Working on it is my therapy.

 

The same way a pilot deals with an airplane in a dive. DONT GIVE UP !

 

I spend time here or my other favorite time-wasting sites and delay doing what is needed. Procrastination or denial? I am not sure.

 

Take a couple days off, relax, then watch a good Mustang movie like Bullitt, then get back to it.
It may be as simple as an exhaust gasket.
I am going on 7 years on my project. Just have to keep moving forward.

 

Going on 14 years with trying to rebuild my rusted out basket case Mustang project. There is not a bolt, nut, wire, body panel, or part on my car I have not touched, fixed, or replaced. When I feel burned out, I take a break. At one point I put the car aside for 8 years due to some major life changes I went thru about 12 years ago. But I still have it and started working on it again about 2 years ago. Last year I got it driving again. Hopefully it will be going in the body shop in the next few months. It feels really good whenever I make progress. I just recently built my custom shaker setup and it really reinvigorated my desire to finish my car.

 

It can be frustrating and even spawn new curse words to expand your foul language vocabulary. That much is certain. I actually kinda enjoy that part in a twisted sorta way.

Walk away from it for a while and have a beer. Or just take a break from it for a couple days. The ticking sound may be an exhaust leak. Does it have oil pressure?

I'd say 90% of the stuff I do is done in a normal garage that is at least well ventilated with a side door and a ceiling fan or worse yet in the driveway. That's why most of the time I work on stuff late at night.

Lucklily my neighbor down the street recently insulated and added AC to his shop. We work on some of his cars in there and it is nice. He's offered to let me use it when I need to work on my stuff but I've always preferred just working on it at home at my own pace. After pulling the transmission for a rear main seal recently I am rethinking my decision to work on it at home.

 

I spent 9 years working on my 68 to get it where it is today, and it was already painted when I got it. And I took a 1-year break towards the end...lost my mojo when dad died. It just takes time.

 

My car does not have air conditioning, nor does my shop, so from about May to October, my car just sits. After that 5 month hiatus, I am ready to turn wrenches again. I have everything ready to install a 4R70W in my car, i'm just waiting for it to cool off.

 

When I get tired working on the 69 I'll do some other project around the house, then get back to the Mustang, and repeat. Sometimes you just need a break to clear your head. Most times I'll watch some car show about others building cars, and I'll get my mojo back.

 

I invite my BFF over, or I go up to his place, crack open a cold one, and tell jokes.

 

Binge watch Roadkill and Roadkill Garage.

I get frustrated with my pace sometimes when I'm working on an area that I know nothing about. All to often home projects that cant be ignored move to the front of the line. I keep telling my self that one day I'll be in a maintenance mode instead of build mode and my life will be as happy as a Disney movie.

 

Binge watch Roadkill and Roadkill Garage.

That just makes me want to blow up the television set....

 

I don't give myself deadlines. It's the process that's fun for me. I don't feel pressure to get it all done in a certain timeframe, so the "rut-roh" stuff doesn't bother me much.

 

I wasn't getting burned out, but frustrated.
I told myself: "The closer it gets to completion, the more it's going to be worth and easier it will be to sell. Right now, it's just junk".
Pretty soon, it starts to resemble a car, and you just keep pushing forward. One day it's complete!
I also had a supportive wife who although she didn't help, she didn't scream and yell at me about the time and money spent on it. That's a big plus in itself.

 

I take a break from it.
Then check my punch list and see what else I can work on other than the piece that's currently pissing me off.
Then after a couple small wins (checking a couple things off the punch list), I will take a look at the problem that pissed me off.
Sometimes getting back at that other problem with some wins in your pocket and a fresh outlook helps.

With your problem, maybe it's a header gasket leak.

 

Dude. Its tough for sure. Dont give up. Got a great group of guys that will do pretty much anything they/we can to help. Take a week off then come back with some symptoms and you surely will get some good advise to continue.
I restored Grama’s car a couple years ago. Did everything except the final paint myself. One day my wife was helping me install the air box. 1 bolt just wouldn't line up and I was cussin out the car something fierce. Finally got it, and wife storms out saying, “You know, this was supposed to be relaxing and fun. Why don’t you just take it somewhere and have it professionally restored.” Yes, she understands the costs. I grabbed a beer and sat down. I realized how right she was. Since that point, when I had a frustrating moment and started to cuss, I would stop, chuckle to myself, then look out the side window of the garage towards Grama’s tree (her ashes buried there…long story) and say, “Sorry Grama!”
Got me through the rest of the resto.
Hang in there brother.
Troy

