How many time you spend for restoration progress ?

[germanmichel]

Hello at all ,

I read here many posts about your car repairing or restorations. Some users finished there car in an excellent condition.:thumbsup:(Better like new). I would like to know, how many time you spend for your restoration progress in the week ?

I ask because I have a bad conscience that I work only on saturday (10 hours) on my restoration....

michel-who spend also many time for his own laziness... and his family

 

[Cutlass]

I think the key is not how much time you spend per day or per week. It's best I believe to spend some time frequently and regularly. Even fifteen minutes on a small project before bedtime will keep your interest keen over the long haul, which most restoration projects take anyway.

 

[JodyFKerr]

I concur with Cutlass. When I do my restorations I like to restore as I remove parts. So I may pull only the carburetor off the car and spend a few evenings working on it until I'm ready for the next part. It keeps what needs to be done in small, easy to manage, batches.

Beyond that, I try to budget a couple hours a day knowing full well that work or family may consume that time instead. Now, overall for me it can range anywhere between 0 and 80 hours a week out there working on things, but I am actually working on 4 different restorations at the same time (I am a masochist).

Rather than worry too much about the number of hours you are devoting, make sure that you are happy with how your restoration progress and that you are enjoying the process. Restorations take many hours of work to complete.If you stress yourself out worrying about whether you are spending enough time on the project then you won't enjoy it very much.

Also, if you are getting frustrated with your project pick a couple small bits to restore and finish. Sometimes it's just a matter of needing to see something completed (as small as it may be) to help keep you going.

Cheers!
Jody

 

[Healeysince59]

I concur with everything already said. You want to do at least a little each week. I speak from experience when I say if you ignore a project for a short time, it can grow into a long time. But, remember it's a car/hobby and nowhere near as important as spending time with your family and even some time for laziness.

Marv J

 

[glemon]

What the others said is right, don't get too caught up in time spent or progress.

If you think of the time and money to do the whole project it can be overwhelming, tackle a project at a time--carbs, front suspension, motor, dash, etc.

Don't neglect the family--restoration is expensive but divorces moreso.

Try to keep going, you may need to take a break for day or even a week here and there, but if you can keep working steadily you will continue to make progress and get it done.

I find setting little goals useful--will get the engine painted this week--will pull the transmission this week, etc. But setting the major goals (car will be ready for paint in two months) can end up being an exercise in frustration.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Don't listen to those guys. Quit your job and spend every minute and every cent you have, on your Healey! Hey, we're car guys, that's what we do. Wait, I just got slapped in the back of my head. My better half just informed me that was not the right answer.

OK, ok, I agree, with the car guys above. A little here and there. It should be fun and a learning experience too. The more you do, the more comfortable you'll be taking on the next section. When working on something that becomes frustrating, move to something easier or take a break. Ask for input from the guys here. It's good to see some progress too. Take photos along the way. You'll be glad you did. Oh and make sure your in some of them.

Who did the restoration? I did. Really? Check this photo out. Yup, those are my legs extending out from under the car. See how happy they are.

Cheers, Roger

 

[germanmichel]

Hello guys,

I like the way how you think. The typical american way of live. Everything is positiv ,specially the credit account ...
But remember I did not live in California or Texas with the possibility of working in the evening sun ...

. My real live is 10 hours on working in the company. With all minutes thinking about the healey...And on the evening I had a hard day with many meetings and CAD designing in a development department of anti skid systems behind me.
And my german standard garage is small and cold... Please understand me right, I´m not depressed, but I`m wonder what some guys have done for an excellent job on restoration. With documentation,videos + homepage. I have only 24 hours ..and a cold garage
I would only like to know where do you get so much the time for your restoration ?


By michel-who post from working place

 

[healyfan53]

Ok then, i have a question for the restorer what is the best way do dull aluminium. I have some carbu bowl to rstor .

 

[vette]

michel, I try to spend at least one day a week in my hobby shop. I've done about 5 cars that each included all the sheet metal work and paint. It usually takes me about 2 years to complete a car. Right now I'm doing my healey. I have to admit it has been the most problematic body I have ever done. I t has just had too much wrong with it, so this one might take more than two years.
BUT THIS IS MY HOBBY. this is what I do. this is what one day a week is FOR. Granted nothing is prefect. Sometimes other commitments get in the way. But I get back to my hobby shop as soon as I can.

by the way, I live in Pennsylvania. It is cold here too. If I dare, I might say, My garage is big. It's big because I live in America. That's why we are capitalist, so we don't have high taxes and high cost. But things change too. I know things are generally more expensive where you are. Do the best you can. And try to keep the cost down. And Enjoy.
Dave C.

 

[abarth69]

I have spent the last 28 years working on my project and it's been painted for the last 27.5 years and still a couple of more months to go.

Cheers

Mark

 

[Johnny]

Well, it took me 12 years to complete my last Healey. Most of the process was completed after I retired. Then it only took me 3 years, (after retirement). I spared no expense, since I only spent what I needed at the time to finish a certain part. I did a lot of research, bought all kinds of books. Of course, if I had joined a club I could've had the books for free. My only advise is take your time, don't rush it. Unless you can afford to buy a car already restored it's going to cost a lot of time and money. Along the way I learned a lot, like welding, not to hard to do, and even tried painting, didn't work out and had the car painted.

