Do you guys ever get burned out with your hobbies? I am there now. I am seriously thinking about selling everything other than the Jetfire stuff and getting out of it for a while. I know where a couple more cars are and some barns full of stuff that I have first chance at but just not into it. I am to the point that I was trying to find an excuse to not go to Homecoming. After I was there I am very glad I did go and had a great time but it is more about getting to see the people and friends than the cars for me now. I looked at 5 cars really close and other than that I did not look at any. I did enjoy looking through the swap meet and looked at most everything at lest two times.

Just not sure where I want to go next. I still have some good parts left that I have stashed away but other than that I am tired of the mess I have of the common and undesirable stuff. I am not even in the mood to load it up and scrap that stuff.

It don't help that the county ripped up our paved roads and layed down rock. If I want to take the W-30 out for a drive I can't without a full days work of getting an enclosed trailer and loading it up two times to get it to town and back home. I don't even like taking the automatic Jetfire down the road. The W-30 will be gone real soon anyway so that one don't much matter anyway.

I think for the short term I am going to finish getting the 4 speed Jetfire on the road reliably and driving the wheels off of it. All I need to do is clean out the tank, fuel filter and change fluids and it should be good to drive as a daily driver for the rest of Summer and fall. This one will not matter if I drive it on the rock roads.

Thanks for letting me think out loud and vent.. Anyone get like this?

 

The problem is when you bought all those cars it became a business instead of a hobby.

 

^^^THIS. Years ago I was doing work on other people's cars as a side business. That got old in a hurry. It's one thing when you are doing it for yourself and can do it when you feel like it. It's another thing when people expect you to deliver on a schedule.

 

I currently do projects on the side and sometimes it does get old. Nice part I'm in the position to say no when I want to.

Eric, take a breather and reflect, the mood will return.

 

I know it's nice to own a bunch of cars but I don't know how all of you with more than one can even keep up. I try to do one major project a year on mine and just finished an engine bay clean up. I had 20-25 hours into that and my car was out of service for 2 weeks. I have my dad's 87 mustang convertible sitting at my mom's house 350 miles away because I know I don't have the time to give it a proper clean up

 

This guy doesn't - 62 tires, 8 batteries, rust here, dirt there, busted knuckles and arthritis in the knees and spending TOO MUCH TIME posting to forums like this instead of getting off my a$$ and gettin' sum werk dun.

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

I am there. I do everything on my cars. I was just going to buy Flowmaster tail pipes to finish the exhaust on the 70S, it is dam loud as is. I think an exhaust shop can handle them, about the same price. I really want to sell the 88 CSC but motivation to put the exhaust back for maybe $1000 is hardlt worth my time. Hell the tires cost 1/2 of that, the G bodies, especially the lame versions are worth squat here.

 

Same here. Its nice to make extra money but I stopped cold turkey because my projects dont fixed by themselves. I have to tackle them before I get very lazy and watch them rust slowly in my garage.

 

I know exactly how you feel. I'm there myself. Being retired everyone thinks I have nothing to do. They don't want me to be bored in my "free" time. In May I was watching my Grandkids in SC for a month. Now I'm watching the 2 in Ohio. Plus my Daughter's husband let their in ground pool get away during this hot weather, so I've been working to get it back in control. All in all, I'm just glad I have my health, time and money to help my kids. I'm actually looking forward to winter to work on a car or two.

 

Eric,
You are a great knowledge source & also have lots of parts. Take a break & enjoy what you have for a while. I do this for a living & 95% of the time I love it but I do get a little sick of it sometimes.

 

And am still there for the most part. Then a cool unit falls in your lap with
a build sheet....(70 442) I still enjoy the rescues. I worked on an '02 Explorer all Father's day weekend because I saw the potential of someone's laziness. Did you know the engineers of this model decided to not put in a dipstick for the trans? Sorry bastids. No wonder the call them exploders...

I got lucky, a little hard work and about 400 bucks later and it's on the road registered. Cold a/c, am/fm,CD, cassete, tilt, cruise and a set of fair Cooper tires that were on it. I am in it for about $700. Still needs a little if I keep it but it did 105 before it shut itself down. It's finds like this that help to keep me motivated. I got some of my Moog pieces for the 70 in today... What are ya gonna do? Once a gearhead always a gearhead I'm thinking.

