Long Pusser FB post, (Polara cop car content)

[sauterd]

Long Pusser FB post,

(Polara cop car content)



Charlie Stuart

· June 12 at 12:54am

On this date 13 years ago my friend and Pusser fan and collector passed away from congestive heart failure. In 1988 he was given 5 years to live.
It was Farish in 2002 that started the resurgence of interest in Buford Pusser, according to Bill Wagoner and others. He would make friends with Steve Sweat until he showed his true colors.
It would be a devastating 2003.and I could write pages of events that would crush Robert.Here is a man who put thousands of dollars into the Pusser Project and wanting nothing in return. He would invest time, the valuable resource he could not get back.
There was the The Guiliani fiasco and the incident at the BBQ at Steve Sweats the was the final blow,
December 31, 2003, Robert would write Steve Sweat a letter and was sent registered mail. Here is a copy of the letter

December 31, 2003
Sherry & Steve Sweat
Dear Sherry & Steve,
1972 DODGE POLARA SHERIFF CAR
We hope that this letter finds you all well from the flu and hope that Sherry’s arm is much better. In addition, we hope that your Christmas was a good one, and we wish you the very best for 2004.
After much thought and time spent pondering about our money, time, items produced and given away, the cars, etc., we have decided that we need to pull back some. We have a ton of money invested now in what we have done, and have enjoyed doing it all the way. We have made very dear friends such as you and for that we will always be grateful and know that it was all-worthwhile.
We could talk about the hurtful different things that have happened over the course of the last 3 years, but it is best left alone and move on. Having a hobby and keeping your mind off of a very bad illness, was a very good thing, and the Pusser Legend was one of those things that helped a lot.
We have decided to move on, as we have much to try to see on what vacations we will be able to take in the future, so we won’t be attending the festival this year, and probably for sometime to come. Maybe sometime in the future.
Sherry, please total up the total amount that we owe you for expenses for insurance on the Polara, as well as the exhaust tips, transportation, and any other items. Please forward us a bill, as we want to settle with you as soon as possible. Steve we can still apply the amount on the second Polara if you wish. The first Polara, we intend to return to Beaufort County and have it made-over into a Beaufort County Sheriff car which will help promote our home county.
In addition, we would like the shellcasings, tag to Louise’s gun, and any other items that came in the collection returned back at once. As agreed, as soon as you or the County constructs a very secure locked glass case in the courthouse, we will then return the casings with a legal agreement to be executed that states that they are on loan to McNairy County and are owned by the Farish family.
We would like to pick up the first Polara as soon as possible, and is fair to you.
We will always enjoy the Pusser story and enjoy the various items (badges, license plates, pins, patches, Helen’s CD’s, Museum DVD’s, Guiliani’s award, awards at the festival last year, and more) we have created and merely gave away to everyone at our own expense, and feel that we somehow made a little difference in the carrying of Buford’s legend. However, as Dwana pointed out to us that Sunday at the barbecue, “THIS IS MY FATHERS LEGEND, THIS IS MY LEGEND.” Moreover, she is right. Therefore, we will move on as we have done all that we can, and we have other interests that we wish to follow now.
Thank for all of your friendship and kindness that you have shown us through the years. We will never forget that, and we will stay in touch from time to time. Steve, you really should run for Sheriff, as it seems that you are destined for it. Regardless of what you do, we know that you will succeed at whatever it is that your heart desires and where your feelings take you. We will be in touch from time to time of course.
Again, please let us know ASAP, so we can pay you and settle up, as we do not know at this time what it is that we owe you, but it has to be settled now and we want it to be.
Take care and say “Hello” to the boys.
Love,
Rebecca, Bobby & Robert Farish

Robert would try to call Steve to get this business taken care of, he would not take Roberts call and when he did make contact Steve was not going to send back the casings and bullets. He claimed they needed to stay in McNairy County. Those did not belong to Sweat but he stood his ground.
Robert health was failing and the casings and bullets was not the battle he was going to fight so he gave into Steve and traded Jim Moffett's badge.It was a deal he did not want to make.
Farish wanted his movie car and had his attorney lined up. Again Robert made calls none were returned Steve was trying to find a way to keep the car there.
June 2 I would meet with Steve and talking to Billy Majors, Bill Wagoner, and Jack Coffman and listen to Steve tell these guys stories and made them his own
Steve was still trying to find a way to keep the car and wanted me to convince Robert that is should stay there, June 4 we were in our accident and Bobby died seven days later.
2005 Robert's wife and son went to Selmer to pick up the car. Steve wanted $20,000 for the car stating it was storage and delivery of the car from CA.
Law Enforcement was called it was a mess. Steve would settle for five grand and the other Polara. Then bad mouth Robert and still does. I have held this in for 13 years and when Steve is now bashing Robert Broughton about his book and has never put in the real research to be an ex

Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?

Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend. pert he is nothing more than an expert story teller
From "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

 

[commando1]

Huh?

In summary please....

 

[sauterd]

Huh?

In summary please....

sorry, i post all that's there in case any one is interested in it. I believe it's up to the reader to summarize, "please"

 

[commando1]

I read it and it sounds like some people bickering for years over bullet casings.
OK. Whatever.
I liked the movie.

 

[sauterd]

I read it and it sounds like some people bickering for years over bullet casings.
OK. Whatever.
I liked the movie.

thanks for your feedback..

 

[73Coupe]

I think I got it...

Buford Pusser was a sheriff. He was a legend and respected so much that the town has an annual 4-day festival honoring him.
There were these other guys that curated the sheriff's belongings, but could never agree who owned them, or where they should be kept.
One guy built a Polara cop car that probably looked like the one that Pusser drove. This was the subject of bickering as well and the guy settled for $5k in a forced sale.

And then it all came down to this:

"There was the The Guiliani fiasco and the incident at the BBQ at Steve Sweats the was the final blow,"

A guy died, now the others are fighting over who owns rights to the legend and who can tell it.

Maybe?

 

[commando1]

Thanks. That helped figure out the gist of it which is all I wanted.

 

[sauterd]

ok, in hindsight, I guess too much non-C body info included, but like i said, I thought that perhaps some of you may find it interesting history, I know I've always had a fascination with the whole story. A real American hero who wasn't afraid to take on the dirty sludge of the county, we need more of those guys these days in my opinion....

Dale

 

[ranch21]

Well this is late, but better than never, I think. Steve Sweat hates Robert Brougham and both of his books. He told the guy to his face at the museum. Steve said the book isn't true, BUT, the books being called Ghost Stories, and stating right in them that there a novel, tells the truth, of who is in the wrong here. I only knew Robert Farish by email and a few phone calls. At times we didn't hit if off, as he was out to purchase every possible thing on Buford Pusser that he could. Being a collector myself, and for a much longer period of time, I resisted his pushy attitude a few times. I do believe Robert had a huge heart, and was a good man. He had way more money than I did, so that helped him in his quest. He was very passionate about his Pusser collecting. I did end up with Roberts 3rd car that he outfitted like the Walking Tall cars. He never had this car in Adamsville for the festival, he just kept it in his home state. I will say though he put a lot of time and effort into making these cars look like the real police movie cars. I would have never done that, so kudos to the man who jumped in with both feet. I really do I wish I would have met Mr. Robert Farish.

 

[sauterd]

Well this is late, but better than never, I think. Steve Sweat hates Robert Brougham and both of his books. He told the guy to his face at the museum. Steve said the book isn't true, BUT, the books being called Ghost Stories, and stating right in them that there a novel, tells the truth, of who is in the wrong here. I only knew Robert Farish by email and a few phone calls. At times we didn't hit if off, as he was out to purchase every possible thing on Buford Pusser that he could. Being a collector myself, and for a much longer period of time, I resisted his pushy attitude a few times. I do believe Robert had a huge heart, and was a good man. He had way more money than I did, so that helped him in his quest. He was very passionate about his Pusser collecting. I did end up with Roberts 3rd car that he outfitted like the Walking Tall cars. He never had this car in Adamsville for the festival, he just kept it in his home state. I will say though he put a lot of time and effort into making these cars look like the real police movie cars. I would have never done that, so kudos to the man who jumped in with both feet. I really do I wish I would have met Mr. Robert Farish.

thanks a lot for the story. any idea if any of Buford's original cars managed to survive and get into someone's hands? I would guess not, given the tragedy associated with most of them.

 

[azblackhemi]

I get my Buford's mixed up. I thought of this one first.

 

[ranch21]

thanks a lot for the story. any idea if any of Buford's original cars managed to survive and get into someone's hands? I would guess not, given the tragedy associated with most of them.

