Who doesn’t love a smorgasbord of cars, parts, tools, signs and literature! It’s like Christmas, but in this case it goes on for most of January. The Model A Garage in Luray, Virginia was run by John Phillips for over twenty years, accepting cars from all over the country for restoration and repair, with services including fabrication, custom upholstery, painting, and complete mechanical rebuilds. Since Phillips’ passing in early 2024 – and after partially-completed projects were retrieved by customers – the shop contents were inventoried, catalogued, and prepared for sale. Bidding is online only, with bids accepted from January 4th through the 29th; viewing is encouraged by appointment. Details can be found here, though conspicuously missing is information about reserve prices. Thanks to Chuck Foster for spotting this opportunity and sending us this tip! Let’s look at a few of the items available …
Here’s a tag-along to the sale, belonging to a different estate but located in a garage nearby. This is a 1973 Land Rover Series III 88, last registered in 1981. The 2.25 liter motor runs on starting fluid, but the clutch is bad and the exhaust is missing. Rough, tough Landie owners should be able to put up with the interior as is – which isn’t bad! The rear seats are still with the rig. The underside is pretty scaly, and the supports for the canvas top are bent. The top itself will need to be replaced. The Series III was made from 1971 through 1985, featuring a plastic grill, plastic dash, an all-synchro gearbox (introduced first on the IIA), and an alternator rather than a generator. Despite the long production run, this version of the Landie was only sold in the US through 1974, sidelined by competition and regulation. Bidding on this lot sits at $1075 currently.
Here’s what the garage was known for – this is a Model A “bitsa” project. The frame is said to be from a ’30 or ’31 car; the body is a ’28-’29. Portions of the interior are with the car, but there is no engine or transmission. That said, a cruise around the shop will probably turn up suitable engine parts, and at least a couple of gearboxes. You’re in Model A heaven here, so if you arrive early, assembling a whole car from parts should be possible. If you don’t want to cobble together a car from disparate years, there’s always this ’31, with almost all the heavy lifting done. Notably, neither car has a title.
For fans of automobilia, here’s a Firestone tire display sporting a Ford wheel and hubcap, bias ply tire, and tin stand and sign. The condition is excellent; I’d want to verify that it is in fact an antique. If it’s been restored, that can ding the value, unless it was abysmal beforehand. Genuine old examples can sell for over $1000; this one is bid to $120.
Now my favorite item in this box of chocolates – a Caterpillar 232B skid steer loader. It has 1445 hours, so there’s life left in her yet. The engine is Cat’s 2236 diesel, with about 50 hp. Operating capacity is 1750 lbs without counterweights. That’s a lotta hay! Vintage will be somewhere between 2004 and 2009, and you’re looking at a weight of around 6660 lbs. So, bring a beefy trailer. This little number is in demand, already bid to $8500. If none of these items captivates you, take a run through the items offered, because I’ve barely scratched the surface here!
Pa is gone, kids, clean ‘er out!
Exactly the first thought that came to mind, too.
I have a friend that started going to swapmeets in the early-60’s while in Jr. High School. He still hits every swapmeet within a 3 hour drive of his house. He’s amassed a collection of hundreds of porcelain signs (lining the walls), mainly automotive but will buy anything that catches his eye, he also has an extensive collection of OE and aftermarket performance parts, car club plaques, posters, trophies and other memorabilia. Enough to fill an 8 car garage and loft as well as another outbuilding, all sorted and organized . He has several model-A hot rods, built with vintage speed equipment as well as a couple of 64-65 Novas and a 65 Chevelle.
Last time I was there he was talking about a friend who had recently passed away, I asked if he was planning to downsize at any point. He said no, he likes his stuff and the search for new items makes him happy. He said he left instructions for his daughter to call an auction house and let them handle it, she’s not prepared to deal with it herself either with knowledge or time. He wants her to get as much money as possibly, which won’t happen if she tries to sell it herself of get help from his or her friends.
Surviving family members more times than not aren’t equipped to deal with a parents collection or business. I have a couple of friends that took well over a year to clear their parents houses, working on weekends and taking vacation time. They were only interested in a small fraction of the belongings and weren’t able to get fair value for the items they sold because they couldn’t afford the time. They also incurred significant expense, paying property taxes, insurance and utilities on the vacant property, not to mention worrying about people breaking because no one lived there. That also doesn’t account for the time they could have spent with their own families or pursuing other interests.
Criticism of family members decisions rarely takes into account the surviving members nor the wishes and instructions of the deceased. It’s unlikely they would live up to their own “standard” either.
Steve R
I sold hundreds of porcelain signs, my Coke machines, oak phone booth, neon signs (kept the clock), engines, transmissions, all but three of my cars and all of my non-automotive related small collectibles about eight years ago. I started collecting in the 1970s and bought everything that I liked and could afford (I traveled for work). When I was single, my friends called my house the “Crap Museum”, and said that I should charge admission. It was an addiction. Now that it is gone, I feel a huge burden lifted off of me (and certainly my wife, when I die). The buyers were global- France, South Korea, Canada, etc. I was always amazed that the package arrived safely at some weird, incomprehensible address, but every one did. Now I need to sort through the one remaining garage of English Ford parts and a pile of drum equipment and I will be done (and my wife will be happy as well) and “ready for departure”. I saw the mess that my father left for my mother when he passed away. Do your wife and children a favor, and start your “death cleaning” well before you are unable to do so. Let someone else play with your toys.
I had heard of this guy although I’d never been to his shop, about an hour and a half from here. How many bazillion times have we seen this happen? This is why I’m thinning the herd now while I have a little control rather than have it all go for scrap or worse yet have some one make my wife a deal telling her he’s doing her a favor only to take the good and resell it leaving the crap behind! When people ask why I’m selling what ever the phrase I use is “age related change in farm operation” or ” some of this crap needs to go away from here before I do!” Oh! the skid loader will probably bring twice the price in the story.
I have a friend who is in his mid-70s and has more stuff than this. His knees kill him, so he watches YouTube all day while there are numerous projects awaiting finishing. I have offered to help, but he just puts it off. His two remaining siblings are going to have a big pile of stuff to deal with some day. Tractors, Corvettes, NOS GM parts by the ton, snowmobiles, VW Thing, snow blowers, tools, trucks, engines, hundreds of guns, the list goes on. I am sure I’m forgetting something. Talked to him today, he sold a GM dual-plane intake manifold.
Hello Everyone. My name is Linford. I am the owner of the auction company conducting this auction. There are no reserves on any of the items in this auction. Everything starts at $1 and sells to the highest bidder.
If there are any questions you have or if you need any assistance please reach out to me. linford@mountainvalleyauctions.com is my email.