Hot Rods Sooo why do they do this?

I was just wondering, why do people get really cool cars and put them in barns or storage of some sort and never let them see asphalt or the light of day. When we picked up the "T" pu bed for a hotrod the guy says "I've got a complete 34 coupe here in the shed." Couldn't even begin to wipe the dust away from the window to see inside. When we got the hi school pictures done, the husband had coupe bodies stacked 2 deep. "Turn loose of one, you gotta be outa your #@!&($% head!" A local guy has 4, count them 4. barns full of 30's and 40's cars. Had them since the 60's. There they sit. What a waste.

 

It's called hording. And some think that they are saving the cars from "them damned hotrodders" by letting them rot. That and 999 other reasons that don't make any real sense but it has been going on since I started playing with cars almost 50 years ago and probably long before that.

On my way to work there is a 66/67 GTO sitting outside by a shack that has been there and not moved for at least 32 years. The story has always been "It's my uncles and he is going to fix it some day". I would estimate that probably 1000 guys have tryed to buy it over the years. A few miles away there is a 67 Elkie that hasn't been there as long but is in pretty much the same shape and same story. A highschool classmate has a hord of tri 5 Chev ragtops that he won't turn loose of and I would imagine that most of them are getting pretty sad now. He is too busy buying and hording other stuff to take time to at least get the ragtops in somewhat decent shape and his to die for shop is so full of crap you can't get but one car in it. He is 62 and has no kids so his nephews and nieces are going to have a hell of a sale some day.

 

This has been brought up before but the cars are theirs to do with as they wish.Just a sad fact of life my friend.

 

it's not a waste to them.they spent the money and did with them what they wanted.it's a little perverse to the ones on the outside looking in but there is not much can be done.we'll let go of them when we are gone.come see me and we'll tour the barns out back.

 

Many of us on here have more parts/projects then we will probably ever use or get around to. Your point?

 

I think it must be a compulsion to just HAVE those things, even if it's just for them to look at. If it were one or two cars, I could believe that maybe there was originally an intention of building / restoring, but when you talk about barns full of stuff...there is something deeper going on. Hoarders will collect all kinds of things because they believe that there is a high value to those items, but they will never turn loose of any of it, and therein lies the irony.

 

I wanna know why so many newbies wanna change the frame on their car...Idiots

 

Some people hoard old matchbooks, some hoard tools, others hoard cars. Believe it or not, some of these hoarders suffer from mental disabilities that keep them from letting go of stuff. It's a comfort thing to many of them - they can't let go of stuff! Way back when, in the late Sixties, my fifth-grade teacher and her sister, were like that. They kept EVERYTHING they ever got their hands on, and even kept trash! And they were simply whacko, for lack of a better description! They had a pair of late '40s Pontiacs buried beneath piles of stuff next to their house. When they died, it was incredible what the estate executor found!

It may not necessarily be that the person is an asshole - of course, many hoarders ARE.

 

Because the mags say to do it

 

I was just wondering, why do people go out of their way to earn lots of dollars, and then stash them away in banks or money market accounts never to see a shoping center or bill-fold again? When I picked up my last paycheck from my boss-guy, he says "I just put another $4000 into my IRA"... Couldn't even begin to dig into his check book to find out how much money he was hoarding away. When I had the pictures done, the husband had a wallet full of credit cards stacked 2 deep... Share the %$&^*! wealth, you gotta be out of your head! A local guy has 4, count 'em 4 stock brokers working 30 and 40 million dollar accounts... Been saving his money since the 60's... There all that $ sits... What a waste!

 

Back around '84, my wife wanted a Corvette project. There's a guy who I knew who had a '62 Corvette in his yard that had been there (non-running) for at least 10 years. We approached him, he said it was indeed for sale, but the price was about 4 times what the car was worth. The car was rough, but saveable, but not worth anywhere near the asking price so we passed. Many years go by, and lo and behold, we now live near him, and I drive by the same '62 Corvette, sitting in the same yard, with another 25 years of weather damage and neglect. It will never run again and it's sad, but what can you do?

