losing my mojo...

[akku]

of late I'm begining to get the feeling I can't be bothered any more.

Anyone else get this?

I didn't do CARS because I couldn't be bothered to get out of bed until like 11 am. Made the excuse to the Mrs that we'd do Moparnats instead. Thats coming up this wekend and I can't be bothered with that either. Same reason really, its £80 or more for the two of us to go down in the Buick (if its on the road by then). Assuming it doesn't brake down on route. We could go in the Toyota but wheres the fun in that. Even if I take the Buick down I'm not flush enouh to pay the signon fee and even if I was I'm not risking braking the damn thing again by putting it down the strip. So I might as well go in the Celcia. Save about £15 on fuel as well. But I now recon £65 is a lot of money and it might rain, or it might be too hot and I might get sun burnt.

But I reckon we won't go. I'll probably feel ill or something.

See half of me thinks its just a waste of cash to go to a show, I'm just fed up with old knackered cars anyway, but part of me thinks I might get all re-enthused if I go see some cracklin' cacklin' V8s doing thier thing.

stuff like that highway insurance thread just make we want to give up as well. On another forum a guy has a brand new TCI built trans $$$$ and its died after 400 miles. I was scraping together bits and cash to build a "raceworthy" car out of the Plymouth but I really don't think I can comfortably afford to build it in the first place and then if it breaks soon after...

So I'm canning another project before its even got off the ground.

I can't get onto fix the Olds until I finish the Ventora and I'm thinking I might not be able to afford to finish that for a while now.

I'm really begining to wonder why I even bother.

[arthurbrown]

Alistair....

Go out and hire a 1.2 Korsar for a week or two.
You'll soon get your mojo back

[HoTWire]

I think CaRS could have bought your mojo back .. maybe the Mopars would as well..

I feel the same way a lot of the time (not helped by not having the car local to me) ... but one or two shows a year and it keeps you rolling along.

Local meetings help too

[Seth]

Its the weather, trust me! We're just nto used to being this hot for this long and it can take its toll. I can understand not going to CaRS. It was too bloody hot to be out at the Pod and I don't know what we'd have done with Isabel if it hadn't been for Mr Scrap and Roger. Personally this forum has re-enthused me for an awful lot of stuff.

How much more is there to do on the Ventora? I thought it was pretty much there except for paint? It'll be really great when its done. I could never cope with more than one big build at a time so I'll never bother putting money away for what seems like a far off project. If you've saved something towards the Pymouth why not plough it into the Ventora to get it done? Better one car on the road than two sitting in the garage.

Is there anything more local to go to this weekend? How about just taking in a local show and chilling out with a few cold ones?

[akku]

Probably about £400 of bits and services needed to finish the Ventora properly. I might do it for less if I can beat the calipers into submission without having them resealed (I won't do that myself) and if the dodgy solder on the rad holds out I should be OK. Why did I sell my good spare for £15???

Its just time. Its too hot and humid to apply the clear really, but I'm going to have to do it Saturday anyway. Its going to be this hot & humid until September apparently so I have to crack on. Plus the neighnours are away... Would have done it already but I ran out of thinners and guess what had no car to go buy any more as my wife's been using the Toyota.

Its frustrating as its all masked up theres not even any little jobs I can be getting on with while I'm waiting to do the clear either.

I need the garage space to get the Olds in to drop the trans.

Why have a bleedin' gravel drive? You've got a car sitting there in front of you and you can't work on it because you can't jack it up! Arrrgh.

And I've got to move the Capri and all the junk from its lockup to another lockup (lady I'm renting the garage off is selling her house) and I really can't be arzed with that.

[BenzBoy]

I know what you mean Alistair - it's really hard sometimes to summon the motivation, whether it's to go to a show or to crack on with a project... I suffer it myself.
What I've had to do is be firm with myself when it comes to pre-show apathy, because it's a 99.9% certainty that once you're there you'll wonder why the hell you were considering staying at home!
I've missed a couple of really big events that I'd been looking forward to all year, but instead of staying indoors and feeling sorry for myself went out to a local show, and I'm so glad I did (still gutted about missing CaRS though!)

As for cars, finding motivation for that is doubly hard I reckon, but going to shows really helps light the fire again. I'm still struggling with the whole "getting my project moving again" thing, but I'm getting there!

Don't give up mate. It's hard sometimes but having a community like this helps one hell of a lot I think!

[canuck]

Alistair... you sound like you need a hug!!

I agree with Seth - this weather is dragging me down too - at work - when I get home, and I can't sleep at night either which must add to it!!

