Met an older car guy living among forgotten projects, I am thinking about helping him clean things up
Posted by Fantastic-Complex824@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 45 comments
So as the title suggests I have recently been wandering around and found a really beautiful yet sad sight. A bunch of "forgotten" cars like Silvia, porsche, ferrari and more. I was curious so I asked around and found out that the owner is still alive. He lives in an old Japanese house with the front yard completely overgrown and cool cars everywhere. I have gotten some information that he doesn't have the money to fix them anymore. And probably because he is older too.
So I have been thinking about it all night and I kind of want to help him clean up and stuff, you know?
And I know this is kind of a long shot that might not be successfull. But I am wondering, If I ask the internet for help. Would the internet respond?
I wish I could help him right away, but I am just a student, I don't even have a car. So I thought that I will try and ask the internet for help.
Would this be something worth trying and putting time towards?
gonza18@reddit
If you are doing it in hopes you will get a free car, you'll be disappointed
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
XD. Did I say that I am doing this for that reason? I don't even have space nor money to care for the car. My goal is far beyond trying to appeal to someone.
gonza18@reddit
You didn't. I was just saying đ¤
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Don't worry. I just love cars and I feel bad that he has so many gems but all of them are overgrown with plants đ . I was honestly so shocked that someone lived there but yea
MazdaCapella@reddit
Speaking of YouTube, watch Derek on a few Vic Grip Garage. Often there are lots of tips on how to get cars running without tons of money. Once you have cleaned up the yard a bit and the first car runs again, I'll bet you get a lot of excitement from the owner. Who doesn't enjoy lighting up an older person's day?
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Exactly. Thank you so much! I hope he wont sell all of them before that tho. But I will propose cleaning for him next week!!
Cars_Music_GoodTimes@reddit
Are you going to ask him to teach you karate?
This literally sounds like the setting of the movie âthe karate kidâ.
Big-Energy-3363@reddit
No photos? It didnât happen!!
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
For example
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
I have more but they migjt giveaway location
Big-Energy-3363@reddit
Porsche, Ferrari, Silvia?? Nope nope and nope
PlinysElder@reddit
âSo I have been thinking about it all night and I kind of want to help him clean up and stuff, you know?â
So go clean up. Whatâs the issue? You donât need money or interest from the internet to do that.
What do you really want to do?
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
How can I clean up when I don't have the right tools, nor I have the car to transport all the waste somewhere? I am just asking, sorry if It offemded you.
PlinysElder@reddit
You just have to be honest and realistic. If you donât have the tools then it begs the question, do you really know how to do what you want to do?
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
I am making this post in hopes ot reaches someone who would be willing to help me. I understand that 99.9% of the people will not do that just beacuse. This is why this is a long shot and might fail. I am seeing that 0.1% person that wouldnt mind going out of their way like me. Thats all. Im well aware most people cant dont want and will not do it.
PlinysElder@reddit
How do you want them to help you?
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Clean up the lot. See if any cara are running. Then fix up one car so he can take a roll again
direcheetah4579@reddit
Wax on, wax off
imabadrabbi@reddit
I do some thing similar with a old gent that has a bunch of British cars. Best place to start with no money is cleaning up the yard and cars. Then ask him the story of each car, write it or better film it.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Thanks! Tho, he might sell his cars soon because he got scouted by dealers. But anyways Im already planning on proposing to clean his yard or at least start to. If he will be okay with it
AKA_Squanchy@reddit
Isnât this the premise of Karate Kid?! lol
gordner911@reddit
There is no need for anyone to donate money to a guy that has Porsches and Ferraris in his yard. Pick the most suitable car, clean it up and help him sell that car to fund work on the others. Absolutely ridiculous to even think people should donate anything other than you your time if you should so desire.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
When did I mention donating? I am simply asking. If you do not agree with me you can simply say it without any unnecessary rude comments. Thank you
gordner911@reddit
It was a general reply to all those mentioning go fund me etc. Wanting to help him, and even more importantly save some of those cars, is a laudable goal and you absolutely should do what you can. It doesnât take much for tooling to clean up one of the higher value cars as much as possible and help him sell it as it sits. Then he will have funds to get even more out of the remaining cars.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
This is a good take actually. I have only ever been there once. So proposing to him to clean up and sell 1 car might not be that reasonable right now because he might see me as just to be there to profit. So after a few talks i could suggest that. Thanks.
Melodic-Ad1415@reddit
Before you do anythingâŚask him because âItâs only help if we ask for itâ
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
yes of course I plan to ask him. The reason I asked on here 1st is because I want to know if there is any hope. If I ask him without anything to back me he might just think I am wasting his time.
Melodic-Ad1415@reddit
Something as simple as your gesture and maybe a helping hand might be enough. Good luck
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Thank you! I have already got some replies from people willing to help. It gives me a little more hope.
