I’ve been in denial about this for a while. “My cars aren’t holding me back at all,” I’d convinced myself for years. “If I wanted to, I could sell them all tomorrow.” Recently it’s become clear that this just isn’t true, as has been proven by my move to LA, which should have happened months ago but hasn’t yet due to an anchor made of tons of American iron. So I come to you asking for advice on how to move past this.
The truth is, I’ve been wanting to leave Michigan for years, but what happens is: 1. November rolls around, things get cold, and I tell myself “I’m out of here.” Then 2. I fly to Germany or Hong Kong to be with my family for Christmas, and stay over there for a month working remotely. 3. I get back, spend a few months in cold Michigan and then the sun comes back out in April. 4. Weather is absolutely perfect from April through October, and car culture thrives. My enchantment with Michigan swells. 5. I vow never to leave Michigan. 6. November hits again. 7. Repeat.
[Ed note: Right before the pandemic I had dinner with David and our bud Aaron Foley and pleaded with him to move. I offered to buy one of his cars. Anything to make it happen. It didn’t work. Then during the pandemic we hung out in a junkyard and had the same conversation. Next week I’m going to make him get an apartment. Just tell him to sell all but two of his cars for everyone’s sake – MH]
This has been the cycle for about five years. My upbringing as an Army brat has built within me an insatiable desire to move every year or so, and yet I’ve staved off this urge by traveling so often and for such long durations — I was just in Australia for a month earlier this year, I was also in Germany and Italy, plus I see my brother in Hong Kong relatively frequently. But I don’t know that I can push this off any longer, mostly because the long-term future of The Autopian depends on me being in LA and working with our talented behind-the-scenes crew out there.
So I have to go, and in truth — as a single dude who feels a little out of place in suburban Michigan, and who’d like to try listening to the buzz of a bigger city for the first time in his life (I’ve only ever lived in small cities) — I want to give it a shot. The problem is these beautiful mechanical anchors:
- Jeep J10 4spd stick: Store in MI (?)
- 1966 Ford Mustang auto: Drive to CA
- 1992 Jeep Cherokee auto: Store in MI (?)
- 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Sell
- 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Tow to CA
- 2000 Chevy Tracker 5spd: Sell
- 1958 Willys FC-170 3spd stick: Tow to CA
- 1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle 3spd auto: Sell
Let’s go through them one by one. Each car has a poll below it; I’m eager to hear your recommendations (it might make sense to read the whole article before going back and voting).
1985 Jeep J10: Store In Michigan Or Drive To California
I love this truck with all my heart, but I don’t think it’ll make it through emissions inspection in California, mostly because all the smog stuff has been ripped off. I could fuel inject it using a Jeep 4.0-liter cylinder head, then throw on a 4.0 catalytic converter and hope the shop doesn’t care that I don’t have an air pump on my accessory drive. But I don’t know that this will work; California has a “visual” inspection, so even if my now-fuel-injected truck is cleaner, it’d likely fail. Logical? No. But such is life.
“Sell it,” you may now suggest, but I can’t. It’s the greatest truck on earth, and I can’t let it go. It’s true mechanical perfection in my eyes. As of now, my plan is to store it somewhere. Or maybe take it to California. I haven’t decided.
1966 Ford Mustang: Drive To California
Is there a place where this vehicle would be more at home than in southern California? Answer: No. I’m daily driving this. I have some security concerns, so I’ve purchased a GPS tracker and a “club” steering lock. I hope those do the job; I’ll also make sure to park it in a garage whenever I can.
I’ll likely drive this on weekends as my free Nash Metropolitan will be my true daily driver that I take to work and park on the streets without worry. I doubt anyone wants to steal that.
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Sell
What you’re looking at is the most perfect Jeep Grand Cherokee on earth. It’s the first model year with a five-speed manual and manual windows and locks. It’s not only the lightest Grand Cherokee in history, it’s also the most reliable, and it’s the best off-road platform. Hopefully I can find someone who understands the rarity and value of what I consider the ultimate Grand Cherokee, as I’d like to get as close to $10 large out of this 130,000 mile, rust-free Jeep as possible. If not, I may have to keep it, which would complicate things.
