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Rust in Peace
JH
on 30 May 2005
I've just got back from a week in Devon (the week before it fills up with caravans) and while I was there I spotted a garage in a village called Chapmans Well which had a forecourt full of rotting old 60s sports cars. I'm not sure that the garage is in operation because the forecourt was literally full of rusting old cars.
From memory the cars included an MGA, a Triumph Stag and a Jaguar saloon (Inspector Morse shape). Sorry, can't remember any more, I was trying to watch where I was going at the time.
Does anyone know the story ?
John
From memory the cars included an MGA, a Triumph Stag and a Jaguar saloon (Inspector Morse shape). Sorry, can't remember any more, I was trying to watch where I was going at the time.
Does anyone know the story ?
John
Comments
Pete M on 2 June 2005
The owner's probably a Gunner. You know, "Gunner do it up", "Gunner restore it someday", "No, it's not for sale"When they eventually die, having done nothing, the whole pile usually goes to the crusher. Very frustrating!
Cliff Pope on 2 June 2005
I saw that last summer. I spotted the Stag immediately.
No Do$h on 2 June 2005
The owner's probably a Gunner.
A few like that round our way. An early Landie with a prominent "Not for Sale" notice in the window sat there for 8 years and was finally dragged away (along with the hedge that grew through it) recently. No idea what prompted the change. There's a rather nice Scimitar (fibreglass body, so no real issues with that) that has been part of a garden nearby for at least 5 years. Oh, and the silver Alfa Spider that just has my name on it as a restoration project. Been sat there for 4 years but any attempts to negotiate to save it are met with an obstinate refusal by the owner to accept that if he hasn't started it by the end of this summer it will probably be too late.
::shrugs::
Takes all sorts.
r.fensome on 4 June 2005
There's a guy near where I live got a barn and field full of very aged and classic mercs he's collected over 20 years as I know of. They all sit there in the open rusting away and untouched and, no doubt some are very valuable classics. Many people over the years have offered good money for some of them but all offers are flatly refused and they still sit there turning to dust. Criminal aint it.
Hugo {P} on 4 June 2005
This is a common thing in the West Country.A garage owner I know has the actual ambulance that the current Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) drove during WW2 in a state of "impending restoration" in addition to some other 20 classics.
He admits to having dragged a load of others off to the scrapyard recently.
I serisouly think that there are a shortage of nagging wives out there. I could gladly lend mine out!
H
Robin Reliant on 4 June 2005
My cousin's husband bought a 1600E Cortina when they were in vogue as a classic about twenty years ago. The car had been well looked after and did not need too much work to bring it back to showroom condition, which was his intention. He was going to do it up and make a killing on it.Five years later it's rusting hulk was lifted on a truck and taken to the scrapyard from his garage, where it had lain untouched. Always "next weekend" away from the start of the restoration project. I would suspect 90% of such projects end up going the same way.
cheddar on 4 June 2005
A guy I know in passing who has a few quid never sells or trades a car, he just parks them in his barn and buys another, he was driving an early 90's Porsche which, AFAIK, it has not been started since he bought a Jag two or three years ago, not entirely sure what else is in there, apprently 6 or 7 cars in total.
Peter on 4 June 2005
On the outskirts of Cricklade near Swindon there are at least three 1950's Rover 90/100's rotting in a hedge next to the road.
Tomo on 4 June 2005
All this is a natural process; if I had £1,000 for all the things I was going to do I'd have the price of something really interesting!There's no real harm done; after most of the heaps have been eventually cleared away, those remaining become the basis of restorations of what have now become very rare, desirable and valuable machines, which on completion are made the subject of articles in one of the classic mags; and any one of which may, curiously enough, also appear in a premium panel among the classifieds in the same number, at a suitably astronomical price.
I am trying to protect Toad the Supra from any nasty fate.
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