Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

 Spinning my Wheels. 

photo source: depositphotos.com.
Vainly trying to gain traction.

             

I find myself in a familiar position, standing still when I would like to move forward. For much of this time I haven't been putting any power to the wheels, I've just kind of letting it sit where it is, and settle into the muck! I've just let things sit for the most part. It's time to try to make a little forward progress. 

Life is crowding in, draining my energy and my gumption.

Not just life, but other my interests and other responsibilities.

My six years of producing this blog has been a training ground for me to improve my writing skills. I have really enjoyed writing this blog, and my stable of cars had provided me with a lot of available content. I enjoy sharing my perspectives, memories, and experiences with my readers. I have gained a lot of confidence and that has started me in a new direction. 

I've decided to write a book.

The last three and a half months have consisted of long hours working on the manuscript. This has become one of the priorities in managing my time.  It has been a very interesting and challenging proposition. It's a lot of work, but it is an economical pastime, just paper, pens, and some three ring binders! I've almost finished the initial draft of the manuscript and the process of typing and printing out the first draft. Then the laborious rewriting will commence. This process will consume the greater  part of the rest of the year. At least.

The topic of this book has nothing to do with cars. I don't think that it will be something that will ever see publication, but my kids can read it. If they're curious after I'm dead and gone. 

I've also got a long range project of fixing up my house for my retirement.  Some work has been done on the interior, but the exterior needs to be repainted, and the yards both need a lot of work. I've given myself three years to complete the project. I've still got almost two years left. I'm not one to add unnecessary pressure to my life. I'll just do a little bit at a time. 

This also encompasses the need to clear a lot of stuff out. We've lived in our house for over thirty years, so things have built up. I'll let my Wife handle her things, and I'll take care of mine. My areas of responsibility are the cars, the garage, and my den. 

First the easy part. 

I've got some stuff that I need to get rid of. Maybe not that easy.

I've got my XJS's old transmission is just taking up space on the floor of my garage. It's good rebuildable core. I'm planning to offer it for free on the Jaguar forum, as long as they pick it up in person. I've also got that old Jaguar head lying around  on my patio. I thought that this would make a nice collectible for some enthusiast. They can have that for free also. 

I think that the '51 Jaguar also has to go. Definitely not that easy. 

While I like the car, and think that it's well worth saving, the lack of available and affordable parts to restore the braking system has caused everything to grind to a halt. Fabricating a new brake system is beyond my abilities and the cost of having it done is beyond my available resources. The best course is to pass it along to a new owner. It will probably will have more value as a donor vehicle for the engine and transmission. 

Getting rid of this car won't net me much money or even free up any space in my garage, driveway, or at my curb, since it's behind a gate in my side yard. However it may free up some psychic space. 

After that, I'll have to answer some hard questions about the XJ6. That will not be easy at all. 

I'd always read automotive magazine articles where a car's owner got bogged down because "life" got in the way. The car then will sit for five, ten, twenty, or more years. 

I never thought that it would happen to me.

I'd had some misguided notion that I could be a "poor man's" Jay Leno. Even Jay Leno wasn't Jay Leno when he was first starting out. At least in regards to being a car collector. It wasn't until he had achieved the kind of success that gave him the financial freedom to expand his automotive hobby. Then he became famous as a car guy. That doesn't work for everyone, I think that I'm too old to start a career in stand up! I made the mistake of thinking that there was some way around that poor man status. It seems that I might have somewhat deluded myself, with a potent brew of wishful thinking. 

I made the mistake of thinking that just acquiring all these different cars was a way of moving forward. Just like those crazy car washes where your car is actually sitting still, but the rollers moving back and forth convince you that you are moving. It's just an illusion. I generally avoid those type of car washes, they always leave me feeling a little dizzy.

I've still got lots of little projects to do on my cars and I'll document my progress. I mentioned the dwindling of my supply of gumption, combine that with the rainy weather that has finally arrived, and things have not been getting done. Honestly, I just haven't felt much like turning wrenches. While I can put some projects off, they really do need to get done. 

Of course I always distract myself by thinking about and searching the web, looking for my next automotive purchase. Looking is the best part, it only costs me my time. 

I know that I don't need to buy anything else right now. I just need to pare down my "accumulation." 

It's about time to change out that serpentine belt on the Explorer. 

Sometimes you just have to do the work.