silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

I am proposing a Project Car of the month completion. Do you guys like this idea? Considering there are a crap load of project cars out there.

Here's my project car "BlueBird"
357
2.02/1.60 64cc Procomp electronics heads
520/544 310 duration cam
Stock rods/crank
Flattop Summit Racing pistons
Speedpro rings
Clevite Bearings
MSD Streetfire Ignition
Hedmen Headers Longtubes

TH350 Built by Fisher, 650hp/tq rating
HD Clutches, Shift Kit, and a 2000 Stall

9 Bolt Stock with 3.27 gears and 11.25" PBR Brakes.

Car has all tubular rear suspension so far.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

just get it finished and compete in COTM...

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

Some of us don't have nice enough cars to compete. Just looking to make it fair across the board.

micktroup2

I like the idea! Maybe have a few categories to give guys ideas and motivation, such as Restoration, Resto-mod, Modification, Cosmetic, Budget, High Dollar, Performance... But only one overall winner a month? Not to criticize anyone, because 'to each, his own', but it might help raise the standard for 3rd Genners a little, since our public image has a been a little 'lacking'? I haven't been looked at like I am a ******-wearing meth lab chemist, but it has been close- not that I give a damn, I love my Z28!

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

This is what i was exactly thinking of when i thought it up. So everyone has a chance to participate. We're a community, and this is the best way for everyone to have some fun!

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (25)

Finally I will be able to compete with my project cars LOL

A finished car?? what is that???

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

Haha a finished thirdgen, what a joke. Lol It will always leak something

BlueZee28

iTrader: (30)

I think this idea was brought up a few months ago, maybe in early summer....it didn't go anywhere though. Like it was mentioned earlier, just finish the car and then shoot for COTM.

It looks like you're well on your way to having a finished car anyways.

BADNBLK

iTrader: (11)

Soooo... yeah guys. The project of the month has been brought up before, but the whole plan with the COTM is to highlight positive finished thirdgens. JT and I spoke about doing a POTM and we thought that we should leave the projects to use the COTM as something to shoot for with their project.

As far as a site sanctioned POTM, probably not gonna happen, but honestly you might want to pm JT and throw a well thought out idea to him. Maybe his thoughts would change.

Nice project btw

87CIZ

iTrader: (8)

I could see POTM being successful. Some people, myself for example, don't have the money to throw at the car like some members. And maybe just make it for those doing the work, not outsourcing to other people to do work on the car. Make it more hobbyist based than people that do paint and bodywork for a living. Blakecharles, i think is his exact username. I would nominate him for POTM because everything he has done, he has learned along the way and its shown in his build thread. My build is so slow that I never made a build thread, I'm taking pictures but not starting until I can get a run at the car for a good amount of time and have everything I need parts wise to do it.

iansane

iTrader: (1)

I'd say we're lucky enough to have a site endorsed COTM, let alone a POTM. And there is nothing saying you can't nominate a project car for COTM. My car is a project. It has okay paint, good motor/trans, stance, and of course my blood sweat and tears from the last decade. It'll never be "completed" so I'll always see it as a project but it's been nominated for COTM.

Maybe I'm a little harsh here but a POTM just seems like the "participation trophy" that everybody feels they need.

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

Yeah you all have valid points, I was just looking for a way to endorse some love to the average TGO member. Like me when your car sits on jack stands for most of the year lol. Granted mine is almost in a driving state its no where from finished except the restored interior.

91phoenix

iTrader: (5)

I have mixed thoughts on this. Need some criteria to use as to what would qualify and I also believe the the project in question must have a chance to be finished in time to have voting on it. Thus leaving not much actual time to do the whole project. It just sounds like it could end up being another way to post your projects even if they are going to take several months to complete. With things thought out more I think it could be interesting.
In this spirit I would say that it would need alot more thought before being presented to JT.
My car isn't much now but I hope after I get it done I might just once be nominated for COTM. To be considered in that category is all I hope for and is a reasonable goal even though I do not have lots of money to throw at the car.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Headers - What did you coat them with? Is that VHT flame header paint? I used it on my Cherokee with awesome results. Just wondering.

