Very nice Bill! One point that hasn't really been addressed in this is that buying parts from someone else is not the same as having your own parts car, let alone the idea of turning ones long cherished friend into one. I have had opportunities to purchase parts cars (Imperials and Lincolns)at very cheap prices, and am often able to determine the positive economics of this on the spot by seeing obviously high valued parts still on the car being offered in the deal. The problem is that even though I may have room for one (or four) and I know that I need or would like to have the parts, I can't have parts cars sitting around my property. Old car buffs in our area tend to take a beating from the neighborhood watch dogs anyway. If I brought home a parts car, it would be burdensome, to say the least, getting everything off of it I wanted, and then to dispose of it. Keeping it around indefinately when the need for parts arose would be totally out of the question for me. Notice I said "for me". Somewhere in this thread I saw a post the really made sense. It basically said that if your think that your car needs too much, sell it whole, and let someone else deal with it. I believe that the car in the post did eventually get parted out, but that doesn't always happen. Sometimes the right person will come along with a big bucket of money and spend whatever it takes. This happened with my other '55 Imperial. I actually traded it for some work, but it was later sold. Now it's back on the road! Paul In a message dated 11/5/2003 2:05:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, Billimp68@xxxxxxx writes: >Dear Miss Blueberry, > >When I suggested that you become a parts car, I was only trying to help your >owner get a nice Imperial without having to do all the work that you require, >and have you be the one to help keep the other car running as it should so he >could enjoy himself. �I guess I didn't realize just what an impression you >have made on everyone you came into contact with, either through Hugh's >writing >or where you might have appeared in public. �I am not heartless when it comes >to old cars, especially Imperials, as I have refurbished five, but >unfortunately, I had to use parts from four other cars to do so. �I doubt very >much that >there is anyone on this list who has not used parts from a doner car, in fact >they advertise for these parts all the time, as well they should. �I wish you >the best, may you find the fountain of youth, so that you can continue to >excite and please people for many years to come. > >Bill/Imp, just a few 68's >