1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Tow Or Drive To California
Of course, I’m not going to sell all of my “Holy Grail” manual Grand Cherokees. I plan to keep the rougher 1994 model that I bought for $350. Why hold onto this one? Overly pretty cars are a pain in the ass to maintain, and this one being a bit rough around the edges will give me more peace-of-mind. Plus, I’ll feel less guilty when I put a mild lift and bigger tires on it; I’ve heard off-roading in California is pretty damn good.
The issue is that this Jeep is still far from being roadworthy. I swapped the guts from that rusted-out Holy Grail in Wisconsin that I wrote about years ago, but there’s still a lot to do before this thing can move under its own power. I could fix it over the next month or so and then drive it west or I could tow it and wrench later.
1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle: Sell
Oh man, this Jeep is one of my biggest regrets. It ran when I bought it, I removed a cylinder head to extract a broken exhaust stud, then I flew to Germany for a month. When I returned, I saw some surface rust on the cylinder walls, so I pulled the engine and honed it; I figured I’d swap the rings and bearings while I was at it, but sadly I could never get the motor back together properly. So I bought a rebuilt engine, which seized.
Honestly, the fact that this machine has been sitting for over five years is a result of only one thing: my own stupidity. I am ashamed, though I am twice the wrench I was back then. So should I fix it and then sell it for some heavy coin? Or do I sell it as is and give up the five grand delta?
This is a tough one for me because, if I’m anything, it’s a cheap bastard.
2000 Chevrolet Tracker: Sell
I should never have bought this Tracker, though I’m pleased with how far it’s come. I’ve fixed the crankshaft damper, cleaned the interior, bondo’d the huge dent in the quarter panel, installed junkyard all-terrain tires, fixed a few electrical gremlins, jerry-rigged a fix for the four-wheel drive system, and swapped out all the fluids. This thing is beautiful now, and I even have a buyer willing to throw me $3,000 for it. Not quite my $3,500 asking price, but close.
First, I’m taking it off-roading tomorrow (you’re all invited). This will be the second time I’m off-roading a car just prior to sale; the first time, I filled the engine with water, then that water froze, and when it thawed, I learned that my crankshaft bearings had been wiped. (You may recall my article “My 1948 Jeep’s Engine Is Ruined Because I Am A Dumbass”). I hope nothing similar happens this time around. I really shouldn’t be off-roading this thing before sale, but come on — I did all this work to this thing; I have to see how good it is in the dirt, right?
1958 Willys FC-170: Tow To California?
I want to do an EV conversion soon, and I really think this FC is the ideal candidate.
Could I just buy one on the west coast? Yes. That’d make my life easier. But look at the pedigree this one has!:
1992 Jeep Cherokee: Store?
This one’s a tough one. The Jeep isn’t in great shape at the moment; I flooded the rear diff, so I need to replace the axle. Plus the cooling system needs some work — likely a new radiator. These aren’t huge jobs, but they’re not nothing, either.
I suppose I COULD bring this Jeep out to California, or I could store it, or I could sell it. But this is my very first car. Should I sell the Jeep that started it all?
This Is Complicated
So I want to keep the 1992 XJ, the J10, the 1994 ZJ, the FC, and the Mustang. I could just bring all five of those, and sell the rest. There should be plenty of space to store these machines on the Galpin lot that Beau has so graciously offered up. Maybe I could tow the FC with the J10, then drive everything else out. Or I could ask an automaker for a big-ass heavy-duty truck and a car-hauler, and just tow the whole fleet out.
Or I could sell the original XJ and the FC, and just take the J10, 1994 ZJ and Mustang. Then I can find another FC out west and cry myself to sleep every now and then missing the ’92 OG.
I don’t know what the answer is. But I need to come up with something soon.
David, come walk with me as we gaze upon a bright, new future . . . Imagine if you can: no anchors, no projects planned, no dreams regarding Jeeps — or anything else, for that matter. Imagine a clear, flat, dry, warm intersection with as many roads as you care, each leading off to a golden sunrise on a different horizon . . .
