Thread: '37 Ford Rod

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Building a car from the ground up is a rewarding experience. That being said, if you've never done this before you've likely got a pretty steep learning curve on how many subsystems are in a car. That's a big part of why most budgets and schedules get blown, most folks don't have any idea how many parts, how much planning, and how "difficult" the execution of subsystems installation are. If you have tenacity you will work your way through it, if you frustrate easily you'll be tested mightily. There's a reason so many unfinished projects change hands every year, but there are also lots of finished cars at events like the one you're going to. It will help if you have an experienced friend in your area, we can only do so much online. You might think about joining a local club for moral support.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Building a car from the ground up is a rewarding experience. That being said, if you've never done this before you've likely got a pretty steep learning curve on how many subsystems are in a car. That's a big part of why most budgets and schedules get blown, most folks don't have any idea how many parts, how much planning, and how "difficult" the execution of subsystems installation are. If you have tenacity you will work your way through it, if you frustrate easily you'll be tested mightily. There's a reason so many unfinished projects change hands every year, but there are also lots of finished cars at events like the one you're going to. It will help if you have an experienced friend in your area, we can only do so much online. You might think about joining a local club for moral support.

Very well put, and I could not agree with you more!!!!! No doubt this is why I have been reluctant to pull the trigger so to speak. I have been debating, researching etc for about 3 yrs now, so this is by no way a rash dicision. At one point in my life, many, many yrs ago, I owned a body shop (small time) and basically did custom work/custom paint. I more than any one know there are no short cuts in this business. You get out what you put in.
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

3 years is long enough, now it's time to get your hands dirty. There are a lot of great step by step build posts on this site, I found a lot of background info from Brians frame building post:

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28617

As well I kind of follow along with Dons posts as I build, he's got a few but this is one:

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...t=project+3000

As I read these and many others I get ideas about what I'll have to start thinking about next. As Bob says there are a lot of sub-systems that I have just been trying to knock off one at a time so as not to get too overwhelmed. This is my first build that I just started in December and I have changed things along the way,(a whole new body for one), as hard as it may be sometimes you just have to start over certain things. The quality of mine might not be up to some of these guys but it does get better along the way and one day I might be able to build like this:

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...ighlight=build

But I doubt it .
When you get in over your head ya can always count on Tech, Pat, Dave, etc...I can't even remember how many questions these guys have answered for me but they always seem to be there for you. Ya picked a good site to join, now get to work!!!

Sean

Welcome.I was like you when I was given the green light (wife) to start another car as it had been a few years.I found the internet and this forum to be a valuable tool.I did a ground up build and it took me about 16 mo.to complete.As Bob stated you don't have a clue as how many parts have to be engineered and assembled.The good part is most parts are available with little or no modification.The amazing thing about building your own car is there will not be another car like it because you engineered it.

Treat the father son build as something you can take to the grave, as you will never forget the ups and downs of building it and showing it off when completed.

Good Luck