How I got my garage projects moving, 30 minutes at a time

[DynoDave]

How I got my garage projects moving, 30 minutes at a time

HEMMINGS LINK

[CDN72SE]

I can relate!

[Admin]

It's baby steps, right? I have this problem. I also have the staying in the shop until 2am problem. I also can't do one small thing then leave it alone. Having that problem with the Cordoba. I have a problem with doing half a job. So it's like I don't touch it, or I want a full resto. There's no middle ground. I'm having this problem with the Chrysler right now. While waiting for some supplies to come in, I'm thinking, this is THE best time to change out the original 43 year old water pump. And it is. But if I'm doing a pump, I want an improved pump. No one makes exactly what I want, so every choice is some sort of compromise. And while the pump is off and the coolant is out, it's the right time to switch to an aluminum water pump housing. The only one for a passenger side exit is not designed for a/c cars, so "some modifications are required). If I have that housing off, should I not pull the timing chain cover and check the condition of the 43 year old chain and nylon toothed gears? I have a Cloyes double row true roller on the bench waiting to go in. Obviously if the timing set is out, it the best time to install the DC Blueprint 335hp 383 cam that I have. To support those, I'll want to go ahead and install the new Edelbrock intake that's still in it's box in the trunk. A fuel system refresh is a minimum, and probably a throttle body EFI system to replace the TQ. If the intake is off, I might as well drop the exhaust, add the HP manifolds I have, and get a set set of duals from Accurate. Now the only thing between me and pulling the heads is a set of bolts. And there's a set of fresh and ready closed chamber 915s in the trunk right next to that new intake. Ported, stainless valves with undercut stems, oversized exhaust valve, bolt-on ready. Now I'm down to a short block left in the car with a big oil leak at the rear main, so I might as well pull the engine, reseal it, and paint it up nice.

So this is how it goes for me. It's the old "while I'm in there..." thing.

[71se3834v]

Pull the engine in the first place Dave. It'll be easier.

I couldn't work 30 mins at a time on a project. I'd rather spend those 30 min segments doing chores and other little things that need to be done around the house. Then, when I have a day off, I can devote the whole day on a project being a classic car or a repair on one of the daily drivers. That's how I did my interior last year. I don't know how long it would have taken to do the engine rebuild and engine bay restoration in 2014 under normal circumstances. I was off work at the time and worked on it every day, other than a few days off, from the end of July until mid November.

[odzking]

Once we finally got our 73 back, I worked on it sparingly. I would take a day off here or there to do some projects that didn't require 2 people. and my wife and I would spend one hour an evening after dinner doing a project. If I got stumped on something or it was fighting me, I'd stop (before I broke something) and went inside. The next day in many cases it went together nicely.
You can't try to kill yourself working on these restorations, they don't cooperate in most cases. Slow and steady wins the race!