 

Yeah, walk away and do something else. I'm just about wrapped up with my build, but I started it 3 years ago this coming August. When I had the body on the rotisserie, I routinely would get frustrated with progress on the driver's quarter panel. It wasn't anything serious, no metal replacement to be done, but there was quite a bit of hammer/dolly work to be done repairing a "repair" of a minor parking lot fender bender that had been done somewhere around 1970. I'm no body guy by any stretch, so I'd work on it until I got pissed off, then walk away and do other things. I'd say it probably spent 6 months on the rotisserie while I got that quarter to where I was happy with it. A good body guy would have had it done in a day or two.

I had to learn to take the approach that "It'll get done when it gets done" and never put any deadlines on it....until about 6 months ago. I got to thinking there was a really good chance I could have the car done by August 1st of this year, which just happened to be 50 years to the day from when my parents bought it. It was touch and go for a while up until just recently, but ultimately getting over my pride and stubbornness and farming out the convertible top install to a professional pushed it over the top. Getting it aligned next week and it'll be done with a week or so to spare on my deadline.

 

I had to divert to a few small easy win projects from time to time to keep my sanity. Replace an old hacked wiring harness, or old fuel or brake line, get your radiator cleaned out and repainted by a professional radiator shop, have booster Steve rebuild and repaint your brake booster, use the AMK kits to get rid of yet another hardware store bolt the PO installed, or my favorite was taking another rusty part off cleaning in Evaporust + treating w/Boeshield T9 and re-installing. It is amazing how satisfying getting one less rusty part on your car can feel, even if it is just a bracket or bolt somewhere out of sight. Just to be reminded the feel of successfully finishing something before diving back into that overwhelming project.

 

Walk away and clear your head for a bit.

I'll play guitar, shoot some guns, drink some good bourbon, and just focus on something else for a little while. A day, a week, a month... whatever it takes to get the drive back and be ready to tackle it. Just don't make any rash decisions, and it'll still be waiting on you when you're ready.

 

A tick can simply be an exhaust leak. Slow your roll for a bit. I just get back to some other project that's making me nuts. And sometimes, just taking a break, when I get back to it I see the problem and wonder why I couldn't see it before. Sometimes you just get too close to something and you go blind on the peripherals.

I'll play guitar, shoot some guns, drink some good bourbon, and just focus on something else for a little while.

And v8stang289, where do you live? I'll bring my guitar, the steaks and the stogies!

 

I am about at my wits end with this car. Pulled the engine, swapped transmissions, had a new cam put in, port matched the heads. Between waiting for parts to come in, and for people to do the work I needed help with the car was in pieces for around three weeks. I worked everyday in the 100+ degree weather in my driveway and little one car garage putting it all back together, and it started up. Yay. Now there is a loud tick coming from somewhere and I am about to bash my head against the wall. How do you guys deal with it?

Sit back, grab a cold snack and read away......

Okay, as someone who went through this process here is my take:

First you have to make a plan. Do not just jump on the car and do what you think about doing and then move on to the next thing you think about doing. A plan will save you some steps, keep you from doing things more than once and could save you some time and money in the long run. In the grand scheme of things a plan will also help keep frustration levels down.

After you make your plan figure out your budget and determine if you have or want to spend that amount of money.

After your plan and budget are determined, ask yourself if you really want to go through with this. Rebuilding a classic car does come with frustrations, challenges and set backs BUT it is supposed to be fun, exciting and rewarding most of all. Some people do not have the desire, patience, skill or funds to make this venture fun and exciting and most of all a project that is continually progressing. When you do not see progression with your project, frustration sets in and desire goes away.

Okay, now that you have already went beyond the steps listed above, let's address where you are at currently.

Going off your posting....

You should try to do as much of your own work as possible. I get it, sometimes you just need and expert (i.e. engine builder or paint and body guy). However, the more you can do on your own the less you'll be waiting for other people to do the work. This keeps frustration down and the project progressing.

You should NEVER work outside in your driveway in 100+ degree weather. By doing that you are contributing to your frustration level and decreasing your ability to handle a problematic situation. Working on a car is hard enough and when you put yourself in undesirable working conditions your frustration level will be extremely lower and you will get frustrated quicker than normal.

