There is something fascinating and difficult to understand about those individuals that we classify as hoarders. Many of these individuals spend their entire lives amassing a collection of items that they feel some type of connection to. Maybe it is a psychological disorder, perhaps they had something traumatic happen in their lives that triggered an impulsive need to collect, or maybe they simply loved to buy and collect stuff? Who knows? I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t our place to judge them, but to appreciate how many cars have been saved from the crusher as a result of their hoarding. Reader Stuart M tipped me off to the story of a hoarder in Southern California that sadly passed away and had no one to manage his estate. With no executor for his estate, the Orange County Public Administrator’s office will be auctioning off all 69 of his cars.
The owner of this hoard worked as a plumber and spent much of his life collecting classic cars. It appears that ’20s cars interested him the most, but he had newer stuff as well. He didn’t seem to be too particular about make, just as long as it had four wheels and would fit in his half-acre lot. There are Ford Model Ts and As, as well as Mercedes 190s and VW Beetles. He also had lots of spare parts, which are also being auctioned off.
While it is sad that he passed away at just 76 years old, what is even sadder is the fact that he has a daughter that lives in another state. California law states they need an original will to transfer ownership of the estate to his daughter, but the only will on the property was a copy. Hopefully, his daughter is alright with Orange County managing the auction and that she will be able to get some of the money from the auction. Read more about this fascinating story here on the Orange County Register and if you happen to know more about Gerald Willits or his collection, we would love to hear more! Special thanks to Stuart for sharing this with us!
Would’ve been nice if we could have a list of the cars being auctioned. Don’t want to drive to Orange county from northern California if they don’t have a car in which I am interested.
There’s an email to write to at the OC DA for info
The old guy may have done home repairs for people in trade for old cars ?
No, he had a landscaping company; installed commercial sprinkler systems. He had a fondness for cars, bought and collected them. When I knew him, it was old Fords, El Dorados, and Metropolitans.
You have no idea how greedy the state of California is. My mother locked herself out of her house, spent the night outside and suffered from hypothermia. In the hospital she was not very aware. She had named my step sister to be her emergency contact, but she had not been asked if she wanted the responsibility. She didn’t, and after 3 weeks in a nursing home my step sister told me where my mother was. I got her out of the nursing home, brought her close to me, and had to fight the State because they had already begun the process to take her house. The government may not be your friend, ask the hoarder’s daughter.
I think you’ve left out some details. Why would the state try to confiscate your mom’s house regardless of where she spent the prior three weeks???
sounds like your step sister needs a kick in the a**
Don’t you mean Comifornia
” The government may not be your friend, …”
Whatever gave you that idea anyway ??
Mismanaged Cities and Counties are the rule in California, not the exception !
A government that has the power to let you earn and keep money has the power to take it all away
i see beetles, VW bus, rabbit, ford fiesta, M/B ( diesel ? ) and enought trucks to last a lifetime. the daughter will be lucky if the state does not send her a bill because they lost money on the sale!
the bus i believe is a 68 or 69 which was a single window but had the big hubcaps like the beetles and split window buses the vent signifies that it is a single window and believe it is a 68/69 because the tip of the axle stuck out farther than the wheel
“A government that has the power to let you earn and keep money has the power to take it all away”
Jimmy, you lost me here. I would think a government allowing you to earn and keep money would be a good thing. The only countries I know of that don’t allow this are communist. Is there a country that doesn’t have the power to let you earn and keep money?
Jimmy may have been thinking of the quote, “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. “ -Thomas Jefferson-
Actually in California this is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, in this case the daughter just wants rid of the stuff, no matter where she lives, she could be in any us state or abroad it does not matter. I actually do not blame her, if I was faced with this mess to clean up I would be happy for someone to step in and auction it off. She and any others in the family are heirs to whatever is gained monetarily, less fees of course and believe it or not are not going to hurt that much. There is a limit to what the legal dept. can take.
Forgot to mention if I was in better health and had the room (garage space) I would be jumping on that ’54 Chevy pickup. I am just 8 hr drive from Santa Ana and think this a good auction to attend.
Certainly a diverse collection of cars. Hope the relatives end up with the proceeds of the sale.
…but what the daughter didn’t know is that her father was a Chevy dealer before becoming a plumber and 10 of these cars have 0 miles and are still under MSO!!
There are some great finds here – hopefully they get the price(s) they deserve; lots # 79 through 83 look to be the winners; the big Healey with the Bentley as a tow car, what a find. Didn’t see any obvious zero mile cars though