Where will your car be in 50 years?

Over the last few years, things have happened or people have said things to me that make me wonder what will become of our cars one day. I ask people that question, and I think the most common answer is, "my kids will get them." But what about all the other answers or the answer that they don't know? I think it's sad that for some people their cars won't be a legacy but an asset after they are gone. Examples of what I mean:

- A guy I recently met has three 1957 Ford hot rods. He's going to have them sold at his estate sale, even though he has a son. The reason - his son doesn't care about them, and the son's more interested in what they are worth than what they are.

- I have a friend who has collected cars his whole life. He now has 30+ cars, and he plans to have them crushed when he dies. The reason - his kids don't care about them, he's got a lifetime of love in them that he doesn't want to share with anyone else, and he refuses to let collectors trade them like baseball cards.

- And on more than one occasion, I've met someone who has no kids but collects cars. They are usually the ones that don't have an answer to this. I don't know if they don't think about it, or if they just don't care.

I know some people will donate their cars to a museum (probably what I'll do), their car club, or maybe a friend. But all this said, what's your plan for your car's future?

Adam

PS I still think the best answer to this question I've ever heard (seen technically), is what's happened with Bernie's car. I think most everyone here can look at that car as more than just a great car, but as a legacy of someone many of us were very fond of.
 
If, or when, I have kids one day, if they have no interest in them, or something were to happen to me before then, The Superior and the S&S will go to the one person that I know apreaciates these 2 cars as much as I do, and that I know would hold on to them. And yes, I've put thought in to that. As far as future Pro-Cars, again, as long as my kids didn't have a interest in keeping them, I would just want to know that they were in good hands, with someone in the PCS family. Someone just like Tony. :my2cents:

Josh
 
Well hopefully in 50 years my collection will have expanded greatly enough that I can start my own museum. If not and I have kids, they go to them. If they don't want them, then I will find a museum that will want them.
 
With luck I could still be enjoying my cars in 50 years. Just in case I'm not, my 3 year old and 5 year old boys have already picked out 3 each and 3 for the 3 month old.
 
Once I am gone, if my children have no interest in my cars, I would hope that they would sell them to someone who will enjoy them like I do.

My cars are not a legacy to me...they are something I enjoy. They are an investment. If my children have different interests, they can use the money from the sale of my cars to increase their own interests and hobby.
 
me I hope I can get rid of them the day before they come take my drivers licence away. there objects of interest but still objects. I'm hoping I can sell them rater then leave that to some one else. but in 50 years I won't be around to care. lets get this more realistic to some of us. were will your cars be in 10 years. kids nothing but kids here.
 
Since I have no children and am an only child, I guess I would hope that I would have be-friended a younger member of the PCS in my advanced years who would appreciate my car as much as I do and would most likely leave it to them. I DO know where my step-father's service car is going when he is gone......ME!
 
Well for me personally, I fully intend and expect to still be enjoying my own cars in 50 years! :)

But seriously, in keeping with the point of this thread, that is something I've been having thoughts about as my collection keeps growing. Since I have no interest in marriage or kids, I realize that I'll most likely not have any heirs to leave things too. Something I've thought about, though I've done no looking into the realities of this idea, is of leaving my cars to a car club. Of course I'd love to leave them to a museum, but I realize that car museums are not really interested in hearses, and would mostly likely just sell them off anyway.

My reasoning for leaving them a club, is that while I realize that the club would also mostly likely sell them off too, I would think (hope) that a club made up of enthusiasts would be more concerned about the cars going to a good home.

I am friends with a senior citizen car collector who has, at last count anyway, two Auburns (real ones, not replicas), a Packard 12 sedan, a '46 Packard limo, a prewar Packard 8, a 1925 Diana (only 6 known to still exist), two first generation Mustangs, and a 57 Corvette. He and I get together for lunch every so often, and after a health scare last year, he was telling me at one of our recent lunches that he asked his (grown) kids about his cars, and their response was "We'll probably keep the Vette, but just sell the rest". So he was telling me that he's right back to not knowing what he's going to do with them. Although I managed to control myself, I so felt like jumping up and down, waving my arms, and yelling "I have an idea, I have an idea!"