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

I did use VHT Flame paint, I have taken them on and off a couple times dinged them up, i am not able to cure it properly the first run anyway. I plan to repaint them later. Still looks pretty good!

silentkillzr

iTrader: (2)

It would take a bit of work and planning, I validate your input.

kmcn47

its a good idea i think, give everyone working so hard on their cars but nowhere near finished some incentive to keep going, and commendation for the work they've already done

88TransAmGuy

iTrader: (3)

I like the idea.Ive put 8,000 plus into my Car and i started when i was 16.Im now 18 and the car looks totally different and i think REALLY Good.Ive never once got Nominated and if i did itd be an honor after working on my car every single day. Im now doing another motor rebuild on it. Some of us cant afford the cars like SpikeZ or WhitedevilTa have
For example heres what i started out with:
Bone stock 88 Trans am that was left in a barn for 10 years.Severe body damage due to a drunk Previous owner and the paint was god awful. But youll see in the next pics that it doesnt look too bad and thats because i polished and polished and wet sanded and did touch up like there was no tomorrow


After first Mini-Restore.( Exterior and interior work,some motor work as well.)


You cant see any body damage in this which is mainly because of the way i took pictures
Then the 305 was messing up,so we pulled it and swapped in a 1993 Roadmaster Lo5 350


Then i decided to start doing everything else. Almost this entire car is new. I cant name a single part that isnt new on this car. Oh and with the motor came a full 3 inch Flowmaster system.
Then finally i got tired of Sh*t talkers and the body damage and the rough look of the car on the outside,which you had to see in person to tell. So i randomly began the endless hours of body work
First did a custom cowl molded onto the stock Trans Am hood (Bad@ss)


Then everything else,Including a 4th gen wing




Ill post the rest of the pics in my next post

88TransAmGuy

iTrader: (3)

Heres after some primer,not perfect but not bad








My point with all this is,A LOT of us put a ton of hard work and effort into our cars with the money we have. This for instance has been an almost 3 year Every day project.The motor is now pulled again because it had a horrible Blow by problem.Its getting bored .30 over and getting an Lt4 cam,Vortec heads,Intake, ALl new bearings and everything else. So much work and yet so little recognition like alot of the other members get who spend well into the 20,000s on their projects. Im not bashing anyone im just putting in my 2 cents on this whole topic. Like i was so excited for 2 years to go to thirdgen and i was Bouncing off the walls because i thought my car looked so badass,and i get there and i dont get a single look,not one person said a word to me and it just sucks. Its depressing because i look up to so many people on this board and thought people would be talking to me about whats been done and stuff.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

Eh, POTM? Don't think it would fly. Some projects almost never end and a lot get sold or crushed before they're even close to being finished.

What I think would be better is to split the COTM by money spent. You know what I mean. There really isn't a chance that a guy with $5K in his car is going to do better in the COTM than a guy with $20K into it. Especially if said guy/person with that same $20K into his ride has been in a mag article.

'87IROCZOWNER69

iTrader: (1)

If you wanna make it in the COTM you could always just rattle can your car and then wetsand and polish it til it shines. Dont matter if there is no engine or anything else so long as it looks pretty on the outside no one else needs to know the truth.

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

COTM is to showcase the nicest third gens, potm or a cotm based on money spent completely undermines that idea. like it or not, cars are not a "cheap" hobby

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Think about it... what is a project car? It could be either...

1. A car that's half done because someone lacks the talent/skills/ability/motivation to finish it.

2. A car that is constantly being built and a completion date is on the horizon.

In the case of number 1, that doesn't deserve recognition, and in the case of number 2, it will be eligible for COTM status when its finished. Heck SpikeZ's car won COTM with pictures of the car when it didnt even have a windshield. Half finished cars arent worthy of monthly awards. Every car is an ongoing, neverending project. It will get nominated for COTM when it deserves to be nominated regardless of whether it's a "project car" or a "car" or a clown car.

