how do you stay motivated with your project?

[jazzaD1]

As the title asks:

How do you stay motivated with your project?
Not necessarily land rover related, do you set yourself a deadline? or chip away for a certain time every night? or do you have a different method?

I need to pick up the pace on getting my pre update 200tdi disco back on the road, it needs a lot of little (and a couple of larger) jobs done to get it up to speed, soon it will be in the garage at my place, rather than my parents yard which i hope will make me get out there and work on it more

the light at the end of the tunnel is still there, a camping vehicle, something to go off road in, and something to drive to uni

the tunnel just seems a lot longer at the moment!

[travr]

Mate when i built my SWB GQ i found the best way was one job at a time set yourself a task ad complete it. try writing the things you want to do down and then tick them off as you go dont rub them out if you are using a white board as it will look like you are getting no where. and as always remember the end goal a truck you go play in / camp in / daily drive etc etc. building them is half the fun. good luck with your project.

travis

[2stroke]

I try to do something on it every day, even if it's a small thing. Jobs on my projects are divided into "money jobs" and "cheap jobs". If finances allow money is spent and money jobs proceed but I always try to save a cheap job or two to do while I'm saving for the next money job.

[sheerluck]

I try to do something on it every day, even if it's a small thing. Jobs on my projects are divided into "money jobs" and "cheap jobs". If finances allow money is spent and money jobs proceed but I always try to save a cheap job or two to do while I'm saving for the next money job.

I'm with this one. I try a do a 30 minute 'potter' in the shed every other day at least (back pain permitting), but the jobs are split between what do I have in, what costs nothing except labour, and what parts do I need to watch out for.

[MR LR]

Dad's on my back about them...

[Vern]

With my rangie, I had to buy a hoist to get me motivated again! It worked:D
Around the house projects I just tackle when the car motivation is low, always plenty to do around the house:(

[rb30gtr]

hahaha Mr LR Jnr, I can relate!

Building a couple of my earlier rotary implant cars, what really kept me going was - Small goals, something that can be easily achieved that show a result.

The big jobs take time and can easily be put down and left for another day, but a big job consists on tons of little jobs, and completing something and seeing the closer it takes you to the finished project is the key.

Best way to actually feel the progress is photos, take them before you start on whatever the job is, and take them when you finish for the day, because as you work you get numb to the progress and it all seems to drag on. When it is beer oclock, get the images out and see

my 2 cents anyway.

[flagg]

I failed miserably on my first project car because I didn't have any discipline. I would do a bit here, a bit there and then got lost in it all.



With my 110 I broke everything down on jobs, and write them all down. Then split each up into the steps to do it and what I needed to buy, including costs. This allowed me to plan ahead and group them together.



Also doing it this way meant that I had windows where I knew I would be able to drive it, and planned little trips in that time to stay motivated.

Having all the jobs documented also meant that I could be more disciplined about finishing one thing before I started an other. I think this helped me a lot really.



I run a pretty tight ship these days.. I have lists of things that I need to do each weekend on it, even if they are simple. It is amusing the amount of time I spent staring at it wondering what to do next.. Not anymore! I only Potter about once I've done a task, or the list for the day.



Sounds like it isn't much of a fun way to work but I've been able to do so much :)

[SLOWBOAT]

I do things a similar way to the others with a list but, if it is a not too expensive project and I don't need it till it is finished then I just write down all the jobs on one side and a list of things to buy on the other side. I then strip it all down and then don't do anything until all the parts are purchased, then I can just go at it until it is complete.
If it is an expensive project then I do the same lists but, I asterix the parts that I can afford from cheapest to dearest and the jobs I can do without parts and then start on those and work towards the most expensive part required job.
A sound system, tv and a son who comes around every now and then to just help a little is always motivation to get in the man cave and enjoy my time.
If it ain't enjoyable then don't do it, as the projects never get to completion as there is no motivation.

[Benz]

when building up the 130 for our round oz trip there were plenty of times when the job ahead looked too hard.

More so on those jobs you absolutely HATE! when nothing goes your way and you do something silly like skin your knuckles
or when the engine has been in bits for months and you start to forget what that landy is like to drive.

best thing you can do is keep your mind on what your trying to achieve.

I had a spread sheet with each mod and the estimated cost of parts ect.
as the jobs got done they were moved over to the done section with exact costings which means I know exactly how much money I have spent which is a little scary :eek:
I also tried to do the jobs so I wasn't pulling certain sections of the car apart twice. (eg. do ALL of the electrics in the dash or all of the cooling system at once)
didn't always work though... I still ended up pulling the dash apart a few times...

What made me feel the best about doing work on the car was when I kept the it in a state where I could still drive it, which is a little hard to do on those major mechanical jobs sometimes.
but for me nothing gave me more joy and satisfaction then taking the fendy for a quick spin.

[steveG]

Things I struggle with most are keeping everything organised and tidy in the shed, and running into an issue which halts progress until you can get a part/tool/info.

I usually have a couple of things going at once so that if you come to a halt on one you can use the time on the other.
Component work like rebuilding a starter motor, alternator, diff, swivel housing etc are nice self-contained jobs that are satisfying to complete.

If you mainly only get out to the shed in the evenings and have close neighbours like I have, a list of noisy jobs that you can get out of the way at a neighbour-friendly hour is a good idea to keep things moving and happy.
Its a PITA to get to 9.30pm after doing some quiet work and realise that you really need to get the angle grinder out for 10 mins to be able to finish it off.

