Way back in the early 1980s, my Dad started making big money–we’re talking a new Toyota Celica, plus enough disposable income for a “fun car.” The first fun car was an MG Midget that barely contained all the parts it needed to run, so there were no previous-owner surprises in its glove compartment or trunk–er, boot. After getting the MG into tip-top shape and selling it, Dad procured fun car number two: a very nice 1977 Datsun 280Z. And here it is, complete with Dad, plus the MG:
The Z arrived much better sorted than the MG had, and only needed a few non-essentials repaired. It also arrived with a few extras in the spare-tire compartment: a twee little pipe that appeared to kid-me like something that might be used by a Leprechaun (this was incorrect, it turns out); a moldering Playboy of which I only saw the cover; and single 10mm wrench, which I still have (the wrench, not the Playboy or pipe).
Other used cars came and went as my sister and I grew into driving age, but the surprises within were few and far between. (Unless expected things like spent cans of starter fluid and dry-gas empties count, which they do not). I did score a very nice Trapjaw action figure (lackey of Skeletor, enemy of He-Man) that was jammed under under the rear seatback of a Dodge Omni, and my sister bought a Corolla with a nice hand mirror and a sandwich-bagged five-dollar stashed in the glovebox. What a win!
How about you? What have you discovered tucked into cars you’ve owned yourself, or in friends’ rides (you little snooper you), or in heaps at the pick-n’-pull? Tell us all about it!
A Garth Brooks CD. I’d post a picture if I could.
I found a live 9mm round behind the b-pillar panel trim inside of my 1994 xj cherokee 2-door.
A sleeping dude wearing only Speedos using a giant bag of extacy as a pillow. He said his name was Jaguar, gave us about 50 pills and scampered off.
I have to admit an advantage in this discussion. I put myself through college repossessing cars/trucks/boats/planes. We inventoried the contents of every vehicle and bagged them for the defaulting debtor to pickup later.
The most egregious was a battery operated phallus with a complimentary bar of margarine (I can’t believe it’s not butter).
I also found a fully auto Uzi sub machine gun behind the seat of a pickup. That one required a call to a local BATF(e) representative.
I also had a penchant for collecting those pine tree air fresheners, I had several hundred in a very short time. To quote Miller from the movie Repoman…”There’s one in every car”.
I buy and sell cars all the time, and work on them from time to time when I can.
I was helping a friend weld an exhaust on a customers Corvette and do some other maintenance. Under the hood, inside the fuse box was a perfectly stashed condom for emergencies. I found it hilarious when I discovered it to check the fuses.
I also have a friend in the towing business that I would occasionally buy flip cars from. The grossest thing I ever found in a car was inside a Prius I bought from one of his tow lots. It was super cheap as it was abandoned on the side of the freeway and was considered a non-runner. The inside was absolutely trashed, smelled, and filled with random clothes and kids stuff. Once I got it running within minutes (mind you my friend was convinced it was blown up), I drove it home 20mins trying not to vomit from the smell. I usually detail cars myself but opted to drop this one off at the nearest detailer after opening the center console and finding a heavily soiled diaper inside. I still nearly vomit just thinking about it.
Another surprise I found was inside a car I owned for about 5 years until I discovered it. It was a BMW track car that was basically gutted minus a few interior panels. One of those panels was the rear parcel tray, which I finally decided to remove one day, exposing a nice size bag of weed that was so old, that once I touched it, it turned to a fine powder. I tried to get another friend to smoke it and he refused even with a $100 bill of encouragement.
Roaches, so many roaches, not the insect, the weed kind, I had to disassemble the center console to get them all out. Like many tens of them..
Human teeth in the glovebox of a Takata recall Nissan Almera. The teeth had amalgam fillings. I touched them accidentally while trying to remove the glovebox.
A full, thriving carpenter ant community living self contained within the interior carpet of a 1981 Porsche 924. Florida.