Letting it go, or keeping it forever?

I really wish that i could find out what happened to my fathers canary yellow 1979 Chevy Malibu Wagon. I grew up with that beater of a car and to this day it saddens me that my dad got rid of her. To make a long story short. The black exhaust stain on the grass is long gone, but the fond memories between my dad, the car, and i live on.

 

You can buy iron. Can't buy memories. Keep the wagon.

 

I have my dads 55 Ford convertible that he bought new and was his only new car that I would never sell even to buy a another old car I really like,me and both of my sisters were brought home from the hospital when we were born so its going to be in my garage until I die. I also have my great uncles 37 Chevy p/u he bought back in the early 50s for probably less then 50 dollars that will stay until I die too,I learned to drive in it on his old farm running around the fields with no brakes.

 

Dad's '58 Chevy Truck will soon be moving in with me. I was aghast when the question of "what should we do with it" came up after he passed last year.

I'm keeping it. It's staying in the family. And dad will always have shotgun.

 

A guy I know just sold his father's "had since new" '62 EJ Holden. Although that car's been with him all his life, he said that he just got tired of repairs and maintanance. It's been his dailey driver since he got his licence some twenty five plus years ago.

 

Wouldn't ever sell my 53 ford. It was my first hamb friendly car & I love it. Lots of time and sweat goes into her.. I've got other old cars but it's my favorite and I'll make sure she stays on the road or in my garage

 

Getting rid of the '55 for the Ferrari is like getting rid of your long-time wife for the 19 year-old chicky. After the first "ride" or two and you see the maintenance costs, the more familiar "ride" will look a lot better.

 

The people I know that sell the cars that belonged to their dad or someone else. Don't mean any disrespect to the person. But around cars don't mean a lot to some people. Having money to feed cows or buy more cows matters. I have even traded hay for a few cars. They just are not that special to most around here.

 

I kept a 1965 Pontiac 2+2 from the time I was 18 until two years ago. I am 59 now. I drove that car almost 400,000 miles, five engines, original paint and interior. My wife and I went on our first date in it, all three of our children were brought home from the hospital in it. I hate to say it, I was happy to see it go.

 

I let a 78 F100 get away from me that my grandfather gave me before he passed away, and I've regreted it every day since... What I would do to have that old truck back...

I do have a 72 Mustang Mach 1 that my father bought new, and it just happens to be the car I rode home from the hospital in when I was born just a few months later... It will NEVER be sold as long as I'm alive....

Once they are gone, their gone, and 9 times out of 10 you'll never get them back...

 

P.S. None of my kids wanted it!

 

That just shocks me.

 

I would have taken it.

 

I'll never let go of my father's '32 5wd:

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... keeping it in the family forever! (I became its caretaker on my 32^nd birthday and plan to pass it onto my son on his 32^nd birthday)


I did let go of my father's '57 Chrysler 300 C Coupe:

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... sold it to HAMBer johnl in '95 ... and would certainly like the opportunity to some day buy it back from him!

 

That sir is awesome...

 

I will continue to kick myself in the ass for selling the '57 210 wagon that was my mothers. I still now where it is and hope to someday get it back.

Viva

 

I'm just beginning a 29 roadster that my dad bought in junior high and drove in high school, every day it wasn't raining or snowing" as he put it. I'm rodding it to my own liking (albeit of that same era), but I plan on keeping it forever.

While I will keep the car, I would never ask my kids to do the same or even expect it of them. That could be a real burden. I know my dad feels the same about my decision.

 

Some of you know about my '55's history. My grandfather bought it new in my hometown. I have the original title and bill of sale. It's all original (with the exception of some temporary induction upgrades) shiny paint and all. I continue to hear stories from my aunts and uncles about their memories in the car. People in my hometown still walk up to me and tell me how they remember seeing my grandpa cruising it around, as far back as the '50s. My grandpa is remembered as a great man. A gentleman. I will NEVER get rid of this car. It's beyond priceless to me. Some people question why I don't restore it or why I even drive it around at all, risking a wreck. Well, it's only original once and if I baby it and pass it on, even if the next person babies it and passes it on as well, SOMEWHERE down the line some punk ass fucking idiot is going to do something stupid with it. So the way I see it, I would rather enjoy it while I preserve as much as possible than just sit on it and wait for the next guy to have his chance.

That being said, there's no need for someone to hang on to a car if the only reason is "because you should". It should be seen off to a loving new home, not just sitting and rotting. If you don't already naturally feel a connection and need to preserve it, you most likely never will. Go buy your Ferrari, but put as much effort into finding a buyer for your heirloom as you do for your Ferrari.

