CadVetteStang
08-08-2009, 01:00 PM
Five years ago, all of my time and resources were being channeled into the pre-production effort of a low budget movie called Culture wars. I had recently sold the “Shelter” movie Mustang (one of my daily drivers) http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3360648 and my 82 Eldorado’s 472 had started knocking.
Both of my Eldorados were on my property in non-running condition and the neighbors began to complain. Having non-running autos is a violation of my “bill of assurance” and was why my 500 powered 72 Mustang fastback had been stored at a friend’s house. That friend’s yard was full of his own project cars (and parts cars) so there was no room to add the Caddys. I did not have time to fix my 82 before the movie’s filming and my 70 would no longer fit into my garage because of things we needed to store.
I had another friend who owned a bodyshop 120 miles away who supported my filmmaking efforts and who had thought about investing in my movie, but was unable at the time. I asked him if I could keep my Eldorados in the field behind his body shop where he stored his projects and told him it would at least be a year or more – depending on my filming progress. I also told him that when I could do something with them, I might hire him to do the work. He agreed.
Well, the filming of that movie was sabotaged and the footage is so wrecked it will take extensive CG work and some very creative editing to fix it, so I was unable to finish the project. That botched filmmaking job has robbed me of the credibility to get more investors for other filmmaking projects. Therefore, I have had to live “as a fish out of water” working various jobs (sometimes two or three jobs at the same time) just to pay the bills.
Then as some of you remember, there was my mom’s death, my wife’s breast cancer, and my 72 Mustang getting “stolen” or hauled off. My friend with the body shop understood my situation and said the cars were just fine where they were.
So Recently, I found out that my wife had sandbagged just over $500 for my upcoming birthday and wanted me to fix my 82 Eldorado. I started a budget for it and found a guy at work who would overhaul the engine for free labor. All I would have to buy was parts. I got excited and was working out a temporary place close to home for one or both of the cars and called the guy to ask about their current condition and to see if I would need a chainsaw to cut brush away from them…..
Then he “dropped the bomb”. He said that he had lost my number and was being pushed to get the cars off of his uncle’s field. Apparently the uncle is about to die and the uncle’s kids don’t want anyone else’s vehicles on the property when he passes away. My friend took his wife to the hospital a few months ago, and when he came back, both of my Eldoraodos were gone.
I’m talking about my 1970 Eldorado (my first car- and one that I have owned for 28 years and have raced in the SCCA autocross)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm22/CandlelightPictures/70eldoradoatnight.jpg
… and my 1982 Eldorado with TBI injected 472 and a half-finished pro-touring suspension of my own design.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm22/CandlelightPictures/82%20Eldorado/cody_82_eldo_472.jpg
I am currently trying to find out if they went to a crusher or a salvage yard. Either way, they have been gone for a few months and it doesn’t look good. I once had three Big block Caddy powered projects… and then I got poor. Now I have no project cars…
The loss of my 1970 Eldorado hurts deep because I never wanted to sell that car. It is the best car I have ever owned and would out accelerate, out corner and out stop both of my 72 Mustangs. Even if I get another 70 Eldorado, the history I have with that one can’t be replaced.
Cody G. Carson
Both of my Eldorados were on my property in non-running condition and the neighbors began to complain. Having non-running autos is a violation of my “bill of assurance” and was why my 500 powered 72 Mustang fastback had been stored at a friend’s house. That friend’s yard was full of his own project cars (and parts cars) so there was no room to add the Caddys. I did not have time to fix my 82 before the movie’s filming and my 70 would no longer fit into my garage because of things we needed to store.
I had another friend who owned a bodyshop 120 miles away who supported my filmmaking efforts and who had thought about investing in my movie, but was unable at the time. I asked him if I could keep my Eldorados in the field behind his body shop where he stored his projects and told him it would at least be a year or more – depending on my filming progress. I also told him that when I could do something with them, I might hire him to do the work. He agreed.
Well, the filming of that movie was sabotaged and the footage is so wrecked it will take extensive CG work and some very creative editing to fix it, so I was unable to finish the project. That botched filmmaking job has robbed me of the credibility to get more investors for other filmmaking projects. Therefore, I have had to live “as a fish out of water” working various jobs (sometimes two or three jobs at the same time) just to pay the bills.
Then as some of you remember, there was my mom’s death, my wife’s breast cancer, and my 72 Mustang getting “stolen” or hauled off. My friend with the body shop understood my situation and said the cars were just fine where they were.
So Recently, I found out that my wife had sandbagged just over $500 for my upcoming birthday and wanted me to fix my 82 Eldorado. I started a budget for it and found a guy at work who would overhaul the engine for free labor. All I would have to buy was parts. I got excited and was working out a temporary place close to home for one or both of the cars and called the guy to ask about their current condition and to see if I would need a chainsaw to cut brush away from them…..
Then he “dropped the bomb”. He said that he had lost my number and was being pushed to get the cars off of his uncle’s field. Apparently the uncle is about to die and the uncle’s kids don’t want anyone else’s vehicles on the property when he passes away. My friend took his wife to the hospital a few months ago, and when he came back, both of my Eldoraodos were gone.
I’m talking about my 1970 Eldorado (my first car- and one that I have owned for 28 years and have raced in the SCCA autocross)
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm22/CandlelightPictures/70eldoradoatnight.jpg
… and my 1982 Eldorado with TBI injected 472 and a half-finished pro-touring suspension of my own design.
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm22/CandlelightPictures/82%20Eldorado/cody_82_eldo_472.jpg
I am currently trying to find out if they went to a crusher or a salvage yard. Either way, they have been gone for a few months and it doesn’t look good. I once had three Big block Caddy powered projects… and then I got poor. Now I have no project cars…
The loss of my 1970 Eldorado hurts deep because I never wanted to sell that car. It is the best car I have ever owned and would out accelerate, out corner and out stop both of my 72 Mustangs. Even if I get another 70 Eldorado, the history I have with that one can’t be replaced.
Cody G. Carson