“Should I sell the Jeep that started it all?”
Yes.
(Consider, for a moment, what exactly is the “it all” that was started!)
Sell it and every other non-operational vehicle with it. Give away (or abandon) whatever cannot be quickly sold. Make the break. (Think twice about that Metropolitan fantasy.)
Start fresh, in a new land, free and full of hope, with a Mustang and a Tracker. Give yourself six months to write only about *other* people’s cars, and about *their* car troubles.
Then, with a clarified view and a rationalized perspective, decide what is to be next.
Speaking as a guy who keeps everything…
SELL EVERYTHING BUT THE MUSTANG.
Yes, even your first car must go. You need to throw off the shackles when you move to Cali. Fresh move, fresh start, fresh you! Otherwise these things will be hanging over you, causing stress, and you’ll never get anything done because you have too much to do. You need this load off your psyche.
Besides, you are going to California! Think of all the glorious RUST-FREE projects rhat await! Just think: bolts that turn when you want them to! And best of all, because you sold all of this stuff in a crazy market, you might be able to afford something.
I agree: Keep the Stang, sell the rest. Oh, and don’t go all the way to LA – maybe Phoenix or Vegas?
Looking at your inventory, other than that Mustang, which if I recall isn’t even yours, I’d say you have a real third world problem on your hands.
If it was someone hooked on Pepsi asking me to help them, I’d say wean off of it and maybe try a different soda. But this is like you’re on opioids. These things are running and ruining your life.
I like the J10 and I love the Golden Eagle… but sell em all except the mustang and start fresh buddy.
I voted to sell everything. Give them away if you have to (to charity, they’re tax-deductible). DO NOT STORE ANYTHING. It’s pointless expense that’s a severe waste of your cash.
If you’re keeping any of these vehicles, ONLY keep the Mustang. And then, ONLY if you’re sure you can get it registered in California.
I know you think you love these vehicles. You will find that you feel lighter when they’re not hanging around your thoughts all the time. And as many have pointed out, California is a rich target environment where you will find plenty of used vehicles (even Jeeps!) to wrench on.
Just make a clean break and enjoy your new life. You’ll find that you miss the old life some, but I’m confident you’ll find plenty more to love in your new life.
Having wheeled an XJ in California, its a great rig for the trails out there.
I’d bring the XJ and the Mustang, and MAYBE the J10 if you can’t talk yourself into selling it. You could at least two one of the other two out with the J10.
The lesser ZJ needs too much work. The better one is a good source of cash for your move.
What I would do in your place:
-1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: keep and drive to CA as it looks mint, it’s relatively rare, and turn-key condition. Bonus: it’ll remain rust-free in CA forever.
-2000 Chevrolet Tracker: keep and store in MI, it’s the perfect spare vehicle for when you go back to visit. It won’t lose any value ever yet probably reliable enough to start every time you visit.
I’d sell the rest to cover moving and future living expenses. Bonus: if you have money left over after all said and done, you can buy a new project car in CA.
Maybe keep just ONE more (Mustang or J10) that you have the strongest attachment to.
It won’t make for many entertaining articles (though maybe a couple revelatory ones) and you’ll get a lot of enabling advice here, but I say make a clean break and have a (junk) yard sale/giveaway for all but the one (maybe) you choose to drive out of there. Whatever doesn’t sell or gets taken for free gets junked.
