Hot Rods Ever wonder what happened to your old car, then are sorry you found out?

I had a nice little '55 with 348 and 4 speed. Just painted it silver and a guy fell in love with it. Sold it to him and within a very short time it was totaled.

 

Was building a Track T several years ago. Needed some race parts so I put it up for sale t a stupid high price. It sold the first week advertised. Over doubled my investment. Lots of custom made parts, quick change, some neat touches.

Kind of forgot about it until I ran across it at Rust Revival several years ago. He had swapped in a different engine, a modern shifter (without removing the hand made custom shifter that fit the interior seating perfectly) and painted a bunch or parts spray bomb red. He didn't even remove the custom shifter, the aftermarket ne piece was just bolted to the floor right beside it. Everything else was exactly like I sold it to him probably 5 years earlier. Only thing that bothered me was when I stopped to look at it he had to come running around the car pointing out all the pieces he had made. After 3 or 4 minutes of his crap I asked where he came up with the steering column supports/pillow block setup running along the top of the frame rail that eliminated any steering feedback for the Geo rack mounted on the front axle. The hood was closed and none of the pieces I asked him about were visible. He looked at me real strange for a minute and I said "Yes, I built that car, you just bought it and painted some things red". He walked off muttering. Wife thought I was harsh on him.

Saw it again 2 years ago, same deal. Nothing changed but he recognized me and didn't approach me.

I hate liars. You see it at Rust Revival, make sure you remember who built it, not who painted parts red. Some construction pictures attached.

SPark



I've run across a couple cars I sold and that one was the only one that made me upset in the least.

SPark

 

Just happy we still have a lot of interest in our hobby...its par for the course that some folks don't get it

 

Back in the mid 80's after picking up a 72 Vette I sold my off topic 1970 Dodge Charger. 440-4 speed, N50's in the back, the whole high school hot rod deal. Shortly after I sold it a local bullshit artist in my neighborhood comes up to me and asks if I heard what happened to the car. Of course I say no, waiting for the story. He goes on to tell me that the kid that bought it totaled it out right after he bought it and was killed in it. Now due to this guys rich history of slinging bullshit and the fact that I'm now cruising in an air conditioned Corvette I pay him no mind.
Funny thing is that now, many years later out of the dozens of cars I've owned that Charger is the one car I want back and have been looking for it for a long time.

Cut to about two years ago, I walk into a local Ford dealer and guess who is the service writer. I don't want to give him a head start on another story so as we're talking about the old neighborhood I just ask him, hey, do you remember that blue 70 Charger I used to have? He says yes. I then say to him, I wonder what ever happened to that car after I sold it? He says, yeah, I don't know.

I'm still looking and now wonder, was the car really totaled and he forgot his story or maybe there's hope and it's still out there. Who knows.

 

Nope, never look back!


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

This thread hits home for me. I went to college in 1985, dad was footing the bill. I was too immature and didn’t survive the first year and was kicked out. Dad said ok, you sell your car in the garage and pay your first semester and I will pick it up again. So I put my beloved RS off topic up for sale. Young kid my age came and wanted it. I refused to sell it to him but his dad insisted if he wanted it, he would get it. Reluctantly I sold the car. A few years ago I went searching for it with the help of some law enforcement friends of mine. Come to find out in less than 48 hours after I sold the car it was totaled. Thankfully the guy was wearing the 5 point harness I put in the car and wasn’t hurt. If I have a bad vibe now about selling a powerful car, I will not sell it. I don’t want that on my conscience


