<VV> Barn ~ and swamp ~ Finds

[Charles Lee]

The Spyder convertible that I didn't tow home had been advertized as "mint"
and "drivable" as well as having wire wheels, which it did in fact have and
was my immediate attraction, but the wheels were so rusted as to be
worthless.  The tires would not even hold air !  

If the wheels were any good at all it would have made the trip worthwhile,
but alas ...

I was very specific that I planned to ***DRIVE*** it **600 miles** back home
to emphasize the condition of the car being what he advertized!

It had years of concrete dust crusted on it from the nearby concrete
processing plant, and was cemented into the swamp !

He said it was "rust free" under intense telephone interrogation to prevent
this "misunderstanding"!

The rust went from the headlights to the windshield on all 4 corners, and
there were NO floors!

I just stared at the owner and could not hold back saying "What in the
@#@#&% blazed made you think this car was remotely salvageable, much less
drivable enough to make the 600 miles back home to New York ?!?!?!?!?"

I drove home with an empty, rented trailer, in total disbelief!  Aarrgghh!

Together with my experiences of "vehicular homicide" it's no wonder I'm a
tad skeptical of some people's language skills !  What definition of "mint"
or "drivable" escape some people ?

Live and learn (I should be perfect by now !)

Charlie


-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Ken Pepke
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 4:54 AM
To: Vair Views
Subject: <VV> Barn Finds


Charlie:  I know what you mean ... Living in the Michigan 'rust belt' has
given me the opportunity to bring home several parts cars in two pieces.  As
they said in the old chicken commercial 'parts is parts.'  

Even though it did not break in half I brought only one back that had no
salvageable parts AT ALL ... except the 5 KH wire wheels and their adaptors
which I only noticed after I bought it when I checked the tires for air
pressure before towing!

Ken P
Wyandotte, MI
Worry looks around; Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.

*************************

> From: "Charles Lee" <chaz at properproper.com>
> Date: October 7, 2011 8:34:36 PM EDT
> To: "'Mark Durham'" <62vair at gmail.com>
> Cc: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
> Subject: <VV> Barn Finds
> 
> Sounds like the Spyder convert that some guy said was "mint, no rust
> anywhere" and that I could drive it the 600 miles home.  Good thing I
> decided to trailer it, since all it cost me was the trailer rental, when
we
> could not even dislodge it from the swamp !  It was so rusted, it would
have
> broken if we tried to pull it out!
> 
> Last time I take a guy's work for the condition of a car over the phone
> (this was before email)
> 
> Charlie