It is amazing how when the timing is right, things just fall into place.
My dad loved old cars, so it probably all his fault. One day when visiting him in Cape Town, in the days when I used to live far away in Johannesburg, we passed a car rental lot on the way to his place. In the lot was an old Jaguar from the fifties. It was beautiful, stately, black, and elegant. It had been completely refurbished, and now sported new leather, gleaming wood finishes, electric windows, and air conditioning. Certainly not something a purist would appreciate but it made an impression on me. The car had been sold to a buyer in the UK for the then princely sum of 10,000 pounds.
That day, was the beginning of the end for me. I started to believe I could drive around in a beautiful old car and it would be wonderful. A young man’s dream with no possible hope for success!
The thing about dreams, is that if you want them badly enough, they can come true.
My dream went seriously awry when I got stuck into the refurbishment of a 1956 Ford pickup truck. Hardly a classic beauty, more pure American muscle. If you have seen the movie, ‘The Expendables’, then you will have have seen Stallone driving a copy of my truck, except mine has far less bullet holes and road rage damage.
About a year ago, I saw a Jaguar I fancied from the sixties. It was parked at a garage I had just started to use for my truck. I asked the garage owner about it and he told me the owner was interested in selling. I started to day dream. The emigrating owner would only sell this beautiful jaguar together with two other sixties Jaguars he had. A package deal, beauty and the two ugly ducklings! After not agonising too long over the decision, I bought all three of them.
The beautiful one is still in the garage, but that is another long story. Any day now, and she will spread her wings...
As for the rusting hulks, they have lived in the open for the last year. I have on occasion kicked their tyres to make them feel loved. They were parked at the back of my mind too, well out of conscious thought. I knew I would have to deal with them one day.
Then last week, I responded to an advert on Gumtree where somebody was looking for old Jaguar project cars. Lo and behold after some negotiation, the advertiser agreed to buy the worst of the two cars, in order to break it down for spares. Being inspired I posted an advert on Gumtree for the other one. The amount of calls I received for this stationary 45 year old car has been staggering. Yesterday it was sold!
This week, I hope to have them removed from the garage to their new owners. And of course to collect some bonanza cash! Now was just the right time. I would never have believed I could sell these two derelict cars in the space of a week. I am thoroughly amazed though, by the peace of mind the sales have brought me. Obviously these old ladies have been occupying some valuable brain space. With them moving on, I can find something more important to park up there!
Right now my dream is still alive, and you can be sure Donna is very happy to see the car count reduce by two!
1 comment:
WOW what a brilliant story! I just hope that they buyers give them even more love than you did. Your heart was in the right place but it wasn't meant to be.
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