1966 Ex BRS Austin VAK 100 "Noddy" van. Shack building.

[glenanderson]

Thanks, folks, for your input and perspective. Much appreciated. 👍

I have been thinking long and hard about my fleet for the last six months or so. At the moment, it and the domestic job list, stand like this:

Land-Rover. Still performing its duties as a daily jack-of-all trades. It’s always going to need more attention than a “modern”, but I don’t think it makes any sense to replace it.

1953 D1 Bantam. Still not running right, but I’m not really in the right place to part with it at this moment in time. I might consider letting it go, but it takes up little more space than a bicycle and doesn’t really have a huge amount of financial value.

1954 D3 Bantam. That’s my son, Finlay’s. It’s up to him what he does with that.

1956 D3 Bantam. That’s definitely going to be sold. Just waiting for the amended V5 to come back from the DVLA incase they want to inspect it as it’s worth way more in bits than as the partially complete bitsa that it is.

1971 Triumph T25SS. Sold and paid for, but currently waiting for my mate to collect.

Canta. Well, that’s not a major project, and Finlay is keen to make use of it as the technical part of his D of E this year. Really, it doesn’t want a great deal of work, and a concentrated push would see it done in a few days. If it’s rubbish once done, then we’ll move it on.

The Austin. Well, if you have got this far you know exactly what that means. I don’t actually have a great deal of money tied up in it, but it is a great big immobile and time consuming lump. And one that, domestically, comes absolutely last place in the priorities of anyone else in the house.

I have recently sold my 2016 Honda CBR500R, and intend replacing it (along with the other Triumph and the’56 Bantam) with a new Triumph 400X Scrambler. So my bike tally will be one and a half rideable ones, not one rideable one and three in bits. If the new Triumph is as good as I hope it will be, then I can see myself moving the D1 Bantam on. Maybe.

I also need to finish an en-suite bathroom project. All the first fix is finally done on that, and I’m currently waiting on the plasterer.

I then have to do the adjoining bedroom, insulate and floor the loft, rebuild the existing Victorian conservatory and fit out a utility room that’s currently just an empty shell.

And try and do all that while holding down a job that requires working shifts, and is like sitting permanently under a sword of Damocles.

I am fairly heavily involved, locally, with my trades union, and there are opportunities for further involvement that would release me from the shift work and 99% of the driving. It would bring its own challenges, definitely, but it is an avenue I intend to explore.

I have had a long chat with Mrs. A, and we are in agreement that we aren’t going to stay at this property on retirement; so the priorities are, really, to get through the current wobble, and then work towards being ready to move out somewhere between six years time (the earliest I can realistically look at retirement) and twelve years (the latest I want to be working).

[glenanderson]

Nov 19, 2023 16:43:13 GMT homersimpson said:

The only advice I would offer is to ask yourself the following questions:

1. If you sold it will you regret it now or later?

I think I will always regret not being able to see it through. I suspect that I am already at that point though; if I were going to have been able to finish it, it would be much nearer done by now.

2. If you left it where it is and did nothing to it will it get much worse or lose much value?

Its value is already pretty low. I paid £500 for it, and the seller had struggled to find a buyer even back then, so I suspect that it’s worth as much or more breaking it and weighing it in as it is selling it complete. It’s already worse than it was when I bought it. Every additional month it sits is more work when I eventually get around to doing it.

3. If you didn't have this is there a risk you would buy something else over the next few months/years and be back to square one?

No. I will probably always harbour the desire for a classic commercial, but I wouldn’t buy another all the while we are living here, because I don’t want any potential future move to be limited/prevented by the need to store a lorry. In the unlikely event that a future property has the space to keep something this size, I’d really only be interested in buying something that was already restored, or at least roadworthy and drivable.

4. If you kept it and finished it would it be worth what you might have to put into it financially and would you use it or would it just sit there?

Finished, I doubt it would be worth half of what it would cost to do.

