Getting harder to keep motivated

[Christ]

Put it away for a while. Maybe do what I've been planning, and build a teardrop camper to go with it. It's not Festiva work, but it's for the Festiva, and you don't need to pay for a hotel when you drive to Madness...

Pulling that thing in the other direction would yield much better towability and fuel economy...

[getnpsi]

Interesting Christ. I know the camera angle is making the trailer in the foreground huge but is the trailer wider than a pt cruiser?

[Christ]

The wheel base probably is. Those lights are 4" if you wanna scale it out. Trailer fenders are usually about 8-10" wide, you already know the dimensions of a US license plate, so you can use the frame to estimate width.

I'm gonna say it's no more than about 5' cabin width, maybe 70" axle width. It might be a little wider, especially at the top, but that's negligible compared to the taper. As is, it appears to be nothing more than wasting some useable volume on a taper that doesn't see much, if any airflow at highway speed.

[getnpsi]

Every little bit helps. PT's are not known for their mileage. My srt4 (same platform) is hundreds of pounds lighter and i only get 25.5 mpg combined staying out of boost. I dont think my tires aren't as tall as stock either, i might be closer to 25 on the dot.

[Christ]

I've gotten 30 grannying a PT with a SGII backing me up, but you won't see that regularly.

The taper on the front of the camper is less than ideal, but it's better than leaving a huge box at the rear to create that much more wake.

[sketchman]

All the time and energy to create something you really love and that makes you smile every time you see it and drive it and pop the hood can't be accurately priced.

But then I know some people just see a project as a project and when it's done are ready to move on to bigger and better things.

If you love it, I'd keep it. If you just live to build stuff and it's just another "stuff", move on. My 2 cents.

[getnpsi]

I thought that trailer was something you can buy complete. Id love to get one like that no matter which end it points

[Christ]

I thought that trailer was something you can buy complete. Id love to get one like that no matter which end it points

You probably can. There are lots of similar things on the market, just look for "small camper" or "one man camp" and you'll probably find something.

I knew of a guy that used to build bike-towable campers from trunk trailers, but I'm not sure if he's even still alive.

[Advancedynamix]

Chris, we all get burned out every now and again. I've given up on and sold or scrapped more projects than I've finished. As I've gotten older, I have learned ways to put things away for awhile and chill. Take a winter break someplace tropical and loaded with awesome cars that you don't need to work on.

[Damkid]

You just need a RWD v6 one to match. If being the first to do something or accomplish what others count off as stupid or not doable, seems to be your ego boost and motivation to get back in it, then there you go. We like to see what you are up to, do it for your fans lol.


PS if Ontario was hundreds not thousands of miles away i know of buyers for v6 festivas. I know you said youd help build another for a member in the past, sigh..

I'll admit, I've now done 2 swaps that have never been done, my Festiva and the KJ P5 and yes I did really enjoy exploring new ground, if I had more space I would easily just store my festiva for a while til I'm ready to get back on it

But if i were to sell it, there's always the plane ticket option to get here and drive it home

All the time and energy to create something you really love and that makes you smile every time you see it and drive it and pop the hood can't be accurately priced.

But then I know some people just see a project as a project and when it's done are ready to move on to bigger and better things.

If you love it, I'd keep it. If you just live to build stuff and it's just another "stuff", move on. My 2 cents.

You make a good point, but this wasn't "just another project" when I started and I still do not look at it that way, probably never will either... But I do want to have some "just projects" to see if I can do them and need to make space to do so

Chris, we all get burned out every now and again. I've given up on and sold or scrapped more projects than I've finished. As I've gotten older, I have learned ways to put things away for awhile and chill. Take a winter break someplace tropical and loaded with awesome cars that you don't need to work on.

If I didn't know better I'd almost think that was an invite to Arizona

[DriverOne]

Not to hack the thread, but that's a Li'l Guy R/T. http://www.golittleguy.com/teardrops/models/index.php

Chris, can you afford a storage unit for say, four months?

[Grey Vw]

I know the feeling. my festiva is going to sit as is for a few years probably til im done with college then i will do a very proper swap.

[Advancedynamix]

There's always an open invite for you man. I enjoy building cars a lot more here than I used to when I lived in Maine. Just the fact that junk yard parts look like New parts with hardly any effort is a huge help. I have a lot of respect for you guys that deal with all the trouble of living in the North. I couldn't take it any more.
One big thing to keep in mind is that you always have time. You may not always get to everything that you wanted to, but you can always do that later. Getting overwhelmed with our own expectations is a sure fire way to take the fun out of any project. I really want to see and hear your Festiva in a couple of weeks, but I don't want you to beat yourself up making that happen, I don't think anyone here wants that.

[Damkid]

This is why I started this thread as compared to a FS thread, you guys are steering me towards keeping it... I think what eats at me the worst is always maintaining a car, I can customize a car year round and love doing it, I've done more maintenance work this year then I ever want to do.... I have my 323 to thank for that....... So I think I need to sell my 323, use that money to get another festiva on the road as a DD, finish up the 323 hatch project, get it sold to fund parts for my festiva and get back onto customizing it as therapy

And Charlie, one of these days I'll take you up on that offer, it'd be pretty sick if I had my festiva on the race track with you and have two festiva's showing everyone up buwahaha

[Bert]

Most gearhead folks field a reliable and modern DD while they hide their 'fantasy car' (even if it that happens to be a Festy) in the garage for evenings, weekends and special events. What you're doing is going to the extreme, and on more than one car. Everyone, once in awhile, would like to just close the garage door and enjoy driving for a month or two with no issues or apprehension. I sense that you "bite off more than you can chew" much more often than the rest of us.
I have all kinds of wish list projects that may never happen but I did take a 3 month holiday last fall just to tangle with a few things. I am no where near as automotive-talented as you and performing a complete Aspire swap (including all new struts/springs/bearings/brakes etc) plus modifying my truck to house a Ford 9 inch diff and a newer 5 speed tranny was already quite an undertaking.
Every now and again when I get looking fondly at a BP or a B6 twin cam at the boneyard I have to slap myself and say 'get a life man; change the oil in the DD, cut the grass, do a laundry and get started on rebuilding the chimney before the snow flies.'