Automobila: To Keep or to Cut Loose?

Have you ever seen that show, Hoarders? I might have watched it once or twice, but in recalling the couple of episodes I’ve stumbled upon while flipping through the channels one night, I’ve realized that just about everyone is guilty of hoarding or “collecting” something to the point of insanity. Let’s face it, we’ve all kept remnants of former project cars lying around our shop to some degree; body panels, engine components, interior trim, etc., etc. to the point that it can become all-consuming ion your work area.

We always make the excuse for hanging onto something because “we might need it someday.” My Dad is particularly horrible at this; even being a staunch classic Chevy guy, he still has parts laying around from old daily drivers that he’s owned over the last three decades; ’75 Monte Carlo and second-gen S10 taillights, ’82 Trans Am wheel covers, and even bits from my Mom’s old ’73 Mercury Capri — it’s insane.

 “I’ve realized that just about everyone is guilty of hoarding or “collecting” something to the point of insanity.”

Typically, I usually unload everything pertaining to a particular vehicle that I’ve owned the same time I’m selling the car, or immediately thereafter. Come to think of it, the only thing I might still have laying around from the ’79 Camaro I owned in high school (twenty years ago) might be the rear glass — and that’s only because I keep forgetting about it. Everything else is long gone — I’ve just never saw the sense in keeping something that had monetary value, but I have no actual use for.

However, it ends there for me. Being the gearhead that I am, I’ve made a habit out of collecting die-cast cars, vintage car magazines and other automobila of the last 20+ years, and although there was a goal in mind at the end of it all, it’s become apparent that I need to change course and call it quits.

Over the last four years, I’ve moved four different times — all over the country — from Ohio to California, California to Florida, Florida to Texas and ultimately coming full circle back in my home state of Ohio — all for the sake of my career.

Every time I had, I’ve carried along with me my vast collection of automobila that I have amassed since I was a kid, taking it with me from place to place one state at a time.

Truth be told, I have no idea how much I have at this point or what t’s all worth, but it’s severely to the point to where I either need to invest in some display cases or cut the majority of it loose. It’s primarily stored in cardboard boxes in my attic and my basement. From time to time, I’ll rummage through the boxes and take a minute to admire what I have… then promptly put it back in the box and shove the box to the side. It’s like having valuable clutter that you occasionally trip over.

” I’ve sold few things along the way, and truth be told, it was almost therapeutic.”

I’ve been seriously considering selling all of it on eBay over the last few months and a recent passing of a family’s member’s death further convinced me to do so. You don’t realize how much crap you have until after someone come to you passes… or you move. I’ve sold few things along the way, and truth be told, it was almost therapeutic.

I do have a feeling, though, that collectively, there might be enough value there to purchase a decent project car or two; which accounts for just as much space and clutter, but the return on investment would be much more fulfilling and rewarding. On that note, Craigslist, here I come…

Rick Seitz

Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of AutoCentric Media, the parent company to Timeless Muscle Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the magazine’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next round modifications for his own cars.