I think I would use it; but I also thought it would be long finished by now. If work circumstances don’t go favourably, then I don’t think I am going to have the necessary finances to run something like this as a toy.

[metalshapes]

Or... ( since you started this project because of nostalgia for the van your dad used as a shed), demote this one from project to shed?


Since it doesn't have a lot of monetary value ( as is, or even when its done), may get limited use if would be done, but has a truly unique aesthetic ( and would get used as secure space/ yard art).

Just a thought...

[glenanderson]

I think that the idea of keeping it as a shed does have some potential. However, it would need to be located somewhere other than where it is now, and the practicalities of getting it, say, to the bottom of my garden, would probably require complete disassembly and reassembly. If we are going, ultimately, to move away from here, then I would end up having to leave it behind as well, which pretty much makes putting the effort into turning it into a bespoke kind of shed pointless.

I’m going to mull things over for a bit. I’m meeting up with a couple of close mates early next month, both of whom are very much into the same kinds of things, so I’ll no doubt get their input over beer, curry and mickeytaking.

The issue might be taken out of my hands if work goes south. If that happens, then I won’t have much choice but to scale back on everything.

[igor]

I feel for you Glen but have no useful advice. All the best.

[misteralz]

I've been through something similar recently. I'm still not ready to completely open up about it because it effectively robbed a year of my life, lost me a friend and gave me another stone and a bit of stress-induced food and beer fat. But being forced into decisions, whilst shıtty and stressful, helped lighten a whole pile of 'one day' stuff that realistically was never going to happen. My 914 had (genuinely and honestly) needed a weekend's worth of work to finish it enough to be road legal, and I had all the tools and parts to get it done. And it sat needing a weekend's worth of work doing to it for well over two years. The decision to sell it was hard, but the helping load it on the buyer's trailer and seeing it disappear down the road was honestly like a weight was lifted.
I've had quite a bit of that this year. And lots of ugly crying. But clearing the decks has been worth it.

[darrenh]

ordinarily i would have said "don't do it" but having just "done it" myself, that would be a bit two faced.

"CUBE... PLEASE SIMPLIFY THE GAME"

[glenanderson]

Nov 20, 2023 14:59:43 GMT darrenh said:

ordinarily i would have said "don't do it" but having just "done it" myself, that would be a bit two faced.

"CUBE... PLEASE SIMPLIFY THE GAME"

Hey Darren, how's tricks?

What have you pruned?

[thomfr]

Remember it is a hobby and not a must! What I mean to say is if it becomes a heavy load on your shoulders get rid of it. If you see that you will have joy out of it (and your family also) rethink it.

Work wise I'm a very bad advise being home due to an overload currently. Did two jobs at the same time for the company and saved them day after day a hell lot of money. But even that was not enough and they tried add more work. Then my colleagues asked me if I was crazy and the next one was my beloved wife. So now I first have to recover.

Please be careful with yourself about overloading. A good company/boss takes care about his people so maybe discuss the issue?

Take care!

Thom

[vulgalour]

A change in life circumstances makes one evaluate things that are and are not important. I got lucky, the Maestro was ready to go when I was ready to let it go, the Lanchester could be put in stasis, and the Princess mattered enough that I kept it when push once again came to shove.

I've been doing the same with other things, out of necessity. Actually figuring out how much stuff I've got on the go and what I want to complete has helped me let go of things that realistically were weighing me down. It's meant I've made much better progress on the things that actually matter and, as a result, I've been clearing the decks and releiving the self imposed stress.

For what it's worth, I get the impression that JOY is one of those important things and is maybe unable to progress because of all the other things you feel obligated to complete. You always seem happiest when you're reporting on anything to do with it so perhaps it's more a case of doing some project management and letting things go so you've got the head space and actual space to make some meaningful progress on it.

The time of year really highlights that lack of time and makes us all look at what responsibilities we have and cannot attend to, if you've got the pressure of a demanding job on top of that it's not going to be a fun time. Hopefully you find your own path forwards and it's one that works for you.

