new parts for my car

[alchevy]

I have been collecting new parts for the exterior of my '40 Chevy. I have a new front passenger side fendor, new rear fendors, & new running boards. Been tempted to go ahead and put them on the car now instead of waiting until it gets closer to paint & body time. Since I drive my street rod a lot (17,000 miles since July, 2003) in any weather if I get caught in it, in the back of my mind I keep telling myself to wait until I am ready to get the car painted. Just in case the car get damaged before then, I would still have the new parts to put on. I try to drive carefully, but you never know how the other guy is going to drive. Add to the part that the car looks better all one color instead of several. Or does that make it look like progress? I guess if all of those parts are in primer, then it looks like progress.

The hardest part is knowing that the car will be in a body shop for a time span and I won't get to drive it to car shows and such.

Speaking of a car in the shop getting ready for paint, a friend of mine (Chris Shultz) has taken his '38 Chevy Coupe to Street Rods by Michael for painting and you can see pictures of it on their site. Kinda neat to watch the progress. Like "Overhaulin'" without being tricked and it will take longer than a week. Chris did a lot of work to get it to this point.
AL