Well put.
With the chances one takes entering private property snooping around you better be prepared to beat a hasty retreat which may be followed by lead poisoning . Next you will want to know why the broken cement drive isn't repaired or new siding isn't added. A home occupant takes on many responsibilities including garage and lawn objects. If it is covered and remains for a period of time there is a reason known only to the owner many times. Everyone wants a story and a bargain. Estate sale hunters scrounge media daily hoping to be the first on scene to rationalize value and influence the terms of sale. Fortunately the computer has average values to keep sharks and wolves at bay.
Half of my inventory will never be rebuilt ( by me ). Does it mean they should be for sale ? They are memory boxes of days past when I saw what I could not afford or postponed for the future vision of marriage, children, and education I was not afforded. Better than pictures they are three demential representations to touch and view. A spacious building keeps them out of sight seers and inquisitive minds. Twisted ? maybe, Odd, possibly, reality...... by choice. Someday a huge sale, today my castle.

 

In Warrenton Va there is a 1961 315 horse injected big brake and fuel tank Corvette sitting outside under a blue tarp. Owners father in law bought new from Aero Chevrolet in Alexandria Va. Its looks to be complete but does have wrong wheels. They wont sell or fix either. What a waste. Owner told me his father in law had ordered a 1960 with alum heads but Areo later told him Chevy canceled the order. Areo then offered to order the 61. Aero was a large dealer in the 60s. They also sold the first 67 Z28 Camaro made to Heishman Porsche to use for a racecar . A guy named John Moore drove it .

 

I totally AGREE with this. And in my mind, it applies to those owners who arrogantly and distastefully customize survivor quality cars. After they're gone, one less car to preserve the history. One more easter-egg-flavor-of-last-year special. I agree with Frank on the mentality and psychology of the hoarder: they actually like having an audience to **** off by not fixing/selling and just hoarding their stuff outside while their stash degrades. Thank goodness my own '61 came out of a hoard that was stored inside a building. And yes, the owner had to die for the car to become available. But I'm driving it now, and someone after me will be doing the same.

 

Directly across from the spot where we used to store our motor home was a 442. It had sat on that spot for so long that the wheels had sunk into the ground and the frame was resting on the ground. My wife couldn't understand why the owner would continue to keep the car and continue to pay the monthly storage fees on a car that is basically worthless. I told her he does that because he loves it. Hard to understand or relate to, but I'm sure, in his own way, he does love his car and he gets pleasure from telling others he owns a vintage muscle car.

Steve

 

The gun crowd runs into this issue often. Folks will take a WWII era German Mauser or some other bolt action WWII era rifle and "sporterize" it. Cut barrel down, re-chamber for modern ammunition and so forth to turn this weapon of war into a hunting rifle. Lots of very heated debates out there. After dealing with the debates for over a decade now, I'm come to the conclusion, no matter how bad it pains me as a historian to see such destruction, the item is not mine and I have absolutely no right to tell the owner how he should take care of his item or what he should or should not do with it. It is simply not my place. Each time one is destroyed, it makes the others that are in original configuration worth just that much more.

As for the original poster of this thread. Consider stopping by one day with a car cover in hand. Knock on the door. If no answer, leave the cover with a note explaining who you are, your contact info, and how you love these old cars and wish to protect them. When the owner decides to sell, you might get first dibbs. We don't know the owners situation. He may not be able to afford a cover or is physically unable to cover the car.

Good luck with it.

 

I heard a Pastors sermon some time ago that made me completely re-evaluate how I look at this.

He said everything we own (yes-EVERYTHING) was once owned by someone else, and will eventually be owned by someone different. Think about it: my house, my tools, my daily vehicles, the very clothes I'm wearing, ect...

I once swore that I would "never!" sell my Corvette. But life happens and you do what you have to do. Someone else owns it now. One of my Corvette buddies gave me some advice: "Do you want to sell it under your conditions? Or when you are forced to make a decision?" Difficult, but good advice.

With all that said, the current owner of the driveway Corvette IS the owner. Its his to do with (or in this case, NOT do with) as he sees fit. The moral is "YOU own your property, don't let your property own you". Someday someone else will liquidate your assets if you don't ask yourself the tough questions now, like, "will I EVER get to this project?" And "maybe sell it now, before it deteriorates more and then has less value".

 

when that time comes I won't know it....

Bill

 

i have seen that "custodian" mentality applied to old homes which are designated historical structures or whatever. While the owners obviously know of the restrictions prior to purchase and are OK with it, it would drive me nuts to have to get permission to repaint, build a new shelf, or whatever other stuff that needs doing around the house.

