The Ones That Got Away

[HealeyRick]

Here's mine:

1969 - 1967 Shelby GT350 - Stripped out car sitting in a local junkyard for $500, missing drivetrain, most of the Shelby bits, but otherwise undamaged. Told them I'd take it, but was sold out from underneath me. Rest of the story - turned out the original owners stripped it and declared it a theft. Received the insurance money, then bought it back from the salvage yard and replaced all the stripped parts that they had kept.

1969 - Aston Martin DB2 - Rough car with a 327 Corvette motor for $1,800. Said to be a factory rallye car with an altimeter in the dashboard. Said I'd take it, seller said another guy had the right of first refusal. That car with original motor worth about $400k today.

1980 - Austin-Healey 100M- good solid car needing resto for $5,500. Passed on it as I was restoring my bugeye. Finished the bugeye, it's worth about $10k. The 100M, if restored ... $100k

All kinds of Cobras during the energy crisis in the 70s for about $10k. Yeah, ... I know.

[powerslide]

A 1963 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta Lusso; was for sale in Milwaukee, in 1975 for $7000.00! Just starting out in the corporate world..didn't have a pot to pee in; and the banker couldn't find its value listed in "his book!" The car was pristine, allegedly originally ordered by GM stylist Dick Jordan. I'm getting a knot in my stomach just writing this!

[HealeyRick]

Thanks, I don't feel so bad now about the ones I've lost. That's gotta hurt!

Originally Posted by powerslide

A 1963 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta Lusso; was for sale in Milwaukee, in 1975 for $7000.00! Just starting out in the corporate world..didn't have a pot to pee in; and the banker couldn't find its value listed in "his book!" The car was pristine, allegedly originally ordered by GM stylist Dick Jordan. I'm getting a knot in my stomach just writing this!

[FIA-ERA]

Well she was a 36D/ 23/ 35 Brunette... Oh you meant cars! Well lets see, I'll get my list together here shortly but for right now it was just 7 months ago! The "CLASSIC car in the barn" find, seriously! It was a 1969 Mach 1 Cobra Jet Mustang the owner turned into a mild drag car. The parts were incredible: 66 427 low riser, dual 4's, big spline, a ton of great parts, just amazing! I couldn't sleep, couldn't work too well, I was a mess. It belong to an old car buddy that had just passed. These were all the parts and stuff we talked about for so many years! I made a deal on the car and parts, I was there picking up everything, I was sooo excited I couldn't stand it, and then BOOM the call came that they wanted to re nig on the deal! I had my hands on some of the coolest stuff I had ever touched and it was gone! The brother had sold the stuff to a cousin from underneath me! I can't tell you how heart broken and frustrating this was!! Out of respect for his deceased brother and my friend I put back the stuff I had loaded up! To this day I have the hardest time understanding and believing this happened and turned out the way it did. Just unbelievable! Well anyway here are some pics to quench your thirst after that sap story!

[FIA-ERA]

Well lets see: 66 Mustang 2+2, Red, a code, Pony Int. 4spd, air, ralley pac, 48K orig miles! Sold it right after high school, 2 motors, 3 clutches, 2 sets of tires, great memories, no girlfriends with that one (too Hot)! $4800 in 1990! 66 Mustang "Shelby" race car, All the right stuff, 289 full roller motor, Nascar stuff, Perfect HSR road course car! Sold it to "Doc" Greene in Ga. Still races it and loves it! Babies, debt, and needed it out of my system (not really), but still sucks to sell! A 1970 Boss 302, Fully loaded with Bud Moore Mini plenum, everything! Wanted to trade for my current 2+2 plus cash and just didn't have the cash! And the best for last, although it might one day have a happy ending! A 1967 Shelby GT500 I found the summer out of high school! I've known this car for 21 years and it's actually been in my garage for this last year getting fixed and maintained!! I have wanted this car for so many years and the owner says one day!! It has also been the hardest car I've ever worked on too! But still, at the end of the day it is just the most amazing car I've ever driven! Except for my Cobra, of course!

[Rick Parker]

Late 1970, CSX 2318. Had recently bought a 911S when a friend decided to sell his 289 Cobra for about $5500. At the time I really had no attraction to it because it was not a car you could use as a daily driver, you know to go EVERYWHERE (1 car). Besides, who wants a 2 seat convertable with just a soft top and no A/C when you're chasing skirt in Hot central Calif? Here is a copy of an old Polaroid, it was nice too:


Several months later I passed on a 66 GT350 for $1700. At the time the 911S just rang my bell, should have given up women, I'd be a lot more flush.

There were others, but those are two of the standouts.

[COBRANIP]

*1956 Chevy "210" Wagon, 265, "power-pack", 3-speed/Overdrive.....my dad's car since brand new....CHERRY!!! He sold it without telling me...("Oh...I didn't know you wanted it...")...but I'm not BITTER! (But I have gotten him cheaper Father's Day cards since then...(1965)... and I might work it in to his eulogy when that time comes...)
*1957 Chevy I bought for $150 in 1965.
*1954 Anglia (English Ford) I put a 426 Hemi in and an Econoline (front) straight Axle.
*1968 Yenko Camero (427) (Didn't even know what a Yenko was in 1971, fresh back from R.V.N. Now watching Barrett-Jackson I cry alot...)
*1984 Toyota Supra
*1997 BMW M-3/4

All cars I owned and eventually had "sellers remorse" after selling...except for the '56 wagon...did I mention it didn't have one ding or speck of rust on it? But I'm not bitter...

[boxhead]

My first car, I chatted to my Stepfather (He is a car guy) he asked me what I wanted ina car.
I said, lots of carbies, 2 doors, 4 seats, and lots of gears (5 speed).

He told me best thing that fits all those specifics (that I could afford) ($3K) was a Datsun 180B SSS.
I bought one same color as this.


But he then said if I could live with a 3 speed, or a 4 speed then I could also afford a E series Charger, like the following pic.

[DanEC]

64 Black Plymouth Sport Fury 383
70 Pontiac GTO - 4 sp
75 Pontiact Trans Am - 4 sp (try not to laugh but after cam, headers, intake, 3.73 rear, reworked carb/dist, and 2-1/2 in exhaust it was pretty quick)
66 427/390 Corvette

And the one I didn't quite get my hands on and I let slip away: A 68 Charger R/T Hemi that I went back to test drive in 1970 at the dealer - and some maniac had just made off with it and was doing donuts in the car lot when a mechanic ran out, smashed the window with a hammer and dragged him out of it. Front tire was shredded and bairly holding air. Glass all over the interior. I decided maybe it was an omen and walked away and bought the GTO instead.

Dan

[lnfletcher]

Only one that I wish I had back.
1968 Firebird 400.
With the birth of my first child coming, my wife said it had to go because it wasn't a "family" car!

[Sharroll Celby]

Think this one will be "The one that got away?" My 1957 Ford Failane 500 Club Victoria Hardtop, now has a worn-out 1972 460, Rebuilt C6 trans with shift kit, 9" with 3.25 gears and a Detroit Locker, ALL glass, chrome, and stainless is there in GREAT shape, with one half-dollar sized rust hole on the rear of the RF fender. 15 x 8 1/2 Weld wheels, new 255/60R15's Goodyear Eagle II's on the front, with the same Weld wheels on the back with an older set of 255/60R15s on the back.
This used to be a drag racer before I bought the car in 1986, and I have put the 460 in myself. The rear quarters are surprisingly straight, and the rest of the body is in VGC.
The car starts, runs, and drives. Just had the front end aligned and the car goes down the freeway super smooth!
Was asking $10,000 before the engine started acting up (loses oil pressure after a 30 minute drive, but comes back up after sitting for an hour or so.)