Ran When Parked?

[George Cole]

Couldn't resist snapping several pictures of this Mopar as I drove by it this morning.  The term 'ragtop' fittingly applies.  It's got to be another 'Ran when parked.'  Still perhaps salvageable, but most likely not for long, as it appears to have been sitting there for many Moons.  I was surprised to see it sitting on the street-side of the garage, rather than buried behind it.

[TAKerry]

"No, its not for sale, Imma gunna restore that some day and sell if for a million bucks!"

[trimacar]

I knew of an Avanti which had been stored for years.  When asked, the owner told me “ I won’t sell it until they make a movie about Avantis, like they did about Tuckers, then it will be worth a million bucks”.  He was serious, and the car still sits, hasn’t moved in over 35 years….

[Xander Wildeisen]

In some counties across America. Old bust up cars, living room furniture and used washers and dryers. Are a symbol of wealth and status. Some countries use lama’s and yams as instruments of commerce. Never under estimate the bargaining power of a parked vintage rag top in the old car world.🧐

[rocketraider]

1968 Three Hundred?

 

Even after the Letter Cars disappeared, a Three Hundred was some automobile until its 1971 demise.

 

We won't talk about those wannabe 300s that appeared in this century. To me those just never captured what a Three Hundred was about.

[rocketraider]

3 minutes ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

In some counties across America. Old bust up cars, living room furniture and used washers and dryers. Are a symbol of wealth and status. 

Don't forget these items have to be on the owner's front porch to count.

[Xander Wildeisen]

I have seen that before. Went to one house in Idaho to look at a car that someone told me about. Two sisters lived in this boarded up house. Born there, never left. No power, no running water. Everything that was ever brought on the property by their family for over a span of 75-100 years. Was still there, placed in a way to create paths around the property. They had a late 50’s Cadillac Fleetwood that had the rear roof section cut out, trunk lid removed. Rear seats removed, and the rear tail panel was cut out. So their father could load and haul calves in the car. Good times.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, TAKerry said:

"No, its not for sale, Imma gunna restore that some day and sell if for a million bucks!"

Or, "I'm going to give it to my grandson."

Even though the grandson is in his 20's and has never shown interest---

[TAKerry]

3 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

In some counties across America. Old bust up cars, living room furniture and used washers and dryers. Are a symbol of wealth and status. Some countries use lama’s and yams as instruments of commerce. Never under estimate the bargaining power of a parked vintage rag top in the old car world.🧐

I have one of the nicer homes in my neighborhood (not trying to brag) but behind my shop/barn is a real S hole!!

I am a home improvement contractor and have scaffolding, trailers, a couple of old cars, left over material, telehandler etc. lying in wait. I made a comment to my son the other day how I really need to clean up the mess, he joked around and said 'this is a sign of wealth for a contractor', LOL. All kinds of crap laying around😵

In my defense, if there is one, it cannot be seen from the road, thankfully. Although when winter comes along and the brush dies down you can see it from the side street. I do have good intentions of getting things cleaned up before the winter.

 

 

To the car topic. Down the road is a 79 formula firebird sitting beside a delapidated trailer home. I finally stopped by one day when the guy was working in his yard and asked if it was for sale. He said he thought so but would have to ask his father, it was his car. Came back out and 'No, not for sale, dad says he is going to fix it up'. Watched it for about 3 more years stll sitting rotting away. BUT, its his car and if thats what he wants to do with it, more power to him. Maybe its that dream that keeps him going.

[Xander Wildeisen]

 

[Paul Dobbin]

Did Earl Beauchamp park his 39 Buick?   This car has been sold an made in to a RestoRod.  I saw it once with flared fenders and 13" wheel and the body painted white, or maybe it was stucco.   I wish I has taken a second picture.  I liked the white walls.

[plymouthcranbrook]

There are a good half dozen cars from the 60’s within five miles of me that except for the rust falling off have not moved for years, a couple for 30 years.  I am always amazed when I pass one that they haven’t collapsed into themselves.

