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How do you count your time ??

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  • How do you count your time ??

    Working on your Stude, how do you count your time? I count all my time as time well spent, when I am having fun. When something goes wrong and it's not fun, then I count my time as what I could be making working!!!!!!! Yesterday and today I spent three hours looking for my build (notes) book. The Saturday Night Special just cost me ninety more bucks. LOL I took time some weeks ago to assemble my notes, sketches, diagrams, etc. in a binder, so as not to lose them. Well being an old codger, I DID lose them (or should I say misplace?). Anyway, after looking over everything in the shop three times, I finally found it. It was right beside the chair in the photo at eye level. It was actually behind the seat on a shelf. AND YES, I did move the seat. I just looked at the binder probably a dozen times and looked over it, saying to myself "I know it's not in there" . LOL LOL LOL Ever do anything like this? How do you count your time?


  • #2
    When I knock at the first door.
    59 Lark wagon, now V-8, H.D. auto!
    60 Lark convertible V-8 auto
    61 Champ 1/2 ton 4 speed
    62 Champ 3/4 ton 5 speed o/drive
    62 Champ 3/4 ton auto
    62 Daytona convertible V-8 4 speed & 62 Cruiser, auto.
    63 G.T. Hawk R-2,4 speed
    63 Avanti (2) R-1 auto
    64 Zip Van
    66 Daytona Sport Sedan(327)V-8 4 speed
    66 Cruiser V-8 auto

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    • #3
      When working on a Stude, I start the garage-labor clock when I walk into the garage, because that's where the wrenches are turned. I do not count time on phone/computer chasing parts, researching, etc..

      I once kept track of garage-labor on a 56J frame off restoration. I stopped counting at 2000 hours, and just didn't want to know anything past that. I later drove that car 41,000 miles, then sold it for about the same money (out of pocket) I had in it. If I'd counted the 2000+ labor hours, even at minimum wage, it woulda been a terrible loss.

      I count it as a labor of love, and do not put a price on it, unless paying someone else for their labor. If it ever comes to that, I will be out of Studebakers, period.
      Last edited by JoeHall; 12-09-2014, 06:40 PM.

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      • #4
        Well...my time is counted as "building memories" or anticipating "future fun." I spent my childhood in physical pain, fear, and mental anguish. Since then, I've gained a rather peaceful perspective about the value of each day. Just today, while talking with my 93 year old mom, she launched into an apology of how she realized, of all her children, I got the "short shrift." I quickly let her know, that there was no apology required. I reassured her, that she was the one who set me on a path to a happy life. She stimulated my intellect, soothed my wounds, and illuminated the way out of my darkest moments.

        In adulthood, this car hobby, and the friends made along the way, has provided a platform upon which to exercise those early principals. My way of explaining all the time wasted hunting stuff "hiding in plain sight"...is probably your guardian angel...providing you with an opportunity to resupply a deficiency in "humility," or perhaps creating a diversion to keep you from impatiently doing something foolish or stupid.

        Today, I was going to rebuild a wheel cylinder on my truck. It was cold and windy. I spent much of the time looking for just the right diameter piece of PVC or wooden dowel to drive out the old stuck corroded pistons. I chucked the cylinder in a vise, tapped a bit, until my fingers cramped from the cold, and would have to retreat to the house to warm back up. With each step, cranking the reluctant cold engine to reposition the truck, assembling required tools, jack, jack stands, etc., the cycle of "warm-up" breaks made this job much longer than reasonable. I even ended up having to make a ten mile foray to the local parts store for brake cleaner.

        While at the parts store, ran into one of my mechanic friends, and, along with the folks working at the store, had terrific fellowship. By the time I had that blasted little brake cylinder completely stripped, the temperature had fallen into the mid thirties. (I know, you folks in Minnesota are rolling your eyes) But, spraying that brake cleaner on the cylinder nearly froze my fingers off.

