Whither the donor

[dcotant]

Before I completely strip my donor truck JR I have to ask the forum how we feel about the demise or reuse of these old girls. I drove JR for 5 years before decommissioning to pull parts for Clementine and in the end the rust I found as I tore it down made me wonder how it was even staying together. I knew things were bad from the holes in the fenders to the crunch sound when I stepped on the running boards, but I didn't realize HOW bad until parts started coming off.

 

I know it was the right thing, and I will be using the carefully cleaned and boxed spares for years to come, but I have to admit I feel a bit of sadness at the end.

 

I also don't know what I would say to the previous owner. Makes it even sadder to note that the owner prior to the previous owner was an old fellow who kept the truck in storage until, well lets just say it was an estate title transfer. Pennsylvania rust made it pretty much unrestorable by the time I got it is my only defense.

 

[ggdad1951]

It is what it is.  I got LOTS of cap for cutting up 2 cabs and now 8 (so far) doors to build TODD.  You can't save them all and as long as they live on in some form I'm ok with that.

[JBNeal]

Gearheads cringe when a fine automobile is abused by a nitwit knucklehead, plenty of examples of that abound.  My great aunt had a pristine garage-kept dealer-maintained '68 Chrysler Newport that her ding-a-ling daughter snagged at probate in '92, who quickly drove it into the ground and proclaimed it was a piece of junk, traded it for some jap car (that quickly met the same fate).  Nice things in the hands of neglectful ppl never last long, so disposing of the carcass of a once useful machine can be done a little easier if the remnants are repurposed wisely and not just discarded for scrap.  I scrapped 2 flatheads a few years ago as they were well worn when I found them, I pulled off a few external pieces then took them across the scales...possibly could have salvaged them at some expense and that still kinda bothers me that I did not, but I had no adequate place to keep them and they were deteriorating in the high humidity storage so I opted to cut my losses while I could.  All we can do is make our best efforts to keep up what is salvageable and know the difference between saving a relic and parting out a basket case

[billrigsby]

Don't cry over spilt milk or in this case rusted parts sounds like you saved what you could, if it wasn't worth saving at least you had the sense to know that, verses a hoarder, that will keep stuff forever and let it continue to decompose, or never move on to a new caretaker. I haven't thrown anything away from my project except the original engine block (and that was due to it having a hole in the side of it that was unrepairable), bits and pieces of hardware that were beyond salvage and the old wiring harness that was chewed by mice and corroded, and only once I used it to recreate a new one. I was lucky in that respect that for the most part, all the sheet metal was either in very good shape or very easily repairable. Over the years at least back in the 80s I have collected quite a few bits and pieces sometimes 3 4 and 5 of one thing, Once the project is complete I can sort and inventory, decide what I need to keep and what I can part with, so it can move on to a new home, and keep another piece of history on the road.

[Tooljunkie]

Bought my 51, a similar model was given to me and i picked up a 49 from the gentleman that sold me the 51. I cut parts off the third one,as it was in the worst condition. So it lives on. The free one will get parts as well, i want to put one more together,and run a flathead in it. I dont regret swapping it for the 360, i did enjoy driving it.