Does buying up cheap junk Studebakers and parking them in a field till the day you die do any good?

[64V19816]

Seriously....a lot of rust farms "ahm gonna fix em all up sumday"....while the cars turn into brown dust...who ya helping out???

[Bo Markham]

Do you suppose that not everybody is wrapped around the all mighty dollar? Who says you gotta, "help somebody out" by selling your stuff to them. It's yours, you bought it with your hard earned money, and you can certainly do with it what ever you feel like. Seriously....you shouldn't get all keyed up over somebody else's stuff, or what they do with their stuff. I'm sure you have stuff that somebody else would like to have, but that doesn't mean you'd be inclined to sell your treasures just because somebody thinks you oughta sell it to them? Man life is to short to covet someone else's stuff. Be happy with what you have, then after the fella dies, see if you can buy some of his stuff at the estate auction that will be sure to follow.

[rockinhawk]

I think we are all "Collectors" Some of us collect nicely restored cars and keep them in climate controlled garages. Some collect drivers and take turns useing them as regular cars. Some collect junk and put them in a field and watch them rust. some folks collect as many DOLLARS as they can and keep them in a bank account.

Whatever makes you happy.

[DEEPNHOCK]

Hoarding takes on many shapes and objects of affection.
One of the ten commandments comes to mind...

thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

(Substitute Studebaker for ox, or ass)

Seriously....a lot of rust farms "ahm gonna fix em all up sumday"....while the cars turn into brown dust...who ya helping out???

[SN-60]

To; 64V19816,------- Well, the vehicle that's 'rusting away' could have been scrapped years ago and no longer exist...so I see it as a positive thing....But on the other hand, I have seen guys that have restorable cars
that they will not resell on the pretense they'll 'get to them' and never do, because of that attitude, We all get to watch said vehicles rot into the ground.

[qsanford]

I think some collectors are afraid to sell their "gems" because of the unknown factor. While they own them, they have an element of control of their destiny. (Even if it to rust away) When they sell them, they realise that no matter what the buyer says their intentions are, they can do anything that they please to them.

[studeluvr]

Being on the other end of the - I'll restore it when I retire story - After watching and inquiring about a 41 coupe in tall grass for many years my friend was successful in purchasing the Champion with 39,000 orginal miles on it but rusted pretty bad. So now its really modified and I got one heck of a nice drive train out of the deal. For years I sought a 57 Transtar that was next to a house in Sacramento until I was chased off by an ol' guy with a shovel screaming at me. Now house and truck are both condos. To me its like having kids maybe you shouldn't have more than you can afford. I didn't do well on both accounts myself.

[Dick Steinkamp]

Seriously....you shouldn't get all keyed up over somebody else's stuff, or what they do with their stuff.

So true. There are so many ways for the hobby to give us pleasure, but many of us believe that OUR way is the ONLY way. Having a dream about "fixin' it up some day" is a legitimate way some enjoy old cars. So is collecting the parts to do one even if a wrench is never turned. So is owning one car your whole life...or owning 200. So is building a hot rod or a nut and bolt restoration that costs several times more to do than the value of the car. The old car hobby is a big tent. Like Bo says...get over it if someone doesn't do exactly what you do. They may be having even MORE fun than you are.

[SN-60]

To: Dick Steinkamp,-----Nope, I definitely diasagree with You on this. If someone owns a vehicle they 'intend' to restore, best intentions, and a few years (You can't get the years back Dick) later they realize that
they never will restore it, they should sell it to the restorer (or maybe younger dreamer) who wants it. Years ago, I watched a REALLY, REALLY nice '55 President Speedster rust away because of a dreamer,...and I'll never
forget that. After He passed, that particular car slipped through the cracks and was scrapped for it's metal weight. Nope, that just doesn't make sense to old SN-60! Take care

[JBOYLE]

People can do what they want and it takes all kinds in this hobby.
And so far, I've met most kinds...the die-hards, blow-hards, the dreamers, the braggarts, the "my way or the hiway", the "know it alls" all too willing to tell you what to think, the con men....