Step back from time to time and take pictures of your project. This will allow you to go back through your progress and you will have a visual of how far you have come and the successes you have accomplished. This is why a build thread is GREAT. Not only can you see the progress, but we can too. This allows us to provide you positive feedback (which helps with your motivation and desire) and allows us to provide ideas on things you may not have thought about. It also allows you to ask question that may allow us to help you figure something out.

In the end you need to understand that set backs ARE going to happen. When a build is complete you must shake down your build and find the problems that need to be addressed. Sometimes it's your fault (forgot to tighten a bolt or installed something backwards) and sometimes it is not your fault (rear-end making noise because company didn't set tolerance correctly or transmission will not shift correctly because company installed faulty synchro's).

Just as rebuilding a classic car is a complete process so are the steps. Follow the steps of those who have gone before you and it will aid in you getting through it.

Understand frustration is a part of the process. The problem is when frustration becomes bigger than the goal or bigger than your desire, excitement or reward that is when we start wanting to bash our heads against the wall.

I wish you luck and hope you get rid of your frustration and complete your project. The car is running. Now you just need to track down the tick and resolve it and move on to the next issue until all the Gremlins are gone......

 

Step away for awhile. When you feel ready, start trying to isolate where the sound is coming from. If you can get a recording of the sound, post it here. There are so many people here with the experience and willingness to help, they will get you through it. This forum is one of the best support groups you can find.

 

By the way, if there was a swear jar in my shop from working on my car, it would have to be a 55 gallon drum, and would be overflowing.

 

It's OK to take a break, step back, and clear your head. Just don't get distracted with other issues that prevent you from going back to your project. During this time you may even figure out what's causing your ticking, or at least help determine how to identify it.

 

I set small, daily goals. Do something everyday, even if it’s just cleaning a part or sorting bolts. Small victories carry you through the inevitable setbacks you will encounter through such a large job.
I know some say step away, but I think that’s how guys many times give up on their projects.
I am 3 years in, and still enthusiastic about my car. I have had some major “disasters” and “do-overs” along the way.
Best of luck!

 

I set small, daily goals. Do something everyday, even if it’s just cleaning a part or sorting bolts. Small victories carry you through the inevitable setbacks you will encounter through such a large job.
I know some say step away, but I think that’s how guys many times give up on their projects.
I am 3 years in, and still enthusiastic about my car. I have had some major “disasters” and “do-overs” along the way.
Best of luck!

It can be a double edged sword, but it's a very individual thing.
For some stepping away lets you vent and come back fresh and ready to roll. For some it may take it off the priority list completely and they don't go back.
But I've also seen people put their head down, push on, and get to the point where they're burnt out and come to hate the car (or make those around them hate it)

My advice is if you don't want to completely step away, do like others have said and try to tackle and complete some smaller projects or aspects of the car. So that you're still making progress and accomplishing something.

 

I recently went on an Alaska cruise. HIGHLY recommend it. Sure, it's expensive. Sure, you could use that money to buy parts. But life isn't about stuff. It's about experiences. And an Alaska cruise is one fine experience. (I went with Holland America which I also recommend.)

When you get back from your Alaska cruise, you will have a new outlook and you will be ready to go balls to the wall on your Mustang project.

Seriously. Do it.

 

There’s a lot of good advice in the posted responses above. I understand your frustration, it’s sometimes very overwhelming. That’s when things go South quickly.

When you reach a point of frustration, fatigue or just not feeling motivated, step away from it. The biggest and mostly aggravating mistakes, come from frustration.

Ever get so tunnel vision, so focused on what’s not right, that you totally over torque, scratch paint, drill or cut something wrong? We all have, that’s when you need to walk away from it. Before those things happen.

I’ve seen guys totally loose it over breaking a manifold or any other part, because they got flustered and in a hurry, they got sucked into the issue. It happens.

When you feel rushed, tired, angry, or defeated it’s time to walk away. I have done this, then walked back to the issue after clearing my head.

Most of the times I I get it done with little problems, just like my dad told me long time ago. I am constantly finding out how wise my dad is.

Sometimes we are our worst critics. Think about it, you’re building a piece of History that’s going to display your craftsmanship, dedication and passion.

Look at it like it is, a work in progress. You set your timelines, and give yourself a margin of error. Now, I have to remember this myself. You are not alone, I promise you.