I the town I grew up in (Auburn, AL) there was a 69 RS/Z28 that sat by a gas station in town. The owner had come back from Vietnam, bought the car, and blown the engine in 1971 or so. He pulled the driveline and then parked the car and there it sat. Many people tried to buy it through the years. About a year ago the gas station closed and the car disappeared. I hope it finally got a good home.

 

There are three C-3's laying in yards no less than one mile from me. All differnent owners and all explosed to the elements. One the guy got tired of people asking about it, so he surrounded it with car doors.

 

people like that think the car is going up in value when in fact it is rotting into a junkheap no person in their right mind would buy. Serves them right if they get zip when they want to sell for letting it go so bad, at least put it indoors so it doesn't rot.

 

I have experienced the same thing myself, many times. These people are usually unhappy and want others to be unhappy as well. They think in their mind that people envy what they have and that makes them fell better or have self worth. Fact is, usually they are not "car" people and have to intentions of ever doing anything with these cars, other than let people see just enough of them to ask about the cars. When someone asks is when they get their jollies shutting down other's dreams. One day this will come home to them in some form or fashion.

 

Same old story here...my wife gets rear ended 5 years ago. My family was Ok the other driver was killed (he was drunk)...anyway...a guy comes over to help her, when I get there and all is Ok for us, I see he has a '69 Vette in his garage. The story goes it's a '69 Cont, 427/400 4spd. He got it in '71 from Vietnam. It's has Not been out since '75. It's very mint, not a basket case, but every year I see him he says 'this year I'm going to get it restored'. What a shame...

 

I think that sums it up pretty well.
Not far from where I sit is a red '64 coupe. Owned by the parents of a girl i went to high school with. The car has not moved since I first learned of it almost 20 years ago. Her parents have no interest in selling it, either. Drive by and you'd never know there was even a car in there, let alone a Vette. Bozes & junk piled all over. Only a portion of a lower corner of the rear is visible. And as long as that part is visible, there's still hope it'll end up in MY garage :yesnod:

 

My next door neighbor has a '77 sitting (luckily) inside his garage.
It was his wives' car before getting married. I chit-chatted about it, and
he thinks a few gaskets and it will be driving again. I've never inspected
it, but I bet it needs much more than that. It has never left the garage in the
five years I've lived there.

Once I get my project running, I am going to start bugging him (or her)
to sell it to me.
:seeya

 

It really is sad....I gave the guy my card and everytime my cell rang this weekend my heart skipped a beat :lol: ... I've been thinking of showing up at the guys house with a fist full of cash and see what happens....My fiancee thinks I'm crazy and keeps making threats that I better finish the one I have before I get another... :lol: ... She doesn't understand why I want another car that won't fit a baby seat... :lolg:

 

Just to add to the topic......my neighbor (as in next-door neighbor) has a 1961 Corvette all original except for the engine (327) rotting in his backyard.

I've looked it over several times and the frame is rusty, the interior on the verge of disentigration and he won't even let me make an offer. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

"It's my ole college car and I plan to fix it up one day......" :rant:

Yeah, I bet..... :nopity to the poor vette.

 

We all know too many of these sad stories. What really gets me is the people who are really interested in restoring a Vette and end up having to buy pure junk because the yahoos with complete cars won't let them leave the front yard. Every November I go down to Turkey Rod Run in Daytona at the track and you'd be amazed at how much people will pay for a rusted shell of a car! There was a late 50's shell there this year that was only a couple of fenders and MAYBE a support brace or two but NOTHING that anybody could do anything with. What was the guy asking? 3 grand! And people were interested! It's time these people let go of the goods and let someone else fulfill the dream. Heck, I'm sure we'd give them a ride once it was restored!

 

So very, very true. I hate reading stories like these. The split window pic is the worst. :cry

 

When growing up in the MidWest in 70's-80's, I would deliver papers past a home that had a 55 Chevy (210?) sitting in the weeds. It hadn't been touched or moved during my whole childhood. When I reached 15-16 and had some extra cash from part-time jobs I tried to buy it. NOT! And it sat for years after that. Wouldn't be surprised to return and find a rusting pile of junk.

