My uncle has a cool car

[Rick Flair]

Now, I haven’t seen him in 30+ years. It was due to distance and we were not close really.
Here is a little background. He bought a 1936 Dodge two door coupe when he was 18. My dad helped him tow it home. Over the next 50 years, he has had it to nearly a dozen different “hot rod” shops. It lasted through divorces, getting screwed over by many of the shops as they messed up the mods and stole his money, someone tried to steal it a few times, it goes on and on. It seems to be a curse to me.

Anyway, I was talking to my dad tonight. He said the car is currently in another shop and being chopped and having the roll pan redone.

He is now 68 years old. He has COPD and is on oxygen and not doing well. He has two daughters who my dad said they don’t have much to do with him. He’s alone otherwise.

I told my dad tonight as the car is still a project, if he passes I feel the shop will put a mechanics lean on it (they are in CA) and he will lose his car to some shop. He has close to $100k wrapped up in this car.

I told my father tonight that next time he talks to him if he has no plans to give the car to his daughters if he left it to our family it would remain in our family.

After I offered this. I felt like a dirtbag. I don’t want to steal his dream. But I do know he will never finish this car. It will be lost and if love to honor him by finishing it and keeping it in the family. My father sold his legacy cars to my shorty half brother who is older and he sold them off.

My TJ is going to be a lifelong keep. My boys love it. I feel it represents my off-road love. I want to hand down something to my kids. I also plan to restore a older pickup soon as they will be handed down.

Anyway, advice on this? I feel awkward saying it but felt it need to be said. I know my dad cares about the car and his family, he’s 68 and knows where I’m coming from.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

You are guilty of NOTHING bad. You certainly aren't trying to steal his dream, if anything you would be keeping it alive.

We all know the worst part is that

 

[Irun]

I have a 1969 Camaro that's been with me for 30 years now and, like your Uncle, the car and I been through good and bad times together. Although I've owned more vehicles than I'd like to think about during my adult life, I consider myself more of a caretaker than owner for this particular one. There's nothing really special about it, other than it takes me back to a time in my life when I was young and relatively care free. At some point it will have to be passed on, which won't be easy, but doing so is an inevitably part of the cycle of life. My guess is your Uncle feels similar about his car. Letting it go means letting go of part of himself.

That said, any car that's been in the family for over 50 years deserves to stay in the family. However, if you were to get the car, you'd be responsible for keeping it. In this case you're not just getting a car. Rather, you're adopting a new family member that you're now responsible for, at least as long as your Uncle remains on Gods green Earth.

 

[Apparition]

It never hurts to ask.

 

[Rick Flair]

You are guilty of NOTHING bad. You certainly aren't trying to steal his dream, if anything you would be keeping it alive.

We all know the worst part is that

True, thanks. I don’t have pics of his car, I’ll ask. But I know this is his goal.

 

[Rick Flair]

I have a 1969 Camaro that's been with me for 30 years now and, like your Uncle, the car and I been through good and bad times together. Although I've owned more vehicles than I'd like to think about during my adult life, I consider myself more of a caretaker than owner for this particular one. There's nothing really special about it, other than it takes me back to a time in my life when I was young and relatively care free. At some point it will have to be passed on, which won't be easy, but doing so is an inevitably part of the cycle of life. My guess is your Uncle feels similar about his car. Letting it go means letting go of part of himself.

That said, any car that's been in the family for over 50 years deserves to stay in the family. However, if you were to get the car, you'd be responsible for keeping it. In this case you're not just getting a car. Rather, you're adopting a new family member that you're now responsible for, at least as long as your Uncle remains on Gods green Earth.

Good point, caretaker is the perfect description. I know I have firearms that I’m caretaker of.

