Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22851 Location: UK

Years ago, when erindoors ran an Austin A30 as her daily wheels (the car lives on in Atlanta, Georgia), I heard of an A35 lying derelict in a driveway a couple of miles away from where my folks live.

The car was quite rough, but the owners were keen to see the back of it so donated it to me for spares. In the '70s the owners had re-painted their bathroom a salmon/pink kind of colour. Having some paint left over, and a wet roller, they proceeded to give the A35 a freshen-up too. Needless to say it didn't look brilliant and did nothing to ward off the epic corrosion that was to follow.

I've a better pic of it somewhere..

Anyone else had classic freebies like this?

RJ
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Rick - Admin
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baconsdozen · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1119 Location: Under the car.

Sort of...
there used to be an auction in Acle,Norfolk called (I think Walters). It mainly auctioned livestock and machinery and the odd car or bike.
Me and a mate attended one day and bought a mini with a rotten back sub frame for a fiver.Its still had a bit of tax and ticket.There was more than enough fuel to get it back home where the engine was removed to go in another one.We cashed the tax in,sold the seats to a neighbour and took the shell to the scrappie.
I bought a couple of wardrobes at the old Edrich auction house just down the road from that auction site a few years ago,I wanted a big bit of ply and the back of one was perfect,the rest I was busy breaking up for firewood.The auctioneer came along and I thought I was about to get a rocket for breaking up these in the yard,but instead he asked why i was breaking the things up.QWhen I told him they made good firewood he took me to the room at the back of one of the auction sheds,it was full of chairs,wardrobes and all sorts of units.These were all stuff that had accumulated over the years that they never been able to sell and the owners wouldn't collect.He told me I could have it for nothing as long as I took it all and left no mess behind.I filled a box transit twice over,warmest winter we ever had.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).

Aar0sc · Joined: 12 Apr 2011 Posts: 98 Location: Surrey

This was free Smile

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Aaron

peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7223 Location: Edinburgh

I got given an LE Velocette when I was 14 or 15 and that started me getting my hands dirty on my own vehicle for the first time.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

3xpendable · Joined: 19 Dec 2010 Posts: 222 Location: USA

I got given two metro's when I was about 13, and then a few years ago got given a tax and MOT'd Renault 5 for free. Lets just say I had some fun with it for the remaining 3 weeks of tax it had!
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2013 Dodge Durango R/T Hemi
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (LHD)
1964 Ford Anglia 105E 1500 GT (Dad)
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa (Uncle)
1971 MGB GT (V8 project) -SOLD 2016
2005 MINI Cooper S JCW - SOLD 2016

Roger-hatchy · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex

I thought he was a friend till he gave me a ford.
Was given an Anglia van in the 70's.
Comfirmed what we all thought about Fords.
I tried to pass it on as well, might still be in Bigin Hill for all I know.

62rebel · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:13 pm Post subject:

friends gave me a '70 Oldsmobile... that i got a good set of tyres from; another gave me a 90-something Escort, that i was more than happy to be rid of when i gave it away....a great-Aunt left Dad her husband's Satellite Sebring, that he, in turn, gave me when i joined the Navy.... drove the wheels off that old rust bucket. everything else, over 150 others, i either paid for or horsetraded.
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nothing is ever so far gone as to be unsalvageable. see this bolt?.....

Nick.S. · Joined: 08 Nov 2011 Posts: 64 Location: Manitoba, Canada.

My uncle wanted to give me his austin devon for free, but I managed to talk him into taking $10 for it, thats what he paid for it almost 40 years ago. It just didn't feel right taking it for free.

welder · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 265 Location: North Warwickshire

An Uncle once gave me his rusting, non-running Austin A70 Hampshire for nothing.

And that's exactly what it was worth.

Ian

Uncle Alec · Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester

I have done very well; several pre- and post-war caravans, including two Winchesters and an Angela!
Several Rileys.
One each - Maxi, Humber Super Snipe, Morris 8, Volvo 244, Morris Minor split-screen, Reliant Regal (!), Hillman Minx IIIa, all of which were eventually roadworthy.
Myford ML7 lathe (x 2!), a large sandblasting cabinet, a four-wheel 1-ton builders trailer, the list is endless.
I try to pass on with integrity; I am trying to give away a Riley RME as we speak. I don't like profiteering on something I was given in good faith, but that doesn't mean I can't trade for something more applicable to me. Or pass on at zero cost, maybe having necessary collection expenses reimbursed.

Jason · Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 623 Location: Todmorden, Lancs.

I had this given....... Very Happy

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"people with money buy a Rolls Royce, people with taste buy an Alvis".

Jim.Walker · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield

When I was an apprentice a customer gave me a Coronet. Yes it was a car - or then again perhaps it wasn't!

It was a quite stylish drop head aluminium bodied three wheeler. With either an Anzani or Villiers engine and also with either rwo or three cylinders, After half a Century I cannot be sure. It did, I am certain, have a Siba Dynastart, It was in running order, butnot overly reliable.
I think I also gave it away, but I wish I had not - I've never seen one since.
Jim.
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Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

Churchill Johnson · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Rayleigh Essex

About 44yrs ago i had the folowing free 2 Ford 100e van's from different people a 1947 Morris 10, Standard Vanguard phase 1, 1948 Morris serie's E, 1954 Vauxhall Wyvern, souped up Mini van and a Bedford furniture lorry O model which ran out of petrol on the way home most of these my dad and me towed home and believe it or not we did not know we were breaking the law because they had all failed an MOT and no tax or insurance and they were all broken up by me with a mattock the toughest being the Vanguard.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22851 Location: UK

smiffy220 · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:07 am Post subject:

I responded to an ad about 3 1/2 years ago, and was subsequently given this, as you see it here. Spent money on it since, but the cost of a trailer, a battery and a water pump, saw this sale through an MOT in 2009 a week after I got it!

Dave
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Born to rally, forced to work!

1980 Opel Manta 2.0 SR Berlinetta
1934 Morris Cowley Four (my late fathers)