Hang in there. Go do something fun that you enjoy. Playing with your 4 wheeler's comes to mind. Step back, reflect and give yourself a break. Don't beat yourself up over the $hit. It will be there next week.


https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...reply&p=738920

 

I got overwhelmed with the projects I had acquired, so I thinned the herd. My motivation was slipping so I bought something completely different..an 81 z28...I am almost finished and it kinda rekindled my love of Olds..lol. Like others have said, take a break...or put on your own car show...just something different within the hobby....I am very aware that it is a hobby to me and I am determined to keep it that way

 

One thing I know some people do as they get older, or get tired of it, is make sure parts go to the right people; either theirs, or others' stashes they know about.


Y'all are stand up dudes, and, when a stand up dude's hobby becomes a business, then he still does right by people, and the good parts are out there for fair prices and available.


But then there's the schmucks. They're not in the hobby; they're in the business. They pretend like they're in the hobby, buy up a stand up dude's collection and stash with a song about all his projects, and then all those good parts vanish, only to come back bit by bit for 10 times the price.


We have to fight the schmucks and make it so that the people who are doing the projects can get the parts and still can afford to do it being Joe Normal. We have to give the knowledge so that the people with the projects can do it right the first time. Doing those two things will keep the hobby from dying down to just a "rich guy buys restored car from pro restorer" business.

 

Yes, yes and yes...I have come into contact with these guys, and I run as fast as I can.... want nothing to do with them.

 

I just logged on and saw this. Strange I tried to call you today and you have a post like this in the morning. Anyway...

I'd say it is just going to take some time to get through it all. When I sold the W-30, I kind of made it seem publicly like I was alright with it...but deep down inside it did bug me. The coolest muscle car that I could have dreamed of sat inside my garage and I never even thought I would own something like that. But the sale of it did some good for someone in my family, just like the sale of yours is going to do good for your family. Lump sums of money aren't the easiest things to come by in life and when you get them it is a nice feeling. But the saying goodbye is probably the process you are going through right now. It is a tough deal and it can take your breath away when you are thinking about seeing the car leave "home."

Maybe just focus on some other hobbies that give you enjoyment for a while. Get that ATV out and running. And promise that you are going to do a flaming superman jump over the W-30. YOUTUBE!!!

Plan a getaway, even if just for a weekend. Or if you wanted I'd let you stay at my beach place for free for a week. Quite the drive though. Let me know and I'd send you the keys.

 

If you are any thing like me I ve been restoring oldsmobile since 1980. I get the m restored too nice to drive. Your drive for perfection is the only way to restore and that takes a lot of time and money. The cars or my 401k so when the family needs money another car gets sold. I too have too more cars to restore and that will be it for me. Time Money and parts are running out to restore them correctly. I feel your pain but we all know its in are blood. Keep one enjoy it and takes some time away.

 

P.S I hope i am not the cause of this down turn lol.

 

YES, I am there right NOW... Especially sitting on a lot of parts that I don't feel there will be a future for, at least of any value... I keep them with a "just in case someone will need it" mentality... I have accumulated parts from almost A-Z... Olds A, B, C, E, G, H, N, X, U, W, -Bodies, Cad D, E, V, Z, -Bodies (In limited quantities)... Time is up and I have started the down sizing process in body sequence... Most N, X, & U parts have been disposed of in one manner or another, working on W now, which is one of my biggest hoards next to my A & G Bodies which are (will be) my main keepers... The rest as time permits... My thought process now is keeping only what I feel will be manageable and not worry about what will or will not sell in the future...

 

The common parts I have now are a little out of hand. I have went to scrap them several times in the past and end up not doing it. Every time I do scrap something I end up needing it within a week of scrapping it. I need a pole barn for storage but can't justify a $10K building to store $6K worth of parts... When I was restoring the W-30 all these parts around were priceless and that runs though my mind every time I go to scrap something. I started liquidating last fall, even had oldspackrat pick up a body and while he was hear I tossed in boxes of stuff just to get it out of my way. I think I will at least make a trip to the scrap yard with all the 350 engines and junk 455 blocks I have sitting around to clear out more space.

I picked up a real nice part at homecoming for a real low price and several times wished I had not bought it. A year ago I would have been so excited about it.

For sure the barn full of cars I bought was a big part of this. From April 2012 to July of 2015 I done more Oldsmobile dealing and building than I would have ever thought I would for the rest of my life. Looking back I am happy with how it all turned out but learned enough that I would do it different if given a similar opportunity now. Without a day job that pays the bills none of this would be that bad, lol. Between Oldsmobiles and work I have put in between 60 and 90 hours a week for a long time.