 

I'd never sell my Dad's '57 Chevy PU he bought new, and I've had it since I was 16...but to clarify, I'd never sell it for another car, but would in a heartbeat to keep the kids fed and a roof over their heads if need be..and dang it's getting close...lol!

But just for another car?

Not a chance in hell.

 

41 years as a daily driver in my family. All 5 of my dad's kids learned to drive in it. I claimed it in 1977 and got it in 2005. It is now on loan to my youngest son for his last semester in college and both of them want to let their kids drive it when they have some. The memories and stories are worth well more than this car; and to me, certainly more than a Ferrari. But, to each his own.

 

Jive-Bomber, you nailed it!

 

Grew up riding around in dads 57 Ford DelRio Ranchero (one of the most sought after Ford wagons IMO). Remember dad saying the engine was worn out at 20k & was pretty well rusted out when he got rid of it 10yrs later. I'm sure it was crushed many yrs ago but would love to have another one.

 

If you have to sell things to buy a Ferrari,you can't afford it.I had one in the 80s,a young guy making six figures.It drained me every time it moved.I sold it and bought a Willys Jeepster.That was a much happier experience.

 

Amen, brother. Priorities. Kids are better than cars any day.

 

This is a tough one. Have two currently that we have had since 76-77. The only one with any real sentimental value is my wife's 55 BelAir. When I go, she can do as she wants with them as the kids really don't have a great deal of interest in them. The 57 Fuely would be the 1st to go as it is very finicky and easily screwed up by tinkering. Have other family stuff that will be passed down as we all do. Would sell them all in a heartbeat if we or family member were is great need of anything.

 

As my "name" states, I chose poorly. The photograph in this post immediately caught my attention because the car I let go in the mid-1990's was my 1955 Mercury Montclair 2-door hardtop. My great grandmother bought it brand new and used to drive back and forth between Phoenix, AZ and Limon, CO. After her passing my grandpa drove it for a while and then parked it out behind his dentist's office next to the quonset hut where it waited.

I was 14 in 1981 when my Dad and I towed it home (100 miles with a two-bar, using our Nova as a tow vehicle--I still remember that harrowing trip). Four years later it looked decent and had all rebuilt mechanicals. I can still hear the Y-block through cherry bombs. On my Dad's sane advice she was mostly stock, but lowered in the front a couple inches. Best it ever looked was before the fresh bodywork, with the original paint, hood removed, newly rebuilt 292 in the sunshine. I couldn't afford the chrome smoothies I wanted so it had black rims and whitewalls. She was the love of my life but I stored it when I moved to Minnesota to save the old girl and the do-it-yourself restoration was needing time and money---I had neither.

I sold it few years later out of my in-laws machine shed in Iowa to a retired farmer. He restored it to original (he and a buddy roadtripped in one just like it back in the '50's), sent me a photograph but I lost touch with it. Now I'm 46 and think of that damn car almost every day.

A Ferrari, just wouldn't have the memories and stories that make the old cars what they are. I used to smoke cheap cigars in it just so it would smell like grandpa.

 

Feelings and emotions simply can't have a price. Money is an evil thing. When you have the choice to only remember the past, if you can, or live the past whenever you want, feel it, touch it, smell it, it should be easy to choose.

Among the cars my family has in our collection, we still preserve an 1928 Studebaker that my great-great-grandfather bought in that year when he found out that his first grandson was on the way. He used to drive a Model T, but he thought that a better suspension was important for the comfort of the newborn.

I was not there, off course! but I grew up hearing the stories about this car, and many others, some that are still around here, and that's what made me so passionate about cars. It's part of who I am. When my grandpa was a teenager, he used to "steal" the Studebaker from his grandpa, so he can drive around with his friends, go to the beach and stuff... All kinds of amazing and nostalgic stories.

How could I ever think of letting go a car like that? It's like selling myself out for some stupid reason.

If this guy has already found his wagon once, after it was gone, it means it's important enought to keep it, that's it.

Greetings from Brazil, everyone!

 

Dad's 1931 Ford joined our family in 1961, it will go to my Grandson. Bob

 

If I ever dug up my Dad's 48 Nash, he'd kick my arse to the moon- He hated that car.
Isn't ferrari a type of pizza?

 

I would never buy a Ferrari as started before they cost to much and there not fun to drive I would much rather drive an old car restored or not .
And getting rid of cars well I wish I could keep them all my first car (not hamb friendly ) was a 74 charger I sold it and got it back 3 diff times I miss my car and now ill never get to own het agen the last owner throw a 440 in it and destroyed it that same week there was nothing left useable but a steering wheel and the shifter (I bought them both back and have hung on the wall ) if you sell it you might not ever get it back. And my father never had any cool cars growing up I found him a 64 Newport conv were restoring for him (was his first car ) anyways I'm saying if you can, keep it