Burnt out on projects?

Hagan · Jun 28, 2015

Anybody here get burnt out on their Ranger? Its been a slow long project but I just don't have any drive or desire to finish it. I've had it for like 4 years (longest I've owned a vehicle) and it hasn't run in about 2.5 years. I've dumped a lot of time and money in it and I feel like I can't give up on it. But I just dread the idea of working on it and I dont get excited to wrench on it. I have good memories in it and that is what is keeping me from giving up.

Mark_88 · Jun 28, 2015

oh, yeah...can't say how many times I've wanted to give it all up and start walking or riding a moped...but I keep plugging away at it...owned mine for 15 years or so...drove it for the first two or three years...parked it for a few more...drove it again for four years...it's been parked since last june or july when I blew the engine...working at it again but also trying to sell it and start fresh...

I don't want to sell it but it will take more work than I'd anticipated and cost more than I have currently...not that I really need a truck right now...but it would be nice to have one sitting in the driveway that I know I can hop into and start up...drive anywhere and make it back...

Overall, the work I put in the first few times resulted in two or three years (at least) of fairly trouble free driving...this time around I figured it would last four or five before I had to do something to it...

It's worth it...so hang in there and find the strength...course, we don't know what it needs or what's keeping you back..so why not let us in on a bit more of the details...

Mickey Bitsko · Jun 28, 2015

I have found [ for me anyway] I have way more fun and stay interested for years and I'm excited with a project when the end of the project is exactly what I wanted when I started. I have had a couple vehicles over the years that it didn't matter what I did to it , it just wasn't what I wanted. Don't know if that makes sense , but , build what you'll ultimately want. OR... start with a new rig. :beer:

BLOODBANE · Jun 28, 2015

Ive got way to much time invested in mine. With the V-8 swap, lifting it, new axles (Explorer) I just cant seem to even think of parting with it. Of course if someone came along offering the right price it would go down the road. Mine sits a lot now days though (we have a total of 8 running vehicles)the BOGGERs just flat get tore up to bad to drive on the street). I did just order a new set of 36" IROC radials for it, so maybe I will start driving it more. Of course the 6mpg I get out of it limits how much I drive it.

When I first did the V-8 swap I never thought about giving up on it (this was back before very many were done) and some of the things I used on mine didnt have very much info on swapping (using a Dana 20 transfer case for example).

Dont give up, and you will be through it before you realize its done.

adsm08 · Jun 28, 2015

Yeah, I having been working on this stupid Mustang for 15 years. It still doesn't run, I am sick of wringing money out of my dad to finish his car, when he is never around to help but always complains that I am working on it without him, and I need my garage back. I know how it is.

pjtoledo · Jun 28, 2015

I've got most of you beat.
Pulled the body off a 78 Bronco in 1987 to do a full restore & rebuild.
it has a 460 SCJ waiting patiently in the basement.
I'm retiring next year, maybe, just maybe I can squeeze it in with a Ranger and 2 SHO projects.

Perry

adsm08 · Jun 28, 2015

Dude I was in diapers and my truck was sitting on the new car lot waiting to be sold when you started that.

pjtoledo · Jun 28, 2015

adsm08 said:
Dude I was in diapers and my truck was sitting on the new car lot waiting to be sold when you started that.

The way its going, I'll be back in diapers when it gets finished.

Perry

ZMan · Jun 29, 2015

I'm really really bad at starting projects and not finishing them...currently I have two Rangers, my motorcycle, a Jeep ZJ, a house and its million little projects, cars that I helped my cousin get started on, my dads '57 Chevy truck, its not looking good..

scotts90ranger · Jun 30, 2015

I know how it is, I've been burned out on my Ranger a couple times, and right now I'm burned out on my Tracker, a simple engine freshening and tranny rebuild is now getting to be around $1500 in parts after buying 2 spare engines, $400 in tranny internals, $500 in rebuild parts and other misc stuff... I wish I could be driving the stupid thing getting 30mpg instead of my F350 getting 17mpg (Ranger gets 16, but has to run premium so it's technically cheaper to drive the 7500lb truck than the 4000lb truck). I parked the thing in September and things kept getting worse but I was too deep in it to give up...

Hagan, I'm in Hopewell now instead of NE Salem like I was for a while, but if you need a kick to get it going again or a hand, or parts let me know and I'll drive mine over and help out...

85_Ranger4x4 · Jun 30, 2015

I don't mind the mechanical work but the mounting bodywork is concerning me. When I was gutting the stock powertrain to put the V8 in and accdentially put my thumb through the cab corner I thought "how smart is it to continue this?" A few weeks ago I noticed I had a hole in the floor pan now, still needs a box yet...

I have a ton of projects, three tractors I use a lot and yet basically need restored but for the most part they can't quit moving long enough for me to do what they need if I had the funding. 1 I just resealed the front of the engine (timing cover, front seal and gov housing) and went through the hydraulic pump, needs rewired, the rear end still howls and it kicks out of third like any good A-C, another (my main one) needs a clutch, a voltage regulator, rear axle seal, various seals and gaskets and the shifter rebuilt, and the third needs a engine overhaul, various gaskets (one of which requires a split) Meanwhile the first one is going back under the cultivator, the second just came off the 12' disk in time for a tractor show and ride last weekend and the third is doing its summer job of running a shredder on brush patrol. Add to that a loyal but rapidly aging dd that right now still needs the rear window seal fixed after a bunch of front end work and new tires last year. Then you get to house stuff. I can work on stuff until 10pm about every night and hardly put a dent in staying caught up let alone get ahead on them. It kinda gets old circling from one thing to the next...

Shran · Jul 1, 2015

My wheeling rig is pretty much done. I have a few little things to fix on it, probably need to put new bearings and synchros in the trans and build a couple skid plates, but that is about as far as I'm going with it. I also want to pull out some of the dents it acquired last year.

Burnt out...no... being at the "finish line" or close to it is pretty motivating and it makes me feel better about the little things and maintenance it needs.

I'm kinda at the point where I need a shop to work in, which is in the works right now, and I want to start doing a frame off restore on my F150 after that, or at least put it inside so it doesn't get hailed on again.

enjr44 · Jul 1, 2015

Sometimes you just have to sit down and decide what you want to do going forward. We all change as we age and our interests change. At some point we need to make a decision and move forward.

For me, I had to start unloading stuff so I could get it off my back. I had so much stuff going on that I couldn't get anything done. I just look at what needed doing and sit back down because it was overwhelming.

So, I made some hard decisions and started putting stuff on CL. And, every time something went down the road the load got lighter and my desire to get things done to what I kept went up. I had to decide that some stuff is just junk that I didn't need/want and move on!!!

Shran · Jul 1, 2015

Ain't that the truth. I just sold off both my 4 wheelers and a go-kart. They just sit around unused and I had to tinker every single time I went to start one of them. Nobody besides me wanted to ride them anyway, it's not fun riding alone so why keep them? My kid will probably be sad when I tell him the go-kart is gone, but he's way too small for it anyway...maybe when he's older I'll get another one.

I'd rather have money in the bank right now than toys that are never played with.

country0001 · Jul 2, 2015

My B2 has been out of service for about a year. The body is ate up and when I swapped in the 4.0, I had some wiring issues.

I was going to swap an Explorer dash in my donor body, but I put a new tranny in the ex and a fuel pump and sold it for double my money and got a nice 92 F150 stepside. Its actually real fun to drive.

So I found a 93 Ranger ex cab that has a 4.0 5 speed. I'm getting excited about it. Just gotta start working on it.

Burnt out on projects?

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