[GlynMeek]

Earl...I understand COMPLETELY.

I have JUST finished an 18 month build and was telling someone this weekend that there were times when it seemed as though I got NOWHERE for weeks at a time. I was privileged and lucky enough to take 15 of those months off completely with no need for a full-time job, just to indulge my desire to build one of these inspirational and beautiful vehicles. Like EVERYONE who has gone through this, there are times when it was one step forward, two steps back...frustration ruled at times, and sometimes I thought I would NEVER finish.

After an AMAZING 300 miles of driving, I am still dealing with 'teething' problems, thinking of things to add or improve, and fretting about things I wished I'd done first time round, but just to reiterate some platitudes of others in this thread...

1) If it was easy, everyone would do it!
2) It REALLY IS about the journey, not the destination. Enjoy every single knuckle-skinning, swear-word ridden, sweaty, grimy, oily, frustrating minute of it, because YOU are doing something that very few people are capable of even starting...dear god man, YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR OWN COBRA!!!!
3) The sense of accomplishment, of wonder and of satisfaction that you get the first time you drive THE COBRA THAT YOU HAVE BUILT, everything that went before will be a source of pleasurable memories for the rest of your life. I am sure the ladies among us will complain here, but it's a little like giving birth...once the COBRA pops out, all the pain and frustrations are forgotten and all you can think of is DRIVING and polishing the heck out of your shiny creation.
4) Just take it one step at a time and don't worry about what you still need to do tomorrow or next week or next month...take satisfaction from the little things you do each day. Every bolt you tighten today, or every adjustment you made yesterday is something you won't have to do tomorrow, and is one more step in the journey.

Relax, breathe deeply, open a cold one and stand back admiring WHAT YOU HAVE DONE ALREADY!

You are part of a small, select group of people...

...YOU ARE A COBRA BUILDER...shout it out !!!

Good luck

Glyn