When I read the comments on the Hemmings site, I personally find it kind of tasteless that all they can talk about is that the guy was a "hoarder". A treasure trove of hot rod parts and very desirable cars have been saved and preserved over the years, that will now be able to be restored and used by fellow car enthusiasts, and yet they focus on him being a "hoarder". Too many armchair psychologists out there now days who suddenly have become experts on hoarders after watching a couple of reality shows.
The deceased was a car guy, like us, who managed to save some great old iron. I would say he was living in his glory surrounded by things that made him happy - his life, his choice, and now many "car guys" will benefit from it. Non car-people would of course, just think that the guy was hoarding junk.
Let's take all this "hoarder" talk and flush it where it belongs. Rather let's focus on the treasures to the car hobby that were saved.
RIP to a fellow car enthusiast - wish I had met him while he was still around. I bet he had some great stories.
-- Edited by MC on Friday 16th of January 2015 03:03:56 PM
he's as much of a hoarder as jay leno....I like him...did what he wanted surrounded himself with what he loved. because they are parts and incomplete, not stored in a temperature controlled warehouse, he is a hoarder with mental issues? rubbish I say too!!!
__________________
cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
There is a big difference between a stupid hoarder of mostly worthless sh*t and a smart collector with vision & the mean he made for himself. - wish the old man was my Dad
Maybe he didn't want to buy a new motor home, or a summer cottage, expensive trip on a cruise (for instant gratification & not much to show for trip $$ after its over), etc...he found joy instead, in hunting for some vehicles that would eventually become extremely rare.
- who am I to judge, what he should spend his hard earned money on
BTW - Brother and I met a guy just like Bob Koepke, 25 years ago...very/very few people, got welcomed into this ones mans inner circle of trust.
- a true delight, to see such rare tin first hand / with a wealth of knowledge & passion / someone I quickly respected
PS - I came close to buying a 1932 model B 3 window coupe once, rust free body (fenderless roller) - I was 17. - would offered up my 1st semester College savings, but the deal just didn't close / still think about the "good one that got away", to this day
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Saturday 17th of January 2015 08:44:30 AM
Here's a great old ford to build. Easy project compared to most 82 year old cars. Came from Ca. to Michigan in early 70's. Was a show rod in the 70's and taken apart in early 80's. Never put back togather. Has original wood and a great solid floor. Offering with the items pictured plus I have the front and rear seat cushions in good shape. Car is apart and I was working on getting the body all bare steel. Check out the condition of rear wheel wells. Original factory spot welds! Also not pictured but included are the bumpers and irons, radiator. gennie front fenders and hood, nice running boards , bobbed rear fenders, frame covers. Chassis has heavy front axle with a stock old chrome wishbone. 36 rear with juice brakes and shortened 34 drive shaft. 39 ford trans.
Cool project that needs attention in a few areas but overall a great car. Abouit all that is missing from a complete car are garnish mouldings and a engine. Rare opportunity for someone.......I hate to see it go really.
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 08:02:04 AM
Sure, putting away a bunch of stuff until it matures in value (if it ever does) is fine (if you also have proper storage space to put all the stuff in), but when it effects your life and the people around you it's not okay. Sounds like this guy died without a close relationship with his son in the final years, and without a "partner" of his own. Sad.
This description below is not "living the dream" in my world, sorry.
As the 1980s blended into the 1990s, the enduring prosperity of the space program gave way to the harsh reality of budget cuts, and life for many on the Space Coast began to sour. Bob took an early retirement, and David began college at the University of Florida, but soon made the decision to move back to Indiana, where he found work as a machinist. Though he and his father still kept in touch, the distance between them became, perhaps, more than physical. Busy with his own career and family, Davids trips to Florida became more infrequent. When he did head south, his father always insisted they meet somewhere close to Davids hotel, as a matter of convenience.
When David got the word last November that his father had died, he came to the realization that it had been 10 years since hed set foot on his fathers property. Arriving there, it soon became apparent why his father always insisted they meet elsewhere. The driveway was overgrown, as was the house, the garage, the barn and the rest of the property, requiring David to cut his way through the jungle that had reclaimed the land using a chainsaw and a machete.
Once David was able to gain entry into the house, his fathers transition from collector to hoarder became apparent. Parts were stacked in every available corner of the house, including the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.In a back corner of his dads garage, David found Bobs original $25 Model A, which will not be part of the sale. Along with a 1935 Ford roadster that David recognized as his fathers favorite, the Model A will go back to Indiana and remain part of the family.
