More cars from where my 1936 Chrysler Airstream convertible came from

[Professor]

Hi All,

 

Thinking a few of you here might enjoy some pictures of more of the vehicles owned by the gentlemen who sold me my 1936 Chrysler Airstream Convertible C-8, I went back to the downtown area and took pictures of the cars he has stored in his buildings over the past 60 or so years. I took some pictures of the odometers on some of the more interesting cars. I will upload all of the pictures I took today.  

 

Some of you are going to cry... the cars were moved in in number 1 condition and now... well... see for yourself.  This said, the majority of these cars are completely unmolested... something I personally would pay dearly for. Knowing every nut and bolt is original is valuable to me, although admittedly, not to everyone.

 

When I got home, I had to take a shower. So much dirt in these buildings. I was covered in dirt head to toe.

 

Enjoy.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Professor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zepher]

That poor Cadillac looks like it got plenty of moisture from a leaky roof.  😢

 

[padgett]

Are the trunks open so the mice have easy access ? Does Wayne know about the Davis ? He has the other one.

[alsancle]

Whatever happened to the green Davis that was being auctioned?

[Guest]

Great pictures, Joe. Does your friend intend to sell these cars?

 

Greg

[George Smolinski]

How many miles on the white van and is it for sale?

[gossp]

I believe you got the pick of the litter. 

[gossjh]

I like the ‘37 Dodge pickup.

[auburnseeker]

I agree my next choice on the list would be that Dodge pickup. I might even be a buyer if he decides to sell it. 

[gossjh]

Me, too.

[Lebowski]

Thanks for taking the time to take all the pics and post them here. 

 

What is the story on the weird-looking vehicle with only one front tire? Was that built in the US? I've never seen one before...

[alsancle]

The Davis.

[keiser31]

Ohhhh, man. That 1938 Dodge Brothers pickup is so cooool!

[keiser31]

17 hours ago, gossjh said:

I like the ‘37 Dodge pickup.

 

It's a '38.

[gossp]

17 hours ago, gossjh said:

Me, too.

That truck would be a perfect second Dodge for you to have your son completely wear out a set of tires on. 

[FLYER15015]

Somebody need to work on their barn!!!

 

Mike in Colorado

[Professor]

Sorry... I reached my post limit so I could not post any more. More pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Professor]

More... I will keep posting until I reach my post limit or I run out of pictures. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Professor]

By the way...does anyone know why I have a post limit and what the post limit is? More...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Professor]

This is the last set of images. He has two or three more cars and I will try to upload images after I take them.

 Quite frankly, I couldn’t stand the dirt, dust, and mold enough to enter another building. Assuming I have not reached my post count, I will answer questions in my next post.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Professor]

10 hours ago, padgett said:

Are the trunks open so the mice have easy access ? Does Wayne know about the Davis ? He has the other one.

 

LOL.  I don’t think mice could live in the environment found in these buildings.

10 hours ago, GregLaR said:

Great pictures Joe. Does your friend intend to sell these cars?

Greg

 

Yes, I think he does.  I am trying to convince him to sell them as they sit rather than try to fix them up.  I know for sure that I would pay more for a car that has not been touched rather than one that someone else tried to get running.  Let me wash it, restore the brake system, change the oil, radiator fluid, etc.  Am I making a mistake by suggesting he sell them as is? Are they worth more untouched?

 

 

9 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

How many miles on the white van & is it for sale?

 

I don’t know but I will ask.

 

9 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

I agree my next choice on the list would be that Dodge Pickup.  I might even be a buyer if he decides to sell it. 

 

I loved it.  I will go back and take some more pictures of it inside and out.

 

9 hours ago, Lebowski said:

Thanks for taking the time to take all the pics and post them here. What is the story on the weird looking vehicle with only one front tire? Was that built in the US? I've never seen one before....

 

I honestly do not know what it is.  I think my friend said it was pretty rare... but in my mind, I think it is ummmm... ugly?  LOL.

 

 

[58L-Y8]

Thanks for the look.  What an odd selection of cars, other than the pre-war models and Cadillac convertibles, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what was stored....

[8E45E]

8 hours ago, Joe West said:

I honestly do not know what it is. I think my friend said it was pretty rare... but in my mind, I think it is ummmm... ugly? LOL.

 

That thing is a 1949 Davis. 

 

Not the most attractive vehicle, although it might not look out of place on a huge golf course. Perhaps its most interesting feature is the retractable hardtop roof.

 

Craig

[ch1929]

Thanks for the pictures. I may be interested in the Jewett just let me know if it is for sale.

[George Albright]

I am interested if the Davis is for sale. Thanks.

 

George Albright, Florida.

Cell 352 843 1624. Email Gnalbright@gmail.com 

[Professor]

7 minutes ago, ch1929 said:

Thanks for the pictures. I may be interested in the Jewett just let me know if it is for sale.

 

I spoke with the owner and everything is for sale. If people tell me that they are interested in a particular car, I will drive down and take pictures of everything I can for that particular vehicle and post them here.

[alsancle]

Thanks for posting the pictures. That building must be huge.

