Inherited car
 

Looking for some thoughts and I hope this might start an interesting conversation. My father passed away 8 years ago. He always liked cars and got me interested in GTO's by telling me stories of his 1967 he bought brand new after getting out of the navy and Vietnam. His dream was to some day get a Corvette. As a side note, I've never been into Vette's but would have loved his GTO had he kept it. In 2002 his dream came true and he bought a brand new red Corvette off the showroom. It was his baby and he was very proud of it and I was very happy for him. By then though I was on my own living in a different state and he was remarried. Although we were close I wasn't able to visit in person often and didn't get to ride around with him in the Vette. Fall of 2008 found him in a coma (colon cancer). He fought a great fight but lost early 2009. Through all of this was his Corvette. His widow couldn't let go of it and it wound up parked on a tarp under a cover in her back yard. After years of trying I finally convinced her to sell it to me in 2014. I really hated the idea of it rotting away. So I've had this car in my garage since. Here's the problem I'm not into Vette's and it doesn't have a happy vibe around it. I want to sell it but I feel guilty and worry I'll regret it. I can imagine this happening to other families. When you pass away, do you think you heirs will hang onto your car even if it doesn't make them happy out of loyalty to you? Look forward to other thoughts!

i have my cars lined up with members and friends that will enjoy and understand what they are...what they do with them is up to them..i hope they love them as much as I, but if they want the money more so be it...when i am gone..theres nothing i can do anyway...

I'm giving my cars to my friends, who I been friends with for 30 years. Only one of my brothers, out of 3 of them, has owned a Pontiac but he has always been a Ford guy. My family would probably sell my cars since they don't mean a thing to them. Even though that Corvette was your Dads dream car, it sounds like yall don't have any memories that ties you and him together.

My cars go to my son when I'm gone and I already told him to keep none of them and buy himself a house or something to give himself a head start that I did not have. If it has bad vibes then sell it but use the money for something your dad would like to see you enjoy. After all we're just caretakers while we're here.

It's just a thing. If it doesn't bring you any joy and happiness having it around, let it go. Your dad's gone, he doesn't care what you do with it now.

I think I understand your problem. I am assuming you had a deep inside feeling that because it was your dad's car, you wanted some control over its future.

So you finally managed to buy it and now you can control its next move to a future owner. That's much better than knowing the car was lying there deteriorating and your dad would have been upset knowing that was happening.

I think you have done everything right in getting hold of it. Now, make some efforts to sell it, let it go knowing you have done your best on behalf of your dad.

And as Ram4king says, use the money in a form which is a legacy from your dad.

No harm done here

Ian:ausflag::ausflag::ausflag:

Sell it. Every day you own it, it becomes less valuable. Use the money to buy a 67 GTO, or just take the family on vacation. Do something with the money that your dad would approve of.

My feelings also.

Yep sell it and put the money towards a nice 67'

This...

I actually have a car that was my dad's pride and joy. My dad sold cars for a living (sold Olds/Cadillacs first, then Buick/Pontiac/GMC) and when I was 4 years old, dad purchased a 1949 Cadillac Series 75 factory limousine.

This is the car that we took to the lake or went on vacation in (all 10 of us could fit in the car), so this car had tons of memories for all of our family. In 1965, with 2 kids in college and 6 more at home, dad parked it because he couldn't afford the needed repairs.

Fast forward to 1995 - dad has a heart attack and I convince him he needs to sell the house and move into handicapped accessible housing. Dad says that means he'll have to sell the Cadillac.

Long story short - I ended up restoring the Caddy and dad drove it for the first time in 32 years on Father's Day 1997.

This is my dad the last time he saw his car in 2001.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p.../Laptop011.jpg

Dad passed in 2002 and his Cadillac was at his funeral.

We still have the Caddy and it is a treasured family item.

Purpose of my story is to highlight the difference of your dad's pride and joy and your dad's pride and joy.

My extended family has a very strong emotional attachment to the Caddy - you have very little bond to the Vette.

Turning that Vette into a 1967 GTO would be my choice, if I were in your situation.

I don't expect any of my cars to survive my passing and they shouldn't since neither of my kids are interested in them and they would just be a burden to Sandra to keep around.

Although it was important to him I'm sure he will understand that it isn't the same for you.

I agree to sell the car, however, I would offer the car to family and friends first.

This way your Dad can be remembered by the new owner, and you can feel good about passing on Dad's car to someone who knew him.

Is his widow still around? From your story, seems that she may be the only one with a problem if you sell it after talking her out of it.
I don't agree with that but just saying, she may feel that way.

