Havi, you story about the Mopars and the guy passing made me remember something. It’s amazing some of the things that happen in this hobby, although I think the maybe restorers are even more fanatic then the modifiers. I had a guy from Victoria, B.C. tell me a story once and I have no reason to doubt him. He noticed a Dodge hump top panel truck in this old guy’s yard at Parksville so he stopped and asked if it was for sale and it was. They chatted for a while and the buyer eventually asked the owner if he would take a trade “I got a couple of Fords I could trade” he said. The owner of the Dodge had apparently had a run in with the Ford dealer many years before and still held a grudge.
“Get off my property and never come back” the dodge owner said.
So the guy that was telling me the story said that he watched the obituaries everyday for the next 11 years until the Dodge owner died and then bought it off the estate.
[quote=havi;7840224 ...Now in this conversation that the coworker and I had, which was about how many vehicle projects is enough, it was mentioned that this Mopar guy would eventually pass, and there sits 300 or so collectible cars rotting in a field and will likely get crushed by probate.[/quote]
I think this is what kinda naggs me too. I've lived here in Napa county Calif since the early 70's and I've had varied car/truck interests always leaning most to the trucks. And even back in the 70's around here I was beginning to rebuild old trucks. And of course now we're a kinda "hi end" wine farming area, but back then there were lots of old trucks semi abandoned at one time dairy farms/prune orchards etc. I'd see them out behind an old barn etc. and I stop and ask. And sure enough people hold on to their old beat up trucks even though they'll never fix em. And sure enough some years later I drive by and the dairy farm in now a big fancy vineyard the barn is gone and so are the trucks. Did a retorer like me get those trucks? Maybe sometimes. But I think often the not running old beautiful and restorable trucks just get tossed.
Coworker went to a private place out in the sticks here in Northeastern MN.
Met the owner, talked a lot about Mopars and such. (coworker was looking for RT trim for his '69 Coronet) Didn't see much from the front yard he says, but they walked down a trail and it opened up into a brushy field. All Mopars in rows with trails in between them all. He said about 300 cars. And we're talking muscle car Mopars....rarities, and all. Coworker is a true Mopar afficianado, so he knows what they are, and what they're worth. He said as they walked down the rows, the guy would talk about how each one was gonna be restored, in what color, what engine, what wheels, etc... All of them! Coworker said he was already in his 60's. There's no way 300 cars would be done by one guy, when he didn't even have 1 in the garage or front yard to show. That is the definition of a hoarder!!! Now in this conversation that the coworker and I had, which was about how many vehicle projects is enough, it was mentioned that this Mopar guy would eventually pass, and there sits 300 or so collectible cars rotting in a field and will likely get crushed by probate.
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