This maybe true, but how often is she driving it, and when is she going to fix it up? Also lay out there that someone is going to get use out of it instead of it sitting there in the barn, rotting away and being a potential mouse apartment. Which would be the bigger shame. I would start laying out to her the costs just to get it running if nothing is wrong with electrical and motor wise. Then give a worse case cost senerio. And let her ponder if it is worth her fixing it up or selling it while it has more value to her.

You're preaching to the choir man...Do you have any concept of how stubborn and sentimental a woman can be?

There is also a 1958 Peterbilt with 250 Cummins in it parked nose to nose with the Caddy...another vehicle that she rode in with her Dad...She is slowly coming around, but just getting her to turn loose of the old Ford was monumental.

Cool stuff.
What is to become of the fire fighting equipment that he removed from the Ford?

Got to be the right person.
I had a 65 Ford pickup I bought as my first car when I was 16. No power steering, 4 on the floor, 352 V8. It and me went everywhere. I got a few other cars as I got older, and it began sitting in my garage a lot. I always wanted to tub it out and drag it, but never had the time or money. Finally put it up for sale last year, after 20+ years. Weeded through a lot of buyers, the CL scammers and such, couldn't find a decent one. So I took it off the market.
Finally sold it a couple months ago. A friend of my sister's dropped by the house, saw it, and asked if he could buy it, for his 14 yr old daughter. Turns out he restores cars too. So now it is finally going to be fixed up proper, and will be her first car, just like it was mine.

Best thing to do? Keep her updated on your progress with the fire truck. If she likes how you're restoring it, she'll let you have her Caddy too (the Caddy is my favorite).

I've already got a buyer... It's going to Eastern WA to be used as a fire system on a remote piece of land that has a big pond...but no fire district protection to speak of.

The flathead Chrysler inline 6 that powers it runs like a top.

That 37 Ford is awesome! Do you have it running yet? Are you keeping it stock? Any details would be much appreciated!