 

My wifes 97 saturn with 140k miles is worth more than that house :lol:

 

Really ? .... what about this one ? :cry

http://images.traderonline.com/img/d...sics2426_1.jpg


[Modified by verskel, 2:32 PM 3/2/2004]

 

OK, either you guys have no clue, or I don't. 5 years ago I bought a house, with some contents in the garage. I paid extra for the contents, so don't get your panties all in a bunch. The car is sideways in a deep 2 car garage, making it a 3 car. The previous owner was a packrat. I know, this thread is worthless without pictures. Well, here is what the garage looked like when I bought the house and the car.


...and after I made my way through all the garbage.


What did I buy? I asked myself the same question. It's a '66 Roadster with a NOM 327/365 that hasn't moved since 1978. (Plates/stickers/title all expired in 1978) Thats a minimum of 26 years sitting in a corner. (This is NOT a good thing...on brakes/gaskets/gas/carb/fluids/engine/etc)

At first, I too had a dream of restoring this car. However, first I had to clean the garage. Which I did, and it took me over 6 months (no joke, along with the basement) I finally could see what I purchased.


Order up some restoration catalogs, and develop a restoration plan. First, though, I have to redo the kitchen for the wife. Ok, another year goes by. Now to do the landscaping. Now the frontroom, etcetera ad infinitum. Along comes my first child, a boy, so I start saving for diapers, food, college tuition, retirement (I would like to retire someday) etc. No budget right now for the resto. Along comes child number two. Sure I have hand-me-downs, but I want to hedge college tuition costs so I spend $27,000 cash today to guarantee my child an education (529 pre paid tuition program).

Start saving again for that resto. Oh, what's that, wife wants a boat? Something the family can use today...NOW! How much? Wow...that much? Sure. Why Not. So now my summers are filled with family and throwing money into the water. (Hey, at least it's fiberglass)


Oh, darn, we commute so long to boat and to be with family and now with so many in our family, we need a minivan! Oh, and your daily driver needs to be fixed too. (Not the worst of it...being a Ford)


Oh, child care? What, you mean it's better if my wife stays home and raises the kids instead of working? Fine, I'll work, you stay home and raise the kids. We'll skip the resto until you get back to work and we raise these kids. Oh, by the way, the company you worked so hard for during the last 10 years, just was bought out...twice. Layoff city. Not a good time to be spending money.

My point is, I guess I'm one of those guys. Yes, the one with the rotting '66. It's not that I don't want to restore it, just that for the last 5 years "life" has gotten in the way. Sure, I could sell it (and I get unsolicited unknown people knocking on my door at dinnertime asking to buy it..."Who are you? How did you even know I have an old Vette anyway?") but these things don't grow on trees. I'm still kicking myself for the last Mustang 5.0 I sold...and those are common. Yet, I don't have the time nor money right now to restore it. Not a day goes by that I don't try to concoct a plan to restore the car, but have any of you priced a full off restoration? It's astronomical...even doing the work yourself. I'd hate to do a half-assed job, so I haven't started in earnest yet. My biggest fear is having boxes of parts...and no car or money to show for it.

So Does that make me a bad person? Maybe. But, just sitting in my garage I'm still making money on it. (Not my intention though) So, maybe I am a bad person, but I'm a bad person with a non functional '66 Corvette Roadster...something you probably don't have. But you guys understand my predicament. It's not as easy as one may think, but if ever I get around to it, I have an awesome car in mind to restore. Until then, I still hold out the dream.


[Modified by Top_Notch, 7:14 PM 3/2/2004]

 

Thanks for that story...Top_Notch. I enjoyed.

You made my day.

 

:iagree:

 

:lurk:
This is one of the best threads of 2004. First Prosouth puts forth his best work, then Billy78sa, then Top_Notch...and everything in between. :cheers:

Unlike most of these forgotten Vettes, I believe Top_Notch will get to his. :yesnod:

 

I saved this wacked out 1968 from a barn. I should have it ready to go by late summer.

 

Check out the link below. Makes grown men cry.
http://www.carsinbarns.com/