I Am Thinking It Might Be About Time To Start Downsizing My Possessions

[barbee6043]

I had four collector cars and due to health issues I wanted to be down to one "builder". I had a 62 Lancer, 75 AMC Hornet, 66 Fairlane... down to just the 64 Comet project which is what I wanted. I miss not having a Mopar but, I always wanted a 66 Fairlane and a 64 Comet.
The collector car market has been sold even before Covid, but inflation is biting the average to middle class guy in the butt, now we people stupid over tarriffs and past due Wall St. market correction.
I will do well to rebuild the front end on the Comet, I have all the parts,and drop in the 289 and trans. Re chrome the bumpers, put in carpet......DONE!!!!! Maybe buy one of those ram air hoods for it they repop.!!!! Oh yea, new front windshield gasket!!!!! Maybe new door weatherstriping. Maybe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,????? !

 

[MobileCustoms]

Oh man, do I ever feel the same about too much stuff.
Thanks for bringing this up here, I think it's important to remember that we can't take it with us and we also shouldn't leave a cluttered mess for our loved ones to deal with. Most likely, they would have to end up throwing most of it away anyways rather than trying to sort out values for selling it off. I just had another conversation with Stacy this morning about pairing things down so we can focus on the things we really enjoy the most rather than trying to hold onto it all in hopes of one day making use of it again. We both had aa lot of stuff when we merged our houses 4 years ago and we still have so much stuff packed away that we haven't touched since the merge.
It's tough to find a place to start but I do keep whittling away at things when I can. I don't want to be a slave to all my stuff when I'm too old to deal with it!
Maybe I should get off the computer now and toss out some old stuff instead of tripping over it... LOL

 

[barbee6043]

I sold my 66 Fairlane about an hour ago, and his bud that came with him has a 66 Valiant project, I had a new 12 inch convertor I had been tripping over for years that a Mopar bud gave me back then. I gave it to his Valiant building bud.

 

[abdywgn]

I had a simple comment from my wife; "you leave all this stuff for me to clean up after you die, I'll kill you". Just need a kick in the butt to get started on it.

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

I had four collector cars and due to health issues I wanted to be down to one "builder". I had a 62 Lancer, 75 AMC Hornet, 66 Fairlane... down to just the 64 Comet project which is what I wanted. I miss not having a Mopar but, I always wanted a 66 Fairlane and a 64 Comet.
The collector car market has been sold even before Covid, but inflation is biting the average to middle class guy in the butt, now we people stupid over tarriffs and past due Wall St. market correction.
I will do well to rebuild the front end on the Comet, I have all the parts,and drop in the 289 and trans. Re chrome the bumpers, put in carpet......DONE!!!!! Maybe buy one of those ram air hoods for it they repop.!!!! Oh yea, new front windshield gasket!!!!! Maybe new door weatherstriping. Maybe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,????? !

Get yourself a Crites 427 fiberglass hood for that Comet.

I had a 66 Fairlane GTA when I was in high school and really liked that car.

Tom

 

[barbee6043]

Get yourself a Crites 427 fiberglass hood for that Comet.

I had a 66 Fairlane GTA when I was in high school and really liked that car.

Tom

I agree, but Crites died off a couple of years ago, and they finally sold the molds to a garage in Tn. I agree, the hood makes that Comet!! I want the dual snorkel ram hood. Buying the hood does not hurt as bad as paying the shipping!!!! Too bad it would not work on pallets with Fasten all!

 

[ProjectBazza]

I sold my 66 Fairlane about an hour ago…..

Damn! (He says selfishly….)

Then again, good for you, and Congratulations!

 

[BSB67]

Love the 66 Fairlanes.

 

[barbee6043]

Damn! (He says selfishly….)

Then again, good for you, and Congratulations!

Thanks!
Early birds gets the worm... but worms taste like c***!
I am now down by 3 cars and have the 64 Comet left to piddle on... Just right!!!! Last time I was down to just one, was about 50 years ago!!
Good thing most every project around Tx. is priced 2-3-4 times what anyone will actually pay.
A desirable ish project, priced for what it is really worth...is gone in a day or 2 at most. Early Mustangs if decent projects , sell pretty quick, mostly because you can buy any needed part pretty cheap repoped for them.

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

I agree, but Crites died off a couple of years ago, and they finally sold the molds to a garage in Tn. I agree, the hood makes that Comet!! I want the dual snorkel ram hood. Buying the hood does not hurt as bad as paying the shipping!!!! Too bad it would not work on pallets with Fasten all!

The whole story leading up to his death was really wild. I always like Charles and was sad to hear of his death. Obituary for Charles C Crites | Oliver-Cheek Funeral Home

I wasn't aware the molds went to Tennessee, as I thought his son was going to keep making them.

Back in the day I bought a Thunderbolt hood for my 64 Fairlane and several other pieces from him. They made really high quality fiberglass.

Tom

 

[barbee6043]

There is a guy that I understand had worked for Mr. Crites, he makes tear drops on the side.
Of course, Crites offered a lot of fabbed parts for the exotic BB Fords.
The shop in Tn. is not advertised but for all I can understand is on the level.

 

[George Jets]

If I don't get to work on the stuff I WANT to do, instead of concentrating on too much of the stuff I HAVE to do, I ain't got enough time left in my life to do the wants. I've pretty much decided that my 68 Roadrunner is going to be a Rattyrunner instead of a restoration. It's not rusty or beat up, but it looks like hell....lol. Maybe the planned 470 beating the ground and the shiny 15" Road wheels and fat tires will make people not pay attention to the old green paint with the original QQ1 showing thru in spots.

