<VV> How sad... The seller with a backyard full of parts has had an overnight change of heart.

[N. Joseph Potts]

If there is anything to his plan to move the stuff to a scrapyard (there
probably isn't), finding the scrapyard could give you (and us) access to the
parts on good terms, after all.
     On the other hand, I see very clearly what you've got on your hands
here (we've ALL run up against this, if not committed it ourselves in some
previous lifetime), and I, for one, wouldn't blame you in the slightest for
washing your hands of the matter entirely and forever. I'm quite satisfied
that you've gone way beyond whatever the "call of duty" might be in this
case.
     By the way, ONE rather minor reason I'm involved with Corvairs rather
than other cars is that the cars and the parts, under the right
circumstances, are very economical. GREAT value for money. Such is simply
NOT to be found for lesser cars, such as Mustangs, Corvettes, and so on.

Joe Potts
Miami, Florida USA
1966 Corsa coupe 140hp 4-speed with A/C

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org]On Behalf Of Joe West
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 1:19 PM
To: VV
Subject: <VV> How sad... The seller with a backyard full of parts has had an
overnight change of heart.

All,

Before heading out to go pick up a trailer load of parts, I called the
gentleman and told him I was on my way over, and gave him an overview of the
parts I'd be picking out (if I could find them).  I also re-iterated what he
told me yesterday; $100 for a trailer load.

The long and short of the conversation that followed is that he told me; "it
was a slip of the tongue" and that he didn't mean I could bring a trailer
over and take stuff away. What he "meant" to say is that I could take
whatever "I" need and he would charge me accordingly.  Then he proceeded to
tell me that he would sell me a set of 64 heads for $300.

The final blow... When I told him that what I really wanted to do was save
all these parts from the scrap yard and get them to people who need them was
when he said (and I quote):

"I'd rather see these parts go to the scrap yard than to sell them cheap"

He proceeded to go into a long diatribe about how cheap Corvair owners are,
and how for 30 years he's had to deal with low cost parts and cheap owners
who nickel and dime him for everything.  He said "A Corvette air cleaner
will sell for $400 or more, and Corvair people want a Corvair air cleaner
for $30"  He bemoaned that selling Corvair parts cheap just continued to
devalue our cars and that he would rather scrap parts and take them out of
the market to raise the price of corvair parts than he would sell them to
people who need them cheap.

I ended up telling him to call me after he has sold all of the valuable
parts, and I'd be happy to go through whatever he has left to save it from
the scrap yard.

I'm extremely disappointed that he changed his mind after telling me to take
what I wanted.  He honestly believes that his backyard full of old parts
that have been languishing in the Arizona sun for who knows how many years
are worth a small fortune.  He'd be happy to partner with me if I wanted to
take the parts, sell them, and give him a cut of the sales.

Well gang... I tried.  Another Corvair guy who doesn't understand why his
Corvair parts don't sell for what Corvette parts sell for.  Someone who
would rather destroy parts and send them to the scrap yard rather than put
them in the hands of people who could use them.

I'm not sure if I'm angry because he lied to me, angry because he will scrap
some very nice parts that people may need, or angry because I would have
enjoyed finding cool stuff for some people in the group and now I won't have
that chance.

Anyway... It just goes to show you the kind of people around these days.
I apologize for wasting people's time asking for what you needed.  If this
guy calls me back, I'll keep your list of requests and see if I can find
anything.  This person must move in two months... So I guess we'll see what
happens.

Joe West