Sometimes, I just get cranky...

It's been rainy over the last week.  I've wanted to paint t-bird parts in the evenings, but I find that the paint doesn't spray or cure properly in moist weather.

Now that the car is back from paint guy, all progress relies solely on ME.   Each day I don't do something on the car means another day's delay until it's running again.  I feel the pressure of needing to get this car functional enough for Dad to ride in it, at least once.  Still, I don't want to rush and do a crappy job.  Here's what I've been doing:

Last week, I took the seat parts, cover, and foam to an "Auto Upholstery Guy", who quoted me a high but still reasonable price to assemble the seat.  I looked at all of the Porsche interiors in his shop, and listened to him explain everything he had in mind to do.  He clearly does quality work, and knows how to make a sports car seat comfortable.  I agreed to his price, and left the seat with him.

I also stopped by a custom auto paint shop, and ordered paint color matched to the seat upholstery (Dresden blue) and dash upholstery (blue-green).  I will need this for the steering wheel (green) and lower dash (blue), as well as a few other areas of the interior.   Several weeks ago, I cleaned and conditioned the vinyl on the dashboard and garnish rails, and I'm convinced that they don't need to be replaced... yet.  The lower dash, on the other hand, does need to be refinished... as well as the steering wheel.  The timing of doing that is starting to wear on me.  If I want to do it before installing the engine, then that painting job will be on the critical path for completion.  Another stresser for me.

The wheels have been powdercoated and delivered to Tire Guy.  I purchased a New Old Stock wheel off eBay for the spare (which was stolen from my back yard 35 years ago), and got it to Powder Coat Guy this week. 

In hindsight, I really have been doing a lot to keep this project moving.  But, I've been feeling tense, agitated, insecure.  I've been feeling cranky.  Minor inconveniences have been making me angry.  Friday was a particularly bad day... I wasn't very patient with anybody.  I have to ask why.  Maybe it's pressure at work, which has been building up as I start to question my career direction.  Maybe it's concern over my Dad, and my frustration trying to have meaningful conversations with him.  Maybe it's just uncertainty, and not feeling affirmed or cared for.  Maybe it's lack of intimacy with God.  Whatever it is, I'm taking it as a wake up call, an indication of degrading emotional and spiritual health.  I need to take steps to get healthy.  This car contains a message about restoration, not frustration.  How do I change my attitude, and avoid the old resentment and despair that drove me to sell the car 35 years ago?

Last weekend I primed and painted the forward frame.  Yesterday, I pulled off the masking, revealing a suitable home for my freshly rebuilt engine:

That's more like it!  Some encouragement.  I need to take time to celebrate this, and not just focus on everything else that has to be done before the car can be driven.  The front A-arms are now ready to be assembled.  Tire guy pressed the bushings in for me yesterday.  He will install temporary blackwall tires on the freshly powdercoated rims tomorrow, which I can use to check for fit once the suspension is assembled.  If the size is OK, I will exchange them for wide whitewalls, but probably after the car is painted.

In the spirit of celebration & gratitude, I decided to mount the y-block emblem on the fender again.  Yes, it's only in primer, but I wanted to remind myself of the hope I felt as a 15 year old when I drilled the holes to reposition the emblem & remove the hashmarks.

No, I wasn't crazy.  It looks good!  It reflects my priorities and desire for simplicity.  Looking at it makes me feel somehow vindicated.

I've been helping Uncle Packard with his cars, too.  We are learning to more deeply appreciate each others company.  Driving home from his garage yesterday, I realized that I'm not quite so cranky.  Perhaps everything will be OK after all.