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I like that 2 year rule. Had a beloved sports car sitting in a garage, and never could find the time or money to get it in good running shape. The neighbor kid spotted it and approached me about it. I had that kneejerk reaction where I really wanted to hold onto it, but realized it wasn't happening anytime soon. So, told him if he could get it started, it was his. Well, he did it, then poured his weekends and every penny he earned into getting it running and looking good, and I have to say it did my heart good to see him having a ball in it. 10 years later and I still have no idea when I would've gotten around to it - probably still be sitting there...
When I was living in Seattle, there was a guy with a '56 VW Beetle oval window, and a Renault 5 Turbo 2 - the wide-fendered, midengine/rear-drive Renault developed for Group B, which was never officially sold in the US. Both were sitting in his yard, grass grown up around the tires, not even tarped... never responded to any door knocks... heartbreaking
Yes, it is frustrating to see such nice cars rotting away.
I do not know the motives why, but I think the three big ones are;
- I am going to restore it, yes maybe, but it has been there for ten years next to your house.
- That leads to "some people are just materlistic", which bascially they value any and every material objects, many places with these cars also have a hoarder environment around it. The term "materialistic" may not be accurate, but more of a hoarder mentality.
- Finally "so and so relative, son, father, etc, gave it to me, it means a lot to me", yes, if it meant so much to you, you would not let it rot away. It is hard to take serious people who state this given the condition of the car.
One barn story (I have many); when I lived in the midwest (rural area), there was a house a few miles away with a 1969 camaro convertible just sitting in the field/yard. Sat there for years, one day my dad decided to see if the guy would sell it, nope, not at all, would not even give a reason. The car, and the guy just was not there one day.
I remember driving in Wyoming (I think it was here), and i see from the highway a 1970 or so bronco sitting in a field/junk area, it had a big sign stating "not for sale". I guess the owner got tired of people bothering him about it.
When I was living in Seattle, there was a guy with a '56 VW Beetle oval window, and a Renault 5 Turbo 2 - the wide-fendered, midengine/rear-drive Renault developed for Group B, which was never officially sold in the US. Both were sitting in his yard, grass grown up around the tires, not even tarped... never responded to any door knocks... heartbreaking
The Renault is a special car. You should have worked harder to get it.
I found a 47 chevy pick up sitting under a shed years ago. It looked complete from the road but been sitting a while. I parked in front of the house and as soon as I got out of my car and started walking towards the front door this old witch jumped out and started cussing. I left in a hurry
The Renault is a special car. You should have worked harder to get it.
Yeah, I know... when I was a kid, I'd watch Group B with my dad and was blown away by it... it was my dream to be a Group B driver. I had Majorette cars and model kits of nearly all of them... the Ferrari 288 GTO, Lancia Delta S4, Peugeot 205 T16, Audi Quattro S1, Ford RS200, and yes, the Renault 5 Turbo were my dream cars. Seeing one, in the flesh, with oxidized and peeling, dull white paint, windows that were so dirty they were starting to moss in the sills, brake rotors that were so rusty they were nearly gone, was a sad sight indeed. There are only a handful - less than a dozen - in the US that I'm aware of, most of them grey market imports from the 80's.
I saw a red one at a European car show in Seattle when I was about seven or eight, as well. That one came up for sale a couple years ago on eBay, in Oregon.
WOW Opel GT. Brings back memories. I bought a new one in 1969. Met. green/tan int.
It's on my top three worst cars I ever owned. Kept it for a year. It was designed as a sports car but it had more body lean around corners than a 65 Buick. To put the head lights on you had to pull a handle between the seats to flip the lights. And then there was the buzz of the plastic engine fan. And to think I sold a 67 Nicky 427 Camaro for that car. What was I thinking.
Some of these cars aren't really just cars. To owners they represent memories and connections to people, places, and times past which can be difficult to let go. It isn't just cars either...houses, storage lockers, and auctions and are filled with this stuff.
Right down the street from me is a house that has a what looks like a 69 Dodge Dart sitting in his driveway... We have lived here for 3 years and I have never seen this car move.. It has cobwebs and leaves under it.... The color is that Bug Juice green that Dodge was using on a lot of its cars... I thought why not give it up and let someone else do something with it.... The guy looks to be in his late 40's that lives there...
As bad as that was, I drove by one day and he had his garage door opened and sitting inside was another one...ONLY this was piles with allo kinds fo boxes and scooter and bikes and crap// Way worse shape from what I could see than the one in the driveway.... And the garage had almost no room for anything in it except maybe to walk thru.....
I just cannot figure out people like that... It's one thing if you are doing a project and it takes a long time, but to just do that to a car is crap....
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