Coffee Brake: When You Die…What’s In The Barn?
Time for this week’s Coffee Brake, where we take a break from our normal drivel and percolate some new ideas. When you die and your descendants start to liquidate your assets so they can get that cosmetic surgery they always wanted…what is in the garage? What kind of barn finds are they gonna find when you croak?
I plan on buying and selling many cars before my time on this planet runs out, but one set of keys that will probably be pried from my cold dead hands are the keys to my 1969 Mustang Fastback. It isn’t the nicest 69 Fastback you’ll find around, or by any stretch the most valuable, but I’ve personally loosened and tightened 90% of the bolts on this thing for past 15 years. It is one of those cars that I’ve become so familiar with the its ins/outs that selling it would require such a long list of information that I’d probably run out of characters in the listing (is that even possible on craigslist?). With any luck a flying car will be this thing’s stablemate when kick the bucket, or an aircooled 911.
What will be in your barn when you fall asleep that final time?
My 1969 Land Rover Series 2a and my 1995 Range Rover Classic TWR/Brooklands (1 of 8 in the country).
Mountains of old car magazines dating back to the 60s, all of which are worthless financially.
I always crack up when I see people trying to sell collections of old car magazines. Good luck with that…
Yup. It's a fool's folly. Other than the stacks, piles and boxes of car magazines in my home office, I chose to get rid of all of my hanging clothes in a walk-in closet I share with my wife and store most of them in there. I'm fairly positive she thinks I'm insane but I can't be certain over all of the racket the voices in my head make.
I know this violates the whole what's in my barn premise but I don't have a barn. I have a shed, which I built from scraps I found at the local 84 Lumber. I'm pretty sure my neighbors also think I'm a loon. But that only holds my lawn tractor, push mower and NA; nothing you guys would be interested in.
Right now; 1987 Buick Grand National, 2004 Merc SL 500, 2005 Harley Road King, and 2008 Police Tahoe (driver)
I'm making a point of selling my vehicles to new owners that will appreciate them before my time comes and my family has to deal with them. I hate seeing those liquidation sales.
I assumed that my GTV that I've owned for 23 years would go to my gearhead son when I was done. He drove it a while back and didn't see what the big deal with it was – it felt old to him. Maybe he will change his mind when he gets older – I dunno. If not, I want to have some say in who gets it next vs. my heirs…
Why not pick your favorite and be buried in it, when the time comes? Problem solved!
youtube.com/watch?v=7D6AXWVOWW4
If you need help with that GTV, you know how to reach me. Don't forget I ain't gots no moneys though. 😀
'08 F150, '03 Saab 93, '93 Miata, two '86 Honda XR600R, '83 BMW R80ST, '56 AJS 18CS, '47 Indian Chief, plus all the usual guns, fishing equipment, tools, years of the usual crap, etc. Would make a nice auction but with three boys I think they'll just have fun with it all. They did not fall far from the tree, they are all car nuts too.
1994 Mercedes-Benz E500E, 1967 Amphicar, 1975 Mazda Rotary pick-up, 2004 Ford Crown Victoria CNG…as my youngest son's friend once said to me…"You like that oddball stuff, huh?" LOL.
Be honest, show the rest of the stuff that you are hiding in the "barn," even the stuff that won't pay for a pedicure let alone a decent plastic surgery. – DT wife
Well, I suspect the 1979 2CV will still be there, but when they go digging, they also will find three and a half VeloSolexes.
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I just hope the tools go to good use.
1987 FJ60 Land Cruiser
1989 Yamaha 4 moto 4 wheeler
1985 Honda Big Red 3 wheeler
2013 Husqvarna TE310
and they'll be pissed I sold my 1970 rust free completely original BMW E3
Pretty sure my oldest son will take the reins of my stash. He bought the '73 GTV I owned in the 1990's back from the guy I sold it to. Pretty bold for a 17 year old. ( driving.ca/alfa-romeo/auto-news/news/teen-rescues-special-1973-alfa-romeo-gtv-from-dusty-barn)
He might be more in love with my E39 M5 than his girlfriend, even though I won't let him out alone in it. And the '69 Duetto? It'll be his if my wife doesn't outlive me! I agree with Bobinot – hope all the tools get good use!
They'll find a whole bunch of crud in my garage. They'll find tools and manuals and parts, but no cars. They'll suspect they have to break through the concrete floor and dig deeper. (Haven't been able to get a car in there in the three years since we moved into the new downsized house.) First addition to this house will be 4 more feet of ceiling height and a lift. That'll get at least two in there.
1991 M5, 1984 Euro 500SL, 1987 560SEC, 1988 Wagoneer, 2004 Jag XK8, all currently with between 50-70K original miles – and with a little luck I'm working on a 1992 500E. Right now I have garage space for 5 of them so one has to go or I need to rent another garage – suggestions? offers?
1981 Delorean in quite amazing condition and a 1981 PacMan machine with just the right amount of patina
On one side of the garage the will find a '82 Fiat Spider 2000 resto-mod. On the other they will find what's left of my oil-spotted bones on a creeper underneath a '72 Fiat 124 Sport Spider that sits next to a 2005 F-150 with 200K+ on the clock flanked by a turn of the century 4-popper Jeep Wrangler sitting with over 300K on the clock. My guess is that they will haul all of it off to a crusher – me included!
I am a mnmlst at heart. I spend so much time trying to get rid of junk. I hope as I get older I can have less stuff.
I look at all of my parents stuff and my wife's parents stuff and don't want any of it.
My wish would be for a stark minimal garage with one perfect Italian rolling sculpture.
1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 Spyder, 1963 Mercury Colony Park, 1960 Cadillac Series 62 convertible, 1949 Cadillac Series 61 Sedanette, 1938 Diamond T fire truck. Everything runs/drives except the fire truck (for now — I'm working on that). The '60 Caddy is going up for sale very shortly; contact me if interested.