I had put off restoring my dream car (but nobody else’s) in the garage for about 15 years as the house kept taking precedence. The house ended up selling for a substantial profit that put us into a much better built house with a basement larger than the previous house in its entirety and no visible human neighbors (but plenty of animals in the surrounding ponds and woods). When I finally went to get the car ready for storage for the move, I found a good portion of once-clean metal had rusted (though it was still better than most of the vehicles you’ve showcased), then I opened it up to smell that mice had gotten inside and that was the final word. I was looking at a $20k+ restoration for a car worth maybe $6k if I found the right buyer and virtually nothing if it got totaled by some dickhead in a eunuchmobile. It never made financial sense, but now it no longer made any kind of sense, though I still needed a time crunch and circumstance to kick me in the ass about it. The title I swore was in the glovebox was nowhere to be found and there was no time to order a new one. Ended up able to give away the spare engine, engine lift, and stand and—with no title—I had to pay a guy to take the car and everything else I had for it and I mean everything else since I was closing that door and wanted nothing left to haunt me. That latter part is an important lesson I learned through years of therapy for PTSD. It was not easy to do, but when it was all over, I cannot describe the feeling of relief, the lifting of a weight I didn’t realize was there until it was gone. There’s an old adage I can’t quite remember about whether we own our stuff or if it owns us and there’s a truth to it in that stuff can extract some kind of background energy from us even if we don’t realize it. In my case, it was a bit of guilt and feeling of failure hanging over me, maybe some resentment toward the house. In your case, this stuff is literally holding you back. You’re here to live your life, not temporarily maintain life support for things that are not alive. It’s not even like these are Duesenbergs or other globally-appreciated work where you would be a caretaker for something that will be here long after you’re gone. Plus, in CA, you’ll find stuff for fairly cheap that you probably haven’t seen in decades in drivable condition and working them won’t require tetanus shots, tracking the toxicity level of PB Blaster getting absorbed through your skin, and sustaining nearly as much lung damage from grinding and sanding rust (I watched my mother die slowly of lung disease—you don’t want that shit).
I voted so I won’t do a long explanation here, but I will say… don’t tell yourself you want to fix something before you sell it – just let the next person do that. It’s just an excuse not to get rid of it. I speak of firsthand experience.
Just sell everything except the Mustang and start from scratch.
There are a lot of older Cherokees out here.
For example: https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/7554194335.html
Yes, exactly… he’s going to lose his mind once he settles in and starts realizing that the only place in the USA with a stronger car culture than SE Michigan, is Southern California.
Keep the Mustang and sell the rest, when you get Cali you can rust free things. Which will decrease your workload by 50%.
Whenever my wife and I are about to leave on a trip, she inevitably says, “Well, I’m sure I forgot something.” I tell her the same thing every time, “Honey, do you know what they have in ? Stores. You can buy whatever you forgot.”
David, do you know what they have in California? Cars. You can buy whatever you really miss.
I probably put in more thought than was necessary, but here we go!
Jeep J10 4spd stick: Bring to CA, swap an original engine with emissions baggage
1966 Ford Mustang auto: Drive to CA
1992 Jeep Cherokee auto: Store in MI, because sentimental reasons
1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Sell it if you can get $6-8K, otherwise throw it on BAT, store in MI
1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd: Sell it, oh my Lord
2000 Chevy Tracker 5spd: Sell, easy peasy
1958 Willys FC-170 3spd stick: Sell this and find a better example later
1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle 3spd auto: Bring to CA, fix it as your penance, ???, Profit
David? David. Let me be real with you. There’s probably others here who’ve already said this more eloquently than I will, but 120 comments is borderline tl;dr (props to you if you read ’em all) for me. I’ve owned over 60 cars in the last 15 years. That’s a lot for anyone who isn’t carrying a dealer’s license. From Jaguars, to Land Cruisers, to Troopers, to Supras, SAABs, Volvos, I’ve had one from almost every letter of the alphabet. And there’s one thing I’ve learned about cool cars: they’re much, MUCH nicer when they’re owned by someone else. It’s their problem for care and feeding. Worrying about dings and damage, vandalism, what you have into them, never ending to-do items on the check list…it all builds up and it all creates pressure and stress over time. It’s cliche’ as hell, but it’s true; at one point they own you.
Your freedom, whether you acknowledge it or not, has been hampered by your fleet. Cars should be a source of joy, a source of freedom, not a reason for worry or something that ties you down. I’ve personally found a lot of pleasure going to car shows, cars & coffee events, brand meet-ups, to scratch that itch. I find most of all, what I like as much or more than the cars is the people. I like to talk to them, hear their stories, see their cars. I see that in you too. If you have fewer anchors, as you so aptly put it, weighing you down, then you gain the freedom to do more of the things you want to do: travel, see other cars, do all the things you want to as co-founder of The Autopian, even put yourself out there to help friends and readers with their own projects, like Florentin. As a nice side benefit, working on someone else’s project, you can just say, “Welp, so it goes” and head home with no skin in the game while still getting to exorcise the wrenching bug.
