Who has something like this sitting around?

[Idaho45guy]

I went out to my son-in-law's grandfather's place out in the country today to look at a car.

The grandparents are nice old LDS folks(the grandfather is a direct descendant of Joseph Smith) who stopped driving in 2019 due to fear of Covid. They just stayed home and let one of their seven daughters bring them groceries and supplies.

They had a 2003 Subaru Outback with a lot of miles, but in good condition. It's been sitting there for four years. The son-in-law got it running and said it needed tires, a good detail, complete fluid change and timing belt change to be safe, but wasn't that bad.

Used car prices are crazy around here, especially for an AWD vehicle. I paid $1200 and drove it home.

319651

But, this thread isn't about the Subaru. It's about the car you see sitting in the background.

It's a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 with the 390 V8. Quite the hot car back in the day.

It was the Grandfather's first new car, and he drove it until something went wrong in the 80's and he parked it. Right where it sits. I said I would buy it with the promise to restore it. Nope. Can't let it go.

The grandson said that the grandfather has turned down multiple offers over the years for the car. He allegedly used to race it now and then and is a huge NASCAR fan. He will never restore it, or fix it up, and is in such poor health now, he can't even walk to it. But he won't let it go.

319652

319653

My brother is the same with his high school car; a 1967 Dodge Dart GT with 50k miles on it that he parked in our parent's pasture 30 years ago and is now a basket case. I offered to buy it 20 years ago and restore it. He turned me down. Every now and then, people will go to my parent's door and try to buy it. Last offer was $5k. My brother paid $150 for it.

Curious as to how many folks on here have a similar cool old vehicle just rotting away on their property that they won't sell.

[Minerat]

My uncle let my grand fathers 1951 chevy 5 window pickup dissolve into the ground in Lewiston. I wanted it to restore in 1980 when GP died. They hauled it from Oklahoma to Idaho just to let it rust away. I think it is a think with people in that area to just let old cars rust away.

[Idaho45guy]

My uncle let my grand fathers 1951 chevy 5 window pickup dissolve into the ground in Lewiston. I wanted it to restore in 1980 when GP died. They hauled it from Oklahoma to Idaho just to let it rust away. I think it is a think with people in that area to just let old cars rust away.

I think it is a thing all over the US.

Sad thing about the Galaxie, is that I can buy a fully restored beautiful version for $30k. To restore the one in my original post would cost about $10k for the motor, another $5k for interior, $15k for the body and paint work, plus another $10k in miscellaneous work for suspension, transmission, brakes, etc. And add another $2k for tires/wheels...

So I could spend $42k to fix up one, or spend $30k to get one already built and ready to cruise.

I'm hoping by the time I get all of my father's estate sorted out and sold, and my new home taken care of, that I will have enough cash left over to buy a classic car. I thought buying one to restore would be fun for retirement, but the numbers aren't working out.

[poppy42]

Ah the cars I once owned! 63 Ford Galaxy 500 XL ragtop, 2 69 GTO’s, 69 Olds 442, 64 1/2 289 Mustang ragtop, 70 429 cobrajet Torino, 69 MX100 Mercury marauder. That’s just some of the more notable ones! Then I got married and had kids. And suddenly the ability to go over 100 mph didn’t seem so important. I once received A speeding ticket on the Massachusetts Turnpike for doing in excess of 100 miles an hour. The trooper didn’t know how fast I was actually going. I can tell you that the speedometer in my Torino clocked out at 160 mph and it was pegged. I literally had to pull over and wait for a trooper to catch up with me. At the time there was no way off the mass pike with out going through a toll both and it doesn’t matter how fast you go you can’t out run a radio I figured I’d better stop. Lol
Op thanks for the Memories!!!!

[Lloyd Smale]

dad had an xl with a 352 in it. those 390s and 427s are bringing big bucks today restored

[txbirdman]

First year of college (1966) I bought ‘64 just like the one in the photo except mine was fire engine red with a 390 and a 3 on the tree overdrive. About 5 miles from my house a guy with a wrecking yard has one for sale but it’s white. Must be pretty expensive since it’s been sitting there awhile.

[Sasquatch-1]

My first car was a "64" 4 door Galaxy with a 352, 4 barrel. It had the 300 rear end and from a light couldn't get out of its own way. After it got going it could cruise at 120 mph all day. Or until the gas ran out. I am sure it was turned into a refrigerator or something a looooong time ago.

