Thinking about throwing in the towel.

I swear allready, I'm sick of this stuff. I bust my A$$ in a game thats simply not ment for lower-middle class, and the harder I work the slower my pile of car is! After another SUCKY drag strip trip, I've realized that I'm just not having fun any more. Bad enough I work crazy OT to keep the wife home and work on bad dept, but now I use some of that cash to try to build a car that still sucks. Even the little cash I free up now on it isn't enough. Alot of my rut is OT at work. OT sounds simple enough, but if your on the OT list, the lying, worthless, waste-of-space bosses know you are on that list cause you NEED the money. And thats were it turns into the Rat Race.

So I gotta say, I'm thinking about telling them to stick the OT, and send my four wheeled pile of aggravation down the road. Its just stuff anyway.

 

I'll be at Salem for sure. I just might not have the Regal is all. Keep in mind, especially if I quit the OT, that the Wildcat realistically will never see the light of day without selling the Regal. I just gotta decide what to do. Having two cars that need attention, and raising a family is alot.

 

Dan,

1 month man................. take one month and save your money just like you have been. But instead use the money you saved and rent a storage unit for the car. Out of sight, outa mind, and I think you just need a bit of a break. Completely forget about the car for a month or so. Do look at it, don't see it, nothing. I have been where you are at times too, and BAD !!!!! When that time comes, I lock up the car and start working on my lawn, or anything that's not cars. It never takes me long and I am back in the garage thinking again.

You are right, "it's just stuff". But I think everyone needs stuff to keep them busy. If we didn't have cars, we'de have something else. Hang in there man, your just in a funk that I think alot of us have been in at one time or another.

 

Dan,
Take some time away from the cars. Like Dave said, turn your attention towards something else and dive into it. Don't go back to the cars until that project is done!!
I did just what you are feeling a few years back and now I am regretting that decision. I practically gave away some very valuable cars because of my frustration and completely seperated myself from the hobby I loved.
Don't make any harsh decisions, you may regret it for a long time.

 

put a Chevy in it(ha ha)just drive it and have fun and save your cash for that 455 you have that will make it run but if you really want to sell it I need a ride

 

Don't do it!

Dan, take the some time, like others said, read a book, not a car book, watch a chick flick with the wife, go to the mini golf place with some friends and take some time for yourself. and then let the OT add up, or turn it down a couple times. Life is too short to work your *** off to have it not be quality time with your family, or your car stuff! You will be ok, just take some time to smell the coffee, or the freshly cut grass, etc. See you in August! :3gears:

 

Dan, Dan, Dan...
I wish I had some good words for you.
Let me try this. You have always been my inspiration, my voice of reason, my hope and online wrench head. I see this from two perspectives. 1) You do as others say and give it a rest. When I took a couple months break from mine I came back with a whole knew attitude and actually "enjoyed" working on it again. Or, 2) You sell the Regal and spend the time and money on making that Wilcat right. One project, one focus and somethimes one frustration but at least it's only one.

 

This even happens to "ricers". A friend of mine had a 12 second Import than he could drive every day, but wanted it to be faster... when he couldnt make it any faster (and realized how much money he was spending on it) without tearing into it, he sold it and got a mundane daily driver. He's even more miserable. Put it away for a while - you never know when you might need it.

 

Dan'you have enough on your plate,so, run what you brung, and enjoy.
I personally enjoy seeing you in your Buick You can borrow my 70 sf motor for a couple weeks if you want but I dont deliver.I got your pm but it was a little late. keep me posted. :blast:

 

Thanks for the offer Don. But I'm gonna take up basket weaving instead. Actually, I wonder if I sell off the 350s stuff seperatley. (Cam, Intake, flywheel) if I can do something with my SR. You got any good used BBB parts?

 

Dan,

If you think your gonna start selling off small block stuff, PLEASE shoot me an email with a list-o-parts. No guarantees, but I am dumping BB stuff and going solely SBB. I don't have a lot left, but I have a few odds and ends.

That being said, talk some to Bill M here about your small block first. I bet he has some good ideas that could be used. Also, give Burek a call. He did a pump gas 500+ hp 350 for Rob M. not too long ago. Talk to the guys that are doing it ! I think both will answer your questions.

If not, like I said, buickdav at yahoo dot com

 

Dan,
If your family needs your time, money and attention, then go with that. Kids will be gone before you know it, I know, my toddler son now has a deeper voice than me... where did the time go? A week does not go by that I don't wish I had spent more time with my kids. I like cars, you guys, but it is last place behind Jesus, my family and helping the kids here at school. Cars rust, people live on (hopefully eternally). You might be right about this being a rich man's game....I'm to poor to love anything but my family and the Lord. And I'm a real happy guy! :TU:

P.S.- When you make that 13 second run, you'll spend another five grand to get to 12...another five to ten to get under 11. The voice of experience.

