wasting away

[RICKG]

i've been trying to get my hands on this 3-b for some time now -
its not military but its still willys dang-it!! been like this for
7-8 yrs now.owner wont turn loose
of it cuz "it'll be worth a lot of $$ someday"-i say it needs to be
rescued soon or it wont be worth S--- someday. i was back up there
today and took photos-breaks my heart..



_________________
keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a

[DJ]

There was a guy here that had a field full of old cars and trucks (30's to 60's) ,wouldn't sell anything (cause ther gonna be worth a lot of money). This was in the 70's ,he died in the early eighties. Salvage company came in and crushed the whole works. Sad situation to say the least. Can't even imagine how much old iron was lost to the government "Cash for Clunkers".

[major519]

I know a couple brothers here in Ontario Canada who are still running the family salvage yard, inherited from Pa..
To call it a salvage yard is a long stretch, as the idea I think in this type of business is to buy and sell auto parts....
Trying to get anything from these two is next to impossible, because its worth lots of money or one day will be. Bulls**t, I say.
The sad thing is that this yard contains vehicles all the way back to the 20's, now just junk plain and simple.
I wouldn't be lying if I said they had at least 50,000 cars.
Guess dying poor is the smarter idea, eh?

[53a1]

Pretty common mentality - stubborn and unrealistic are a bad combo.
_________________
'53 M38A1 X2

[whydahdvr]

You know, they're all worth money - today. It just depends on what the potential seller thinks is the right price. So once that is identified then there are no reasons for a sale to not happen. However, if the seller gets wrapped up in potential then nothing happens. All those are are unrealized gains that are depreciating as the rust build-up increases. At some point they're worth nothing, not even to a scrap yard.
I guess in the case of this Willys the question for the owner is what they are expecting to get for it and why are they really holding onto it? The same applies for the brother's salvage yard in Ontario. What do they want for the vehicles and parts they have vs. what they think they can get for it by holding onto all that "stuff". At some point, though, for some human ridiculousness takes over - totally illogical and emotional response to hold onto something just because someone else is interested in it.
Good luck though!

[major519]

I just had this very conversation today with a fellow enthusiast, realist etc.
He has ammassed numerous vehicles over the years just in effort to save them from the scrap and to allow potential collectors a shot at something..

He is/was never adverse to selling a veh for a fair price to a good home but pointed out that by now, most of what is left "out there" has degraded to such a point that even scrap value isn't worth anything. He claims to have more money tied up in stuff that at this point in time will never be re-couped because things have hit their expiry date.
What was considered "break even" a year ago loses money everyday that it sits rotting into oblivion.

The problem here is that the general public has a gross mis-conception of value, if its old its worth money. There is also a big difference between rare and valuable. An item may be rare but have little value simply because they're aren't enough around to consider collectable; that is to say something like a MV that has no collector appeal, no parts availbility or is so far gone that it is simply a pile of scrap, nothing more, nothing less. An antique musket thats been stripped and refinished might have been rare but just lost all its valued because it was messed with...

Collectors are the knowledgable realists here because who knows better what stuff is worth than enthusiasts?
The only time we are up is when we can get something bellow value simply because the seller doesn't understand what they have and name their price. Me, I am always honest with people and ask their price, I do not suggest a price. and follow their lead.
If they ask for an offer I do suggest a price and do low ball items but do so at what is till a fair value for both parties concerned.

As far as what is fair on many mvs, many I have run across get valued by me as scrap, maybe a little more. Realistic sellers understand that if a scrapper is going to give them X amount and you offer the same or slightly more, usually I get it. This is especially true if equipped and ready with cash on hand.

[Jim]

On the 3-b, offer him what you think it's worth
to you; offer expires in 14 days (or some such)
and send the letter to his wife.

Jim in Darkest Arkansas

[53a1]

Genius!
_________________
'53 M38A1 X2

[RICKG]

you guys are too smart-my reluctant owner could
really do well-valentines day is upon him!
_________________
keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a

[TomM]

Go buy the book 'cobra in a barn' and enjoy reading it while you dont own a jeep time sink.
The common thread about buying the unbuyable machine is developing a relationship with the owner.
What else does that owner like besides his jeep? what trips his trigger? Did you try to get to know the guy? Can you drop off something for another project that he is working on. Maybe bring him a coffee? Just be sure to every time saying something like nice-jeep or offer to help him find parts for it to help him restore it.
Not only might you be able to have a shot at owning the jeep one day you might find an interesting character that you will keep in touch with. It might take years.

A lot of people like taking a stand-off attitude when people start asking them to sell things. A funny land owner near my house has a ton of prime property. He's a great guy with a great family. One day a heavy hitter city type drove up to his house in a fancy car and offered to buy his back lot. When the neighbor said no the fancy-car guy asked "why not, your're not using it". My neighbor just said "I use it to keep people like you from moving into this town".
It's all in the approach.
Good luck, I hope you can find a friend and buy a jeep at the same time. It looks like a nice 3B.

[RICKG]

thanks tom. in fact i know the guy very well-he's a great friend.
i spend time on his ranch fixin fence, feedin cattle and such.
i'd be lyin if i said i didnt covet the machine-but worse than
that its rusting away in the snow-earlier this year and every
year all you could see was the top of the windshield.
only the snowmelt allowed the photos..
_________________
keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a

[DJ]

Quit fixin and feedin for a while,maybe he'll give in.