Another one gone! Saw this over on FordBarn. I actually bought some parts from these guys when I was building the roadster. Sad to see. Model T Haven Liquidation Auction in Iola KS - Cars, Parts, Tools & Equipment - Sundgren Realty | El Dorado, KS
163 photos on the Realty's website...amazing! And, just two days to "liquidate". It would take two years, to adequately liquidate everything. It's a shame most of that will likely be scraped.
Sad to see another source go away but as owners get older and if there is no one to take over the whole operations are often hard to sell. Then you get into the land value thing, what was often a cheap piece of ground that no one really much wanted is often now prime industrial or retail area and the price for the ground it's self is far more than the value of the business and inventory. Going though those photos I'd have to think that the only way a lot of that will get sold is in lots. Meaning you may have to bid on 100 Model T roadster doors to get two.
I've got a friend here in Manitoba who is one of the last T guru's and he's been selling off his stash the past few years - I've even told him I'll buy a complete car from him, but tons of parts to sort through... even he says all his early iron sources have dried up and he now believes he is the source for a lot of these old cars, so he's being careful to sell only what he has enough parts without digging into what he needs to keep his own cars complete, at least he's being good with pricing. I'm learning how to repair spoked wheels now... Damn near bought another T today, but gotta finish the 39 first.. (I keep telling myself that) I'm putting together a T for yard art - piecing it together as we come across extra parts, but he doesn't want these cars going to scrap so he's selling off most of his supply.
I'm not sure its a land value, I think he wants to cash out and retire. The place is out in the country, so farm fields will replace the rows of cars, not new houses. Move to a warmer climate ? I dont know, but he has been there as long as I can remember. In the 70's and 80's he traveled around and bought every model T and parts at all the farm auctions. Those auctions used to be common, not so much anymore, you seldom see an auction that still has the original family on the property, most have already been auctioned out atleast once before
Someone mentioned in another thread that part of the operation was moving to Florida. Retirement makes more sense, though. I can't blame a guy for wanting to retire, that's for sure. Unfortunately the Model T market isn't what it used to be. Still, I hope they have a hell of a weekend.
This reminds me of when the local Model T hoarder died. It made me realize that if I really wanted to build one of these, that I had better get started sooner rather than later, so I did.
If you go to the MTFCA forum ( https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=2 ) you'll see there are still a lot of T purists around. I used to be on it a lot until I got flamed for making a politically incorrect post about rianbow avatars.
"a lot" won't keep a place like this in business. You need A LOT and that's folks building or restoring cars anew, not enjoying the one they already have.
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