 

Dan
I understand where you're at somewhat. We just had our first in December, and ever since things have changed quite a bit. Sometimes it is frustrating. I have a nearly complete (but disassembled- I have most of the parts) 69 project in my garage and basement, and I'm out of time and money for the time being. I fell into that trap of having to go faster, instead of being content with something less, and now I have nothing complete to show for it. I could be wrong, but maybe that's where your dissatisfaction is coming from. There is no doubt that this is a rich mans game. I always admired the fact that you were doing more with less. I thought your car was really cool and fun when you gave me a ride in it (when I picked up that 430). My advice to you is not to get caught up in the speed game that goes on around here. Enjoy your car for what it is, and add parts as you can. It always sounded to me like you had your priorities in order with your family first, and I can respect that so much more than a 13 second small block regal. And your car IS cool, and you should be proud of it as it is.
________
Cyaraa

 

BBB parts

Dan

Let me know what all you need for the 455, between me and a bunch of us around here, i am sure that we could get you some parts for the 455.

 

Dan,

Dude, don't sell!!

It took me just over 10 years of tinkering with my 350 before I hit the 13s. My budget of $500 a year didn't go far, I always had more time than money! I started out running 16s and tuned the original build down to mid 14s. I can remember many a winter spent writing out specs and drawing up plans to spend that $500 so I could go a little faster.

I then decided I HAD to go faster and I'd let someone else build me a motor and broke my bank spending just over $2000, which was a LOT for me! Guess what, on it's first trips down the 1/4 in Columbus, OH ('99 GS Nats) it ran mid 14s!!!! I was thinking the same thing you are! Aughhhhhhhhhhhhh!! My wife said a little more than that to me, always asking why it ran the same times after I spent that much money!!!

I let it sit for a few months after the drive home and then went back to it, got rid of the TA intake, started checking out other things and still ran 14s! It took a couple more years of tweaking before I saw that 13 second slip! I must have ran a dozen 14.0xs before I saw a 13.999 and I was glad I had stuck it out. I'm still trying to reach my second goal with the California, which is 100mph in the 1/4. I've got it running high 98s, but that last 1.5mph is killing me!!

I can also sympathize with you on the second car deal. I have a '69 GS convertible sitting in pieces all over the garage. We got the dash welded in, hung a quarter, and replaced the trunk floor. I have a '73 455 that needs to be gone through so it can be installed (with '68 intake, heads, and valve covers of course!) and a couple of trans, rearends, etc. I just don't have any money to spend on it! But I'm not going to sell it just yet!

Take some time and enjoy your family as others have already mentioned above. The day the Lord decides to grant you that 13 second time slip will be worth the wait!

 

You may be right...

But you're not in a good place to decide. Set it aside for a time, let the frustration die down and THEN rationally evaluate. A hobby is supposed to be fun, if you aren't enjoying it then it's futile to throw more of yourself at it.

A question we don't ask often enough "What would make me happy?". If time with the family is the answer then consider losing the Regal and focusing on a car the family can ride in. If acheiving a goal you set for yourself, and showing endurance and fortitude would make you proud then keep reaching for that goal.

More than likely you'll find that happiness doesn't come from big decisions, it comes from an appropriate re-balancing of priorities. Obviously the Regal is getting too much of your time, thought and life, doesn't mean it has to go, just move it down the priority list.

I've come within a hairs breadth of buying half a dozen cars but stopped when I realized that what I need most is some space between projects to relax.

Set it aside then re-balance and move forward. The most reliable source of happiness is hope. Happiness is a journey, pick the right path and adjust as needed.

Good luck,
John

 

Thanks for the loads of good advice. :Smarty: :TU: Thats why I brought it up. Keep in mind my little 350 has started to pass oil at higher RPMs, so doing much more to it would be wastful. I'm starting to put the wheels in motion for both selling some stuff I have and trading stuff. So as of now my plans are to extract the engine and use some of its stuff to help pay for BBB stuff. I have a low buck plan. I own a 70 SR engine. If it checks out (like nothing broken), I'm gonna try a stock bottom end with a decent cam and some bust-A$$ home-brewed head porting.

I haven't driven or touched the car for like five days now. I feel better. So its gonna be like this. Regal is temporarily retired. And I won't spend a penny that I don't allready have.

Salem? Look for the daily driver 80 LeSabre four-door on the track. I'll take a break from the hobby, but I won't quit my friends! :3gears:

 

Sounds good, Dan, now stick with the plan, and see you in August! No bumpers to change this year! Oh, unless I decide to but the fiberglass ones on the racecar at Salem, NOT! They will go on later this year, if I finally decide to have the car painted. Looking at the new HHR purple, Majestic Amethsyt Metallic Here

 

Dan,
If you really decide to scrap the 350 project we may be able to help each other.
I have a bunch of bbb go fast parts that I most likely will not be using.
I'll gather everything together and make a list. I'll PM it to you and then we can talk.

I still think you can put that Regal into the 11's without a bunch of expensive aftermarket parts! :Brow: