BURNED out! motivation recomendations?

i'm kinda burned out working on old crappy cars. rusty floors and a welder that just crapped out have frustrated me so much the last couple days...

maybe i need something low and slow? i'm at kind of an impass.... i have several track days lined up, and that car is all ready to go, but a couple of challenge cars and welding on Gutty is taking all my time up, and its making me hate this hobby (i work my "real" job 60-70 hours/week, that kills me)

maybe i just need some time off, but i feel that if i slow down, it'd be hard to start again..... any recomendations on how to get my blood flowing again on these things so i can see you all in october?

maybe i just need to do a track day. thats probably it.

i go through this every year, about this time...

what do you guys do when you feel this way?

Vintage asian steel keeps my blood flowing when I begin to forget how much I love cars...

ooof, those old skylines do kinda rule more than ANYTHING.

Also, when I begin to get down, I pick a silly routine task like an oil change or a rad flush on my daily and spend more time than it takes to do it...just lay underneath and look at your suspension and envision the new bushings you want, or really detail engine bay while you let the oil drain out down below. gives you time to reflect...

When I got the big project blues, I just reconnect to the days in highschool when you looked at the busted beater you drove and the empty wallet that funded it and remember how excited you were just to have the keys - you had no budget for go fast goodies, you were in a hurry to pick up your buddies even though you guys had absolutely nothing important to do, nowhere to go, and no money to get you there - but it was the greatest feeling in the world. The windows didnt work, the tape deck was busted, and you had to feather the gas to keep it running when you came to the stop light - but ACDC was on the radio and it was 7pm of Friday in July and school was out and your friends new some girls going to the movies - you saved up for the new distributor cap and wires, they were laying in the parts store bag on the passenger seat as you popped the hood, and as soon as you had them in, you were out the door. Best days of my life... taking that trip back in time always recharges my batteries

I bought an appliance with ~70k miles. Cheap, doesn't need my attention, and I don't have late weekend flogs to get it running so that I can make it to work Monday.

I also pace myself. When I get annoyed or frustrated on the project, I step back. I remind myself that this is supposed to be fun.... Sometimes it takes a week or so before I get back in, but that's ok: it's a hobby. :) (Note: my Vette STILL isn't running, but I'm building gumption for that final push)

adderall...

Agree with the suggestions here- I'm stalled on my son's cyclekart project, and just have to take a break from it. Hopefully you have one vehicle that doesn't require the kind of major maintenance that adds to stress. When you're burning midnight oil to get the stupid thing running again to get to work in the morning, it's not fun, it's survival.

I get my motivation from this forum http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ so you're doing the right thing

When I start to hate a project I just walk away from it. Sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for months. By the time I finished all the rust repair on the RX-7 I was pretty sick of it. We autocrossed it for a summer in primer because I just didn't want to paint it. I know I do my worst work in that mood and anything I get done I won't be happy with. I also take a weekend occasionally and just do nothing. No car work, no yard work, no house repairs, nothing. Usually by noon Sunday I'm so sick of doing nothing whatever I was sick of before is looking a lot more fun. This is that weekend. Between work, lemons, autocrosses, a daughter graduating, renting my parents yard for weddings, and three old cars, I've been running non stop for four months. This is a do nothing weekend. At least for a few more hours.

daily transportation isnt a problem....dont worry! my wife's CRV is dead simple to fix, rarely needs it (sway bar bushings pop, but she doesnt care), and we've got work trucks she could rock to work if it dies.

i just want everything done,immediately...but there is so much work!

it is fun work, but its gruelling. the local "rats" keep me motivated..they think the simplest stuff is so rad, and they long for it, follow us to the track, help out, cleanup stuff, wax, whatever we need... buddies are essential. nobody has been around lately though,as they are finishing up school,on vacation, busy with their own projects, etc.

i guess i'll get there. today i'm missing a drag race because i couldnt finish the car last night (welder busted, its been being abused for 15 years,i'm not surprised...), and i'm bummed about that. oh well.

i still love this hobby..i think i need to spend more time on track. that'll happen shortly. heh

4cylndrfury wrote: ... you had no budget for go fast goodies, you were in a hurry to pick up your buddies even though you guys had absolutely nothing important to do, nowhere to go, and no money to get you there - but it was the greatest feeling in the world. The windows didnt work, the tape deck was busted, and you had to feather the gas to keep it running when you came to the stop light ..

If that ain't grassroots, I'll kiss your....

I got to that point with the Challenger also. I covered it in the back of the garage, put tools away, swept the floor and had a beer.

