Ok! So in your humble opinion when/how does a car become "yours"?

[Zapato]

After reading a reply to my paint question from Jim Nolan it got me thinking, so follow along with my ramblings. And when I'm done will be happy to pass on the keys to said rambler for your driving pleasure

I used to own a very clean 70 Ford pickup, bought it that way and it stayed pretty much as bought for years. At times I'd get stopped and asked if that was Bob's old truck. I bought it from Mike who had made some insignificant changes so it was still really pretty much Bob's. Later on I found that it was originally bought from Ford by a co-worker that owned it for years and in a weak moment sold it to Bob. However it was Bob that transformed this truck so to me it was always "Bob's truck". I was just the guardian.

Now my 51 Ford coupe that I've owned for over 15 years is to me a different story. I bought it as a clean driver while searching at that time for a clean 57. Saw it, liked it, bought it. Wanted something to drive while working on other things such as my 71 Bronco. Not 2 weeks into ownership I had knee surgery so I spent a couple days reading old car magazines and filling my heads with ideas. And the next week it was in the garage getting a Maverick rear end in it. Its now a mild custom still in my ownership with many different changes/improvements and really no longer the car I bought. Doubt if the old owner would recognize it except that I've left an early V8 ford club sticker on the windshield that was there.

So while I've not "restored" the car its no longer close to what I had purchased. And truly reflects my thoughts on a mild custom. Even if I knew (which I don't) any previous history on this car this is no longer IMHO anything but "my car". For me its more than having title to the car, it has to be transformed into something greater than the original collection of parts rolling along on 4 wheels.

My 2 cents, curious on yours.

Zap

[JimNolan]

Zapato,
    You hit the nail on the head. When I researched the history of my 57 I sent each person that owned it some pictures of the 57 after restoration and spoke to them on the phone also. Charles Loveless of Massoula, Mt. had owned the car from the early 70's to 1978. He told me he loved the car, hated to get rid of it but needed a better car. But, before he sold the car he took the owners manual out of the car and kept it safe to remind him of the car he really loved. He kept that owners manual for 27 years as a momento. Charles told me he was delighted that someone cared enough about his pride and joy to breath new life back into it. He told me he thought I deserved to have that owners manual now and sent it to me. I'm sure after keeping that manual safe for 27 years giving it up was not easy for him. I assured him that his 57 Ford would stay with me and not be for sale until I passed. When you put enough time, effort and money into something it becomes yours no matter how many owners it had before.
   You're full of good topics, Jim

[JPotter57]

The way I see it, when you make significant changes to it, it is yours.  My truck was built by my dad, when I got it, I swapped wheels, lowered it, and will be changing the paint soon.  It looks a lot different than when it did when he had it.  All of my `57s on the other hand, were complete basket cases when I got them, so I did, and am, in fact, building them from the ground up.  So they are undeniably mine.  Now, the yellow car I sold back in 2006, is someone elses, because I sold it to someone almost 700 miles away, they made changes to it paintwise, and life goes on.  This car, unless I sell it soon, will be with me from now on.  If my job goes away in the next month, I will probably put it up for sale, along with my Country Sedan, and fund my move back to Tennessee.  If the contract issues are worked out with my job, I will probably put a 312 in it, and keep it from now on.  I love the car and dont want to part with it, but if I do, whoever buys it and finishes it, well, the car will be theirs.  It's all in how you look at it.  Some people have the physical skills and ability to do the work, some don't but can afford to have the work done.  That has no bearing whatsoever on whether the car is theirs.  Both people have the vision to make the car what they want.  THAT is what makes the car his, not whether he was able to weld, sand, paint, wire, plumb, upholster, etc.  The number of builders who can truly do everything to their car is relatively small.  I can do most of my own work, granted my paint work is nowhere near magazine or show quality, but I do it because I enjoy it, and my labor is friggin' cheap...

[Zapato]

Both people have the vision to make the car what they want.  THAT is what makes the car his, not whether he was able to weld, sand, paint, wire, plumb, upholster, etc. 

This is exactly what I believe, its the changes that are made with that "vision" that changes and makes the car yours. Whether the work is home brewed or bought doesn't matter to me. Look at varied talent in any shop and you'll see while the shop owner often gets the build credit its really his crew that builds and often goes unrecognized. And if you talk to many shop owners you'll find that as their business flourishes they might find themselves mentoring new talent but get nowhere near the hands on time they enjoy. But someone has to have a "vision" and that is usually the owner whether he wrenches or writes checks.

The keys are on the dash........

Zap-

[suede57ford]

I sold a black primer '57 custom to a friend a few years ago.   It looks a little like mine, so he has people always telling him that is Pat's car( which I guess it was kinda at one time).   I get an ocassional phone call to ask me if I know where my car is, and to make sure it is not stolen.

He's going to paint it another color eventually, or at least that was the agreement when I sold it to him.

[JPotter57]

That could work out in your favor in a street race Pat, if the other `57 is a donkey...."Yeah, mines not that fast..."  then smoke him like a cheap cigar....lol..