Rusted "Yard Ponies"

FallujahMedic · Apr 5, 2005

I have a question I just can't figure out.

Why do folks think their rusted out old musclecars are worth a fortune? I'm not talking about project cars or semi restored cars, but the ones that have been used as plant pots for the last 10 years. The response I got from the owner of 2 6 cyl '65 coupes was $10K each. Mind you these vehicles were so eaten through with rust, minus engine/tranny/wheels/glass, etc. , that they may not have been worth saving. Also I hear the old "I'm going to fix it up one day", If you haven't touched the car in 10 years, what makes you think you'll do anything with it in the NEXT 10 years.

My brother and I have a part-time business where we "rescue" old musclecars from certain death. We don't do Concours restoration, but every part is original, no "go fast" or aftermarket parts. We don't make much money off it, but we do it because its a shame to see a piece of history go to waste because somebody would rather see their car rust away then sell it.

Gud T.B. Blown · Apr 5, 2005

because the people aren't hobbyists' and somewhere along the way somebody told them their '65 notchback stripper was worth a ton of money, irreguardless of it's condition, and that's all they remember. so another car rusts into nothingness.

rbohm · Apr 5, 2005

there are also people who dont want to sell their cars(like me) and put a huge price on the car to discourage people who wont take "the car is NOT for sale" line.

FallujahMedic · Apr 5, 2005

rbohm said:
there are also people who dont want to sell their cars(like me) and put a huge price on the car to discourage people who wont take "the car is NOT for sale" line.

I can understand if you plan on rebuilding/restoring the car and have taken steps to prevent it from deteriorating. But some of these cars have TREES growing through the engine compartment. Cars that are literally out in a pasture. I had one guy say he wouldnt sell it for any price and i asked him what he planned on doing with it, he said "nothing at all" he'd let it rot in his front lawn before he let anyone have it. Its these folks that I think are just being selfish.

There's a somewhat good ending to that particular story, but some may think its underhanded.

hungrymonkey · Apr 5, 2005

I have three. I will take 25,000 for them all.

63_Fairlane · Apr 6, 2005

Some people have a hard time letting go of stuff. It doesn't matter if they will never use, repair, improve, or replace said stuff, they just can't part with it. It is a form of greed, the childish "I've got what you want and you can't have it" kind.

I have seen a bigblock '70 Mach1 sit in a yard for a minimum five years only to have a tree fall on it and crush the roof. Hopefully, the engine and drive train went into a good car.

The numbers of 65-70 coupes that I have seen rotting away in backyards is countless. I was lucky enough to pluck up an I6 car from that type of existence. The last inspection sticker on the window was from 1987. The car had sat for at least 17 years. Of course, it has rust in the floor because the window seals have dry rotted, and the drivetrain is essentially useless from neglect. If someone had been able to get it right after it was parked in '87, it would be in much better condition.

Back in Black · Apr 8, 2005

FallujahMedic said:
I can understand if you plan on rebuilding/restoring the car and have taken steps to prevent it from deteriorating. But some of these cars have TREES growing through the engine compartment. Cars that are literally out in a pasture. I had one guy say he wouldnt sell it for any price and i asked him what he planned on doing with it, he said "nothing at all" he'd let it rot in his front lawn before he let anyone have it. Its these folks that I think are just being selfish.

There's a somewhat good ending to that particular story, but some may think its underhanded.

That's when you either :

A) come back that night and haul it away.

B) cut his throat and take your time with the car.

FallujahMedic · Apr 9, 2005

Nah, I called the city complained as a "concerned neighbor" about the eysore . They started to fine him "X" amount a day then threatened him with a lein if he either didnt pay or remove the car. He gave the car up to the junkyard and got out of the fines and no lein. I paid the driver of the lowboy $300 for the car. I'd have paid the original owner alot more if he'd just agreed to sell it. Underhanded, maybe, but saved a mustang in the process.

65stanger · Apr 9, 2005

FallujahMedic said:
Nah, I called the city complained as a "concerned neighbor" about the eysore . They started to fine him "X" amount a day then threatened him with a lein if he either didnt pay or remove the car. He gave the car up to the junkyard and got out of the fines and no lein. I paid the driver of the lowboy $300 for the car. I'd have paid the original owner alot more if he'd just agreed to sell it. Underhanded, maybe, but saved a mustang in the process.

Post Pix!

