The ultimate project car? Having a kid.

I don’t have a project car, but I do have a three-year-old kid, which is pretty much the same thing.

Don’t believe me?

Both are long-term (often lifetime) projects that require serious dedication. Both are going to cost you a lot of money, and both will require you to sacrifice many of your nights and weekends and holidays to work …

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And you may never finish either one!

In reply to triumph7 :

Very true.

And eventually you can combine them.  Believe me, there's nothing more heart-warming than contemplating a wet autocross course with your teenage daughter and having her ask:  "Think we should try a handbrake turn over there?" 

So now when people ask me why I don't have kids, I can tell them I have project cars! 

In reply to Warlock :

That's awesome. I hope I can get my kid interested someday, too.

Can totally attest to scope creep and budget issues.

But you can only sell one.

Neither of my two kids ever really got into cars. I tried, but the gasoline gene seems to have passed over them.

So, my theory is that it's merely dormant in their generation, and will become dominant in my Grandson. To that end, I've provided him with various stimuli that will hopefully awaken the gearhead sleeping within. Hot Wheels? Check. Cool stroller? Check. Modified wagon to roll him around car shows? Check. PowerWheels of various levels of voltage/wattage/drivetrain configurations/suspension lifts/etc? Check.

Hung on to my son's Honda TRX70 for the last 25 years (still runs), just in case.    

A touching read, Colin. 

You see a lot of bumper stickers to the effect of "my dogs/cats/geese/ferrets/animals ARE my children" or something similar.

But if you have kids, you know that children are the animals.

Kids are the ultimate project. Bravo to Colin and parents everywhere. May the next generation be better than ours and enjoy this hobby of cars as much as we do.

I'm hoping my daughter grows to be at least a little interested in my hobbies, if only so we can spend some extra time together. If she's not the next target is her future sibling.... and then grandkids haha

My mom had six children and when we mouthed off or sassed back she jokingly tell us she should've raised show dogs instead.  

porschenut said:

But you can only sell one.

I not sure which response I want to use...

1)  Which one?

or...

2)  So, how much are children going for these days?

Things you can say about your project car but not your kid

Life got so much better the second this happened:

Hellspawn sits down in my lap, and starts putting on lugnuts.

Currently have 2 projects and 2 kids under 3. The kids and the projects are both super fun, and having each in my life is a reminder of who I am and why I'm here. It's great. 

superfund said:

Things you can say about your project car but not your kid

She's got too much junk in the trunk.

Hasn't run in years.

Not much to look at but he's got it where it counts.

I love all the body modifications.

Let's try more nitrous next time?

Kids 3 and is already trying to call it his car...

One big difference is that you won't regret not spending a few more minutes on the project car, but you will regret not spending enough time with the kids in each stage of their lives. Let that project sit, spend time with the kids! (not preaching, just reminding myself)