Regretted Projects

[classiccat 548]

About 15 years ago, I convinced a few of my buddies to take a trip to the James River, VA to fish for spring Bluecats with a guide.

 

We weren't thrilled about investing all of that time & $$ for 1 day of fishing (Plus... nothing beats a screaming run in the middle of the night)

 

So, I so guess since it was my bright idea in the 1st place, I was nominated to procure/restore/maintain a boat... and haul it (and my buddies)1000 miles round trip.

 

My 1st boat did a few seasons down there... put a few monsters on the deck ...but it was only a 16' with very little free-board; and we literally almost died in 2011 when a full sized tree smashed into us, grabbed the anchor rope and started pulling us under (The river is usually at/near flood stage when we fish). Luckily we were near a river marker & my one buddy was right there to pop the anchor rope.

 

"We're gonna need a bigger boat"

 

A 1975 18' Starcraft Supersport popped-up on CL the following year... in Maryland ...only 600 miles round trip.  

^^^ The day that pic was taken, the brake-lines burst on my Silverado ...luckily when we were parked & checking the trailer lights.  stranding me and my wallet for a few days.

 

When the boat eventually made it home, I got off to a good start fixing a bunch of structural issues (which including replaced over 1000 rivets).  I rebuilt the original 3cyl Evinrude.

 

However a career change, relocation and multiple home projects have had the SuperSport project on the back-burner for about 3 years. 

 

Every spring I pull it by hand from the woods, extract mice nests/carcasses and put it in the garage (where it usually sits untouched)until the winter... then it gets pulled back to the woods.

 

...I curse it almost daily but I haven't given up on her...

 

In fact, the boat did inspire me to buy a Wheel Horse... and I'm thinking that the Wheel Horse may just inspire the paint scheme for the boat.  

[Cvans 1,009]

The name Chris and Corvair must go together. After Naders book My cousin and I took ours down to where Portland international raceway is now to see if they could be rolled on a flat surface. No luck. We even would slide them through water onto dry pavement and still no luck. I'm not much of a Ralph Nader fan but I'm not much of a Corvair fan either. 

I'm sure they could be rolled but that can be said for any vehicle. 

[Joshn569 273]

1981 Lancia Zagato. Something broke every single time i tried to just leave the driveway. 

 

Had a 89 bayliner boat too, total nightmare. Total money pit. 

[C-101plowerpower 1,605]

the one that stands out for me is the suzuki ts50x i bought for 50 euros

 

took a day to get it running and only then it would start after push starting it for half a mile

 

eventually i had it running a bit better, but, i managed to flood it, thought oh well, ill take out the sparkplug and push it a bit to get the gas out, there was gas, a spark and a big ball of fire

 

 

bought another one for 120 euros

 

 

made one out of the two. the one engine decided it liked to eat its pistonrings, so that became a moneypit. put the other back in, turns out that was also a money pit as it liked to eat its flywheel key after a couple minutes. thats when i sold them

 

[Buzz 502]

On 3/9/2018 at 2:04 PM, edgro said:

As an ex VW owner, I think l know the answer to that one.

my projects were a sand rail (3 cylinder), dune buggy, Baja bug, old rusty beater. Enjoyed the fun, but not the fixing constantly. Finally got rid of all them for good

 

VW off road dune buggy. For every hour driving you spent 4 hours repairing. Plenty of friends to go riding, none showed up for repairing.

 

[edgro 677]

14 hours ago, Buzz said:

 

VW off road dune buggy. For every hour driving you spent 4 hours repairing. Plenty of friends to go riding, none showed up for repairing.

