The one that got away...

When I was a young teen, my dad worked at a hardware store, and a frequent customer had a 1972 Chevrolet K10 truck he was trying to sell. 4000 in 2002 money. Truck had a newish crate engine, rebuilt transmission, nice black paint with some green pinstriping. Truck was painted in the early nineties, it was a little dated but to a 14 year old kid it was awesome.

Then a huge hail storm hit that town and the truck got a lot of damage. Needed hail repair to the hood, roof, new windshield, etc. Price dropped to 1500.

My dad knew where this guy lived and we went there to look at it. Be still my hormone enraged, pimply faced heart. Guy wasn't home, dad was intending to buy it that day.

Come Monday my dad saw the guy and he had sold the truck that afternoon.

A dollar short and a day late, story of my life.

Hungary Bill wrote: In 2001 I saw a 1992 Mazda RX-7 for sale for $14,400, I was 19 years old. It was green with a tan interior and with my E-1 pay financing would have been "easy money". TO DAY passing on the purchase was the smartest and most disappointing thing I've ever done and the craving has never entirely gone away. I believe the correct color is "Montego Blue Mica"

The only car I regret selling... Is that one with a black interior. That car taught me so many things about being smooth and not over driving it. It just rewarded you by going faster and faster as long as you were smooth with it. Upset it... and well yeah, she'd kick you in the teeth.

I was within hours of completing a 3 way deal on this little jem. Everything went south at the last minute. Would love another crack at it....

Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

I passed up a few "deals" on various, MGB's TR3's, TR4's, TR6's, Spitfires, Midgets, 55-57 Chevy's, Flatfender Jeeps, Dogde Power Wagons, even an olds American Lefrance fire truck over the years when they were all just cheap cars/trucks...problem was I didn't have the money then.

There was a Sunburst Miata with hardtop locally for like $1500. I saw the ad minutes after it was posted but had no time to go retrieve it that week. A local Miata guy that flips a lot of them grabbed it, of course, cleaned it up and put it back for sale for many thousand more.

if it makes you feel any better in 2005 I passed on an '88 BMW M3, Henna Red, all records. Had an Autopower rollbar, momo steering wheel, Schroth harnesses, Supersprint complete exhaust, H&R springs/bilsteins, exhaust cam. All original paint/panels, interior in stellar condition. Some dents here and there on the body and the title said there was an odometer issue. Ran and drove well, motor felt a bit down on power.

I could've bought it for $5700. That car today, in the same condition is easily worth $20k.

Yes, I kick myself every single day.

tedium850 wrote: Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

Couldn't have been numbers matching. The Mustang didn't get the 429 until 1971 after the redesign. A '69 would have had the 428 (entirely different engine family even. 429 was a 385-series, 428 was an FE)

I had a line on a 1990 Integra RS that had been swapped with a B18C and trans from a DC@ GSR. Skunk2 header, exhaust, throttle body and intake, Tein coilovers. Guy only wanted $1500. Just needed the correct flywheel and it would run. Had a deal all setup, went to the guy's house and he wasn't there. Kept calling him, no answer. Ended up hearing he traded it for another Integra I was fairly familiar with (And knew was a piece of junk.) The new owner would not part with it

2005/6 ish. Living in Austin. Just gone through a breakup that had bled me dry money wise (hence breakup). Had a loan on my Swift GT and a Bugeye in a buddy's garage. Local store an older lady pulled up in a later model 356 coupe. Admired the car and complimented her on it. We got to talking and turns out she was the original owner, just a tick over 100K miles. But, she said that she was having troubles driving it and was thinking about selling it. When I asked how much, she said, "I was thinking $3500 or so. Do you think that's too much?" Uh, no ma'am, I'd love to buy and take care of it myself.

Spent the next week trying to dump the Bugeye and come up with the cash. Kept in touch with her for that week, but she ended up selling it to her son because I just couldn't come up with the funds......

-Rob

NickD wrote:

tedium850 wrote: Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

Couldn't have been numbers matching. The Mustang didn't get the 429 until 1971 after the redesign. A '69 would have had the 428 (entirely different engine family even. 429 was a 385-series, 428 was an FE)

Then what engine is in a 1969 BOSS 429 Mustang?

In reply to docwyte:

Sorry, You are correct about the 428 vs 429.(I fat fingered the 429), but it was a numbers matching drag pak car...

In reply to rob_lewis:

428SCJ...I don't remember all the specifics, but it had a 4-speed, 3:91 or 4:30 Detroit Locker rear, external oil cooler, solid lift cam (I think ...could be wrong).

It was to be my DD at the time, so it was probably better that I didn't get it...plus I was maybe 21 at the time. That fast/ill handling (from the factory) wouldn't be a good combo for me at the time.

theenico wrote:

NickD wrote:

tedium850 wrote: Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

Couldn't have been numbers matching. The Mustang didn't get the 429 until 1971 after the redesign. A '69 would have had the 428 (entirely different engine family even. 429 was a 385-series, 428 was an FE)

Then what engine is in a 1969 BOSS 429 Mustang?

