The X stages of a project

As I progress on my 67 Camaro/LQ4 project, I began thinking about stages of life. There are the five stages of grief, and there is this: Larry Miller .

So, ?five?six? stages of a project- Stage 1, the dreaming phase, which involves everything up to the actual acquisition of the car. Stage 2, the early disassembly, appraisal, acquiring of parts and pieces, cutting and welding and gross fabrication. Stage 3, the slog through getting all those parts and pieces cleaned and painted and mounted and paid for... Stage 4, the fear of not being capable of making any of it work, or look as good as you'd hoped, or be cool enough, balanced with the sense of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of little jobs still to be finished.

This is the stage I am at just now.

I figure there are two/three stages left- The excitement of the initial drive, followed by the depression as you write the hit list of all the stuff that doesn't work right, or as well as you'd hoped. Last stage being "Holy E36 M3, I think its done"

I wonder what percentage of projects make it to the end, and how many get sold somewhere in stage 4?

I'm at stage 5: ok, the Internet said this part was easy...

I'll then have stage 6: I need better tools.

Stage 7: "dear diary, the guys on GRM sure are helpful"

Stage 8: "well, I guess I have to wire it now..."

Stage 9: "it fired up and didn't burn down my garage!!!"

Stage 10: "I'm a certified baddass, I'm confident I can do anything! And now I'm ready to tell the world how much they don't know!"

I go from Stage 1 straight to Stage 4. My Stage 5 is, "I'm kinda bored with this car," then for Stage 6, I sell the car and buy a different one and begin again.

Haha, very accurate! I'm somewhere around stage 2-3 at the moment on the LS1 FC. Stage 4 probably sets in when it's time to wire it and plumb the exhaust. At least I'm anticipating it, I guess.

I'm more familiar with the percentage-based version.

The first 90% of the project takes the first 90% of the time, and the last 10% of the project takes the other 90% of the time.

Ransom wrote: I'm more familiar with the percentage-based version. The first 90% of the project takes the first 90% of the time, and the last 10% of the project takes the other 90% of the time.

That seems really accurate.

Just now, I'm going back and forth between wiring and plumbing and reinstalling parts, and every time I start something, I think, "Aww crap, it will be easier if I do this other thing first." Followed by, "Aww crap, I need to do this third thing first..." and so on.

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

I hear ya, that gets super old. One problem creates ten.

Streetwiseguy wrote:

Ransom wrote: I'm more familiar with the percentage-based version. The first 90% of the project takes the first 90% of the time, and the last 10% of the project takes the other 90% of the time.

That seems really accurate. Just now, I'm going back and forth between wiring and plumbing and reinstalling parts, and every time I start something, I think, "Aww crap, it will be easier if I do this other thing first." Followed by, "Aww crap, I need to do this third thing first..." and so on.

It's basically the Pareto principle...80% of the outcome is attributable to 20% of the inputs (or 90/10 in this case.)

Where are the stages for interruptions due to home remodeling/renovations and having kids?

Ransom wrote: I'm more familiar with the percentage-based version. The first 90% of the project takes the first 90% of the time, and the last 10% of the project takes the other 90% of the time.

How true...... Surreptitious has been waiting for me to finish the interior for nearly 4 years now.......

Been planning on finishing her this spring........ and I mean it this time

Denial should be a project step somewhere along the way. What you are denying doesn't matter all that much, and in fact, will likely change day to day.

The last step is a myth and legend. After all, is it really finished? Or do you continue to tinker with it trying to reach perfection. There is always something else that can be done to it.

These stages are why ive been dragging out collecting parts on my wagon project. Once i get them i have no excuse other then the last time i did this scope creep made a weekend swap take 3 months. I never make it too the end because i feel every project can use even more power or traction!

Google Dave Colman's article, "Medulla Bad Idea." It is relevant to this thread.

Driven5 wrote: Where are the stages for interruptions due to home remodeling/renovations and having kids?

So true!

Maybe add a .5 to each step listed in the OP called all the other stuff I have to do