Austarion

Posted: **Sat May 26, 2012 10:45 am**

Posted this up on Starquestclub and thought one of you blokes might be keen.

I've been on a personal crusade of simplifying my life and paying off debt. I'm divorced now, 32 years old, live in my grandmother's basement, and don't have a place of my own. It's time to move on. I devote so much time to my projects it's coming between me and the boys, not to mention getting time and money to start dating again. I'm tired of working on cars and buying parts for a dozen or so projects. I feel overwhelmed. None are getting finished, many haven't even been started, others have been sitting for years. I've been keeping up with how much I spend on cars and parts the past few years and it's been enough that I could have went out and paid cash for something in the 30-40k range. What I'd like to do is sell all my quest stuff for around 12k. You'd get one excellent running car, two rollers (one fat one flat), two parts cars, complete leather black and tan interior, mint black interior, fully built forged 4g64 with all necessary swap parts plus some, TII trans, t56 trans, couple of different engine management solutions, several blocks, a coveted 4g63 wideblock, enough parts to build a couple of DASH 4g63 12Valve engines, whats left of an AWD talon, several sets of JDM tails, and many many more parts both USDM and JDM, nearly all rare and desireable. What I would keep is one 4g64 SOHC and turbo mani, DSM wiring harness, Eprom ECU, cloth black and tan, my first 89 SHP, and a few other odds and ends. 12k is way less than what I've got in all this stuff. It's enough to fill up a large U-haul to the brim and five trips with a car hauler.

I don't have time to part all of it out, SO DON'T ASK.

Even considering liquidating my 1st gen Celica, V6 KLZE Escort, and Raider projects. See a trend here? I'd keep my 89 Quest for me and Rambler wagon cause the kids like it.

Sorry for the tirade, but I've been looking at things a little different lately. I was going through a bunch of pictures a few days ago from when me and my buds would go to car shows. There were hundreds of pictures of cars and only one of my friends. Same with my high school sweet heart, just a handful of her. My priorities have been in the wrong place for a long time. I feel I have missed out on sooo much in life from worrying, spending, and working on cars. Feel even worse since I don't really have anything to show for it. Want to sell most of my car stuff so I can buy a boat, camper, or something along those lines. Don't forget a house too. People in my life are becoming more important and something like a boat would be enjoyable to more than just the guy behind the wheel.

If you have a 40ft intermodel container dropped off at my shop and deposit 12k USD in my account, I'd load up a 89 SHP widey that I am currently driving, an 88 widey roller, along with all the other goodies listed, plus strip the parts cars down and toss it in.

Kane

Posted: **Sat May 26, 2012 6:25 pm**

G'day Kane,

Sorry to hear about your break-up and it's a bit sad to see the sudden need to get out of your projects. Admittedly, there are too many.
Good to see you making time with your boys and friends. And I'm sure you have made a lot of friends here in Oz with your participation on the forum
and the great help you have given us with getting stuff from the States.
That's a big call from all us Aussie Starion owners! You're welcome to our shores anytime :)

Just the way you have built up your parts and projects, you'll need to downsize and sell things gradually. Realistically, no-one has that sort of cash these days to splurge on!
Make time to get some of that money back.
That $30-40K car would be worth well under $20K today and I hear those boats are nothing but maintenance worries. Nothing wrong with hiring these things.
I can relate to many projects as I have a few, but I am fortunate in owning my home and I would concentrate on that first. What happened to that good-sized
block of land you had with the parts cars parked on?

I suppose it's all a matter of putting balance in your life. Finding time and making time is an art form...and when it catches up to you, yes it can become overwhelming!

Anyway, best of luck with getting your life on track!

:beer Mal

Posted: **Sat May 26, 2012 9:52 pm**

Hey mate.

Sorry to hear as well. Alternatively, a bunch of members could all chip in by listing all the items, and assigning who wants what etc and all split the cost based on what you want. Might cost 6 members $3k each... or something like that. Just an option.

Posted: **Sat May 26, 2012 10:40 pm**

As Mal said, it's a matter of balance. Right now everything might seem too much, and no doubt you've been on an emotional rollercoaster.
But even where you are at right now, that too will pass and you will set things up in your life again...and the bug that bit all those years ago will bite again.
That's when you'll spew that you sold so much of your stuff.
The benefit of hindsight is only available after the fact.

Ask around on here and you'll find others who've been where you are now.
Then carefully consider what projects you can cull and not miss in the future.
Gotta keep some of it, there's too much of your life tied up in your projects.
One other thing, you're still young, don't sweat it.

All the best Kane. You'll sort it out.

Posted: **Sun May 27, 2012 1:23 am**

JDSTAZ45 wrote:
That's a big call from all us Aussie Starion owners! You're welcome to our shores anytime :)

What happened to that good-sized block of land you had with the parts cars parked on?

Buy my stuff and I'll make the trip over. LOL

I've still got my land and garage although I've never built a house on it. There is an 84 acre parcel close by with over a mile of river front. I grew up on a farm and learned alot of valuable life lessons that I'd love to teach my children in that setting. Selling most of my "collection" would go a long ways towards building a home.

WidebodyWoody wrote:Hey mate.

Sorry to hear as well. Alternatively, a bunch of members could all chip in by listing all the items, and assigning who wants what etc and all split the cost based on what you want. Might cost 6 members $3k each... or something like that. Just an option.

Wouldn't mind that a bit if someone was willing to set it up.

enthuzed wrote:As Mal said, it's a matter of balance. Right now everything might seem too much, and no doubt you've been on an emotional rollercoaster.
But even where you are at right now, that too will pass and you will set things up in your life again...and the bug that bit all those years ago will bite again.
That's when you'll spew that you sold so much of your stuff.
The benefit of hindsight is only available after the fact.

Ask around on here and you'll find others who've been where you are now.
Then carefully consider what projects you can cull and not miss in the future.
Gotta keep some of it, there's too much of your life tied up in your projects.
One other thing, you're still young, don't sweat it.

I'm not bailing out completely, just a massive downsize. Keeping one car for me and another for the kids. Two is plenty for anyone. My 89 is super clean and has all the rare goodies already on it. I just want rid of the extra stuff I've accumulated that I don't need, most of it slated for other projects. I just don't enjoy working on cars like I used to. I may be young but time's a ticking and my boys are growing up quick.

I appreciate the kind words. On SQC I've gotten a few nice remarks but the rest have been parts requests despite my statement in the post. That shows quite a bit of culture difference, Americans in general place too much emphasis on material things. I know I have and am ready to move past that.

Kane

Posted: **Sun May 27, 2012 11:14 pm**

Sorry to hear about your decision bud, however I know all to well about being snowed under with projects! I have been attempting to downsize myself lately & kinda succeeding, it's hard though as I'm sure you're aware. I think you'd regret giving up on the dash project though!

At least with the good contacts you have you can replace a lot of those parts if u so desire later on :P

Posted: **Sun May 27, 2012 11:55 pm**

Sad to hear your story! But also impressed that your making such a big change in your life! Hard to do, and there's few people who actually make a big effort to change like that. Hope things work out.

Mmm if only I had 12K handy! I'd do it in a flash ;)

Austarion

Seriously thinking of getting out.

Seriously thinking of getting out.