing up ( we had the car before the kids so we call it our first child) Moved to different home built a shop and parked the car. Very slow to no work done for years as we helped put kids through college. 16 years in the shop and the last year and a half has been every spare minute and dollar put into it. Wanted to have it ready for a big local car show at the end of the summer. Had some engine issues the day before the show and missed it again. rebuilt the top of the motor since then and it is ready for next year. Just to bad the weather is getting cold and starting to snow. Will be ready for Spring just wash it and go.

[ITSBACK]

Mine has been off the road for a solid year now. With three kids and not a lot of time its at the point now where the body should be off some time this week if I can find time to get the body bolts out.

[Old Goat 67]

Thanks for the thread!

It's the journey, right?

Makes me feel better anyway.

Charles

[rememberfireball#22]

I bought my 68 Goat in June of this year. I stripped it and repainted in my makeshift paint booth. I went to K-Mart and bought a couple of rolls of sheet plastic and lined the walls and floor and painted the car in my barn. Very surprised by the small amount of trash. I've seen cars come out of $75,000.00 paint booths with more dirt in paint than I had. Anyway, I put a couple of extra coats of clear because I figured I would be color sanding and buffing trash out of my paint.Let it set for two weeks and then spent one full week rubbing the paint out. Interior was already finished, did not need any interior work, only a good cleaning. I started on it in last of June and went to my first car show with it last week. I drive it now almost every day.

[ITSBACK]

Nice

[Tripower455]

8.5 years from this:



This:

[Murf'sDad]

Nice finish.

Stewart

[68GTOSCA]

Gentlemen:

I will only say - if you are thinking about completing an complete frame off restoration. You are in for an hell of a journey. I started mine about two years ago. Rebuilt the frame, transmission, the rearend had PPR / ken rebuild the motor.

It not the money - its the time. It alway on my mind. My daugther calls the GTO my son, my wife calls it my second wife and is only half joking. I am doing all the body work so I estimate another two years.

[moneypit]

I've had the 37 about 4 years now. Drove the first year with the flathead 6 running on 5 cyl's but it was a blast. Pulled it in the garage with the intent of doing a valve job and a little frontend work. Head bolt broke off in the block, priced the frontend stuff and the stock rebuild stuff. One thing led to another, now it has a Fatman frame stub with all the fancy tubular control arms, coilovers, and power rack and pinion. All the mounts and crossmembers are done and the rearend is in. I'm in the process of plumbing the brakes.
Hope to make a maiden voyage early next summer. I have freinds ask "what are you going to do with the interior?", " what color are you going to paint it?" Hell, I just want to drive it again, it's got paint, it's got seats, I just want to take a long drive in the country about sunrise with nobody else on the road!

[WaltD]

I got out of the Marines and bought my '67 LeMans convertable in 1985. The car got parked while I was "restoring" it. I started to get serious about getting it giong in 2007. I ran into some health problems while working on it, literally. I did some wheeling and dealing and made some money selling some other toys. Phil Riley in Martinsville, Indiana finished it for me. This car is just out of control! Phil does A++ work!
The answer to the question is 22 years!

[ITSBACK]

That is a beautiful car. Very impressive. Good luck with it and thanks for your service.
Bill