I've taken the view recently, that I'd much rather spend a couple of hours tinkering with the cars than go to another show to see the same cars I've seen at the last 3 or 4 shows... I wonder if maybe its worth taking a break from the shows this year, while another batch of cars are being finished, and then next year, there will be all that much more to see?

In the meantime, maybe take a break from the projects... might give you time to step out of the bubble and re-gain some sort of direction... These damn old rusty things can be testing at times (to say the least)!!

I also agree with Seth about getting that kickass Ventora on the road - its got to be better to be able to drive one as you're contemplating the plan of attack on the next one?

If you want to go for a pint sometime and shoot the breeze - gimme a call!

Matt

[MWF]

I'm not sure why but I got totally bored of car shows about 5 years ago and still can't gather up the enthusiasm to bother with them.

All I can picture is getting up far too early and skipping breakfast then driving a long way worrying about the car which decides on that one day it's going to unEarth some terminal problem all of a sudden.

Getting there, queing for ages and paying some extortianate fee to park in a field with a lot of other people who've also handed over a small fortune.

Then go walking around in the baking sun until you get a headache and eventually giving in to buying some overpriced soggy old beef burger from a stall and walking around in the baking sun some more.

End up staring for 0.5 miliseconds at some car you're not really interested in and the owner leaping across to talk at you about it for 30mins. You don't want to be rude so you stand, nod and smile.

Wanting to look at the cars but not really taking it all in, what you do take in makes you wish you'd get your in gear then you're off home, now with a headache, sore feet and a dodgy stomach from that burger.

Get home with a headache and the need to sit on the loo and then slowly develop painful sunburn throughout the evening.

Then smother yourself in after sun cream and go sit on the computer nursing a bad head and end up looking at everything you saw earlier and more all over again.

[Stu]

I agree with the rest of them, it's the weather - too hot, but lets face it, if it was raining we'd moan about that too, it's the British way!

I'm chaffed off at the moment as I'm not very well, been ill for ages and it's stopping me doing most things I want to, major car tinkering, going to shows etc etc.
When I did manage to do a spot of tinkering a few weeks back it went wrong. I was changing the wheel bearings on my Mk2 Golf I took it all apart and realised I needed to nip to my parents to pick up some extra tools, no problem, got another car. So, fired up the Mk1 Golf, backed it out of the garage and the radiator exploded! It couldn't have done that any other day, like when I had at least one other working car could it! ;D

Got it all sorted in the end though, just have to take things on step at a time and it'll all get done, no point worrying too much about cars. This forum is great for inspiration and help, everyone is so friendly and understand exactly the problems you're having

[reanimation]

Drawing on a few recent threads is it worth losing a project or two (not the Ventora)?

These retros do gulp more 'gas', and do drain cash in parts, and do drain time even just road worthying em. Seems pointless when jo bloggs is zipping about in a modern hassle free.

Like Ratdat said yesterday, its gotta be for fun or not. CaRS show should of inspired you. I realised why i like tlhe retro scene ('scene' used lightly LOL) Its the people and the creative thing and having a good laugh at the expense of noone.

My fleet and the show season is causing chaos and not helping with a certain mamoth vid project, Cant really afford any more shows and by Ford Fair I'll have no transport it looks like the mojo is just about stil intact- i think! ;D

Relight ya fire

[JonnySierra]

Sounds similar to my position.... Although I'm sure I've brought it on myself by thinking too much and not actually knowing what I want. Hence - Fiesta for sale, and maybe a Sapphire too in the not too distant.

Been offered a 948cc Minor as a swap for the Fez, and much as I'd like it, I do worry that I'm only making more hassle for myself!

arthurbrown said:

Go out and hire a 1.2 Korsar for a week or two.
You'll soon get your mojo back

Hire? Oh b******s, I paid for the one I'm driving....

[wagoneer]

I get re-enthused by car shows and looking at RR. The problems I have with the Volvo right now are minor and all fixable, but I'm hacked off with it. It'll take a good weekend's work to sort, a good clean inside and out and I'll feel better.

Taking a break from tinkering recently has helped. I've been doing something that makes me feel good for the local community and isn't even remotely car related! Open a beer, kick back and relax a bit.

[dp]

alistairk in da house:
I'm really begining to wonder why I even bother.

Don't we all from time to time.........

Having been around the Chopper, Hot Rod & Kustom scene for almost 35 years (f*ck I'm an old man) I have had times where I just gave up on it all and bought myself a safe, drivable, boooooring car to get me from point A to point B, then one day you go by that news stand and Rod & Custom Magazine is just screaming at you to dump those Stuff & M3 rags and get with it!!!! I have been slipping in and out of the scene so many times I can't even remeber but I have never lost contact with my roots and I guess if you have gone deep enough into the Car or Bike adiction you can never be cured 100%, there's NO Retro rehab......

When I loose focus or interest in what's infront of me I shove it into a corner and do something (like Monty Python would have put it) completely different, lately I have been riding my 1000 Tuono R with Skitskraj MC and not really worring about much else than feeding myself, the cat & dog, paying bills, going off to work and just enjoying it, when I loose all go go juice I hop onto the Volvo T22 for a slow drive down the country lanes around my farm, a couple of cool brew in a cooler (yes I know it's illegal but at 30kph!?!?!) and I come home as a new person, if that don't help I get the shotgun out and pump som lead into cans & stuff, sometimes a man needs a break from it all.....

DP says: Keep the faith man.....

[Mr_Bo11ox]

When my mojo is on shaky ground, I take direct action by going on the bay and buying up a new shonky old heap to cheer myself up. Like many women do with shoes and handbags. Lovely.

[racer86]

I know the feeling, ive given up on doing stuff now, just going to get into my job and hope the car gets me there every day.
If you can, just give up on the projects for a bit and relax. At the end of the day if your not having fun there is no point in doing it.

Come to the Midlands meet on Saturday we will cheer you up! ;D

[Seth]

Another thing, have you considered the possibility that someone has stolen it? Perhaps we ought to put it in the stolen section?

[MWF]

racer86 said:

Come to the Midlands meet on Saturday we will cheer you up! ;D

Aye what where

Midlands meet on Sat?

Bummer I got rain down for Sat

[street]

I think we can all sympathise with what your saying Alistair.
I'd say the things that keep us going as enthusiasts is the community here on RR, car shows, but probably most importantly, enjoying the fruits of your labour- and if I may be so bold, i'd say you've had more set backs than success with your projects of late?
Thats probably a big part of it, if your working away for no sizeable gain it can really take it out of you.
All you can really do is try to soak up some inspiration (Definately go to the MoparNats!!) and see past the work and visualize the finished article, which will kick ass
I'm in Notts for a few weeks, so if you need any help with the Ventora i'd be happy to pop round and help out

[Nick]

I know all about this,

back in september 2005 i dismantled my first e30 to a bareshell, with the intention of turning it into something badass...the car still is in the same condition now as it was then, in the meantime ive bought other cars to keep myself mobile. had a jetta that i now cant get rid of for love nor money, another e30 that i broke straight away had to fix and now need to sell.. got the supra which is the only one thats been good to me.

but for along time with the first e30 it just depressed me, i couldnt get any motivation to work on it, even the simplest of things i had to get friends to do as it just made me sick thinking of doing anything. just felt like crawling up and dieing, not a nice feeling really.

wasnt helped by the fact at the time i had no job it helps to have money to buy some stuff to cheer you up.

car shows have never done anything for me at all sadly i guess the only way ive found to beat it is to just make a list and do a few small things at a time and force yourself to struggle on. but at the same time make sure you do other things so your life doesnt become ruined by the thought of cars which at the end of the day should be fun..

[CR500Dom]

alistairk said:

I need the garage space to get the Olds in to drop the trans.

Why have a bleedin' gravel drive? You've got a car sitting there in front of you and you can't work on it because you can't jack it up! Arrrgh.

There is always a solution.....

I had a Gravel drive for years, Plywood is what you need or Stirling board (OSB) at a push ;D

Take a break for a weekend, Sort the garden out, do something totally unrelated, but enjoyable to do in hot weather....
Working on Cars or Painting in this weather is horrible

I need to do the wheel bearings and Rear Shoes/Cylinders on the Kadett on Saturday and I am far from looking forward to that

But to help inspire me along, I`ll go along on Friday night to Reclaim the Southend Seafront, see some friends with some cool cars and just hang out for a while.....

Your Mojo`s not gone..... Its just chillin out for a while listen to it and act on what its telling you..... everything will be alright in the end ;D

My Biking Mojo has been absent for a while.... still buy the mags occasionally but they just arent doing it for me at the moment, hence why I`m playing with Cars...... It`ll come back and when it does I`ll be right back into Hooning every night/weekend....... Next it might be Doing something big on the house I never can tell ;D

Stick with it fella and Cant wait to see the Ventora finished

Just another thought, if you really want to get it cleared before the neighbours are around to complain.... get yourself down to the Hire shop and Hire a decent Airconditioning unit

Works a treat and not that expensive to do for a day or so either ;o)

Just a dehumidifier will help, then you end up with virtually a low bake oven for the clear

Cheers
Dom