The title of the book is meant in jest in reference to the way people
advertise their old cars. The cars in the book are not basket-case
or castaway cars.
The cars that the author does discuss are decent ones which he
purchased, but they often come with a few issues and/or some
needs. But those issues or needs are assessed at time of purchase,
so that he avoids being upside down financially in the cars .
The term "ran when parked" just refers to the silly kind of terms
people use in the ads they place for cars. There is a page in the
book devoted to definitions of such ad terms as-
Needs a Little TLC: See Needs Everything
Smokes a LIttle: These usually turn out to be chain smokers with a
quart-a-day habit.
Diamond in the Rough: Emphasis is always on the "rough"
part. See: Needs a Little TLC.
Ran When Parked: Means that the car struggled into a
field/alley/steel building/barn/garage ten years ago then expired.
At 05:46 PM 11/20/2010, Councill, David wrote:
>I think I'll have to check this book out. It depends - what are "nice
>unmolested cars"? I have bought several "ran when parked" cars that sat
>for years. And every one of them might have "ran when parked" but there
>was always a reason why they were parked and left - either a serious
>mechanical problem or a series of lesser accumulated problems. The MGBs
>I bought that "ran when parked" were always on their death bed usually
>with enough problems to make them not worth the trouble of repairing by
>the DPOs. My 64B is one - I fixed a number of problems, some
>pre-existing and some age related (rotting rubber). But the engine
>itself is also worn - probably still good for a few thousand miles or
>more but an overhaul is definitely in its future. Still, a nice car. I
>brought it back to life and have put maybe 50 miles on it while I
>continue to restore it - not to beauty but to a nice driver.
>
>David Councill
>64 B
>67 BGT
>72 B
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mgs-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:mgs-bounces@autox.team.net] On
>Behalf Of Don
>Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 3:50 PM
>To: mgs@autox.team.net
>Subject: [Mgs] Ran When Parked
>
>Ran When Parked: Advice and Adventures from the Affordable Underbelly of
>Car Collecting - by Rob Sass [Paperback]
>
>The title of the book made me laugh, and piqued my interest enough to
>take a look inside the book. Too many times I've seen that term used to
>describe a car for sale.
>
>I just finished reading the book, and I must say that it is is a great
>book on buying and owning old cars that are are not, and probably never
>will be considered exotics. The author writes for Sports Car Market
>magazine, and his journalism skills are fantastic. A lot of the book is
>about cars he has found and purchased, and what he encountered in the
>process. He has a knack for finding nice unmolested original cars at
>reasonable prices, then fixing them up a bit, enjoying them for a period
>of time, then selling for a profit. He doesn't get rich off this, but
>it is apparent he loves the chase as much as the conquest.
>
>Cars that are discussed in the book include everything from Alfa Romeos
>to Volvos. However, British cars get proportionally more pages than
>cars from other places. He has sections of the book devoted to MG
>Midget, MGB, Spitfire, Jensen Healy, TVR, Daimler SP-250, TR4, MGB,
>Sunbeam Alpine, TR6, Jaguar XJ6, and Jag XKE.
>
>
>http://www.amazon.com/Ran-When-Parked-Adventures-Affordable/dp/098172704
>2
>
>
>
>
>Don Scott
>Calistoga CA USA
>1966 TR4A
>1962 MGA Mk 2
>1973 MGB GT (selling)
>1963-7 MGB (seeking)
>Misc. Japanese cars
>_______________________________________________
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