Sometimes, you just want to cry...

I was cruising around the other day and spied what appeared to be a Triumph TR3 in the backyard of an empty house. I was wrong. There were TWO Triumph TR3's, a '59 and a '60. I tracked down the owner who said he had titles for both cars and would let them go at a ridiculous price.

With permission, I went back and pulled off the covers and took a closer look. I shouldn't have. Both cars were completely rusted away. The frames, every body panel, everything. My plan was to re-sell them, maybe make a few bucks, and have a little bit of satisfaction that I'd helped rescue some cool old cars. I though about buying them to part out, but I honestly think if you tried to winch them onto a trailer they would break into many other pieces.

Before anyone asks, he got pretty defensive when I told him how bad off they were and he was not interested in me "putting the word out", so I'll respect his wishes. He appeared to be somewhat of a hoarder...

Why would someone let two cool cars like that just rust away?

The car looks as sad as I felt.

It's sad indeed. "I"m gonna fix 'em up one day"
So, what was the price he was asking?

Well below challenge price for both. Believe me, that was overpriced. The picture doesn't begin to show how bad they both were. It would take a lot just to get them moved. I thought about getting them to part out, but the time and money involved, plus a place to store everything, etc.... A friend who is well versed in TR3's said I "might" make my money back in a few years, but it would take a while. I guess they aren't that rare of a car.

I'd rather spend my time and money on my many unfinished projects.

A "roller" in much better shape just sold for $1,500 on eBay last week, so that kind of told me where I stood.

sounds like a Sprite Mk1 I bought. Paid too much for it and it broke in half extracting it from the grass.

Love those little cars

damn, what a shame

I know of a Jaguar XK120 and four Porsche 356s that have suffered a similar fate. They're all still there. I have a standing offer on the Porsches.

Tarps kill.

Same here, I know of a Amphibicar in a similar state and everytime I talk to the guy he reminds me of one that sold at Barrett Jackson for $277k.

Woody wrote: Tarps kill.

This. Man, I see a tarp or heavy canvas cover over a car and I just shake my head. Short term like a week or so, okay. Months or years? No way.

Enyar wrote: Same here, I know of a Amphibicar in a similar state and everytime I talk to the guy he reminds me of one that sold at Barrett Jackson for $277k.

This is the same thing I hear from my great-uncle when I try to help him sell of his collection of old, now-rusty 60s American iron. "Well, I just saw one of these sell on ebay for $27k" he says. Yes, that was a mint-condition fully-restored car. Not one that has been sitting in a field for 20 years........

very frustrating to deal with people like that.

Tarps dont kill cars. People kill cars.

In reply to logdog:

Tarps don't kill cars, get rich pipe dreams kill cars.