What does your girlfriend/wife think of YOUR project??

[Oddjob]

The '71 240Z is my wife's car. She had one years ago, and absently wished she could have another one. I got her one, and have been resto-modding it ever since. Needless to say, she encourages me to work on it (cue evil laugh).

[GeeZ]

My wife tolerates it. I have had my early 260z since 1980 and probably put at least

$30K in it. She rarely complains unless it sits in the garage too long and blocks her car. Of course she doesn't realize how much I have spent.

[jbk240z]

lol, my wife is ok with the z-car, it is the bmw m3($$$pit) and all the free-cars i bring home that she hates. I have friends and family that think i am a great place to drop off cars that dealers would not offer anything on trade in. I have done fairly well by fixing them and selling them. She just hates seeing the junkers in the driveway.

 

My newest edition is a 1987 maxima station wagon with only 35k on the odo, and perfect garage kept condition. It needs a new ac pump and it goes out for sale.

 

I had a girlfriend who i was really fond of who said something about me and my damn car hobby, that was ok until she made some ultimatum about me getting rid of the cars or else. I chose the "or else" option on the spot. I never looked back.

 

kudos!!

[scooterhulk]

Kinda like reviving these old threads...

 

I needed money last year. I wanted to quit my job to pursue standup comedy. My gf (currently my fiance, she's a keeper...) hated my job, and was supportive of me wanting to be a comic, but she wouldn't let me sell my Z, no matter what. We've moved twice now, and she always looks for a place with a garage for my Z. Over the last year I've been more or less unemployed - enjoying being the housewife - and I decided to restore the Z.

 

When I did my truck (78 yota), she hated it and bugged me every day I went to work on it. With the Datsun, she actually asks how it's going, what I'm doing and why, and is really interested in learning more about the car. She loves it. Down side is she wants to drive it. I only let her drive it once, before I started the resto. She barked my tires after every stop. I had a feeling she was gonna step on the gas and blow right through a road sign or over a curb. Not sure how I'm gonna handle her driving it when I finish. I only drove it a few times a month myself. Probably won't drive it much more than that, but I know already she's gonna want to drive it a lot.

[dreco]

My wife one upped me by finishing her 1969 Camaro w/555 big block.  :/

[scooterhulk]

My wife one upped me by finishing her 1969 Camaro w/555 big block.  :/

That's pretty badass.

[ihiryu]

Since I've dated my girlfriend, I've been through a bit of different cars.  She has helped me before on another car I had (1uz turbo swapped supra) that broke the radiator.  I was getting frustrated that the radiator busted (turbo was hitting the radiator, and never noticed it since the turbo was in the way lol), and I was attempting to take out the radiator in front of her apartment to see if I could patch it up.  I was getting frustrated cause I couldn't get it out, and she comes over, and says "Hey babe, hold on" she tugs on the lower radiator hose, and she motions for me to lift up on the radiator and bam, out she comes.

 

She helped me reinstalled it and even watched me bleed the coolant.  

 

I digress, as far as the Z goes.  She kinda likes it, she is just worried since it's old.  When I first got it, she wouldn't go with my to Dallas to see my family.  She said, "Well if you break down, who is going to get you?".  I laughed and went on my way.  I've put a little more work into the Z, but she seems to like my MR2 more than the Z.  I think she just likes the Z cause I like it.  When she first rode in it, she was amazed that the car had a lot of stuff, was really comfortable, and even had A/C.

[Mikelly]

If you aren't single, and have someone else you have committed yourself to, I think the better question you should ask youself is this: 

 

How is my project impacting my free time to spend with my significant other/family, and how is the constant drain on my finances to fund this "dream" impacting my/our financial and credit status.

 

Men are some of the most selfish of creatures and being a man, I know how this often plays out.  I'm fortunate in that my wife and I met after I had some sense of career and "wealth" moving in the right direction.  She's stuck by me through a lot of projects, a lot of work, a lot of stress, and a lot of cash blown.  But she is fairly proud of what I've built in the form of this Datsun because she knows that I've built it with my own two hands.  And what's more, when some MORON says "Well gee anybody can buy a Porsche" she's quick to point out the work I've done on my own supercars as well.

 

She's also very quick to point out the many weekend trips we take, the multiple vacations per year we take, and the much needed down time we both force upon our relationship so we don't get lost in the shuffle of LIFE and CARs.  They're just cars, and if you have true love in someone, you'll know that spending time with them is far more important than any time you could squander on a hunk of metal.

 

Mike

Edited December 19, 2012 by Mikelly

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

What girlfriend?

 

Simpler.

 

[motomanmike]

