Delays and Re-Dos: No regrets!

[skullandbones]

I am happy to say that I am making real progress on my build but it hasn't always been that way. Several delays have let time march on, leaving me and my roadster in it's wake (#6046). Sometimes those life obligations just happen. Almost to the go kart stage now and I am getting very anxious but managing to maintain control.

So I have had time now to relook at what I have done and needed to undo. There is one more of those things: ditch the donor pedal box and start over. I think that will get me back on course so I can say I have a solid build.

I don't think I have any significant regrets about the way things have played out. I can't imagine not having the roadster in my garage during the past years (April, 2007). Having this new forum has re-energized me and actually helped me make some good decisions (e.g. mounted power pump and new hoses to power rack instead of running it like a manual. Thanks, guys).

So I think I can say that this will not likely end up as a "roadster kit for sale" if I have anything to say about it. Someone on another thread said he should start a thread about "how long to build" since they were doing "how much room to build". I thought it would be appropriate for me to start it since I have been there. Thanks, WEK.

[Pierre B]

Time is both an absolute and relative thing. It's the same for all of us, since we each have 24 hours in a day. But time building one of these roadsters is meant (or at least I think it should be) to be pleasurable. But each of us has different amounts of time and money to expend on pleasurable things, so we all take the time we need to build one of these delightful cars. There are no absolutes, and none of us builders punches in on a timeclock. I remember wondering, before I bought my MKII kit, how long it would take to build. I found answers like 200 or 250 hours. All of that meant nothing when I became absorbed in the planning and building process, and really in retrospect, I think that's a very good way to go about all of this. It really is worth taking the time we need to get things exactly like we want them, since the building/assembly process is never again as easy as it once was before the finished body was in place. Glad you have no regrets: that's the way it should be IMO.

[Gumball]

I picked my Mk3 up on 10/10/09 and I'm still months away from go-karting. I'm enjoying the build and the time I spend in the garage working and the time I have outside the garage thinking about how to improve the build or gain new skills so I can do something I've never done before from a fabricating standpoint.

But, probably the best thing about the time it's taking me to build this car was summed up not too long ago. I live in a neighborhood with lots of very young kids who are amazed at the build process. They and their parents spend so much time hanging around that I often get little work done. I even bought a bunch of remote control cars that the kids keep under one of the shelves in little garages they made out of FFR boxes - this really helps keep them occupied while I try to at least get some work done. One recent weekend evening, after a day of way too much conversation and distractions, I mentioned to my wife that while I certainly didn't get much done on the car that day, I surely made a difference in those kids' lives by paying attention to them and showing them what I'm doing. Hopefully I passed along something that they'll remember fondly someday as they do some mechanical work of their own.

The car will be done someday and I'll be able to enjoy it for a long time, but those kids will only be young once.

[LuckyWinner]

The car will be done someday and I'll be able to enjoy it for a long time, but those kids will only be young once.

I am planing to do this build with my Grandson that is now staying with us and I can't wait. I'm not going to rush the build or put anytime limit on it because I want my Grandson to learn that good things come to those who wait. I want this to be something that he remembers for the rest of his life and that means no getting mad or agrivated by the build. Plus I have wanted to do this for at least 20 years and I am in no rush to complete it. Just take my time and enjoy the time in the garage with my Grandson and my wife, listening to music, talking, laughing and learning. This car is a great way to bond with your family as long as you make them a part of it and dont obsess about it.

[Sailor]

He'll be 45 years old and telling his buddies about when he was a kid, his grandpa was so cool. We built a Roadster together. Well.... he did most of the work but I was there and because of that....... (fill in the rest of the thought your self). Awesome. I plan to do my build with my son. He'll be 4 in November and already loves to help daddy pull on the ratchet as we disassembled the 351W to a bare block. It's something kids just don't get enough of these days and we'll be providing this for our kids, grandkids and the neighbour's kids as well apparently. Keep it up guys.