A few weeks back, a significant portion of the online community paused to gaze at the estate up for sale in New Hampshire adorned with approximately 300 vintage cars. Details about the cars or the partially renovated dwelling were scarce, prompting me to speculate based on a small collection of images. Subsequently, I conversed with the family in charge of the sale and uncovered that the property’s narrative unfolds not as a fairy tale, but as a lamentable tragedy.
I engaged in conversation with Steve Cushing, who disclosed that his undisclosed brother was the previous inhabitant of the property. His brother conducted a venture named Parts of the Past from the premises, specializing in the sale of pre-1972 American vehicles and components accumulated over more than three decades from various regions in New England. At the pinnacle of his enterprise, he likely amassed around 1,200 cars, as suggested by Cushing, who portrayed his brother as a “solitary” and “considerable accumulator.”
“He had a 1972 [Chevy] Super Sport that was a project, albeit with a solid underframe. He priced the car at $7,500,” Cushing recounted. “An individual inspected the vehicle for several hours and offered my brother $7,000 in cash. My brother adhered to the original price of 7,500,’ to which the visitor responded, ‘I currently possess $7,000 in cash.’ Subsequently, my brother instructed, ‘I require you to vacate my premises.’ So, the bargaining ended with the visitor leaving $500 in the car, as that was the essence of my brother.”
“At one juncture, my brother had a girlfriend who delivered an ultimatum that if anything happened to him, she would dispose of every car the very next day,” Cushing narrated further. “In response, my brother promptly ejected her. Later, she reported him to the EPA, triggering an inspection of the premises, which yielded no violations. As my brother succinctly put it, ‘they’ve never spotted any oil in five decades.'”
Despite regular communication with his brother, Cushing was unaware of a critical detail—the chronic illness afflicting his brother.
“In early September of 2020, we received a phone call alerting us to the grave state of your brother’s health,” recalled Cushing. “I was oblivious to his condition as we conversed every few weeks. Without delay, my spouse and I boarded a flight up there the following day.”
During that visit, Cushing discovered that his brother had developed a rare form of cancer known as fatty cell sarcoma, which had begun metastasizing.
“He adamantly refused to depart his property for medical aid, necessitating my intervention to summon emergency services for pain alleviation. Subsequently, hospice care was arranged, leading him eventually to a palliative facility where he passed away in November of 2020.”
Subsequently, Cushing, his brother’s sole kin, found himself confronted with an extensive fleet of non-operational cars. His brother had not maintained an inventory, merely stocking an almost entirely unorganized property with hundreds of cars, additional vehicles, and over a dozen 40-foot trailers brimming with unknown content. One of these trailers was suspected to contain OEM Ford parts, but Cushing had yet to inspect it. This situation was reminiscent of the circumstances at Collier Motors AMC, the final AMC dealer in the nation, although with more, albeit less immaculate, cars.
Cushing relayed that most of the cars were effectively parts vehicles, with minimal to no salvageable candidates among them. He also mentioned that the actual count likely hovered closer to 500 cars rather than 300, with several having already been dispersed with the help of an individual engaged by Cushing’s brother for property upkeep. Concerning the real estate itself, the house remained deliberately unfinished: Cushing’s brother intentionally avoided visits from the tax assessor. Nonetheless, all the essential materials to complete the construction, along with a well pump and generator, were readily available.
Regrettably, this information arrives belatedly, as Cushing revealed that the property exchanged hands this past weekend. A new owner is now in possession of a treasure trove of vintage American car components, likely requiring an extended duration to appraise their acquisition fully. It stands to reason that they may intend to sell off any surplus, prompting a suggestion to consider corresponding with the fresh proprietor to ascertain if they possess any desired items.
If you have any insights or questions for the author, feel free to contact them at: james@thedrive.com