This silly "I deserve recognition for my half-done jalopy" sentiment is disturbing, and the one thing about COTM I was worried would happen. We try to do something nice by trying to give some of the guys who spent a lot of time building some really nice cars some actual recognition, and then everyone else gets butthurt that they dont get to join the club. Build a nice car for yourself, finish it for yourself, enjoy it for yourself, not for some recognition on a message board.

Splitting it up by money spent? Do you really want people providing receipts? Should they split up "MTV Cribs" for houses over $1.5 million, and "MTV2 Cribs" for houses under that number? Should we have "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and "Lifestyles of the Less Rich and Less Famous"? Do you open Hot Rod Mag to check out an awesome 84 Berlinetta with an LG4 and a peg leg differential and several mismatched body panels just because the guy put some camelhumps on it? No one cares about cheap, boring project cars. I have one of those in my garage. I want to see some killer cars that epitomize the best of what thirdgens can be, so I have something to aim for and something to give me ideas.

Give the guys credit for building killer cars. You'd be amazed how a little elbow grease can save a ton of money. This hobby is expensive but you can do a lot with a little if you're willing to do the work. Don't take the punk route of just saying everyone just threw a bunch of money into the garage and an awesome car grew out of it. Every one of them put a ton of work into those cars andrthe "I dont have the money to do that, but I deserve recognition too" type mentality is a huge insult to every one of them. Every one has a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears poured into it by their owner regardless of income level. Mark Stielow himself has made comments about how he is always in debt and is barely able to build the cars he builds, and one of his cars has been featured on a nationally televised Optima Battery commercial it's so awesome. Let the guys who put in the work have their credit.

Or maybe we can just give everyone on "TGO Car Of excellence of All Times, years, and months" (COAT) awards so they dont feel left out, and give everyone a nice big gif medallion to put in their sig so they can feel special.

Seriously, check out the quality of work here, just peruse around:

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/forumdisplay.php4?f=16

The pro-touring and even the cheaper streetfighter/rat rod theme cars that people are making today, on limited budgets built over years and years, are REALLY special. THESE are projects worth talking about:

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=31872


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=28515


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=39070


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/show...t=37106&page=1


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=39022


http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/show...t=23997&page=1


We want to prove that we can make cars this awesome with thirdgens too. Thats what COTM is about, that and giving the guys who build great cars some recognition, but I think both of those achieve the same end. We want people to see thirdgens as nice, fast, awesome cars, not as perpetual rust heap "project cars".

406TPI

iTrader: (1)

Very well said InfernalVortex!

BADNBLK

iTrader: (11)

COTM = Motivation to finish said projects.

There is really only a couple small handfuls of project threads on here that I feel would even fall into the quality of builds that should be highlighted... we could't have a monthly feature, and few those build threads have already won COTM.

I love Amirs Camaro BTW!

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

I agree with you 100%, except browsing thorough the g-machines you posted there is a bunch of major "farmed out" work on most/all of those cars - they are not on all that limited of a budget. Fully built motor, back half car that was done at a shop is some coin. Bad *** non-the less and does not detract from your argument

kmcn47

well there isn't anything stopping members from starting a new thread every month with 3 or 4 projects highlighted and having a poll at the top, all we would need is someone to do it every month and be in charge of it like with cotm iirc badnblack is the one who does it anyone want to be in charge of POTM? people can pm you with suggestions of a featured project, no suggesting yourself of course.

BADNBLK

iTrader: (11)

The mods. JT voiced a long time ago that he did not approve of the non finished vehicles being highlighted as a part of the TGO site. You might find that the threads get blocked.

