...ummm, yeah. Why do you ask? She knows I love working on them, and while a finished one would be instant gratification, it would be missing 2 things: the challenge of making a derelict cast-off a piece to be proud of, and the personal connection that makes it "mine" instead of something I happened to have enough cash to buy.

Don't worry, I don't take any offense at your question, I think I understand where you're coming from. Your sig line says a lot. "Too much to do and not enough time to do it." To me, that time spent "doing it" is part of the fun. This car is plenty saveable, it just takes more time tham most are wanting to commit.

My dad asked me the same thing. He feels that anything car related that is rusted is trash, yet ironically, he loves to collect antique engines and machinery. He is a perfectionist by nature, so there is some sort of a mental block preventing him from being able to actualy start a project unless he knows it will be as good as new when he is done. As a result, he has tons of restorable machines that just sit there. I don't think he likes the process of doing the restoration, just the end result. The trouble is his standard is somewhere around OE Gold level. Few things are actually worth the cost to get to that level. He doesn't understand that I enjoy the process as much as the result.

I don't get frustrated with my '67, and I've been playing with it for 10 years now. It started at about the same point as the '68, but without the rust. No interior, dead engine/trans. Paint was mostly baked off or worn away by the elements. It had dents. LOTS of them. I built the motor and trans first and drove it around and raced it in it's various states of disrepair. The trouble with it now is that every "improvement" at this point is getting expensive. The car is basically done, and at this point all I'm doing is making it faster.

The '68 needs lots of labor (free) and a few $1000 in reproduction panels. There is a ton of clean up to be done and then the refinishing process will begin. Let's not forget I now have an excuse to build another motor. Yes, there will be lots of money needed, no way around that, but since I'm not rushed for the finished product, I can take my time and spread the purchases out. It will be done right, no sloppy jimmy-rigs or unnecessary body filler to cover up shortcuts. I simply don't need the car finished to enjoy it. I have my prize and one day I'll get to drive it. In the mean time I still get to be the proud owner of a '68 Charger.

I ses Jake71's progress, the Barrelcuda, and others like that and am inspired. Others see them and ask "...but why?!?"