[HealeyRick]

How about these three:

In 1970 there was a '68 theft-stripped GT 350 in a junkyard near me for $500 and I knew where I could get a wrecked 390 GT for another $500 and make one car out of them. Told the yard I'd take the GT 350, then they said they couldn't sell it to me. Turns out the guys that owned the car stripped it, rolled it out into the woods, claimed insurance and got the payout. Bought the car back and put everything back together.

About the same time, a 1952 Aston-Martin DB2/4 with a 'vette motor for $1,800. Wanted it, but the buyer said his friend had first refusal. Friend bought it.

In 1980 I had just spent $5k on body and paint on a bugeye Sprite. A factory Healey 100M came up for sale near me in decent shape, needing an interior and paint. I couldn't buy the M and finish the Sprite at the same time, so I stuck with the Sprite. Nice 100Ms are a $200k car now.