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PostPosted: November 2, 2022, 9:29 pm 
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Joined: May 1, 2012, 9:43 am
Posts: 336
Location: Sidney, BC, Canada
I didn't see a "Building Philosophy" sub forum, so this feels like the most relevant place to put this post.

When I first started my build I was super keen on getting it done, and spent hours in the garage every week. Progress seemed quick as there were a lot of large, visible sections being built and parts going together. I managed to get to a rolling chassis, then a "driveable" vehicle in a reasonable time frame. Then the finishing work started, and things started to slow down. Life got in the way. I changed careers to one that took me away from home a lot on training, and involved moving around for a few years, so I was not at home to work on my project so work on the car came to a screeching halt. Eventually things settled down a bit and I found myself in a fixed location, at least for a few years. Granted, there is still a month or a few weeks here and there away from home, but generally speaking I have the time to get back to the project.

Except... I haven't, really. I've completed a few minor bits here and there, but it's generally been a few days to a week of work followed by several weeks to months of not touching the project. It feels like I've lost momentum on the project by being away from it, and I'm having trouble getting it back. The build is "90%" complete, with basically a functional car that needs finishing touches to make it road legal, but it seems like the closer I get to having the project done the less enthusiastic I am to work on it.

I'm sure I'm not the first to deal with this kind of loss of momentum, so I'll ask the wise forum members here: how have you dealt with it? How do you regain your gumption? One of the things I didn't tackle early on was painting the frame, and now it feels like a big thorn in my side that I have to disassemble most of the car to get it paint it, lest it all rust away before I'm even finished building it.


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PostPosted: November 3, 2022, 8:02 pm 
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Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am
Posts: 2386
Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
I hear ya Jacob

I've lost momentum a couple times building 7's, first time I built the Topolino (the 3'rd 7 was 90% complete when I lost momentum), the second time I bobbed 2 XS400 Yammy's while building 7 #4 (which is 70% complete) and now building the '29 Gazelle whilst #4 sits waiting patiently to be completed. :oops:

Don't sweat it, it's a hobby not a job. To gain momentum treat it like eating an elephant, one small piece at a time, next thing you know you'll be head down a$$ up getting into the groove of finishing your 7. :cheers:

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'If man built it, man can fix it'
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Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle


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PostPosted: November 4, 2022, 10:17 am 
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Joined: July 17, 2008, 9:11 am
Posts: 6413
Location: West Chicago,IL
Having a calendar goal helped for me such as some activity that I wanted to attend such as a Midwest Gathering or some other annual event.

In addition, commit to spending 5 minutes a day, even if it is just planning or perusing with a cup of coffee in hand. Surely you can find 5 minutes a day. You will be surprised how often you will pick up this item or that item just to move it aside or put some tool away. It does not take long before you realize that those 5 minutes occasionally have become 15minutes or even an hour. 7 days of an hour each week, is a full workday. That's a lot of work accomplished.

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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

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And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766


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PostPosted: November 5, 2022, 3:12 pm 
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Joined: July 7, 2011, 12:17 am
Posts: 540
Location: Oregon City, OR
Similar to Chucks comments, one of the ways I attacked my build was to spend ~15 minutes a day for several days preparing for whatever part of the project I was trying to complete so that everything was cut, drilled, deburred, etc (even if it was just cleaning up the shop). When the day came to actually put it all together it was fast and fun. It was something to look forward to. You’d be surprised how much prep work you can get done in 15 minutes. Just small bites at a time, consistently and regularly will get you there.

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PostPosted: November 10, 2022, 3:23 am 
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Joined: April 26, 2008, 6:06 pm
Posts: 3268
Location: Under the weather. (Seattle)
I've got nothing to offer here other than commiseration. I'm coming up on 10 years from starting and 8 from having made any meaningful progress, and I never even got to a completed chassis. Every time I think I'm almost ready to get back to building, it turns out I'm not. My biggest physical constraint has long been getting the garage into a functional state. My even bigger mental hurdle at this point is that I have numerous ridiculous ideas that I have become obsessed with, but just end up talking myself in circles on which one(s) to do and how.

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PostPosted: November 13, 2022, 11:30 pm 
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Joined: July 20, 2009, 1:16 am
Posts: 225
Location: Sydney, Australia
I had a similar thing happen to me - I had access to unlimited work space, a good amount of free time, and progress came quickly. Shortly after I moved into a serious of apartments and could only work on the car after a 2 hour drive up north... progress crawled along and I really lost motivation to go up there. Now that I've been in my currently location with attached garage for a year it has still taken me a while to get back to it, and I'm not as far along as you having a driving car!

Some of these suggestions I'm echoing what's already been said, but for me what helps is:

1. Having a clean/organised/fun workspace has made a huge difference to me. Even if I'm not motivated to work on the car, the garage is now a nice place to hang out so it's easy to convince myself to head out there. Once I'm out there I usually find myself getting something small done.
2. Committing a little time each day to work on the project, or even just being near the project to make shopping lists, to-do lists, clean up, prep materials, etc.
3. Having a to-do list that's broken down into very small items. This can work both ways, if there are too many things on the to-do list then it can look overwhelming, but it's also extremely satisfying being able to complete something minor and cross it off the list. Don't rub it out! If the list is too long then keep it broken into small chunks but only write up the first half of the list, then when you're close to done you can re-do it. Whatever works for you!
4. Start a build log, if you haven't already, or even a thread on Garage Journal or similar. I really enjoy keeping a log of progress on the project and hearing feedback from other like-minds.
5. Tell friends about the project so they can hold you a little accountable - my friends always ask how the car is going and I find that helps keep me interested as well.
6. If you need a break from the big project, take it! This is a hobby after all, I like to have a couple of small projects I can swing onto if I don't have motivation to do more stuff on the car.

I sometimes have a real problem with motivation to work on the car, and other times I want to be spending every waking minute out there, the above tips are what has helped me.

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PostPosted: November 14, 2022, 4:39 am 
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Joined: September 30, 2005, 1:28 am
Posts: 1329
Location: Sunny-Okanagan, Canada, eh?!
When I'm riding a wave of productivity, I try to ride it hard and get as much done as I can.

When I'm in a lull (and I'm in one right now), I purpose to do something on the car or in the shop (not even on the car) on a reasonably regular basis, no matter how small or even seemingly unrelated.

Having a blog has been good for me, as it makes me feel like I need to "report" to you, my readers. This pressures me to keep going.

My current project is a '61 Chevy pickup on air ride, with a turbocharged LS, full-on frame-off resto-mod sort of thing. 5 hectic years into it, and it's darn near ruined me for enthusiasm. I've had to back off from my self-imposed deadlines with it just to get my "fun" back.

Having said that - I have the same personality style as every TV and Movie villain (INTJ); it's not that I'm trying to take over the world, it's that I never give up and never quit, and will achieve my goals no matter what the cost or who I step on to get there. Not always healthy, but certainly productive.

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