The Boss 429 was the derivative of the 385-series but had O-ring decks, different oiling system, those semi-hemi heads and corresponding valvetrain. But a Boss 429 is not the same as a 429 Cobra Jet. And considering that there were 857 in 1969 (and 2 Cougars) and 499 in 1970, not really that common. And I'm certain Boss' never got down to $500 ever.

rob_lewis wrote: 2005/6 ish. Local store an older lady pulled up in a later model 356 coupe. When I asked how much, she said, "I was thinking $3500 or so. Do you think that's too much?" Uh, no ma'am, I'd love to buy and take care of it myself.

^^^My vote for the winner.

Spinout007 wrote:

Hungary Bill wrote: In 2001 I saw a 1992 Mazda RX-7 for sale for $14,400, I was 19 years old. It was green with a tan interior and with my E-1 pay financing would have been "easy money". TO DAY passing on the purchase was the smartest and most disappointing thing I've ever done and the craving has never entirely gone away. I believe the correct color is "Montego Blue Mica"

The only car I regret selling... Is that one with a black interior. That car taught me so many things about being smooth and not over driving it. It just rewarded you by going faster and faster as long as you were smooth with it. Upset it... and well yeah, she'd kick you in the teeth.

Saw pretty much this ^^^^^ exact car at an autocross this weekend, only with an LS1 swap. It was definitely drool-worthy.

My "one that got away" was one of these, absolutely showroom clean, with about 30K miles on it:

I believe the asking price was in the in $3,500 range. The alleged back story on the car was it was purchased by Jim Gilmore for AJ Foyt after one of his Indy wins. I could afford the payments, but needed a co-signer because I was 17 and 1/2. Probably wisely, my dad said "no dice". I would have killed it (and maybe myself) for sure at that age.

In the summer of 1998, I came across a 1990 e30M3, silver on black, 56k miles, at an industrial truck lot. Asking price was $3000. (Not a typo.) It was a Friday, and I was leaving town for a wedding the next morning, so I sent my dad by on Monday with the cash...But it was gone. It would literally have been the ONLY car I've ever made money on.

In the mid 1980's I saw a Fiat/Dino/Ferrari thing sitting on the side of the road with a For Sale sign on it - $15,000 OBO. I never bothered looking into whether I missed out on something great, or avoided a real mess.

Age 15, was finally ready to be purchasing my 1st car. Parents deal was: put up $xx dollars, they'll match with $xx dollars. Awesome. Had fallen absolutely in love with 240sx's, specifically S13's. They consumed my 15 year old mind and all I needed in life was a 240sx.

May of my freshman year of high school, one pops up for sale a block away from me. Original California car... 5 speed, had been 5 lug swapped, coilovers, nice (not obnoxious) aftermarket exhaust on, drove great. Gold car, tan interior. I was ready to go. Mom said not until school year was over (2 weeks away). In that time period a guy drove down from Wisconsin to buy it (in Georgia!).

Price was right, car was right, and I don't think I'll ever get over that one.

I kept 2 pictures, how sick is that?

My buddy was willing to give me his 2000ish Ducati Monster for free. I passed because I had no place to put it. I really wish I had that bike, but it was probably the wise decision at the time.

My list is too long. Shelbys, Panteras, Jags, Superbirds, Vettes...the list goes on. I only count the ones that I was standing in front of with enough money in my pocket but fail to buy.

Bruce

I think the cheapest deal I ever missed was a $400 Sunbeam Tiger around 1974. That was half of what I would make all summer to last me through the next year. And the car was going to need a valve job.

NickD wrote:

tedium850 wrote: Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

Couldn't have been numbers matching. The Mustang didn't get the 429 until 1971 after the redesign. A '69 would have had the 428 (entirely different engine family even. 429 was a 385-series, 428 was an FE)

You are correct, it would be a 428 car. Considering Ford made a 427, 428, 429, and 430, I'm not surprised by confusion

WOW Really Paul? wrote:

NickD wrote:

tedium850 wrote: Probably the best/worst was...In the late 80's my 67 Mustang got wrecked by my college roomate (another story). While trying to figure out if I wanted to repair it or replace it. I found a 69 Mach 1 with a 429 SCJ, 4-speed, drag-pak car, all numbers matching, but everything was taken apart...for $500! I drove out to get it and missed it by about 15 minutes .

Couldn't have been numbers matching. The Mustang didn't get the 429 until 1971 after the redesign. A '69 would have had the 428 (entirely different engine family even. 429 was a 385-series, 428 was an FE)

You are correct, it would be a 428 car. Considering Ford made a 427, 428, 429, and 430, I'm not surprised by confusion

Yup, and of those four displacements, there are 3 different engine families. 427 and 428s were FE series, 429 was a 385-series and the 430 was a M-E-L series.

Ford engines from the sixties and early seventies make my head spin. I have never understood why they had so many engine families in similar displacements.

In reply to theenico:

If it makes you feel any better, the 385 series stayed with us until the 90's.....