Studebaker Last Will and Testament

[PackardV8]

With good Studebaker friends leaving us, I'm seeing the confusion and burden which can come from a large Studebaker estate of cars and parts left with no direction or guidance as to their disposal.

I'm going to start a fact sheet for each vehicle, listing back story, work done on it and a guestimate of current market price. This would be what would be necessary to list it on eBay.

Then, the parts. Naturally, a lot more work, but I heard of a friend on the other side of the country whose large collection of old stuff was hauled to the scrapper because no one knew what it was. A tag on anything worth more than $100 and all the stuff for a given year span in clearly labeled.

Then, a Studebaker executor. Who do I know I'd trust to disperse the collection and be fair to heirs and buyers?

Your thoughts on how best to pass it on when you're gone?

jack vines

[SN-60]

That's easy....Get younger members of the family interested in the cars now!....They'll listen, even if they pretend to be bored with it......They'll listen even more when they're told the old cars/parts are worth $$$$$!

[rockne10]

Just stipulate in your will that the vehicles be consigned to B/J or Mecum. Someone will pay more than they are worth and, after fees are paid, your heirs may realize a legitimate return. If they prefer to keep the vehicle/s, they can join the bid.

[PackardV8]

That's easy....Get younger members of the family interested in the cars now!....They'll listen, even if they pretend to be bored with it......They'll listen even more when they're told the old cars/parts are worth $$$$$!

Easy to say, difficult-to-impossible to do sometimes.

Sometimes one gets lucky, but my son has no interest in collector cars and that's OK, because I always encouraged him to follow his own interests.

The saddest car guy I know has spent his life putting together a collection of rare early GM muscle cars and had great dreams of sharing that excitement. His sons and grandsons, exposed since birth, have absolutely no interest. A grandson, given a GTO to drive in high school, complained because it wasn't a Subaru WRX or something cool.

Another friend found and built up a nice Z28 for his son, who traded it for a Ford Expedition.

If pa/grandpa drags them along, they'll go to a car show for a short time, bored to tears and soon be found under a tree fiddling with an ipad.

Your opinions and results may differ.

jack vines

[SN-60]

Once again, MONEY is the universal elixir.....Make them understand the value of the vehicles/parts in $$$$$....and they WILL pay attention! (Sad to say!)

[Corvanti]

Once again, MONEY is the universal elixir.....Make them understand the value of the vehicles/parts in $$$$$....and they WILL pay attention! (Sad to say!)

not if all their "buddys" like the rice racer fart-cans! i went thru a similar situation with my daughter when in high school - not a old car - but a RAV4 she picked out at age 15 to drive when she got her license a few months later. within a year, she wanted something like her friends had - Honda/Toyota etc. "car". i was able to take the RAV back for my use and got her a Hyundai Tiburon. she went with me while looking and liked it.

"you go", Mr. Vines! great idea!!!

[starliner62]

I'm glad my son enjoys his 58 Commander. It's the only car he's had since he got his license. The only times he hasn't driven the car is when it was down for repairs.

[davepink53]

I am fairly lucky in that my Son knows more about what I have and it's value, better than I do.

[sals54]

I've got 6 children. 3 boys 3 girls. Only one of them is interested in cars. He's shared my interest in Studebakers, but like me, doesn't really follow the crowd. He drives a 95 Impala SS 6 speed which runs about 450HP while all his friends drive Rice Rockets. But he also has a love for my 54 Coupe. We are in the process of a make-over on that car. Probably won't be done till later this Summer. We shall see how that goes. He understands the value of the car and of the parts, so in that, I'm lucky.

[mbstude]

I'm glad my son enjoys his 58 Commander. It's the only car he's had since he got his license. The only times he hasn't driven the car is when it was down for repairs.

SO happy I sold that car to you guys!!!

[Colgate Studebaker]

Fortunately, all 3 of my kids (2 sons and a daughter) appreciate Studes in general, and know their value. The parts collection is also understood. At this point they all have other tastes in vehicles, but will someday probably be caretakers of a Stude or two. Bill

[Bob Andrews]

Jack, I have pondered exactly this. I was especially affected by the passing of Torrey Kirby, with the mess/burden he left his grieving widow, and in particular, how the town set upon her almost immediately to clear out his ~100 mostly parts car collection. I pledged to love my family better than that and embarked upon a multi-year project of downsizing. I has been quite difficult at times; some stuff couldn't even be given away, and I shed more than a few tears sending some cars, including a few Studebakers, to the oblivion of the crusher.

My plan is to let go of the pack-rat mentality and narrow my holdings, not just cars and parts but real estate, to a bare minimum: one or two projects at a time max, three finished collectibles, and only the parts needed for a current project, buying as needed. I've come a long way, but I still have a little to go. I can only emotionally handle doing this one segment at a time. But, the comfort of a beautiful woman and our son is worth more to me than an emotional tie to mountains of stuff.

I told Linda- keep anything I had only because YOU or Rob actually like it. Otherwise, eBay everything else with no reserve and be done with it; don't get trapped in sentimentality like I did with my father, which accounted for a lot of the crap I had. If an item comes along that rates special attention, I'll touch base with her; or if not, eBay. The idea is to relieve pressure, not add to it. Good luck with yours.

[JoeHall]

My brother, brother-in-law, and I have a pact to dispose of each other's Studebaker stuff, in event of death. Of course, the "last one out the door" will have to make other arrangements

[TWChamp]

With no children and wife, I think donating it to a museum is a good idea.

[E. Davis]

Its getting really difficult to interest your own kids in the things that excite you. Different generation...different ideas on what is important to them. My kids have no interest in my car and motorcycle collection and see them only as old junk that does not meet todays safety standards and their disposal would only be a burden for them. Fortunately, I have some good friends who have kids that are interested in antique and classic vehicles and I intend to see that they get first crack when I get ready to move them on. I would rather see them go to good homes at a reduced price then to some speculator looking for a resale profit.