How Do You Guys With a Zillion Projects Do It?

Over Christmas my little brother shared with me the greatest single idea I've heard in years for organizing multiple projects:

Rip a couple sheets of white melamine tub surround into strips the size of the panels in your garage door(s), attach them to the door(s), and add whiteboard markers. Instant giant whiteboard that you will never pile stuff up in front of and you can see even with the door open.

I'll be doing my own doors this weekend, all 10 of them, with at least one panel for inventory or project plan for whatever is in the bay.

I think we had a thread like this a while ago, called Automotive ADHD or something.

Sometimes I need a project to simmer in my subconscious for a while to work through an issue.  That's when I go work on something else. I can't stay stationary, but I have to see completion or I slowly start wigging out.

How your dynamic plays out for you, is how it plays out for you. It's not fair to compare yourself to others. Some folks can take on a ton of stuff, others cannot. It's fine either way.

Thanks for all of the responses, it's interesting to hear about the different processes- I think a number of you are just way more comfortable with changing your focus or letting things wait than I am, and I should work on that.  The flip side of this is that I make progress quickly on whatever it is that I'm focusing on, quickly enough that if I force myself to step back and think about it I'm actually happy with the rate things are going- but when I'm actively working on it I'm never moving fast enough.

The other factor, I think, is the basic transportation aspect.  During the warmer months, the motorcycles can be used for commuting, errands, etc. and I'm considerably more comfortable having things sitting or in need of parts as a result since I have 4+ vehicles that can all get me to work.  When there's ice on the roads, that's not the case, so we're really down to two usable vehicles for two drivers, meaning that if anything goes wrong we're in trouble... and the newest of those two is 20 years old at this point.   I think I can relax myself a bit by just getting the rally car off the lift and getting the DDs up there this weekend for the little things that they need.

Toyman01 said:

 

A finished project is the saddest thing I can imagine.

This is my next t-shirt.

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

I'm rarely so in love with a project, or the process, that I don't want to see it finished- when it's finished I get to go break it!

In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :

I would argue that you never "finish" a project either, you just get enough done that it's ready to go race again. 

The whiteboard is key, because the next step is time management following the mantra "when I have 5 minutes, I do a 5-minute job."   I have a standard whiteboard, but I think melamine on the overhead door is brilliant.

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

That's probably true.  I have "finished" some motorcycles, ridden them for a while, and sold them... but a race car is never really finished.

Yeah, I'm never in love with the project. I'm all about the finished product/dream. The lack of time/funds to make progress on a project is what always leads me to lose my patience, give up, and sell it off.

I've reached a point with the Vette that it's semi-functional. The next two big projects will have me either tearing apart the entire suspension to redo/upgrade it, or tearing apart the interior/wiring harness/HVAC system, to minimize and redo those. I'm sure once I start either one the car will be parked for 6-months minimum, and quite possibly years, so I'm struggling to find the motivation to work on it again.

In the spirit of projects, I've also found myself less interested in large 'custom' projects with solutions to be determined by me, and more interested in 'maintenance' type projects. Ie; getting the existing operating systems up to snuff so they can continue to be functional vehicles, whatever their purpose. I currently have 3 cars for myself and a car for my wife, all of which are at least 18 years old and in need of a certain amount of upkeep due to their age. Between that and the newlywed honeydo's I stay pretty busy, which helps me not feel the need for some grand scale project. 

But as Skinny said - whatever your personal pace or scope is great so long as you're enjoying it. The other great thing is that this is all subject to change- the last few years I've spent a lot of time wrenching, now I'm trying to position myself to spend more time behind the wheel as that's what feels exciting right now. 

I started building up projects a few years ago and I hated it pretty quickly. So pretty soon I am going to be at the point where I have one semi-project (the 93 Civic autocrosser which should be running most of the time), one full out project (64 Spitfire but that I waiting for the garage) and a daily (soon to be a Ford Ranger). I am hoping to add one more car at some point (a Jag to do the Lemons Rally with) but that will be my absolute limit for cars.

I love love doing projects but I like to switch between stuff and have some non-car related hobbies that I are projects I enjoy.

Right now, I'm not dealing with my multiple projects well at all.   

