"Tripper" (tripe46)
06/05/2020 at 10:24 • Filed to: None | 4 | 30 |
I had a real shit day at work yesterday. When that happens I tend to dissociate/space out. My wife noticed and started a conversation that we have had many times over the past 5 years, about me leaving my field for something I don’t hate.
I always joke (and by joke I mean tell the absolute truth) that if my wife becomes the primary bread winner, that I will go and work for the local vintage inde shop for whatever they want to pay me for the rest of my life or until the owner agrees to sell it to me.
We’ve talked about me going to work for a shop part time. We’ve talked about buying an existing shop (not in the cards), or buying a piece of property and building something (big stretch but in the deck somewhere). I in my negative but realistic state of mind b atted down all her ideas suggesting definite financial ruin.
We sat quietly for a while.
Her: “What if we get you a project car?”
Me: “LOL wut? Are you serious?”
Her: “Yes! Get one, fix it, make it pretty and sell it. Just to see if you like doing it enough.”
Me: “Darling, I can tell you I love doing it! I can also tell you that I’d be lucky to break even with a project car, particularly the first one.”
Her: “So what, then you know and you gain experience.”
Me: “I have no place to store or work on a non running/project car. I don’t even have a place to store another running car and I’m already stashing one at my parents...” I also need tools etc...
Her: “You can get started with what you have.”
Me: “I think that is a wild idea, but I really appreciate your support!”
Maybe this is reverse psychology? I’m pretty gullible as any of you satirical post writers already know. Still for anyone’s wife to suggest a project car on top of two old bimmers and a DD is SUSPECT.
Obviously my wife is the good cop in the relationship, shes willing to risk it all for my happiness which makes me feel amazing. However, I’m not wrong either. We would be making some life altering sacrifices that may not pay off.
Who’s side is Oppo on?
Aremmes
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:29 | 5 |
You can’t replace your wife with Oppo, and we’d certainly drive you into financial ruin for the vicarious lolz. Do what she says; if she changes her mind later you’ll at least be able to say “you said I coulda!”
SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:32 | 4 |
I’d get it in writing first...
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:32 | 3 |
Clearly your wife is a fantastic woman, but when the goal is to break even I would suggest a mechanics special Craigslist POS rather than your existing project cars. Much less chance of financial ruin and gives you the confidence to tackle a trickier flip.
ttyymmnn
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:37 | 2 |
Sounds like your wife loves you and wants you to be happy.
themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:39 | 3 |
I’d say do it, but also use it as a way to bond with friends or family. DO you have any other people in your life who enjoy wrenching and old cars? Half the reason I got a Fiero was to hang out with my friends, beating on an old pontiac until something either broke worse, or got fixed. It takes me back to a decade ago when we were flat broke and doing this because we had to, not because we had nothing better to do.
But that will a) be a good way to help give you some motivation b) get you access to some tools and possibly even c) help you find a place to store it/work on it.
Thomas Donohue
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:45 | 1 |
Off the main topic, but...
Future next gen S2000 owner
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:45 | 1 |
Supportive spouses are amazing. Lifting up instead of piling on. You got a good one.
I am with her. Start small though. Something broken that you can fix for a quick flip, not a full restoration. Think Tavarish early on - I really don’t like using him as an example but...He would find cheap cars that don’t work that have readily identifiable common iss ues that the owner couldn’t afford to fix or didn’t diagnose properly.
Minimal tools, in and out quickly and onto the next one.
Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:45 | 3 |
You do you, but keeping an eye on a budget while working on a project car has always sapped the fun out of it for me. I mean... it is kinda nice to feel ok cutting corners (the wires look FINE so I’m not replacing them “while I’m in there”) but it also bothers me to not feel ok spending the cash to get a car how I want it.
But yes, your wife is a keeper so good on you there. You should give her a high five (or whatever you kids do for affection these days? T ouch butts?) next time you see her.
MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 10:54 | 1 |
Well I’m a firm believer in “job good=life good”. I’m fortunate to have a great boss (I mean, I store his TR6 in exchange for full privileges) and a great wife (allowed me to buy 85 Jag).
I’d never have the discipline to make money at flipping cars ha.
Tripper
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/05/2020 at 11:03 | 0 |
Good advice. Also it has to be a car I will sell at the finish line. I won’t sell either bimmer.
ZHP Sparky, the 5th
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 11:06 | 1 |
Quick, go buy a rusted out Jeep for $500 and park it on your front lawn before she changes her mind.
JK - that’s extremely supportive of her. As others have said, find something cheaper and less risky than an old BMW even if it’s less exciting just to get started. I’m sure there are lots of other cheap older cars out there that interest you that you could help bring back to life and make some prospective new owner very happy with.
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 11:13 | 1 |
Yes, I don’t know the level to which you want to dive into a fix, but there are a lot of cars with bad automatics for sale near me for $500 or so.
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/atlanta-2006-kia-amanti-140k-miles-clean/7135033675.html
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/d/douglasville-1995-ford-escort-lx/7129007540.html
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 11:32 | 1 |
Damn - she’s a keeper!
