Parts for auction

[KevinBN]

https://massartauctioneers.hibid.co...na---personal-property/?q=austin+&sortOrder=2

folks I have no affiliation with this auction or parts. My wife sent it to me and I thought it would be good to forward it to the group.
Kevin

 

[Keoke]

Great! Kevin

But this is the outlet for Leroy Joppa's Parts

 

[Michael Oritt]

And a rather depressing and undignified disposal of what I am sure was to LeRoy and Sue a collection of treasured objects.
Perhaps in order to avoid such ignominy I should start going to my hoard of Healey and other crap and start throwing a lot of it out.

 

[HealeyRick]

And a rather depressing and undignified disposal of what I am sure was to LeRoy and Sue a collection of treasured objects.
Perhaps in order to avoid such ignominy I should start going to my hoard of Healey and other crap and start throwing a lot of it out.

Something I guess we all have to face, I guess. I have two sons and two Healeys that I think they'll want. But I don't know whether they'll be able to afford their maintenance and upkeep when I'm gone. They are not really good at wrench turning and I don't want to burden them with something they don't really need or want. OTOH, I'm not ready to give up my cars now. Tough choices to make. I understand Leroy had no children and his stuff went to his brother. So maybe Leroy an Sue got to enjoy the Healeys through the end of their lives an that's the best they could hope.

 

[Keoke]

Man me TOO!! I have drawers of NOS parts. I guess i was gonna open another Healey factory---:highly_amused:

 

[Randy Forbes]

And a rather depressing and undignified disposal of what I am sure was to LeRoy and Sue a collection of treasured objects.
Perhaps in order to avoid such ignominy I should start going to my hoard of Healey and other crap and start throwing a lot of it out.

No, don't throw it out; that's what ebay is for!

I've always lived with the premise that if I liked or wanted something, then somebody else does too!

Coincidentally, I *just* had this conversation a few days ago, while standing in my shop with a neighbor (he's about a decade older than I, and quite a collector himself). I recognize my own mortality__I was given a 2nd chance to live 33 years ago__so unless something sudden happens (again) I'll start thinning out the parts and tools upon retirement; I just want to hang onto enough to keep whatever cars I have left maintained.

 

[busybrit]

It can be a tough decision to make.

A customer of mine found he had months to live and was totally focused on finishing a rebuild on his Bugeye. I couldn't understand it at the time. I dropped all other projects and worked with him to do what he wanted. Months later as expected he left us. He went happy, I assume.

The big issue then was I wasn't finished, his wife was left with four British cars and a double size garage full of what most people would call junk.

Guys from the local club came round and sorted all the junk, pricing everything up, then had a Saturday morning garage sale with a difference, "no junk for my wife to buy!"

Members of two area British car clubs drove over, some from out of state, and no one bartered on any price to be reduced. While the garage wasn't completely emptied it made a huge dent in what his wife had to dispose of.

Later the same week, she traded a Triumph Herald for a new pool cover which actually cost more that the car asking price, suspect she got trade price on the cover.

So sometimes things work out. Enjoy, and drive your cars while you can.

Johnb

 

[WaltCasten]

And a rather depressing and undignified disposal of what I am sure was to LeRoy and Sue a collection of treasured objects.
Perhaps in order to avoid such ignominy I should start going to my hoard of Healey and other crap and start throwing a lot of it out.

I am going to tell you a story about something that might have happened to me several months ago. I am going to label this a story because I don't know who all is on this forum and obviously my login is my name, albeit stuck together, and google is a great search engine. I don't need any more heartache over this. I am 47 years old so I am in the "recipient" age range rather than the "gifting" range.

The history is very long and rather hard to compress but I will try anyway. A former best friend of mines father, now in his mid 80's, and I have been pretty close for a long time. My parents joke and refer to him as "my other father". This is where the story could get exceedingly long but suffice it to say we have spent a lot of time together over the last 30-40 years, i.e. most of my life. He has three kids of his own, two not at all into cars of any sort to any degree and one, my former friend (we just drifted apart over time) who owns a small, two or sometimes three man, what would best be termed "hot rod shop". The gentleman is unique in that cars and working on and building cars is his life and that he is both a sportscar and hot rod guy.

