It all started about 5 years ago...wouldn't it be cool to own an old car? Soon thereafter, a '51 Fleetline was in my garage...liked it, but found a '59 Apache locally that was almost rust free, shit, only $4500, parked it in the other garage bay. Sold the '51, found a convertible '64 Galaxie/390/4spd that I really liked...shit, I can put up that in the other garage bay, no problem. Sold the '59 Apache, made a (very) few bucks, then found this '57 Chevy 3100 that was a killer deal. Bought it, now the garage is full...I can't POSSIBLY fit another car on my lot, can I? Well, found a '53 Chevy 3100 5 window that was 95% restored, got it for a song (relatively speaking), what the hell, put up a portable garage on my property no prob, it's only $350 at BJs, took me 3 hours to put up, problem solved. Did some work on the Galaxie, some on the '53, but was cruising through the classifieds...damn, that '46 Dodge pickup looks SWEET!!!! Love those art deco lines!! How much room in the parking area? 10ft x 20ft? Hell, I can fit another portable garage in there NO PROBLEM. Done. Dragged it home and now it's sleeping in the portable garage. Working on the Galaxie, the '51, the 53...DAMN, this sucks! Rolling around on the floor sucks at 47 years old. Shit, I can afford a lift, no problem! DONE!. Wait a second...if I put one car in the air, there's an EMPTY SPACE below it...wait, what's that on Ebay? A '41 Chevy business coupe? Drive up to see it...pretty solid, I'll put a bid in on it, it'll go over that for sure...NOT. I own it. '41 Chevy goes up in the air, Galaxie goes under it. PROMISED myself I'd stop looking at the Craig's Lists classifieds, but shit, I'm bored, it can't hurt to look, can it? Found an early Meteor on CL for A SONG (or so it seems). It's a FOUR SPEED! Damn, that's rare, and I HATE automatics...how much does he want for it? Hell, I can swing that no problem!! Hey, send me some pics...it's only a 2.5 hour drive...it can't hurt to go up and see it, can it? I know a guy that's renting parking spaces for only $150/mo, but wait, I can fit another lift in the other bay, can't I? Hmmmm....let's see...take some measurements...maybe...I think I can swing it...how flexible is he on the price??...Hmmm... The family is well taken care of...the retirement account gets funded every month...my wife has a slush fund...we have an account for my daughter's college (if she chooses to go)...hell, it's only $2500 or so...I don't even have to tell my wife...she never goes to my building anyway... And so it goes... Am I the only one? Chris
But do you have a running driving hot rod or a garage & portable garages full of projects? My late friend Deuce Roadster related a story about his obsession of collecting cars and nothing cool to drive,,he told me a elderly gent told him thats why he never had a hot rod to drive,,,decide what you really want and sell all the rest and you will have the money to build your dream or maybe even buy your dream car. Deuce followed the old gents advise and within a year was drive his roadster. HRP
The Galaxie, the '53, and the '57 are all running drivers. The '46 Dodge runs, but the brakes are shot, and the drivetrain is original. Same with the '46. '46 is next in line, have most of the parts in hand, a T5, a new rear, brake kit, same with the '46...all I need is time...
If "Hey everybody! I need to tell you about all my cool shit!" is recognized by the DSM-5 then yes, you have a disease. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Yes....you do.....and I admire that!!!One day 25 years or so ago as I was sitting in line at the drags with my D/G stude on my open trailer,I saw on the rear door of the enclosed trailer in front of me a sign that read "This trailer contains an incurable disease!" HAHAHA! Yer post reminded me of that an I had to share it! Thanks for bringing back that memory!!!!R~R
Me either.....that's why I have a '40 Ford pickup in my basement, in a bunch of pieces of course. lol
Lol...best "old car disease" thread I've read yet. But HRP makes a very good point. I mean a very VERY good point. Take it from him and some of us other guys in our 50s, 60, and '70s. Life is short...time goes by so darned fast. And you can spend your time finding, getting, and working on a bunch of cars that are cool enough...no question...but maybe not your dream car. Then all of a sudden, you're older...maybe some things happen that diminish the expendable income...you or a loved one gets sick...and all these cars are sittin' there. And it seems that lately, they're easier to buy than to sell...but you find that you've got to sell them to focus on more pressing important stuff. I spent 25 years collecting old cars and parts. Some fun cars, but nothing dreamy. I had wanted to have a '28 to '34 roadster or coupe since I was just a little kid. I did finally get a '29 roadster body, '32 frame, and a pile of parts to finally build my dream hot rod. Then some shit happened, time flew by, and I ended up having to sell it all. I'm now 56 years old and not sure if I'll be able to ever have a real hot rod. And even if I do, I won't be the young hot rodder that I wanted to be. I don't tell you this to complain about my circumstances. There are those who are way worse off than me. And the dream is still alive...I haven't lost hope. I'm just trying to help you to seriously consider what you really really want...and to focus your energies, time and money on that...'cause you don't know what'll be coming down the road. Maybe some of this doesn't pertain to you. Maybe you don't have a "dream car" in mind. Maybe you're happy with a bunch of cars, and that's best for you. Just think about it. All the best.
You are not that sick...yet . You should probably get started soon on a multi car garage that's tall enough for lifts in every bay plus plenty of storage in the upper level. When you get all that space filled it may be time for a complete health checkup or maybe just start looking for a bigger place with more land to build more garages and storage buildings .
I'll never understand having so many projects that nothing gets completed. But, I'm not in a situation where I could afford it. Maybe that's the real curse. Being able to get them, but not being able to finish them. Wait..... that would actually be HELL.
Don't let your shit own YOU. Cars are cool and fun and all but you can only drive one at a time. I have three drivers and sometimes I think that's too much!
The late Mark Dees once told me that wanting to sit behind the wheel of a race car (in this case a Bonneville car) was a disease. Their was no cure and the treatment could be very costly, including your wife, family, all of your worldy possessions including your personal well being or your life. You just have a mild affliction, like most of us on here.
Yeah......I know that feeling. I've had lots of great stuff over the years(a sweet 56 Ford Panel comes to mind) that i dont have anymore, but I started buying just about exactly like you described about 5 or 6 yrs ago(this is kool, that ones priced right, I need that, I want that)...................About 30 cars & projects, a new 30X60 garage & losing a relationship with a really great gal(I hoped she was just joking) LATER......... I cant get my tractors in the farm machine sheds,a couple are lawn art, I'm single......oh wait! Another 27 T coupe body on evil bay.............
You must have some kind of disease if you have that many cars that need work and your bored. My shop is full of projects too so I stay out of the cars for sale section and concentrate on the parts for sale section to find the parts I need to fix them.
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