At least the son will now benefit monetarily from his hoarding.
-- Edited by Pontiacanada on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 08:40:04 AM
__________________
Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Sure, putting away a bunch of stuff until it matures in value (if it ever does) is fine (if you also have proper storage space to put all the stuff in), but when it effects your life and the people around you it's not okay. Sounds like this guy died without a close relationship with his son in the final years, and without a "partner" of his own. Sad.
This description below is not "living the dream" in my world, sorry.
As the 1980s blended into the 1990s, the enduring prosperity of the space program gave way to the harsh reality of budget cuts, and life for many on the Space Coast began to sour. Bob took an early retirement, and David began college at the University of Florida, but soon made the decision to move back to Indiana, where he found work as a machinist. Though he and his father still kept in touch, the distance between them became, perhaps, more than physical. Busy with his own career and family, Davids trips to Florida became more infrequent. When he did head south, his father always insisted they meet somewhere close to Davids hotel, as a matter of convenience.
When David got the word last November that his father had died, he came to the realization that it had been 10 years since hed set foot on his fathers property. Arriving there, it soon became apparent why his father always insisted they meet elsewhere. The driveway was overgrown, as was the house, the garage, the barn and the rest of the property, requiring David to cut his way through the jungle that had reclaimed the land using a chainsaw and a machete.
Once David was able to gain entry into the house, his fathers transition from collector to hoarder became apparent. Parts were stacked in every available corner of the house, including the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.In a back corner of his dads garage, David found Bobs original $25 Model A, which will not be part of the sale. Along with a 1935 Ford roadster that David recognized as his fathers favorite, the Model A will go back to Indiana and remain part of the family.
At least the son will now benefit monetarily from his hoarding.
-- Edited by Pontiacanada on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 08:40:04 AM
You can't know what their family dynamic was, and I don't think it's our place to pry into their business to speculate. Divorce, father left with custody of son (which usually goes the other way, food for thought), son's life is busy, doesn't have time to maintain relationship with his father. I don't think it's fair and respectful to make a statement that the collection of cars and parts is the one thing that broke up the family and drove them apart. Broken marriages can have severe effects on parent/child relationships. Who knows what the reason was for that? Is it any of our business? No, it's not.
If you want to speculate you could create any story that you want, in order to support your line of thinking. I could guess that Bob, seeing his career going down the tubes and realizing that he and his son growing further apart, collected cars and parts that he knew would appreciate in value (he was an accountant, after all) so that he could leave his son a sizeable inheritance. Perhaps the "hoarding", if you want to call it that, happened to fill the gap left by the breakdown of relationships. But this is only speculation, and really it's one of the aspects of the internet that I dislike the most. It bothers me that people can go online and feel they have the right to pick somebody's life apart, to be judgmental of somebody when in reality they've never even met them.
As I said before, there's nothing wrong with just appreciating the treasure trove of cars and parts he left behind and being happy in the knowledge that they will now go to people who will use and appreciate them, rather than to the crusher.
I would suggest that we leave judgement about whether he lived his life up to our standards alone and just look after our own lives.
Sure, putting away a bunch of stuff until it matures in value (if it ever does) is fine (if you also have proper storage space to put all the stuff in), but when it effects your life and the people around you it's not okay. Sounds like this guy died without a close relationship with his son in the final years, and without a "partner" of his own. Sad.
This description below is not "living the dream" in my world, sorry.
As the 1980s blended into the 1990s, the enduring prosperity of the space program gave way to the harsh reality of budget cuts, and life for many on the Space Coast began to sour. Bob took an early retirement, and David began college at the University of Florida, but soon made the decision to move back to Indiana, where he found work as a machinist. Though he and his father still kept in touch, the distance between them became, perhaps, more than physical. Busy with his own career and family, Davids trips to Florida became more infrequent. When he did head south, his father always insisted they meet somewhere close to Davids hotel, as a matter of convenience.
When David got the word last November that his father had died, he came to the realization that it had been 10 years since hed set foot on his fathers property. Arriving there, it soon became apparent why his father always insisted they meet elsewhere. The driveway was overgrown, as was the house, the garage, the barn and the rest of the property, requiring David to cut his way through the jungle that had reclaimed the land using a chainsaw and a machete.
Once David was able to gain entry into the house, his fathers transition from collector to hoarder became apparent. Parts were stacked in every available corner of the house, including the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.In a back corner of his dads garage, David found Bobs original $25 Model A, which will not be part of the sale. Along with a 1935 Ford roadster that David recognized as his fathers favorite, the Model A will go back to Indiana and remain part of the family.
