Project Wishy Washy (has this happened to anybody?)

Has this change in mindset happened to anybody? Any Porsche psychologists out there??

A few months ago, I attempted to commit to a restoration/update of my 82 SC (my 4th project but 1st P project). The tasks were to:
1) Remove the engine and fix the oil leak (minor O ring replacement on the cooler connectors). Also worthwhile so the engine compartment could get repainted.
2) strip the entire exterior and interior
3) change the color from black to silver (some metal work is required)
4) update to 964 interior

Only #1 has been done because I no longer have the time to spend on this project --new businesses are keeping me busy - whine, whine, whine!.

I'm at the point where I just want a nice running 911 and I want it now! I am seriously considering selling and anteing up for a "no restoration needed" 93 C2 coupe (or 90 - 92 with all the bugs worked out). The way things are going I may never get my hands dirty again. The thought of having someone else performing ALL of the service and maintenance on my cars is frightening but becoming a necessity!

If I could only persuade my stay home wife to don the overalls...... It's just like cooking, right?

John
82 911 SC wannabe 964 cabriolet

John,

It has many forms, but I call it the 'Exponential Growth--As Long As--Syndrome' ... simple four item list, becomes 16 detiled tasks, which turns out to to be 256 steps/projects!!!

Soon, the brain becomes overwhelmed ... and wishes for one intact/complete NEW car/project, so the whole PROCESS can start all over again ...

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Well put Warren!

The ol' vicious cycle festering again! I have to abandon my mechanical desires (or is that lifestyle) for some time to come. No involved car projects for about 2 years. But I'll be back...

John

It's the Cycle of Life, partly. I have a child in high school and one in grade school, and life could not be busier. Those of you headed where I've gone...hold onto your hats! Someone mentioned this morning they they did not have their kinds this weekend, so an empty house. I cannot imagine the deafening quiet of a house with no one in it. Unthinkable.

I don't know why I thought I had time for hub removal. My friend just paid $400 for an alternator, installed, and a couple other things. He is every bit as good a wrench as I am and he still oves tools and cars, but was happy to pay. He has owned and still autocrosses 914s but never a 911, though he knows one is in his future. I suspect it will be a C2.

I used to work on cars in the dark, outside, year round. In fact, I've done a lot of things I will not do any more. Such is life.

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'83 SC

He's lucky he just gets overwhelmed. I expand the list without reallocating time and resources and "hurry."
This hurrying is always cause for things not being done correctly. I have a method for breaking that cycle....keep going on the part you've got started, the other parts can be ordered, prepped. Even a 1/2 hour of work is better than nothing, those 1/2 hours add up eventually. You don't have to stop just because you don't have the time or energy for a 3 hour block!

Baby steps. Baby steps

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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

[This message has been edited by Kurt B (edited 01-16-2001).]

Damn Superman you are sucking my will to live!

I have a daughter coming in April and I hope I still have time to play with my toys... I mean cars.

The SC I just do minor tweeks to, but I have a nasty VW microbus that I like to get greasy with I think everyone needs clothes that the wife will not let you walk in the house with.

The key to a successful project is patience and persistence. Try to work on a project 15-20 minutes a day and you will get much more done than you thought possible. If I counted on weekends only, I would never get done just because you have other obligations to take care of.

You can do it!!! Keep the faith.


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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Chapter

Like I said, "I'll be back..." but not to partake in such involved projects for a while. I'm coming to grips with this fate.

We too have kids ages 1, 3 and 5 so we're heading down that busy road! But it's my required time out of the country that's drawn out my latest project and also driven the nail it. It just too difficult now to be that patient.

John

Time, let's see. I my living room consists of pre-74 exhaust and muffler, the center console I refinished, drilled front rotors, pieces of a air duct front brake system I am fabricating, two pieces of carpet from a kit yet to be installed, refurbished door pockets, and 22mm front torsion bars. On the up side, old rear torsion bars, old rear rotors and my old seats now sit in the garage after being replaced with new Monaco RS seats. I keep telling my fiance one more weekend and I'm done. I agree with Kurt, a half hour a day really adds up. Its only a matter of time, however, till I have a 3.6 siting in my living room with the need for more time.
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Paul
78SC Targa

I know how it is, I have a 17 month old little girl and a 73T in the garage torn apart. I finally just started working on it for about 2 hours a week, Ive gotten more done in the past month then the last 6. Just pick one little thing do it and then move on, it wont be so overwhelming.

Got some good news for you, Adrian, if this will be your first child. I've had a lot of fun toys in my life, incluidng now my beloved SC. But those things pale by comparison with a child. This will be the funnest toy you will EVER have, hands down. And it could hit you like a thunderbolt. During our pregnancy, I struggled to seem interested. Went into the delivery room with the same attitude. My first child's first vocal expression, a slight whimper, was the loudest noise I have ever heard. And I used to play bass guitar in rock bands. Even after all the drugs, sex and rock n roll, this was the most imind-blowing moment of my life, BY FAR. Sorry, guys for the soapbox bit, but those children, to this day, rank way out in front of Porsches and everything else, on the priority or even the entertainment scale. Whole new ball game. Fasten your safety harness and make sure your helmet is on tight.