 

[AMS417]

Agree, never hurts to ask. One of my in-laws had a cool car with a story to back it up. He deployed to Vietnam and on his return had a pocket full of duty pay. Arrived on a Greyhound and was walking into town passed a used car dealership. He haggled a deal on a 1958 Corvette, white with red coves. Drove the rest of the way into town and owned that car the rest of his life. Decided to restore it in the early 2000's and purchased all the NOS and correct reproduction stuff he would need. Stripped the car for paint, bagged and labeled all the parts and died before it made it to the paint shop. His daughter inherited it, and put it into paid public storage. Almost lost it twice due to unpaid storage bills. I offered her $10k and a promise I would never sell it unless it was back to her, or her kids. She said no way, it has sentimental value. Couple years later I heard she sold it to fund them moving to Florida. They never moved, but they do go to the Casino a lot. The parts alone probably were worth more than $10k.

 

[WallyWest]

My dad had a '56, I think, Chevy coupe. Not sure of the year, but it was one of the last with the two piece windshield, flat panes of glass. Baby blue, in good shape. He died in '73, six months after I was born.

I had no knowledge of this car because it was parked at his grandmother's house. Out in the middle of nowhere. A few years back my uncle, who owns the property, went up and took pictures of the place. It's a cabin in the woods basically, hard to access due to the road up there being all overgrown. Next to the house is this rusty old car, so I asked my mom about it. She told me it was my dad's. WTF? Seriously, I'm just now hearing about this?

So I make plans to go down and drag it out of there somehow. About a year later got down there for a family reunion and my uncle takes me out to the property. Road has been mostly cleared due to a logging outfit that's working the other side of the ridge. Great. We get up there, no car. Someone swiped it.

That was a while ago and still pisses me off. My dad was a great mechanic and loved cars. Even if all I could have saved of that thing was the steering wheel it would have been worth it. I can only hope someone took it to restore, but most likely it was scrapped for a couple hundred bucks.

Anyway, I don't think your offer is out of line. Having the car go to someone who will appreciate it, keep it in the family, and maybe even finish the build is about the best outcome I can think of.

 

[Rick Flair]

My dad had a '56, I think, Chevy coupe. Not sure of the year, but it was one of the last with the two piece windshield, flat panes of glass. Baby blue, in good shape. He died in '73, six months after I was born.

I had no knowledge of this car because it was parked at his grandmother's house. Out in the middle of nowhere. A few years back my uncle, who owns the property, went up and took pictures of the place. It's a cabin in the woods basically, hard to access due to the road up there being all overgrown. Next to the house is this rusty old car, so I asked my mom about it. She told me it was my dad's. WTF? Seriously, I'm just now hearing about this?

So I make plans to go down and drag it out of there somehow. About a year later got down there for a family reunion and my uncle takes me out to the property. Road has been mostly cleared due to a logging outfit that's working the other side of the ridge. Great. We get up there, no car. Someone swiped it.

That was a while ago and still pisses me off. My dad was a great mechanic and loved cars. Even if all I could have saved of that thing was the steering wheel it would have been worth it. I can only hope someone took it to restore, but most likely it was scrapped for a couple hundred bucks.

Anyway, I don't think your offer is out of line. Having the car go to someone who will appreciate it, keep it in the family, and maybe even finish the build is about the best outcome I can think of.

Sad story man. I’m really sorry to read that.

I know I give my dad grief over his 1960 Ford F100 he got from his uncle and hotrodded. He sold that my dumb ass brother who promptly crashed it then sold it.

I would still have it even thought it’s one my least favorite body styles, it means something. He regrets it too like his ‘70 Cuda,’71 Charger,’67 Bronco, ‘67 Fastback Mustang....but back in the late 70’s early 80’s nobody wanted those cars and he said they were for sale on every used car lot in town, gas hogs and not fun to drive everyday.

God he could have retired well off today if he held on to them. I would have kept that Cuda though!!!!!!

 

[MountaineerTom]

I’d say as much as it means to him, he’d probably be happy that it’s staying in the family. If the daughters don’t have much to do with him, then the car probably means absolutely nothing to them and they would probably just sell it. You shouldn’t feel bad about asking that.

 

[Rick Flair]

Thanks all for the reassurance. I haven’t asked for anything in life from anyone, I grew up poor and earned everything I have so I guess I felt a little off saying it to my dad.

But like most of you have pointed out, it wasn’t because of the cars worth as it would never be sold, it was to preserve some family memories.

