Ever Regret not buying a Car?

[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.

[powerbyford]

One more-

Supposedly, my high school auto mechanics teacher was presented a chance to buy an original GT40 via FoMoCo. He went to Dearborn to look at it, and ended up passing.

He got a twinge of regret in his eyes when he tells this part.

The car was somewhere around $5000. He says it was a cobbled together mess, and he had just bought a new T/A. A 301 Turbo T/A. And didn't think he could sell it and buy the Ford.

Ouch.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by 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.

I had a bugeye back in my college days....about 1967 til about 1969. It was a horrible car but great to drive. I took the cure on English cars after that until my sort of English lotus 7 replica and the sort of English cobra replica. When I climb down into the Cobra I always get a flashback to the Sprite.

[sfm6s]

Early '80s I turned down an Alfa Romeo Gtam, complete but needing work @ £4k , it came with a shed full of T33 magnesium wheels - I had nowhere to put them.
The godfather of my then (1982) girlfriend was emigrating to Australia, maybe permanently, and offered me his Aston Martin DB4gt - gratis - as long as I didn't sell it. Again no garage space.
About 20 years ago I declined to buy a Lola T70 mk3 for £70k (wrong gearbox and F.Sbarro in its history).
These were all very close to happening. Other close shaves with good fortune were a Lamborghini Miura SV @ £17k in '81, a '63 Corvette split window and the Chequered Flag Lancia Stratos @ £14k in 1984.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by sfm6s

.....offered me his Aston Martin DB4gt - gratis - as long as I didn't sell it. Again no garage space.....

Oooooh, that must hurt to think back on?

Cheers,
Glen

[Three Peaks]

Some of you guys have me beat by a mile, but a couple I didn't mention- Had a chance to buy a Dino Ferarri around 1992 for $12K in perfect condition and a 308 for $13K in fair condition.
Also passed on a 67 Corvette big block for around $2500 in very good condition, but needed an interior.

There were more- many more but I'll stop there...

Bob

[t walgamuth]

I had a chance at a 59 Ferrari GT 250 pf coupe back in 'bout 93 for 13,500....but I bought it.....so no regrets. I sold it in 08 for a good profit but now they're worth five times what I sold for, but no regrets. I had done all I wanted to with it and the money from the sale was put to good use for other things.

[Alfa02]

Ok, if we're going to talk about Ferrari's that were passed-up, here's mine. 1993 had just brought my 66 Alfa GTV race car, found the right Alfa mech. to help set-it-up, though a DR. friend of mine (at the time he had 71 Dino, 73 308GTS, and 70 GT-4) all very nice cars. So the DR. buddy wants to go with us to the first tune & test day, ok fine. Well he thought vintage racing looked like fun (he had done track days) SO he asked to take my Alfa out, Hummmm I don't know, but yea ok. Well long story longer (yea he crashed it, HARD ) first thing he said to me "You can have my Dino straight across". I thought about it for about a second, but no, I wanted to race, so his bank account took a $38K hit to it, about the same price he paid for his Dino back then. I have no regret passing that Dino up, I had way more fun racing the ol'Alfa for 14 years.

[t walgamuth]

There's more to it than money isn't there?