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Maintaining Project Enthusiasm Help Desk Needed!

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McCabe-Thiele (Ted):
I'm trying to find out if others have had issues with maintaining momentum during restoration/rebuild projects.

I started my current 500 project on the 3rd September 2022 having progressed without difficulty up to the 23rd May 2024 when I first started up the engine. Any periods where little or no work was done was primarily due to it being too cold in my garage to work or sometimes delays in sourcing a part or minor glitches in my personal energy levels. There is also of course living ones life outside of sohc - ones  family, personal, domestic obligations/rewards, social life.

As a result of some poor petrol pipe in my temporary petrol tank number one carb has started flooding plus that cylinder is not running as hot as it should. It has also come to light that the replacement needles & Emulsion tubes from DS are nothing like the originals.

I now have the right brassware so need to accept that the carbs need to come off again -  pull my finger out and get it done.

My issue is I can't seem find the enthusiasm to move forwards. I've been bitting and bobbing with cleaning up the points mounting plate as an avoidance tactic.

I'm hoping that this is not an unknown experience so I am reaching out to sohc members for a solution/fix.
What have members done to get back on track with a build?
I need a new batch of  "Round to its" to go back into the garage and just get it done - wtf can I find those Rountuits?

If posting is seen as un-manly a PM would be ok with me. My Johara's Window is wide open.https://www.communicationtheory.org/the-johari-window-model/

Orcade-Ian:
Ted, you are not on your own and I freely admit that I go through phases where I just can't be arsed - usually because of an unobtainable part or interruptions from other sources.  This spell of shite weather hasn't helped either.
A case in point is with my very low mileage V12 XJ-S convertible.  When I got it a few years ago, I ripped into it, replacing all the rubber injector pipes and stripping and cleaning all brake calipers.  It ran perfectly until on the way to the MOT station, when the ABS light came on and stayed on.  I shoved it at the back of the workshop and it hasn't moved since!
Something or someone will suddenly inject me with enthusiasm and if I live long enough, it will get sorted - it's only a machine!

You need to go and visit a mate who is well into a project - the infection will spread!

Ian

DomP:
I'm in the same boat Ted, annoying replacement gauge issues that I can't seem to solve have done it this time.  It would help if the suppliers who sold them to me would show some aftersales support but they really can't be bothered now they have their money.

I've also got my workshop build underway which is a distraction to 'project 550' not to mention  repainting all of the house windows and a certain football tournament that's dragging me away.

I will return to it though at some point

Laverda Dave:
I'm going through that that particular period right now Ted so you are not alone! My build was progressing well until the last couple of weeks when it's been one issue after another with the broken ignition key, the stripped steering stem and the tang breaking off the indicator mount. All these little things mount up to the point where enthusiasm wains and everything seems to become a chore rather than the enjoyment and relaxation of a restoration with plenty of fettling time.
I've ordered a replacement steering stem but until that arrives I've decided to actually ride the bikes I have previously restored especially now the weather has improved at last!
Hopefully when the replacement stem arrives and I get it powder coated my enthusiasm will return to strip the front end down to fit it and the rebuild can progress.

Laverdaroo:
Ted, you’re only human mate, I’ve been to ing and fro ing across the Atlantic so my builds have been in fits and starts. The carbs are holding you up cos you know that it’s not your favourite job so putting it to the bottom of the list.  Fitting the air filters I have means that getting the carbs off now is REALLY fiddly instead of just a pain but once I’d done it my enthusiasm resurfaced and I’ve been back on it but for ages I’d just go out have brew sitting and looking at it then come in going, ‘nah, not tonight’.

Happens mate, just get into it but ensure all is tidy in the workshop, rearrange yer stuff so it’s all in its place  and all is re set ready to go and rip into it, you know you’ll be into it once you start. It’s one of those ‘But I’ve already done that once FFS, I’m going backwards’
I found getting a white board and writing all the jobs down so you can focus your time and get the joy of crossing them off once complete. By crossing out the jobs but leaving them on the board means you can also SEE that the jobs are getting fewer and things are moving Which can help egging you on and keep enthusiasm going
Get cracking mate, you can do this


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