Back when my parents were alive, they moved from the house they had built new back in the 60's into an independent living residence. I asked them if it drove them crazy to see what the new owner had done to the house and they both were very matter of fact. "That's THEIR property now, not ours, and they can do whatever they want that makes them happy."

The owner of an old car has no obligation to future generations and is free to cut it up into little pieces if they wish. Obviously we all hope they do not do so, but they absolutely have that right.

 

as one of those that have old cars seemingly everywhere on my property (many in view), I will say that most (not all) who ask, have no intention of buying them unless they get them for practically nothing, often just so they can attempt to flip them for a profit. I put reasonable prices on cars all the time, and they continue to sit. when scrap was high, I listed several cars I had no interest in at crusher price, but everyone wanted them for less than that (and so they were crushed).

 

I didn't mean to appear as tough I was an intruder. Perhaps it was wrong to some folks but the cars are 30-40' off the road. I pulled into the driveway rang the bell & knocked to chat about the cars as I'm a car enthusiast with a Stingray and other cars. I've stopped in front of peoples houses after once noting a muscle car in their garage. What do they do ? Open their garage !
I've had people knock on my door to compliment my car ( saw it go down the road) or just talk about cars. I had a guy in a 69 Mach pull up as I entered my driveway to exchange conversation about our rides. I once saw a guy taking a pic of my Shelby GT500 outside my driveway. When I came out and said " Hey Bud"...he was a neighbor from 1/4 mile down the road. I felt complimented as he admired my car. Turns out he was a C4 owner. SOoo...I showed him my Stingray.

I've also rang a guys bell noticing a vintage Box Nova sitting in their open garage. I've never felt it an intrusion nor been affronted by an owner if there's a cordial approach coupled with compliment & mutual interest.
In this case....I'd likely learn things about the history of the "Graveyard C1's" after a few minutes talking with the owner about his " legal possession" And if that lead to the question " Ever think about selling it?" . What's wrong with that ??

In fact...last year I gave a guy a car cover for his Pro-Street Vega because it was outside a shop ( he was a mechanic there) for weeks. I have 2 spare Walmart quality car covers in my basement. If I liked the guy ? Being a neighbor from down the road ? If he had zero interest in selling the C1's.....I even thought about I'd offer him one of the car covers.
BUT...again if the conversation revealed the guy was interested in selling & the price was right.........I'd " rescue" both of them. No harm no foul.....and I'd likely stop in my C2 one day if I saw him outside.
Bottom line.....it bothered me to see them out there exposed. My intentions were friendly ....not demeaning. I showed the pics to my buddy who has a matching #'s C2 & a ZR1. He was going to ask if the local Corvette Club president knew anything about the cars....or the owner. If the owner wants to make a planter out of them that's his business. It's a darn shame to see them rot but I fully understand that's his prerogative.
I was kind of joking when I said I didn't want the guy to " pepper my tailgate with rock salt". Thanks guys........I'll likely see the guy as summer approaches. And I WILL approach him and say hello....take it from there. Whew....I need a beer !

 

OP will certainly have the last laugh if the guy says "You know, I'm tired of looking at the, Give me ten grand and get them out of here now!"

 

Looks like kill stickers on the GTO.

 

Sell it to someone over seas and it will " disappear " also. What ever happen to freedom of choice ? No one here is the gate keeper.
The owner is the person in charge spelled out in black ink on a document called a certificate of title. Its only a machine fabricated in a factory that is envied by many. No one has the right to " rescue " it from the present or play the sympathy card acquiring it far below value, what ever that may be.
I see nothing wrong with just minding ones own business passing by.

 

Wow, a lot of folks on here being very judgemental about other people's posessions and intentions. How would you feel if folks told you what they thought you should do with your Corvette?

 

This is the truth. And well put.

 

Every few days....weeks....months... whatever... Somebody comes and knocks on the door.
The guy has a bank account sitting in his driveway....as long as one of you comes knocking on the door every few days...etc.
Probably paid 750.00 bucks for them. He wins every day it sits there.

 

I agree that it's the owners car to do with as they will. Just seems a shame not to send cars off to a better life to a grateful buyer. Many owners, I'm sure, really believe they'll restore them someday but in many cases it'll never happen.

 

I would be uncomfortable with someone knocking on my door. If it's a woman, that could be why they didn't answer.

 

It's like the guy who marries his young, pretty wife. As the years go by, she ages and may start to have physical problems. But they have built up a good relationship over the years and he loves her so he doesn't get rid of her.

OK, I was going to write more but I see the tarp has blown off my wife and I have to go out and cover her back up.

Steve

 

OK. This comes up with my wife and friend of 50 years. And I always say the right thing, "I love you just as much as my Corvette!"