 

The hording thing can be a serious problem for some. (not just cars) I'm talking a serious OCD (Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder) I had an aunt who had it bad. We never knew until she died. She would always go to other peoples homes for holidays, never had anyone over to hers. We never thought much about it. Then she died suddenly of a massive heart attack. When i saw her house for the 1st time i was almost in tears. You had to follow paths to get anywhere. Place was filthy, dusty, dirty, moldy. Not saying this is the reason car guys do it, but i've seen some who fall into this category.

 

My point is, if your not going to do something with it, why not give it to someone who will. Like me!

 

Ive found alot of the cars have memories attached to them....son went to war was his car never came back so they hold onto the car, some its there first car and they keep it(still have mine Im carring around)...I have a few out back Im fond of

 

good point

 

I know many bums and beggars holding up "will work for food" signs that agree with you wholeheartedly.

 

I kinda feel the same way about guys with obsolete super rare speed parts, that will never be used, just a mantle ornament. On the flip side, I completely understand it is indeed theirs to do as they please. It's just a disappointment for them to never see their intended designed function ever again.

Just my .02 on this particular subject.

 

I have 2 extra gennie 32 Ford roadster bodies and a complete 32 Ford 2 door sedan and a garage full of just about enough parts to build them...I get people coming around all the time to let one go...I have to tell them no...I know I have spent most of my life on wild goose chases looking for my dream car.Now that I have these bodies, I dont need to sell them...you cant replace them...and thats why people are the way they are. They may not have the money to restore them but if someone likes a car (if it is just sitting or not) They have every right not to sell it. In most cases it is easier to replace the money than it is the car.

 

It's really none of my business why people do what they do with their stuff. I have no desire for anyone to tell me what to do with what I own and I'll do likewise.

If someone wants to stick their car in a barn, well, it's their car. In the big picture there are many cars on the road today because someone decided to do that.

 

Only in America.......we are a bunch of hords.

 

so this whole thread is because you want someone to give you what is thiers.....nice try freddie.

 

I'm not a "hord", I'm a slut



Oh wait, you said "hord".

 

I agree with you on this one. One can always work hard and make more money, but you can't just go out and dig up a 32 Ford everyday. Money isn't always the issue, sometimes it's about the challenge of the chase and finding cool old stuff. I'm an estate sale junkie and sometimes it takes a few years before I can let go of certain items, and usually then it's only because I found something I like better

 

Hordiculture.......is the new flat black with red wheels!!!

 

Was a story about an old gent (very poor) The church took up a collection for there burial. When he died (no kin or kids) the state came in to set matters right. Found many thousands in bonds behind a wall picture. So they did some investigation and found many almost new Mercers covered up in buildings, even had a NEW CRATE engine for one. The sale was attended by Jay Leno, and the list of cars was outa sight, no cheepys in the mix, he loved Mercers. No one knew he had them, no one ever saw them arrive, and no one even knew how he got them there in the first place. What a waste. but I sure some one is now benefitting from his crazyness. Iceman

 

I want to thank all the Hoarders out there for storing and preserving old Tin.

Just imagine they would have let them all go in the '80s.

Then we'd be repairing even more Hidden Hinges, Smoothed out Everything & removing Billet then we already are...

And now, every once in a while something surfaces that hasn't been messed with since the '50s.



Again, Thank You...

 

Those filthy capitalist pigs. We shall launch an invasion, and liberate all the oppressed classic cars, and then we shall re-distribute the wealth to the free-loaders of the world!

Long live comunism!

 

I have a close friend in his eighties with a '32 3 Window and '32 Victoria in his garage. He dreams of restoring them some day. Dreams are important, especially as we get older. I wish I had the time to help him with his dreams. The last thing he needs in someone bugging him.

Charlie Stephens

 

Can I come to your house this weekend to see if there's anything I might want?

 

President O?