Folks Of Interest How do you know when it's time to let one go?

It's time when you find the right buyer... y'know, find it a good home.

 

For my buddy, it was today.
I think I’m sadder to see it going, going, gone…than he is.

 

Congrats on the sale of Plan II,
You & Plan II have left your mark in history and you thought you were just having fun.

 

Hey! I’m anxious to see what the next one will be!
Run Squirrel Run!

 

I saw a guy post on a Facebook group that he bought that car. I guess he lives on Vancouver island. Looked like a sweet car.

 

Hello,

Well, my brother knew when it was time to let “our” Model A coupe and his prior favorite Oldsmobile sedan go. He had buyers, who were his friends after him to sell each one. They were both running and well groomed. We got the model a coupe running and had a great time going around the block, chugging around. It was our "brothers' project" which was a first. He had more skills than I did and his ideas were our future blueprint. Model A coupe, stock look, SBC motor with a Paxton Supercharger, LaSalle transmission and a lowered stance or slight rake.

For me, his ideas were right up my alley. I could legally drive in a couple of years. So, as partners in this upcoming build project, he would probably use it as a daily driver and weekend hot rod/drag racer at the local Lion's Dragstrip. It was a similar idea that our neighbor and friend did with his 34 ford 5 window, Olds powered coupe. Then, the 51 Oldsmobile Sedan would fall right into my hands... YES!

But, he also had a sleek black 58 Chevy Impala in his sights and that was the reason. Now, he could be competitive instantly, or actually, “rule the roost…” We had read all about the up coming plans from Detroit. A 1957 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop with a F.I. motor would have also played right into the parameters, too. Sleek, fast and holds 4 teenagers. Much thought was verbalized. But, I wanted to build our first hot rod together.

So, in the next several months of late 1957, a new car was sitting on our driveway.
A big sedan, deep black paint, a nice larger different motor and when we went for a ride around the block, instant horsepower upon acceleration. The 51 Olds had power, but not like this Impala with a 3 speed stick shift.

Jnaki
All thoughts of "my own" future car went out of the window. with the "new" car sitting in our driveway, it was all attention given to it and rightly so. It was an instant cruiser, fast hot rod sedan, and no work was necessary to start enjoying a fast car, cruising or racing. So, it all began...

And rule he did on the Cherry Avenue drags and in the A/Stock class at Lion’s Dragstrip. It continued many years later with me becoming the owner and the rule continued even into the Buick Skylark Wire Wheel stage. Fast on the street and cool looks to boot. Since we no longer were in the A/Stock class, we got a solid lifter, Racer Brown cam, ported/polished the heads and had a C&O Stick Hydro installed. It was a 14.6 sec stock car in the quarter mile class. But, now, it had to have over 300 hp and more.
version 2... thanks, @themoose

Note:
But, the other favorite car was a Flathead 40 Ford Sedan Delivery. It had so much character and excellent running conditions without any repairs that it was a hard sell at the time. I could have driven it up to San Francisco Bay Area for college, but it was just time to move on and work with what was necessary.

Our drag racing days were over and there was no need for a high performance car for the street. The Impala looked odd at our surf spots, and although it held its own going up into the mountains for snow skiing and fun, it was not a long distance cruiser.

We had to get a trailer for our desert motorcycles and that in itself, was a hard road to pull. We also had to be comfortable before the race and not tired out. So, it did not offer anywhere to sleep, other than cramped up in the cab or back seat in the cold desert nights. It was difficult to get rid of due to the fun and exciting adventures we had from 57 to 65.

So, in my wisdom, I sold both of my teenage vehicles to the next generation young folks to enjoy. My mom was going to keep the Impala, as she was getting used to borrowing it for her shopping trips. But, no power steering was hindering her ability to park. So, they both hit the road in 1965.

Note 2: It was a difficult time when I saw those two hot rods and fast cruisers leave for the last time. I saw the sedan delivery two times in Huntington Beach within the next year and never saw the Impala again, to this day.

Our motto has always been buy one, keep it, fix it, modify it and drive the vehicle as far as it would take us to our fun adventures. So, we sold one, bought one and then sold both for a new vehicle (65 Red El Camino) that I kept for 125, 000 miles of more fun and adventures well into our college days and married life.

We knew when it was time to move on for the next trip down life's road ahead...YRMV

 

I don't know how anyone could sell a car they built from the ground up. A car takes on the builder's style taste personality.
My racecar has very few modern "store bought" modern parts. I would say 85% of the car is garage built by myself and my dad, 10% vintage parts that came from real deal racers and hot rod from "Back in the day" which is a recognized period of time and 5% modern parts to meet current safety rules.

When I look at this car, I remember the roadtrips to chase down parts.
Like the trip with my dad to the old sawmill to pull the 261 Chevy of an old bunk truck and seeing him come shooting out from under it when the snake crawled out of the bell housing that was the hardest, I have ever laughed.

To me selling a hot rod, racecar, or custom. would be like selling a child, it's your creation, with part of your soul!

There are so many details that my this are mine....


...from the Corvair belt tensioner bracket...


to the drywall lift throttle pedal.


The steering box came from Russ Betz owner builder of the 59 Every-Ready modified, he changed from manual to power steering when Maynard Forett drove for him, which means my car has a direct connection to Maynard


Two of the four hubs one of my Q.C. sideplate came from Rich Ricci


My rocker N.O.S arms/rocker arms came out of the collection of Amos "Mac" Maccreery founder of the Kington (NY) Igniters.

 

Woah! Boss '9 in a dirt modified!