At least the son will now benefit monetarily from his hoarding.
-- Edited by Pontiacanada on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 08:40:04 AM
You can't know what their family dynamic was, and I don't think it's our place to pry into their business to speculate. Divorce, father left with custody of son (which usually goes the other way, food for thought), son's life is busy, doesn't have time to maintain relationship with his father. I don't think it's fair and respectful to make a statement that the collection of cars and parts is the one thing that broke up the family and drove them apart. Broken marriages can have severe effects on parent/child relationships. Who knows what the reason was for that? Is it any of our business? No, it's not.
If you want to speculate you could create any story that you want, in order to support your line of thinking. I could guess that Bob, seeing his career going down the tubes and realizing that he and his son growing further apart, collected cars and parts that he knew would appreciate in value (he was an accountant, after all) so that he could leave his son a sizeable inheritance. Perhaps the "hoarding", if you want to call it that, happened to fill the gap left by the breakdown of relationships. But this is only speculation, and really it's one of the aspects of the internet that I dislike the most. It bothers me that people can go online and feel they have the right to pick somebody's life apart, to be judgmental of somebody when in reality they've never even met them.
As I said before, there's nothing wrong with just appreciating the treasure trove of cars and parts he left behind and being happy in the knowledge that they will now go to people who will use and appreciate them, rather than to the crusher.
I would suggest that we leave judgement about whether he lived his life up to our standards alone and just look after our own lives.
The story is on the world wide web, told by the son (I would think permission was given for publishing), for the whole world to see, and the viewers can come to their own conclusions and opinions.
Have you witnessed what this actually does to a family first hand Mark? It is a very sad mental condition, and nothing to do with "standards". The family always suffers, the hoarder "seems" always content and oblivious amongst his "stuff". To twist your phrase: it seems he lived his life up to his standards alone and just looked after his own life. Once the hoarder dies the family still suffers because of the "residue" ... just what you want to remember a loved one for.
We all have our reasons to feel the way we feel about this topic, and our own opinions ... some opinions more valid than others. Like I said, at least the son will now benefit monetarilyfrom his hoarding ... like you said, the parts/cars will now go to people who will use and appreciate them, rather than to the crusher. Small solstice.
These are our opposing opinions.
__________________
Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I don't disagree on all points, Darryl. I just see too many cases of people piling on, wanting to attach labels to people who in some cases don't deserve it. I don't know why a son would want to portray his father like this to the whole world, but whatever, it's not my business.
I know people who have amassed large amounts of cars and parts who have good family lives and are caring and generous people. Some people would like to label them as hoarders - say they have a mental illness.
I know other people who do not have a large collection of items, yet they have terrible family lives. They would not likely have any labels attached to them, they would be considered "normal" in our dysfunctional society. They'd probably have a sitcom about them that we could all "laugh" at.
All I'm trying to say is that a story comes out about a great amount of automotive history comes available because its owner passed away and immediately we all jump onboard and call him a hoarder. I guess it's just the internet and there's no point trying to bring light of that human tendency as nobody wants to listen anyways. When it comes down to it, it is just the latest tech-assisted version of "gossip", something that has been around as long as humans have been around. I didn't like it before the internet and I don't like it now.
Obviously you have strong personal feelings on the subject, and I am not intending to sway your views on hoarding - you have a right to feel the way you do about it, based on your personal experience. Perhaps if I walked in your shoes I'd understand where you're coming from a little better, and I respect your opinions.
So for me, that's enough said on the matter.
-- Edited by MC on Tuesday 20th of January 2015 12:12:28 PM
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
RE - Bob Koepke final life story: - The driveway was overgrown, as was the house, the garage, the barn and the rest of the property, requiring David to cut his way through the jungle that had reclaimed the land using a chainsaw and a machete. - Once David was able to gain entry into the house, his fathers transition from collector to hoarder became apparent. Parts were stacked in every available corner of the house, including the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
^^^^ David who hadn't visited in 10 years, now will gain + $1,000,000 on the untouched collection. Regardless of what the son walked into, what a POS thing to have written about your father...for the all the world to read. - a sensational story, after Bob's death - son David cashes in nicely ($$) on his old man's death, while tarnishing his name in the process Just SAD, I believe the late Mr. Koepke deserved more respect, than what has unfolded !!
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Thursday 22nd of January 2015 08:22:47 AM
rip bob
... now let's talk about "old man cars"