 

[RestoreThemAll]

I agree with all of the above. Even quiting my 10 to 12 hours a day job but then I couldn't pay for the car restore. Research takes me a lot of time with my BJ7. Not knowing how can be frustrating and really slow you down. It seems like every part, nut, & bolt is very different than anything I'm used to. I ran into some health issues this past year and couldn't do the physical work. So, I spent my time following this forum, reading books, finding parts/resources so that I can be better prepared for the shop work. The research kept me interested and excited. I also go the web once in a while and listen to a new engine fire up or a drive down a winding road.

 

[KevinBN7]

I spent 15-20 hours per week and regret half of that time. Should have been a better father. The total resto took about 3.5 years. The above comment is interesting since I share the same thoughts about the research. That is what I miss about having a project car to work on. My brain is wired to think an activity through to the end. The job was already done in my head. By the time I was in the work shop all I had to do was the work.

I tried to keep a positive attitude through out and the one major thing I did to accomplish this was to drive the car for one summer unfinished. The chassis and mechanicals were done and I had the body stripped and in epoxy primer. I bolted the panels on and enjoyed the car.

Break the project down into sections and take one bite at a time.
Kevin R
Den leader for cub scouts and moving punching bag for martial arts. life is good!

 

[Cutlass]

I'm about finished with my second LBC. First was my 72 MGB which I've owned since 1974. That took four years. The current project is my 66 BJ8, which I began to disassemble in June 2004. All that's been said is good advice, with not much to add. But I can add a bit. Everyone says to be patient, but what does that really mean? Patience is defined in this context in several ways. Here's mine, which I can articulate but don't profess to follow as much as I would like.

All the research, books, etc. can help define how each part of the car should look and work. But getting each part to that level can be difficult and frustrating, not to mention expensive. Patience here means refusing to compromise, despite the temptation to settle for "that's good enough," or "it will never show." You may come to the apparent end of a component restoration or assembly, and know that it's just not 100%. It may be 90%, and you will be tempted to push on, not wanting to go back, disassemble, re-paint, straighten, or whatever, knowing for instance that no one but you will ever know the difference between 90% and 100%. But all those 90% compromises have a way of adding up. So patience here is not being afraid or in too much of a hurry to go back a few steps, start over, and do it the way you know it should be done.

This advice is much easire stated than followed. Come look at my car and you will find some 90% work. I know where they all are, and it's hard to forget them, and look at the car as others see it. But take your time, and don't hesitate to take things apart for the umpteenth time, get it right, then put it on the car as it should be. Keep your 90% jobs to a minimum.

 

[Silverghost]

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, no mountain was ever climbed in a day. Every mountain was climbed one step at a time. Let go of counting the steps or days, because in the end it is the end that you will remember. It matters not how long it takes you. What matters is that you finish.

As Cutlass said, things worth doing are worth doing well. Take 3 days to paint that fan now even if you "know" you can do it in 2 because later it will take you 7-8 days to redo it. No time was ever saved by rushing - that WILL come back to bite you.

Remember - Keep Your Eyes on the Prize and Cast Your Plans in the Sand!

And keep us posted on your progress!! :laugh:

 

[JodyFKerr]

Hello guys,
But remember I did not live in California or Texas with the possibility of working in the evening sun ...

. My real live is 10 hours on working in the company. With all minutes thinking about the healey...And on the evening I had a hard day with many meetings and CAD designing in a development department of anti skid systems behind me.
And my german standard garage is small and cold...

Please understand me right, I´m not depressed, but I`m wonder what some guys have done for an excellent job on restoration. With documentation,videos + homepage. I have only 24 hours ..and a cold garage
I would only like to know where do you get so much the time for your restoration ?

Michel,

It sounds like you and I are in similar situations (though, I have the reverse problem, my garage is far too hot to work in during the summer). There's two fairly distinct groups of folks doing restorations. Those who have retired and those who have not.

For those that have retired, there's more time in the day. For the rest of us it's a matter of juggling. I'm a technology type, my job can range from 8-16 hours a day depending on my workload. Add to that I have a wife, 9 year old, and another due next month.

There are times that I will go a month or more without touching any of my cars because of life related items, there are other times where I'll find myself with a sudden boost in available time. The real trick is to work with these cycles to be as efficient as possible. Much of this comes from experience and being able to work through things more quickly. For every car I complete the next restoration will go somewhere around 5% faster. But if you are on a first restoration, then you'll be spending massive amounts of time working through things the first time.

You'll be amazed how much 1/2 to an hour a day will enable you to do. If I get up a bit before the family I get a little time in the garage before work. Then I can find another 1/2 to an hour in the evenings after supper.

And if you can get members of your family interested in the process you can get them involved. My daughter spends a fair amount of time with me in the garage "helping."

The best thing is to just keep going and ejoying. If it's not fun it becomes work.

 

[germanmichel]

Hello @all,

thank you all for your lovely comments.
I spend my whole live with changing trash into gold... (restoration of antigues furnitures,-old watches,- old cars ,paralell to my job)this is my real talent. I bought an old house and build it up in a new condition in seven years,better and faster than my permanent on going working neighbours....( but at this time I was 10 years younger)
Now we enyoy the living in this house,so I know from what I`m speaking.But every time I hate the building field I would like to make progress....I agree with all posters, with splitting of the project in small sub assemblys.
In the actual commercial situation I think all people have to spend more time on this working place.
So it is a simple arithmetic calculation how much time we can spend for restoration.
But anyway ,on saturday I removed the two front wings and the shroud on my healey. After than I was happy with the progress;-))

Bye michel-who bought a electric heating for the garage