A few years ago, shortly after the gentleman turned 80, he sort of decided he was not going to physically or mentally be able to build any more hot rods or restore any more sportscars. He also decided, like many do in that age group, to start divesting his collections. He sold off his Lionel collection, prepped antique firearms for sale, etc, and decided to start cleaning out the car parts from the basement so his wife wouldn't be burdened should he pass first.

One of the times I was down at their house 3 or 4 years ago to pick him up and take him out for lunch and visit, the gentleman and his wife sat me down and said how they are giving all the hot rod parts to their son with the shop and wanted me to have all the sportscar parts. I responded that I was uncomfortable taking them that their kids should have it. The response I got was "we know you will use and appreciate the parts, they will just sell it on ebay". I eventually gave in and took them, small amounts here and there until most all were taken. They were right in that I did greatly appreciate receiving those items and did use several of the parts on my Healey. When I let them know some time later that I had actually used some of the parts, it was plainly obvious it made them both VERY happy to see the stuff actually used by someone who was greatly appreciative.

Fast forward to 4 or 5 months ago. I receive a not so pleasant phone call from one of the children...

There's some ugliness I don't feel like re-hashing but I will sum up. I gave the items not already on the car back to the one child who graced me with that wonderful phone call. The gentleman found out I did that and was NOT happy. He demanded his children to return the items. When I finally got the boxes back from them, all parts of monetary value more than a few dollars were removed/missing. Bummer as I planned on using the original mirrors he gave me on my car.

Not sure if there is anything to be learned from this "story" by anyone else, but I sure did.

 

[Gearhead_Garage]

My father is an antique car guy and is going through his divestment at the age of 85. He has given me tools, some cool petrol signs, and an antique gas pump. He sold some of his cars and gave/sold more stuff to his car buddies. I commend him for undertaking this process while he is still around to value the items and find them the best home but it can be heartbreaking to see his face when he observes his empty garage where he spent so much time. It literally hurts when he gives me an item and then tells me about the grand plan for it that he will never execute. While I love and respect my Dad, I don't know if my empathy is for the last days of his long life or the vision of a fast-approaching time in my own.

Ok, that was depressing. Let's say we celebrate the life and legacy of Leroy Joppa who had a good life, created many things, and brought joy to many people.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

My dad's 85, too, and I know exactly what you're feeling. Our problem is 'disposing' of the 1919 Seagrave pumper he lovingly restored over more than 10 years; he wants to donate it to the city for a fire dept. museum, but the city probably won't get their act together in time (and try to get an appraisal for something like that for the tax deduction).

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Well, it all came together after all (I was out of town for the 'handover,' but will be there for the ceremony):

https://www.modbee.com/news/article172032787.html

 

[Bob McElwee]

That's a great story Bob and a wonderful testimonial to your dad.

 

[Randy Forbes]

That's a great story Bob and a wonderful testimonial to your dad.

+1

 

[Michael Oritt]

Bob--

I have noticed how often you speak of your Dad in your posts--the skills and knowledge that he has passed along to you and the many things that you and he have undertaken together. It has often made me envious as I am separated from my children by virtue of their living in CA and me in MD, and of course they have their own lives which do not revolve around me. Cool for you and that is a wonderful story about the restoration and gift to the city.

 

[roscoe]

Yes,these are all great stories. The pumper truck especially. All I will say on this subject is that 30 years ago I used to wonder how old barns and shops on ranches near where I live could possibly end up with so much really good but unused stuff/junk/treasure. My 30 by 40 hangar where I used to keep my airplane is now just that sort of place. I'm looking at it out my livingroom window as I write......maybe I'll start the process......tomorrow. it's a bit like the permanent sign over the bar that says " Free beer tomorrow!"

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Thanks all for the kind words. Yes, I'm incredibly fortunate to still have both my parents, and lucky for me my dad was a former auto shop teacher who told me, when I finally told him I'd bought the Healey "If you're going to own a car like that, you better learn how to work on it. Bring it down [to Modesto] and I'll help you." It was only a few years later he found a 100M in the local paper and bought it, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, the MFD acknowledged my folks' contribution after their 9/11 commemoration: