Tell Us About Your Greatest Auto Transaction

<style>*<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> I have noticed a number of threads here where people complain about folks who did them wrong when it comes to buying or selling their cars. I think writing out the details and sharing it with this forum is a perfectly acceptable thing to do, and my hope is folks will be as specific as possible to keep the rest of us from following in their footsteps.

I also believe there should be balance in the universe, so I am creating this thread to catalogue the easiest and best car transactions you all have had. Maybe it was finding a great deal, or maybe it was discovering you landed more than what you expected… whatever it was, please share your story here.

 

<style>*<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {colorurple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> I will start. I bought my first old car this past June from Cris Lofgren who owns Classical Gas out of Arlington, Texas. Cris was entirely professional from the first phone call to the receipt of the car and title. We should hope to find people who are honest and put their best foot forward when it comes to business, but the truth is, finding people like that is often the exception and not the rule. So when someone like this comes along I think they deserve to be recognized.

Here are three ways Cris Lofgren did right by me:

1. Before Cris would consider the offer I made for his car, he wanted to make sure I was completely aware of the history and condition of it. He sent me 90 photographs of the car and went over each one of them with me on the phone. Cris was very generous with his time and very conscientious about proactively giving me all of the information he could. Considering this was the first time I was buying an old car, I know he could have railroaded me and taken me for more on the car than what I paid.

2. I was moving this summer and was not going to have easy access to a locked garage until August. Cris was happy to let me keep the car with him for two extra months until I could have it shipped in August. He never asked for any kind of storage fee and was genuinely happy to be able to do me the favor.

3. Cris worked with me the whole way through like he was a friend of mine. I cannot say enough about how good it feels to have a stranger treat you like you hope to be treated. I feel the least I can do is say thank you. So, thank you Cris Lofgren.

This is his website. http://www.classicalgasmotors.com/index.htm.

You should buy and sell your cars with him.


&#8230; okay, your turn.

 

Sounds like a testimonial/plug you should post on his website.

 

Sounds like a free ad for this for this classic gas place. I see a thread delete happening soon...

 

Call it what you will. None of what I wrote was solicited by Cris, and I don't think it says anywhere we can't show gratitude on the HAMB.

 

"You should buy and sell your cars with him. "

Thats selling.

 

Actually, that's endorsing.

 

QUOTE=Cerberus;8166186]Sounds like a testimonial/plug you should post on his website.[/QUOTE]

Oh c'mon you guys. You make me laugh. Nothin' at all wrong with Mr. Magic's thread. And you're way too damned quick to accuse others of having ulterior motives. If you took a minute to look, you'd see that he did in-fact buy this car a while back. He's proud of his cool Chevy wagon, and I imagine the purchase of it was a lot of the motivation for him to join the Hamb. He was simply very happy to be treated with such honesty, respect, consideration and fairness. So be fair yourselves. In addition, he's a pastor, and no-doubt, not inclined to bs.

Mr. Magic, I'm glad you're here. It's a pleasure to know you...someone who holds decency in high regard. Don't judge the Hamb by these remarks. Plenty of great folks here, who aren't quite so quick to doubt and judge, and simply wanna enjoy the hobby with others with the same interests. Cool wagon, by the way! Btw...please excuse the "drama" on my part...just wanted to give the other view.

Now...if this thread is gonna be deleted, it's gonna be because of my little story...cuz it's about a Pinto...lol.

Many years ago. Did some work for a guy on his Impala. He owed me about $500. He asked if I'd take his non-running Pinto for $200 of it. At first, I'm thinking, "Boy...I don't know." Looked at the car...really clean and low miles. He said he thought the engine was probably seized. His son had started removing a bunch of hoses and stuff for some reason. I looked 'er over, and could see that the engine wasn't seized. Informed him of that, and said I could probably get 'er runnin' without much trouble, but would still take his offer if he still wanted to. He was still plenty happy to do it. I took the car home and did some investigation. Sure enough, just a bad starter. Fixed it, cleaned 'er up, and took it to the "park and sell" at the old Blue Sky drive-in not too far from me. Couldn't believe the turnout! Lots of sellers and buyers. Sold it that day for $1,200. YES!

 

Wow, how much are you getting paid for this advertisement..

OK. here's mine.
20 years ago.......
Traded 8 of these:


for two of these:

 

RickyBop,

Thanks for fighting the good fight. I'm not trying to generate any controversy with this thread... I just wanted to encourage everyone to share some stories about the positive side of this hobby... and yes, I also wanted to thank Cris for going above and beyond on my behalf. I understand why people are a little cynical about a FNG like me making a thread like this... but really, this is intended to just be a positive, feel good thread.

Too bad LowKat traded all his pot. The H.A.M.B. could maybe use a joint or two.

 

I gave up getting stoned a long time ago....

 

I bought the El Matador for $2500. Big bucks.

 

I'll add a short story to this info-mercial.....

In 1984, I was driving a rusted, brake squealing Pinto. A kid wanted it and paid me $650 because it had a sunroof and a marginal stereo. I took $450 of it and bought a '33 3w body that I knew of. The next day, I hauled it to a swap meet and sold it in a heartbeat for $2000. I thought I had robbed the bank. I'd like to find a cheap one again.

 

I traded a "cheap" plasma cutter and $700 to get a 327 truck motor with a rochester 3x2 set up pan to carbs.

 

Back when I used to dicker in old cars for a living I bought an 82 Escort for $500. The owner even had it delivered on his auto club card.The car was about 5 years old at the time.

He told me the engine was shot, the timing belt broke and after it was replaced, the engine still only ran on 2 cylinders. So I was counting on replacing the head.

Turned out someone had put the rotor in the distributor wrong which wore a bunch of brass filings off the rotor and cap. Because the distributor was horizontal all the filings fell to the bottom and shorted out 2 plug wires.

I replaced the cap and rotor, tuned up the engine, detailed the car and sold it for $2200 the next week. At the time I needed the money badly.

That one sticks in my mind as a lucky deal that came along at just the right time. I remember the seller fondly because he did not try to bullshit me, he was as honest and helpful as he could be.

 

This should shut this thread down: Bought a '48 Chrysler T&C convertible for $80,000 from a collection in Texas. Sold it to another collector on the east coast for $125,000. bought a '46 Pontiac woodie from the same collection for $35,000. I was ahead $10,000 at this point. Just sold the Pontiac for a bunch of cash and a restored '60 Tbird with the rare sunroof option.

 

Back in 1971 I was hunting for a '55 Chevy 2dr. sdn. to build a gasser. Perusing a local Nickle Ad I found this ad:
Trade running, driving, straight '55 Chevy 2dr. for 1953 Chevy 3 speed.

So I call the guy up thinking a 1953 Chevy can't cost that much, so maybe cash of equal value will buy the '55! Assuming it's a car, I ask if he knows of a '53 Chevy for sale, and he says a friend of his has the '53 3 speed trans, but wants $150. So then the light goes on, and I realise he needs tranny, not a whole car!
I rushed over and gave him the $150, and drove my new to me '55 Chevy 2dr business coupe, 6 cyl. with 3 speed on the floor, and perfectly straight body home! Even had a set of slotted ET's on it!

 

Looking back over the years and realizing how much old collector cars have appreciated, I think just about all of my deals were great ones.
Maybe the best was the 65 Corvette I bought in pieces for 2 grand.Or maybe the 55 Chevy 150 2 door that I traded for with a shotgun I gave 35 bucks for.

 

I was standing in the front of my Welding shop on North Shepherd drive in Houston Texas. The shop was in the middle of a lot of wrecking yards.

I see a 56 Chevy 2 Door 210 Post on a wrecker go by and pull into the yard across the street. I went for the phone and called. They said $150 and I said bring it over. They drove it right over.

It was hit in the front and the upper A arm was bent. I had the A arm and I picked up a nice front a the Delmar swap meet for $125.

I was driving it the next week for less than $300 and some labor.

The cars still here, but its in bad shape now. That was over 30 years ago.

 

Now yer talkin', guys...lol.

On the other hand, I collected cars and parts for 25 years and in recent times, had to sell almost all of it to keep my wife and I goin'. Pretty much sold it all for what I paid. Oh well...lol.

Everbody have a good Sunday.

 

Some time in the early 70s on a Friday I bought a 64 or 63 Gran Prix fully loaded triple black 8 lug rims, it had all the options. The paint was very oxidized and it had a broken piston ring for $110. On sat I rubbed out the paint waxed it, got it looking really good and some guy just passing by offered $1000 for it. Needless to say I sold it.

 

In 1966 a friend of mine bought a '33 Willys panel truck for $2 and a new battery for the guys car.
Beat that.

 

Guy gave me a '29 Coupe body because it was in his pasture and he was afraid his horses would get hurt because they were pushing it around. What do I win?

 

i only have 2 kinds of deals ... the one i get screwed on & the one i got screwed on !

 

I bought a 65 stingray convertible for $304. had a 327,4 speed,teakwood wheel wonderbar radio.Someone stole the valve covers,otherwise the car was complete. I also traded a gallon of rot-gut whiskey for a 69 chevelle 2 door hardtop. That one ended up on the dirt track.

 

Two I remember.

In the early '60's, I used to stop by the legion club in town after work. The town drunk had driven his '55 Dodge 2 hdtp (with hemi) up, had gotten drunk, and got a ride home. It snowed like crazy that night, and the next morning, when they plowed the lot, they literally buried his car. After a week or so, the management was getting sick and tired of that pile of snow with a car in it getting in the way every time the lot needed to be plowed. I bought it from him for $10, dug it out, and jumped it to get it started. I drove that car back and forth to college the next two years. I then pulled the hemi and put it into my first T-Bucket, that I kept for another 10 years.

The second happened a couple of years later. Some friends of my ex-wifes tried to trade their 1960 Dodge Dart in on a newer car. Unfortunatley, it had a broken rear spring and a marginal battery, and the dealer plain didn't want it. I bought it for $15 (inflation, you know), changed out the spring and battery with parts from the local junk yard. I drove that car for a couple of years as well, and ended up selling it to a co-worker for $300.

 

Bought an 82 chev diesel van for $1250. A guy changed lanes into the side of it (How do you not see a fullsize black diesel van?) and bashed in the door and fender. Got $900 in insurance $, bought a junkyard door for $50 and continued to drive it. Had a guy rear end it and push in the back corner. Bashed it out with a maul and bought a tail light for $10. Continued to drive the van 2 more years to the east coast two times, Colorado once and florida once. Hauled me and my family in comfort everywhere and got 22mi/gal doing it. Slid down the hill on the ice and bent both back doors in. Sold it for $400. $610 up after about 100k miles of driving.

 

bought a nice low-mile Chevelle for $5000 and the man offered me a 65 Skylark that had been sitting about five years...FREE if I hauled it away.

two hours later, it was running, the brakes pumped up and looking good.

took it to the Swap Meet the next weekend and sold it for $1200.

 

after my wife left and times were very tough, I gave $300 for a 73 Olds and drove it as far as it would go and sold it to the U Pull It for $100. In the middle. a neighbor backed into it and insurance paid me $300 for the dent. Free car

 

Hey watch it buddy he never said it was pot. Dont go making assumptions. It could have very well been poperri or basil...FNGs man I tell you. Ok it was probably some weed.