        But, the thing about this hobby, and my attitude tempered by what I survived as a youth, as I dropped the cylinder in my parts cleaner (a plastic Folgers coffee can), sprayed more brake cleaner, closed the lid...I realized that a huge smile had come upon my face...as I began turning off the lights, closed the door behind me, and started toward the house. Just then, my wife arrived with a trunk full of groceries. "What's so funny?" she asked. "Well...nothing. I'm just amused at how much fun I've had accomplishing so little."

        That's how I count my time.
        John Clary
        Greer, SC

        SDC member since 1975

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        • #5
          "...count time" Who's keeping track and... why? NOT I!!! No schedule, no deadlines, no budget!!! and, I might add, NO SALARY!!!
          Last edited by Xcalibur; 12-09-2014, 07:06 PM.

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          • #6
            Never keep track of the time or the money. That takes all the fun out of a hobby.

            I subscribe to the New York Times Sunday Edition I read where "personal assistant" to the rich and famous charge $20-50 an hour to run errands, walk the dog and generally do chores.

            I build custom Studes for myself and engines for others and hope to break even on dollars out of pocket. It's fun or it's work. Work is what I don't do any more.

            jack vines
            PackardV8

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            • #7
              I am not organized enough to keep track of all that. Besides we all know the work on a car never really ends, does it?
              Joe Roberts
              '61 R1 Champ
              '65 Cruiser
              Eastern North Carolina Chapter

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              • #8
                Ditto to what PackardV8 said- I loosely keep track of money(not to budget tho), but time; forget it! I just enjoy "wrenching" on Studes-repairing the family brand x fleet is just a chore.....

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                • #9
                  I have made a living in the "automotive repair trade" for 50 plus years, still work every day at it but my time with my Studes and other toys is for relaxation. I do not track that time or for the most part the money, either I have it to spend on them or they have to wait till it's there. Saved my sanity many times and maybe a few customers lives along the way. Lamar

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                  • #10
                    I count it as fun and as an investment but don't actually document the hours. I try to keep track of the money but am not 100%.
                    Diesel loving, autocrossing, Coupe express loving, Grandpa Architect.

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                    • #11
                      If I maintained any sort of accounting of time spent on car projects, I would be forced to call the scrapper to haul the obsession(s) away, so my efforts could be spent on something productive.

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                      • #12
                        I pay myself minimum wage and use the proceeds to fund my projects.

                        Bob

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                        • #13
                          My clock is pretty straight forward...
                          So far it has been the 50's, 60's, 70's...yada yada yada
                          HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                          Jeff


                          Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                          Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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                          • #14
                            Guy's I used to work with used to tell me what an expensive hobby i had. Always cited the time I had invested in building my cars. Tried to explain that time working on my cars equated with the time they spent on the golf course with the exception that the money the spent golfing was gone, while I at least had the prospect of some return since I had a tangible product of my time.
                            Own \'53 Commander Starliner. Red w/beige top. 350 Chev/700R4. Tilt,cruise,A/C.http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j30/Bobphyl/StudeontheBeach.jpg

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                            • #15
                              Time only counts for me when I go beyond "expected time." Then the frustration sets in. At that point I feel I'm being robbed of my time. The flip side is I love to create/modify parts to fit a unique and specific applications. It is sort of mechanical artistry. I consider that time well spent regardless of the total time spent.

                              As to money..., I'm CASO through and through. While those with money to spend may always have it "better," I strive to have it "good enough" - for as little as possible. An example would be my 700R4 conversion (granted a Chevy engine to start with). I spent $150 and after I sold the B/W trans originally in the car it was $100. I have a 3.08 first gear for acceleration and a .70 overdrive for the highway. I drive the Studebaker under 500 miles a year and never gone more than 25 miles from home. I can't see spending $2,500-$3,000 on a trans upgrade for that. But for $100 and the joy of making it all work - it's priceless.
                              '64 Lark Type, powered by '85 Corvette L-98 (carburetor), 700R4, - CASO to the Max.

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