I was given a car by a friend that passed away, he gave away 20+ other cars including a Judge & an early Trans Am. Let's say he was pretty hardcore!
The car I received was really not restorable so it was sold & it no doubt yielded many great parts for other restorations. I took the money & bought a more practical Pontiac that he may even have approved of.
Every time I hear a Doors Tune in that car, it brings a smile.
Buy something that he would dig, it's the best of both worlds.
Sorry for your loss but happy for your memories.

Kinda in the same boat. I am inheriting a 1975 Cadillac Coupe, was my Father-in-law's not my style but it may grow on me. Won't sell til I need to. Plus wife can't complain(much). Like said in other post, sell and put the money to a '67 GTO that you can connect to your Father better.

You know, that's a great thought!

If it was a C2 or early C3 Vette, I would tell you to hold on to it. Seeing how it's a C5, there's no real value as it relates to rarity or collectability. I would clean it up, put a few ads out there and see what happens.

My two kids although born into this hobby, have no interest in my cars. So they already know they get sold and monies put into an account for any Grand Children. My Husbands antique John Deere tractors, and Ferguson tractors will go to our Son, as he al ready has a couple of his own and shows great interest. My Daughter loves cars as well, but not the classics. She's more into the newer muscle cars, such as her 1999 WS6 TA, and my 2009 Challenger R/T. Choices are never easy, but it must be done as life goes on after we're gone.

If there was a way to sell the car to a veteran who served in combat, that might inspire smiles from above. There are a lot of Nam vets still even.....

Both of my parents are gone. I held on to some of their things that had special meaning to me. As the years go by, I find myself ready to let go of things a few at a time.

You did the right thing buy rescuing the car from deterioration. My suggestion would be (if the car isn't in the way) to just relax and wait till it feels right to let it go to an appreciative new owner. The timetable has to be your own.

JMHO,
Eric

Very Cool Car,CHAMP. So it really was used as a Limo for the family!

Not sure if I want to give my kid the car when I'm gone. She may just kill herself in it.

1960s and 1970s Caddys are some of the best riding cars you'll ever sit your hiney in.

i'm with AK on this and it seems (to me) to make a ton of sense. sell the corvette, which really doesn't do a lot for you, and use the proceeds to buy a '67 GTO similar/just like your dad had in '67. when i was 3-4 y/o, my dad had a '67 Linden Green GTO, 4-speed, convertible. i wanted that car so bad - it was around until I was 9-10 - but my uncle got it instead. well, he beat the **** out of it, as they did in those days, and it was sold off to never be seen again. i'm currently on my second '67, but i'm always on the look out for a Linden Green/4spd/convertible. i found one in PA a couple of years ago (an HO actually), but the seller wanted big money and the car was not what he described (i flew in from TX). my current triple black hardtop/4spd fits the bill just fine though. it seems to me, a GTO would 'connect' with you AND your dad in a stronger way and serve the same purpose as the 'vette. just my :2cents:

what a great idea/sentiment this is!! :thumbup:

Lots of great thoughts and ideas, so thanks everyone! I'm encouraged that nobody seems to think I need to hold onto this car. Incidentally if anyone has a light blue '67 with a black vinyl top and white interior with a 4 speed that would like to sell it for less than $25k please let me know! I'll do my best to see that his Vette gets into the right hands. Unfortunately no one in the family wants it or has the money for it. My older brother and my dad had a very strained relationship so he has no interest. Luckily I have some other inherited items from my father that have good memories attached to them. The Vette reminds me how crappy life can be when someone can get stage 4 cancer 6 months after they retire!

And I did talk to my stepmother several months ago. She is fine with me selling it. She knows too well that the car has a sadness surrounding it for our family which makes it unpleasant to drive or even be around.

Although I do not know you or your father personally, at the end of the day, I think what would make him happiest is knowing that you were happy. Selling the vette and getting something you would enjoy still brings the connection. I too inherited a car from a friend that passed and was unable to put in the time and money to restore it. I sold it and bought a running and driving car I could enjoy with my family. I miss the car but I sold it to someone I could possibly buy it back from in the future if it ever becomes available.

Well, to us, it was just a car that we all fit in (relatively) comfortably...;)

I still have the bill of sale showing dad paid $445.00 for it and the bank note that had the car and my mom's washing machine as collateral.

Compromise -- sell the inherited car and buy a 67 Corvette.

"Compromise -- sell the inherited car and buy a 67 Corvette. "
Moderator: This guy ought to be on double secret probation.

Sounds like a car racist! Have you no respect for automotive diversity?