One that got away

[tdlmomowers]

I was just wondering if anyone would like to talk about a car that got away from them that they now have regrets about. When I was 15 years old, my Great-Great Uncle was 94 years old. He had a 1950 Ford Coupe that he had stopped driving because of his age. He offered to let me have the car if I wanted it. The only problem was that we would have to transport the car home a distance of 285 miles. My Dad said that he wasn't going to haul that piece of junk home and have it all over the back yard. So it eventually got towed off and scrapped. I still think about how cool that would have been for a first car.

[tintoptexan]

Well, two actually. Went into the Navy in 66, left 53 ford hard top at parents house. Was at sea on submarine when parents moved and left car. The other was after our 2nd child came along there was a choice between him and the 34 vicky. As a hind sight, I guess keeping the boy was the better choice. Joe

[raceron1120]

Oh boy, this thread should generate some good stories! Mine's not that great and I have suffered no long term affects from it - that I know of.

Mine was a Mustang.

I'd just got out of the Air Force, ended up working a metro Detroit Ford dealership in the early 70s, a parts guy. Ocassionally I'd make the run to Motown to pick up "will-call" (daily parts order) at the depot. One day I got back to the shop and noticed a ragged out, sickly looking '65 'stang convertible sitting in back of the used car lot. Called the boss - "How much?" reply "Not much, if you want it get it outta here TONIGHT". Done, Drove it home SLOWLY, with wifey following. Next day I ask "How much?" Reply: "$50.00". Done!

It'd been rode hard - very hard. 289 2bbl, T10 4gear, power top, power steering. Everything was tired. Had the engine rebuilt added solid cam/lifters, 4bbl, dual points, etc., replaced the top, etc. etc.

About a year later life had started getting in the way. Kids, mortgage, less work/less pay (remember '74? the gas crisis? Recession?) . . . I think nearly everyone knows that drill. Ended up having to sell the 'stang just to keep the wolves away. $1200.00. I nearly cried at the time.

But in hindsight - no regrets. Still got the wife, the kids, the house.... and a much nicer car - my '56 Vicky.

[Ole Don]

I worked at Ford on the line. Every three years the contract is up. We saved for a possible strike. One year we had a good sized stash, and we were told that Ford would be the target for strike if a contract was not hammered out by such and such date. The weekend before the date I saw an add for a Mini with a blown engine for 300 bucks. I had been in the habbit of buying one car a year to repair and sell. I hated to let that one pass, but feeding the kids is way more important.

[Dave72dt]

'35 Ford pickup. One my brother owned. It was a project he'd picked up maybe 10 years or so ago, never had a chance to do anything with it. Got strapped for cash, wasn't likely to have funds in the forseeable future to do what he wanted with it and offered it to me first before putting up for sale to the general public. My pockets weren't any deeper than his at the time and I really have to finish what I've already started before getting another. Had to pass.

[craig]

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Too many to count! However a couple that still bring tears to my eyes were a 1 owner 65 K code Mustang coupe, thats more rare than a K code in a fastback or convert.. My friend parked it at 92000 miles, it had jumped time, sold it to me for $200. I did a quick fix, drove it thru the summer of 1973 and sold it for a $1000! About the same time I got a 66 Nova (L79, 350 horse 327) from the original owner, had 48000 miles, he now had a wife and kids and wanted a station wagon. The dealer was offering him $300 for the car on trade, I gave him $325. It was a fun car, 4 speed, 12 bolt/4.10 gears, SS package and marina blue. I kept it around for a couple years and sold it in about 1975 for $1100!
Had a 64 R code galaxie once, but thats another sad story....

[LOWRIDER]

Well this is like a stake in the heart. Working at a Ford dealer in Detroit they pushed in a Mustang in my stall from the used car lot and said "just get it running" they were going to wholesale it. When I walked up to it I saw it was a 69 Boss 429. Only thing wrong with it was the aftermarket electric fuel pump had a kill switch that someone accidently hit. I could have picked it up for 1K. Just out of the service, not a pot to piss in I had to pass. Plus I was building a 427 for my 63. I did take it for a road test though(no plates). Scary. They fly. The only other factory car I drove that might have been faster is that Supercharged SuperSnake Mustang. I have to sign off now I'm starting to choke up.

[Herman Munster]

Not a Ford, but I recently found a listing for a Pierce Arrow that's supposed to be fairly complete for only $2500. I just don't have the money for it now nor would I have the money ever to restore it properly.

[tdlmomowers]

When I was a kid, I really wanted a 68 or 69 Torino Fastback. Man I thought those were cool. Lucky me, I bought a 1969 Torino Fastback GT in Sept. 2008. Been working on it since. If I hadn't rescued it when I did, it would have been too late to save it if it had sat much longer. Can't wait to get it on the road and take the Grandkids for ice cream. It is taking longer than I had hoped to get it road worthy. When I have time, I don't have money, and when I have money, I don't have time. Oh Well, It will get done sometime.

[Msgt.Dad]

My "got away story" The year was 1967, my brother owned a 1962 Chry 300H, oh yea ,, w / 413cid, duel 4's this car was crazy fast for a big boat! I came home one day to see a '65 pont. catalina I said wheres the 300H, Oh I traded it in at the local chevy dealer!(trade-in price for the 300H was $150.00), I picked up up the phone and called the "Honest" car salesman, and said I wanted the car back.. Guess what-- it was already sold ---right--- this was all in about a 45 min time frame! That Salesman is dead now, so I hope they buried him in the damn 300H ! OK OK I guess I'm still not over it !!!

