whats the best thing you got for free

whats the best thing youve gotten for free? . a buddy gave me this gantry crane they were going to scrap. i had to modify it a little but thats ok. it was 13 feet tall and 11 feet wide.it had an 8 inch i beam on top. it is made of 4x6 tubing so i cut it down. made legs out of 3x5 tubing to slide down in the columns and narrowed it to 9 feet inside. i shimmed the the columns and legs, drilled holes to adjust it,put a 6 inch i beam on top. now it goes from 8 feet to 13 feet. threw a little paint on it added an air hoist and away we go. i think it will come in handy.

 

I got my wife for free and have been paying ever since

 

When I bought my OT 66 Galaxie 500, the seller threw in about $800 worth of body-working Snap-On air tools, brand new floor pans, a complete sail panel from rear deck lid to about a foot into the roof (rear window channel was rotted out), a sandblaster, and an almost complete interior. None of this was part of the deal, mind you. He just started loading up the truck!

 

One of these.. picking it up today..

http://mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B23496.jpg

 

I can't remember getting anything for free but I have given away many parts like early Chevy banger with complete drivetrain.

 

Does a hard time count? I get those for free almost everyday.

 

My original 16 x 10 ET III's!!! Found at the curb on garbage day in a local neighborhood...and a SBC Hilborn setup from a friend that was cleaning out his shed!

 

I got one of those drive on car lifts for free. the type you drive (or push) a vehicle up on then raise the back with a floor jack, gets the tires about 30" off the ground. My brother worked at a fab shop and when he saw them advertised in magazines he just made his own. It's probably twice and heavy as a store bought one, but I know it won't fail either. He moved to Alabama and didn't want to take it with him so I got it. Damn things so hard to move around I just leave it flat on the floor and have my old truck parked on it.

 

THIS! plus a matching 4 speed.

 

Got a '52 Hudson Hornet Twin H for free to just get it off their property. Came with the title. Doesn't run but hey it was free!!!

 

The 1929 fordor body for my hotrod project.

 

One of my customers must of been really happy with the car I built him, after I was done he had me come pick up another car he had, just gave it to me as a "tip" since I had said I liked it... a 53 Stude Starlight hardtop!

 

I got this for free no bull. It was on craigslist for sale for 1000 i went to go and pick it up. when I got there the guy had alzhiemer´s and forgot that he was selling it. absolutely refused to take any more for it to the point of anger and gave it to me for free.. amazing...

 

a craftsman 10" radial arm saw..works great!

 

I got a 80 gallon craftsman air compressor for free. I've got $40 bucks in it and it runs now just need to re-ring the piston, but hey you cant beat free, I wouldn't of been able to afford one otherwise.

 

A Saginaw 4 speed with shifter, just last week.

 

I've got a friend who retired years back.. He cleans out his shop from time to time and I've come away with all sorts of stuff. Tools, some very cool repair manuals, car parts, you name it! It's good to know old people!... Like I should talk.

 

A '65 Dodge Coronet 2 dr.. From my Grandmother, 30 years ago when I was going off to college. Low miles, great shape. Put a surf rack on it for my board. Loved that car. Sure wish I had it today..

 

an off topic car but it was a 1978 regal turbo sport coupe. a lady bought a new jeep wrangler and wanted it gone. got it, flipped it and got some extra dough for my chebbies.

 

Got this for free from my dad's friend 23+ years ago when I was battling cancer at age 11.




Titus turned it into this for me. Pics taken at the GSTA show in St. Paul less than 2 weeks ago with it's new tuck & roll by stichbitch.

 

That's funny. I was given one of those too.

 

So far it has been all the help and advice I have gotten here on the HAMB and other forums. It has really paid off. I know it sound hokey or kiss a** but it is true. Wouldn't have gotten as for on my shoebox without it.

 

The best thing I ever got free sure wasn't a car part.

JH

 

Room and board for the first 18 years of my life

 

Last year my Dad gave me his valve grinder, seat grinder, distributor machine, and scope. He wanted to make sure I ended up with them.

 

Five foot two,eyes of Blue.....

 

i got a 4 cly and 6 cyl iwht 4x4 auto trans for free. other things here and there.

 

I got an old compressor with a giant quincy pump. I have a friend who likes to buy things he does not need. this is the second big compressor he has bought, never used and got rid of. he actually gave it to another guy who never came and got it. he called me when he put it to the curb on big trash pickup day so I went and grabbed it.

when the guy who it was offered to originally saw it he says "oh, I see you went and got my compressor" told him no, I went and got MY compressor. then I told him something about snoozing and losing.

put it on my "5 HP" craftsman vertical tank and the "5 HP" motor would not even pump it up to full pressure without popping the breaker on the motor. funny how after I bought a 3 HP Baldor I motor had no problems. the thing is so big I had to use my cherry picker to mount it on the tank.

free is good.... paid $250.00 for the motor, but a compressor with this pump would be like $1500.000

 

salvation: my free gift from GOD.

 

'57 Buick Special 2dr sedan with the engine still in it. As a favor, a friend let a dirtbag part it out in front of a his shop, The dirtbag sold the interior out of it and took the money, got drunk, beat up his GF and went to jail. My friend couldn't let it just sit there, so he got hold of him in jail, asked him what he was going to do. He gave my friend the car, who didn't want to part it out, and gave it to me. I parted it out the rest of the way. Same friend lets the same dirtbag do the same damn thing with a '64 T-bird, except he sells ther 390 first, (I have the seats I have in my Ford right now) this time he flees to Texas, I get the T-bird carcass to part out.

I'm a car buzzard...