Projects How long do you hold onto parts before you finally decide it's time?

None of my kids have any interest in hot rods. It is so foreign to me, but they have their own hobbies. I have a 40'x60' FULL. My nephew told me he would be the heir to the kingdom if I wanted him to be.

 

A few years ago, my bachelor/ hoarder friend passed away. To auction off his treasures, his family rented an aircraft hangar. A lady at the sale asked me "How big was his farm?" He lived in town but that never stopped him. He told me you can always find room.

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Wife and I are moving as I write this. 23 years in the existing home, thankfully my shop is a separate building/property but it's surprising how much stuff I had squirreled away in the garage attic, garden shed, behind the garden shed (32 frame, model A frame, two model A cowls, 40 front end, 36 front end, 36 rear bells, a nine inch rear, an eight inch rear, 46 running boards, etc etc.). Heavy shit to move, and now it plugs up my shop. Time to thin out for sure.

 

Since I've never had the 29AA on the road since I bought it in '74, I guess the time length is 45 years and counting. I can list the stuff I wish I had never tossed out, including an entire '60 F-350 steering box and column, the 312 Y-block engine (the trans was toast), that truck's instruments and dash, the AA's roached-out radiator, and the heads from a 331 hemi I bought back in '68 that were in great shape compared to the block that had a piston and rod shoved through the cylinder wall.

 

I can' find it when I need it and I know I have it. I have to be looking for something else to find what I was hunting for the last time.

 

I had leftover parts from my 46 Olds laying around that I was happy to donate to restorers, in the end no one collected them so sadly off to the scrap metal yard they went along with all the residual steel from the shed. I decided it was finally time to de-clutter in preparation for downsizing!
I've only a few left over parts now, these will be sold and not scrapped.

 

Until I croak. Then it's my wife's call.

 

I keep good stuff until I either need money or I know someone that needs something more than I do. I have been dragging some junk around through multiple moves and shops over the past 35 years or so. Some days, I’m ready to give it all away just to not have to deal with it...

 

Yep, I bought a semi trailer on my last move a few years back and haven’t unloaded much of it at all. Thinking I must not need that stuff...

 

Usually keep stuff until I use it or move... A buddy made out like a bandit when the first marriage ended in '77; my nephew got a whole van load of good stuff when the last one went sour in 2012. And a lot went to the dump... But, I'm still hanging onto some flathead stuff I picked up in the late '60's.

 

That's what my kids say...

 

I have seemed to have hung onto my stuff long enough that no one else wants it either! So I guess that means a little bit TOO LONG!!! lol Larry

 

I moved up north from the cities about 10 years ago. At that time, I sold or gave away so much stuff that I was proud of myself. Now ten years later, my new (larger) shop has more stuff in it than I ever could have imagined before.

There is no cure.

 

I had to have a major purge when I moved last year. Other wise, never

 

It's funny this topic should come up, I've been personally going through a recent purge. My shop is in a bit of disarray as a buddy that shared the space with me moved out, and as my Mom recently moved to her retirement home, I cleaned out her garage with any of my residual parts. It's all now at my house and it either needs to find a home or get tossed/sold.

In terms of parts, I have a policy to not throw away good parts for vehicles I own, meaning year, make and model, not necessarily car in particular. Every nice old car I've ever owned has been hit at least once, or needed work along the way as things wear out, etc. I keep spares. I also do the same thing for engines I own. So for me, B/RB Mopar, SBC, Y Block, Gen I Oldsmobile.... Anything else I don't keep unless it's of legitimate value.

I have stopped keeping junk or "good used" parts, because I find myself never using them. Why keep an old crusty steering column when I could just buy a new one from Speedway for $100? Why keep loads of SBC water pumps laying around when I'm not going to run a used one on a new build, I'll just get a new one. My time in reconditioning old parts is worth something to me, especially when work and family obligations keep my spare time to a minimum. At this point I'd rather buy new as I go rather than hold onto old shit I'll probably never use. It also helps eliminate a lot of clutter.

 

I have found that moving to a new home will usually cause me to lose a pile of totally useless stuff, and it might happen again pretty soon.

 

If you're moving up to the next good one, it's all got to go. Then the next good one often comes with new stuff.

 

Now, exactly what kinda "stuff" we talkin about? If it's something I want, it's time.

 

I understand the the popular notion that you often need something shortly after you get rid of it. But I developed a philosophy that if that happens, and it doesn't always happen, I'll do what I would do if I never had it in the first place. I'll go out and find another. I really think that is sound reasoning.

The problem is, while I do believe it, I have not yet actually started the 'purge' that is needed. But I am getting closer to doing that....honest! ....

Ray

 

I collect, then one day I'll walk in and say what the hell do I need so many intakes or wheels or tachometers or etc, then I'll purge, a few months will go by then I have the next big idea about something I really don't need but got to have.
Some things I have kept to long, take it to the swap meets and nobody will give you a single buck for a good part that somebody needs but I can't seem to toss because I think it's worth more than that buck. Right now I've been looking at this stack of 2x4's, plywood and doors that needs out of my way in the garage, but I'm not through remodeling the garage so I don't want to get rid of those piles just yet..lol

 

AH, the thrill of the hunt!
These days, I seem to spend a lot of time hunting in my storage area for things I know I've saved for a specific project.
If I can't find the things I know I've saved when the specific project has come up, I guess maybe its past time to clean up.
I've moved 4 times since I started collecting stuff. The first time was a big downsize, I saved 10 pick up loads of parts, and scrapped 7700 lbs of steel.
The next down size cost me about 1/2 of those pickup truck loads. Then I closed down the rented building, another downsize. When I moved here, 18 years ago, I had to downsize again. That time I just kept the stuff I knew I would use. Since then, between my son and myself, we have built 4 or 5 cars using parts from my hoard. The hoard is getting pretty slim these days.
The last 2 projects I ended up buying most of the stuff I needed new. The few things that remain here are pretty much junk. There may be a few sell able items as I dig through the remaining piles, but I suspect most of the stuff will hit the scrap pile.
Since I've retired, the "saved stuff" has really started to bother me. Frankly, I tired of looking at this stuff. I've done my time saving it, its now someone else's turn, or the scrap guy will give me about $35 a ton for whats left. Gene

 

I can now say with authority that you are a lucky man to have her as a wife.

It was nice meeting you both today.

 

Finally time for what????

 

Until I'm tired of looking at it or decided to go a different route. Then I get seller's regret and want or need it again.

 

Hahahaha! How I look at it. Once I'm pushing up Daisies, I couldn't give a that's ass.

 

New Year's Resolution - I'm definitely going to sell off half my really good stuff, which I'll likely never use myself. My featured item for January is an extended fan adapter for installing a Ford flathead into a Lincoln Zephyr. Bids, anyone?​

 

My eldest son needed some parts for his 44 WC. So he bought this power wagon at Saturdays auction. We are raising our youngest sons children. And those two are already ate up with being hoarders & junkmen. So I think they just might own the hoard someday?

 

I consolidated two 5-gallon pails of old hardware into probably less than a gallon. Had a lot of new hardware mixed in with it, found 2 sets of header bolts too. Now I tend to toss stuff out more frequently.

 

Remember that he who dies with the most toys wins.

 

One corner of my garage is full of weird metal pieces that I have collected for making cool hot rod trophies for local car shows. I really want to trash the stuff but I know I will be called upon to make something cool for some car shows next summer. I have no barn or semi trailer to store the stuff in. But my kid does have a big farm...… now that's an idea. I will stake a claim in part of his corn crib. Better than hauling it to the recycle bin.