ROTTING MUSCLECARS

[Nova Jed]

Knew it looked familiar!

[1970Bluel78]

Dog that link did not work for me

[Dog427435]

It worked sporadically for me also - here are the shots -
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Watterson Collection origin

On Nov. 17, Brewer Auction Service conducted the absolute auction of the George Watterson Collection in Mitchell. The sale consisted of approximately 270 vehicles, vintage farm tractors, a handful of motorcycles and various parts. At least that’s what was offered on the auction’s sale bill.

What eventually was auctioned by day’s end may take several more week’s work to uncover and add to the final inventory list of just what all Watterson squirreled away over the past few decades. What can never be fully answered after it’s all accounted for is why the late Watterson hoarded this amazing collection of automotive treasure, worked hard to preserve most of it in hand-crafted buildings and then eventually neglected it to the point of allowing these buildings to collapse and bury everything stored inside.

From speaking to several of the enthusiasts and locals in attendance at the auction, the back story to how at least a portion of this collection was amassed goes something like this:


Up until approximately 10 years ago, Mitchell was the location of the famous Carpenter bus works that supplied the country with school buses since 1923. Reportedly, Watterson, for some undetermined amount of time, delivered finished buses to various locations around the country. To return from these one-way bus-delivery assignments, Watterson would purchase a vehicle in that location to drive back to Mitchell. These return-trip vehicles would then be driven into Watterson’s wooded property and parked.

Several Indiana residents attending the auction also told the same story: That when they approached Watterson over the years to purchase something from the woods, the answer was either ‘No’ or the price to purchase quoted them was so ridiculously high it was Watterson’s back-door way of saying, ‘Hit the bricks.’

Most of the approximately 270 cars, trucks, tractors and motorcycles offered in this auction were in rough shape. A common plea overheard was: ‘If only I could have gotten this car years ago when it was still restorable.’ Most of the remainder of comments overheard were directed at the late owner of the collection, George Watterson, and can be summed up thusly: ‘If only he wasn’t such a pack rat’ (or substitute hoarder or other foul variants of selfishness that won’t be repeated here).

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[Dog427435]

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[Rixls6]

Wow, would have been fun to walk around there!

[John Brown]

A junk yard in Canada, across the lake from NY in Ontario. Lotta pictures. Cars are for sale.

http://www.roblins.net/

Says the whole thing is gonna go to the crusher in Spring 2008.

[427TJ]

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Looks like a Muntz Jet with a custom grille ('55 Chev?) added.

[The Dude]

Here are a few 65 442s. As you can see its my favorite car.

[retengw31]

Hi TK, welcome to this site. It's a great one. Loved the pics, if you haven't already, you should write up your car now that it's finished and submit it to members' ride.

How many of those did you buy?

[427TJ]

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Looks like a saveable '32 five-window body.