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'83 SC

It ain't a soapbox, Superman! I definitely appreciate your opinion on the matter, and I know you're right, but I don't Know-Know just yet. I'm 32, and no kids yet. Maybe 2 years from now, I'll have one floating around.
But see, what if you get a kid you can't handle. I mean, I'm Mr. Porsche now, but when I was younger, I was computer/dungeons and dragons/chess club dork. Then I went through the Duran Duran, orange hair and tons o' chick phase, then back to math, now automechanics.
But what if the kid's a poof. Doesn't just hate cars, but wears mommy's clothes and stuff when I'm not around, or Worse
Or what if he starts talking about Hondas when he's 16, or what if his friends have 'Stangs and stuf...what do you do then? Can you put a 16 year old up for adoption?



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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

I am at the same stage as you Kurt - Kidless!.
I intend (If the rubbers hold out! )to stay that way so that we can save some dosh and enjoy/suffer all of that at a later date! (I'm 36 she's 33).
As for the syndrone with "biting off more than one can chew"
I have been thru all that, at the age of 17 my 1st car was an MG Midget with a minor smoking (old engine) problem.
My Dad told me he would help me rebuild it!. After 11 months of rewelding/painting bodywork (outside help) sills, door posts, floor pans etc. Then a replacement block and I reground the valves and reassembled it all...........
I finally got it on the road!.
I was car-less all this time awaiting my 1st car!. It was worth the wait, although I vowed that if I ever did it again it would be as a spare car and in a comfortable warm garage like on 'Home Improvement'.
Right now my time off is valuable and scarce, so I want to spend it driving the Porsche!.
That is why Vertex are adjusting my valves tommorrow morning!.
I like most people on this board have wanted a 911 since a kid and the experience has not been a 'let down'
Rgds Ben



[This message has been edited by 86ragtop (edited 01-16-2001).]

Don’t forget the therapeutic value of working on your Porsche…for some people it is gardening, yard work, or whatever.

I have involved myself in more of the “way-over-my-head Porsche projects” than I care to count (I went to PAP to pick up rear seatbelts to bring my newly born baby home from the hospital—in a Porsche of course--and ended up buying a 92 C2 Turbo engine). I too decided to take some time off from wrenching myself, bought a C2 Turbo, sold it, bought a C4S, sold it, something was missing, needed a project, am in the middle of a new one…

My family, job and travel all take considerable time out of my life, but without a Porsche to fiddle with, something is missing. Keep your project, work on it when you can; you will be surprised at how much you can actually accomplish with limited time.

David

Hey Pillow – don’t sweat it. I’ve got a 3.5 y/o girl, and manage to find time to play with her, my wife (with own career), my car, go sailing, work silly hours (to pay for the lot of them) and teach the odd Taekwondo class. Over the next 6 months I’ll be upgrading suspension and brakes on my car and can’t wait to start. It’s all a matter of time management and learning to be positive about sleep deprivation. Life is good.

Regards,


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Paul
911T'69

[This message has been edited by Paul W (edited 01-16-2001).]

Thanks for the motivation everyone! You guys are definitely more disciplined (is that the right word?) than I'll ever be! I definitely need a P car to drive and fiddle with. But my lack of patience has won so I will redirect my motivation. I'll be in the market for a 964 when I return home next month.

Of course, the 964 will become a project. Just one that "I" can manage! PCA driving events here I come!

Signing off and counting the days from Santa Fe (Mexico's Silicon Valley).

Thanks for the positive reenforcement!

Life will be interesting with the first baby. I am sure it will be a very rewarding experience and once she is a few years old I hope to include her in all my crazy projects... Granted I will try and keep her out of the grease a little better than myself

I cannot wait to drive her around on Sunday in the P-car and just cruise around to new places. There is some real neat girl racer clothing from the ricer crowd that I can get her too That stuff is so cute.


One day when I was shopping at Automobile Atlanta a man and daughter came in and he had bought her a project 914 for her 16th birthday and came in for a slew of parts. She was overjoyed and he was happy to buy the parts for a family rebuild. So there is hope for the next generation of kids not to only want to juice up rice cars, kraut cars are okay too.

I agree it will be a major life change and sleep will be a luxury. Especially since I want to start a side business in July. And who knows how much effort that will take.

Thanks!


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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Chapter

I don't know where this thread went wrong, but I think you guys should get group therapy together or something. It's turning into a love-fest in here.

Tongue in cheek, Orb

Kurt B - I wouldn't worry about a kid digging dresses; etc. I had the same worry before we had our first boy. After all, my dream Saturday is to drive along the water to get donuts and coffee, then alternate b/w Speedvision and ESPN all day. I guess all the "environment" paid off - our 3 yr old's first words were "basketball" and "race car" (oops, 2 words) : )

Now I've just got to find the time to properly train the 3 month old, too!

Lee

It is extemely frustrating to pay someone to do the wrenching that you enjoy doing. Not only do you have to pay big $$$ for it, but you would probably do a better job yourself.

Maybe the only thing to sooth the situation is that energetic "Porsche go vroom vroom, daddy!, Porsche go vroom! Let's go daddy!". Gets me every time.

Eeek! /me dons multiple prophylactics....

Kids <> old_skul

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you folks who have had kids to relieving me of the genetic responsibility to propogate our species. You may now resume your regularly scheduled wrenching.

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9
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