ST80MND
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 11:50 | 1 |
A somewhat similar situation: I now have a garage. as you, I have had “that “ conversation with the brains of the relationship, and came to all the same results. No time, no space, no tools, no money. Then we came to a quite sensical compromise. Instead of a whole car as a project, I’m going to start with an engine. My project will be to take a old, cheap broken but still intact motor, and rebuild it. I will learn stuff, and hopefully end up with a nice power plant for....sale? Maybe if it goes good, I’ll look at a project shell to put it in. I’m toying with the idea of a 2.5L inline 6 for a e30, and seeing if I can make 210-230 hp naturally aspirated. I figure by the end I’ll be a couple grand into it.
Jb boin
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/05/2020 at 12:04 | 1 |
https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/d/lebanon-1999-volvo-v70/7130778520.html
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> Jb boin
06/05/2020 at 12:05 | 0 |
That looks real clean for 1k, but no word on what's wrong. May be minor for what they're asking.
Tripper
> themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
06/05/2020 at 12:15 | 0 |
My whole family is into cars as is my best friend, who also enjoys wrenching and is more experienced than I. I’ve also gathered a handful of new friends/car creatures via the BMW 2002 community. It’s kind of like a pack of drug addicts in that we would never know each other if it weren’t for that high roofline.
The main thing is I need a spot at my house where I can work on and leave a car. If it’s somewhere else, I will never do it.
Tripper
> SBA Thanks You For All The Fish
06/05/2020 at 12:17 | 0 |
Normally I’d agree, but I got the go ahead to buy /import the 02 when we were 5 months into our first child. That was real as far as I know haha
Tripper
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/05/2020 at 12:19 | 1 |
AGREE. I think if I do this it has to be a car that I don’t really like but others do. The other issue is me becoming a car hoarder. If I do a really nice job on a car that I like, I won’t sell it haha
Jb boin
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
06/05/2020 at 12:19 | 1 |
You can make the best (or the worst) deal with this kind of incomplete listings but the interior look clean enough that you could probably sell it for more than the price of the car (but it might take years to find the buyer ).
Tripper
> Future next gen S2000 owner
06/05/2020 at 12:19 | 0 |
Agree, it also can’t be a car I’m in love with or I’ll just become a hoarder.
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> Jb boin
06/05/2020 at 12:28 | 0 |
If you got them down to 700 then that could be a great flip.
fintail
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 12:31 | 1 |
I remember that Twilight Zone, inspiration for Creepshow II.
I wouldn’t recommend a 59 Mercury for a break even project car, and I like cars of that era (especially everyday ordinary things not meant to be saved) even with the wingadinga rep.
Nothing
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 12:47 | 1 |
That’s awesome, my wife is super supportive, although she can get a little worried about the cost of things sometimes. In her mind, a “vintage” car means it should be nice AND cheap.
I found a college in Kansas that has a summer program (McPherson College) on auto restoration. They actually have a full on degree program for it. I wish they were open this summer, as I would go out for the three week session they have. Once the local community colleges here open back up, I’ve found a couple with hobby level course that I’m interesting in, welding being a big one for me.
I actually need to get out of the “resale” mindset. I tend to buy my DDs and projects with the eventual selling price in mind. I go in to every car knowing that I’m not going to keep it. I really enjoyed the one car I bought to flip, though.
Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 12:53 | 0 |
Yeah I could see that working. My thing is I know going in which car will have to go if I decide to keep the project. When I kept the Disco I sold the Yukon even though I loved the Yukon and had JUST got it how I wanted it. When I bought the Jag I knew if I decided to keep it likely the Volvo would have to go. (I’m not keeping it.)
One benefit of “doing it right but with an eye on the budget” is I have been able to sell my vehicles for a premium based on them essentially not needing any work or maintenance for a couple years. Takes a long time to find the right buyer, but literally not being in a hurry to sell helps.
Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 12:57 | 0 |
You have a supportive wife and that’s awesome.
A lot of good opinions here, but I should caution against making your hobby into your career. A lot of people end up hating both because the daily realities of the job ruin the fun and pressure-free nature of the hobby.
I’ve had two long-term mechanics tell me that they’re tired of working on their own cars, because they work on other people’s cars all day.
Of course, YMMV.
Future next gen S2000 owner
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 13:23 | 0 |
Let the potential profit speak to your head, money is usually made on the buying. Leave your heart at home.
Tripper
> Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
06/05/2020 at 15:15 | 1 |
“I loved the Yukon and had JUST got it how I wanted it.”
This is a dangerous time in a young project cars second life...It’s just how you want it...but it’s also, in a way, finished. I had the same problem with my ranger. Got it just how I wanted it, and promptly
sold it
.
Tripper
> Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
06/05/2020 at 15:16 | 0 |
That was my closing statement “even if I do all of this who’s to say I don’t end up hating THAT too!” Shes more of a “don’t think like that” person.
Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
> Tripper
06/05/2020 at 15:23 | 1 |
Yuup. When there is nothing left to do... time to move on. Hence why I’ll own the Saab until the day I die because that car is fucking cursed.