[jamesd1972]

Hi Glen,
Just working out a plan of where you want to be is such a positive step. We all get trapped by stuff and kind of forget that it’s just stuff.
Keep looking for options and talking it through with family and friends. Ignoring the elephant does nobody any good.
It’ll be ‘right in end.
James

[kevins]

If you sell it one of the potential uses will be a food / shop / camper van for festivals etc, they won't be to worried about the body work anyway as they will be cutting holes in it and painting it anyway so perhaps get it running and drivable then tout it about for basis for someone to convert.

[darrenh]

Nov 20, 2023 15:28:34 GMT glenanderson said:

Nov 20, 2023 14:59:43 GMT darrenh said:

ordinarily i would have said "don't do it" but having just "done it" myself, that would be a bit two faced.

"CUBE... PLEASE SIMPLIFY THE GAME"

Hey Darren, how's tricks?

What have you pruned?

two astra projects have gone, plus emptying garage of their related hoarding. i keep finding things i don't even remember buying.

improvement in mental health and bank balance.

[redratbike]

yeah this make me think about everything i have

i need to sort out a list of must haves wants priorities etc

i have a 59 lambretta , gsxr1100, 2-3 aprilia projects and some other bits 😬with probably around at least £5k tied up in all of them together if i complete a couple and it would be nearer £8-9k!! 😬 jesus that makes me feel a little sick.

now i have bought the herald which meant breaking a couple of the part built bikes into bits to make space which means they are even more behind getting completed and the space the car now takes up means i cannot work on the lambretta !!!


talk about making thing difficult for myself and of course there is always some decorating etc needed !!

glenanderson back to your quandary

you mention work may go wrong ? why ? and if you are thinking that way maybe time for a change ..

maybe prioritise time so a month on the house stuff, month on the vehicles prioritising the one you really want completed and keep rotating that way.

aiming for the sale / move / retirement in the back of your mind

[glenanderson]

Nov 21, 2023 10:48:08 GMT redratbike said:

glenanderson back to your quandary

you mention work may go wrong ? why ? and if you are thinking that way maybe time for a change ..

I am a train driver. I have been doing it now, for fifteen years on passenger work. It’s a fantastic job, and really suits me, but the pressures for perfect performance, coupled with the shift work, are considerable. You really don’t get many chances to make errors, even minor ones, and as you get older it gets harder. I have seen many really good and experienced drivers decide to call it a day in their late 50s and early 60s, earlier than planned, because of the way we are managed, particularly after an “incident”.

Making a change though, is really hard. You don’t drive a train by reacting to what you see in front of you like you do a car or lorry; you have to drive it according to what you know should be happening where you are. A bit like a proper London cabbie has “the knowledge”, and knows exactly where it is you want to go and how to get there, I have about 500 miles of railway line memorised to the degree that I can drive a train along it, at full speed, when visibility is down to a few yards. You can’t just up and go somewhere else and start driving different trains on different routes, it takes literally years to get fully proficient. I am currently benched because of a minor incident and, although this time it looks like I am going to be ok, next time I might not be.

I am working towards standing for election as a full time union representative, but I still need to get through both the current wobble and the next few years.

maybe prioritise time so a month on the house stuff, month on the vehicles prioritising the one you really want completed and keep rotating that way.

aiming for the sale / move / retirement in the back of your mind

Ten years ago we were in a situation where my wife’s parents were in a bit of financial trouble, and we decided that the solution would be to combine our forces and buy a large property. At that point, both my wife and I had solid and well paid jobs, our son was pre-school, and the potential looked very positive. We were on track to have the house paid for by retirement, and I was planning on squirrelling away as many future projects as possible. At the point I committed myself to the Austin it really didn’t matter how long it took to complete, or even if it was never finished, it could be a long term thing, even a retirement project.

