Thanks for the post, 68bigbird.
Yea I dont make tons of money or anything, wish I did, but I make ok money working for a telephone company doing Internet backbone IP routing work, I got in to it early and have constantly moved up to a IP Engineering type job.
My company just got bought out by Windstream (big company more or less) http://www.windstream.com/
So wish me luck on not getting let go during this merger, cause you never can tell about this [censored], I should be safe for awhile, I hope
So you never know, I might have to sell the bird if things got tough all a suden, but untill them I dont mind putting money in to something that I can get some part of my money back out of, many thing lose value much faster, even though my car has cost me more money that I would have imagined, and I tend to buy things over my real budget.
But I dont have kids and am 36 so I saved some money there I guess
Many times I have came to the conclusion that these cars are for people that can do the work and have the time and engery, patience to work on them themselves unless money is just not a issue, but I really have fun with the car and would miss it to much to sell it, so I get some things done on it when I can afford it.
No matter what, I start out wanting to do 1 or 2 things then the list gets bigger and the bills grow allot, and I always end up wondering if I am paying way to much.

To start doing some of the small jobs, I would need tools, thats fine I dont mind spending money there if I can do the work.
And I would have to get my garage cleaned out, I gots lots of crap in there, including my jetski that is big.
Start on something small, I do have a tendency to get impatient and break stuff or do something I regret later cause I rushed it though.

People on this site are definitly a big resource, it always suprises me how helpful they are.

The guys doing my work on my car are funny and when I mention getting on the internet to find some of these parts and peices that are not right on my car, they just laugh. its a shame cause they are missing out on so much as far as the help and parts they can find online.

But they good old boys and thats ok, Ill am going to try to help a little.