[Daves55Sedan]

In 1973 I was 17 yrs old, driving around in my '55 Ford ( I still drive today). I happened upon a fabulous looking car parked in the woods behind a RV/camper dealer off Illinois Route 162 not far from home. I went back in there to take a closer look. It turned out to be a 1952 Lincoln Cosmopolitan 4 door sedan. It had power steering, power windows, power front seat, an overhead valve V8 engine and an automatic transmission. WOW. The valvo covers on the engine had LincolnV8 stamped in them, and I thought that the engine must have come out of a later model car. Later, I learned that This was Lincolns first OHV engine and it was 417 Cu in. WOW. The car was 100% complete except someone apparently had stolen the radiator while it sat back there in the woods. The hood was stuck open and it wouldnt close. Later I talked to the man that ran the RV dealer about it and he said that it was his dads old car be he was not aware that the radiator was gone. He said that he would be willing to sell it. I started to save money to buy it but not long after that I noticed the car was gone and found out that someone from out of state had come and carted it off.

[parklane]

Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

In 1973 I was 17 yrs old, driving around in my '55 Ford ( I still drive today). I happened upon a fabulous looking car parked in the woods behind a RV/camper dealer off Illinois Route 162 not far from home. I went back in there to take a closer look. It turned out to be a 1952 Lincoln Cosmopolitan 4 door sedan. It had power steering, power windows, power front seat, an overhead valve V8 engine and an automatic transmission. WOW. The valvo covers on the engine had LincolnV8 stamped in them, and I thought that the engine must have come out of a later model car. Later, I learned that This was Lincolns first OHV engine and it was 417 Cu in. WOW. The car was 100% complete except someone apparently had stolen the radiator while it sat back there in the woods. The hood was stuck open and it wouldnt close. Later I talked to the man that ran the RV dealer about it and he said that it was his dads old car be he was not aware that the radiator was gone. He said that he would be willing to sell it. I started to save money to buy it but not long after that I noticed the car was gone and found out that someone from out of state had come and carted it off.

Actually, I believe that they were a 317, not 417.

[Daves55Sedan]

Yes 317. Hit wrong key. Maybe some other typing errors in there. Ooops

[Gumpy]

I was offered a 1960 corvette in 1978 for $1600. missed out on that one but anticipating another to show up soon....you never know what the almighty has in store!!

[Old Redneck]

Back in 1963 I had a chance to buy to
two Packards a 1931 DUAL COWL Conv. froma doctor for 12,000 but there was a problem I was afraid to borrow the money. I just had a new home built and did not want to chance it.He would not just sell me one of them. I still think about what I missed.

[JACSKATE]

Heer's my heartbreak story.

I was 17 and found a 1956 Chevy convertible on the back lot of a carlot. It had a couple of flat tires. Body was good, engine smoked a little. I bought it for $100.00.
My brother in law helped me rebuild the engine. Had a new top put on it.
Got married in 1966. I was 19. Got drafted three months later. Went to Nam, I live in Southern Cal and dreamed of coming home and putting the top down and hitting the coast highway.

Returned home, my wife picked me up in this 1966 Plymouth 4 door (think ADAM 12) pos. She told me her father found it and told her it was a good deal. We got home and when I didn't see my Chevy in the parking area of our apartment house I asked her what happened.

It wouldn't start one morning so she sold it to my brother (He who was known as the destoyer of cars). Found out later that the battery was dead. he paid her $60.00 down and promised to pay her $40.00 later.
He blew a head gasket and traded it in on a Corvair.

It's still a big sore spot as you might have guessed.

[ken ct]

Not ford but a driveable 55 cheby bel-air convertible for $75 in the middle late 60's. Sorry ,sorry now at todays prices. ken ct.

[alarot]

For me it has to be a 1934 sedan delivery with a 4 cylinder which I demanded my dad rescue from the scrap row of his friend`s junkyard in 1969. They decided to tow it to our house where my dad would handle the sale of it for a 50/50 split. I tried every angle with pops but he refused to let me buy it cuz it was too rough. He sold it through Hemmings and it was never seen again. Still miss that cool grill and suicide doors!!

[old5.0]

I've got several I regret. The worst would have to be my grandfather's 63 R-code Galaxie. He bought that thing brand new. Other cars came and went, but he always held on to that one. It was stored out at our farm, and once a month or so he would back it out of the shed, check everything over and take it for spin around the section. My uncle actually lived on the place and farmed it with my grandfather. Well, one night (this would have been about '89 or '90), my cousin snagged the keys and snuck it out for a little backroads hellraising. Ended up rolling her several times. He walked away, but the car was destroyed.

[ken1939]

This is a similar question posed to me at the MSRA Back to 50's weekend, which car you would want to have back that you owned. But of course that is another legnthy tread no doubt!

However, my answer applies to this posting. Knowing I would never have the money for some of the cars I would have like to have, always a nickle or 6000 short etc, was mostly the case. Be it a 64 Falcon Convert, 70 Chevelle SS or a Cammer.

My answer is it didnt get away, I will get it now, by building it. I have more enjoyment out of finding that "right" car to build, or having it find me (another post) and then doing the rest.

I dont have that one car list, as in my mind, I will get to it and build it.

Selling the ones you build..another post