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

My very 1st car fits this topic. My father told me if I wanted a car to drive the options were,part time or side work to pay for a decent turn key car or,side work and sweat equity and build a car with his help. He'd assist where needed with some cash and insurance either way. Being one of those people who suffers from "idle hands" the clear choice from both of our perspectives was to build a car together. Never had an issue with drugs or any type of crime but if left alone with nothing to do I'd find something ignorant to get in to.
So we ended up with an off topic 67 Chevelle. Basket case,bullet holes,barely a roller. Ended up parting out a lot of cars,hitting a lot of swapmeets,paper classified ads etc since this was pre internet. Stopped counting at around 13 cars that contributed parts to build this one car. Drove it in various stages from multi colored wreck status to a decent 25 footer when it finally got painted. Wouldn't say it ever really got completed but it was a daily driver for a few years. Got keyed in high school while I was actually trying to half heartedly sell it. Between that and starting a fulltime job I let it go to buy a new truck.
Fast forward a few years,my parents get a call at their house asking about the car. Apparently the guy I sold it to never retitled in his name. I end up selling the truck I'd bought with the sale of the 67 and bought the car back from the newest owner shortly thereafter.
This time having more money and more experience I figured I'd do a frame off. So the parts gathering starts. Had what should have been a pretty stout but streetable BB built for it. Never really did run right. Again,kinda lost interest and advertised it. Made a deal in a swap for a clean 71 that I figured I'd cruise a season or 2 and then flip. The end of both the 67 and 71 not sure if cosmic or bad karma.. 67 ended up blowing the snout off the rear diff,shattered the trans case,driveshaft blew through the floor and took out the bottom end of the engine. Apparently a BOP 12 bolt was swapped in and the guy was running slicks. From what I saw from what was left looks like the tubes rotated in jackpot and threw the angle way off. I understand it ended up at a swap meet completely gutted,floors and firewall cut out as an aborted prostreet or race car. Telltale signs still there,key marks down the side and a rather unique sticker on the back glass and the vinyl top gave it away. Couldn't go look at it myself though.
The 71 ended up totalled right about the time the 67 was cut up. Yahoo cut through a gas station parking lot to avoid a stop sign and pulled out in front of me. Made a left hand turn in to a 4 lane road looking to the right. Was still within sight of the garage I just left,took it out to fill the tank and winterize it for winter storage. Deal was made when the following spring came the 65 Nova 300hp Nova block the motor was built around went to 1 buddy with a 66 Nova and the rolling body went to another that had a built 406 needing a home. After all that I really haven't had any car I've really cared too much about either way.

 

I could have sworn I had that broken down in to what would almost pass for paragraph form..

 

Don’t wonder about most of them, they are still in my yard, only sold one off topic 4x4 that I wonder what became of it


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Ya just happened recently. It's for sale, so I am actually thinking of trying to "save" it.

 

the only sorry part about finding the Merc after 50 years is that it's not for sale and still not for sale.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1960


1961 winter





located in central Wisconsin 2010

 

Generally I try not to concern myself with cars I've sold, but with that being said.......... In my 20's my daily driver was a slightly o/t Chrysler Newport, 383 with a torqflite. Ran like a dream and I drove it everywhere. I sold it to fund another project. About 8 months later I was cruising a local classic car wrecking yard looking for parts for the new one, and I saw my Newport in the row minus motor and trans, kinda heart breaking.

 

Kinda, sorta.
Dad had an English bike when he was younger, I think BSA, not sure what model, it was a 'monster' compared to his Honda 50. He had a few issues with it and said he wouldn't sell it to anyone in the area as he knew someone would probably kill themselves on it. Ended up selling it to some lad a few counties over, never to be seen or heard from again.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know." -Dad

Couldn't afford a '61 bubble top, everyone and their Momma wanted a Bel Air for whatever reason, my budget was more used '93 Crown Victoria. Served it's long legged purpose for about a year but then a few annoyances were creeping up on it, and finally someone sideswiped it in Berkeley. It wasn't practical for me anymore. Gave it to a couple of friends who were in dire need of transportation. So I *thought* I would be helping them out.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

Three days later he shows up at the house with a broken window and a missing radio. Took him to the closest PnP to get glass, I popped it in and off he went. They left stuff in the car, and didn't live in the best neighborhood.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

A month later he calls, claiming the brakes were worn out(I had just replaced pads/oil change/tuneup). About this time I realized he didn't know how to drive. Used both pedals all the time. Also complained he was getting 12MPG in a car that would do 20 easy, it had push button OD, he would turn it off when he got on the freeway...