If you guys are serious about it... One person come up with a clear cut plan on how it would work, improve the 3rd gen image, and be a benefit to the site, and PM JT about it. Going rouge and just doing it might not end up with the results you want.

kmcn47

well thats kinda hypocritical spike zs car isn't finished and look it won cotm not to dis his car or anything, just that all the animals are equal yet some are more equal then others, george orwell anyone? anyways my plan is that it would work like what i thought cotm would work like, you get one person in charge of making the thread every month. the week before the 1st of a new month that person makes a thread with say 3-4 maybe 5 projects in it (god knows there are enough) and they can be well known projects, half finished because money/talent ran out, or just slow movers because time isn't permitting, or cars that are just starting out but have potential, there is a poll at the top of that thread with the members names listed they get voted on and the most popular (no electoral college to mess things up here lol) is declared project of that month, the members build thread (if they have one) is highlighted and some pics of progress/the car and owner are featured in the potm thread for that month, maybe list some of the things he/she has done or plans to do? if anyone reading this is saying "hey thats not fair some members dont agree with each other so some members cars might never be picked to be voted on, well how about another thread running for the first two weeks of the month where anyone can suggest any car other then their own for a potm (cotm still do this?) and the person in charge of the said potm threads could use the popular opinions form that thread to choose the 3-4 of the poll? i dont see any problem with a potm thread, its not like we wanna show jimbos tree fiddy swapped (old 70s truck motor with no work done) swapped camerobird that he did some "kustom" bodywork on courtesy of autozone's aisle 5 (fake chrome tips, stick on emblems, stupid decals etc etc) we'd try our hardest to keep it classy, or classy as "m ullet mobiles" can be jk

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

lets have rustoleum paint job of the month too while we are at it! not...

kmcn47

you're not helping

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

helping get this idea to fruition wasn't my intent

kmcn47

why not? you think it will be a collection of trashy thirdgens? one doesn't have to look hard anywhere on this site to see some that dont look too stellar, no offense to anyone, but why not show everyone the people who are actually doing some good to their cars? hell my first suggestion would be the sc evilemokid94 has had for what 2 years now, and hes doing a 5.3 swap, hitting some rough ground but making good progress, more then anyone else attempting the swap and his car doesn't look to bad either. he'd have my vote for the first potm

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

read post 23, he hit the nail on the head - i dont need to rewrite all of that if you dont understand it the first time

kmcn47

also 88transamguy, nice ride, hope i can get mine looking that good soon

kmcn47

i read post 23, i disagree with ALOT of what he said you dont need to spend 20k plus on a "pro touring" car to have some one think its a nice car, i hate pro touring cars, most of them are ugly and have owners who just threw money at the car, like when hotrod does a "budget" build and gets thousands in parts donated and only paid 500 for the car because someone let them have it for that much and calls it budget, its not budget, its bullshit, most of the "nice" cotm worthy or cotm winning cars on here are hardly ever driven, wheres the enjoyment in a car you don't drive everyday? and so what if someone does some engine work on there car and is still saving for the paint job and nice wheels it doesn't mean there car is a "half finished jalopy" as some people like to say. if you dont like the idea thats fine, if you dont wanna see the projects in the making then stay out of the threads, stay in the cotm thread gawking over the people who "put years and years" into their garage filling over sized paperweights that they don't drive. never did like checkbook hotrodders didn't figure the cheapest going sports/muscle cars around would have their own clique of em

DethVenture

Not driving a car does not detract from it's worth of being a COTM car. These "paperweights" wouldn't be what they are today without the owners keeping them sheltered from the road and elements.

Your points are quickly losing validity and relevance.

kmcn47

sure they would, any car will last if its maintained, and i feel that it does, the purpose of a car is transportation, if it doesn't really do this it isn't really a car is it? how can it be a CAR of the month? sure its nice to some people that they have a shiny sparkly example of what ALOT of money can do but what good is it? it'd be like marrying a supermodel and just looking at her? o.0 wheres the fun? why should i be compelled to spend what would be my life savings on parts and custom work for a car and then have it be useless? be too scared to drive it for fear of breaking something irreplaceable ? "oh no bumps in the road what if i scratch something" well you wouldn't worry so much if you didn't spend 4-5 grand on a paintjob that will only last 5 years unless the car is garage kept at a constant 72 degrees with no humidity i'd rather see the guys who are building cars to be driven then to be show cars nothing wrong with projects i don't understand all the hate on them

