Primer On Idler Arms

[Clem Z.]

my theory on dieing

to die poor is unfortunate,but to die rich is stupid.

[Robert W.]

Re: Why?

Duke - Most trust I am familiar with do exactly what you stated. The trustees list the assets, get professional appraisals of their value and then liquidate them in a manner and in a time period to maximize the benefits to the beneficiaries. Unless you can find a museum to accept them with the clause that they will not dispose of them they will be disposed of at highest bid or the best arrangement the trustee can make. I know some of us hate to think that our valuable parts or cars will be disposed of without emotions but I had to do this when my father in law passed away and he was a tool pack rat and some was thrown out or sold pennies on the dollar. Some items we had no idea what he bought or used it for and there was no demand for it. I believe as we pass, our valuable parts/cars will depreciate in price due to large supplies becoming available and decreased demand. What drove this home for me was going to a car show and talking to individuals with Model Ts and As and they saying know ones wants them anymore and the money they have in them and parts just keep coming down. Kind of sad but factual. Enough cheer for one night. On to E Bay to see if I can find another estate being liquidated!

[G B.]

The last words I'll hear on earth

Just before I go to the light, a buxom blonde nurse will lean over and whisper in my ear: "Mr. Bramlett, I've got your bank on the phone. They say your account is overdrawn."

Then Margaret and Raul, the Pool Boy, can do what they wish with my remaining estate.

[Dick W.]

Re: Why?

Duke, as I am in the same shape as you, I designated Corvette stuff to the NCM, antique truck stuff to ATHS, tools to the local community college, etc. I hope that, like one of the other posts state. Die and overdraw at the same time. My real estate is in a land preservation trust to keep it from being developed for eternity. Just a few random thoughts.

[mike cobine]

Another option

You can pass them on to someone you know will respect and care for them in the way you did.

About twelve years ago, a friend of mine told a bunch of us he was dying and basically it was his good bye call he was making. He had a '61 Corvette that was his daily driver from around 1973 and he wanted to leave it to his son, unfortunately, his son was about 16 at the time and that Corvette in the hands of a 16 year old, even this one who grew up around it, just didn't make sense.

So he asked Craig to take it home, keep it until the son turned 21, or until his mother thought was wise, and then return it. Craig did, but the situation several years later was such that the family needed the cash more than the Corvette and so Craig bought it from them and has kept it just like Bernie had it all those years since he didn't want an outsider to have Bernie's car.

If you have something that is really special, there is no guarantee that the receiver, if a large institution, will recognize the specialness of the car. They will just sell it to the highest bidder, and that could easily be someone wanting to tub it for a Pro Street or slide a Paul Newman chassis under it, or whatever. If you want it to remain in the hands of a someone who will appreciate it, then you need to be sure you arrange that before you go.

[mike cobine]

More to the story - read at your own risk

A friend was telling me about a beautiful old early '60s Ford Fairlane here in town. An old guy kept it perfect. He died and the car disappeared. My friend ran across it in the country at a guy's house but coudn't catch anyone there. Then it disappeared again.

About a month later, he saw someone at the house where he had found the Fairlane and stopped to talk. The guy had cut the interior out and tubbed it. He told my friend how it was a perfect candidate to make into a drag car because the body was so well preserved!

Are they going to say that about some of ours in a few years?

[Roy B.]

Re: More to the story in Ca.

I would be safe in saying that more then %75 of Corvettes C1 and C2's in Ca. are hot roded then stock.

[Clare Carpenter]

Curious what you guys think?

I have a pretty nice original C1 that I am restoring, rebuilding, reviving, or whatever the correct term might be. I just can't bring myself to use inferior paints and coatings, as originally used during production. A good example would be the chassis. I would never use the asphalt based chassis black out, nor would I want to black out all the inspection marks, frame stencil, plated parts, and unpainted forged or cast parts, as was done originally by the factory. Nor do I want to overspray hood latches or aluminum intake. So on one hand, I am altering the car by "over restoring". On the other hand, I would never cut up or alter in any way an original or close to it car. This thread sure took a differant turn from a primer on Idler Arms.