Don't ever take a practical person with you car shopping

My father and I drove all day, with cash in hand and trailer in tow, to procure a 1919 Maxwell 1 Ton Pickup truck. The engine rolled over, the sheet metal was mostly good, there was some rust through but not much, the wood was rotten, and it wouldn't start (no fire). My father, being the practical man that he is, made some points after looking at it that I was not ready to overcome. Where are you going to put it? It's bigger than what will fit in your garage. You already have the Plymouth, aren't you worried about overloading yourself? etc. etc. He wore me down, and I ended up p***ing on it. I'm already regretting it (unfortunately it is hundreds of miles away and I'm exhausted). So, I did the responsible thing, and the responsible thing is boring.

John

 

He was doing his job. You will probably be in his shoes someday too. Maybe you can find another one to buy that is more "practical".

 

You should have bought it, parked it in the driveway and made real good friends with the HOA.

 

The purpose of the "practical" person is to keep you from making a bad mistake. Was this a mistake? Only time will tell, but the fact you gave in shows that maybe it wasn't meant to be.

Now, go buy something you need for the Plymouth. It'll make you feel better.

 

"Yes, dad, but when am I ever going to find another one of these? Are there more than half a dozen left anywhere in the world?"

 

The old "didn't buy it " remorse. That's better to have than buyers remorse...cuz you still have your cash.

It is a real talent knowing what to buy, and what not to though.

 

hundreds of miles an no pics?

 

One does have to consider where one will put a new purchase before hand.

 

If the "price" is right I never p*** on a deal. I have lots of empty space in my field.

 

something is afoot!?!?! perhaps the wife talked the dad into trashing all your future hopes and dreams!! the plot thickens..

 

I had the duty for a very good customer of mine to start his 1919 maxwell touring car every three months. It was electric start, I don't know if the truck is, however the ignition switch on them is very cranky about being in just the right spot to start. To far either way and it will not send the power down to the ignition. The best way I found to make sure the key was in the right spot was to hold the horn down and when it honked, you hit the starter ****on and she would fire right off. Now, you do have to make sure the pet**** is open on the fuel tank for the fuel to flow and it should have a primer pet**** on the intake manifold to put fuel in it to start. Very primitive machine but lots of fun. You only regret the things you don't buy.

 

Hey, he must be related to my Dad! When I was about 16 I found a really nice clean '57 Plymouth Fury hardtop w/the dual quad 318, I think it was. 95,000 miles. Dad said it was worn out and don't do it. I didn't. When I was 18 I found a '64 Galaxie 427 4 speed, a beautiful black hardtop. Dad says "What about insurance?" When I checked it out, he was right. The insurance was as much as the car payment. However, Dad put up with me owning over 60 different cars during my high school days, so he was actually more than reasonable. Dad drove a '32 Chevy roadster in HS, then replaced it with a '34 5 window coupe. He would never admit it, but he was sooooo close to being an old time rodder. He did some interiors and paint jobs, etc. and had fun.

 

Sometimes the best thing to comeback with is your own money.