Jon - I am currently getting "Pop's Jalopy" ready for the road. It was my wife's grandfather's car which he bought new in 1929, as a farmer in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Strasburg. The Jalopy was parked in 1956 when Pop passed away. It sat in a garage until 1988 when the home place was put on the market at auction, along with the Jalopy. I researched the Jalopy's value figuring to win it at auction. My research showed it was worth about $1500, but I decided to go as high as $3000 in the auction, given it was a family heirloom. The Jalopy went for $4600 to a man who was buying it for his wife, whose father was the mechanic who worked on the Jalopy. I felt badly about losing it, but I didn't have a lot of money at the time. I sent the buyer a note telling him that if he ever wanted to sell, to please let me know. In 1998 when I got home from work there was a message on our answering machine: "If you still want the Model A, give me a call." I went out and made a deal with the owner for $2750, as he realized he had paid way too much at the auction and, anyway, I think he wanted us to have the Model A back in the family. For you, I think the question is whether whatever you can get for it would be that significant to your family's financial situation. As I said, at the time of the auction of the home place, I didn't have the money to win it. But, now I have it and my wife and I are glad to have it back in the family.
