I woulda done the same thing. I just look at it as I am the "caretaker" of it til it finds a good home?
Have any of you guys ever bought a parts car for a parts car....trying to justify to yourself that because you had two now it would be a worthwhile project!
I cant believe somebody could crush a car like this ! Around here they would be asking 3-4 grand for it!! Good thing you were around to save the poor thing!
I know! It's a California car too, and he said the 326 runs good, although I haven't tried yet. The story was, he put a couple cars on eBay, sold them both for what he wanted, but neither buyer followed through on the purchase. He was mad about that, and had other cars (including this one) on Craigslist and was getting jerked around, so he said fuck it and decided to crush. When I called, his wife answered the phone and yelled out to him that it was someone calling about the Tempest. I could hear him laughing in the background. Lucky save, I bought a heaping truckload of parts from the guy that day too, did real well. What really keeps me up at night is all the stuff that gets scrapped that no one ever sees or gets a chance to save. The guy I got this Tempest from sold me a really extra nice set of '59 Chevy wagon tail lights, I'm sure it was a complete car when he got it. Shame. And yes, I have bought a parts car for a parts car and then decided it was a project now.
In the 80's I couldn't say no and had a bunch of cars in my yard. A friend calls me up and says come and get a free 47 Pontiac Torpedo on his property. Couldn't see after dark to get it backed into my backyard, so parked it in our turn-around front driveway. Got up the next morning and there is a large "#31" spray painted on the door. I asked my wife if she wanted a race car or did I have 31 cars.... Now I'm down to 7. The Pontiac was restored by a friend that still has it.
I brought a 41 Merc coupe home, no engine/trans just a super body. My Ex said "me or that car have to go". My reply "baby that Merc won't give me any crap" I know you'd hate to ruin a happy relationship. SEE YA! Should still have that car. It relieved me of a serious pain in my ass.
I dont think it's a mental issue it' called old tindenitous no I have the same addiction I traded a perfectly good 47 ihc truck for a ratty ass 32 5 window that has me spending time and money like our goverment now it's comming around after a cowl transplant, new sub rails and every patch you can buy for it. Gee this shits fun !!
Feeling bad for a car rotting is only one reason to want to save it. it also has to be coupled with me wanting that particular model and most important, having the cash to get it.
I brought home a 1946 Flxible bus because my grand father said if i didn't it was going in his get rid of everything auction which was full of scrap guys.He bought it in 1961 and was going to build a camper out of it.He even had it painted back in the 70's and then left it outside.I have so many projects i don't know if i will ever get to it.The GF thought it would make good storage and cleaned GP's junk out of it.I thought that was cool so i put all my sheetmetal parts in it.She didn't think that was funny.
know what helped me getting a good car haulin trailer almost 1 year since it was redecked and spiffed up not a old car /truckon it ever being dragged home .. why didn't i think of this earlier ... like 20 cars earlier..
ive bought a lot of things just because i didnt want them scrapped or screwed with. cars, guns, old radios, etc. You cant save everything but..lord knows ive tried. it just keeps you poor. Im working on three rods right now and dang.. i need to sell two so i could finish one.
Been there, done that....ended up with a Renault R4 with the passenger compartment liked full of bags of concrete. I also had to be restrained from purchasing an old airport tow tractor that the yard owner said ran good. There is also one I talked myself out of but now wish I hadn't...a 1953 Packard ambulance, perfect body and leather interior, it had been driven to the spot it was parked, $500 in 1978 dollars. I went back 3 times, and each time I talked myself out of it with "What the hell am I gonna do with an ambulance?".
The Jalopy Journal