I think you’re approaching an epiphany with this scenario and it’s reached a point where you have to decide which direction you want to take your life. You get to live the dream, David. You get to work with great people, great readers, you get to work with cars. A lot of us would kill for that opportunity. Your cars are holding you from fully immersing yourself in the wonderful opportunity you’ve created for yourself. It’s time. Go West, young man.
We live on a little property in Texas east of DFW, if you feel like just dropping that J10 or Golden Eagle off on your way through to California I sure wouldn’t be opposed to it!
Your commenter handle is sure accurate!
The ’92 Cherokee clearly holds a lot of sentimental value, so keep it.
The Mustang is a no-brainer to keep.
Sell the FC. I know you brought it back from the brink, but it has served its purpose of providing some good reading, and you can be proud you gave it a second chance. Pass her on.
The 2 Grand Cherokees need to go. Yeah, they are rare, but you have the Cherokee already. Maybe you will give the ’92 more of the love it needs by offloading less sentimental vehicles that also need work.
Sell the J10. It is just going to be a hassle either keeping it in MI or getting it to pass emissions in CA. I’m sure there are plenty of decent pickups out there that will pass emissions and suit your needs. Maybe make your new pickup into an offroader, so you can hit 2 birds with one stone?
Tracker is a sell already, so why are you asking us?
Golden Eagle is a clear sell. Time to move on, and stop beating yourself up about it.
Keep the Stang, sell everything else. I get you love Jeeps, but the harsh reality is they just aren’t all that great of vehicles. Every time you tell us something is bulletproof on them, it ends up being a nightmare.
You are kinda starting a new life, go clean slate and see what speaks to you in California. It’s time to leave the rust behind in Michigan. Bringing it along is just dragging those Jeep troubles with you.
The only thing bulletproof is the corrosion that binds those bolts.
Step 1) Prepare mustang for cross country trip
Step 2) Sell everything you can that isn’t the mustang in 4 weeks
Step 3) Give away anything left with value
Step 4) Scrap any remainder
Step 5) Leave in Mustang
Good luck, David.
Do not store anything. It will just be a money drain to keep vehicles in a place that you will likely have no reason to return to. Keep the j10, the good grand Cherokee and the mustang. Sell everything else including the first jeep. I understand the sentimentality but at this point it’s a basket case. The reality is that you’re going to have a huge amount of rist free cars at your disposal and there’s no reason to keep these. You’re not deep in the overland build and the fc is just a mess. Dump them. The golden eagle is nice but it’s been haunted since you got it. With the J10, the grand Cherokee and the mustang you have three cars that run and will not force you to move and still have a mountain of repairs.
We can all feel the pain of your dilemma–the regret, the nostalgia, the difficulty of relinquishing good intentions. But seriously, you need to sell everything but the Mustang. The J10 is hard but you KNOW what will happen to it if you put it in storage, and it deserves better. The ’93 Grand Cherokee 5 speed is very cool but how much happiness will it bring you?
You’re moving to a wonderland where cars are not by definition rusty. Release! Unburden! Leave the rust in Michigan where it belongs and free yourself to take on new and worthier things, projects that involve unscrewing bolts instead of air chiseling and cutting them. Capitalize on how much better your automotive life can be!
All right, if you sell everything else but the Mustang, I’ll allow the FC just to keep things entertaining.
A different perspective: you’re thinking of this like a citizen of the Rust Belt. You’re hoarding interesting cars (and some spares) because you know that where you are they will disappear in the next five years. You’re moving to California, more broadly the West Coast, where cars can generally loast forever. There’s more to pick and choose from out there, and in better shape. Don’t drag your rusty hopes along with you; bring the 3 best and leave the rust behind.