Great topic.  My lady is the reason i'm into these cars.  I used to race motocross AMA District 7.  I had a terrible accident a few years ago and had a knee replacement as a result at the ripe age of 28.  I sold all my race quads, trailer and gear and didn't have anything to satisfy my hunger for tinkering.  I built a few old relic quads, 20+ years old, restored them.  About the third one I did she started coming home each week saying "I want that orange car sitting in Laurel".  I blew her off for probably a good 4 months.  Each week the same line.  "I want that orange car in Laurel".  I knew nothing about Datsun.  Finally I cracked.  I rode to Laurel with her on a Saturday to check out this car.  It was a rusty beat up 73 240z.  I looked it over, laughed and said "well the interior is in great shape, if you want it i'll buy it".  So i did.  We both worked on it for months.  The brakes were frozen, the car wouldn't roll, the right quarter panel someone had taken a sawzaw and cut it out, the motor was locked up all in all a terrible Z. Anyone once else would use it for a parts car.  I didn't do my homework. The body work hasn't been done but this car is now my favorite Z.  It runs great.  Looks like a rat rod but I drive it about 10k miles a year. She drives it whenever she can for work. I now have become so addicted i've bought another 73 240z and its orange.  My girlfriend didn't want me to modify "her" car so I had to buy a second one to put a turbo motor in LOL.  She to this day says that she didn't realize that I would become so obsessed with these cars. It filled my void from wrenching on my race quads every week trying to get ready for the next moto.  She supports what I do and helps in the shop sometimes.  She now knows alot more about cars (especially Datsuns) than the average person I would dare say.  I am a very lucky guy to have a significant other that is supportive of my interests.  Its give and take though.  I have to be supportive of well shopping and baking and well all the other girly stuff.  I'm thankful to have a great relationship.  These cars have brought us both a lot of enjoyment.  We go to the cruisin each month locally and take them to Ocean City in the summer.  Its fun for us. 

Edited December 20, 2012 by motomanmike

[zohanisback]

My wife definitely thinks the Datsun takes a lot of my time.  Worst still, she doesn't think Datsuns are even the least bit attractive.    But...despite all this she is very patient with my time and money spent on my cars, especially since I am pretty frugal and do all the work myself/carefully troubleshoot before throwing money at stuff.

 

That said, I always make sure I spend enough time with her, too.  Relationships are built on time spent together and should come first if you want to preserve that.  This is especially true if your better half doesn't like cars and doesn't find them to be a common interest.  If I spend 20 hours out in the garage (which I can routinely do on school breaks), I make sure I spend a comparable amount of time with her, even if it's just cuddling up next to her on the couch and studying.  Made it 7 years so far. Wife doesn't complain and supports my automotive ventures, so I think I've struck a happy balance. 

[RebekahsZ]

After 24 years, I've convinced my wife that 90-weight oil smells sexy.  She loves it when I'm working on a rearend late at night...

[skirkland1980]

After 24 years, I've convinced my wife that 90-weight oil smells sexy.  She loves it when I'm working on a rearend late at night...

90 weight is the worst. I spilled some in my truck and had to throw all the carpet away.

I broke up with my girlfriend so she bought a 280zx and wanted me to work on it. You know, after she found out I was dating someone else. We're back together now.

[Gollum]

My issue is never the car hobby per say, it's the 50 other hobbies too.

 

I do all manner of IT work when it comes to in-home house calls. So I do everything from format/reinstalls to URC programming. Needless to say this means there's a fair amount of computer junk around the house. I finally brought in about 10 desktops the other day to e-waste and now I find I've already built up about 3 more that need to go, and that's after having built a system I donated to a non-profit.

 

Then there's music. I've been an avid guitarist for 10+ years now and even though it hasn't taken up as much time as it has in the past lately, I still have, I think, 3 guitar amps in pieces in the garage, waiting for me to order parts so I can finish the mods/rebuilds I've got planned. One is basically just an empty chassis with transformers and tube sockets. It's getting a ground up rebuild, and I've got the circuit I built for it taped to the wall. 2 years ago I decided on a whim to make a new 2x12 cab that was modeled after my silvertone cab that was falling apart... Boy does she have some grace...

 

The list goes on. I pretty much gave up video games 6 years ago but people still try to drag me back in. I don't think I've bought a game for myself in at least 3 years yet I've got a shelf of recent stuff I haven't touched.

 

My life is a like of projects. Some people can just do one project at a time, and when they complete one project they start another. I don't understand how people do it, but it must be nice. At any give time I've got 10+ projects going, with a good 2-3 of them being worked on at a weekly basis at least. Lately it's been experimenting more with solidworks flow simulation and cleaning junk around the house (you know... taking those S130 doors to recycle that you've had lying around for 7 years....). And of course a friend built me a new computer for christmas (or darn right?) so there's all of that fun transfer stuff going on lately.

 

So when it comes to cars, that's usually the LEAST of my worries with wife tolerances. What mike said is definitely words of wisdom, Never let your car hobby become more important that the relationships that make life worth living. It sucks to live life alone. The best introverts might be able to take it for a time, but even the best introvert enjoys being appreciated by someone. My challenge is to pick and choose what hobbies get to see what little time I get to give to them. This is probably why updates in my project thread goes in waves, and why my car hasn't seen the street in 2 years...

 

All in all though, she likes my S30, and wants her own Z32 someday. She'd probably enjoy her own S30 if she understood how "nice" and "civil" they can actually be. Mine isn't going to win many people over. I think my favorite comment I've ever had from a woman was "I really like your car. I'd never EVER ride in her, but she really just makes me happy inside." (this was soon after I'd pulled the dash) I do find it humorous though how many women have had positive comments on my car, yet would never take up the offer to go for a ride... Again... my car isn't one to be adored (compared to the breed).

 

But all that said, the one time in the last 6 years I talked about selling my S30, my wife was the first one to try to convince me not to. She's a keeper.

[dreco]

That's pretty badass.

[norstar]

When my wife and I met, I owned a 76 280.  20 years and two kids later, I had the opportunity to buy another. Didn't realize how much I missed these cars.  It was an easy sale for me, took her down memory lane. Every time she sees one on the road now (NE so this is rare) she lets me know.   NOW my son is hooked an he and my wife are on a mission to find his first Z!!!