Letting go

My dad left earth 28 years ago and I ended up with his 1948 Ford. All I've done is take good care of it but in all the years I drove it less than 200 miles so as my kids don't have a real interest or the funds to care for it I decided to sell it. Put it on Ebay and waited. For 10 days nobody bid but then at the end bids came in. Got fair money for it and the strange part is that it's going to live in Australia. It's going to be strange seeing it go.

I remember you talking about it and the funny thing is that I'm in a predicament about a 47 Merc coupe myself.

50 years ago a friends dad had this 47 Merc Coupe for years I tried to get the old man to sell it to me. This Coupe has stayed in the family so to speak and a cousin who I'm close with somehow wound up with it. We see each other at my son's 4th party and he tells me he wants me to have it with one condition; free to me but if I ever sell it I need to give $3,500 to the Lions Club, about what the cars is worth now. Needs love but it does have a late Merc Flatty in it...... I love a dressed Flatty!

I'm looking at myself thinking my parts aren't working so good, the carriage house project is kicking my but (along with my wife) and the yard isn't exactly small. Hope I have enough common sense to say no............

There's only so much time to do all we want done and I am to the point that I'm tired of my mouth overloading my ass. I don't have the time or funds to do justice to the car and I'll always have the memories.

I’ve recently come to grips with selling my Vincent...my dad bought it new, I learned to ride on it but I dont want my kids fighting over it..better to sell it, divide the money between my kids. First I’m going to pull the heads, do the valve springs and the seats/guides if they’re bad. I want to experience a few more blasts to 100mph in 3rd before I let it go..

My Pop had two older brothers, they were twins. They drowned together in 1966. One of them had a very special '66 Chevy truck. He had ordered it from the factory with options that were very uncommon in a truck at that time. It had chrome hubcaps, a chrome front bumper, a 327 V8, Powerglide auto transmission, full gauge package and factory air conditioning. The truck was only a few months old when my uncle died. Pop bought that truck from his brother's widow.

I watched Pop do everything he could to keep that truck as a rolling tribute to his dead brother. It drained him financially and emotionally. He finally traded it for a boat. He still misses that truck but we got far more good out of that boat than we did out of that truck. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to let someone else enjoy the car/truck/motorcycle.

I have said for years that if I sold it, I wanted if far enough away that I wouldn't see it again. I doubt I make it to Australia.

and, now you a trip jar full of $$$!

Congrats and you did good!

Good on you, Ray. The memories are far more valuable than having it collect dust and wither away. Unselfishly, at least someone else who presumably has a good use for it can do so.

How ironic is it that as we add more candles to our birthday cakes, we find ourselves wanting less and less, as opposed to when we were "young, dumb, and full of ….".

I'm getting that way in everything. If I don't have it, I don't have to care for it, feed it, paint it, maintain it, insure it, and otherwise worry about it. So with few exceptions, if I don't need it or don't use it, it's outta here.

dcarver said:

and, now you a trip jar full of $$$!
Congrats and you did good!

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Not quite true. I bought a new tractor that took some creative money moving. Once I sell the old tractor things should be close to normal.

Now if I sold off some of the stuff in the shop ( KZ& BMW) I could have a full travel jar.

Now if I sold off some of the stuff in the shop ( KZ& BMW) I could have a full travel jar.

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I I I I I I I was jus' kiddin' RayBob!

should I sell my '56 JD Crawler....hmmmmm. not, not yet...

Glad you gotta few bones fer the car.

After PG&E burned up everythang my parents dun owned, I've learned ya gotta let that shit go! (And pocket the money.)

Now you can join my cult!

I helped load the car on the hauler last night and watched it leave. Tough time for sure.

FJRay said:

I helped load the car on the hauler last night and watched it leave. Tough time for sure.

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Big hugs, Ray...

I'm tired of my mouth overloading my ass

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I've found a new quote for my sig line! LOL (with FJRay's kind permission of course)

Yeah, I kind of liked that Ray-ism myself. I think the guy is full of them. Just need to get my own ass out west and meet the man while I still can.

Tyler said:

FJRay said:

I helped load the car on the hauler last night and watched it leave. Tough time for sure.

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Big hugs, Ray...

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+1 big guy

Fred W said:

Yeah, I kind of liked that Ray-ism myself. I think the guy is full of them. Just need to get my own ass out west and meet the man while I still can.

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First met Ray at Canadian Rally years ago. Big old Bad Assed Boy ZZ Top beard. Sitting alone at end of table. Hmmm. What's THIS PHOOKER like? End of story. Good heart, Smart Thoughts, Dry Wit. Friend for Forever. JSNS. Fred, make a West Coast Run and you have free room and board at Camp Hondarosa. For two days, not forever!

As a young'un I watched and helped my dad build hundreds of old cars. He ran a classic car body shop for 40 years, solo, with no help. The ones that are passed down have the greatest meaning, for sure; but the ones you build from the ground up, and then pass down have the extra salt and blood ingrained. I've been rebuilding a 1960 Impala over the last 2 years. It's drained my bank account, time, and somewhat of my sanity. But I knew I had to do it now before the old man is gone and all the knowledge he has with him. I always dreamed of us building cars together, but somebody has to pay. I'm finally in a situation where I can do that.

The unfortunate thing is that many of these cars DON'T go to new homes because their too sentimental and (for lack of a better explanation) the owners are stubborn as hell. I've witnessed him TRY to buy countless cars under sheds, in fields, dilapidated and rusting away. Only to get lost in a sea of conversation on family ties and dreams of restoration.

You made the right call. And from a guy who's built them from scratch, we wish there were more owners like you to have that forethought.