Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

[mikeink]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

Oh geez, where would one start. Cataloguing everything by make, model and year? Or by type of part?

What about some of the esoteric stuff that few cherish but somewhere in the world some gearhead would clamour for that bracket or trim piece. It will take time, but I'm sure everything can be sorted, cleaned, tagged n' bagged.

Gearheads are more and more becoming like steam-locomotive-heads. It's more about preserving a nugget of history than scoring for personal gain.

[mikeink]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I couldn't help but run into import scene-type guys going around and many times, I've said to them, start buying up all those 1980s and 1990s Civics and Acuras, Diamond Star Motors cars, Nissan 240 SXs and what-have-you while they're cheap AND unmolested AND clean.

"I don't got the money." So what's with the $600 intake tube and $3000 sound system?

[mlcraven]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

Brian, great article. Almost sounds like it could be made into a movie -- "The Man Who Collected Cars" or something.

It's one of the defining characteristics (or sicknesses, depending on your perspective) of our western culture -- the need to accumulate "stuff", even if we can't quite figure out why we must have it. My wife's cousin is like this, can't pass any yard sale or pile of junk on the side of the road without bringing something home. Her two favorite lines are: "Can you believe they were throwing that out?" and "I can't believe how useful this will be." Her house, garage and yard are filled. Sadly, she has no interest in cars except as a means to convey more "stuff" back home. And she too now lives alone with her addiction; husband and son packed up as soon as they figured out it was no passing fancy.

As I'm a career sailor in the Cdn Navy, one of the constant uncertainties my wife and I face is when we'll next be moved. But the silver lining is it's a great excuse to ditch "stuff"...which often works to the advantage of those carjunkie friends who do have the collecting jones. And it sure keeps things tidy in the garage.

[Turbo Regal]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

It is a shame he apparently doesn't get along with his sons. He sounds like he is someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder and needs medical help.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I definitely hear what you guys are saying (and not saying ;)) but I will say this, Bruce is not a man who is boastful about this stuff. I'm not a doctor or a scientist of any kind, but I think that while drugs are the most public thing that people get "hooked" on and do in a compulsory fashion, they certainly aren't the only thing.

Even DF who is like a velcro magnet for beater cars, I don't think anyway, would ever amass this level of "stuff".

Repeatedly throughout the visit Bruce would say, "I have no idea how one person acquires all this stuff."

Brian

Well said Brian.

[Schtauffer]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I definitely hear what you guys are saying (and not saying ;)) but I will say this, Bruce is not a man who is boastful about this stuff. I'm not a doctor or a scientist of any kind, but I think that while drugs are the most public thing that people get "hooked" on and do in a compulsory fashion, they certainly aren't the only thing.

Even DF who is like a velcro magnet for beater cars, I don't think anyway, would ever amass this level of "stuff".

Repeatedly throughout the visit Bruce would say, "I have no idea how one person acquires all this stuff."

Brian

Most drug addicts are not proud of the fact that they're hooked, but the drugs control them nontheless. Most want to quit, and yet they don't.

Why else would Bruce want to sell the place, but have conflicting emotions about it?

Now all I have to do is come up with $1.5 mil.

[Silver68RT]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I feel kind of bad for the guy too. All that stuff definitely owns him. I think the odds are, that when he dies, the kids will sell the place to a shredder for a quick buck, and it'll all be gone. If you put that footage you shot there on a DVD - I'll buy a copy.

I saw a similar sight at Bob's Auto Parts in Lapeer, MI. Musclecars of every make and model imaginable, left to rot, stacked on top of each other, and headed to the crusher.

http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff184/Silver68RT/bobs%20auto%20parts/?albumview=slideshow

I've got too much stuff, and if I had more space, I'd have more cars. It's a struggle. I just can't pass up a good deal, but it means I don't have the money to finish all the projects I've got going. I want to sell the dragster and the '70 Barracuda, and a couple of engines, but I just can't bring myself to list them.

There is a guy named Walter Soplata who has the same kind of problem as the guy in VT, except his obsession was airplanes. His property is crammed with planes, and his house is crammed full of airplane parts.

http://www.webshots.com/search?query=Walter+Soplata+Collection

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2413&highlight=walter

[Teddyzee]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I've got one of those in my family. I'm doing my damnedest to help/encourage him to finish one project. To the poin of drivability, anyway. Paint Shmaint.

[milner351]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I've seen this before - wasn't the place on ebay a few years ago with a starting price of 2 Mil? (a deal IMHO)

This guy certainly takes "eccentric" and "packrat" to new levels.

However - as I'm sure some of us have felt like at times with our own stuff - I'm sure that collection owns him... I for one would be completely overwhelmed with a fraction of that.... but - it sure would make for an interesting and fun retirement to go full time ebay with a collection like that. I would think it would keep even the most efficient of auction houses busy for a good long time.

in a word WOW!

and Happy New Year everyone!
Here's to us all being healthy wealthy and wise in 2009 -- or something like that.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

I was getting to be a hoarder like that
but the love a good woman made me see the error of my ways
sold it all
have never experienced boredom like this before
yes dear

[stk1697]

Re: Barnstormin': A Day With the Vermont Junkyard Guy

Brian, By chance does he have any lowly 305 stuff in his collection?