JCDU@reddit
Go for it - just be aware that he may irrationally want to hold on to them / still believe he'll do something with them so be careful how you approach it. Don't sound too critical or like you're trying to make money or something, make sure you're talking about saving the cars, finding them good homes etc.
But yeah I'd say do it - I helped a guy trying to clear out a collection of 40+ years of accumulated car parts and cars as he was losing the storage, everything was a project he was "going to get round to", he probably had enough stuff to build 15+ vehicles but had maybe 3-4 that were in any sort of state of even looking like a car and now he was having to sell, give away, or even scrap loads of it because he had run out of road. It was heart breaking.
Also take this as a warning about accumulating projects - AKA don't end up as that guy - if you can't keep your fleet up together don't buy any more or you end up with none of them working and half of them rotting into the ground rather than being used/enjoyed.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
That is so true. I have a part time job interview next week and I can potentially soon start to make some money on youtube. So I will do my best to help him. But yea. I can only do so much.
JCDU@reddit
One approach is to seek out local or even national clubs & groups if there's something specific - like very few people in the neighbourhood would be in the market for a project Ferrari but reaching out to the Ferrari club there'll be someone with the money & interest looking for one to restore or something.
NotSoGreatGonzo@reddit
âRemember, Daniel-san. Its âwax on, wax offââ.
SoullessGinga@reddit
Find you a good battery and a can of good gas and see what happens to begin with. Record everything and post it on YouTube. If you don't want to edit so much just have the boring sections playing in a faster speed. Get some trash bags and just throw two bags away every trash pickup if able. Just keep at it and once you get some fans start looking for sponsorships
lazyperfectionest@reddit
Just don't post the guys place all over the internet without permission. Don't want thieves targeting the place.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Exactly. Thats why I am seeking oppinions 1st. Amd withouth a clear plan I dont plan on jist telling everyone where it is
goon_dude@reddit
Bro do it, the worst that can happen is he says no. And Iâm certain if you just knock on his door and talk to him it will go well, real recognizes real.
ready2xxxperiment@reddit
Tell us his address and we can all pitch in.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
I already taljed to him. He seems rly nice. I really want to help him out. But as a student I can only do so much. So I thought asking the internet for help could be something.
Last_Bad_2687@reddit
If you are serious about this:
1) ask his permission if he is interested 2) come up with a simple plan. You can't just "ask the internet for help" if you can't specify what you need help with exactly. For example, make a YouTube video of you tidying his yard (with his permission) and doing a tour + interview 3) Use this video and find if any local or international influencers would be interesting in spotlighting the guy 4) come up with a solid plan for 1 car, pick the simplest (eg: Silvia). Do NOT over promise and under-deliver. Things are going to fall through, there will be back lash ("you are exploiting this man" ) and genuine concerns ("where is the go fund me money going? ") 5) Watch other youtubers who do good for views like people who do renovation for free or yard work for free or artwork for free (Marko) - learn their good vibes. 6) Decide if the path ahead is something you can 100% commit to on top of your other work. 7) STICK. TO. YOUR. PLAN. Don't become yet another person who does 10% and disappears off the face off the world, that will do more harm than good. 8) Have contingency plans for success. Fame brings unwanted attention. The old man needs to know he might now have more stalkers, theives, scammers pretending to be influencers if you succeed. Make sure you have a plan post-success as well.
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much. I agree with everything youve said. The reason I only posted this 1st is because I want to know if this is something people would be interested in. I do want to bring up this idea to him. But I don't want to make empty promises to him as well. So I am already planning a youtube video ahead. But its possible that it flops and then he could just think that all I did was lie to him. You know?
Last_Bad_2687@reddit
Don't just do the video. Don't release the video until you have a plan for all my points. For example, which car will you work on? Which influencers will you reach out to? What will you do if no one responds? How else will you raise funds? How much do you need? What does "finished" look like? How will you prep the old man for potential YouTube fame? How will you make sure he will get along with the influencer when they come in? Etc. Etc.
You need to have a 5-10 page word document with a full and complete plan. Recommend using an AI tool like Claude or Gemini to brainstorm, then once you have a solid plan make a post here.
Do NOT just copy/paste this into AI and ask for a 10 page plan. Do the first draft by hand then brainstorm, then only implement changes that really make sense. 0% of your plan should have direct copy pasted paragraphs from AI
Fantastic-Complex824@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much. As this might take some time I will see whether its possible with this guy or not. Because he already said some dealers were there and he doesn't know if the cars will be there next week or not. But the idea is there. I wanna help people like him. And if not cars, I want to at least help him clean the yard. So yep. Thanks!
Threewisemonkey@reddit
Wax on, wax off
PresentIron5379@reddit
It's a long shot and it would take time but I think it would be possible to find new owners for these cars. Depending on the condition and model of the cars, I personally believe most buyers with be foreign and that's were it going to take time due to getting the cars ready for exporting.