Parts Hoarding: a Discouragement to Newbies?

[ericr]

I went to an auction today of a deceased local Ford collector of some repute, and a familiar scene, I suspect, gets repeated: an owner of several Model "A"s all restored to tip-top condition, had numerous carbs, trannies, flywheel housings, wheels, generators, starters.....Attendees were all us grayhairs.

One could reason that the situation is self-curative, but then I wonder if the parts hoard just gets shifted to another hoarder, to another, to another...

Certainly the well-meaning owners among us will say that the hoarder gladly helps out Newbies or other owners, but I find that counter-intuitive with the nature of hoarding. For one thing, who knows that a hoarder is hoarding.

No doubt hoarding is the free enterprise system at work, one can argue that nothing illegal, unethical, immoral or fattening is occurring. Does it drive up the cost of free market parts not the subject of hoarding? Who knows.

Much commentary is submitted here about the future of the hobby, but rather than it passing to Newbies, I suspect it will pass to hoarders, because multiple car ownership and parts acquisition seem to have some connection.

[J Franklin]

If parts weren't hoarded there wouldn't be many to be had in 2014, they would have all been scrapped by now!

[ericr]

Originally Posted by forever4

Hoarding parts IS my hobby, and brings me much satisfaction!

LOL knowing your supply, I bet you are the happiest guy east of the Mississippi!

[160B]

My motto is get it before the hoarders get it!!!!!

LMAO

[bart78]

Tons of this stuff if not hoarded would be Hondas now. Some of these guys have been hoarding back when a lot of people did not want these cars. I have been cleaning up a place of a hoarder. Tons of a's and early v8's and parts. He has told me that it would have been all scrap. Because the people that had them wanted nothing to do with them. I think they do the hobby a service.

[pooch]

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After I finish my two selling projects, I would sell all my left over hoarded parts, except for items like spare fuel tanks , speedos, gauges, good bumpers, and probably any pristine sheet metal.

I can't really understand guys hoarding stuff like chassis, old engine cores, wheels etc.

Last swap I went to, a guy had a pile of 28 wheels, I was the only one all day who asked about them, he said ANY OFFER, as I am sick of carting them , and they will go in the dumpster at end of day.

This and deceased estates , where it usually all gets scrapped by the kids.

Yes, some hoarding is acceptable for spare parts but not piles of stuff that will never be used .

[montanafordman]

Parts hoarding is just wrong. Send your parts to me. LOL

[mshmodela]

I'm a 6 month newbie and unaware of part hording but last I check that's anyone right to do at least in The United States of America.... I would say the only thing more experienced owners can do as they doing here is share their years of experience... I am thankful to all of them.

[southfork]

Any asset of value is hoarded by someone, if it has any collector interest at all. As money continually loses its purchasing power, people pickup assets that they both enjoy and also believe will hold value better than cash does. Thus, the "hoarders" get a double benefit if they wisely choose what to hoard. Familiarity/expertise with respect to vintage iron helps them to wisely choose what items to hoard.

I also agree that much more vintage iron would have been scrapped long ago, if not for the people who gathered it up before it got to the scrap yard.

[tbirdtbird]

to each his own. But we know of several hoarders who literally have warehouses full. Yes it keeps the parts from the no-soul scrappers....but these boys will NOT sell anything to anyone.....so where does that get the hobby.....and where will this huge quantity of stuff go years from now when there is disposal? another hoarder? Scrapper in 50 yrs ? you have no way to know...

[machine girl]

Yes, we (collect) parts, but will always help one in need, (unless its a NOS B cam and crankshaft, or other type treasures.)

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi ericr,

How about non-grey haired collectors ????????? LOL.

I met a very rich, very young married lady about (5) years ago who said she would be the first & last to visit every advertised garage sale in local upscale subdivisions.

She said she scooped up on all of the first "good" bargains, then returned later to offer a bulk price for "some" the remaining items for about 10 cents on a dollar.

Every now & then she said would tap a poorer neighborhood for good used high quality tools & rare vintage items that poorer people thought had no value.

She told me she also visited many advertised local city auctions to buy items.

Then after acquiring same, she sold items on e-bay, & also conducted her own garage sales; plus she had repeat "collecting customers" always calling her for used, expensive clothes in various sizes or other "good" juicy bargains to place in storage.

She said after a few years she learned what people wanted & mastered learning the going price for "used" general merchandise.

She said the best part was that everything she bought & sold was on a cash basis -- when she made a dollar, because she worked hard for it, she did not think it was fair to give part of her earnings to our Government in stupid taxes to send to crooked foreign governments.

She was extremely intelligent & just loved what she was doing -- i.e., not at all a pack rat -- she just bought & sold & never sought employment.

She told me how much she loved it all.

Maybe just like the old saying: "Different strokes for different folks!!!!"

[Tom Wesenberg]

I was at a Studebaker only swap and car show today, and I overheard someone talking about hoarding. I figured there has to be Studebaker parts hoarders because I find almost no Stude parts at most swap meets. Well thankfully those that had the parts at home had them at the swap today and I found some good parts I needed. I also saw a lot of nice Studes that never seem to turn up at other car shows.

A few years ago I was at a swap meet and a guy had two trailers full of Model A parts. I wasn't sure if I needed a few things he had, so I checked when I got home and called him a few days later. He said at the end of the day he hauled everything to the scrap yard. That's what's wrong with some people. He could have helped a lot of people by selling it all for a more resonable price, or even scrap price, if he really didn't want to deal with it.

[C26Pinelake]

I need a hard to find part for a high end 1930's car. I know of a collector that has three and will not part with one. I have even told him I will pay a premium over actual value and he refuses. He says in 10 years they will be worth a fortune. Tell me how this insensitive hoarder is helping our hobby. I believe hoarding is totally wrong !
Wayne

[Roadster62]

If you never tell anyone what you have, you will never be labled a hoarder. I have unfinished projects. Bob

[MikeK]

Over my dead body will I give up my stash of original parts. Please make sure the lid is closed before stepping on me.

[Mike V. Florida]

We just need to find a way for people like Berts to know about these hoards and at least offer scrape value at the end of the auction and maybe get these parts back to those that can use them.

How about this, let the family know about MAFFI, donate what is left to them for tax deductible donation and then MAFFI sells them in bulk to those like Berts. Win Win Win

[dumb person]

Hoarding parts is ok if you actually use them, or store them, but people who hoard 2 dozen identical parts (which they never use, never intend to use, and more often than not are left to rot) and gloat at the fact you have none are ...well it might not be proper to use the word i want to use to describe that.
Then there are the kind that want $5,000 for something (say, a rusty seized axle with the remains of spokes & a small segment of wheel rim) in awful shape and run it over with a bulldozer and bury it to spite you if you can't afford it. Those people are mentally deficient too.

Yes, those people put people like me off the idea of trying to fix old cars. Those types also tell me my A is junk. Maybe i should put a V8 in it just to hear them moan about how i "ruined a good one" (i thought they said it was junk?)

[JEC]

My wife says that I am a hoarder.
Probably true. I have a barn and hangar full of stuff.
I don't usually sell anything but if a friend needs something I just give it to them.

[ericr]

My good friend HL might contradict me on this, but to my belief, exaggerated hoarding is a relatively recently-discovered behavior pattern. I don't remember hearing about it in the '50s and '60s. Now, we have American Pickers, pet hoarders appearing in the news every few months, etc.