But the guy who parks cars in a field is saving them from an immediate scrapping.
Sadly, some will rust into nothingness and be lost forever.
But others will survive to drive again or donate parts for other restorations.

For every restorable car lost because the guy never gets around to doing it, probably another 3-4 cars (or parts) are saved.

Win some, lose some.

[55champion]

I have a friend who for many years restored cars and built many Street Rods as well. He must have at least 10 old cars in his "Junk Yard" now. Three years ago he lost his health and is now on oxygen 24/7 and will never do another car. Many day now we spend just sitting in a chair by the Junk Yard and he enjoys just looking at the old cars and told me not long ago that "he could sell them but then what would he have left in life to do while he waits for death to take him". I never tried to buy another one from him after that conversation, let him enjoy this last year or so he has left.
By the way most of his "Junk Yard" is Mopar and seems to be well sought after these days..

[gordr]

The "hoarders" are at least delaying the cars' ultimate fate. Quite a number of the cars I have here would probably already be re-bar in the Three Gorges Dam if I hadn't stepped up and bought them. And most of what I have would be for sale, at the right price, if the right person asked.

[Bob Andrews]

To the OP-

I will confess to being one of those for whom you apparently feel disdain.

For many years I collected and stored unloved old cars. I would hook up my tow dolly and travel hundreds of miles at the drop of a hat to save a derelict car from the crusher. I once towed a '78 Lincoln from the UP of MI- backwards- through Canada- to save it from becoming a demo car. I hauled a rusted '62 Cruiser from IL for the TT rear end and a few other things. Towed a Lark body with no floors or engine/trans. from SC. I got a rep as a rescuer of cars no one else would get off their couch for. Why?

Reasons already articulated. One, I had a place to keep them safe from the crusher. To me, that was worthwhile. The other was, I liked having them. I know most don't get that, but it's how I am. So the cars were saved, at least for a while, and one thing you overlooked: it wasn't hurting anyone. Never mind that it was more than most would do.

I plan to sell the property, so this Spring almost everything left, something like 45 cars. Of the parts cars and borderline restorables, I was able to sell 12. The rest went to scrap. They exist now only in my iPhone photos as each rode a truck out of there. Many times, tears were shed, and I have to make a concerted effort not to think about the individual cars that were lost. My beauty and I decided it was the best thing to do for our future, although she tried to talk me out of it, knowing it would hurt me.

So, back to your inquiry. Not all of us are toothless hicks saying 'ahm' and having unreasonable plans. As Bo and Dick said especially well, everyone has their own way of enjoying the hobby, and showing their love for these inanimate objects. I am excited as I move to the next phase of my life in this hobby, but it will be a long time before I really get over losing the cars... and get past the urge to run off on a mission to save another car that many claim to care about and say 'should be saved', yet never step up to do it themselves.

I like to think I 'helped out' the cars for some years, even the ones that in the end were scrapped anyway. They would have been gone years ago; and some did do a part to help other cars. In the end, that's really all I can hang my hat on.

Whether anyone likes it or not, it's going to have to be good enough.

[unclemiltie]

Thanks to those whom have saved the cars even as they sank back into the earth. Some of us may find a few parts to keep one of ours on the road once your treasures are sold at auction. While I do not have a field of cars, I have gotten some good parts from such fields over the years.

[stupak]

I don't necessarily approve of the 'hoarding attitude' and I can understand each ones reason for doing what they do...BUT...when you think about it, how many junk yards started this way? How many parts, and even whole cars, have you gotten from a junk yard and put to use in your hobby? If they all would have been scrapped when their time was up, where would a lot of us, and our cars, be today? I know of several LARGE yards that have disappeared here in Eastern PA over the years. I remember every one of those yards with a tear in my eye. stupak