How much for the car mister?

In 2003 I was driving down a country road near Vass, NC when I spotted two 1963 Ford Falcon's, both 2-doors hardtops..."Wow, I've been looking for one!" I thought to myself. Time went on but I would drive out of my way to look at those cars sitting along side the highway surrounded by a curtain of tall weeds and with a lot, I mean a whole lot of old rusty farm equipment behind the cars. "The farm equipment", I thought to myself, "That can't be a good sign to see so much farm equipment, rusting?" and beyond that the old farm house with lots more junk laying scattered around the house. I drove past without stopping.

A year had passed and I was working another job and didn't get out that way in Vass much anymore but one day I decided to go back to see if the Falcon's were still sitting there idol. Sure enough there they sat just where I had last saw them the year before. This time I pulled into the driveway to the house and knocked on the door. A little old lady answered (it's always a little old lady at the door) and I asked her politely if she owned the cars and would she sell them? She said "The cars belong to my son and he is going to restore them." I said "OK, thanks for your time." and left thinking "He ain't never gonna restore those cars, they'll rot before he ever does anything with them."

Fast forward 8 years...I happened to be working in the area and drove past the farm with all the rusting equipment and two 1963 Ford Falcons, there that sat still rotting away in the weeds. On my way back to the shop I stopped to see if I could speak with the patient car restorer about his cars. Instead of the owner I ran into a neighbor that was there buying some produce from the little old lady. I asked him if he knew the owner of the cars and if he might sell them. Again, I get the same response "Naw, I doubt he'll sell those." There was a moment of silence as I pondered the idiotic notion that the Falcons would ever get restored when I replied "Those cars are going to rot before he ever fixes them." and the neighbor said "Yep, you're probably right." and I eased out of the driveway and closed the book on them.

This scene has repeated itself all over the country, some well intentioned classic car owner sitting on the idea that he is going to "restore that car someday" will die before he ever does anything with it and his family is going to haul it off to the crusher...the car that is.

Today I was driving down a lonely road and low and behold there sat a 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 fast back covered in pine needles, dirt and grime, on the other side sat a 1967 GMC step-side pickup, beyond that a 1950 something Dodge Royal, all in really good shape. I stopped to take a look and a neighbor came out and asked if I was interested in the cars. "Yes I am" I replied, and she went on to say that when the owner parked the cars they all ran, that he actually drove the cars to their resting place. I looked at the last inspection sticker on the windshield... 1998, those cars have been sitting there rotting for 13 years. She gave me the owners phone number and I called him tonight and we are going to meet in a couple of weeks to possibly work out a deal. The cars are not what I am looking for but I'm just curious what kind of price he would give. Who knows, maybe he sell them for what they are worth in scrap metal OR, he'll want to trade me for a brick of solid gold OR, he'll make up his mind that he is going to restore them just like all the other car hoarders with classic cars rotting in the weeds.

updated by @jim-wilmore: 08/29/18 01:00:35AM

That's a 56!

Cool, thanks Cody

Och Jim, Stepping on my toes. I've got a '65 LTD that sat behind the house for close to 20 years, sat right where Dad parked it. We decided to sell it not long ago but the damage was already done, rust all around the trunk. I turned down several request over the years and now don't get any. Should have stored it or sold it if I wasn't going to drive it.

Dennis, you're not alone, it's the normal when someone has an emotional attachment to the car ( I got that from American Pickers.) As a matter of fact the Royal and others were the father's cars, the gent just couldn't part with them. My Father-in-Law taught me one thing (just one) to sell while's it's HOT. So true.

Car guys are weird folks, aren't we. Go from: sign that reads Not For Sale, to drive it until it catches fire and burns. LOL

I have learned that it is neat to have several unpampered cars in my yard. I have had many over the years.I understand that most cars in yards all over this country may rust away to nothing or become a soup can some day. For me "a car guy" I love to own them, look at them, dream about restoring them, hope someday make the big BJ bucks. There is something special about owning a project car. Dreams keep people going even if they are stricken with health issues or they just don't have the funds to invest in the project. Orthey think maybe they will win the lottery someday and pay to get it restored. I think that's what a lot of the car in the yard people think. They just like to own them and like having them around like an old family member. When my grandpa moved in with us years ago he was old and in bad shape but it was cool to have him there. There are plenty of cars out there that can be bought on ebay, Auto trader and many other papers and sites. When you see a car in a yard it's fun to stop and maybe it can be bought but try not to getupset with the owner if he wants to keep it around it just might mean as much to him in the state it's in as it does to you restored. W

