In mid-1971 a friend had a Black '68 Dodge Charger Hemi 4 speed. He had a baby on the way and was asking $2000.00 for the car. I made the mistake of taking my soon to be wife to look at it as well as a '68 Chevy Impala for $1,800.00. We drove the Chevy for about 2 years before I sold it to buy a '69 Corvette.
Mine is way OT... Mint GNX 18K original miles, garaged and only came out Sundays for a wash and wax. Owner was making space and was letting it go for 5k when it was 10 years old. It is probably for the better because I would have destroyed it way before it was worth anything.
About 1970, the company I was working for transferred a technician from California to the home office in Chaska, MN (that's amazing in itself). He had a nice white 230 HP 3 speed '57 Corvette he brought with him. His wife got pregnant and he decided to sell it. He told me he would take $1100 cash. I can't remember why, but I couldn't come up with the cash and lost out. Have any of you seen the promo for the TV show "Americarna"? In it they have about a 3 second glimpse of a gold T-bucket with a flathead with the number "22" on the side. I almost sure that it is a car I had a chance at buying about 20 years ago. It was a actual dirt track roadster at that time, restored by a guy in Rochester, MN several years previously. At that time, it was powered by one of the very rare Riley OHV conversions on a '37 Ford block. I p***ed at $14,000. From what I have heard, it ended up in California, where one of the high rollers removed the engine and used it to build an AMBR entrant. From the promo, it looks like someone took the car, installed a regular flathead and put it on the street. I am in Florida now, so I don't have access to the pictures the seller sent me 20 years ago, but I am almost sure it's the same car.
In '84- 70 Superbird for $7,000.00 which was a lot of money back then 1987-ish '31 highboy coupe, tunnel ram SBC $5000.00
In 1984, a 1969 Red Dodge Charger Daytona with 3,876 original miles on it for $3,876. He wanted a dollar for every mile it had driven. I tried to leave a deposit but he wouldn't take it. I came back a few days later with $3,500 and told him I would have the rest by payday, he wouldn't take it. Came back on payday and it was gone. The yellow 1970 Hemi Challenger convertible that wound up in the Otis Chandler collection. It used to sit dis***embled in a hanger out at the Charlie Brown airport near Atlanta. Price was $5,500. Couldn't afford to buy it AND fix it. 1987 a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr 4 door convertible V-12 in rough shape for $75. Was too scared of the work it needed.
1959...My friend down the street wanted to sell his beautiful '41 Ford coupe with SBC (not too common then) with 4 carbs, genuine 4 speed hydramatic, very nice scalloped paint job, nice interior, 15" wheels with genuine Corvette hub caps and steering wheel. Wanted 1200 but wouldn't take payments (smart). Might as well have been 12 million but I would have probably traded some parts of my young body.
Around 1983 a local dealer had a 70 Road Runner convert with a 383 4 speed. It was on the back row, asking price $600. I test drove it and told the salesman I would be back in 10 minutes, I was going to the bank to get the money. I'd just got off work and didn't carry cash with me then (that was the last time for that), so I couldn't even give him a $1 to hold it. I went straight to the bank, got the cash, and was back at the dealer just as some guy was giving the same salesman $25 down on that Road Runner! I called that dealership every day for a week wanting to buy that car, until the guy finally talked his wife into letting him buy it on the last day they were going to hold it for him. I ended up buying a different 70 383 Road Runner from that lot, but it wasn't a convert, and it wasn't a 4 speed. Hind site, I probably should have test drove the convert to the bank to get the money. After that I always carried a $100 bill in my wallet. I have bought a lot of cars over the years because of carrying a $100 bill. Gene
About 10 years ago I found a chopped 34 3 window in bare steel on the internet. The chop was dead on, and the metal was all clean and was listed as 'Divorce forces sale $4,500!!!!' I called the guy immediately, and he told me he just loaded it on a guy's trailer. Apparently, his wife hated the car and called it a worthless pile of junk. She was also taking him for all he was worth, and said he would rather give it to a car guy than let her get her hands on the money from it. He told me within the first two hours he had it posted a guy from three blocks down called about it and got it. The worst part was that the car was posted for less than two and a half hours when I called. That is by far the biggest one that got away from me.