[Dave H]

I have a 58 B model Mack that I have fixed up to use every once in a while someone will ask if I will sell it, I built a 32 ford pickup hotrod and at the car shows I get asked is it for sale. Funny thing I own a very nicely restored 31 model A coupe and I get a lot of interest at car shows but young people don't seem to want a car to drive that you have to shift and adjust the timing when driving.

[brokeasajoke]

Used to mow for a guy that had a local house but just came in periodically. Had a 60 something galaxy with a 428 if I remember correctly just setting there rusting away.

[Shanghai Jack]

That was my first car

[Handloader109]

I go down state hwy 65 back to MS. Along the way there was a spot in Louisiana that had about 8 or so late 50s, early 60s cars lined up against a row of trees don't have any idea how long they had been there, we've been here 13 years and they were there first time we drove that route. Nice farm building next to them, thought some one might be fixing them up, but none ever moved. Just rusting away. Noticed them gone last year. Guess the old guy died and the family got rid of the scrap. And they had become scrap metal. Shame

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[WRideout]

I used to gas up a lot of those when I worked at a Phillips 66 gas station at age 18. In Southern California I saw every type of automobile; if they were rusty you knew they were parked at the beach.

Wayne

[Gewehr-Guy]

Have a 50 Chevy 3800? that several of my friends want, but so did I when I bought it. Eventually I will get it on the road again. Sometimes when people get mad at me for not selling something too them, for their price, I ask them, where were you at the day I drove 50 miles to a farm sale on a crappy day, stood around all day too buy the old vehicle of my dreams?

[imashooter2]

I have a street and strip 1963 Impala in my garage right now…http://www.imashooter2.com/pictures/imp4th.jpg

[Froogal]

I don't have any old cars, but I do have a couple of 1940 Farmall tractors, and yes, both are for sale.

[HWooldridge]

It's not just cars and tractors - the same sentiment applies to guns, tools, etc.

I went on a month-long anvil hunt back in the early 1980's. The prices weren't stupid high like they are now, but a whole bunch of people just wouldn't part with them. The stories ranged from, "I cain't sell it - t'was my granpappy's!", to "Well, I'll get around to using it one of these days." At that time, you could pick up forge blowers for $30 and nice leg vises for $10 to $20, but anvils were commonly $1 per pound and $.50/lb was a good deal - and many of them were junk.

I just chalked it up to sentimental value - the same applies to cars...

Always best to wait and negotiate with the widow - women are usually more pragmatic about cash.

[Alstep]

I have a 58 B model Mack that I have fixed up to use every once in a while someone will ask if I will sell it, I built a 32 ford pickup hotrod and at the car shows I get asked is it for sale. Funny thing I own a very nicely restored 31 model A coupe and I get a lot of interest at car shows but young people don't seem to want a car to drive that you have to shift and adjust the timing when driving.


I took my commercial driver's license test in a B model Mack. Had the 2 stick duplex in it. Then I drove an R model with a triplex. Later Mack came out with the 5 speed maxidine. Remember the F model? Never see cab-overs on the road any more. Back in those days, any truck that had a 318 Detroit or a 335 Cummins were on top of the power chain.

[MaryB]

Friend had a 1966 Galaxy 500 7 litre convertible, that was the 427 engine, 4 speed, bucket seats, console... optioned to the max and FAST. Drunk driver crossed the center line and hit him head on... saved the engine that he put into a Mustang... if he still had it that car would go for north of $125,000 because it was fully restored. Only thing not stock was the engine internals, he upped the compression and used a street/strip cam in it. Came with 4.10 rear gears so it was 1/4 mile ready. I know how many hours went into that car, I did half the work on it!

[Bazoo]

The closest I ever came to a hotrod car was a 71 chevy freetside pickup. It had a 250 inline 6 out of an 80s nova in it, the best we could figure. It was a blast to drive. Not a huge amount of power, but it had a 3 speed manual. My cousin and I traded it back and forth a while.

[Lloyd Smale]

My first car was a "64" 4 door Galaxy with a 352, 4 barrel. It had the 300 rear end and from a light couldn't get out of its own way. After it got going it could cruise at 120 mph all day. Or until the gas ran out. I am sure it was turned into a refrigerator or something a looooong time ago.

dads was about the same. wouldnt smoke the tires unless tou got it spinning on dirt first. they were BIG heavy cars and even the 390s weren't a muscle car. now from what ive been told the 427s would run but ive honestly never even seen one in person

[jimlj]

For about 20 years my FIL would stop at a house along the route he drove taking his steers to market and ask the owner if he would sell a '59 Edsel that was sitting in the field. "Nope, I'm going to restore it someday" One day out of the blue the owner called my father in law and said he had come to the realization he would never get the car restored and offered to sell it. Just because someone says no the first time you ask doesn't mean it won't happen.

Oh, Idaho45guy, you can buy a restored car for less than you can do one yourself, but whats the fun in that?

[Bazoo]

Restoring a car for 45k will be easier for many people than paying a lump of 30k for one ready for the road because they stretch it out over the course of 5 or 10 years. I'm sure fun plays a role, but financing it is also a factor for most people I think. Not to mention, most car guys have a bunch of parts they swap and sell along the way to finance their own project. If they fronted 30k, they wouldn't be able to horsetrade.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I know where there is a 1963 Chevy 3/4 ton Stepside, less than 60Kmi, all original, sitting since 1980 in a dirt floor shed...sunk up to the axles. Owner will not sell it or even let a grandson fix it up, Grandson plans to fix it after Grandpa passes.

Here's the story of when I offered to buy it, 18 years ago. I had a neat 1990 Dodge Dakota convertible, when I sold it in 2005, I started looking for a vintage truck to buy. My buddy says his Dad has one (the 63). I look at it and it's pretty decent and offer to buy it. His Dad says, "not for sale, it's my back up." He used it on the farm until 1980, when he bought a used 1979 Chevy 3/4 ton to replace it. He parked the '63 and it hasn't moved since. It had no problems, he figured he should keep it, in case the 79 goes bad. The 79 has been parked (outside in the weeds) ever since his dad quit working the land (2010 or 2011?), and now the 79 is rusted badly, but still runs maybe?

My buddy's dad also has a 79 Chevy Impala, low miles, I recall like 16K? This is in another shed, with cement floor. He bought in the early 80s, because he had another one that he liked so much, he thought he should have a back up. He buys the second 79 and just puts it in the shed. He would start it once or twice a year and let it idle. That stopped happening in 2011. It is not for sale...my buddy has called dibbs on it and plans to use it after his Dad passes.

[Beerd]

another nice one:

[Winger Ed.]

Some relatives in the Hill Country would drive a car until it just died.
Then park it out in a pasture to use for a deer blind.

Some were just sickening by the time they looked like the old truck in the above picture.
1940 Chevy, a early 50s DeSoto, an old Mercury like ZZ Top has on his album covers, and a few others.

I asked my Aunt about the 40 Chevy when I was in the mood to restore an old fat fender car.
She said they'd given it to the High School for a carnival fund raiser.
Everybody got to beat on it with a sledge hammer for about 10 cents a stroke.

[tommag]

The galaxy brings back memories. I had a 1963 galaxy convertible (not an XL, I've always preferred bench seats). 300 horse 390 and auto trans. It needed all 300 horses to get out of it's own way. I don't know what they called the paint, it was a bluish/greenish color. I'd call it aquamarine blue. I had it reupholstered in white with a padded cover over the top when it was down. Not a drag racer, but a comfortable 120 mph cruiser and a real attention getter!

[contender1]

Don't get me started on old cars that need selling & restoring, vs just sitting & rotting away.

I have a friend who owns (3) Lagunas,, and a 1955 Chevy 2-door post that are all just sitting. He entertains offers,, but wants more than they are currently worth.

[Lloyd Smale]

ex father in law had a 53 f150 with a flathead v8. only rust was the drivers floor pan because he backed up with the doo open and snagged the door on a basketball hoop pole. he left it out in the weather that summer and put it in the barn that fall and it had sat from 65 to 94 when he told me i could have it. well i figured id leave it there so it wasnt taking up room in my pole barn. marriage went sour and i never got the title and its probably still sitting there because her three brothers are about useless drunks. her dads dead now or id try to buy it from him and we got along so well that he would still give it to me just to see it done. my guess is if its not there they took pennys on the dollar for booze money

[Winger Ed.]

I had a barn find like that years ago.
A guy bought a new 1938 Ford pick up, drove it around for 8,000 miles,
put it in the barn and went off to WWII--- but didn't come home.

In the late 90s, I got it from his parents estate for $500.
It was in pretty bad shape so I put the body shell on top of a '77 Olds Cutlass chassis.
Events came along and I sold it before I got it finished.

[MaryB]

I know where a 1970 Ford Pantera is sitting in a barn rotting. Kid committed suicide in it, dad put it in the barn and refuses to sell it. Now it is so rotted it isn't worth restoring, bird crap ate the top, old manure mud ate the bottom... rats ate the interior... barn will probably collapse on it soon...

[Winger Ed.]

Back in the 90s, our store was located in an old strip shopping center.
We had the only spaces that were occupied. The landlord was a hoarder and had the other 4-5 retail spaces filled with junk.

And,,, he son's pristine condition Harley Sportster.
The guy had also committed suicide and his Dad was never going to sell or let go of that bike.

[Reg]

Very depressing hearing of all the fine old vehicles just rotting away under every circumstance.
On a brighter note how about the 1970 C-10 Chevy I bought brand new in November of1969.
Have taken care of it like it deserved, had the stock 350 overhauled, any time something needed fixed it was fixed. Looks great and runs like a top. Would drive it anywhere. When I go I hope they will prop me up in the seat and set a 12 pac of Coors next to me.
Make your own antiques!

[Idaho45guy]

I know where a 1970 Ford Pantera is sitting in a barn rotting. Kid committed suicide in it, dad put it in the barn and refuses to sell it. Now it is so rotted it isn't worth restoring, bird crap ate the top, old manure mud ate the bottom... rats ate the interior... barn will probably collapse on it soon...
That's truly awful! And completely understandable on the father's part.

[warren5421]

I had a 64 Corvair 110HP Mazda 2 door I used for boot legging. It had a 300 gal tank in the front, pickup in Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY and dropped off in Columbus, OH. Was clocked at in excess of a 140MPH pulling away by the Ohio State Patrol, his long stroke 427 Ford could do no more. The motor had been built by a drag racer in Detroit, cost me $900 in 1964. The suspension was tied down, it would corner, along with a few other mods. It could give the 65 1/2 mustang a hard time on the 1/4 mile strip. No one ever looked twice at it till the money changed from their hand to mine. When I went back to the old home place a neighbor had it setting in a weed field, floor pain was rotten but body looked good.

[reddog81]

Don't get me started on old cars that need selling & restoring, vs just sitting & rotting away.

I have a friend who owns (3) Lagunas,, and a 1955 Chevy 2-door post that are all just sitting. He entertains offers,, but wants more than they are currently worth.

To be fair, if someone really wants a ford Galaxy or 1955 Chevy it’s not that hard to find one for sale. I put a handful of bids on a couple tri-fives 5 years ago but never hit the jackpot. There were millions made.

[Winger Ed.]

Antique car swap meets is a good place to find them, and there are good deals to be had.

There are usually various ones that people bring there unrestored,
or they got started on one and had to sell for whatever reason before it was finished.

It's common to see one that's done except for glass, interior and a paint job.
It's things most folks can't do their self, and seem to vapor lock when they get to that stage.

[Idaho Mule]

I don't have any hot rods or classics rotting in the yard... But I do have a weakness for old International pick ups and trucks.

[Dave H]

Aistep my Mack is a double over triplex with a newer Mack 260 hp. engine it rolls I used to own and drive an Autocar with a 4x4 trans, I hauled tons and tons with a Brockway triaxle with a 318 and a 13 speed

[Winger Ed.]

Some old cars are still on the road.
In High School, I had a 1966 MG Midget. I sold it when I went into the military in 1973.
The guy who bought it didn't live that far away.

A few years ago, I was going down the free-way and saw a '66 Midget like I'd had in High School,
and pointed it out to Mrs. Winger. I got closer and saw it had a Triumph luggage rack on the truck lid.
I had found one in a wrecked car yard for $20. back then and grabbed it.
I've never seen another 60s era Midget with one.