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

look at the cars that won COTM, they all get driven

kmcn47

last time i checked (although ithas been awhile i will admit) spikezs car was not being driven anywhere and nuffnuffz28 had broken something in his transmission, not to say they aren't driven at all, not like the lunatics that pay millions for cars at barret jackson to park them in a "museum" and never even touch them. but if you're going to take a car completely apart and rebuild it with new and "better" components to have it be a weekend toy then why bother? why not just save the money you'd be spending on it over the years of work you'd be putting into it and just buy used vette? c5s are going nowadays on ebay for less then what some people have put into their cars here. the saying "because we like thirdgens" isn't a valid reason for me when you go and set about changing almost everything about it.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

First of all, doesn't matter what was farmed out. Every guy here farms stuff out at some point. Mr IROC-Z farmed out his widened wheels. A lot of guys farmed out their hoods... Everyone buys parts and buys work. Every part you buy is something you've "farmed out". The point is that you can save tons of money if you can learn todo your own body work (See zz3astro's posts on the December COTM voting thread) or learn to build your own engine. Or if you can set up your own gears. Or if you can fabricate your own exhaust. Every one of these things is a huge cost savings if you put in the work to learn and the investment in tools (that will pay for itself). I know you agree with me and you and I both know "farmed out work" is irrelevant, but in the end it doesnt matter how much was farmed out. I dont care who you are, you didnt build your entire car on your own, but you still put the work in. Some people really do write blank checks and ship the car off for a year and then just wait for it to get back and be drivable, but that's not the thirdgen way, and I dont think that's how most of the guys on lateral-g do it either. On Pro-touring.com ... maybe a bigger percentage. But the point Im trying to make is the guy who farms out his mini tubs vs the guy who farms out his engine build vs the guy who farms out his exhaust build... there's no difference, everyone farms out some things.

But beyond that, it really does depends on the car. The silver Malibu laguna was built by the guy when he was in high school. It was rebuilt later on in a new direction, but he couldnt afford to compete with the pro-touring style builds, so he did more of a "streetfighter" theme. Total budget car with what he had and what he was able to do with it over the years.


Then there's the 67 vengeance Camaro... guy was too broke to even put a decent paint job on it. Just rattle cans it and doesn't worry about it. Not a huge fan of his wheels but it's a slick car.

Contrast that to the orange 73 Camaro above, a shop did ALL the work. But you know what... that was that guy's own shop. You're never going to get away from that, guys with money like to build nice cars. Im just glad these guys are willing to do it, because the end results are incredible to look at and are worth admiration.

But at its core, COTM is a sort Best of TGO car show type deal. You dont win car shows with primered out 305 cars. I know plenty of guys who weekend race on a tight budget and they've made some VERY nice cars. You just work your way to whatever point you can get. Cars are NOT an instant gratification hobby.

Because they didnt want a corvette. They wanted a [whatever]. I dont see what difference it makes? And of course "Because we like thirdgens" is a valid reason. That's just asinine to say its not.

kmcn47

your right it doesn't make much of a difference, its still a free country (for now) and people can build what they want, but whats wrong with a thread where we highlight the progress of someone who is in the process? all you guys keep talking about rattle canned 305 cars and cars pieced together from other cars but come on do you really expect to see that in a thread choosing the best projects from the 166,222 members here, are you really gonna try and say that the only nice cars on the site worth giving a look are in the cotm thread, which this time last year we didn't even have? what did whitedevilTAs car look like at one point? a project what did spike zs car look like at one point? a project? yes get what i'm saying? nothing wrong with giving some credit for whats been done so far whose made good progress on a real budget like someone i mentioned (hope he doesn't mind my using him as an example) evilemokid94, has anyone been through his build thread(s){there may be more then one i can't remember} he took what many of you would call a "jalopy" and made a nice daily driver v6 car, in not many many years, now hes nearly finished with a 5.3 swap and its unfortunate that he had an accident because his car looked killer and i think still does, so he let maaco do the paintjob, hell hes done a motro swap he might try and tackel a paintjob next and do it himself, or like someone in the thread who presented his credentials for a nice project 88transamguy hes got a nice car why cant we showcase what hes done? the bodywork, the engine work, the (probably) redoing the interior and more then likely nice stereo, hes done some mods, 4th gen wing? these are projects not the guy who runs 15-40 so his engine wont leak and likes to rev at hondas and think hes cool riding around in his 3 color camaro with the ttops out and a torn up headliner. you guys still dont seem to get what we mean by project and what you think is a project, and to let a few peoples opinions of what something is make it so we cant have this thread would be awful to me

