It Is Not About the Destination; It Is About the Journey!

Most of you that use modern technology and take pictures occasionally get one or more of those pictures in a “memory” from your picture storage app. Apparently, the gentleman (Shawn Davis) that I traded my drag boat to for the Corvette ProMod project got one of those “memories” recently that showed the “project” 7 years ago. The chassis was complete, painted, and not far from becoming the car that Shawn had envisioned. 

Shawn does nice work and it was very well done! That is the reason I traded my boat for it. I would not have traded my beautiful boat for a junky project!

Shawn has been encouraging me to get the car finished so I can race it for a long time! He is one of those guys that is very focused and completes projects very quickly. He is also my friend and is a good guy!

When he got his “memory” photo, he forwarded it to me with this quote:

“Your project 7 years ago. You work too slow”

To which I replied:

“Yeah, that seems to be the case.”

“It is not about the destination, it is about the journey”

I have thought about that note many times in the last couple of days and I have asked myself, what would I do different? Should I have just put it together in the form I got it with a lesser engine and raced it in another class? Should I have kept my boat? Should I have not been myself and just leave it as is?

Once I thought about it, I realized that I would not have changed anything. I just can’t keep myself from making things mine and do them my way. I didn’t say the right/smart way, I said my way. That is because for me, it really is about the journey!!!

After looking at his picture for a while, I realized that not much of the original car is there after my journey. Basically, the bare basic chassis is all that is left. Here is a list of things that changed:

• Different rear end.
• Front end is redesigned (fuel and oil tank mounts). 
• Different brakes.
• Different steering.
• Different suspension.
• The control pedals are changed to fit me.
• Different body.
• Redesigned body mounts so body can be easily removed.
• Engine configuration is changed for a Hemi engine. 
• Different wheels.
• Different safety net system.
• Different seat design.
• Different cross bracing and transmission mount in the center of the chassis.
• Different drive shaft safety containment.
• And the list goes on…..

I am not saying that anything was wrong with the car, it just wasn’t mine!!! There is really nothing left of the original car but the bare chassis.

Now let’s talk about the speed at which I work.

Am I slow? YES! 

Am I thorough? To the point of nauseating most people. 

Am I a perfectionist? ABSOLUTELY! 

Am I rediculous? POSITIVELY! 

Do I enjoy making things mine? I think you know the answer to that. 

Did I show up with a car I prepared myself and test it 9 times down the track with zero breakage and without crashing the car? Yep, with God’s help! That in itself is an amazing journey and experience!!!

Now, I want to talk about the journey itself. If I hadn’t done it my way, slowly, painstakingly, and rediculously, I would not have done any of the following:

• Buy an engine located at Jan-Cen Racing Engines and meet some of the finest people I have ever met.
• Redo and learn a lot of stuff on the car to make it mine.
• Become best friends with the Janis family.
• Had the Janis’s at my test session to keep me safe.
• Have one of the greatest experiences of my life with friends, family, and multi-time nation champions at my first test session.
• Gain a huge amount of knowledge about how to build and setup a car.
• Teach myself to weld exotic metals (TIG welding).
• Teach myself how to fabricate with exotic metals.
• Do a “John Force” burnout. The Janis’s weren’t too proud of me for that one!
• Totally redesign and rebuild the car based on what I learned from the test sessions and the Janis’s recommendations.
• Set a new goal of NHRA racing.
• Buy and NHRA capable car/engine to accomplish that goal.
• Realize that my NHRA dream was really meant to be left to professionals (The Janis's), ha!
• Refocus on the original dream of completing the Corvette and racing it when I can, for fun!

So, yes I have been working on this dream for 6 years and the journey has taken many winding roads. The destination is still the same, but we have seen some beautiful scenery along the way. I could have taken an airplane and gotten to the destination quickly but those who know me also know that I prefer to drive on the back roads and enjoy the trip!!!

The best is yet to come! I am getting very close to having ‘The Resurrection Project” back together again and start learning to drive/tune. I have fallen back in love with the Corvette and can’t wait to drive it!

We also have a whole other journey beginning that would not have happened if I hadn’t been, ME! 

Watching the Janis family win races in the new car will be amazing. I just hope I am at the track to see their first win! The Janis’s are well on their way to having their new car ready to go next year. Imagine how fun it is going to be to watch a multi-time national champ family tune and drive a car that was once mine. I can’t wait!

Here is some pictures of the latest progress on the car(s) that has lived multiple lives! It truly is “The Resurrection Project” (More text after the pictures too):

Windows are all fitted and mounted.

New transmission mount and removable cross bar to make torque converter service much easier.

Transmission and converter drive both slide back out of the way so I can access the torque converter without removing the whole assembly from the car. Old guys have to work smarter rather than lift heavy stuff all the time!

New front floor pans to fit the new body and firewall (the rust will not stay, ha!)

Everything torn back apart again for a fresh engine rebuild and final welding on the new chassis modifications. Hopefully, when the car goes back together, it will be for the final time. Getting close now!

The car is on the rotisserie for the last time for final welding and fitting of all modifications, brackets, wire  tabs, etc. The rotisserie makes it easier for an old guy to get into a good body position to TIG weld hard to reach stuff.

This is a picture of the progress the Janis’s have made on the Mustang. It is going to be beautiful!

To quote from one of my favorite movies (Parenthood) by the wise old grandmother talking about life, “I like to ride the roller coaster, the Merry-go-round is too boring.” To which Steve Martin replies, “If she is so smart, why is she sitting in the neighbor’s car”. I guess part of the journey is occasionally getting in the wrong car! A perfect analogy of our journey!!!

I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to go on this journey and have the experiences I have had. How many people have gotten to do some of the stupid stuff I have done? I am truly blessed.

Luke 1:37, Nothing is impossible with God