Unfortunately, the best laid plans can still go awry. The domestic situation with the in-laws can only politely be described as “challenging”, and a surprise redundancy for my wife has definitely derailed the potential of having the house paid for by retirement. Regardless of finances, living here has been far less idyllic than we had hoped, and both my wife and I have no desire to remain here for any longer than we need to. We have significant equity, more than enough to relocate somewhere less expensive to buy and run, so there seems no point in staying here and scraping by if we don’t have to.

Having made the decision to sell at some point in the not too distant future, then the lorry becomes something that can’t be just set aside. It either needs to be finished and capable of moving around under its own steam, or it needs to be gone. Without the lorry, pretty much any reasonable house with a driveway and double garage would be ok for us, and there’s literally millions of those out there, but with it, whether mobile or not, choices are way more restricted.

If I am brutally honest with myself, at 44 I could have done the lorry. At 54 would still be possible, but with everything else going on only just. Another year or so and I genuinely don’t think I will physically be able to manage it.

Nov 21, 2023 10:11:02 GMT darrenh said:

improvement in mental health and bank balance.

Yes. That’s pretty much where I am at the moment. Even just mulling it over on here has been a help. I have had a couple of long conversations with mates over the last couple days, and their advice has been very close to that offered here.

I think the decision is pretty much made, really.

[thomfr]

I did not know that trains are still to be run that way so manually in bad conditions. Thought that train management (or influence) systems working with the signals, speed limits etc. took the heat out of it but it does not it seems.
Very unpleasantly surprised that the responsibility is laid so brutal on the human operator and also that the system is managed in a way that the blame is the person in case of an issue instead of creating a proper double or triple safety net system with auto braking systems etc.
Feel very bad about that for you as I can imagine that this feels like a very heavy responsibility. Managing 35 people in a proper and correct way almost broke my neck already but this feels like a different level. Shame on the system (employer) to work this way.
Thom

[glenanderson]

Everything about controlling a mainline train is done by the driver. There are no systems whatsoever that “drive” the train, not even a speed limiter or cruise control. How/when/where you accelerate or brake is all dependent entirely upon the driver’s experience. 600+ tonnes, maybe a thousand people onboard.

There are a number of failsafes that can intervene in the event of a driver making an error, particularly one that involves excessive speed, or the possibility for passing a signal at danger. Unfortunately, triggering one of those systems is not something we are allowed to do. The ethos is “you were going to have an accident if the system hadn’t intervened…”

[redratbike]

sounds like you have made your mind up what needs to be done …

committing to it is actually harder as all of a sudden a year or 2 has gone and the best laid plans haven’t gone ahead ( that is me summed up right there!🤣😬 )

yep tough job alright for sure .


guy i know who is a train driver had 2 incidents not his fault basically jumpers and its broke him and the company treated him badly after the 2nd one as he’d just managed to get back into the job after lots of counselling etc. he is in a bad way mentally and the attitude of the company stinker … basically forced out .

my niece has just passed all the classes and literally just got out in a real life train with an instructor

i think the union thing sounds good idea as long as it pays you what you need as essentially that’s the only reason we go to work but it will be rewarding no doubt and being on the other side helping others with your years of experience will be a good thing

[glenanderson]

Nov 21, 2023 19:45:22 GMT redratbike said:

my niece has just passed all the classes and literally just got out in a real life train with an instructor

Wish her the very best of luck from me. It can be a hugely rewarding job. But, and I know that I am coming from a position of bias, tell her that she absolutely, unquestionably, needs to be in ASLEF.

[ducklooker]

Hanging around here a long time but totally missed this.
They are not a truck I have ever seen before being a Uk thing and me not from there.
I find it very unusual looking and the use of glass-fibre in the front is, I'd guess, fairly rare.
My tuppence-worth on the decision you face is simple really.
Is it possible to get it moving, which simplifies selling, transporting (for you or a potential buyer) etc and surely elevates its worth? You are quite close in the greater scheme of these thing.
Anyway its been an interesting read sir, thanks.