My dad has guns from my grandfather and his grandparents. I have held and shot most of them. They hold such a special meaning to me when I will hate to inherit them, I hope my kids will see that part as well. If I ended up with the car that will be part of things as well. If they didn’t see the importance of it, I’d hope some other family member would. I don’t have a lot of family so I’m hoping I’m instilling those values in my boys.

 

[Squatch]

True, thanks. I don’t have pics of his car, I’ll ask. But I know this is his goal.

View attachment 191111

The car I'm leaning against in my avatar is my old '36 Dodge coupe. As someone who has owned over 300 vehicles thus far (I believe I'm north of 325, actually), I have had my fair share of "Never should have sold it" cars. As for your uncle's situation, I would like to think he would respond positively to your proposition. It's something most true car guys think about, I suspect. I have at least one car that I would leave to a friend in the hopes that he would complete my dream. It's about the car, not me. That's how I look at it.

 

[Rick Flair]

The car I'm leaning against in my avatar is my old '36 Dodge coupe. As someone who has owned over 300 vehicles thus far (I believe I'm north of 325, actually), I have had my fair share of "Never should have sold it" cars. As for your uncle's situation, I would like to think he would respond positively to your proposition. It's something most true car guys think about, I suspect. I have at least one car that I would leave to a friend in the hopes that he would complete my dream. It's about the car, not me. That's how I look at it.

Would love to see more pics!!!

And thank you, I have a few friends I feel like that. To preserve the car it does indeed take a caretaker!!!!

 

[Squatch]

Would love to see more pics!!!

And thank you, I have a few friends I feel like that. To preserve the car it does indeed take a caretaker!!!!

Sadly, I was never one to take a lot of pics, and to my knowledge, that is the only picture I have of the car. I ended up selling it to someone who had the financial resources to restore it, something I wouldn't be able to do at that time in my life (early twenties).

 

[Rick Flair]

Sadly, I was never one to take a lot of pics, and to my knowledge, that is the only picture I have of the car. I ended up selling it to someone who had the financial resources to restore it, something I wouldn't be able to do at that time in my life (early twenties).

So get it. I’m glad I wasn’t able to buy anything like that in my 20’s, although I did have a ‘71 FJ40 I kick myself for selling seeing what they go for now, I like the TJ more for a fun vehicle.

 

[Squatch]

So get it. I’m glad I wasn’t able to buy anything like that in my 20’s, although I did have a ‘71 FJ40 I kick myself for selling seeing what they go for now, I like the TJ more for a fun vehicle.

It's ironic that in my youth, I had all the time, but none of the money. These days, it's the opposite situation. I can get the coin if I really want it, but the time is scarce these days...

 

[Rick Flair]

It's ironic that in my youth, I had all the time, but none of the money. These days, it's the opposite situation. I can get the coin if I really want it, but the time is scarce these days...

Right?

 

[MountaineerTom]

It's ironic that in my youth, I had all the time, but none of the money. These days, it's the opposite situation. I can get the coin if I really want it, but the time is scarce these days...

Amen to that!

 

[Mike_H]

I don't think I would give the ask a second thought. You obviously associate some sort of value to the vehicle, know of the family connection and the value your Uncle associates to it. I don't think its out of line to try and bring his dream to life. Too bad he'll never see it completed.

I also have a car in my memory banks that I'd LOVE to have. When I was in my young impressionable years, my dad had an original, Bruce Meyers Manx dune buggy. I don't remember the details, other than it was a driver with some TLC required. We drove that all over, towed it up north and two-tracked in it. It was bright orange, had slot mag wheels, Goodyear wide ovals in the rear, open headers, etc. It was loud (both visually and audibly). I LOVED that car as a early tween and teen.

He sold it when I was about 14, I think. Something about needing money for the business he was buying into (which turned out really well for him, by the way) and not using it enough to justify the work it would need. He also didn't keep any records. I've asked. I'd LOVE to track that VW down and purchase it. Restore it and let dad drive it again. The memories I have of that vehicle are priceless.

It looks like this (just something I dug up off the net)