When my husband was in high school, he had a 1974 formula firebird. He put alot of heart & money into that thing. He let his older brother borrow it for a date, and the brother wrapped it around a tree. Everyone was okay, only a few bruises. However the car was not able to be repaired, and it was squashed into a tiny cube. I think this is the only time I have ever seen a grown man cry.
Since we have been married, he has talked about redoing another one, and if he finds one for the right price he will get it to restore. Well last summer a friend called and said he found one, and the guy was willing to sell for 300 bucks. Great deal, and the car was not in that bad of shape, it was actually driveable. Since last summer my husband has been restoreing bits and pieces. This is the problem.
At first I thought it was kind of cool, but I have now had 26 people come to my door and ask if I want to sell my firebird, or even ask how much I want for my firebird. Last time I had someone come to the door was some dumb ass hillbilly, and he said he would take that firebird off my hands. I went outside looked at the windows, and looked at the guy and said:
“Oh, I didn’t think there was a for sale sign on it… THE CAR IS NOT FOR SALE!!!”
I mean how retarded do you have to be to go into someones yard and ask if they want to sell a car? If I wanted to sell it, don’t you think I would put a for sale sign on it, and put it closer to the road? Apparently the way to sell a car is to stick it next to your garage, and work on it periodiocally.
Today, I even wrote on the window “NOT FOR SALE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ASK” and some guy still stopped… This is driving me crazy. I just needed to rant for a minute, I’m done now.
I would just cover the car with a tarp. If it’s not running, many people will assume it’s not being restored; they think they can get a deal from a private seller who has no idea of the value of the car.
My boyfriend had a (big, yellow) '56 Jeep Willys pickup for years and we got the same thing. He drove it in the winter when his Corvette was stored, so no, it was not for sale.
We had a stack of phone numbers over the years (a few were even left on the wind shield) when he finally decided to sell it to a co-worker - a good home, on a farm
But yea, I know how you feel. Our truck was too big to hide in our garage, so we parked it in our driveway. I wish I could have hid it, it attracted a lot of attention.
We live in Michigan, in an area where restoring cars is kind of a big thing. There is still an origional A&W (the makers of A&W root beer) in our town, where they are always showing classic cars on the weekend. We don’t have a cover on the car because my husband does periodiocally work on it. You know when he gets enough money together he does this or that, or when he has a free minute he will do something to it. It runs, my God this thing ROARS… We did order a cover from EBAY, it just hasn’t came in yet… It just irritates the heck out of me that people have enough gall to come into my yard and ask me if I want to sell something that has no for sale sign on it. So the big joke is now when we drive by someones house and see something nifty in their yard, I always say… Hm,mmm… how much do you think they want for that, lets stop and ask…"
Now we did have a couple of guys drive by one day while my husband was out working on it, and they just wanted to look and talk about the glory of this old firebird, and my husbands plans for it. The funny thing is they just love to restore cars, and just wanted to look at it. They even stayed to help him redo the rear suspension. Oh, and 5 grand cash isn’t enough for my husband to let go of it… :0) He said he’d take about 100,000 cash, because thats how much this thing means to him, its not a matter of money its a nostalgia thing… (sigh) Now if I can get him to redo an old convertible VW bug, or an old flatbed chevy truck I’d be really happy… :0)
We had the same problem when my husbadn still had his 1969 Buick Skylark. People would come up to us in public and yes, even drive up to the house. Restoring cars is very big around here, too.
However, I can somewhat empathize with the askers. There’s a guy in town with an absolutely sweet 1969 Camaro that he has restored. That car is one of my dreams. I’d consider selling my husband for it! Or I’d at least rent him out for a ride in it. The guy shows it all over town anytime there is a car show. I’m his most persistant groupie. Although, I have never asked him what he wants for it because I know that to him–it’s much more valuable than my life.
When I had the 57 Chevy, I put a sign on it that said
LOOK, do not touch. NOT FOR SALE
For an appointment to see interior, talk about the car or just whine and drool, please leave a number in the newspaper box.
I actually had to set up visitation times for tours of the car, and would give people rides. My first statement was always “Don’t ask. You don’t have enough money. Nobody does.”
When I was ready to sell it, I had a buyer’s list made up of the really interested people, and an idea (listening to them talk among themselves) of what I could get.
With the '69 GTO, I just told them $150K as is. (It was a project car. Long term project car…) Sentimental value, take it or leave it. After about a month, nobody asked.
I used to live with my friends mother, but she has a 1965 chevy impala convertable parked in the carpark (its not really a garage) but often ppl do the same thing to her, always reminding her that they are interested in buying it if she wanted to sell it. But she always says to me that ppl always say that but noone ever comes to her door with money, shes 85 and has no idea as well what it would be going for. Once a year she drives it around the trailer complex.
My dad is in a classic car club. I’ll have to ask if he has ever had anyone ask a question like this. Although most of the time the cars are concealed in a garage. His 41 Ford is the same make, year, model, and color of the first car he ever owned. Back in 1946 someone took a picture of him standing by the original car, one foot up on the running board. So in 1996 he took the car to the same street here in Topeka, dressed in long pants and a white shirt with rolled up sleeves as before, and had another picture taken. Pretty cool. But I like his 1946 Lincoln the best. It’s a huge care, and he drives it as a limo for brides, to and from the church. Ideal, as the backseat is so roomy there’s plenty of space for a big skirt like so many gowns have.