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

Come home from work and the car is in front of my house. No call, no note left on the car or front door. Neighbors wondering what the hell. But it had this awesome reverse 3 wheel lean to it. He dislocated the lower BJ and took out the lower control arm, wheel/tire, and something else. Off to PnP. Helped him fix it again, and drove to where the BJ separated. There was a massive pothole, easily visible, not in the line of traffic. Claims he didn't hit it, even though you could see the fresh gouge marks and familiar looking car bits on the shoulder. Sure man, just take it easy. It was free, doesn't mean it has a warranty or I will help you in future.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

Week after that he swings by saying the seat is broken. Sure enough the rear seat track is bust, and the seat is at an awkward angle. Ask him to get in the car to move it, he jumps into the car. Ask him to do that again, sure enough he jumps into the car and shatters the opposite side, seat now sits level. 'See you fixed it yourself'. The force jammed the seat frame into the seat track so it was well jammed and not going to go anywhere.
Had to explain to him that the car was a gift to help them out and that the 'sold as-is' on the receipt I had him sign means there was no warranty on the car. Sell it or trade it in for something else if it's turned into a heap.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

Month after that, he calls me up around 9PM, stuck outside of a parts store, car is billowing steam. WTF. Head over and the heater core hose is pissing steam/fluid. Strange. Somehow bypass the hose. It has a clean slice in it, odd. Find out a week later from a mutual friend he had seen a spider crawl under the hood, he opened the hood and tried to stab the spider with his pocket knife....
By now the car was filthy inside and out. Wheels were completely blackened by brake dust. The silver paint was brown below the belt line, and bird shit white above... because it was covered in birdshit. And the interior had a distinct french fry/onion roll stank to it. I glanced at the backseat and it had been disgraced in oh so many ways.

"Never sell, or give, a vehicle to someone you know."

Month after THAT, I had just done a 14Hr shift, cleaned up, crashed on the bed, 11PM or so the phone rings. It's him. 'Hey, the airbag light is on.'
"Just sell the fucking car man, if it's this much trouble just sell the fucking car, donate it, or set it on fire. I don't care. It was free. Just tried to help you guys out. I gotta be up in 5 hours and I can't help you right fucking now."
'Don't get mad about it.'
I just hung up the phone. No idea what became of the car or them after that. It got back to me through circle of friends that I had 'sold' them a lemon.
I should have just sent it to the crusher and been done with it.

Shut up, dad.

 

I had to sell my first Hot Rod, a { 38 Chevy coupe } to have the money to rebuild my 34 delivery. So I told the new owner to let me know if he ever decided to sell it. About a week later he called, and said that it got stolen.

 

by wicarnut posted Jan 20, 2014 at 5:46 PM

by wicarnut posted Jan 20, 2014 at 5:46 PM

by wicarnut posted Jan 20, 2014 at 5:46 PM

I owned this car 1967, had a guy keep offering more money every time he saw me, I didn't want to sell, but finally I could not say no as it was a lot of money at the time. Within 2/3 weeks he totaled it. I did find out what junkyard it landed in, looked at it, way past my skill level to fix, felt bad, I really liked that car. At this time in my life, apprentice Tool & Die Maker, always working 2 jobs, hustling cars, hobby/business and newly married with a baby. Always needed the money.

by wicarnut posted Jan 16, 2014 at 3:15 PM

my life 1970-91, I was involved in racing, I was on a timeout recovering from a neck injury and put together a new race car for my comeback, had a friend, Stan Fox shake down car for me and he/we won everything 2 years running 79 & 80. It helped him launch his career , he made it to Indy, made me a big time car owner, never my goal, I liked driving them. At end of 80 a fellow racer offered me so much money, more than I could put a new car together and I sold it to him. Put a new car together, got back in seat raced another 11 years. I did regret selling THAT car. I did go looking for it to buy back about 5 years later, it went through 3 owners, wrecked beyond repair and the chassis was scraped. At this time I did not need the money, just a head in butt decision. In general, No regrets, as we don't get Do Overs IMO, just lessons learned. my signature covers this subject.

 

Bought a 69 Charger 500 with a Hemi torqueflite off a used car lot in Colorado Springs during the energy crisis while I was stationed at Ft. Carson. Got orders for overseas and had a choice my 69 Camaro SS big block or the Charger.
Sold the Charger to a guy from Denver who made it into a Pikes Peak hill climb stock car.
Who knew they would be worth a half million at Barret- Jackson ? I got 4 grand for it.

