I started the teardown in Nov/Dec of 2005 and finally had it where it could be driven a little by March/April of 2008. I call it 2 and a half years...although I didnt get the doors on it till probably June or July. We made a small road trip to Detroit in late May of 2008, but the first real trip 3300 miles RT was to FL in Oct of 2008. Its tough to stay motivated sometimes...I know the last winter of 2007/2008 even though it was close and the tub was on the frame with paint and Line-X, I really lacked motivation and it was a very cold year...portable heaters can only do so much.
Mostly, b/c it was undriveable is what kept me motivated. Mixed support from friends and family also kept me motivated...you know the people that are supposed to believe in you and want you to be happy--when they are baggin on you, "when are you gonna get that thing done?", and deriding your choice to build it in the first place and your vision of what it will be...thats motivating. When some dumb-ass, who doesnt know you or anything about what sacrifices you've made to undertake your build, tells you that you are a poser and probably dont even own a Bronco--thats motivation.
The pay-off is when you get to run it and people wave, stop you to ask you about it, come up to you at work on ont he street and compliment it, when some dumb-ass rich kid in a suped-up 300Z approaches you and asks if its for sale and then he throws a hissy fit when you tell him "NO!" because he "can buy anything he wants" "Not this you cant" (F'er)....and when the wife finally comes 'round and brags about it to people she knows--when all she did before was nag...thats cool too.
Stay busy, stay focused and TRY to stay out of trouble, it goes faster.