Fix to drive or fix to perfection?

[beejaytx225]

Hi y'all.
I'm at a toss up right now. My truck currently would only take probably a few months to a year of parts and labor to make it "road worthy". It currently runs and drives but by no means would it pass a safety inspection. My head says, this is probably the only chance I'll have to completely restore my dream vehicle. I don't know what to do. Spend 1k to 2k to make it an okay weekend crusier or have it in pieces for years to completely rebuild everything. I'm only working with about a $2k up front budget to make all the repairs (and possibly $200 max a month in overtime at work). I want to completely rebuild it but I also want to drive it! What are y'alls thoughts? Driver repair as you go or tear down and rebuild?

[jzjames]

Pay the money and get it driveable and roadworthy. Able to “pass inspection”.

[Ohiotinkerer]

My .......fix what you need to get it drivable.....I'm looking at your gallery pics and it looks like it's all original, straight, and mostly all there and that's why I'm leaning that way. Mine was like yours and I just fixed what needed fixed, buffed the paint out, cleaned and detailed it and started driving it and found another one that doesn't run and needs major work to completly redo.....besides our bumps are like Lay's potato chips - can't have just one.......

[tsherry]

Fix to drive.

Fix to perfection never gets done, and ends up being someone else's project car after the death of the guy who just couldn't get it quite finished.

[rhyne]

make it what u want the first time. i wasted time and money to make mine road worthy, only to to go back along the way and remake it into what i really wanted to begin with.

[sargentrs]

Drive it first. Here's my sad tale. I've dreamed of building a classic truck for decades and it's my retirement goal to spend my final years building "vintage" vehicles for fun and profit. Not the $50k perfection kind, the kind that will let anybody with a few grand drive a classic. Like tsherry said, there are literally hundreds of "failed" projects out there to be had cheap. I got my truck in 2004, not to rebuild it but to drive it daily just because I was tired of driving vehicles that I couldn't work on. I understood that truck. Drove it round trip 80 miles to work and back for 5 years before deciding I was ready to start rebuilding it. Joined this forum in 2007 and my education increased exponentially (thanks, guys!) I spent from 2009 to 2011 learning and planning my project. In April, 2011 I pulled her into the garage and began disassembly. I made great progress for the first 2-1/2 years. Then "life" intervened...over and over and over again. My project has been stalled for the past 7 years. Not a day goes by that I don't think, plan, dream and prepare. I'm thinking I'll be able to get back on it next year. Enjoy your truck for awhile. Get to know her. Read other member's threads. Plan your build and SAVE MONEY. When you're ready, have a well thought out plan that you can just execute with all the funds, resources, education and tools required. It will cost 4 times more and take 4 times longer than you planned. Read my build thread in my signature for a little preview of what you're in for and good luck!

[DuckRyder]

I would get it drivable (try to avoid “since i’m here disease”) and drive it for a while. I agree it looks like a solid truck, fairly straight, fairly not messed with...

[beejaytx225]

Thank you everyone! I think I will get her back on the road. I guess I got caught up in the beautiful builds that other member have on here. I'll keep everyone updated