 

I had a chopped and channeled 1934 Ford fender less pickup truck many years ago. I had to sell it to repay my brother-in-law some money that I owed him. I sold it to an buddy of mine. He drove it for a while, but it has been sitting outside, under a tarp for many years. I asked about buying it back, and he said that I could buy it for $ 6,000. Knowing what it looks like now, that is not worth it. It would take too many dollars just to get it back to the condition that it was in when I sold it to him.

 

I feel bad for you seeing it this way.
Bob

 

Hello,
I have been wondering, if by chance, that anyone had ever seen my old 1958 black Impala with red interior. (After 1965.) It would be fun to see the history, after being the owner from 1957-65. It started out as a new car for my brother and after our drag racing incident, it became my daily driver to high school and beyond, until 1965.

I sold the black Impala to a friend and he was extremely happy. It had everything that I put on it over the years, including the black Buick steel rims towards the end. This was after someone stole my 4 Buick Skylark Wire Wheels during the summer of 1964. It was a well known car in the So Cal cruising scene, especially in the Bixby Knolls area, Belmont Shore and in coastal OC.
The last look of our 1958 Impala with black, Buick drilled rims.

Some distinct differences on my old Impala and any others were the Racer Brown Cam and Lifter Kit, the C&O Stick Hydro, 4:56 Positraction, Buick drilled bolt pattern on the front brakes and rear axle hubs, and the rear Impala antenna removed. It was replaced with a front fender mount antenna. If anyone has removed the paint for some reason, did you find several places of lead underneath? We had our expert “Lead” guy from Los Angeles do the body work.

The final item that was different was the sturdy 2x4 inch solid metal bar trailer hitch that we had made for us by our local welding/muffler shop. It was custom solid fixture and made the towing of our 1940 Willys C/Gas Coupe easier. But, it was also a rear end collision deterrent. It did save the rear many times at various sloped drive-in restaurant parking areas, the off camber parking places, with it going into the license plate or grille of the offending car.

Jnaki
So, if you have found or bought a black 1958 Impala from So Cal after 1966, then it might be our old trusty cruiser/drag racer. The C&O Stick Hydro is the key. Not many in a 58 Impala. If you have one send me a found photo or two to check it out. If you rebuilt the motor and a Racer Brown Cam and lifter kit was found…that is cool. We also never switched out the gear selector lever. It should still be an aluminum plate from the factory stick shift car.


It would not be a sorry time, but an interesting time if that black 58 Impala lasted this long with a loving new owner. If there is any documentation as to the 58 Impala history after us,(from back in those early hot rod days,) please contact me asap via HAMB conversations.

@1958impala had some close encounters with further research being done on his finds. Thanks, Andy…

Jnaki

For those that have helped me identify the hot rod/drag racers in my films, thank you. It is winding down, but there are still a lot of unknown racers that need that valuable identification and notoriety. If you have documentation in your files, please pm me, asap.

 

I sold my 1939 deluxe coupe to a guy in Waco Texas. A couple of years later he had the car in Lincoln, Nebraska for Rod and Customs Americruise, talked to some friends of his there, but never did see him. I wish I knew where it was now. I really had a lot of fun with that car

 

Years ago I sold an OT 67 Satellite project and it dropped off the radar. A few years ago Hemi Joel posted project photos of a hemi clone he had built for FAST racing and it was my old car. So that's a happy ending.

 

Mine disapeared, I followed it to alberta, and it vanished. Nice little 23 T, 93 inch wheelbase, 11 inch driveshaft, quarter elliptics, shackles, and 4 bars on the rear, tube and four bar up front, mazda pickup steering box and column, windshield frame made of 1 inch round aluminum stock, ansen sprint wheels, was copper coloured during alberta inspection, I'd still like to find it, was in the Red Deer area.

 

my grandmothers 4 door hard top LTD was sold in 1986 nice car with a small amount of rust in 1/4 panels still factory paint. walked past it at a recent swap meet twice before I noticed it. talked to the guy still had owners manual in glove box with original owners name in it.had not seen it for 35 years. it was way cool to see it had survived