[Andy J]

For at least 30 years I've been looking at a '56 Chevrolet 2 door wagon in a man's front yard on a major highway.I'm sure he's been asked a thousand times if the car is for sale. I've thought about stopping and asking once more. Why do people do that,knowing they will never get it running and fix it up?

[John_S_in_Penna]

57 minutes ago, Andy J said:

...'56 Chevrolet 2 door wagon in a man's front yard...Why do people do that, knowing they will never get it running and fix it up?

Probably procrastination:  Good intentions that never get acted upon.

 

If grass and weeds are growing around the car in someone's yard,

grass and weeds are probably growing also in his thought.

"A rolling stone gathers no moss," but he's probably not a rolling stone...

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

 

 

 

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, Andy J said:

Why do people do that,knowing they will never get it running and fix it up?

Some people get their kicks telling people it ain't for sale.

[rusty12]

Didn't all cars run when they were parked? How could they have been parked if they weren't driven into that position??!!!

 

Now, after they sat in the parked position for a year, or five years, or fifty years....that's another story.

[Xander Wildeisen]

Ran when parked. 

 

[MarkV]

It’s another in a line of cute phrases that the populace who doesn’t really understand cars comes up with other examples:

original mileage- as opposed to non-original?

a/c just needs a charge- really? You mean a sealed system just needs a charge? Haha 

[Steve9]

11 hours ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

In some counties across America. Old bust up cars, living room furniture and used washers and dryers. Are a symbol of wealth and status. Some countries use lama’s and yams as instruments of commerce. Never under estimate the bargaining power of a parked vintage rag top in the old car world.🧐

I can relate with the symbol of wealth thing. In Seattle the homeless who live in junk motor homes who own the most bicycle parts are the wealthiest I’ve figured out.

[marcapra]

I've been to old radio auctions where the non working radio is announced with "It worked once!"

[hook]

Well, honest guys, it ran when it was parked!

[Frank DuVal]

12 hours ago, rusty12 said:

How could they have been parked if they weren't driven into that position?

In my yard some were dropped off the trailer or rollback....🤣   

 

Then there is pushing with the tractor.

[Frank DuVal]

10 hours ago, MarkV said:

It’s another in a line of cute phrases that the populace who doesn’t really understand cars comes up with other examples:

original mileage- as opposed to non-original?

Come on now, back before the 6th mile digit, if a car said 15,340 miles, the term was used for a true 15K mile car, indicating it was not a 115K mile car. Now-a-days unless you drive over a million miles, not a good use of the term.

 

And of course the stories of odometer rollback among the traveling salesmen industry, my uncle included, to keep the trade in about 60K miles for value. I guess they could have driven it to 160K, but that would have been obvious to the trade in assessor. What, no rubber on the brake pedal?🤔

[Frank DuVal]

9 hours ago, marcapra said:

I've been to old radio auctions where the non working radio is announced with "It worked once!"

True, but as an auctioneer joke on the "Ran when parked" of the auto world.

[28 Chrysler]

[Rivguy]

A person has a right to do with his property as he wishes. I think a lot of guys hold onto a car so they can  hold onto the Dream. I can understand that. But why not take measures to preserve it and protect it from the elements? It's particularly sad if the car is something that you would like to own and you would be willing to pay a fair price for it. Seeing an interesting car parked in a sideyard or driveway can sometimes lead to a friendly conversation with the owner, On the other hand sometimes the owner can be a bit hostile! I guess some people are afraid that they will be taken advantage of. 

[wayne sheldon]

On 7/3/2022 at 8:04 AM, Frank DuVal said:

In my yard some were dropped off the trailer or rollback....🤣   

 

Then there is pushing with the tractor.

 

Yeah, but before the rollback and tractor? It was parked somewhere else! Maybe two or three moves since, but at some point in its past, it was running, and then parked.

 

My dad was a true hoarder. I am bad enough in my own right, but nowhere near as bad as he was. When he passed away (almost twenty years ago now), he had over 200 antique radios that he was planning to restore to like new! He started on a couple of them, but never finished even one. I still have about eight of them.

