So, wagons are like chips - you can't just have one.
Driving a box wagon thousands of miles away from the country of its origin usually means that one has to monitor all main ebay-like websites for spares. Those used parts that are available at hand are either useless, or priced too high. Like, bare metal doors, in dire need of a new paint, for 100 dollars + another 40 for shipping. So it is an arcade game, to get one's hands on a set of parts, or a donor car, before someone else does.
Some 2 weeks after purchasing Escort, amidst the roaring mayhem of preparations to move out from the city - intertwined by the exam session, and the paperwork necessary to get the new home, I found one of these one-of-a-kind, rare offers. There was a photo of a nice looking Country Squire hearse, last facelifting, offered for ~390 dollars (1490 PLN) as a parts car. No title --> the car is officially scrapped, and what remains is a set of parts. In the shape of a car.
I called the owner quickly, learned that he tried to sell it some 2 years ago for ~1500 dollars, but there was no interest in his offer and he decided to scrap it to avoid paying insurance etc. Paid a deposit and started looking for a hauler to get it across the country. A good offer on the hauling marketplace popped up quickly, the car would get picked up in around week, for 220 dollars (800 PLN). Well, getting a complete, and working CV for around 600 dollars is not bread and butter, so I finalised the transaction, paid for hauling, and for some spares that were also available. These spares contain two brake disks, and two brake calipers, plus some smaller stuff, all for ~80 dollars (300 PLN). And these are brand new parts imported from the US...
I left Kraków for good on March 1st, and drove back on March 2nd to see the car, after it was unloaded on a friendly garage's parking. Looks quite decent, isn't it? The roof rack is in the back, but the emblems are, unfortunately, missing.
The interior was modified as it was used as a hearse. But only the rear seat's backrest was cut, the rest of the parts are still in, though some got covered in some kind of fabric. Nothing irreversible, anyways.
The separator wall is made of plywood, probably, and seems that it can be dismantled easily.
The backward mirror still has a college sticker. I bet they used this car for banging, before it was shipped from the US.
Maybe they also used it for banging when it was used as a hearse? Looks like there is enough space for that, still. No idea what is under the floor panels, I hope to see the 3rd row of seats...
The rear doors are damaged, but maybe still salvageable?
An AAA sticker. Strange thing that they kept it for all these years...
This was supposed to look like some kind of a funeral decoration, but for me it looks like a symbol of a WH40K Chaos god. If you add this to the bangbus theory, than it looks like a Slaanesh' vehicle. Kinda cool.
The engine runs very smooth, and the car is drivable. Has a huge ATF leak, so it is barely possible to do a test drive (and that is only possible in the closed parking, the car is not registered and not insured). Has good turbine wheels, and a lot of nice parts. But there is a chance I can re-register it as a classic car; will try to investigate that in the coming weeks.
I spoke with the previous owner after the car was already hauled to Kraków, and heard the story of its purchase. There was a Polish handball player, who, after getting a serious injury while playing, had to end his career. He moved to the US for some months, or a few years, and worked in a company that converted wagons to hearses. He learned a lot about the process, and after moving back to Poland, started a company with his in-law, who had a large mechanical garage. They were buying damaged wagons from IAAA/Copart, shipping them to Poland, and converting. Getting such a hearse was a thing those days! You had to pay a deposit, and then wait a few months. After a phone call that the car is ready, you had to pack yourself and take a bus/train/whatever to pick it up. But travelling with a large sum of money by public transportation was not a safe trip at all. So the previous owner of the car spoke to his friend in a bank whether he could do a phone money transfer (it was around 1997, most of the people could only check their balance at the bank counter, etc.). That was possible - so he took a train, and arrived at the "hearse garage" to pick the car up. CV was there, looking great - freshly repainted, black with chrome decorations. He told the seller that he will pay him soon, but he needs an access to the phone, called the bank, asked the seller for the bank account number, ordered the transfer and simply said - in 30 minutes, you will get your money. - But how?, replied the seller - Just call your bank, and they will know that you have the money already. So they wait these 30 minutes, and after that, the seller calls his bank, ask for "his" banker, the banker checks and yes, there is the whole sum, underway, the bank already knows about it, but they need to check it in, and he will have it "available" in a few hours. The seller was quite astonished that one can transfer money that way! And that's all for a nice story.
I hope to have some updates next week. As for now, maybe the most interesting news is that someone called the previous owner and offered him 2700 USD (10 000PLN) for the car, if they still have it. I really did catch a good offer, I guess.
