My father was a hoarder and I remember loving those old cars that has brought me to be the enthusiast that I am sadly the city inspectors ended up winning and only 2 of his cars remain And we have put them in a safe place, I too was a victim of the car hoarder family gene but I cured myself buy building and completing some cars so I could enjoy them and not stare at the piles in my yard. I have an older brother retired about 9 years with that same mentality as my dad, gonna get to it some day although he has mostly 80’s junk he does have a few muscle cars and a cool 30’s Caddy. Some day he will be gone and his kids can’t wait to scrap them, I hope they have enough sense to know what the ones in the garages are worth. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
A sad predicament we find ourselves in, growing old and all. It's the same in property, land, small business, farming etc. The folks think they're doing their kids a (future) favor but when they die the kids just want to cash out and move on with their lives. What I hate seeing (and I have) are the vultures that swoop in after hearing of a death and hope to finally get the car they have wanted from the estate, while the guy is still warm in his grave.
In Colchester, Connecticut, Tony Galatro had a junkyard, Colchester Auto Parts since the late 1940's. Tony was the typical old junkyard owner, gruff, tough, and not too friendly until he got to know you. He was in a constant battle with the town about environmental issues, which usually ended with the town backing off. He was tough to buy from, and when you could, he got his price. A bunch of us " Junkyard Dogs " went to his 80th birthday party, and he enjoyed us being there for him. Some of us used to trim the brush in the junkyard so he could get around. He passed away a few years ago, and hi family didn't want to battle the town any more. I was lucky to be there when the company that was contracted to clean out the yard, all 46 acres of it. They let me in 2 days in a row to get what I could, and then it was over.. Tony was a good guy, but stubborn. His junkyard was his family, as he never got married. Making money was not his priority, but making friends was. We miss him.
I was working in Nelsonville while they were filming parts of Mischef. I saw them have Keith's 56 on a section of brick street doing burnouts one day, looked like just for the hell of it. I asked one of the film guys what they were doing and he said they were using it for the sound track for the other movie cars that wouldn't spin a tire but the script called for them to. I also got to talk to the hottie Kelly Preston one time for about 10 minutes while she was waiting for them to set up the shot where the dork kid wrecked his bike going down the hill. She was friendly as could be, asked questions about the town and gave me a big hug
Thing is see....the whole car scene is totally changing, and no longer does a car have status or convey anything about it's owner. It was common to drive down any street and see who drove what and see who was brand loyal, who just used a car for transportation, and who truly valued their car as an object worthy of time and attention. It is not like that now, the majority of folks in a neighbourhood value their tv and furnishings more than the car, it has become reliable transport and not an excuse to go for a sunday drive, where we still value our cars for what they are, a source of pride and entertainment, ready to go for a drive to the ice cream shop. The ice cream shop is not the goal, driving the car is, totally opposite of your neighbour, the ice cream is the big deal. We drive stuff that is more unusual than anything else on the road, treasure it while you can, I imagine, at some point, after I'm gone, mine will disappear into my daughters garage and become an heirloom to look at rather than it's intended use, and I'll bet money that most of our cars will suffer the same fate, fifty years from now, they'll be collectors items rather than cars.
I wasn't referring to tesla as being a POS, just that it is an electric car and as such it is the vary antithesis of all we hold as holy and sacred on this site and wherever men gather to drink beer, hoot at women and tell dirty jokes. I've seen the future, it's a 47-year-old virgin sittin' around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake singing "I'm an Oscar-Meyer Wiener", while his autonomous electric car drives him to the Taco Bell for dinner!! Oh, and yes I have driven them and no, I wouldn't own one. I'm just not that guy.
Nothing new. I recall junkyards 45 years ago in Arizona with junkers piled 5-high and they were nice cars by NY standards. Most of those met the reaper even back then. Whole complete cars into the shredder.
I went into the Tesla store in the mall near me when they first opened, I was the only person there not wearing Dockers and penny loafers.
Will somebody take this before the barn crushes it?? https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1955-56-packard-executive-parts-car.1162023/
I see it happen all the time, with individual collections. Old farts here even argue that they will take parts they will never use, and cars they will never build, to the grave, rather than part with them. The pool of useful goods grows smaller each day, creating unnecessary scarcity, and driving up prices. Rising prices puts a lot of folks out of the market of building a cool car. Too bad I am talking to people who will not listen.
I used to load steel at a mill south of Dallas Tx, when I went in I had to drive by a wall of crushed cars. It always made me sick going in, rust free TX cars and trucks, all kinds of parts, stainless and chrome trim, aluminum wheels, you name it. All piled up to be melted down. I usually saw several vehicles with virtually no damage that I have loved to brought home. I guess the more they destroy, the more valuable the survivors become. Just think how many pre war cars were destroyed for the war effort. Like was said, we can’t save them all.
No, it's not for sale, I will get to it someday. Watched an o/t car rust in half in an old ladies driveway over the years, it had a sign in the rear window that it was not for sale.
I remember spending Saturday mornings at three junk yards in Norwalk CT. or Mamaroneck NY. The Good Old Days! Now over 72 years old, sometimes you just got to say What The F%$#K.
Several years back I was working at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear facility just North of Lexington Park Maryland. During a lunch break I was perusing an old car magazine. A fellow noted my interest and asked me had I seen the old cars just across the highway from the plant? I had not, but made it my business to check it out. They were loading out and sending to be crushed several hundred vintage vehicles from many decades. I had been to the plant several times in prior years, but was unaware of their existence. The yard had been accessible until put under a scrap contract. Too bad.
Most ‘old school’ junkyards I’ve been to weren’t worth it. The owners were usually some old coot with a bad attitude, the cars were beat, and the prices were way too high, and there was little room for negotiation because “wahhh my insurance is high”. 9 out of 10 times they’re the “gonna fix it up someday” guys, but with an LLC
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