Posted by Brian in Oregon on Saturday, December 14, 2002 at 2:08PM :
In Reply to: A comment on us PW guys.... posted by Eric B. on Saturday, December 14, 2002 at 10:30AM :
In my case, my M37 project has slowed to a snail's pace because:
I had near fatal pnuemonia almost exactly a year ago. I'm still not fully recovered, and paint fumes were out of the question. My M37 is at the point where I need to do a lot of painting of subassemblies.
Now that I can try some painting, it is too cold to paint. Will be like that until late spring.
Also, I have not been making a lot of parts purchases, despite needing a replacement wiring harness and luxuries like a heating system and a fording kit. The Commander in Chief (wife) has this crazy notion that she wants the kitchen remodeled. (I thought the new BBQ grill WAS the remodel?)
I've been nickel-diming my truck together. But other folks dump wheelbarrows full of cash into theirs. Unless someone is filthy rich, you aren't going to dump $12,000 into a resto in 3 months. Even over 10 years that's $1200 per year, which is $100 per month. That's pushing the budget for some folks.
On top of that, many folks have a lack of facilities. I have a 2-car garage that barely fits the M37 and all my stuff. Many folks don't even have that. And working outside in the Oregon monsoon season is out of the question, especially if you have to strip to the bare metal.
I'm not doing a frame-off. Only what needs to be done when some assemblies get unbolted in the course of re-engining the truck. However, I'll be doing frame-offs in the future becaue with a gin pole I'll be able to lift beds and cabs off. I'm not set up to do that now. This truck will be my workhorse.
Then you have things like kid's college funds interfering, or the wife gets a crazy notion that she wants a vacation that doesn't entail driving from junkyard to junkyard in search of trucks, etc.
Follow Ups: