I was looking at some photos on another thread, of cars that have stayed the same for 40 odd years and thinking how cool that they have remained the same, when fads and trends come and go. Now these cars are dead nuts on target again, but must have looked really dated in the late 1980s during the monochrome/pastel/grafix/shaved era and during the 1990s billet smoothie craze. The guys who left their rides alone must have had great vision or no money! Have you ever changed your ride and followed a trend only to regret it bitterly? Have you sold a car because you no longer liked it or could not afford to redo it?
Sold my hemi cuda because of the gas embargo/crisis back in the early 70's. Does that count as regrettful? Has for me.
I'm sorry I changed my 40 Ford to a Mustang II front end instead of going from the stock beam axle with split wishbones to a dropped I beam. Then I am sorry I ever sold the car to help finance my magazine.
Sure, when I first built it I had a big lumpy camshaft in it, after getting everything dialed-in to where I could take it for a ride I realized that aside from being faster than hades........it idled like a washing machine with a bowling ball in it!!! Now, I built this thing to use as a cruiser and a regular driver......that kind of running I had to change so with 15 minutes run-time on the engine I was pulling the grille shell, radiator and the front of the motor to install a fairly "stock" camshaft. Since then, I'm glad I did that.......it just isn't a race car.
Since changing over to disc front brakes i can't use my drum-oriented chrome reverse rims I like so much.They've been in the family forever and are in the family garage now. Mebbe shoulda just changed the booster....Nah! Salt Flat 270's here we come!
Thats known as Mopar hell and I sold my 69 roadrunner hemi four speed. in 1973 so you will have company,
Now these cars are dead nuts on target again, but must have looked really dated in the late 1980s during the monochrome/pastel/grafix/shaved era and during the 1990s billet smoothie craze the style of cars you refer to have always been dead nuts on target. it was the billet smoothie monochrome pastel faze that was way off.
I sold a '39 Ford Deluxe coupe because I could not bring myself to change it. It had a very stock looking interior, and I needed jump seats for the kids. Whatta nice car...Black, dropped axle, 9" rear, Omaha orange steelies SBC. Whatta an idiot!
Yes. Wayy back in the '70s, I traded my 66 Barracuda with 340 for a Toyota. Had a 45 mile commute and could not find gas anywhere (middle of gas crisis #1) so I traded for a high MPG Toyota Celica. Lost my behind on the trade, too. I have tried to track down the Barracuda but too much time has elapsed since then.
When I built my car I used some new wheels I got for $40 for the set of four. They were some fairly rare "American Foundry" aluminum wheels with six kidney holes rather than the usual five holes. They were "as cast" and looked right on the car. I had always drooled over '65 Corvette knockoff wheels and sold the mags to buy a set of the repro Vette wheels. Once I almost lost the car when a knockoff came off. I have since pinned the knockoffs but they are still a pain. I recently found an old picture of my car with the original wheels. I wish I still had them.
I had a 48 ford pickup that I drove for 19 years. I didn't regret any changes I made but I sold it last year and have regretted it since. I now have another 48 that I am going to build just like my old truck...........
I sold a 69 Camaro in '90 that I had done a frame off on cause the wife wanted a new car. Got rid of the wife in 2001. I still miss the Camaro.
i bought a 50 shoebox from a guy who wished he hadn't sold it. He told me he wanted it back if I ever decided to sell it. Well three years later I was ready to sell it. So I contacted the guy and without hesitation he sent me the money and got his "dream" ride back.
You were lucky, I had made the same deal with the guy I sold my 40 to. And he was a friend that I got into rodding. When I approached him, he had really run the car into the ground but was rebuilding. Said to me, no, I'm going to end up giving it to my grandson some day. So much for a friend's word.
Have you ever changed your ride and followed a trend only to regret it bitterly? I've had my 61 Dodge for 15+ years. I always thought it would make a cool mild custom. round some corners, take off some emblems, do something to the grille and custom tail lights. I could never get myself to touch it. it is all original and not too bad looking from 25-30 feet. I'm glad I never touched it. so it's the opposite.
I installed a tweed interior with billet arm rests and door handles in my 55 Chevy pickup. In 1996, when I did it, it looked pretty cool. I have resisted changing it because it was my first upholstery attempt and I was proud of it. When my sewing skills improve and I have more free time, I will recover everything with Naugahyde. Dave
Well no, I got popinlaws 66 Impala drop top. I spend way too many hours thinking what I could do. So far I have'nt made the mistake of a bad change but it could be just around the corner!
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