Hot Rods The "I Shouldn't Have Bought That" thread

In companion to the "I Shouldn't Have Sold That" thread, and by popular demand, here is the "I Shouldn't Have Bought That" thread. We've all been there, late night want ad cruising, money burning hole in the pocket, swap meet deals, beer inspired impulse buying... Unfortunately, at least for me, few photo evidence exists, but I'll have another look. Rod knocking motors full of honey, bondo 3 inches thick, let's hear the story.

 

heh...when I saw the subject line for the other thread, I thought we needed one like this, too! Guess we've all been there.

There's this school bus next to my shop right now...

 

Mine was a '69 Super Bee. The guy swore that he had the original engine for it and it ended up being a 318. That was about '78 or so. I found an old tired 383 eventually and that motored it around. I should have spent some time crawling around it. It was rusted out in all the usual places and took me a lot of time to make it safe enough to sell to someone else. I didn't want it any more after all the work.

I got one in the garage right now that I may wish I didn't own at least once before it is done. LOL

 

Too many projects, already. Did not need this, but it was an old 60's build. Bought it back in 2005, still not near completion. -MIKE

 

Please d on't ask.

 

I think many of us will look at these cars and say "what's he talking about, that thing is cool!" Which is usually what happens when you buy them in the first place. Then reality sets in...

I shouldn't have bought this truck, which I still have. Friend got evicted, got it cheap... I actually love the thing but it's not much use for me. It's really too old to use as a hauler or tow vehicle without better brakes, more umph,etc., and not something you jump in and cruise around. Sure looks great in the yard though.

 

Ha Ha , good thread
If I started listing this crap I'd have to see a shrink
And a body guard to keep everyone around me safe

 

I just bought a one owner 1966 Chevy pickup after I sold the '55 Mor-door (went to Oz).
Found out later it was stolen...I'm out $2000.

 

Mine was a really clean Dodge wagon a few years too new to be on here, but the details will work.
Bought it late one night from a "friend" in a bar. Didn't cost much, ran & drove like a champ. 383 Torqueflite, cold air, Solex, black interior ... drove it home that night. Next morning fired it up & took off for work. 2nd gear was gone, & the defroster fan had quit ... 3 blocks later the red & blue lights appear in the mirror because the plates were expired, but since they belonged on a Saab & I had no insurance, I damn near went to jail. It cost around $700 in fines. I had it crushed.

 

Next time just send me the 2K and I won't give you anything in return. But I won't buy dope with the money I promise.

Some days I think I probably shouldn't have bought this. its a helluva engine and I sure didn't get taken on it and I guess its nice to own a real piece of the gasser wars but I really don't know when I'll use it. I go back and forth, I can make it survive on the street and it'll blow the doors off of a lot of what I can get hooked up with but end of the day it is just not a daily driver motor and I really need more than my bike to get around on.



I sure wish that prudence would stand back for a minute it would be bad to the bone in my sedan.

 

what is that intake, PnB?

 

That is a sheet metal intake (or a pair of them) before they had sheet metal intakes. Basically it is a pair of large plenums that attach to the heads. The ports on this engine have been taken out so far that there is no way you can use anything that even resembles a stock intake.

I don't have a good pic of the heads (I am going to be lapping the valves in the future and will have good pics then for you) but here are a couple of better pics of the intakes. Note that the bolt holes go all around the ports and the runner size matches the ports to give you an idea if the width of the ports. The exhaust ports have had the roof raised as well but not as extreme as the intake side.

It is an old Chet Smith mill, Chet was a mid western Olds builder before Mondelo got serious about them. I guess he was pretty sharp because his name came up on the west coast when I was really little and all that was said was, "Don't ever race that guy"

 

Wtf!! That is a beautiful truck! So you got the most badass pick up hot rod, and a full size truck!
I would cruise that truck every where! More info? Maybe PM
My dad got this old Bedford, a 300 diesel 5 speed. I borrow every time get the chance, I even went true McDrive in it. Damn fun truck, I drive it for anything and all over. Even took my daughter out for a ride.

yep, or find and old heap, that's missing the mill, beat it around til you get tired of it. And make a dission, sell it a use the money on you sedan, or scrap it when you had your fun, and put it in the sedan when it's ready!!

Why do you regret buying it? You only seems have good things to say about!

I sold all of my personal regrets, lost money on them, regret that too, until my next mechanical love came around, or a new car crush. And I forgot all about my regrets, and learned not to do it like that again!

 

I guess that I vacillate when it comes to this motor. It is a lot of motor and is built on the ragged edge just the way I like 'em. I think the days that I regret buying it are those days that I know it should be being used. It is more then a museum piece to me.

 

Thanks-that is wild. Are the two (it looks like two separate pieces) connected? I would think they would have to be.

 

Glad you started this thread. Ok, here are my contributions. I have more but the photos are not on my computer at this time. I should NOT have bought my 34 truck. It turned out to be so rusty that there is hardly any of the original truck left.

A Continental MKIII?? What was I thinking?



I got this old Chevy truck to "Fix up someday". Never got around to it and sold it after it sat for years.



I bought 4 motorcycles and I have never even ridden a bike before. I must be sick..




I have a few more "I shouldn't have bought that" cars but no photos, like a
1954 Ford club coupe
1965 Mustang convertible
2 1965 Ford Galaxies
1930 Model A sedan
1926 Model T coupe parts
Many more I lost money on that I fail to remember.

 

all excited, talk myself into buying "this will be a quick cheap build" -Ha!

 

Two separate plenums (manifolds), no balance tube. I think they are designed to be used all the way on or all the way off and nothing in between. They are a little crude when you get up close to 'em, stick welded mostly. They cleaned up well and I was thinking about refining them but then it occurred to me that they are fine the way that they are. There was probably not much very scientific about 'em that's for sure.

They are all cheap quick builds aren't they?

 

Blowby: Is the Int an OHV v8? Nice unusual hot rod motor! Or, pull the cab and get 56don's "34 truck cab and put on it??? Tim

 

Here is mine.......The more I examined it, the worse it got. I'm just about to start putting it back together.

 

Throughout high school and college, I always wanted an XK-E. Once I graduated from college, bought this, put 150 miles on it and most of it pulled behind a tow truck. Worst relationship I've ever had, human or mechanical.

 

Throughout high school and college, I always wanted an XK-E. Once I graduated from college, bought this, put 150 miles on it and most of it pulled behind a tow truck. Worst relationship I've ever had, human or mechanical.

 

Should have walked right on by this one...



Turned out OK, but my block sanding muscles will never be the same....



-Abone.

 

But,you built a killer BLACK car! HRP

 

Abone, that is one of my favorite cars. That thing is just beautiful. DONT make me go all George Mcfly on you....

 

That sucks. But I gotta ask, one owner and stolen? Did the previous owner steal the truck off the Chevy lot back in '66? How did it play out? DMV notified you when you went for title transfer?

 

A Continental MKIII?? What was I thinking?

View attachment 2969642

Maybe "The French Connection"?

 

Guessing stolen from the original owner, and since the thief really didn't own it...

 

I guess I'm really lucky ,I was always happy on all my buys. I very seldom buy on the spot ,but I've missed a lot of good buys debating if I should or not.One project at a time, that way its not hard to figure out which one to work on.

 

That would make the seller a liar and a thief........