Thinking about a higher level of the car hobby. Part One.
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| 1931 Cadillac. This poor car has fallen on hard times. |
The concept of stewardship.
"There are several definitions of the word. While none captures it's true essence, my favorite is: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." Stewardship implies a special kind of care, responsibility, and trust. Yet it is more than this. Stewardship means something sacred." ( definition found on the web)
I have always concentrated my interests on low level type cars and their ownership.
Cars that are affordable and accessible. The type that most people have had experience with, and exposure to.
Sometimes, I'll admit, that I push my bottom feeder narrative to the extremes.
I know people with very nice, and now quite valuable, versions of these "Everday Everyman" cars. These would be Pre War hot rod Fords, '57 Chevys, Fifties Cruisers and Kustoms, and mid '60's Muscle and Pony cars.
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| 1932 Pierce Arrow 12 cylinder Sport Tourer offered at 210,000.00 |
I never really think about the Classics except when I see them in a museum.
They are rarely seen at the car events that I attend...
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| 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged. |
They exist in the background, not because they're not significant or important,
but because they are so elite. They breathe a rarified air.
However their continued existence is important, because of what they are, and what they represent.
They showcase not only trendsetting styling and craftsmanship, they display engineering advancements that were significant, and would take decades to filter down to more proletarian models.
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| 1937 Bugatti T57 coupe. |
They were recognized as being special from the moment they were built. They were expensive, top of the line vehicles, built in limited numbers. They were not intended for the masses. They were generally preserved and well maintained from the time that they were new.
Old time car clubs were organized around their existence. They are the ordained "True Classics."
They are almost all pre war models, primarily from the 1920's and 1930's. They were highly prized when new.
Derelict or forgotten examples were found and restored back in the 1950's, when they had immense historical interest and value, though little financial value.
The regular guy on the street might have a Model T or A, or would be interested in the Ford V8 models, as originals or as hot rods. Grand Pa and other older family members owned cars like this. These were cars from a person's childhood or youth.
Though there are challenges in buying and owing these types of collector vehicles, the costs and headaches associated with their ownership is usually within the comfort level and abilities of middle class enthusiasts.
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What do I mean by the concept of stewardship in relationship to the car collecting hobby?
I mean that owning and dealing with these types of True Classic cars requires resources. Ample resources.
They need to be cared for, preserved, and maybe most importantly, protected.
This requires interest, expertise, ability, passion, and the ability to direct resources to this end. The most basic element is being able to provide the proper safe storage to protect the vehicle.
These are not cars that you should do Mickey Mouse repairs on, or make other half ass attempts to get to run and drive.
You've got to have respect for them. Because these cars are significant automotive artifacts.
In the old days, hobbyists of modest means might have stumbled across a neglected example, and bought them for a song. But they would usually sell them at a later date to someone that could afford the cost of restoration and preservation.
This is a facet of the hobby that I never really gave much thought to.
I've seen these cars at the Petersen museum or at the Behring museum at Blackhawk. Or at the occasional Concours event. Not something that you'd usually see at the local Cars and Coffee.
Actually owning a car of this type is nothing that I would ever have considered to be a possibility for me.
Even Today, worn out, abandoned, and neglected cars of significant historical value will occasionally appear for sale on popular markets like CraigsList or Facebook Market place. I once stumbled across an early Thirties Packard limousine for sale at a local Pick and Pull!
The cars are often offered at what would appear to be low prices. But there is a reason for that!
Of course, the buy in price is just the beginning. The future expenses of performing a complete restoration, are left unspoken. Unfortunately, this will exceed the cost of an existing example in already good condition, and run from 100,000 to maybe 200,000 dollars. Only rich aficionados like Jay Leno and other celebrities, and very affluent individuals are the only people that can afford to finance such a venture.
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| I once dreamed of owning a car like this! |
Consider the Cadillac that is pictured above. It is being offered at 20,000.00. It is a complete, but rough example. It appears to be an older restoration that lost it's once favored status, and was unfortunately relegated to be stored outside for a long period of time. This has resulted in accelerated and considerable deterioration.
