How do you stay focused?

Be warned, it’s long winded and rambling.

I know there are many fellow GRMers that can relate to my story, so I thought I would share/seek advice here. I feel I have my projects spread too far out and I am trapped in some sort of “not doing anything” paradox.

My current projects are-

1988 Jeep Wrangler- I have consistently had some sort of 4x4 toy since 1999 and this is my current. It has a 0 mile new motor in it, full original interior, hard top, full doors and there isn’t any rust on it. The frame is clean, the body is clean. Its nice. It was an unplanned purchase I bought on a camping vacation we took through the south in 2009. I blew the motor up coming back (I knew that might happen but it was cheap enough I was okay with it) and upon replacing it I found I would need a transmission as well due to a bellhousing that was so stripped out a starter could not be bolted up. So it has been sitting since 2009. I brought it to Michigan on a trailer when we moved here in 2010 and found an AX15 as an upgrade. The new trans is sitting beside it in the garage in the hopes it will put itself in. Confession time- I haven’t been offroading since 2008 and I don’t really miss it. I feel I have moved on to other interests but I don’t think I could bring myself to sell the Jeep for less than the 4500 or so I now have wrapped up in it, and I don’t think anybody would buy it for that price as it is. So it sits in the garage waiting on me to decide what I want to do with it.

1991 VW Jetta- I have some sort of unhealthy love of MK1s and MK2s. I was a Honda tech for most of my technician career. I should build Civics or Preludes. They are easier to work on and more reliable. But I am drawn to the dark side. When I moved I cleaned out my garage of all VW parts. Sold, scrapped and gave away everything I had except for one coffee can of bolts. Apparently, like an invasive plant species if you don’t 100% eradicate the source, it will return. About a year after I moved I got a call from a friend that wanted to sell me his Jetta (Ive been working on this car off and on since about 2003) for next to nothing. It had been sitting and hadn’t run for 2-3 years. It was rust free, clean interior so I drove 300+ miles to pick it up. I brought it home and got it running over the winter of 2011-2012. It still doesn’t have an exhaust or brake pressure. I have also managed to acquire a bunch of extra parts. I got a 16V trans, 3 snowflake wheels, some Fox seats, an ABA block and internals that has been to a machine shop and who know what else. Its taken over!

As I found it

After clean up

1984 Mazda RX7- Ex Spec RX7 car without a title and I am really not 100% sure why I bought this. It was cheap. I don’t really fit in it. I bought it under the guise of going to track days. I think my driving force with it was it was farther along than the Jetta for motorsports fun. I have it running now and I am waiting on a set of 14 inch wheels I am buying from a fellow board member so I can mount the rally tires I have and get my butt back to a RallyX (last one I hit was in June). My plan right now is to use it for fun until something breaks and then part it out.

It wasn’t until the last couple years I have been financially able to actually attend many automotive related things. I volunteer at stage rallies now. I have been to some rally/auto crosses. I want to start hitting some track days. I have been looking at Chump/Lemons as a cheap way to race. After years of wanting to be involved I feel scatterbrained and unfocused, like I am not giving anything the attention it deserves. That includes the project cars. I have a pile of iron in the garage I need to figure out what to do with. I don’t want to sink any more money into things until I have a better idea what I want, but I don’t think I can get much money out of any of it.

If you are still reading at this point, how do you get and stay focused in this world of automotive hobbies? I don’t have time or money to do everything I see but I feel like I am always being distracted by the next shiny object.

You need to fix the Jeep like now. Like right now, before you finish reading this reply.

Okay, now that you're back and the Jeep is done, sell it. Oh, and that VW? Sell it. And the spares.

Now you should just have the RX-7 left. Don't work on it! Put your RallyX tires on it and drive it until it goes ka-blooey.

Now you should have one dead RX-7 and a decent pile of $$$. Sell/strip the 7 and add to your pile.

Take your pile, find the ONE car that fits your motorsports needs, and buy it. Keep it.

(It took me 100 cars to figure this out)

I'm not going to give you an answer...I'm just going to tell you what happened with me.

After years of being made to feel like it was a problem that I had lots of unfinished projects...I came to terms with it, embraced it, and am MUCH happier as a result.

Don't set yourself up to be dissappointed or stressed out by the expectation that a project will amount to anything. Be ok with getting a project because YOU WANT IT. Also know that at some point (for me...about the moment I get it onto my property) you may loose interest...but know that others will be interested in the project as well. I don't get projects to finish them...I get projects to HAVE them. If one gets finished on my watch...that's no fault of mine.

I will buy a project at will as long as I think I have a place for it (and that includes friends' places BTW) and as long as I have the money available (for this to work, one's financial priorities must be straight). I buy them with the strategy of "If I get it for this price...I'll be able to brag about the good deal I got." As a result, when it comes time to sell it, I generally sell it for more (not a lot more, but better than any interest rate you'll find) than I paid.