Driving a box wagon thousands of miles away from the country of its origin usually means that one has to monitor all main ebay-like websites for spares. Those used parts that are available at hand are either useless, or priced too high. Like, bare metal doors, in dire need of a new paint, for 100 dollars + another 40 for shipping. So it is an arcade game, to get one's hands on a set of parts, or a donor car, before someone else does.
Some 2 weeks after purchasing Escort, amidst the roaring mayhem of preparations to move out from the city - intertwined by the exam session, and the paperwork necessary to get the new home, I found one of these one-of-a-kind, rare offers. There was a photo of a nice looking Country Squire hearse, last facelifting, offered for ~390 dollars (1490 PLN) as a parts car. No title --> the car is officially scrapped, and what remains is a set of parts. In the shape of a car.
I called the owner quickly, learned that he tried to sell it some 2 years ago for ~1500 dollars, but there was no interest in his offer and he decided to scrap it to avoid paying insurance etc. Paid a deposit and started looking for a hauler to get it across the country. A good offer on the hauling marketplace popped up quickly, the car would get picked up in around week, for 220 dollars (800 PLN). Well, getting a complete, and working CV for around 600 dollars is not bread and butter, so I finalised the transaction, paid for hauling, and for some spares that were also available. These spares contain two brake disks, and two brake calipers, plus some smaller stuff, all for ~80 dollars (300 PLN). And these are brand new parts imported from the US...
I left Kraków for good on March 1st, and drove back on March 2nd to see the car, after it was unloaded on a friendly garage's parking. Looks quite decent, isn't it? The roof rack is in the back, but the emblems are, unfortunately, missing.
The interior was modified as it was used as a hearse. But only the rear seat's backrest was cut, the rest of the parts are still in, though some got covered in some kind of fabric. Nothing irreversible, anyways.
The separator wall is made of plywood, probably, and seems that it can be dismantled easily.
The backward mirror still has a college sticker. I bet they used this car for banging, before it was shipped from the US.
Maybe they also used it for banging when it was used as a hearse? Looks like there is enough space for that, still. No idea what is under the floor panels, I hope to see the 3rd row of seats...
The rear doors are damaged, but maybe still salvageable?
An AAA sticker. Strange thing that they kept it for all these years...
This was supposed to look like some kind of a funeral decoration, but for me it looks like a symbol of a WH40K Chaos god. If you add this to the bangbus theory, than it looks like a Slaanesh' vehicle. Kinda cool.
The engine runs very smooth, and the car is drivable. Has a huge ATF leak, so it is barely possible to do a test drive (and that is only possible in the closed parking, the car is not registered and not insured). Has good turbine wheels, and a lot of nice parts. But there is a chance I can re-register it as a classic car; will try to investigate that in the coming weeks.
I spoke with the previous owner after the car was already hauled to Kraków, and heard the story of its purchase. There was a Polish handball player, who, after getting a serious injury while playing, had to end his career. He moved to the US for some months, or a few years, and worked in a company that converted wagons to hearses. He learned a lot about the process, and after moving back to Poland, started a company with his in-law, who had a large mechanical garage. They were buying damaged wagons from IAAA/Copart, shipping them to Poland, and converting. Getting such a hearse was a thing those days! You had to pay a deposit, and then wait a few months. After a phone call that the car is ready, you had to pack yourself and take a bus/train/whatever to pick it up. But travelling with a large sum of money by public transportation was not a safe trip at all. So the previous owner of the car spoke to his friend in a bank whether he could do a phone money transfer (it was around 1997, most of the people could only check their balance at the bank counter, etc.). That was possible - so he took a train, and arrived at the "hearse garage" to pick the car up. CV was there, looking great - freshly repainted, black with chrome decorations. He told the seller that he will pay him soon, but he needs an access to the phone, called the bank, asked the seller for the bank account number, ordered the transfer and simply said - in 30 minutes, you will get your money. - But how?, replied the seller - Just call your bank, and they will know that you have the money already. So they wait these 30 minutes, and after that, the seller calls his bank, ask for "his" banker, the banker checks and yes, there is the whole sum, underway, the bank already knows about it, but they need to check it in, and he will have it "available" in a few hours. The seller was quite astonished that one can transfer money that way! And that's all for a nice story.
I hope to have some updates next week. As for now, maybe the most interesting news is that someone called the previous owner and offered him 2700 USD (10 000PLN) for the car, if they still have it. I really did catch a good offer, I guess.
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