We've all seen it... driving down the road, you come across a property with one to several dozen old cars parked in various states of abandonment. They're in various states of disrepair, usually have one or more windows rolled down or broken, some hearty amount of rust or moss or both growing, might even have a tree going through it.
What causes these cars to get parked, and forgotten or neglected for decade? Why didn't the owner sell them before they became rusted piles of worthlessness? Or, worse, did they buy them to fix up and never got around to it? Anyone here have some insight or have a couple cars that are just sitting around for no good reason other than to take up space and provide a habitat for mosquitoes to breed?
JoeyM
MegaDork
7/12/13 5:26 p.m.
I found one like that many years ago. The owner offered to sell me a really nice 1940s ford, and a modern car to use as a donor. I could not do it...didn't own a house, so no yard, much less a garage. Now, I would be all over an offer like that.....
back on topic. The reason this guy had his collection is that they were the nice left overs from the REALLY nice 1940s sedan he had built for his wife. He bought complete cars, took the best parts, and left the rest out back. He showed me around his barn converted into a garage, complete with home paint booth, and showed me his old caddy. It was powered by a cadillac tank engine and he had the other engine from the tank on a stand in the corner in case he ever needed a spare.
The moment it goes from my driveway to my grass? 
berkeley. I should turn a wrench or three this weekend.
About the time the asking price gets ludicrous, or when it ceases to be worked on on a monthly basis.
In 1993 when I built my garage I stored a BMW R-75 for a friend. Leaned against the wall for 10 years.
Cajoling, coercing couldn't get him to move it so he relocated it to his Dad's garage 15 years ago.
Dad offered it to me last year.
I saw the owner last month and asked about the bike.
"Well, you're welcome to work on it, ride it if you'd like .....
Not gonna spend the time or money if I can't own it.
Point is:
Lawn art is a hoarding fetish thing. Keep your money, it's mine.
The donor AE92 for my swap is about to become yard art. I'm keeping it for spares and it's gotta go somewhere, I don't have a garage or any place to put it out back.