It makes me sick sometimes to think about it. Several cars he had that really deserved better. The worst one was the 1964 Cadillac two door sedan he got in the mid 1980s. This car was so nice. All white exterior, white and black leather interior, beautiful condition. Low mileage, ran wonderfully! He drove it for maybe ten years? Then the transmission failed. Yep. He parked it in the backyard, grass grew up around it, the sprinklers watered it. In some few years, it began to rust out. I tried to talk him into doing SOMETHING with it! But he was adamant, it and about five other cars he was going to restore some day. I did manage to talk him into selling a 1973 (?) Buick convertible with a blown engine (except for the engine a nice enough car he had picked up for about fifty dollars), and a 1950 Chevrolet sedan delivery missing the engine. The 1964 Cadillac and two others (a bit newer) along with a 1968 Chevrolet station wagon sat far too long. Sadly, literally days after he died, I ended up giving them to a wrecker that specialized in vintage General Motors. At least some of the Cadillacs' nice trim probably helped other people make their cars better.

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by wayne sheldon
Corrected an error of memory (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

Bought a '21 Overland (long story} from a local gent.  Some of the parts were stored in his barn.  Also in the barn was a '56? Ford with a glass roof (sorry, I don't know a lot about '50's cars).  The Ford had 7000 miles on it. The old gent bought it when it was traded at a local dealership. It was delivered to his home and he only ever drove it about 50 feet into the barn where it sat from 1958.  He parked it in the part of the barn that overhung the concrete pad below.  It was obvious the barn was slowly but inevitably falling down.  I offered to bring several of my guys to the barn and push it back into the part of the barn that was still solid but he refused.  I watched that barn for years, passed it every day on my way to the shop.  Eventually the overhanging part of the barn fell and the Ford flipped onto its roof.  It sat there for another 15 years or so until it rotted beyond salvaging.  Even then the fellow would not sell any parts from it.

[28 Chrysler]

His wife said that he was going to restore it some day.

I think it just got a bit harder.

[hook]

2 hours ago, 28 Chrysler said:

His wife said that he was going to restore it some day.

I think it just got a bit harder.

Which part ran when it was parked??????

[rocketraider]

2 hours ago, 28 Chrysler said:

His wife said that he was going to restore it some day.

I think it just got a bit harder.

Maybe that was a Dukes of Hazzard prop car.

 

Notice there appears to be a sofa to the left side of the porch.

 

True Southern culture on the skids. Been there and rose above it!😄

[3macboys]

3 hours ago, 28 Chrysler said:

His wife said that he was going to restore it some day.

I think it just got a bit harder.

1/3 off sale

[TAKerry]

Cinder blocks do not go with the car. They are needed for the next piece of yard art!

[Ed Luddy]

"Just testing the waters" It pains me to sell, blah, blah. Such a bunch of lying crooks online now trying to overhype pure scrap they picked up for next to nothing, were going to restore, but regretfully cant find the time. B.S. they just bought it and are going to flip it to some unsuspecting dupe who watches too many reality car shows.

[JACK M]

Mattress leaning against the tree?   🤰

[CHuDWah]

On 7/2/2022 at 12:21 PM, rocketraider said:

Don't forget these items have to be on the owner's front porch to count.

 

Well, the junk cars have to be in the front yard.  😁

[CHuDWah]

On 7/2/2022 at 3:27 PM, Xander Wildeisen said:

 

If you mow the lawn, ya ain't a redneck!  🤣

[CHuDWah]

I knew a guy who had several restorable cars on his lot, including fairly rare Plymouth pickup and steel-top Model A pickup.  Cars sat there for years until he died - dunno what happened to them.  Funny thing is, I did manage to talk him out of an armrest I needed for one of my Fords - he charged me only $2, cheap even back then.

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, CHuDWah said:

 

If you mow the lawn, ya ain't a redneck!  🤣

I played guitar in a band in HS. We practiced at my buddies house. He lived in a ok neighborhood, upper middle class, blue collar type of place. The people that lived directly across from him never mowed their lawn. Their son worked on a farm and would bring a big farm tractor home at the end of the summer with a bush hog and chop the brush down. And they complained about the noise we made! (probably rightfully so, LOL)