My friends dad's Super Bee Rotting away in there driveway.

[pabster]

Grrrr. My mom is a chronic hoarder, she let a car rot away in front of her house instead of letting me drive it- I have no sympathy for situations like this.

Whoever has a tow truck around here, drive over there at 2AM, grab the Bee, and save it from it's original owner. Please.

 

[99ss]

Its typical.. wont ever doing anything with it but doesnt want anyone esle to have it. SO much do not like people like that. Selfish ******** are what they are.

 

[Bruzilla]

I know someone who's letting a couple of really nice vintage Fords rot away because of a family dispute. At one point the father promised the cars to his son, his son really pissed the father off, and now the father is enjoying making his son watch as the cars rot away just, and simply, to spite him. No amount of talking will ever change that attitude.

But, folks have to remember that anytime you approach someone who has a car wasting away that they were always going to restore "someday", and ask them if it's for sale, you're in effect throwing the fact that they are a failure up in their faces. They really wanted to restore the car, and had every intention of doing so, but events didn't allow that to happen. We all know that feeling when we walk through the garage and see something we know we need to do but don't have the time or money to do it. It's a sense of failure, usually weak and sometimes strong. But even a weak feeling of failure can get exacerbated, like the difference between when you look at that 4-speed tranny and think "I really need to quit putting off swapping that thing into the car and get it done" and when your wife says "when are you ever going to get that big piece of crap over there out of the way? You've been saying it's for the car, but it hasn't moved in months! I need that space for something I like, so crap or get off the pot already!"

It's always one thing to consider your own failures, and another to have them pointed out to you, and every time you go up to some dude with an old "I'm Gonna Restore it Someday" car in the driveway and ask if it's for sale, or worse say are you ever gonna do anything with it, you're just waving a red flag in their face. I've always had good luck by just going up and asking them about the car, talking about cars in general, and offering to help them if I can, than asking if a car is for sale.

 

[Stevo427]

I do not see what's the big deal here. It is his car to do what he wants to with it pure and simple. We all can "Bench Talk" about this and that related to aforementioned car, but that is just it..."TALK". All of them cannot be saved ever. So getting the shorts in a wad about it is really a waste of time. Move on and chalk it up to I seen it but that is all....

Shorts aren't in a wad. I like these cars just as much as the next guy but to me it's much more then a car and it's a shame to see it like that....But I have my own car I'm saving so I'm not worried about it or anything. I've already offered to help with sheet metal repair since I have the tools and what not but I got shot down. I was talking to the kid when I asked so I might have to just throw the offer up to the actual dad.

 

[Basket case]

There's a line from the movie Operation Petticoat that goes "The boys in Vegas would say you're trying to make your point the hard way", and I think that often applies in cases like this. An owner has aspirations of restoring a car someday, and in most cases someday never happens due to a lack of time, money, illness/injury, spouse support, etc. And when said project car sits around untouched, it isn't long before throngs of potential buyers start turning up at the door inquiring if it's for sale. Are these folks serious hobbyists who want to restore the car like you want to, or are they opportunists who want to flip the car for money? There's really no way to tell. And when an owner refuses to sell, would-be buyers get frustrated.

My suggestion would be to approach this guy from a different direction. Instead of asking the guy if the car is for sale, or why he won't sell (like everyone else), ask him to talk to you about the car. He probably likes it as much as anyone, and people generally enjoy talking about things they like. A great example of this tactic is seen on that show American Pickers. They usually don't ask "how much is this?" right off the bat. They ask something like "what can you tell me about this?" and get the person to start talking about an item, which tends to lower defenses. Ask the Dad to tell you about the car, how he got it, why he got it, how long he's had it, what's he enjoyed the most about it, if he got lots of tickets, if he got lots of chicks, etc.

Then get him talking about his plans for the car. If he wants to restore it someday, suggest making someday now. Offer to help him find parts, references, resources, provide some free labor, etc. More often than not, guys like this just need a little motivation to get them going and once they get going one of two things happen: either the car gets restored or the restoration "dream" gets turned into a harsh reality with hard numbers and levels of effort replacing the fantasies of thinking about restoring a car and the owner becomes much more willing to sell. And even better, when they do make the decision to sell, they'll know you're someone with as much interest in the car as they have and be willing to work with you on a good deal.

agreed. how about showing him your car. maybe ask him for help on it. that might get his intrest going, or show him you;re not a flipper.

 

[Relax360]

Man its close by me also I would love to help you save it. any Fender Tag info?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Here's the long and short of it. Nobody's gone over there and offered him enough money. Money talks and bullshit walks.

 

[Budnicks]

That's really too bad & so sad... So damn many of these cool old beloved cars, are just rotting away in someones driveway, barn, field, under a tree, in the driveway, garage, front or back yards... I've gotten a few of mine over the years, from people just like that, it takes allot of persistence & patients, to get a deal done... Especially with someone that has held onto something that long, they may have had some great memories with & don't want to let go &/or can't afford to bring it back to it's former glory.... It's really too bad & so sad, either way...

- - - Updated - - -

at least it's in the driveway & not sitting upto the axles & spindles deep rooting the frame & floor out, sitting on/in mud, grass or a damn tree growing into or thru it...

 

[Relax360]

Tell your dad i will offer 8k for it unseen. if it turns out to be a solid car i will pay 9

 

[Stevo427]

Man its close by me also I would love to help you save it. any Fender Tag info?

Let you know whenever I get a chance to go look at it.

