Merkava
If someone is only going to leave something like that, to either a bunch of drugie family members, or a wife, who don't know chit about it (and would probably sell it for $500), let him sell it for what he can get out of it, to someone he KNOWS will enjoy it, and he gets some fun money back.
I am sure he knew (brothers, brother in law did the same thing), he could sell it off piece meal and make a LOT more money off of it. Just time verse enjoyment.
I had this experience with a few of my tools. A friend of a friend/fellow mechanic, I worked with, was dying of cancer (stomach cancer). He was mostly into construction, but also did some automotive. He brought down his Hazet torque wrench, but my buddie didn't have any dough. I did and ended up with that, and his worm drive saw (most of what I got), and he got some play money, that the wife wouldn't get, "when she sells these things for $1 a piece after I am gone".
It isn't a shame as much as a part of life. I bet 5% of my tools stay in the family if I die.