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| This is an indication of serious problems. |
Why this happened to a once restored and valuable car is anyone's guess. Mine is that the car was part of an estate, and the heir did not have a suitable location to properly store the car while they decided what to do with it. As I've written before, inheriting an antique car, especially one that is not popular and valued by the general public, is more often a burden instead of a boon. These cars can't easily be sold for a quick buck, and large cars like this Cadillac won't usually fit in the typical suburban two car garage. So, it sits outside under a cover, an eventual death sentence. Life gets in the way, and years can pass before action can be taken.
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| There are more flatheads than just Fords. |
I found this car in an AACA post, it is being offered for sale by the previous owner's Son in Law. It's obvious that he doesn't want to keep it. He really knows very little about it, as he claimed that it had a Ford flathead V8 swapped in during the 1950's! It actually has an original Cadillac flathead V8 under the hood.
Commentors on the forum have stated that the price is grossly inflated, they felt that it should realistically be priced around 7,500.00. Quite a difference! On the forum many called it a parts car, because it would not be financially feasible to completely restore it. The idea that it could be just cleaned up, the condition stabilized, with only necessary mechanical repairs made and some freshening up of the interior, is anathema, to most forum members.
But what else could the average hobbyist do with it, provided that they could buy it for 7,500 bucks?
Would they decide to forge ahead with a restoration, unknown problems and expenses be damned?
They might, and this would probably result in the car being torn down and reduced to a disassembled mess, a sorry pile of parts, with the likelihood that it would never be restored and reassembled. Then nobody would want it. It would then be lost to the hobby.
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| The interior looks to be complete. |
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| I'd bet that it doesn't smell too fresh in here. |
In my mind, a car like this, in the present condition, would fall under my Preserve, Maintain and Improve mantra. The most important thing would be to preserve it and prevent further deterioration,. That means secure, inside storage. Then it could carefully and sympathetically be cleaned. The paint polished and waxed, chrome and stainless polished and shined. The interior could be carefully cleaned, with some repairs done to stabilize the upholstery fabrics. Then the motor could be evaluated, and if possible, necessary repairs to it and the drive train might bring the car back to life.
The car would not be as good as it was originally, it wouldn't be as good as it was after it's first restoration, but at least it would be preserved.
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| 1933 Pierce Arrow sedan. 1 of 5. valued at 2.3 million. |
I recently met a gentleman who has a stable of true Classic cars. I was impressed by the knowledge that he has about vintage vehicles in general, and the specific knowledge that he has about his classics. He also has a special garage to properly house and preserve his collection. It was most impressive, and I got the feeling that this had been the result of a life long appreciation, focus, and dedication to the vintage car hobby.
Because of this, he was the right kind person to own and preserve true Classic cars. I'm sure that this didn't happen overnight.
I have related my experience last year, going to check out a somewhat forlorn '41 Cadillac Sixty Special offered on CraigsList. In many ways that car looked worse than this '31. I detailed my plans on how I would try to "fix up" and preserve the car, as best as I could. My plan involved making seat covers from surplus Army blankets. The intent there was also to try to "save" the car in a way that I could afford and feel comfortable with.
While spending 100,000 dollars, or more, on a restoration seems pretty far fetched to me at times, I know that it's possible for a regular middle class person to do that. But you'd really have to want it. I had several guys in the Riviera Owner's Association tell me that they were planning resto mod projects for their cars that would cost at least that much. Or you can buy a new Lincoln Navigator that can run you more than that. Or you could buy into a time share program for that kind of money. Or you could buy a big motor home.
You can always take out a Home Equity loan for the money if you want "it" that badly.
However for a regular "guy" this would be a decision that would, and could not be taken lightly. The fact that an undertaking of this magnitude would have such an effect on a person's long term financial situation, would take some very serious thought before embarking upon.
For myself, I'll never take another home equity loan out again. I've learned my lesson.
I've learned the limits of my comfort zone, and my low buck hobby life suits me just fine. I'm satisfied with the types of cars that I own, and I don't plan on jeopardizing my desire for a comfortable retirement life.
I will leave preserving the Classics to those with the means, passion, and resources to handle the challenges, though I might experience a twinge of envy every once in a while!
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