Spreading the Gospel, risking the Shotgun.

Take me I will ride shotgun, I have your back!

 

Unless I think its a meth lab if I wanna go see what someone is doing I just walk up, introduce myself and apologize if I am intruding. If they don't want me around I leave.

I met a fella with a banged up LSR roadster once that way when I was younger. Turned out to be a good opportunity, I ended up screwing his new motor together and got a free trip (my gas my bike) to Speed Week at B-Ville.

Ya just never know and polite will gain you a lot of ground with most folks.

 

I had one experience where my ex brother in law told me he knew where a 56 chevy was back in the woods...sure enough there was a chevy sitting in the woods..unfortunatley the house that was supposed to be abandoned wasnt..we heard the door open and a guy say go get em boys...we were stuck on top of the roof of the chevy being guarded by two of the biggest rottweilers i had ever seen...the new owner of the house came down and we talked for quite awhile..he had no problem of us getting the old car out of his yard.. he just asked us to knock on his door first..
After that experience i have found it alot easier to go knock on peoples doors and ask them about the cars in their yard..where i live now i use to go and ask a little old man about his 54 ford that he was using to power his wood saw..the car was never for sale..but i always got invited in for breakfast and coffee

 

I too have a hard time walking up to a stranger on his property to ask about an old car. I worry about dogs as well as shotguns.


I have often thought about this when someone posts a "found an abandoned car" and just decides to go pick it up. I just can't get used to taking something without permission from somebody. (yeah I'm old) Being an east coaster, I'm not used to unoccupied lands.

A while back there was a post on the HAMB about an "abandoned barn" with a bunch of early T birds in it. Guys here started to put in their dibs on the different cars!! The barn belonged to my buddy and he was collecting rent every month for storage from the collector. Abandoned my ass!

I love to show off my shit to someone I know or someone that is spoken for but we have the Gypsies that are always coming around wanting to seal my driveway and such. I get paranoid when someone comes up unexpectedly and starts to ask a bunch of questions. I used to trust everybody but times have changed. I still believe in the good side of human nature but there seem to be more thieves today than when I was young. I'm sure the land owners have noticed too.

I'll go with you the next time Donnie. I'll be right behind you... Well maybe a few hundred feet.

 

Tommy
I don't worry too much about dogs, as a rule they don't bite me.

I probably should add something here. I never go into anybodies garage uninvited period. Its pretty much the same at my place. If you show up and I don't invite you in its because I don't want you in. If someone doesn't invite me into their garage or I have to open a gate to get onto their property it just doesn't happen. They have a gate for a reason or at least I assume that they do.

 

...I'm just not sure it's a matter of public record if you are on the HAMB or not

 

My DD is a Crown Vic ex-detective car...Definitely NOT a car you want to go poking around in. There's even some junkyards that won't let me in because they think I work for the EPA/City/DEA whatever...

 

...I bet people slow down when you roll up behind them though, don't they?

 

...I'm just not sure it's a matter of public record if you are on the HAMB or not
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Ok 123 - Laugh

 

...Thanks for responding, skidmarks. I didn't get a very close look at the car. It was about 100 yds off the road, in the guys front yard, but yes, I think it was white with red accents. Can't say about the front bumper for sure. Just didn't get that good of a look. Glad you jumped in here as I thought you might know the owner. I'm guessing he may be an old racer from that area and probably IS on the HAMB or at least aware of it. I'll definitely stop next time I'm passing there and introduce myself. What's the worst thing that could happen? He could just tell me to leave or I might make a new friend.....Don.......p.s. Hope he doesn't own a shotgun.

 

the "flag" to wave is a smile...

 

I read an old street rod article about this very subject. Always have the cash in your pocket, leave the truck & trailer parked on the road until after the deal & always walk up the driveway never drive up it. When you get to the door knock then step back down of the porch so your not making them feel crowded.

That is what the article said any ways. Or you just keep going back until they are finally ready to sell. Alot of times you have to establish a relationship.

 

...Always good advice. Thanks.

 

With all that signage I'd say he welcomes visitors.

 

Donnie...When you make it up my way I will show you a collection of cars on a farm in different buildings you would'nt think existed. Plan on spending the day. It's worth the trip.....JT

 

What's worse is people you know that have something you never knew they had before. Then you ask and they just change the subject. Our old neighbor had two old cars down in his basement. Never been down there so never knew about them. I'd went by his house for whatever reason and we went down to the basement and there sit them. I asked about them and he changed the subject to tractors. I guess he didn't want people to know his dirty little secret.

 

No, but I wish somebody would!

 

Now you've really peaked my interest, skidmark. Looks like a trip back across the Bay Bridge may be necessary. Thanks....Don.

 

Don, they call this "the land of pleasant living" for a reason!

Although it's 38 and stinking rain right this minute...


www.highspeedmotorsports.com

 

...I definitely plan to get up your way as soon as the weather gets better. Look forward to seeing you and some of the vintage tin that's hidden around that area. As a side note to others here, and a testament to the power of the HAMB, I recently "bumped into" JT on here after losing track of him some 30 yrs. ago. We plan to get together soon to reminisce about the good old days of D.C. area drag racing and car stuff in general. Thanks, Ryan, for the format that allows for things like this to take place. This site continues to amaze me.....Don.