I am not really sure about any of his patrol or police cars. I know years ago, around '88 when the old shamrock motel was still standing and another place across the street from it, I've forgotten the name, there was an old car that belonged to Buford just sitting out in the trees, I found that out from a local guy, but then, down there, it seemed no one really cared about it. Before the house became a museum, there was a car just sitting in the back of the house. I just got in, and said to my girlfriend at the time, I wonder who's car this was. Well it turned out to be Bufords, its a Lincoln Continental or some big boat like that. They closed in a section on the back of the house, and that car along with his burned up Corvette, are now inside, in that same spot. That was 1988 a year after his mother passed, who lived in the house. I never met her, but luckily I got the chance to meet his deputies, Jim Moffatt, Pettie Plunk, and T.W. Burks. They all have been gone for years now. It seems we are all heading for that same fate.

 

[ranch21]

I get my Buford's mixed up. I thought of this one first.
View attachment 248039

Well I think most people do actually. The car I got which belonged to Robert Farish, actually has small picutures of old Buford T. Justice in the rear side windows. I was going to take them out, but thought was the heck, just leave them in there. I sure hope Buford Pusser, wasn't as incompetent as old Buford T. But he sure was good for some laughs.

 

[ranch21]

I think I got it...

Buford Pusser was a sheriff. He was a legend and respected so much that the town has an annual 4-day festival honoring him.
There were these other guys that curated the sheriff's belongings, but could never agree who owned them, or where they should be kept.
One guy built a Polara cop car that probably looked like the one that Pusser drove. This was the subject of bickering as well and the guy settled for $5k in a forced sale.

And then it all came down to this:

"There was the The Guiliani fiasco and the incident at the BBQ at Steve Sweats the was the final blow,"

A guy died, now the others are fighting over who owns rights to the legend and who can tell it.

Maybe?

well Dwana Pusser is now dead as well. So one more person is out of the picture. Robert Farish is gone. Robert was actually into Buford it seemed to me for just 5 years at the most. But did he ever do wonders in that short of time. The police car Robert and Steve Sweat were fighting over, got sold to someone in Alabama, I heard. The other car, which I cant even at this point figure out which one it was, the 1st or 2nd is an a museum, but I'm not sure of that. Roberts wife donated it, I heard.

 

[Carmine]

Adding to all of this... I think I've seen photos of Pusser's actual shot-up car, which was a '66 Fury anyway.

 

[ranch21]

Adding to all of this... I think I've seen photos of Pusser's actual shot-up car, which was a '66 Fury anyway.

It was a '67 Fury. Have no idea what they did with that car. Who would ever want that, even if they were able to clean it up. It's as you said, it was shot-up.

 

[sauterd]

Well I think most people do actually. The car I got which belonged to Robert Farish, actually has small picutures of old Buford T. Justice in the rear side windows. I was going to take them out, but thought was the heck, just leave them in there. I sure hope Buford Pusser, wasn't as incompetent as old Buford T. But he sure was good for some laughs.

well, with all kidding aside, I consider Pusser a national hero. That said, I know the movies probably painted him in a better light than what really happened.

However, with our loss of any type of discipline, legal drugs, etc. in today's world, I find him truly refreshing. The idea of cleaning up vice. And i know, many of you will say we'd be better off legalizing all of it and maybe you're right.

I also would recommend reading the book documenting "The State Line Mob"....

State Line Mob - Wikipedia

 

[Carmine]

It was a '67 Fury. Have no idea what they did with that car. Who would ever want that, even if they were able to clean it up. It's as you said, it was shot-up.

Ok, tru dat. But is the museum trying to preserve the movie or the actual events/man? Seems to me if you're doing the latter, you just buy a '67 Fury sedan and dress it up as a Sheriff car. You could even put a few rounds in it.

To use a '72 Polara would confuse people into thinking these events occurred in the 70s. Like using a '39 Mercury as a Bonnie & Cylde death car.

 

[ranch21]

Ok, tru dat. But is the museum trying to preserve the movie or the actual events/man? Seems to me if you're doing the latter, you just buy a '67 Fury sedan and dress it up as a Sheriff car. You could even put a few rounds in it.

To use a '72 Polara would confuse people into thinking these events occurred in the 70s. Like using a '39 Mercury as a Bonnie & Cylde death car.

Yeah, that's true, its the man there trying to preserve I would think, but the movie is the man, so they go hand in hand. I know when I saw the Steve Sweat clone police car, it just brought back memories of the movie. I never knew the man, so I just run them parallel with each other. Its just a hobby, so I don't get to excited about anything.

 

[commando1]

Its just a hobby, so I don't get to excited about anything.