Still just thinking out load...

 

Not at all, lol. Sure don't want it to look that way.

 

Did not know you called. Did you leave a message? My wife listens to them and don't tell me sometimes.

 

take a break, do other things you like, try something new. Ive put stuff down for 15 years for one reason or another and then just like it was yesterday picked them back up and loved them all over again wondering why i stopped (for so long) in the first place...other things im happy i was involved w but glad im not still involved with them!!!

 

I feel your pain. The H/O project has become somewhat of a burden due to moving, and we are also trying to put up some extra garage space at the new place. I thought designing a garage would be fun... but it really just becomes another headache and stress. Work has been nuts, and I've been traveling a ton, so I get home to see the rolling shell of a car jammed into the garage with parts piled everywhere. It's depressing... car isn't going anywhere, I love it too much... these restoration projects can consume you, and it sometimes be hard to remember why this is "fun".

 

Hang in there Eric! Like many have said - take a break - take a vacation - relax a little and just see where things go. You are a very valuable presence on this board and for all of us whom you have so willingly shared your knowledge and experience.

 

Yep I get it. Its a super time consuming hobby. If its what you love, you can always come back. I have no classic cars currently and am really enjoying hiking and camping with my boy who is 20 this month. Well he will be gone in the near future so other than working on my camping van I'm on hold with car stuff. Do suspect some car project will come my way always does.
I sold my Cutlass to finance a patio (and pay a few bills) don't miss it a bit.
I do have a line 67 442.
Good luck and don't let hunks of metal burden you!

 

Yes I left a message. Called around 3PM. I knew it was probably too early but I had some time to talk then.

Those 60-90 hours you are putting in are way too many, especially for summer. In the winter ok, maybe to keep down the wintertime blues...but the moment it actually starts to seem like work and not a hobby you are having fun at, well that's where I'd start scaling back.

Trust me, with this move I've learned how much junk one family can acquire. And that's a family without a collection of cars and car parts. My advice is take those lesser value parts that you no longer need and just start clearing them out. Load up that truck. Do it sooner rather than later.

Maybe rent a storage unit and put your more valuable stuff in there. Once you start having a monthly bill to pay for storage it makes you sort the stuff out real quick. Of course, keep your most valuable parts in your possession though.

But first step away for a week. No touching any parts. Give it a break. You'll feel better. And get out there and have some fun...It's summertime!!!

 

Before you load up stuff for the scrap yard let me know. I'll come out there with my trailer again. ��

 

I think you have what I would call Everest syndrome. You have reached a major mile stone in the W-30 project, both in completing the work and funneling the parts to make it happen. That is going to be one experience that is almost impossible to top. Also, the enjoyment of the process is diminished by all the worry that goes with it.

I am just trying to build a "show driver", i.e. 85% correct, 15% what I want, and it is driving me crazy. This is not near the experience you had. Sometimes, I wonder if just buying a nice driver would have been more fun.

I agree with everyone else. Take a break do something else for a while.

Sorry, I missed you at Homecoming, would have said hello.

 

Eric, if you have a core 350 engine and a core th350 that are complete, nothing special, and you want them gone, I'll buy for teardown and rebuild practice. I can come get as well, so no ship. I'm in no hurry, so if you want to set something aside at your convenience, we can work it out later.

 

I have a 350 engine and transmission that ran last summer and still hooked together. It is a 74 engine and I had no inside storage for it so it sit out in the weather. Likely has at least some water in it by now but it still turns over. I would sell it to you for $100 if you can pick it up. No accessories or brackets on the front of the engine. I did not check the transmission but it could be a 70 TH 350. I pulled them from a 70 cutlass that had an engine swap so not sure if the trans was swapped out also or not.

 

That'd be perfect. Let's do that sometime this fall when it's cooler. I'll bring a trailer, may be able to borrow a cherry picker. Chuck a tarp over it or something.

 

I can load it for you. I can get a tractor with a front end loader.

 

Cool. Lots faster than a cherry picker.

 

Been there a couple of times. As others have said, usually switching to another of your hobbies/interests for a while (for me playing in a couple of bands or steam locomotives) will make you want to get back into the Olds game, but my most recent project - restoring a Ford truck as a favor to my friend and business partner (https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...storation.html ) - has me dying to get back to my 442's. Fords simply do not make any sense!






My W-30 hasn't gone 50 miles since I took it to Nationals in 2015 - full blown trailer queen.