My problem is space and a lack of it.  A lack of time is close behind. And then lacking enough money to pay someone else to execute my ideas. 

You guys who a fearful of a completed project... I would give damn near anything to know what that feels like. 

I tried for years to live the multiple project car lifestyle. I found myself getting scatterbrained, and eventually years went by with nothing significant getting done. I cut my losses and am now down to one project.  Some people can do it, and some people can't. 

That doesn't stop me from perusing car ads every day looking for another side project, though. 

I literally don't get anything done.. I go to the gym early in the morning... work  until 6 or 7.. run home put the kids to bed.. make lunch... do work for another hour or so... try to connect with my wife for a few minutes and then collapse at 9:30-10pm because I'm up at 4:30 to do it all over again.

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Toyman01 said:

 

A finished project is the saddest thing I can imagine.

This is my next t-shirt.

Put me down for a Medium when you make one.  My dad needs one.  

I'm a hard core 'one at at time' guy. Sadly this means I'll never get to play with everything I want. Space limits me to one car project at a time. Then the house tends to be a project in itself. So, when doing a major house project, no car projects are started.  I need to re-configure my work bench, thats the first project for the spring. The interoir of the '91 Firebird needs attention, the 2017 Challenge truck needs to be sold. Should start shopping fo r a new DD, and I'd like to bump out a section of the garage. Thats more than enough to keep me busy for the year. Now which to do first...

New/old co-worker tells me about his 944 he bought in '15 that was problem free until now.  Dunno what year but he felt it was a steal at $4k and now he seems to be okay with a $3k professional clutch replacement because he's sick of watching it sit and whilst loves fast driving totally hates the thought of fixing anything himself.  

My dream is the picture from long ago that I saw of Grp 4 Chevettes in a low slung British industrial building except taller and modern with 'good' asbestos so it doesn't burn everything down with a long line of about a hundred vehicles to just slowly walk up and down doing this and that.  Kinda like the British idea of a 'Potters Shed' but with cars I like.  Life is 'designed' to be joyful and tending the 'garden' full of old cars. 'Suck' gets in the way but then you make curvy roads to drive around 'Suck'. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Toyman01 said:

 

A finished project is the saddest thing I can imagine.

This is my next t-shirt.

XL

needs a silhouette of a car with hood up and a missing wheel

In reply to Patrick :

Would an image of my current project Rabbit suffice?  lol!

Anyway, I've been staying out of this as the OP doesn't really apply to me given my propensity to go OCD on things and consequently getting lost in the details.  Based on that, I'm better off as a one project at a time kind of guy.

Patrick said:

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Toyman01 said:

 

A finished project is the saddest thing I can imagine.

This is my next t-shirt.

XL

 

needs a silhouette of a car with hood up and a missing wheel

Working on the artwork. Hood up, jackstands, no wheels. 

Id be in for a shirt, my projects are usually never finished because of the money to improvement ratio in my brain. 

The 2017 Challenge Miata needs to revert to street configuration and gain a soft top. The 2018 Challenge car, purchased 3 or 4 years ago, needs to be activated if I hope to play this year. The GTI needs a tune up, a fuel pump, and little else, but it's been sitting there for 14 years now. The biggest one is this year's Challenge ,so it will likely be the first to get attention when the weather warms up.  

I have 4 garage spots, one for my wife's car and three projects. All the other drivable cars are parked outside.

I don't know exactly. I usually do one car per year. Some observations.

I have always been very obsessive about projects.

I stay organized with a white board and my little pocket notepad. Parts ordered according to plan. Work planned out and completed according to lists. 

I don't "come back later and finish this" or "good enough for now". I do it fully without compromise so I can move forward and not be mentally nagged by stuff that isn't quite finished.

Never lose momentum. Do something every day. 5 minutes is enough to keep the momentum going.

Do not allow your work area to become messy. That's a deterrent to progress and motivation.

I'm known in real life to be very socially awkward but also a jedi in certain specialties. I've been told I have a mild case of aspergers.

I work alone in my shop with ear plugs in, no radio or distractions like TV, and I keep my head and temper in check. Slow and steady wins all the races. Remember that turtle that won the race because he never ever stopped.