200 914 parts restoration cars in need of a home, what to do? Options

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

Please look at the club site for all of the pictures. What do we need to do with them?
We have several suggestions on the club site but need suggestions. Here is an example

[Hammy]

http://www.914club.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=221309


I say let go of the good shells for cheap to those who will take the time to restore them properly.

[VaccaRabite]

Are you doing anything with them now?
Do you need the land for another purpose?

The correct answer is to harvest the salvageable parts or sell them off as parts cars - neither of which is an easy undertaking if you have 200 cars back there.

After 20 years of outdoors storage, how many of the parts are still salvageable? Do you go out there now for parts? Or are they just sitting?

Zach

[KELTY360]

Start a Save the Orphans Fund. You know, "for 38 cents a day you can adopt a neglected and downtrodden 914 for your very own. Your teener will write you letters and send you pictures and let you know how your donation is affecting their life."

Seriously, rent some goats and get the vegetation cleared so we can see what you're dealing with.

[mepstein]

Give them all away. The sale of parts from AA to restore even a couple of them will be profitable and certainly better than what your getting from them now.

Durring a slow time of the year, have the giveway at the same time as an AA sale, gathering, party, tour, show, how-to clinic, BBQ. You'll get tons of exposure for your buisness and lots more sales than normal.

[dlee6204]

Wow. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) About 5 or so years ago we bought a parts car out of your junkyard and it was quite the site then. It has really overgrown since.

If it were me, I would clear the yard out and line all of them up in neat nice rows and take inventory of everything you have. Its been so long you have probably forgotten most of the jewels in there. You should at least know what you have before you start liquidating. I would then gradually start selling whole cars and parts for cheap to the loyal AA customers. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[PanelBilly]

Boy Scout projects! Like pinewood derby only on a larger scale.

Give the cars away, just as they are. Some of them may end up in the recycle, but some may go to fools (oops, did I say that) who will spend way more money than they should on restoring them. You'll end up selling them parts.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

thank you all for the replies. We need to find a way to dispose of them without a lot of labor involved, because I can just call a crusher and he will clean the lot for 2000 in my pocket. OBVIOUSLY the cars are worth much more than that. Just the late model shift linkages would be worth the strip.
However the cars are overgrown and jambed up there, and I would be afraid that even if I gave a few away that would still leave me with the rest and the ones given away the pick of the litter. Even taking the labor to cut down the mess move the cars into straight lines and inventory would be a crazy labor expense.

[KELTY360]

thank you all for the replies. We need to find a way to dispose of them without a lot of labor involved, because I can just call a crusher and he will clean the lot for 2000 in my pocket. OBVIOUSLY the cars are worth much more than that. Just the late model shift linkages would be worth the strip.
However the cars are overgrown and jambed up there, and I would be afraid that even if I gave a few away that would still leave me with the rest and the ones given away the pick of the litter. Even taking the labor to cut down the mess move the cars into straight lines and inventory would be a crazy labor expense.

You can always just crush them all and be forever known as "The Butcher of Atlanta"

What do you think is the right thing to do?

[SirAndy]

Even taking the labor to cut down the mess move the cars into straight lines and inventory would be a crazy labor expense.

Do it one at a time. Get the shop interns to salvage the cars piece by piece. Take off any screw and nut the will budge. You'll end up with a warehouse full of parts that could rival HPH!

Don't focus on the whole lot or you'll get lost ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)


And of course, most importantly, you need to get each and every VIN number, chassis code, paint code and build date for our database!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Andy


PS: If you need any help, i could fly out for a week and we could probably get quite a few of those done. Maybe even spend a day cleaning up the 916!

[qa1142]

Number them and do a dutch auction

sell all 200 for 1 price each

random luck on what we get, but we may get several

[tomeric914]

I liked the "Buy $1500 in AA parts and get a 914 roller FREE" idea we tossed around earlier this year. The problem is shipping because no car carrier wants to deal with an inoperable vehicle. However, if a carrier were given 50 cars to ship around the country, they may make an exception to the rule.

Hmm, what about an "Automobile Atlanta Debit Card"? For $1500 you get a debit card to purchase 914 parts and a roller 914, shipping not included.

Maybe an Automobile Atlanta Grill and Weedwacker fest?

[Cupomeat]

I liked the "Buy $1500 in AA parts and get a 914 roller FREE" idea we tossed around earlier this year. The problem is shipping because no car carrier wants to deal with an inoperable vehicle. However, if a carrier were given 50 cars to ship around the country, they may make an exception to the rule.

Hmm, what about an "Automobile Atlanta Debit Card"? For $1500 you get a debit card to purchase 914 parts and a roller 914, shipping not included.

Maybe an Automobile Atlanta Grill and Weedwacker fest?

I think Tom is onto something really good with the $1500 debit card idea. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[Kirmizi]

Hey Gint!! You've a lot more open garage space now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
Mike

[Mark Henry]

BTDT....good luck with that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...15&hl=scrap

[charliew]

This reminds me of something. In the late 90's when I was looking for ih scout parts down around bryan, tx, I found a old guy that had brought a bunch of cars south to tx from the east in tractor trailers and some had already been restored as far back as the early 60's. The ford I looked at needed a repaint but it was complete except he said his grandson had forced one side of the hood open and bent it because the hinge was siezed. There was at least 5 trailers with two or more cars and stuff in them. He said he was going to get to all of them but he was 70 then. The last time I saw him he was mowing around all the cars and trailers with a push mower about noon one summer day.

[Jacob]

That is quite a dilemma.

It sure would be nice to find a way to get those parts into the hands of people who could use them and maybe save a few more 914's that could go back on the road. The labor would be a big expense. I don't suppose some kind of defoliating spray would work well enough to allow you to set up some kind of pull-a-part yard. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Obviously, with all that stuff sitting out in the weather like that, it is not in pristine condition, but, what would you say is the general condition of what you have out there?

I will have to think about this a while.

[SirAndy]

Is this it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[orange914]

very simple:

hire several local car nut school kids to cut & clear, part out ect... for the promise a 1st car builder 914.

from a business stand point alone, you've just added a new generation of teeners

opposite of the wonderful "cash for clunkers" idea that worked so well (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Tom_T]

thank you all for the replies. We need to find a way to dispose of them without a lot of labor involved, because I can just call a crusher and he will clean the lot for 2000 in my pocket. OBVIOUSLY the cars are worth much more than that. Just the late model shift linkages would be worth the strip.
However the cars are overgrown and jambed up there, and I would be afraid that even if I gave a few away that would still leave me with the rest and the ones given away the pick of the litter. Even taking the labor to cut down the mess move the cars into straight lines and inventory would be a crazy labor expense.

IIRC - GA Dept. of Social Services is right across the street from you (actually, I know so cuz my sister-in-law works there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ), so maybe they can get some of their clients to clear the yard & yank them out for access at minimum wage? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

If Andy's satellite pic is accurate, I think many of them are well on their way to adding iron nutrients to that red Georgia clay! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)