I've had a number of these experiences, most with o/t mopar muscle cars, the best one was a 1964 Belvedere, factory aluminum front end ,770 miles on the odometer, less engine and trans for $1700.00 in 1978. I was going to tech school and would have had a hard time s****ing together $170.00
OK, took a trip w/ the parents to visit my uncle in IL. I must have been 14 or 15. He was moving & needed to unload some stuff. '66(?) Toronado, needed exhaust, small bit of rust over each rear wheel, $150. My old man said we couldn't drive it home with the exhaust leak. He also wanted to give me a nice '26-'27 T roadster body. No way to get it home. It went to the dump. Then there was the chopped '50 Merc @ a swap meet when I was 18ish, I thought the $2K was ridiculous, 'cause I could find one for a couple hundred & cut it myself. I was a dumb***.
20 years ago was looking for a muscle car, 64 Pontiac GTO. Found one, original #s. Matching, tripower, 4 speed car, red, very nice, asking 12k. P***ed, thought way too high on price. Same time frame, 57 Chev Bel Air 2 door hardtop, 327, 4 speed, NICE car, 10k, again p***ed. 6 years ago, a fellow hot rodder offered to sell me his resto mod 57 Bel Air, stunning car, black, LS ,700R4, 9", my vision of perfect, 35k was in process of retirement, moving, etc, again did not open check book. So like everyone on here, missed opportunities, BUT, NO complaints, life is good !, still playing with cars and another opportunity is just around the corner.
Mine was an either '32-33-34 Ford Coupe V8...don't remember the exact year, but it belonged to my Uncle..he was a cr*** old ****** and it sat in his back yard for years..he would fire it up and drive it a bit a few times a year, then cover it back up with a canv***.. We visited him every Friday night, and I always would ask him if I could buy it...and he never answered.. One night he barked loudly at me and said to stop bugging him...when he was ready to sell it I would know.. Several months later we went to see him and as we pulled in his drive I noticed it was GONE..... After a few minutes my Dad asked him where the old car was, and he said... "Some damn fool came over an offered me $25 for it".... This was in 1958 and I was (14)...... Took a long time to get over that one....
It was in 1970, finally had some money to buy a car. My dad took me to a car dealer and in the back row was a 1956 nomad that they wanted $600 for. It had a V8 with a 4-spd, took it for a test drive, it ran great but every time you would turn a corner the tires would chirp (now I know the rear was locked or welded). So that was why I didn't get a nomad, when I was 17. That plus my dad couldn't figure out "why in the hell a kid would want a station wagon."
Parents ruin all the fun. It was 1963, OK I was only 12. My buddy (who claimed all the mechanical skills) and I were all hot to make a deal for a, what we called, a deuce coupe. It might have been an A. Cycle front fenders, bobbed rears, running a Y block the teenage owner said was from a T Bird. The price was $200 and we had the money.
OK I will play but I probably can't remember half of them. These are in the time frame of the 60s. 31 Model A pickup $75 . Couldn't come up with it. 34 Chevy 2 door $35. It had been rolled but still repairable, but I p***ed. 55 Bel Air convertible with blown engine. I offered $50, he said no then junked it,probably for $75 57 Ford convertible I offered $50, he said no then junked it. In 1971 a real 65 Shelby GT 350 offered to me by a buddy in service for $1000. I p***ed because I was more stupid than he was for selling it that cheap. In 1973 a 1961 Corvette offered by a co worker for $800. I p***ed because I wasn't a Vette guy at the time. Later my wife talked me into buying a 58, and I fell in love. I have had 4 since then and will probably always own one....once you go Vette you don't go back. 55 T-Bird for $600. Probably worth it at the time but really rusty and I didn't want to deal with rust back then. Probably more I forget about. After I got older I started buying these "deals" and usually kept them a while and sold them for less than I paid for them. Guess there are no real deals left anymore.