Just another comment. In November, 1970, the local Plymouth dealership had 12 or 15 Superbirds left when Plymouth announced those vehicles were history. The Sunday paper advertised ALL of them would be sold for $1,995.00 on Monday to first come, first served. I was there at 7:00 a.m. Bottom line was because of me being 24 and not yet the magic 25 those damned crooked insurance companies required, I couldn't get one. I have detested insurance companies since that day. Anyway, about 1987 or 1988 I'm coming down a back road in Sumter County after being diverted off the main highway due to an accident and I past this farm house with a blue Superbird and an orange Superbird sitting in an open field. I slammed on the brakes, turned in the drive way and got out of the car, knocked on the door. No one came to the door so I hopped the wooden rail fence and went to look. The vinyl tops were split and the interiors were rat eaten. I didn't see rust anywhere but the grass was sort of grown up. Looking at the odometer in one of them it was showing about 112 miles. Couldn't see the odometer in the other one. I started back to my car and was intercepted by a farmer guy who could have been either of the Hatfield or McCoy family background who was not at all happy about me being on "his land". I told him why I stopped and asked him about the cars. This is what he told me:

"when I was a boy, a man had a car I wanted sitting by his house but wouldn't sell it to me. When Marion Burnside Chrysler Plymouth put these on sale, I bought two for investment. I've had many people ask about buying them but I decided to be as stubbon as the old man who wouldn't sell me that 1950 Ford I wanted."

I drove away shaking my head. Years later, probably 1999 or 2000, I ran into a friend of mine who had stumbled upon those Superbirds as well and had pretty much the same story to tell. I'm sure the old farmer is gone by now but I can't remember where those cars were. Probably got hauled off for junk. Just never know what goes on in people's minds.

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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

When I was in high school a friend of mine bought one of the 602 1967 Z-28 Camaros that were sold in 67. A pretty rare car indeed.

In 1969 after a lengthy chase he got caught in it flying too low for existing conditions. The state of NC put him on his feet. He pulled the engine and transmission out of the car and left the car sitting in the yard behind his parent's home. It sat there for years until it finally disappeared. I do not know what happened to the car but I don't think he ever reassembled the car. What a waste.

hope this doesnt violate forum rules...but heres a site that cover this thread quite well..pics of what we are discussing.

http://carsinbarns.com/

Being a member of a hot rod club on the internet, I hear about these I'm gonna restore one day deals. I just hope one day, I can get a job to get cash to buy something to build. I'm already getting hooked up with a flathead. I'm interested in any Ford vehicle from 1928-1959, but I have my favorites in between...

Cody, I've found a 1940 2 door Ford sedan for a reasonable price near me, I have a place to store it...just a thought

Billy, I will take you up on that offer and have a trip to your place on my list of things to do. You are right, that it takes more money to restore a car than to buy one and when you figure in the time involved it's priceless. Unlike the hoarder I would prefer to buy and resell to someone that I know would do something with it if I decided not to restore it, and I've done just that, more than a couple times.

I drove all the way to PA. and bought a 1937 Chevy original modified, got it home, realized I didn't have the room nor the time and resold it to someone that did get it race ready within one year.

Again, Bobby W. and I bought a 1947 original Ford modified coupe, not with the intentions of restoring it, but rather resell at cost to the same buyer of the `37 Chevy and again, it was race ready within a year.

Recently I purchased a 1947 Ford 2-door sedan with the intentions of restoring this one but some unforeseen expenses come up so I resold it to custom builder in VA. knowing it will get finished rather than me keeping it as a trophy until I'm ready, if ever, to start the restoration.

There were thousands of these cars I just listed built by Ford and Chevy and they still out there when the time is right. Was is difficult to sell the cars? Yes! It didn't take long to grow attached to the old gals but then again, it would be an injustice to them if i kept them and did nothing with them. The more cars we save for the future the better chance we have of saving our past.

All you guys have shared some great stories and it an honor to be able to read them. Whether you are searching for a car to build or stashing a car for rainy day, the stories are yours and i respect whatever decision are made.

I'll tell you my first experience as a 18 year old kid, I got my first real full time job and was looking for a car to buy. One day I saw a 1966 Mustang sitting in a field, again, surrounded by weeds, i went to the owners door and asked if she (another little old lady) would sell the car and she said "Yes, I'm asking $200." I bought it and fixed it up enough drive and drove it for about a year until it just quit running. I didn't know much about mechanics and my Dad was no help in that area so I sold it for $100 to neighbor who turned around and restored it and came by to show me his "new" car. I was sick but, I also knew that he had the vision and ambition to get it done...my first save.