66moneypit · Apr 9, 2005

FallujahMedic said:
Nah, I called the city complained as a "concerned neighbor" about the eysore . They started to fine him "X" amount a day then threatened him with a lein if he either didnt pay or remove the car. He gave the car up to the junkyard and got out of the fines and no lein. I paid the driver of the lowboy $300 for the car. I'd have paid the original owner alot more if he'd just agreed to sell it. Underhanded, maybe, but saved a mustang in the process.

Just curious....did you go talk to him right after he received notice of the complaint. He might not have been so inflexible at that point. Or if he had any business sense, he would have sought you out after he got the complaint.

I know my uncle had a 67 Camaro that he had in his back yard....and it was rusting away but he would never sell it and I know why. It belonged to his brother who died in a car wreck. He flipped his Jeep. So I guess to my uncle it was like letting go of family. I do agree it would have been nicer if he fixed it up but he is a man of meager means....

Randy'65 · Apr 9, 2005

My '65 project has been on hold for the past 10 years, but thanks for the encouragement.

63_Fairlane · Apr 11, 2005

Randy'65 said:
My '65 project has been on hold for the past 10 years, but thanks for the encouragement.

Is it stored properly or is out in the weather? If it is out in the weather, it will be that much more difficult to restore or fix.

Randy'65 · Apr 11, 2005

I drove it in high school and college, after college I got a series of jobs that required mega travel and nearly zero home time to work on it. Then came steady job, living in an apartment away from home = no place to keep/work on mustang, so it sat in my parents driveway for 4 years. Then came marriage, then finally bought a house. Stipulation #1 was two car garage with room for mustang and the wife's car, so we moved it into shelter. Then comes kid one, then kid two. So it's sat for 6 more years. I have been buying some parts, though, so now all I need is time.

Regretably I did not properly treat the engine before taking it off the road. I never intended it to be off so long. It ran strong up until that time, it was just in need of some attention and with 30 year old parts that needed replacing (ie brake lines/hoses, wiring issues, etc.) I had no time to do it and needed something new to handle all the driving I was doing. I love the car, but we all tend to develop problems with age......

63_Fairlane · Apr 12, 2005

My Fairlane was a similar situation. It sat for years while I was in college. I sold it after the rear window seal leaked. It ruined the new headliner that had only been in the car for less than two years. It was a hard thing to do, but it would have been a rusty, leaky, non-running mess if it had sat much longer.

I am glad you love your car. But be honest with yourself for a minute. Wouldn't the car be in better shape if someone had picked it up the day after you parked it? I know mine would have been.

Randy'65 · Apr 12, 2005

No, I don't think so. I have done a little work to it, all the brakes have been replumbed (although now I want to switch to disks up front), I changed out the steering column harness, changed out the clutch pedal shaft bushings, new radiator, monte carlo bar, a handful of other parts yet to be installed, and have the front suspension removed in preparation of the shelby drop and new upper shaft bushings. It's a plain jane C code coupe, very few people would be willing to sink a bunch of money into a car they made like half a million of (between '64 and '66) unless they have some degree of sentimental attachment to the car, which I do. It will be on the road again, and it will mean more to me than if I sold it and bought a project car a few years from now to restore. I've had it for 17 years (longer than some of you have been alive) and in a way it's a part of me. Some of my best memories from high school occured in that car (if you know what I mean).

Capt Dan · Apr 14, 2005

Randy -

Your story is just about the same as mine. My parents gave me a 1966 coupe for Christmas in 1980. They bought it from the original owner. I drove it through high school and college and some beyond. It really started to suffer from daily driver neglect. I pulled the original 289 and put in a 302 knowing that I didn't want to run the original 289 into the ground. Eventually the 302 self destructed and I had to put it away. A few years ago I got the bug again and had the 289 rebuilt and put it back in but ran out of time and money to make it a reliable daily driver again. Now I am ready. Soon I will pull it out and restore it correctly. When I got the car, and it was shiny and pristine, I had many people come up to me and tell me stories of the Mustang they used to have and regretted getting rid of. The resale on this car was never enough to justify the sale and now I won't have to tell other Mustang owners about the one that got away. My kids love it and can't believe it is almost as as old as I am. Can't wait to get it on the road again.

BB67FB · Apr 15, 2005

you know some of those mustangs that sit and go nowhere and the owner wont sell them DO bet back on the road - my 67 fastback is one such example. She sat for 10 years before I had the money to put her back on the road! The absolute joy I have driving her now makes me so happy that I never sold the car even after I was asked so many times!

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