How to overcome restoration inertia

[Daimlerdb18]

Anyone out there have a butt-kicking machine to get me started again on the coachwork sanding on the interminable '56 MGA resto project? All mechanicals are done, that was bunch o' fun, kinda like a big mechano set, but now it's the de-denting, welding (mostly done), filling and sanding, glazing, priming, sanding, glazing, sanding, priming, sanding, glazing, I keep finding little defects. Is there no end to it or is it a competence issue??

 

[DrEntropy]

Hardly a "competence issue" there. The real issue is whether or not you're willing or able to "drag the sled" to the end. Hateful answer I know. But the real concern is your ~resolve~ to see the bloody thing to completion. A friend once asked me: "When do you know where to stop?" My answer has been to say: "I never know how to pull the string."

Keep goin': There's never an "end" to it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[kennypinkerton]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[tony barnhill]

You could send it to me & I'll store it for you....hehehehe

 

[JamesWilson]

I too am mired in an interminable restoration, and there always, always seems to be something else that gets in the way of making real progress....

Its easy to become burned out, I've come up with an approach that looks at doing a particular job or part of the car so that I feel something tanglible has been done- all too often in the past I'd be doing lots of unrelated but still necessary stuff that didn't really combine to make a noticeable "block" of work. Now, after I've finsihed one section I can feel its moving forward (on to the next bit) and can take breaks from the work or do something a different to provide some variety. And I find it useful to mix in a few easily do-able jobs (like buying the components needed for the next bit) along with the harder and more time-consuming ones.

I find that if I'm not making the desired progress with one task I may when I finish it move on to something easier.

Of course, this means that you mix the work up- and don't try to do all the hard jbs first to get hem out of the way; or put them off til last.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I found that half the battle was simply organizing the work so that the de-motivating aspects were spread out and minimized.

I try to do a little something on a regular basis- a whole weekend once in a while a couple of hours a night once or twice a week; and a week (or two) off every couple months or so. Otherwise it seems an unending and dull slog....

 

[Banjo]

My restoration stagnation has a lot to do with an empty wallet.
But there is hope looming on the horizion.
We're caught up with the utility company finally (Don't get me started there), and there are a few loans that will be ending within a year.
That should take a bit-o-the strangle hold off the restoration money tap.
Then I need your motivation machine.

 

[jaybird]

I'll rent you out my husband. AKA the madman with a wrench. I guarantee any restoration, no matter what condition will be completed within 4 months.

BUT, you have to sign a 2 year contract.

 

[kennypinkerton]

So, your promising 6 cars in 2 years... Hmmmm... I've got 2 now... And Very possibly gonna get a job that pays 2 times what I ever made at my current one... I think the other 4 will be coming soon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

Banjo, and James... I'd have to agree. Money makes a huge differnce, and burnout is very easy... That's 2 reasons my toyota took 5 months to fix, but only about 4 weekends of actual work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[R6MGS]

I am five years into restoring a TC that I "wasn't gunna touch till I am retired"....But I couldn't resist it, I like to take a bunch of parts off in the summer, bring them in for the winter and spend the cold winter months on them. Then in the summer I am occupied by the other cars so I get a break from it, come the end of the summer I remove some more parts. I've pretty much got all the smaller stuff done, All thats left is suspension, engine, frame, and body.

I think I gave the guy down the street a little motivation today, his B has been sitting a few years now, so i pulled up in the TR6 and handed him the keys, don't think anything would have knocked the smile off his face....maybe now he'll get back at that B.

Also heres a little motivation for your MGA project.

 

[kennypinkerton]

~drool!~

 

[jaybird]

Wahhhhhhhhhh. White walls.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif

 

[kennypinkerton]

...and chrome wires.

 

[tony barnhill]

Way too wide for Binabox!

 

[R6MGS]

[ QUOTE ]
~drool!~

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the kind...uhhhh drooling.....That car was restored in the early 70's by me and my father(I was 14) when neither of us knew what we were doing...and it still looks pretty good, we even plainted that thing ourselves.

 

[Bugeye58]

Restoration burnout? What's that??
Lets see. 1967 GT6. Frame off, completely reassembled. Paint is done. Dash and instruments installed. I've <u>driven</u> it. All that's left is to install the glass, finish the interior, (headliner is installed, and the seats are done.), and hang the bumpers. About two good solid weekends of work.
Haven't touched the thing since about 1998.
Sad, isn't it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif
Then I can start on one of the other projects. Maybe a '74 Midget.
Jeff

 

[DrEntropy]

heh. I -always- start with the nasty/hardest parts. That way I don't get discouraged toward the end... always "downhill" after the worst is over.

The MGB rebuild took too long due to my eyes falling apart and requiring any/all the money I'd hoped to put into TWO cars. BAH!

 

[vping]

I have to agree that it is easy to burn out on something that you love it you do it too much.
Off the topic but I spent a better part of a year working on my house and loved doing it. Burned out and stopped. Every once in awile I do a few things but not like a used to. Keep in mind, I have never subbed any part of my house out.
Good part is that now I have plenty of time to tinker with MG's but if I don't get it running soon......patience, calm... ok i'm better now.

 

[DrEntropy]

heh. Same here: 800 sq/ft of tile laid, full remodel of kitchen cabinetry and layout to include rewiring of range and 'fridge... So little left to do it came to a halt. Now I have a few cabinet doors and a "Lazy Susan" to engineer in one corner cabinet that has languished for a year while I fussed over the B... Life is ~strange~!!!

 

[Daimlerdb18]

Ah! There's great comfort in the forum! Thanks for the words of encouragement, especially from the good DrE! I've been working since last May on the "A", dedicating an hour or two every evening after work and usually four to six total hours on the weekends. It a great anodyne to spending hours in front of a computer screen at my "real" job. The advice of dividing the work into smaller packets is taken to heart. I've been approaching the body as a whole instead of working on a door, say, and finishing it. I have taken a break today from block sanding and completed the driver's side seat repair (more welding) and upholstery (horse hair padding has a funky odor). Worked some different muscle groups than the ones fatigued from sanding. As a little reward for diligent labor, I have in mind getting the car ready to drive, even though the body is not done to "perfection" quite yet. Summer is here in deepest SETexas (which will slow things considerably since there's no A/C in the garage-restoration shop), but the evenings are perfect for a little illicit topless foray in the semi-complete MGA. Thanks to all for the gentle percussive incentive! It's good to hear from other folks on the same path.

 

[DrEntropy]

To quote Uncle Red Green: "...We're all in this together." !!