1982 Frame Off Restoration

[SupercoolBill]

I wouldn't bother. Once you break all those M5 screws off and install new rivnuts, you'll have no trouble going back in there in the future if for some reason you have to clean or check the connections.

Okay thanks

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[SupercoolBill]

We needed to install the body plates on the car. I posted on FB discussion looking for what products would work. It seems that most of the best options require a special double caulk gun. I messaged a buddy of mine that works at a body shop 3 miles from my shop. He said that I could borrow his application tool and could have a partial tube of bonding agent. When I got there though he grabbed a new tube and told me I could have it. SCORE!


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[SupercoolBill]

I roughed up the plates with some gritty sandpaper, prepped the areas on the tub with a sanding disk, wiped everything down with acetone, and squirted the goo on the plates.

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[SupercoolBill]

I dropped bolts down through the holes in the luggage compartment. I rolled under the car on my little roller seat and stuck the first plate on the car. Then I had dilemma. I couldn't hold the bolt and spin the nut on at the same time and I was all alone in the shop. I couldn't come out from under the car or the plate might fall off onto the floor. Think THINK!!! HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS!! Then I remembered that I had a business card in my front shirt pocket. I used the card to push the bolt to one side so that I could spin the nut on. Then I used my impact, which luckily was on my roller seat, to snap the bolt quickly so the bolt and nut snugged down.
Worked like a charm. I returned the tool to my buddy before he was done work for the day. It was nice out so it was a good excuse to ride my most recent motorcycle purchase..an Aprilla Futura 1000. When I saw it for sale and it was a "Futura" I couldn't resist.

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[SupercoolBill]

Confession time. The wife and I have been working on this car for 2-1/2 years now and we are getting weary.
In running they have a term called "Bonk" or "Bonking". It is when a runner is running a race, usually long distance like a marathon (26.2 miles) or further, and they hit a wall so to speak. Usually they seem to be doing pretty good at 90% or more completion of the race then their body or mind or both just say "I'm done!" They collapse or are forced to sit down or at best walk.
I feel like that is where we are at with this project. Too many hours, too many disappointments, too much money, too many arguments in the shop, too many miss opportunities to spend time with friends and family because we were working on the car, etc.
All this for a car that we have never driven, ridden in, or even seen run. The days are getting warm and sunny again...it is hard to spend all of our spare time in the garage. Especially when we own a convertible and five motorcycles.

In the good book, it says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." man ain't that the truth. Everytime we think we are close to finishing it seems like someone moved the finish line.

We are not giving up though. We feel like the end is actual in site. Maybe not completion of the project but at least getting the damn body on the frame and trying to get the engine to run.
If we could go back in time (pun intended) we would have spent more money for a nicer Delorean or just not bought one at all. But here we are, 20 miles into a marathon with only 6.2 agonizing miles left to go. So we will push on to the finish line so we can get that finishers medallion and humble brag (also known as flexing) to our friends.

There I feel better now

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[Bitsyncmaster]

Just take a break from working on it. Go party, to the movies or just watch some TV together. Do some work on house.

[ssdelorean]

<<snip>>
In the good book, it says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." man ain't that the truth. Everytime we think we are close to finishing it seems like someone moved the finish line.

<<snip>>

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In the same good book, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it."

Don't be discouraged. Balance work, fun, life. Baby steps. Persevere.

[Helirich]

Just take a break from working on it. Go party, to the movies or just watch some TV together. Do some work on house.

Yes!

You don?t have to finish by any deadline. I think maybe you are thinking about the destination when you should be enjoying the journey. It took me 10 years to build this.

IMG_0777.jpg

I never had a deadline. Although I?m having a lot of fun driving it now, I miss the project.

[Stainless]

I agree with what others have said. It may be time to take some intentional time away to try and "miss" the project. I started a project with mine last summer that started as a simple removal and restoration of the rear interior panel that covers the rear speakers. But it morphed into a huge "while I'm in there" project that resulted in me taking out most of the interior, restoring the electrical/fuse box area, wiring cleanup from the previous owner, removal of headliner, including bolting down the roof box, door seal replacement including the top seal secured by rivets, replacement of the broken radio deck, ripping out of the heater and AC unit, replacement of the A/C lines, new radiator, condenser, new radiator fans, and the 100 other odd and end items along the way, including hours of sandblasting, painting, and of course, parts shopping.

In summary, I get the feeling of burnout. Sometimes it feels like one step forward and one immediately back, making you feel like you're not progressing.

I'm amazed at the level of detail you and your wife have given this project. You're inspiring others and have, on multiple occasions, motivated me to get out to my own garage to work on my car.

It does suck to not have the car be in driving and running condition. It has been too many months since I sat in my car and took it for a spin. You can always skip some things and address them later, if ever, for sake of speeding up the process. But if you want everything to be perfect and not have to revisit much later, try to strike a better balance between life and the car. The car will always be there tomorrow if you don't work on it today. We're rooting for you, but there's no rush.

[SupercoolBill]

Thanks for the kind words and advice everyone. I greatly appreciate it. We took tonight off, did a 30 minute workout at home, ate dinner, then watch a movie together..Shrek believe it or not haha! It's such a classic.
Tomorrow night I have a prior weekly commitment (visiting people in jail) but I think we are going to work on it for a while Saturday.


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