My time and effort are just part of the hobby. I ENJOY it.

Don't let anyone else make you feel bad for wheeling and dealing.

One car or 5 cars will NEVER fulfill my automotmive/mechanical wants. You don't wear flip flops in the jungle. You don't wear combat boots to the pool. You need the right tool (toy) for the job. If I had a 1 ton 4x4 diesel truck, several trailers (boat, car hauler, flatbed, equipment hauler), race car, racey street car, 30 mpg daily driver, a boat, a backup daily driver, a tractor, an off-road 4x4 beater, a back 40 racer, and a back-up back 40 racer...I'd be getting close to happy, but still wouldn't shy away from bringing home more.

Right now, I can't list all the vehicular-type projects I own on both hands. Who cares? I came to terms with it.

Again, this is not advice...just something I learned about myself (and it took a divorce to learn it). It may or may not be helpful to you.

All that said...I'm REALLY looking forward to getting some land in the next few years. I have come to terms with the fact that I'll always have a place that looks like a junkyard...I might as well plan for that and have it in a spot where it doesn't bother anyone.

Clem

That makes way too much sense Javelin, go stand in the corner and face the wall

Oh by the way............oooo shiney

In reply to aussiesmg:

"Do as I say, not as I do"

Don't bet on me not buying another car next year...

Javelin wrote: Take your pile, find the ONE car that fits your motorsports needs, and buy it. Keep it.

Thats actually almost what my wife recently said. Im not sure such a car exists though!

I learned that I just had to purge. I was paralyzed by the projects I had going on. Now that the GLH is gone, the mini suddenly feels doable. So, put a 5.0 in the RX-7 (because you should have already). I do want the Jeep, but like you said, $4500 is maybe a bit higher than many would want to pay. But, when I'm ready to buy a Jeep, we will talk....

ClemSparks wrote: I'm not going to give you an answer...I'm just going to tell you what happened with me. After years of being made to feel like it was a problem that I had lots of unfinished projects...I came to terms with it, embraced it, and am MUCH happier as a result. Don't set yourself up to be dissappointed or stressed out by the expectation that a project will amount to anything. Be ok with getting a project because YOU WANT IT. Also know that at some point (for me...about the moment I get it onto my property) you may loose interest...but know that others will be interested in the project as well. I don't get projects to finish them...I get projects to HAVE them. If one gets finished on my watch...that's no fault of mine. I will buy a project at will as long as I think I have a place for it (and that includes friends' places BTW) and as long as I have the money available (for this to work, one's financial priorities must be straight). I buy them with the strategy of "If I get it for this price...I'll be able to brag about the good deal I got." As a result, when it comes time to sell it, I generally sell it for more (not a lot more, but better than any interest rate you'll find) than I paid. My time and effort are just part of the hobby. I ENJOY it. Don't let anyone else make you feel bad for wheeling and dealing. One car or 5 cars will NEVER fulfill my automotmive/mechanical wants. You don't wear flip flops to the beach or in the jungle. You don't wear combat boots to the pool. You need the right tool (toy) for the job. If I had a 1 ton 4x4 diesel truck, several trailers (boat, car hauler, flatbed, equipment hauler), race car, racey street car, 30 mpg daily driver, a boat, a backup daily driver, a tractor, an off-road 4x4 beater, a back 40 racer, and a back-up back 40 racer...I'd be getting close to happy, but still wouldn't shy away from bringing home more. Right now, I can't list all the vehicular-type projects I own on both hands. Who cares? I came to terms with it. Again, this is not advice...just something I learned about myself (and it took a divorce to learn it). It may or may not be helpful to you. All that said...I'm REALLY looking forward to getting some land in the next few years. I have come to terms with the fact that I'll always have a place that looks like a junkyard...I might as well plan for that and have it in a spot where it doesn't bother anyone. Clem

I knew I would find people that knew where I was coming from!

I'm with Clem, I have 4 active car projects going on. I used to stress when I let one sit too long but now...meh, I'll get to it when I get to it. My "collection" has slowly morphed from "anything I can get my hands on cheap" to some rare oddballs that have my blood, sweat and insanity in them. They aren't worth anything to anyone but me so there's little temptation to sell. I'll continue to build them as I see fit and maybe someday I can call one done. I'll just be happy to get one or 2 of them on the road at this point.

That being said...

Sounds like you have no love for the Jeep, fix it, sell it. It's not appreciating just sitting there so every day you wait is money lost.

Burn the VW....sorry, my personal watercooled bias creeping in there.

RX7...no title....interest in Lemons racing....I don't think I need to draw this picture for you.

I am taking a hiatus. When racing season ended I put the car away and I have not gone out to the garage to even look at it. So, from the last weekend in October thru to Jan 1st I will have only been taking care of the fleet, fixing all the neglect the house sees when I am in car mode... shooting a little and maybe playing some ball with the boys.

When I go back it will be with a plan to execute, some funds stored up and all kinds of energy from not having done anything car related in 60 days. By April I'll be sick and berkeleying tired of working on projects - and I'll go race it all summer(or until it breaks). It is a good cycle.

I'm constantly fighting my urge to have another project car. Without a garage, driveway or even off street parking one is sometimes more than I manage. Yet I keep trolling CL and asking about neglected interesting cars around the neighborhood.

I was in this boat once... Bought my Ranger after I smucked up my POS previously rebuilt S10, drove it for a few years before it was time for a fox body Mustang. Bought that and parked the Ranger in the summer. Eventually, I started to modify the Ranger for a V8 swap that I never finished while modifying the Mustang to face in NMRA Factory Stock back in 2000-ish. Mind you, I never really wanted a Mustang, it just isn't a car I really like or like driving. After having the car sit for 2 or 3 years completely disassembled, I sold it. Still have the Ranger because it was my first new vehicle I ever bought. Then the DD-ish F250 and Dakota, plus the other vehicles I inherited from the wife....

The answer is....I don't. I'm horrible at finishing a project.

The thing with the Jeep is I have owned either a Wrangler or Cherokee for the last 11 years or so. I think because it has sat for so long I have forgot how much I love/used to love YJs.

YJs seem to be at a weird spot in pricing/selling right now. A few years ago you could get 1000 bucks for just the hard top. I have seen whole running Wranglers sell for not much more than that recently. Round these parts YJs did not age well at all and I think I would regret getting rid of it. I also think it would be hard to find one in the same condition for what I have wrapped up in it right now. (Look at me justifying my bad behavior! )

DrBoost wrote: I learned that I just had to purge. I was paralyzed by the projects I had going on. Now that the GLH is gone, the mini suddenly feels doable. So, put a 5.0 in the RX-7 (because you should have already). I do want the Jeep, but like you said, $4500 is maybe a bit higher than many would want to pay. But, when I'm ready to buy a Jeep, we will talk....

But when do you get to the Porsche?

logdog wrote: When I moved I cleaned out my garage of all VW parts. Sold, scrapped and gave away everything I had except for one coffee can of bolts. Apparently, like an invasive plant species if you don’t 100% eradicate the source, it will return.

This is exactly what I did with the Corrado. I needed the money and gave or scrapped everything. I didn't want anything in my possession that would justify getting another VW. Not because I hate VWs, I just want to close that chapter of my automotive life and move on to other cars/projects. I will stick with road racing but want a new lust. The VW bug had bit me (no pun intended... seriously) 16 years ago and its time to get my feet wet with another manufacturer.

adderall? seems to help keep football players focused.

most of us have AADD. sometimes i put things on the back burner and get to them when i get to them. most of the time i work on the stuff i really want to work on, but get burned out doing menial repairs on work trucks that makes me not want to go out to the garage for a while.

The simple thing with staying focused is to not go off all half-cocked on everything.

You have one project, and you have to be realistic with your time to work on it. I don't know ANYBODY who has time to have multiple projects (especially if one is a race car). Unless they are rich, but then they pay people to do their projects for them.

Another part of this for me is that I'm a problem solver. If I don't have stuff to fix, problems to solve...I start making problems. So...I surround myself with broken stuff and all is well.

There is always something nearby to work on...and it doesn't take much to get my RDA of sense of accomplishment.

Clem

Small projects. Don't think "I'm gonna restore this Jeep," instead say, "I'm gonna repaint all this trim black." Keep doing that and it will get done.

How else do you thing people built airplanes in their garages from a rolled up tube of planes?

I used to be dedicated to my projects to the point they owned me... and I was good w/ that. However, life gets in the way, stuff happens, so I go w/ the flow.

If a project gets done it gets done. If not, no sweat.

Choose your projects wisely.

The trick is to get something where you know the end result=awesome and remind yourself of that in the deepest, darkest, budget stretching parts of the build.

my trick has always been to be too poor to work on more than any one car at any time... that hasn't stopped me from owning up to 9 at one time, but i tend to keep focused on one at a time.

One word...Adderall. At least thats the word the doctor wrote on the script pad...seems to work for me.

novaderrik wrote: my trick has always been to be too poor to work on more than any one car at any time... that hasn't stopped me from owning up to 9 at one time

Thats part of the problem. Its always easier to find that couple hundred for the next great project than it is to spend a couple hundred on belts, hoses, brakes etc and still need more to get it road ready. Discipline- I haz none!