Shoot some clear on there, and run what you got.

As long as it shines, everybody is happy.

A '68 is a '68 regardless of cosmetic appeal.

'69 Satellite ^ live the dream...


☆☆☆☆☆

 

[PROSTOCKTOM]

Today I made a list of items I am going to start selling off. Well at least I got something on the downsizing accomplished today.

Tom

 

[JDMopar]

Well...this downsizing is working out well so far. Today, I returned from Mopars at The Rock, Spring show with a nice used windshield for my 88 D100, ACC's nicer version 4 speed carpet for my 70 Duster, rear bumper core for my 70 Duster, new sill plates for my 68 Roadrunner, and a new in the box small block electronic distributor for just because. I rationed it to be downsizing because it all fit in my Dakota quad cab instead of having to use my 2500!

 

[barbee6043]

Rationalization. (big word).
Guy goes to swap meet with a truck load full of parts to sell. Tell the wife he will sell it all one way or another. The GOOD!
Guy returns from swap, he sold all his parts and had a fist full of $$$. But before he left, he spent all those $$$ on more parts for his many projects. The BAD!
Then he has to tell his wife what happened. But he saved his a** when he told her he did not buy another project!!!!! The GOOD!!!

 

[Icetech]

Always loved comets and wanted one... or a maverick.....

 

[barbee6043]

Always loved comets and wanted one... or a maverick.....

I agree, Mavericks are cool just came along late in life!

I am like the old farmer, he says he does not want any more land..... just that that joins him!
I don't want any more classic cars... just the ones I find that are cool and good enough deals!!!!!

 

[66fs]

Always loved comets and wanted one... or a maverick.....

Not a fan of Mavericks, Love Comets.

 

[abdywgn]

Always loved comets and wanted one... or a maverick.....

Maverick, got one just forgot to specify a year...got a '24

 

[Icetech]

Maverick, got one just forgot to specify a year...got a '24

I was thinking more like 72

 

[abdywgn]

I was thinking more like 72
View attachment 1716389128

that one would do!

 

[barbee6043]

I was thinking more like 72
View attachment 1716389128

Now thats what I call a Maverick!!!!! (except for th9e cowl hood!!!!)

 

[pomonamissel]

currently 69 years young with a hurt lower back , so down sizing sounds good . just have to select special projects and sell the rest , lol . the problem is todays unsettled nation of american at play , don't want to pay do to trump's new national policies , and with the large percentage the hipo and resto parts are coming from overseas . our shop / hobby is going to get more costly .

 

[jrc4y4]

I’m only 35. But already started downsizing lol. Largely due to moving overseas and needing to be mobile. But also helping family declutter after death or life events. Do it enough and fill enough dumpsters, find out how many odds and ends get thrown out, find out what people actually appreciate from their late loved ones, etc, and it gives some perspective. Since I’m the odd one with the muscle car guys being usually younger, and seeing friends age, honestly it’s helped me just be content to have one car and purge a lot. Like other guys said, stuff really is a ball and chain. Few guys mentioned occasionally you throw something out or sell it only to regret it later on. But for every one of those items I regret, I’ve gotten rid of bags of stuff. And I’m still here to tell the story and now cannot remember any specific item I wish I had back. Freedom from stuff gives you the freedom to actually work on the stuff you want, whether it’s restoring the car or going somewhere. Giving stuff away or selling valuable stuff cheaper makes memories for other guys and quickens the process. Everyone remembers the guy who sold a $250 part for $50 to a guy needing it for a project. Or some random parts for free. You don’t have to spend all the time organizing and pilfering through your own stuff once it’s gone. Anyway. Good luck to all you fellas. Enjoy the hobby. Don’t let it take over.

 

[tonysrt]

I got in this hobby when you could no longer buy a muscle car from Detroit, or anything I could afford. It was around 1984 I started to look to get into the hobby when most Mopars were rust buckets. I found a 71 Cuda, 383, 4 speed and Dana rear. Car had no engine, 383 was blown. Car was mainly drag racer with 538 gears in the Dana, which explains the 383 blowing up. Car had about 39,000 miles on it and body was very rust free compared to what I had been looking at. Mopar was dumping everything they could, 452 heads for $100 a set, 440 short blocks $250 and the list goes on. So I bought that NOS 1978 short block for $250 and bought a set of heads for a $100. The odd thing was one of those heads was a 452 and the other was a Stage 4 head. I looked high and low for another Stage 4, but never succeeded. Should I get rid of it or hold it? I struggled for years after that 85 purchase. So I kept it and about 10 years ago someone on one of these forums was looking for one stage 4 head. Thought I would never sell it but I did.
I should have said I got back into the hobby. My previous cars were a 55 Chevy with a 265, 58 Fury with 350 engine, brand new 68 Road Runner 383 4 speed, and a new 71 Duster340. The 340 was the last muscle car I had and sold it in 1980 after the 3rd gas crisis. So about 1983 I started looking for a Muscle car, but as I previously said Cudas and Challengers were real rust buckets and weren't being sold cheap. The Cuda was fairly cheap at $2000 so I bought it. It's gone through the 78 440 and then a HP 440 that I rebuilt and had running great. But in 2000 Mopar came out with the Hemi crate 472 and it sits nicely between 2 1971 Cuda fenders with a Tremic 5 speed. And it still isn't finished.