My FIL gets the same thing every time he leaves his sky blue 82 T-top long-body, low the the ground, man’s man, Tim Taylor grunting over Chevy convertible out. I’m not even sure what model it is but EVERY time somebody invariably drives up to the house, asking if it’s for sale if he leaves it out of the garage.
They are collectible now. I could have snapped up the truly collectible muscle cars from the 1960s and early 1970s in the late 1980s for about 2-4 K per. Many frame off restos. are going for 40K now. I credit the Kid Rock videos featuring the ‘screaming chicken’ Firebirds for the sudden interest. I’ve seen them in commercials also.
Twice in the past year I have found notes on the windshield of my truck that said they were interested in buying my truck and left a number. My beat up '89 Mitsubishi truck is a piece of crap. Its got a huge crumpled dent on the back right side. Another dent on the left back side. No tailgate. Paint is chipping off on miscellaneous places. I have huge spiderweb decals on the doors. A huge spider decal on the hood. Happy Bunny stickers on the drivers side just stuck in miscellaneous places. Simpsons stickers on the rear window. My truck is not for sale. I use it regularly.
I’ve also seen signs for old cars that say NOT FOR SALE. It makes me giggle because I know people probably still go up to that house asking if they want to sell their cars.
My mom bought a new 1966 MGB roadster, and I inherited it after I was old enough to drive. I’m having a '66 MGB roadster completely restored, and it will have the same Old English White paint and the red interior as my first car. I don’t even particularly like Old English White (I don’t dislike it either), but it’s so “of the era”. By the time it’s finished it will cost me about the same as a fully-restored one costs at auction; but someone would have to offer me $25,000 (about $7,000 more than it will be worth) before I’d consider selling it.
When I bought my 1946 Willys a guy followed me home and asked me if I wanted to sell it. Geez, I hadn’t even gotten it into the carport yet! I’m out of space, and will need to get rid of the Willys when the MGB is done. I paid $5,500 for it (CJ2As are much more expensive here than in other parts of the country – and around here they don’t exist in such good condition as mine) and had the brakes completely re-done ($900) and the front suspension sorted out ($500). Plus I had a new crankshaft, bearings and gaskets put in ($1,400 by a Jeep dealer).
It’s all-original and runs like new. No leaks! I’d sell it for $6,500 but I’d take $6,000 for it. People are very disappointed to hear that, but let them try to find one in this area and in as good condition! Besides, I don’t really want to sell it. My sister says she’ll let me store it in her yard, so I can have space for the MGB and keep my Willys!
When I had my 90 Ford Ranger I often would find either A) an offer to buy my truck or B) a nasty mispelled note telling me that “this is not your personnel parking space!” or some such nonsense. But this was always when parked on a public street, which made the latter occurence doubly irksome. A few people have approached me while I have been loading the truck up during errands, but they have always been low-balling bluebook. They are always people looking for beater work trucks, but they don’t seem to get that if I am out using my truck, why the heck would I wet my pants for 700 piddlin’ bucks. You can’t even get a well running beater motorcycle for that in this town.
'Course, it’s a bit ironic that I ended up giving my truck away–although perhaps it was a representation of how priceless that truck (my first vehicle, that symbol of utter freedom) was to me.
And this impromtu offer of purchase didn’t happen more than once a month or so, so the odd occurence was more like a compliment really, and not an annoyance.
I miss that Ford truck smell, like grease and alfalfa…nobody tell my new VW, it might break down on me just for spite!
I’ve had this problem with a couple things, the worst was my boat. A 24 foot Topaz ceter console with a forward cuddy cabin, inboard 350 and Borg warner transmission. Best darn offshore fisherman in it’s class ever. Ask any charter skipper.
The other is my '68 Triumph GT6. It looks like a little E type Jag(XKE). I bought it in '76 and it underwent a frame off restoration in '98. A car like this won La Mans in its class. 12 feet one inch long, 4 feet one inch at the widest point and under four feet tall, 1900 lbs. and a twin carb inline six. The thing scoots! only a bit over 18,000 made in the entire production run from '66 to '73. I have 2 spares for parts.
My condolences to you and the crazy folks you must put up with.
I used to get the same problem right after I got my truck finished. 1971 Chevy 1/2 ton, short wheelbase, stepside, “three on the tree” and a straight six. Bought it for $700 after it caught fire following a fuel fire, and spent probably close to $7500 or more restoring it. My second day of learning to drive it, a guy follows Dad and I home and offers to buy it. Turned him down. About two months later, I come out to the parking lot after school and find a note offering to buy it. Didn’t even call.
They’ve quit asking now. Don’t know why, but I don’t care, because I’m not going to sell it. When I get a new car after college, it’s going to come home and Dad can drive it. There’s too much time and money invested in it for us to sell it right now. Besides, if you work that hard on your first car, why would you want to sell it?
Are you annoyed at the persistance of the people? At their cloddish manners? Cause that would be annoying.
But if you guys guys drive cherry examples of desirable cars and are annoyed when someone asks about it, the only solution is to park it in the garage and drive your Camry everywhere. If you don’t want people to notice your rare “old time” car, you should join the masses or shut up.
(And I’m annoyed cause I drive a Saturn wagon and I’ve always wanted a really cool car and could never afford one and/or have the skills to restore one of my own. )
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