The things you find next door
 

Two years ago I was putting a chimney on my dad's workshop for his new wood burning stove. Looking over the fence, I saw a '34 five window just sitting in the blackberry bushes. I walked next door and started a conversation with the neighbor. Turns out, he was the president of the Sacramento Model A club and involved in the restoration of early iron for 40 years. He of course said it wasn't for sale- and you guys know how the rest of this story goes.

Three weeks ago, he knocked on my dad's door and said he was ready to let them go. Shocked to see the old guy even out of his home, my dad set it all up. My family has owned a dozen pre-48 cars including '32s, '33s, '37s etc. etc. so we know them well. After becoming reacquainted with the neighbor, he gave me the details on his terms. They were these: "If you take the red one, then you MUST take the white one as well." That's when I found out there were two coupes. I of course agreed. We struck a deal, and loaded up the Bobcat and trailer for war. The cars are home now awaiting their turn. The white car has zero rust but is missing a door and a dash. It's a standard coupe with a trunk. The red car is amazingly complete. I got near mint fenders, a hood, and all of the brackets to assemble it. The weather beat it down pretty hard, but there's only cancer in the rockers as the old man was smart enough to pull the body plugs to let it drain. My family and I consider these cars as national treasures and are extremely lucky that the neighbor changed his mind. After they were loaded he said "I know you'll chop em, add big horsepower, and give em attitude......but I'd rather see them back in the wind being enjoyed than swallowed up by the earth."

Good on you neighbor.

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Nice! I'm jealous. If they would have been here, they would be rotted to the door handles and still worth 5K with those uncut tops.

What a great story......sometimes these things take a while to develop. It sure does beat letting them rot into the ground though. Great Save!

Cool Deal!

Thanks guys. They have been pressure washed, dried, and placed in storage waiting their turn. Probably do something after my Bel Air.

Wow very cool. I'm happy when the hoarders come to their senses and let someone actually build and enjoy these old cars. Nice find for sure.

congrats Dave

Cool story, congrats!!

I am looking for a good set of steel fenders for a 34 5window I am working on if you know of any around. Congrats on the score!

I think I took everything associated with 33s and 4s out of that barn. I'm headed over there this week to pick up a frame I couldn't get on the trailer that day.

Update- my boss came over to talk shop and fell in love with the coupes. He made me a stupid offer on em and now they live in Sacramento. Time to start the hunt again!