I got a set of '49-'53 Sharp heads for free and a '29 Model A coupe body. It was a graduation present from my uncle. And I got a '59 ford country sedan from my other uncle for free too...
When I needed a car bad 4 or 5 years ago a buddy hooked me up with an '84 Skylark for free. By hanging onto it I figure it's worth about $250 now scrapped. Another guy I know gave me a Model A frame, hood, and front axle with one wheel to get it out of his yard. It came with steering, bumpers, battery box, brake rods.. it had been a running car in like 2003 or so. I took the front bumper off and stuffed it into my Suburban to haul it home. One yard when we were getting cars, the last day the one group was in there, they told us we could pick up any loose stuff we wanted. Well, the body tin on the '29 Chevy pickup, and the body to the '31 A fordor, were loose after I tugged on the pieces a bit. I think I put about a dozen sets of hubcaps in another car we bought, too. Really I think we overdid it, but what the hell, we bought 40 cars at scrap plus 50% off the place.
'67 Mustang front fenders, gutted door shells, coupe decklid and headlight buckets, sold for $250. 390 engine disassembled FE C6 tranny, needs rebuilt, I'm gonna crate it up and ship it to a guy in England, he'll pay shipping and crating costs. 300hp 302 but I gave it back. '94 Chrysler LHS for $50, needed a timing belt, tensioner and water pump, put 20k on it and traded it on a minivan and got $300. '90 Isuzu Amigo for $300, drove it for 2 years and put 40k on it, endo'd it last winter, sold the tires for $150, the wheels for $150 and the rest to a guy down the road that builds rods on the side for $50. Sold a '90 Dodge Shadow to a guy for $500, he paid half, never paid the rest, told me to come get it if I wanted, drove it home after replacing a battery cable and a coil wire. 427 side oiler block and a Jerico... 427 is missing a portion of the pan rail and has nice cracks from the mains to the cam journals, don't have the caps, Jerico is just a case and tail housing, magnesium (I think) and is cracked from the bottom cover up thru the rear holes, tail shaft housing is cracked as well and missing a portion of the bottom bolt hole. I'm using them for mockup purposes and will likely give it back. I also have the full sump gold iridited pan that was on that 427, I've pounded the dents out on it and am fixing the windage tray in it. SFI approved FE aluminum flywheel. A Hurst Super Shifter III, long gone, sold it or gave it away. A bunch of 429/460 race pistons, cams, valves, valve springs, lifters, all used but usable. 260 longblock 327 block, hauled it off for scrap (didn't own a boat, heh-heh) because I didn't know anyone that could use it (pre internet) ToolCraft floor mount drill press, pretty cool, no belts, it has a reostat (sp?) and the shaft runs thru the motor, you can flip the whole head 180 and put shaper stuff on that end for doing wood working.
I've got to get a digital camera so I can post pics. Anyway, I have an 1890 patent Corey Fire Hydrant in front of my garage. The part of a fire hydrant that you "see", is only the tip of the iceberg. Add about another 4 feet or so, plus the big "T" connector. Had to tear it apart to turn it into yard art. I also managed to get it into the back of my P.U. truck by myself. Found it in a vacant lot; it had been lying there for years. Pulled some aluminum Vette valve covers out of a dumpster once, along with the bracketry that's bolted to the front of a supercharger in order to latch a starter motor to the blower snout; gave those away. Same dumpster, different time found 2 Cragar G.T. 14 X 6, 4 3/4 pattern, wheels. Kept a car in a self service storage complex once; you would'nt believe what people through away.
Had an old 49/50/51 or so beetle back 4 door Chevy up here on the back lot...had given it away 3 or 4 times...nobody could quite get up enough steam to move it...finally offered it here on the HAMB...Mark X came up and snagged that thing outta here.............am now sitting on a 65 Cuda that looks like it's going to California...........some kind of magazine project car, to be. M.
Was given this classic when the father in law passed away............just returned from Arizona last week in it.............so, I guess it was worth the price.
I was given this blower setup for my Stovebolt 6 by the guy who made the set-up after he wad diagnosed with the condition that kiled him. I'd really prefer to have him around, but I'll run this on my coupe in his memory as fitted to his 216 in a '39 Chev roadster:
I was given a 38 Chevy sedan delivery from my grandmother, she was selling the property it was on and I always wanted the old chevy sitting on the property but I was never to motivated until she told me the property was being sold and all of my grandfathers farm equipment was left on the property as I could not get it off before the sale was finalized.
i was given a 29 model a frame and i was given the front axel to a 29 a month later by another guy. now i debated selling them when i got my essex but in the whole spirit off things i passed them on. frame went to a buddy that is a tatt artist so he gave me ink in return but i just don't feel right selling what others gifted me
Was giving a 53 Mercury Hardtop a couple of weeks ago,the reason was because I like old cars. So to tell him thanks I am redoing a hood and grill off a farmall tractor for him.
I was given a free 4-71 blower setup for a smallblock chevy,complete except for carburetor and drive belt.I used it for a couple of years,now upgrading back to a 6-71.
just got this engine for free last week and it will go on this mini-bike I got for free a couple years ago
Back in '80 I was given a bunch of stuff by a farmer near Calgary. Pulled a '26 T Roadster Pickup cab and box out of his yard, a complete front clip for my '50 Chevy 1/2 ton, and a straight '33 Ford tudor body. I sold the '33 a few weeks later for $250. Sure wish I had it now!
Best one for me was a set of Moon discs from Dean Moon at Pomona in 82. He said they were off the moonbeam. Got a set of 40 Ford brakes from a friend. A pile of window garnish moldings that the guy had no clue what they went to. BR
Having an extra nut--priceless. I haven't gotten much free car stuff but last year I got a power hacksaw, 4 S-K large wrenches, quite few screwdrivers and a ton of hardware when I drove by a guy's house as he was hauling it to the curb.
The disc's off of Moonbeam! OMG! Sell them to me, sell me your women! You daughters, the little girl............. Most of the free stuff I have is from old airplanes, Got a pilot seat out of an Aussy Vietnam vet Huey. Avionics door from the nose of an Aussy Navy Wessex helicopter. Two stage supercharger off a Spitfire Merlin 45, a de-serviced Aussy Mk 5b Tropical aircraft. Avro Lancaster Astro compass with U/S chit still attached dated 1944. Most of an Aussy Avro Lincoln mid upper turret and some flaps. Various components from a RNZAF T/A-4 Skyhawk that I was once first response to its crash at NAS (Naval Air Station) Nowra NSW. Some odds and ends from an abandoned Mig-17 'Farmer'. Control yoke and 'butterfly' wheel from a CAC (Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation) Mk XXI (21) Beaufighter. Major components of a 20mm Hispano cannon from a shot down Aircraft, (unknown serial number) Why wont anyone give me car parts? Not that I dont mind the stuff I do have....... Doc.
I have a 65 econoline with a cracked 390 block for free. the block has an eldebrock 427 hi\low manifold and finned valve covers. and you could say I got my nash for free since i bought it with a credit card and filed bankruptcy before the card was paid off.
SAw an ad in craigslist. The guy bought two 5 windows for the bodies, come take your pick of the rolling chassis, two, both free. I took the best one. traded it for a running, driving, still in the original car, 440/727 combo And I just picked up a 63 meteor custom for my daily. has a 260, AT runs and drives great! Needs to fix a hole in the trunk. more to come(?)
father inlaw asked if i was interested in a '87 suburban. said no not really. he said 'ol earl across the street wants to give it away. i said yes. thanks earl. will became my new shop truck. in good cond. and runs great.
I collect ww2 militaria and a friend of my dads gave me a ww2 parachute harness.He bought, sold and traded antiques all the time and he told me he had it with some other stuff at 3 auctions could not even get a bid on it so he gave it to me fo free.Three months later i lost my job so i had to sell some of my collection so i put the harness on ebay.........it sold for $285.00 Thats about the only thing ive ever gotten for free.
Sorry to hear you had to sell it, thats a nice bit of kit. I still have all of my combat equipment, uniforms, boots etc. I guess that was free? I was also once given by my grandmothers next door neighbor his WWI uniform. It was complete and in good condition apart from the bullet holes. For you Aussies out there he was Light Horse and served at Gallipoli. Unfortunately it was lost with almost everything else I owned in a brushfire. Doc.
The Jalopy Journal