Keeping things tidy and organised is hard in a small shed, but is probably more important than when you have a large area to spread stuff out.
If you end up hunting around for an hour for that bag of bolts you need to finish a job the enjoyment level drops through the floor, and you're likely to walk away to the TV/couch/fridge.

Basically, the more organised you are the more you will achieve and the better you will feel about the whole project.

Steve

[DoubleChevron]

I struggled for years with projects ... mainly 'cos I could only afford to have one car on the road ... which meant I always had to have it back together and working by Monday/the next day :eek:

Take piccies of your project and post here. That way you can see the history of what you have done.... this is the one I've been tinkering with for the last couple of years.... 2years of tinkering and it looks damn near the same as it did when I pushed it into the shed :o The main thing that slows me is money, I have next to none to spend on cars.... 3young kids and a house to run is always more important that tinkering with projects. You can achieve a lot without spending lots of $$ though.

Is this the best project car you have ever seen? (http://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/citro%EBn-forum/90325-best-project-car-you-have-ever-seen.html)

Sure is fun to drive.

seeya,
Shane L.

[Corgie Carrier]

As the title asks:

How do you stay motivated with your project?
Not necessarily land rover related, do you set yourself a deadline? or chip away for a certain time every night? or do you have a different method?

I need to pick up the pace on getting my pre update 200tdi disco back on the road, it needs a lot of little (and a couple of larger) jobs done to get it up to speed, soon it will be in the garage at my place, rather than my parents yard which i hope will make me get out there and work on it more

the light at the end of the tunnel is still there, a camping vehicle, something to go off road in, and something to drive to uni

the tunnel just seems a lot longer at the moment!

Good timing on this question, I am having the same problem at the moment and funnily enough with the same vehicle. Mine is a 93 200tdi 2dr disco.

I have been putting off getting around to the diff change because I know it is gonna aggravate my back injury. I was hoping to put in a new a frame bearing at the same time, but finances are tight and the one in there seems ok.

So it has been a couple of weeks and I have done nothing.:mad:

Time to follow a few hints here and make a couple of lists and see if that helps.;)

Neale

[2stroke]

I struggled for years with projects ... mainly 'cos I could only afford to have one car on the road ... which meant I always had to have it back together and working by Monday/the next day :eek:

Take piccies of your project and post here. That way you can see the history of what you have done.... this is the one I've been tinkering with for the last couple of years.... 2years of tinkering and it looks damn near the same as it did when I pushed it into the shed :o The main thing that slows me is money, I have next to none to spend on cars.... 3young kids and a house to run is always more important that tinkering with projects. You can achieve a lot without spending lots of $$ though.

Is this the best project car you have ever seen? (http://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/citro%EBn-forum/90325-best-project-car-you-have-ever-seen.html)

Sure is fun to drive.

seeya,
Shane L.
Never ever had any urge to drive a Citroen but THAT IS COOL!:cool:

[crash]

I try and get into the shed most nights for an hour or two.
Three things that motivate me are: 1) I dream of driving my project one day 2) I have thought of what my next project will be and am only allowing me to start it when this one is complete 3) I am determined not to be like my dad and have multiple unfinished project vehicles.

I also find that every now and then I need to walk away from the shed for a week or two to recharge myself, and give me a break away from it.

Just keep plugging away at it.

[Davo]

My God, I must be an expert at this. I'm going to clock up a quarter of a century soon of keeping myself motivated while fixing Landies, often during hideous rebuilds in difficult conditions and with most things going wrong. It hasn't gotten any easier but there are some rules I follow:

1) Complete smaller jobs when possible so that you have something actually assembled and finished to look at.
2) It's harder to get out there and start working than to keep working, so just get out there first.
3) Take a break for a couple of days when needed, so that you can't wait to get back at it.
4) Music, or a TV in the background, or naked women assistants - whatever makes the work more enjoyable - helps so that you're not trapped in that infernal shed/carport/open driveway with nothing but your evil thoughts of what you'd rather be doing.
5) A "professional" attitude of getting on with the job regardless helps too.

I know some people love this work, but I'm more interested in driving than fixing so that's always the big carrot at the end of the long, long stick.

I suppose I really should get off this computer and go and work on the Rangie . . . :(

[Randylandy]

Keeping motivated is easy just get a mrs that nags you and you find hiding in the shed is quite easy.

[MR LR]

Keeping motivated is easy just get a mrs that nags you and you find hiding in the shed is quite easy.
In my relationship that just ended, the shed time practically disappeared...

Good to have that back!!!

Still end up spending as much money.... lol

Cheers
Will

[Davo]

Keeping motivated is easy just get a mrs that nags you and you find hiding in the shed is quite easy.

That's my main motivation but I didn't want to put them young people off. :D

[Kev the Fridgy]

Yep having the missus to keep happy plus work etc always seems to keep me away from my projects..................... So I got divorced :p

[Sitec]

As everyone said! Lists!! Start by having 'that' picture in your head of the finished machine... With that in mind comes the first list... The niceties.. Wheels, mirrors, rock sliders, colour, fancy lockers, etc etc etc... Then comes the other list.... The stuff that needs doing... Diff oils, transfer case leak, steering ball joints, electrical niggles... Sooooo, here's what I do... You are only allowed to do a 'nice' job when you have done a dirty/boring/hard job, and as said before, write the lists down, and cross stuff off as you do it! Looks good as you get thru the items!! I did a 'needed' engine swap in the 101 a few weeks ago, and now I'm making fuel tanks! Love my metalwork, hate the spanners! :)

[Vern]

Think i need to buy another hoist, lost motivation again!