A Tired Ole Savoy, That I Hope Gets A Good Home

[bencar]

A friend of mine E-Mailed me this 'Link' on Ebay 1960 Plymouth Savoy . I can't afford to pay attention these days, let alone take on a project like this Savoy, so I had to pass on this one. It just kills me though to know that maybe this survivor, one of so few of it's kind left, might be bought by someone who will bust it up for parts, because it's not a highly prized 'Collector Car.' Last time I had checked, there were only 87 'Slant-Six' powered Savoys still registered in the entire U.S., and only 3 in New Jersey, with mine being one of the three. I just wish that those highly visible programs on channels like the 'Speed Channel' and 'Discovery Channel', would give some more air time and emphasis on the general concept of saving as much of our 'rolling history' as can be saved, instead of focusing so heavily on the 'high dollar' cars, and the equally 'high dollar' 'Muscle Cars.'

[SingingSabre]

Here's the car

[Mosca]

I dunno Ben, I might agree with you in principal but think that that particular car might not be the place to start. Thing is, an awful lot of time and money will get tied up in a project like that, and it would be kinda strange to sink a huge wad of cash into something that is the 1960 equivalent of a Chevy Corsica.


Tom

[2000]

Originally posted by Mosca
and it would be kinda strange to sink a huge wad of cash into something that is the 1960 equivalent of a Chevy Corsica.


Tom

question only, not a statement. don't you think that even the corsica will gain some cool factor when its that old and only a few left and people have to ask what it is. Isn't there something to be said for being rare and unique, even if it took thrity years?

[bencar]

Originally posted by 2000
question only, not a statement. don't you think that even the corsica will gain some cool factor when its that old and only a few left and people have to ask what it is. Isn't there something to be said for being rare and unique, even if it took thrity years?

I agree with you Tom, though that Plymouth would never be worth what you'd have to put in to it, in order to bring it back, it would be nice to see a survivor given a 2nd chance, especially after it managed to hang around for 45 years. There are many cars, that monetarily will NEVER be worth what was spent on them, but it is nice to see them preserved, instead of being cut up, or crushed. Heck, I'm now seeing Pintos, Vegas, and VW Beetles showing up at 'Car Shows' and 'Cruise Nights', and at one time, they were a dime a dozen, now, the ONLY place you'll see these cars, is at one of the types of events I just mentioned.

[travisdecpn]

Man, that would be a nice project car. Too bad I already have 3 waiting at home for me. It's definitely sad to see a car being stripped for parts, hopefully the winner of that auction has the heart and patience to restore it to it's former glory.

[bencar]

Originally posted by travisdecpn
Man, that would be a nice project car. Too bad I already have 3 waiting at home for me. It's definitely sad to see a car being stripped for parts, hopefully the winner of that auction has the heart and patience to restore it to it's former glory.

From your mouth to G-d's ears. Hey, I've fought too long in the battle against 'Vehicle Scrappage Laws' and other laws, programs, and ordinances that were designed to do one thing, and one thing only, and that is, destroy as much of our 'Rolling History' as possible, so someone else could get some kind of credits, to not feel that cars like that Savoy deserve a 2nd chance.

[Mosca]

If such a thing was done, what it should be...

Problem is, if you restore this Plymouth Savoy, what do you have? You have a restored old car.

You DO NOT have history.


Take that old car. Find out who bought it new. Find out their story, what the guy did for a living, where they vacationed, where the car went to the store to get groceries. Who had a first date in that car? How many miles was it driven? Can you get pictures of the people?

Find out who it was sold to, and the same thing. Keep digging. Find out who bought it for the fourth time as a first car. Find out who retired with it. Find out how the car died. Find out who coaxed it through the body putty and the bald tires, and the choke held open with baling wire.

Then you have a book, then you have history, then you have a record of our culture. Old cars are everywhere, history is the story behind them.


Tom

[bencar]

Originally posted by Mosca
If such a thing was done, what it should be...

Problem is, if you restore this Plymouth Savoy, what do you have? You have a restored old car.

You DO NOT have history.


Take that old car. Find out who bought it new. Find out their story, what the guy did for a living, where they vacationed, where the car went to the store to get groceries. Who had a first date in that car? How many miles was it driven? Can you get pictures of the people?

Find out who it was sold to, and the same thing. Keep digging. Find out who bought it for the fourth time as a first car. Find out who retired with it. Find out how the car died. Find out who coaxed it through the body putty and the bald tires, and the choke held open with baling wire.

Then you have a book, then you have history, then you have a record of our culture. Old cars are everywhere, history is the story behind them.


Tom

History is also the forces that led to the styling of the car, the times it existed in, the scars it accumaulated, and how it reflects the power of the forces that existed at the time in which it was built. EVERY vehicle has that pedigree, it depends on whether or not you want to recognize it, and if you have the place to put the vehicle, and the money to bring it back, that will determine whether or not all that history will be lost forever, or preserved for future generations to ponder and admire.

[2000]

Originally posted by Mosca
If such a thing was done, what it should be...

Problem is, if you restore this Plymouth Savoy, what do you have? You have a restored old car.

You DO NOT have history.


Take that old car. Find out who bought it new. Find out their story, what the guy did for a living, where they vacationed, where the car went to the store to get groceries. Who had a first date in that car? How many miles was it driven? Can you get pictures of the people?

Find out who it was sold to, and the same thing. Keep digging. Find out who bought it for the fourth time as a first car. Find out who retired with it. Find out how the car died. Find out who coaxed it through the body putty and the bald tires, and the choke held open with baling wire.

Then you have a book, then you have history, then you have a record of our culture. Old cars are everywhere, history is the story behind them.


Tom

what about the history of the assembily line, the company, the pop culture that made these cars a dime a dozen and than drop off the face of the planet. I think theres always history right in front of our eyes, sometimes we're to busy tring to look past it. I would say maybe youre over thinking the history part, or maybe its better to say tring to personalize it. that said I would be very hesitate to put my money into that car, but if I did it won't be because I saw it as a investment, or a break even thing, or for history. It would be for my own shelfish want of having that car. my own personal history if you will.

[Mosca]

I know. I was thinking about all the things I think about when I see old cars, restored or not.

The same thing goes for my ramblings; it would be a heck of a lot of work and a heck of a lot of research, and writing well is hard; when I was done, would it be interesting enough to read?


Tom

[bencar]

Originally posted by 2000
what about the history of the assembily line, the company, the pop culture that made these cars a dime a dozen and than drop off the face of the planet. I think theres always history right in front of our eyes, sometimes we're to busy tring to look past it. I would say maybe youre over thinking the history part, or maybe its better to say tring to personalize it. that said I would be very hesitate to put my money into that car, but if I did it won't be because I saw it as a investment, or a break even thing, or for history. It would be for my own shelfish want of having that car. my own personal history if you will.

You've pretty much explained why I went to the lengths I did to preserve my Savoy, and if you combine that with whatever it is you view as the vehicle's value as 'Rolling History', then you've done a good thing, you've promoted a better side of the hobby, and to the best of my knowledge, you've done nothing that should be criticized