I got closer,,, it was MY Midget!! Going down the road in just perfect condition!
Fresh paint job, good interior, original knock off wire wheels & hubs, running like a thief, and not blowing smoke...
I couldn't catch up in the traffic, and talk to the guy,,,, but it was MY '66 Midget!

[Lloyd Smale]

I know where a 1970 Ford Pantera is sitting in a barn rotting. Kid committed suicide in it, dad put it in the barn and refuses to sell it. Now it is so rotted it isn't worth restoring, bird crap ate the top, old manure mud ate the bottom... rats ate the interior... barn will probably collapse on it soon...

not a ford guy but thats just sad

[Lloyd Smale]

I had a 64 Corvair 110HP Mazda 2 door I used for boot legging. It had a 300 gal tank in the front, pickup in Huntington, WV or Ashland, KY and dropped off in Columbus, OH. Was clocked at in excess of a 140MPH pulling away by the Ohio State Patrol, his long stroke 427 Ford could do no more. The motor had been built by a drag racer in Detroit, cost me $900 in 1964. The suspension was tied down, it would corner, along with a few other mods. It could give the 65 1/2 mustang a hard time on the 1/4 mile strip. No one ever looked twice at it till the money changed from their hand to mine. When I went back to the old home place a neighbor had it setting in a weed field, floor pain was rotten but body looked good.

my neighbor had a nice turb corvair sitting out in his yard. it started and drove great and was solid as a rock. it needed pait and some interior work. he had always said he was going to restore it so i never bothered to tell him i was interested. notice one day driving by his house that it was gone. i thought he moved it into the shop to start on it. about a week later i was over bumming his plasma cutter and it was in the shop. i asked him what he did with it. he said someone at work offered him a grand for it so he let it go. i told him i would have given him 5k for it. i got a "wish you would have said something" i then told him im interested in buying eveything you own so ask me first!!

[Noah Zark]

Reminds me of an older gent near where I used to live in WV, had a two story farmhouse and a few outbuildings, one of which contained an early 50s Dodge Power Wagon. One day in '78 I stopped and asked if I could look at it, and the guy said "Sure!" and we walked into the "barn." The Dodge was filthy with dust and bird droppings, and two tires were low. I asked if he'd sell it and of course he said "No," and he seemed to enjoy saying "no.". We chatted some more, and walked back down the dirt drive to my vehicle. Every couple years if I was driving by and it looked as if people were I'd stop and say hello. He always remembered me, and always said, "No.". I moved from WV and a number of years later I was back there for a wedding, and the location was past that farm. The place did not look lived in, and the "barn" the Dodge was still parked in had collapsed. I stopped and walked up to the remnants and peered inside. A 6x10 wooden beam had smashed in the windshield halves and the front half of the cab roof, and a purlin had stoved in the hood leaf on the right. Three years later I was back there for a funeral, and the site was cleared off completely. The house and outbuildings had been cleared off and the lot leveled.

I think that some people are just really attached to certain things. I also believe that others enjoy knowing that they have something that someone wants, and take pleasure in busting their hope bubble. But I always take the zen approach to these things, cars, trucks, guns, whatnot. What will be is to be, and it's up to the Man in Charge to decide what's best for me.

Noah

[john.k]

I sold my mothers 1970 car too cheap .........hadnt been driven since 1990,always under cover .......anyhoo ,when she passed ,the council got onto me about her house ,and I panicked .......put the car in the free ads for $500 .....sold in 10 minutes ,must have got 100 phone calls ,and 1000 emails about the thing......Wont say what it was ,except it was a 2 door V8.

[Budzilla 19]

I have a line on a nice ‘66 Coronet, 440-4 speed, for a righteous price. Needs some work, interior is out, which is good cause I’m going to put a roll cage in, just trying to justify the cash and time involved to build up a solid street/strip Mopar. If I get it, probably be a Roadrunner clone at the end! Horsepower? All I can get. I hate the fact old cars are just left to rot. Don’t crush em, restore em

[fiberoptik]

Back in 1980 I was a sophomore in high school. My stepdad had a ‘68 Impala convertible with 350, a ‘73 Chevy pickup and some newer cars. I was getting my license and needed wheels. He put them in the front yard with a $500 sign. 5 minutes later the Impala was gone. Before a half hour passed the truck was gone. Mom come home and said where’s the convertible and truck? Poof! No wheels 🛞 4 me. Mom was po’ed!