I bought the Goldwing, did that up and it's done now. Taking a few days off and now I'm ready for the old project. There is so much to do in building a car it's easy to get overwhelmed. Pick one thing to do; i.e. this week it's the front left fender. Bang it out, sand, bondo, sand, prime. Holy crap I got something done.

Feels good, do the next one.

Dan

I know a certain miata that would offer distraction ;)

Change is good.

I am running into similar disillusion with the Supra. It has taken over 6 months to get to where it is now, and it is still not running, and there are over 100 things left on "the list".

take it one thing at a time, and you will get there. I just did some minor maintenance things today, and it made me happy to get something done.

That yellow Skyline represents all that is right and good on planet earth.

I know your pain OP, my final straw was driving a few newer cars and that was that. I went and picked up a newer car with a warranty.

Although now I'm eyeing something even newer, but a bit more practical.

I have serious automotive ADD.

4cylndrfury wrote: Also, when I begin to get down, I pick a silly routine task like an oil change or a rad flush on my daily and spend more time than it takes to do it...just lay underneath and look at your suspension and envision the new bushings you want, or really detail engine bay while you let the oil drain out down below. gives you time to reflect... When I got the big project blues, I just reconnect to the days in highschool when you looked at the busted beater you drove and the empty wallet that funded it and remember how excited you were just to have the keys - you had no budget for go fast goodies, you were in a hurry to pick up your buddies even though you guys had absolutely nothing important to do, nowhere to go, and no money to get you there - but it was the greatest feeling in the world. The windows didnt work, the tape deck was busted, and you had to feather the gas to keep it running when you came to the stop light - but ACDC was on the radio and it was 7pm of Friday in July and school was out and your friends new some girls going to the movies - you saved up for the new distributor cap and wires, they were laying in the parts store bag on the passenger seat as you popped the hood, and as soon as you had them in, you were out the door. Best days of my life... taking that trip back in time always recharges my batteries

Fantastic post.

seriously was.

i was sitting in church today, and all i could think about was working on gutty.... so this post might have worked

splitime....i wanna run up some night this week...pick one!

NYG95GA wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote: ... you had no budget for go fast goodies, you were in a hurry to pick up your buddies even though you guys had absolutely nothing important to do, nowhere to go, and no money to get you there - but it was the greatest feeling in the world. The windows didnt work, the tape deck was busted, and you had to feather the gas to keep it running when you came to the stop light ..

If that ain't grassroots, I'll kiss your....

DAC FTW

you live near me as I live near Joliet.

I can come over and tell you how nice your project is and how well you are doing....compared to my car that is a bunch of pieces in my basement and garage.

I know the feeling. Couple of weeks ago I noticed I had an axle boot leaking, it hadn't lost much grease. This is on my ZX2SR.
Nothing went right.. Took me a whole week to do the job. I would get frustrated and go do something else. Then a couple weeks later, I cooked the engine. So now it sits in my garage until I decided what to do with it. I am at a point where I don't have the motivation to do anything to it.

i usually take a couple day break, then go online look at some pretty cars, motivates me then start all over again. Same goes for working out, if i feel burned out, take a rest week, look at some people who have probably never worked out a day in their life yet have perfect bodies, and go back to work

4cylndrfury said: I just reconnect to the days in highschool when you looked at the busted beater you drove and the empty wallet that funded it and remember how excited you were just to have the keys - you had no budget for go fast goodies, you were in a hurry to pick up your buddies even though you guys had absolutely nothing important to do, nowhere to go, and no money to get you there - but it was the greatest feeling in the world. The windows didnt work, the tape deck was busted, and you had to feather the gas to keep it running when you came to the stop light - but ACDC was on the radio and it was 7pm of Friday in July and school was out and your friends new some girls going to the movies - you saved up for the new distributor cap and wires, they were laying in the parts store bag on the passenger seat as you popped the hood, and as soon as you had them in, you were out the door. Best days of my life... taking that trip back in time always recharges my batteries

dude that is awsome I just had a flash back my self!

When I get those project blues the only thing that really works for me is to just drive. I just get in my truck/car kickin fav CD's and just drive it out! Has always worked for me...

Take a break save up some scratch and have a party cookout/bar b que with friends for a work day on car .

By a house!!! You will soon long to get back to working you car.

Go to a track event and just enjoy the scene. Take a drive on your favorite road without having to tie in errands. Remember the feelings that makes the tasks worth doing, and the tasks will get done. Afterwards it won't feel like it took so much out of ya.