Back in the late 90's early 2000's when I was in high school. There was a 69 Pontiac GTO Judge with ram air III heads that was parked around my neighborhood.. It was black(uncommon) with the silly stripes and the patina on it was incredible. It still had the ram air stuff, and aforementioned ram air III heads. it was a 4 speed, and looked like a original paint and interior unmolested 69 Judge that just moved around a few block area. It needed to be restored, but it looked like it hadn't really been messed with. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a matching numbers car. I never saw the owner. never saw it drive. but it always moved around the neighborhood every time it got a parking enforcement 3 day move it sticker. I left numerous notes. it finally disappeared around 2002 or so. never saw it again
Both of these in the early 80's. 34 Ford three window, body,doors, deck lid, frame, and grill. Wearing mostly original black paint, top had been sawed off and was laying catty wompus in the car. 900 bucks. Started thinking about my relatively new bride my 1st house I had just purchased and that lovely green three tone yarn like carpet in that new house that the aforementioned bride wanted outta there toot sweet! And I came to my senses! Well in hindsight, not so much. 1969 Mercury Cyclone spoiler with the motor in the trunk. 500 bucks. Mercury's answer to the Torino Talladega and the Mopar winged cars. Co worker had told me about the car, belonged to his neighbor. Kicked it around a little bit and decided nah I'm not a Mercury/NASCAR kind of guy. Again, hindsight.
Not a Hot Rod, but a lesson to be learned. A good friend bought a 1911 Hupmobile from the original family, a great Barn Find long before the term was used this was back in 1975. After a few months he desided to sell it, hadn't done a thing to it. Price was $5,000. I went home and started listing stuff for sale, sold the '56 Ford Half Ton I bought and drove home from California for $2,500. Went over to offer a 50% down payment but found out he had sold to another local guy. I never said anything until many years later on the way to look at another car with him. He just about stopped the car and explained that the next time something like that happens tell the seller you are really interested, he would have worked a deal and time payments. The shop I worked at wound up doing the restoration, felt odd restoring a car that could have been mine. Bob
When I was about 14 a guy in the neighborhood had a 40 Ford Deluxe coupe sitting on the side of the house. Even at that age I had no chance but had to ask...$500 with the 283 or $50 and he keeps the motor. Early 70's...a guy was selling a dark blue 66 Vette Fastback, Keystone Cl***ics, small block, 850 Holley on it and a 1050 Holley in the box in the back seat, $1300. Couldn't come up with it. About the same time at a local transmission shop in an industrial area a guy had an AC Cobra with no motor for $1000. Couldn't do it.
I've always liked old cars. My first car is technically a 49 dodge pickup, which is still sitting in the field where my uncle gave it to me. Anyways, coming up on 16 in 1999 I was looking for a old car to buy and drive. The only requirement from my parents was that it have seat belts factory installed. That pretty much left muscle car era stuff as the target zone. I ended up with a 1967 Pontiac Tempest convertible. 6 months later I had a 72 K5 blazer( still have) and a year or so after that 1967 GTO hardtop.( just sold last summer) anyways, That was the beginning of a long string of automobiles, probably currently in the 400-500 range.(stopped counting at 300) at this point I still buy, sell and work on the later stuff. but my personal interest is in the early iron.
I'll play,,,by now you guys know I have a thing for 32 Fords,,,this story just might be the main reason behind my obsession. Back in 1962 we had a neighbor that lived behind us on a corner lot,,Mr.Burton was his name,,never knew his first name and from the time I was 11 years old I cut his gr*** during the summer. He drove a 53/56 Ford truck to work and had had some kind of accident and walked with a bad limp that's probably why I cut his gr***. Anyway,I would go to his barn and get what I needed to do his yard work and there half covered with a old canvas army tent was a 32 Ford 5-window coupe, I always looked forward to entering that sacred tomb each summer until that day in early June he told me that my services were no longer needed,,,he explained that he was moving up north to live with his sister,,,he ask me did I want the lawnmower to go into business cutting other folks yards,,,I gladly went to the shed to retrieve the mower and gaze one last time at the coupe,,which had not moved the whole time we lived next to him. I ask him was he gonna drive the old car to his sisters or pull it,,,His answer was,,No,son,I'm gonna have to sell the old gal,,,with that reply,,I fired back how much? His answer was already established because 75 bucks came back as quick as I ask.,,,I'll buy it,I said. He looked at me and said we need to talk to your dad,,,not wanting my dad to say no,,,I told mr. Burton I would talk to dad tonight when he