Keep the Mustang, 1st Jeep & the J10. Shed the rest.
I sense a great follow-up story or 12. You can’t decide which to move, which to sell or which to store so you decide to move them all. However, you’ll need to find people as determined (read: crazy) as you are to get them from MI to CA. Get your fellow scribes to help drive, drag or haul them. And/or message me. I’m up for a drive on backroads in sketchy shit in the dead of winter.
I’m always down for a nutso roadtrip adventure.
Good luck in figuring this mess out. I hope you find a place to live in LA where you actually have space to store a couple things and work on the others at the same time. If you need help driving anything out to LA, let me know. I have some vacation time to take before the end of the year and I’m a pro at cross country road trips.
I’m just… yeah, hang on.
– 1958 Willys FC-170, scrap it. Just scrap it. It’s too far gone.
– 1985 Jeep J10, Michigan for now. Doing a legal swap the referee has to pass is doable, but your way will get it in big trouble.
– 1966 Ford Mustang, yes. Just yes. This is the correct thing to do.
– 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd, just bear in mind you’re selling into a SEVERE down-market. Prices are crashing period. No matter how collectible. (And this absolutely is collectible, just niche.) So either be prepared to take months for the right buyer or accept a much lower price.
– 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5spd, if you’re not going to do the body and interior work now, just sell it. Sitting around is not going to improve it’s situation.
– 1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle, tough love time. This one is just going to hurt you financially no matter what you do at this point. Fixing the engine isn’t going to move the needle meaningfully without doing the body. If I was buying, I wouldn’t be willing to go over $4k as it sits, and we both know I wouldn’t flip it. Values are crashing, and it’s sitting at $15-20k of work to bring it to a $20-25k valuation. Do not fall for the sunk cost fallacy. Find a loving home that will let you visit once it’s restored.
– 2000 Chevrolet Tracker, take the money and run. Again, the market is absolutely crashing. 20 year old cars are going to devalue right off a cliff, especially as Carvana’s implosion dumps millions of 4-5 year old cars on the market.
Which brings us to the 1992 Jeep Cherokee.
David, I’m going to level with you here. You need tough love or you are never going to get any of these cars in the shape you want or that they deserve. So you have to make a very real, very painful decision here. As you said: it’s not perfect, but it’s not a money pit. That’s not what matters. The question is: are you willing to put money into that Jeep, forever and ever, so help you god?
Are you prepared to spend what it takes to address rust immediately, to restore the body in the future, to be PROACTIVE on the maintenance and repairs? And before you answer, understand that body restoration before things get dire, you will easily be spending ten thousand to do the job right. (Otherwise, don’t do it at all. I’m serious. Papering over rot will kill it orders of magnitude faster.)
If you are not fully prepared to spend that kind of money over the next 5-10 years to keep that car, if you are not going to start setting aside that money in advance starting yesterday, then you are just prolonging your own suffering and ultimately emptying your wallet faster. And you need to sell it. As much as it hurts.
As a fellow Grail ZJ owner and east coast rust bucket hoarder, I’d say sell everything but the Mustang and the nice ZJ. Once you’re in LA you’re going to be tempted by all the non-rusty California cars. It’s like going off to college—after 3 weeks your eyes will wander and your high school sweetheart will be long forgotten. Don’t spend the effort and money to drag out what can be replaced.
A) Don’t go. LA is an overpriced plastic hellhole full of vain type A personalities. The dirty do-it-yourself authenticity of Michigan car-culture that you profess to love is a unique thing and I don’t know that you’ll find it out west. But, it sounds as if this is motivated by business concerns more than personal, so go where you have to.
B) Sell everything that isn’t a project or business investment for future articles. Scrap it if you can’t. $5.53/gal gas plus restrictive emissions regulations plus inspection state makes everything you own – excepting *maybe* the Tracker – either prohibitively expensive to operate or unlikely to ever be register-able in the state. Beyond that, nothing you own is good for daily LA traffic and city driving. Remember, for every person who loves a classic mustang, there’s 30 more who don’t give a shit what they dented to get into their parking spot.