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

EVERY car is a project car. Some are closer to being done than others. Some never get done because people lack the skills/talent/motivation/vision etc to get them done. People dont care about half finished projects, but if they're special enough their own build threads will be where people give them attention. Look at Neal's car. Was never done, was always a constant project and in a constant state of disassembly and reassembly, but he got TONS of recognition for that car. If your car is worth recognition and you put it out there, you will get it. SpikeZ's car is proof that a car, even as a "project" can get enough recognition to win a COTM.

Between COTM and making build threads I dont see the point of a POTM (especially given that a project worth talking about is going to be in a constant state of flux and probably be nearly complete to be worth any kind of "official" attention) except just to pad people's bruised egos because their cars aren't as nice as others.

Take your average "project car" somewhere, and take Spike Z's car somewhere, and Spike Z's car will be faster AND get more attention. Thats life. Make your car better if you want public affirmation.

kmcn47

right, but by that logic cotm is just as unnecessary as a project of the month thread, therefore we shouldn't have either?

we already have one, for the most finished cars, why not one for the cars with big plans? cant remember the members name but the guy who is basically putting the whole subframe of a z06 under his firebird? or the duramax Diesel camaro? (lunati397)
they are projects, there not done surely when finished they will be cotm quality but right now there just cool ideas that someones trying, and i see nothing wrong with awarding that, or people doing some of the usual stuff slowly, ls swaps, making there cars nicer with better lights, newer interior parts, different hoods, some custom stuff? i know it'd **** me off if i had what i though was a really nice build with alot of custom work and it got overlooked and i was basically told "oh sorry it isn't good enough, or as good as these cars in the COTM thread

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

No one is entitled to recognition regardless of how awesome they think their car is. That's a terrible attitude to have.

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

And by that logic, as was said above, the whole COTM is pointless. I'm sure there are others like myself who look at those pics on the home page and say, "Big deal. That guy spent $X on THAT? Did he have a whole bunch of money burning a hole in his bank account or what?", and completely ignore the threads. So why acknowledge any of them, other than the ones that get nationally recognized in REAL magazine articles?

Jeffs82TA

iTrader: (1)

There is one project car I would like to see finished before I die You know who you are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

iansane

iTrader: (1)

No. I hate seeing people say, "Oh I'm going to put this on my car! and this! and this!" Stop saying you're GOING to do it someday, and just do it. I can dream about a thirdgen all day long but saying I'm going to eventually throw a twin-turbo 427 LSx motor and C5/C6 transaxle under my car shouldn't garner any awards. Until the wrenches hit bolts, it's all just a pipe dream.

This tells me you want a participation trophy and you'll scream and kick until you get one. If your car gets overlooked it's mundane, simple as that. Mine's been overlooked tons of times at car shows just because it's a thirdgen. Does that **** me off? No. I just enjoy being out among modified autos.

iansane

iTrader: (1)

No it's not. None of the COTM cars are self appointed, how are the owners thinking they are entitled?

sailtexas186548

iTrader: (2)

the public on TGO selects the COTM nominees and winners, if a project car deserves the recognition it gets it (spike, neal, ect). POTM is already included in COTM, if your upset you cant compete step up and make your project note worthy. It's not little league where everybody gets a trophy win lose or tie