On a slightly different note, I have the pleasure of being acquainted with Randy Sharpe, the son of the father-and-son team of Sharpe Conversions, who were in the pro-car business during the 1970s, and who built two of my cars. During a phone conversation after I purchased my second Sharpe Conversions car, Randy commented, "We never gave any thought to what would happen to our cars 10, 20, 30 years down the road. For us, it was just a job. Our only focus then was just to finish the car, get it to the customer, and move on to the next car. I can't express how it pleases me to know that there are people like you who give these old beasts good homes and preserve the workmanship of me and my dad."

That to me is one of the best compliments I have ever gotten as a car collector.
 
Since I have no children and am an only child, I guess I would hope that I would have be-friended a younger member of the PCS in my advanced years who would appreciate my car as much as I do and would most likely leave it to them. I DO know where my step-father's service car is going when he is gone......ME!

Guess your not over 48? I would love to be your younger friend as I love your car. I too am only child and have no children is why I found someone who deserves my 70.
 
It is my fond hope that, someday, the National EMS Museum will be constructed of brick and block and not bits and bytes. And I hope that I will be able to donate my ambulances and other stuff to the museum for display.

If not, big auction, and the money will go to the museum or to my college.

You know, one important point that this all brings up is this:
MAKE A WILL!
If you have a Will, you can dictate where your cars will go and what will happen to them. If not, your heirs, your executor, or your state, will make that decision after you're gone, and it may not be a decision you like, but you'll have to live with it. OK, not live with it 'cause you're dead, but you know what I mean. Seriously, make a Will, spell it out, now.

And yes, I need to practice what I preach myself.
 
Comming from another only child and some one who is married and plans to not have any kids. I always say that we never own our cars we are just caregivers for them, for a set period of time. When im gone or prior to me goin im ok with selling them' or after im gone if some one asked to purchase them from my bride. I hope the next person enjoys them and loves them, like i did. And as the way our goverment is trying to get the cars off of the road and not being able to reregister the car we love, they may not have the value they do now.Just a scary thought we are approaching. The car mags have been talking about the legislation that is being passed out. In wisconsin the bill is called trans 123. it has been shellfed right now but it is going to come up with the next group on people in our state capital.
 
In 50 years, I hope we can still get gas for the cars to enjoy. I'm grooming my 9 year old boy into a gearhead, so hopefully he will want my cars & truck.
 
ok guyz. I got my dad out of here so I could say someting about this. In 50 years I will be 60 and I hope to still own all the cars my dad has colected. Dad had a weak moment and sold this 68 cadillac to Ed but from now on, we're buyin no sellin. I actualy got to drive this one out in the back 40, but dad has not let me drive the others yet. He was pretty nervus about letting me drive this one and was siting right there by me but I did good. I like the ambulances a lot and like going to car shows, so I want to have them. I got to go get dad to put a pictre up here.

bye, MACK KARSNIA
 

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Interesting question. Given the fact that I will be 107 years old when that decision has to be made...
I will try to place the cars in a good home well before I depart this vail of tears, but it seems likely a lot of collector cars will not survive as future generations place less importance on this part of American History.
Indeed if you talk to lots of high school age kids these days they have been taught that automobiles are the source of most environmental problems. I can't see that generation wanting to do anything except crush them.
 
ok guyz. I got my dad out of here so I could say someting about this. In 50 years I will be 60 and I hope to still own all the cars my dad has colected. Dad had a weak moment and sold this 68 cadillac to Ed but from now on, we're buyin no sellin. I actualy got to drive this one out in the back 40, but dad has not let me drive the others yet. He was pretty nervus about letting me drive this one and was siting right there by me but I did good. I like the ambulances a lot and like going to car shows, so I want to have them. I got to go get dad to put a pictre up here.

bye, MACK KARSNIA

My Grandson Mikey has told Everyone that the Big Car is His when I Croak(His Words) He wants to drive it to School etc
But He loves going to the car Shows etc also

Russ
 
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