 

 after wrecking the trans on the sand rail, i decided to pull the rough running engine apart, found one cylinder had nothing in it. I don't remember if there was any rod there, but no sign whatsoever of a piston. pretty much decided the fun was over then, and got rid of it all

[6wheeler 603]

The worse project I did that ended bad? I found an 86 Pontiac 6000 with 45k original on the clock. I bought it at an estate auction in 1993. Problem was? Before he passed? He was in a nursing home for a few years. So, the car sat in an old shed. Paid $300 bucks and l winched it up on the trailer. It didn't run. But, I could see the "diamond in the rough". Brakes were stuck. Engine wouldn't start. But, after several weekends and smashed fingers along with 7 stitches on my noggin? She came to life. By the time it was done? New tires, New exhaust, Brakes and calipers. a complete tune up? All to the tune of about $600? Plus, the $200 bucks my medical ins. didn't cover? She was just like new. That copper paint shined like new penny. And that Quad 4 purred like a kitten. I liked driving that car, while I was working on it. One Friday night. I decided it was my wife's mini vans, turn for a tune up. She had to work her overnight shift. So, I say. "Take the Pontiac". It was a nice night. And, I didn't have to work Saturday. She goes to work and the Caravan gets done without a hitch. She worked at a 24 hr. Grocery store. She decided to get her shopping done after work. She comes home about 5:30 AM and like the dutiful husband I was? I go to help unload them. Well? We had some strong T-storms coming in. So, it was getting very windy. And right after we get it all carried in? I hear this giant CRACK!!!! And then? The crushing sound of steel and glass breaking. Even with the wind. I went outside to see my effort and pride completely crushed under a Box Elder branch that a Cat tractor backhoe had a helluva time lifting off. I was going to put Full Coverage ins. on it "after" I got it done. It had liability on it . I was going to call the following Monday, As I had just finished buffing it out before she went to work??? Not. To add insult to injury? I twisted my ankle while we were cutting up that damn tree. Maybe the former owners spirit said? "If I can't have it? Neither can you"....... 

Edited April 2, 2018 by 6wheeler

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

I lived in a little town and had a gentleman give me a 68 datsun pickup with a blown motor that was in damn nice shape. Here is a pic of the what it was, its not the one I had, but mine wasn't bad. I was 14 years old, and gonna "restore" it. I completely tore it apart, sewed up a new interior, and when I was a senior realized I was in over my head. Cut the frame and made a pick up bed trailer out it. Hauled the rest to the junk!!  I have beat my head on the wall a bunch of times about that. It would have been such a cool truck. 

 

 

[19richie66 17,522]

My friend has one similar to that with a supra 2jz turbo motor in it. Really hauls the groceries and you would never know it was in there. Nice trucks. 

[Tractor boy 239]

I have a couple. The first one is a mantis rototiller. That is still going on. The second is keeping my tools clean and in the toolbox if not needed. That will probably never happen because it seems like every day between the  and my quad somehow something breaks almost every day. 

[19richie66 17,522]

1 hour ago, Tractor boy said:

I have a couple. The first one is a mantis rototiller. That is still going on. The second is keeping my tools clean and in the toolbox if not needed. That will probably never happen because it seems like every day between the  and my quad somehow something breaks almost every day. 

All my tools get tossed on the bench at the end of the day. Can’t hardly walk in my shed so......too hard to put anything away that I am just going to need when I work on it again. Problem is the pile never gets smaller.

Edited April 9, 2018 by 19richie66

[Tractor boy 239]

2 hours ago, 19richie66 said:

All my tools get tossed on the bench at the end of the day. Can’t hardly walk in my shed so......too hard to put anything away that I am just going to need when I work on it again. Problem is the pile never gets smaller.

Same here but my pile is small because I don’t have a lot Of good tools. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Tractor boy
Spelling error.

[C-101plowerpower 1,605]

2 hours ago, Tractor boy said:

I have a couple. The first one is a mantis rototiller. That is still going on. The second is keeping my tools clean and in the toolbox if not needed. That will probably never happen because it seems like every day between the  and my quad somehow something breaks almost every day. 

 

53 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

All my tools get tossed on the bench at the end of the day. Can’t hardly walk in my shed so......too hard to put anything away that I am just going to need when I work on it again. Problem is the pile never gets smaller.

 

ah so im not the only one

[Tractor boy 239]

Nope 

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

Oh far from it!! I swear all I ever do  is clean the shop, never get to the tractor stuff!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

 

[Cvans 1,009]

 

On 3/14/2018 at 6:36 AM, edgro said:

 i decided to pull the rough running engine apart, found one cylinder had nothing in it. I don't remember if there was any rod there, but no sign whatsoever of a piston. 

 

Did it sound like a Kohler?