 

I always wanted a Davis but whenever I mention it my friends yell at me.

[George Albright]

Yes, please get me a price on the Davis as it sits and either email or call my cell with the figure.

 

Thanks,

 

George Albright 

[auburnseeker]

If you get pictures of the Dodge truck, get a few underneath, a few of the interior and under the hood if possible.  

 

Much appreciated if you have the time. 

[George Albright]

More Davis photos posted also appreciated. Thanks.

 

George Albright 

[1912Staver]

Some people are hard to figure. There is a significant outlay on the cars. And a building like that would be $3 or 4 million minimum in my part of the world, and yet the owner does not keep up with things like simple roof maintenance.

 

The logic escapes me.

 

Greg in Canada

[auburnseeker]

There actually seem to be several collections like this, even if only part of the collection is like this and the other in more proper storage. 

I'm sure we have all been in collections like this. Often I think intentions were good to start and life took over. (Buildings were bought when the real estate was cheap.) Often that's why you see those old dealerships getting torn down, as the real estate is worth more than anything in the building for the latest strip mall or housing development.   

 

Look at all the collections guys have out in their yards under tarps. Someone that used to frequent this forum had buildings and buildings (if you could all them that) full of unusual and in some cases desirable cars, with probably 90 plus percent heading into rapid decline in condition and some just stored in tree lines. The problem was the rose-colored glasses he viewed them through then disgust when trying to sell that we wouldn't pony up 10 grand for a mass-produced field car left to the ravages of the Northeast or $50-100 grand for a less than desirable body style of a classic that needed over $100,000 dollars in restoration work. Was really a shame as many looked like they were probably in pretty good shape when parked.  

[alsancle]

Location, location, location. Large dealership buildings in small towns in the middle of the US (not within 100 miles of a coast) do not have tremendous value,  but the cost to properly maintain them is tremendous.

[1912Staver]

In any event what's a roof going to cost ? $25,000-35, 000 max. That's the cost of two or three of the cars or less. The building is a more important component in a collection than the cars themselves in most cases. Even if the building is in a cheap area the cost of the cars still adds up over time , why not protect that investment?

 

I realize many locations have reasonably-priced property, but that just makes the overall cost that much more affordable. Local to me a corner gas station in a desirable location sold last year for $72,000,000 (16,000 square foot property, zoning allows a condo tower to be built in its place) so you can see how any commercial building is multiple millions. 

 

I just can't believe how cheap buildings are smaller U.S. towns. No wonder 3/4 of the worlds population want's to live in the U.S.

 

 

Greg

[alsancle]

Vancouver is trapped between the ocean and the mountains so land is precious and there is all kinds of money flowing in.

 

I can see you haven't put a roof on anything in quite a while. $25k might get it covered in a plastic tarp.

[auburnseeker]

My roof on my 60' by 72' garage (new roof so no removal or disposal fees). Architectural shingles 6 on 12 pitch 2 foot overhangs was around $9,000.  Materials were sold to me at cost by the contractor as a favor, I paid the supply company direct, three years ago before the hurricanes hit and prices jumped. Labor was done at cost as well. The contractor did it as a favor because we bought his house and held the paper for a few years so he was happy making the other money off us. 

 

So now figure a large commercial building with rubberized roofing and removal of probably several layers of old roofing. I bet my roof would have been at least $15G had someone else done it. That didn't include the roof returns either which I did and bought the materials for afterwards.

 

[1912Staver]

4 hours ago, alsancle said:

I can see you haven't put a roof on anything in quite a while. $25k might get it covered in a plastic tarp.

 

Probably I am out of touch on roof costs, so lets say $50,000, still sounds cheap to keep the cars dry.

 

You are right, there is all kinds of money flowing in to this little shelf perched between the mountains and the ocean. Trouble is that almost anyone who has lived and worked all their life here has precious little of it unless you sell up and move hundreds  (thousands) of miles away and start over. A big step with lots of potential pitfalls.

 

Greg in Canada

 

 

[padgett]

Roof on my house/garage was about the same price and rated for 130 mph (Florida). Is protected so have had more hail damage than wind.

Have several late model  "desirable" cars in there:  RHD Jag saloon, 64 T-bird, Caddy Seville, Caddy Allante,  and a number of "low value"  cars. Really needs indexing.

 

Thanks to the move to foreign manufacturing over the last half century there are a number of buildings, some historic, that are worth more razed than intact. Particularly needing a roof (can see some cars already damaged by falling debris).

 

Nobody remembers Wayne's purple V8 Davis is in several episodes (often turn the TV on, set "pause" and come back in a hour or two so I can fast-forward the commercials). Apparently no-one can afford new commecials so repeat the same ones over and over. Have even seen the same one twice in a single break. Am sick of the Volcano and Quicksand which are just stooopid. Much better at 4X.

 

Suspect a good house and an online auction a la Copart would be one way but needs to be soon. Just my opinion.

 

[Steelbreeze]

Is the one with the European plate a Bentley? And is it still there? Either way if it's there can you get as price and info on that and the white Cadillac convertible?

 

Thanks for helping everyone that's interested.