When Is A Purchased Car Really Yours, Thinking out loud

When you break the seal of flesh and blood-bond with it, it becomes yours. Busted knuckles, sliced hands on sheetmetal, busting a shin open on the bumper, whatever. It doesn't belong to you until you sacrifice something for it...

 

Wow, opposite sides of the country, the exact same theory at the exact same time...nice.

 

reminds me of a certain car the "hirohata merc" that car will always be associated with bob hirohata eventhough its been owned by someone else for ten times longer than bob had it. i think its allright to call it your car but it will always be associated with the original builder or person that had it built. Im fine with people calling them their cars, but what I hate is when new owners dont give credit where its due or try and pass it off like they did all the work or it was their idea.......

 

it happens as soon as you realize that you can do anything you want to it and the guy you got it from can't do anything about it. kinda like girlfriends!!!

 

It took about 9 months for my truck to be considered mine. Until then, I had just been driving it. I had only changed the oil and filters.

Then, I finally started working on it. I changed the front end over to disc brakes, replumbed the whole brake system with new hard lines, re-did the rear brakes, changed a trans mount, etc. A lot of it was maintenance, but after I had spent a month under/over/inside it, and had payed the price in bruised knuckles, I considered it mine.

There is still much to do. Power brakes and power steering are next, and adding a tilt column. Then an EFI swap. Then overdrive. Then new wheels and tires. Then a radio that gets AM and FM.

Plus, every time I drive it, the same little squeeks and rattles drive me nuts! I know where they are, I just can't fix them! The truck is a bitch sometimes, and it lets me know it.

Nick

 

When you give blood for it.

Actually, that's a pre-requisite for me. But they actually talk to me, tell me their names and what they want. Some cars are soulless and those are for other folks. The ones who speak to me become mine.

On a side note, I was bidding on the bay for a car that spoke to me...I wanted it badly but the price got above what i wanted to really pay so I passed. That car is still speaking to me and it's not very happy that I let it go. I think of it weekly at least.

 

I'd say it yours after you've spent lots of time and money to correct the original builder's mistakes. Not talking about things you just don't like, like paint or wheels but real engineering errors. Been there, and it ain't fun.

 

The latter is exactly what i meant when i gave my thought's on my current truck project..

 

I went throught the same buying the Green Grenade. I loved having that car but I caught alot of hell for buying a car instead of building one. I eventually sold it to fund my own project. When I bought it I had big plans to modify it and then realized some things are better left alone. I was the owner -just not the creator.

ps-Great Thread!

 

I have a car that I bought and I've owned it for a dozen years. I tore it apart after two years, due to lousy construction and it has not been seen since. People know the car and still ask about it, they know my face but they cannot remember my name. I am building this thing from scratch again - I mean everything - different chassis from another donor, drivetrain, suspension. The ONLY pieces that will be the same are the doghouse (not even the floor or firewall - I'm putting originals back in place of the aluminum crap) the doors and the deck lid. All other sheet metal comes from the donor. But here comes the kicker - I loved the original color and I am going to paint it back the same color. So when it arises like Phoenix from the ashes you can bet that everybody will think it's the old car. I guess this confirms that paint is the single most important VISUAL item which defines the association with an owner. But some cars are so strongly defined that they transcend mere paint changes.

This car was mine from the day I bought it - it felt like my most comfortable shoes and it is and always will be spiritually mine, even though I did not choose the color. It will have to be surgically removed from me. Yes it's mine, no doubt about it.

 

As the years pass and Big Olds has gone from black primer to grey primer and now painted, the questions and statements regarding "Is that Steve Hendrickson's old car?" or "Is that Project Big Olds!" or "That's Steves Olds" have decreased BUT I would say I've been asked that question more then everyone else on this thread combined.

Now that the questions or statements have decreased abit, if someone doesn't bring it up when asking me about the car, I usually work it into the conversation, especially when stating how the "project" started. I ALWAYS give credit to Steve for what he accomplished and to those who have helped along the way. Hell you hang out long enough showing an interest in Big Olds and letting me ramble on about my car and you'll hear details about EVERYTHING whether you want to or not.

I would hate to imagine what would have happened to "Project Big Olds" had I not come along. Steve did NOT have the car up for sale and had no intention of selling it. It'd probably still be sitting in the garage right next to his coupe and that would have been a shame.

Is "Project Big Olds" Steve's? Yep, BUT Big Olds is mine and very few would argue that point.

Do I consider myself a "builder"? Nope, no way in hell. I consider myself the "general contractor". I in no way "built" the car but I have, and continue to, get my hands dirty from time to time on him.

I'm very proud to call him mine.

 

I think the car becomes "yours" when you've spent more money FOR it than ON it. My story: The hood flew up 2 miles into its maiden voyage. At the first cruise, she died at a light and my ignition switch burned up. I managed to get it to the parts store. On my way back to the car, a woman said, "Nice car, who's is it?" I answered that it was mine. She giggled and said, "Sure." I was seventeen at the time. Aggravated I installed the switch then and there in that parking lot. The car apparently wasn't "mine" yet. I've been through an engine, transmission, hood, tires, and countless other parts. I could have bought the thing a few times over by now, but now its MINE! I fix the thing and I DRIVE IT! That's when you know its yours! Just my opinion though.