The only reason I mentioned the cut steel tubes going for scrap was because I didn’t hear of you finding piles of frames or frame tubing still there. Frames and wheels take up the most space aside from whole bikes so if this fellow derived some type of pleasure or obsession from taking things apart and saving some of it, the frame tubing is either there on the propert as fence posts, a calliope, or some other odd use or as a pile of rusting metal. Otherwise it may have been carted off to scrapyard or landfill. Conservation of mass and all that.
As for why, it’s complicated as we all know. Depression era lessons, grandiose belief in nothing should be wasted, obsessive hoarding of all kinds of things, some useful, many not, much eventually becomes obsolete or fodder for other collectors or restorers, IF they can be matched up. Having or projecting some type of control of their own little (or large) world, constantly being unable to say “No” to the next donation or persistent landfill / transfer station run. It’s mostly a compulsion and a lot of twisted, many times irrational logic (or lack of logic), and an inability to stop or let go.
In time, hoarders literally become slaves to their hoarded stuff. It pretty bizarre and sad what people can do to themselves. And it’s fairly likely this guy didn’t ride bikes very much if at all so didn’t derive the health benefits of it, although give him credit for living into his 80’s.
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Italvega and Torpado Enthusiast