 

[Ranidart70]

maybe the owner can afford to fix it but chooses not to. ppl assume that just bcoz it is not getting restored that the owner cant afford to ........thats a big assumption to make without knowing the true story behind it.

maybe the owner has a specific reason for parking it there and letting it sit ....maybe a story behind it.

i know of a 67 Charger locally that is a similar sight and the owner wont let it go bcoz his girlfriend was accidently ran over and killed with that car....so he has a mental issue with it. and that should be only his battle to fight....it is really no one else's business to call him selfish or threaten to steal his property....it is what it is.

all one can do is bug him every once in a while with an offer ...someday he may be ready to let go.

the car in this thread is sure cool but its hard to assume what is going on with it. just my .02

 

[Relax360]

Good point Ranidart.

 

[wannadrag]

Restore it? That's what I call a mighty fine parts car.

That sounds like a comment some of those yahoos from moparts would make.If its not a 6 pack or hemi car might as well part it huh.

 

[70BurntRt]

I have a owner in my town with a 69 super bee 4 speed also in the same situation. I have been watching this car sit for more than 20 years rotting in this yard. I spoke to him for the first time last year. He opened up and told me all about it and how he was going to restore it when he retired. Will see how that goes now that he's in his early sixties. It just might be a parts car by the time he gets around to it.

 

[306Doba]

I know someone who's letting a couple of really nice vintage Fords rot away because of a family dispute. At one point the father promised the cars to his son, his son really pissed the father off, and now the father is enjoying making his son watch as the cars rot away just, and simply, to spite him. No amount of talking will ever change that attitude.

But, folks have to remember that anytime you approach someone who has a car wasting away that they were always going to restore "someday", and ask them if it's for sale, you're in effect throwing the fact that they are a failure up in their faces. They really wanted to restore the car, and had every intention of doing so, but events didn't allow that to happen. We all know that feeling when we walk through the garage and see something we know we need to do but don't have the time or money to do it. It's a sense of failure, usually weak and sometimes strong. But even a weak feeling of failure can get exacerbated, like the difference between when you look at that 4-speed tranny and think "I really need to quit putting off swapping that thing into the car and get it done" and when your wife says "when are you ever going to get that big piece of crap over there out of the way? You've been saying it's for the car, but it hasn't moved in months! I need that space for something I like, so crap or get off the pot already!"

It's always one thing to consider your own failures, and another to have them pointed out to you, and every time you go up to some dude with an old "I'm Gonna Restore it Someday" car in the driveway and ask if it's for sale, or worse say are you ever gonna do anything with it, you're just waving a red flag in their face. I've always had good luck by just going up and asking them about the car, talking about cars in general, and offering to help them if I can, than asking if a car is for sale.

You're like Yoda

 

[Bruzilla]

It's all that salesman training Ford put me through. It's amazing what you can accomplish once you master the art of figuring out how to appeal to people's needs and wants, and how to avoid pissing them off.

As annoying as it is, I think every old car guy should spend every Monday night watching American Pickers. Those guys are a lot to take, but they make a living out of talking people into selling things they often don't want to sell, and at a price that's about half of market value! That's not an easy way to make a living, but if they're been paying the bills with it for years before their TV gig, they're probably worth listening to.

 

[rsd859]

Its a great show and they are masters of bull shitting people.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Its a great show and they are masters of bull shitting people.

This ^^^^^^ Plain and simple. I don't give a damn what "school" or "classes" you've taken, that's all it boils down to is bullshit.

 

[roadrunnerman]

Restore it? That's what I call a mighty fine parts car.

Now Richard, I'll bet you wouldn't say that if it was a true 6 pack or hemi car.

 

[tallhair]

There's a line from the movie Operation Petticoat that goes "The boys in Vegas would say you're trying to make your point the hard way", and I think that often applies in cases like this. An owner has aspirations of restoring a car someday, and in most cases someday never happens due to a lack of time, money, illness/injury, spouse support, etc. And when said project car sits around untouched, it isn't long before throngs of potential buyers start turning up at the door inquiring if it's for sale. Are these folks serious hobbyists who want to restore the car like you want to, or are they opportunists who want to flip the car for money? There's really no way to tell. And when an owner refuses to sell, would-be buyers get frustrated.

My suggestion would be to approach this guy from a different direction. Instead of asking the guy if the car is for sale, or why he won't sell (like everyone else), ask him to talk to you about the car. He probably likes it as much as anyone, and people generally enjoy talking about things they like. A great example of this tactic is seen on that show American Pickers. They usually don't ask "how much is this?" right off the bat. They ask something like "what can you tell me about this?" and get the person to start talking about an item, which tends to lower defenses. Ask the Dad to tell you about the car, how he got it, why he got it, how long he's had it, what's he enjoyed the most about it, if he got lots of tickets, if he got lots of chicks, etc.

Then get him talking about his plans for the car. If he wants to restore it someday, suggest making someday now. Offer to help him find parts, references, resources, provide some free labor, etc. More often than not, guys like this just need a little motivation to get them going and once they get going one of two things happen: either the car gets restored or the restoration "dream" gets turned into a harsh reality with hard numbers and levels of effort replacing the fantasies of thinking about restoring a car and the owner becomes much more willing to sell. And even better, when they do make the decision to sell, they'll know you're someone with as much interest in the car as they have and be willing to work with you on a good deal.

thanks for saying that better than i could have burzilla. why do so many folks have all this disdain for the guys who maybe just didn't have the means, drive, or whatever else to get it done on someone else's time line? life get's in the way sometimes and that doesn't mean that they didn't or don't have the desire to have the same dream car we all do ... just that their situations were different or on a different time schedule than ours are at this point in OUR lives.

I'm 47 and have had my 70 RR for ~32 years and i'm just getting around to doing my dream restoration i envisioned when i was 16 but life has gotten and is still get's in the way dag nabit!