Decades of passion and collecting, what happens to your classic cars when you’re gone?”
By Dave Wettlaufer
One might read this title as a *thought-provoking question that could touch on personal values, legacy, and priorities, and one might even find this question a little sensitive or callous. However, being a betting man, I believe most responsible car collectors haven’t given this question a second thought. But maybe they should for their family’s sake.
*** Planning Ahead Isn’t Just About Finances ***
Question: If you have a collection of classic cars and knew you were dying, would you leave it for your estate to look after? Or at that point, would you even care?
This story could have started with someone finding a classic car decades sitting in a barn, forgotten by the family of a deceased owner. Or it could have started with the recent and unexpected death of a car owner and collector.
Now, I’m not sure what prompted me to ask this question. However, the thought should be considered when longevity starts showing its face in the mirror.
- If that first part didn’t get your wheels turning, this next part might.
Did you know that life insurance companies, estate planners, funeral homes, and even real estate companies often advertise with a slogan like:
“Consider end-of-life planning, don’t leave this delicate task to your loved ones after you’re gone.”
I’m sure they’ve forgotten the part about leaving your collection of fine automobiles for the estate to deal with. That, too, is the most considerate thing to do.
I asked this question and with a few comments.
I posted this question on Quora without any explanation to the readers; it was meant as a feeler question. I know many car collectors and restoration professionals, and as I look in the mirror, we’re all around the same age. Doing some quick math, maybe this question isn’t so silly after all.
But I needed an answer from outside the realm of car collectors or enthusiasts, hopefully from family members who might share their thoughts if the situation ever arose.
Real Stories from the Real World
Here’s one answer:
“When my father passed away in the early ’80s, rich collectors swarmed my mother for his classic car. She didn’t want to sell it to just anyone who’d flip it for profit or hide it in a garage. She felt it was meant to be driven. She took her time and ended up selling it to a young man she’d taught in second grade. Last I heard, he still has that car.”
And here’s another response:
“Bring on the dumpsters.”
A good friend and fellow automotive collector also passed away unexpectedly. His wife, who had supported his hobby through the years but had no personal attachment to the cars. She lined up the dumpsters with explicit instructions: “Do not look. Do not take anything. Everything goes for scrap.”
Now, to be fair, this friend/lady had her reasons. However, if there’s such a time … ‘this collector would have been rolling over in his grave.’
- Reminiscing about that part of the story, one thought instantly came to mind: “What happened to the 1978 Corvette that was stored in that same barn?” Silly me,’ it wouldn’t fit in a dumpster, would it?’ As a classic car enthusiast, does this sound familiar in your household?
As a member of a long-standing car club, I’ve seen similar reactions from some of the members’ spouses.
So, in the end, maybe this isn’t such a silly question from the angle of family looking after the estate when you should have.
A Question Every Collector Should Ask
That begs the question: as a responsible person, should you leave your classic car collection for your estate to look after?
Well, folks, I’ll go one step further with this next example. This popular TV series called American Pickers gets many of its treasures and valuable finds from either:
* 1 Barns, cars forgotten by deceased owners, or
* 2 Estates, where relatives are liquidating the collection of someone who has passed away. Deceased is the magic word.
That’s where I pick up this mindset story and a simple but important question for car enthusiasts: Should you start liquidating your classic cars as time creeps up on you, or let someone else worry about it later and ‘sold to the highest bidder, or my friend’s wife’s alternative, dumpster?
📢 And that, my friends, takes us full circle back to my question.
Did you know insurance companies convince people to buy more coverage for this very reason? “Don’t leave expenses for your spouse to worry about after you’re gone. Get your house in order is the responsible thing to do.”
My Final Thought
A quick answer for the classic car collector might be that, ultimately, the decision is deeply personal. It depends on one’s values and feelings about what to leave behind, whether for someone else to enjoy or who cares, ‘the estate can dispose of them.’
Mike from American Pickers has often told estate sellers: “I’ll restore it. I’ll give it a new life for someone who will truly appreciate owning this fine automobile.” And most of the time, people’s wishes are for someone to enjoy.
📢 This is a sensitive and thought-provoking question that could touch the hearts of many passionate car collectors. So, as hard as it may be for an avid car collector to sell their collection early, the thought should at least be considered. When the time is right for you, you can be selective and find a suitable, passionate buyer, someone like yourself, instead of leaving it to be “sold to the highest bidder” or, worse, “Bring on the dumpsters!”
Ultimately, the decision will always be deeply personal. That reflection alone could be the punchline to my story.
*** What Are Your Thoughts? *** Would you liquidate your classic cars while you can and be selective about who will buy it? Or leave the keys in the ignition and the decision left to your estate? ***
- If you found this article helpful or interesting, please share on Social Media, and thank you in advance for supporting my writing, ☕ ‘one coffee at a time. Dave
