Cars you let get away and regret

That is an awesome story Arnie!

 

A numbers matching 1971 Plymouth GTX R-code Hemi car in good condition for $8,900. It was all black with no vinyl roof and black bucket seats. It had a centre console with a 4-speed Pistol Grip shifter, a Rallye dash/gauge cluster with a Tuff steering wheel, as well as matching body colour elastomeric bumpers with chin spoilers on the front valence, and a 4:10 Dana 60 rear (from what the seller told me).

It was around the year 2000, so that was an insanely good price for that time. Let alone today. But I was only 20 at the time and it would have taken literally every penny of my savings to buy it, as well as the sale of several personal items to recuperate not even half the money. I also didn't have anywhere to keep it, so as much as it utterly pained me to not get the car, I just couldn't do it at the time. That one still haunts me.

On the cheaper, more "pedestrian" side of things, I missed getting a 1965 Dodge Polara 2 door with a 318 Poly/automatic in it for $400. The interior was completely stripped, except for the dash and steering wheel, but the car was incredibly straight and rust free. It would have made an awesome (and easy) drag car, but when I showed up to get it, another person had already come to pick it up. It was one of those "if you can get here before the other guy" kind of deals, even though I was the first person to contact him about the car. I guess the owner couldn't wait to get his hands on that $400.

 

Thank You WTD for ripping of the bandaid on old emotional scars. Lol. Your post made me reread these stories and it conjured up all those emotions on the ones that got away, and the ones I regretted selling. Safe to say we all probably have a day or two we wish we could relive. Oh well that’s why I’m cautious about what I sell today.

 

*hands you a box of Band-Aids...

But yeah, we've all got horror stories to relive, I'm sure. lol Not getting that Hemi GTX is still a tough pill to swallow though. It was unrestored, but it was in good condition, and let's say..."lovingly used". Lots of little nicks, scrapes and swirl marks all over the body and the interior was worn, but it was an honest car. Not like one of those fake "fluff and buff" cars that are so common today that are made to look all shiny and new to pull the wool over people's eyes. It was a legit, original car and it had no pretensions of hiding all the use and history it showed all over it. Just what I like in a car.

I remember going to look at it, fully knowing I couldn't buy it, just so I could drive it. lol I don't like being a "test pilot" and it was a crappy thing to do, but I just couldn't resist. The car desperately needed a valvetrain adjustment (as most Hemis do) and a general tuneup, but it drove around the block (barely) and I'll never forget that Hemi rumble as it finally fired to life. What an awesome machine. The 1971-'72 Plymouth GTX/Roadrunner/Satellite is my favourite muscle car body style of all-time, so that didn't help things at all either. *sighs*

I have a lot of other interests as well, so I have several other stories of "the one that got away" with guitars, guitar amps, stereo equipment, watches, fishing equipment, etc. I'm full of pain. Oh well. Onward and upward, as they say. lol

 

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger”

 

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Love that story , thanks.
And yes , that replacement GM V-6 truck motor was a bullet-proof true hauler ... loads of torque.

Trivia:
My dad was a farmer and bought a brand new 1960 1-ton GM truck with a wooden grain box .... family still has it and only has 30,000 miles on it...... (under powered) 235 cu in straight 6 cyl 4 speed ... could only get about 45 - 50 mph with a full load on level ground.

That same year our fire dept bought a new 1960 Suburban panel with 4 wheel drive .... a very rare vehicle in its day ... typically only army trucks were all wheel drive .... they sold it at a surplus auction around 1982 and went for a high price .... lost track of it since then .... it was immaculate and low miles.

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EDIT to add link to 1960-66 GM Suburban (carryall) history ... excellent !!!!
https://www.motortrend.com/features/1603-last-of-the-chevy-highboys-1960-66-suburban-carryall

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When I left the Army, I bought a 1979 Cadillac Seville. It gave me problems, engine and brakes... One day someone stole it from my wife's job and stripped it. I settled with the insurance company and let the car go.

I miss that car.

 

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Now I am quoting my own post .... I need serious help .... haaa

Anyway ... I did not know I had a handy picture of the 1960 Chev truck my dad bought brand new .... it is on the left in the background .... one ton cab and chassis farm truck .... body is absolutely mint but paint completely gone from sitting outside so many years.

The 1950's chev truck beside it belonged to my sister in law's dad .... going to leave the original patina and his name on it , but do a modern engine and powertrain with an automatic and power brakes etc .

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