gets home from work,,, Next dad I sat outside Mr. Burton's front door,,it seemed to be forever,,but I knew he worked second shift and I didn't dare wake him up,,It just might screw things up. Around noon he exited his house and ask how long had I been there and if I had discussed the sale with my dad,,I told him I just came over a few minutes ago and dad said it was ok with him,,,, BTW,,I never once said a word to my dad,,I really didn't need the money,,I robbed my cigar box and with my gr*** cutting money,birthday money and my entire life savings I had enough money and some change,,enough money to buy the coupe and fix it up,,,Hey ,I was 12 years old,,,I didn't know what I do today. So,,I handed Mr. Burton my hard earned cash and we proceed to unearth the coupe,,man,That car was nice,,original black paint,flathead V8,and all 4 tires were shot and rotten,,,but I had the biggest grin on my face as I fought with all my might trying to guide it as Mr. Burton pulled it behind his truck across his yard into my parents side yard. I was the happiest kid in the world for about three hours,,,, That was when my dad got home,,,,the first words out of his mouth was what was that junk car doing in our yard?,,,from there it got ugly,,,he called Mr. Burton,,,woke him up,,remember,,2nd shift,,he was a little more than annoyed,,he and dad got into a debate about not clearing it with him first and that I was 12 years old and had no business with a car and for him to come and get it out of his yard,,and if he wanted to,,,keep the money Danny gave you for lying to us both,,,and he would take care of me,,I knew what was gonna happen,,they don't call this part of the country the Bible Belt for nothing. Heavy on the belt,,,,long story coming to a end,,,Mr. Burton gave me my money back and had a big laugh,,,a few days later both he and the car were gone,, never to be seen again,,,, Many years later my dad and I talked about what had now become known as the ol' ford coupe incident and how he never dreamed that I would ever be able to restore and build cars from the ground up and how badly I wanted that car,,,,and how he was proud of me when people would stop by our business and ask about the different cars that I would drive to work,,,,,,,, At that time the 32 Ford coupes were already reaching unheard of prices,,and he just couldn't believe it. A few weeks before he p***ed away the subject came up again,,he said I sure hope you find a ol' coupe like that one someday,,,,I told him,,it was probably a good thing he didn't let me keep it,,I would have made a hot rod and gotten myself killed in it,,he smiled and said,,Nobody will ever know son,,we can't go back,,but if I could,,,you would let to keep that car. All you guys got is my word on this tale,,,all the players are deceased,except me,,,nobody knows the where about's of the 32 coupe,,,but I'm willing to bet the owner ain't 12 years old! BTW,,4 years later I did get to keep my next car,,I was 16 years old and I did clear it with dad,,,a 1954 mainline,,, HRP
HRP- we are brothers from another mother! My first car was also a 1954 2dr Mainline! Body mounts were so shot, when closing a door the entire side of the body would move about an inch!
When I was 13, a twofer, a '55 ford 2dr sedan and a '56 Crown vic for $300 IIRC, I actually wanted the sedan.
1966 -the neighbor's son came home on leave from the Navy in a very nice 40 dlx coupe. When he had to go back it wouldn't start. He needed $250 for travel expense and sold it for that, I didn't have any extra money. 1984-a very straight 1940/41 Willys coupe sitting in a field near Ukiah California-$600. Didn't have money to spare at that time either. Bought a black 59 El Camino though for $150 that didn't run but had a 425HP 63 409. Parted it out and made $500-sure should have kept that one! There are too many others to even mention. 1976-Gold 62 Impala SS 409/409 for $1600 and a nice 57 210 for $1200 sitting at a gas station in Fresno-again could not spare the cash but a friend got the 57 at least.
My '54 Ford was what at that time the used car dealers called a cream puff,one owner and well maintained but it didn't take me too long to blow up that inline 6. HRP
In 1966, waiting to go in the Army, I was working at a small mechanics shop, ran by two brothers, to work off a bill to repair my broken transmission in my 63 Fairlane, and they always had old cars that they had found. A 37 Chevy four door that I helped put the new short block in (I think $100 would have bought it), a 40 Ford two door sedan with a Pontiac tri power engine for about $150 (they sold it not too long afterwards and it ended up in the salvage yard after being rolled). I had no money at the time, that old 40 was Poppy Orange, the mustang color, dang it. Ten years later the same guys had a 34 Ford five window, the firewall was cut out but they had a 34 tudor for parts, it had been hit in the rear so it was junk (today it would be an easy car to fix), $500 for both, they also had their dad's 40 Lincoln Zephyr coupe, $500. By this time I had started on the 38 Chevy that I still have, I had adequate money to buy both. I couldn't see far enough into the future to see the value
The Jalopy Journal
