Projects What car do you regret getting rid of?

this is making me never want to sell any car i buy...

 

Hello,

When my first car, a Flathead powered 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery took me all over So Cal for my surf adventures, it was a great feeling of having such a reliable hot rod. As it pulled up to the surf spots, it drew lots of attention with the two surfboards sticking out of the rear window. No one actually knew what it was. It was not a station wagon, or a panel truck, although, it was a little panel truck. It had its own character and fit into the So Cal beach scene.

But, after high school our lives changed and the need for college expenses came into being. Although I could have used the Flathead 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery for my surf road trips to S.F. and Santa Cruz from my small apartment. Going away to college, was something to get adjusted to and for me, it was easier to sell it now, then move on to the next level for me.

Jnaki

During those Northern California college years, it would have been nice to have the sedan delivery, as thoughts of home was always in the forefront. But, I kept telling myself that this was a step in the process of developing some experience and character.

Well, I got my wish to have a 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery again. This time, my wife and I bought a project hot rod and worked on it for many months to get it ready for our safe driving road trips and daily usage.

This time, it was the 327 SBC power that could take the 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery anywhere, up into the mountains and out to the local deserts with ease due to the A/C installed. Our travels weren't limited in going up steep roads or out into the hot desert climate areas. We now had the power and comfort to cope with the road trips. Whereas, with the flathead powered sedan delivery, had limitations as to where it could go on trips. The steep coastal roads were a hindrance as the lack of power from the flathead was daunting.

But, as we learned all about the good and bad things about the sedan delivery, we just could not get over the fact that it was set up for two people and our family just had a new addition. Not only did that fact throw us for a loop, but I could not get the sedan delivery set up for a third person in a safety seat.

Plus, the cave in the back was very dark and we wished for a station wagon for more light and all around better vision outward. There were some thoughts of adding in some windows and a rear seat, but that would have taken a lot of time and the situation called for a change, right now.

So, we sold it to get a small station wagon. But, back in our minds, we thought why couldn’t we make our own 1940 metal station wagon, not a woody. It would have been a long project again and we needed something right then. So, it hit the road with another young couple that just started their own hot rod adventures. It is/was a great couple's car with plenty of privacy, security and comfort. But, it was time to adjust... YRMV

 

I would love to have a collection of all the cars I've owned or built but never had the means to do that. Each one has been sold to finance the next. I would have liked to have kept my T roadster, having done a ton of work to it. I would also liked to have kept my '50 Dodge...
My T Bird is a bucket list car so I'm not complainin'!

 

I've had 3 I wish I would have never sold. Top of the list was my 81 pro- street Cutlass, 2nd was a 72 442 rag-top. 3rd was a project that I gave up due to a layoff. It was a 1948 Olds model 68 convertible.
Wish I had all 3 back!

 

My college years I first bought the '29 A coupe, overhauled the engine, transmission, rear end, put glass, wiring, upholstering and roof. After more than a year my neighbor made his five-year-old '64 barracuda available. My parents urged me to buy it and loaned me the $900 to buy it. They also insisted I sell the Model A to pay them back. I should have kept them both, but just had to have a '64 Jaguar XK-E. Horrible mistake! I miss the Model A the most. It ran so smoothly and topped 60 mph without effort.

 

i forgot the 64 impala 2dht with factory tach and 4 speed... and a bench front seat!

hope i never think my prius is one i should have kept.

 

Sold my 1963 Impala SS convertible in 1972 for $500.00

 

These 2 are at the top of my list, 37 Cord, fender in the lower right corner, and 39 Ford tub, followed by my 53 Buick Skylark

 

Two cars I still think back and miss having them. But like many other past cars, they were sold to move on to another. 1937 Chevy pickup, and 59 Chevy El Camino. Both were excellent drivers and rock solid.

 

My Marina Blue '67 Malibu is the only car I'd want back (but only in the form/condition I sold it in). Unfortunately, the clown that bought it painted it orange with silver SS stripes. Almost made me puke when I heard about it.

 

Not one I got rid of, but one my dad did that I've always wanted. He sold his 1957 Chrysler Saratoga a few years before I was born when he and my mom were first starting out. He had done a ton of work on it. Fixed all the rust and had the hood louvered. He built a 392 hemi and put in it. When he decided to sell it he sold the engine separately and the car as a roller. It showed up on craigslist years ago for sale locally, while I was in high school, with a 440 in it. A few years later after I had a job and some money saved up I wrote the Music City Mopar Club and asked if they happened to know anything about the car. Turns out a member had actually just sold it to a person in Australia. Still one of my favorite Chrysler body styles. Here's a picture from when it was for sale on craigslist.

 

'65 impala 327-300 4-speed , bench seat. Swapped a 454 in '69 . Put nearly 200k miles on that car , excellent road car !

 

'68 corvette, 427/435hp, fully optioned. It was a huge pig, ate gas/oil/ac charge, etc and drove like one. I only list it because i'd love to be able to resell it to some 'vette fool who would think it was a super car.

 

It would have to be my first car a 1970 Ford GT Torino I bought in JR High. A bodyshop manager of a ford dealership bought a totaled out convertible with front damage. He plucked my car off the lot in 74 and robbed parts then parked it in the fence until I bought it in 1979. Car had low miles gathered parts then sold it for a mere 400 dollars .

 

My '51 Ford Coupe...(sigh)

It had a serial/vin that if you squinted just right looked like it could be an odd spelling of "hillbilly," last I heard it had made it's way to southern Kentucky where the 289 came out and a tuned port SBC went in...

 

My 1st ‘41 Plymouth Special Deluxe Coupe it arrived hand painted black with a brush. I was 16 and didn’t know my ass from a hole in the ground. My dad was in charge of the restoration- it took over 2 years - was very proud of the results

 

I found this sweet '38 by accident... sitting for nearly 40 years in a garage in Folsom. I bought it and went through it so it would run safe & reliable. Sold it to finance my '39 build. I love my '39 but regret letting that '38 go.

 

The 35 Ford 3 Window my Dad gave me when I was 18. My 67 Chevy Short Bed and my 70 Nova. .

 

Only 2. 55 Ford Customline, my 1st car, 272 and Fordomatic, and an ot Pontiac Fiero, 2M6 4 speed v6. Worst car I ever owned, but so much fun to drive once most of the problems got fixed. I worked on it every weekend, just like a British sports car...

 

My '69 Corvette roadster. From March thru November I enjoyed
the hell out of the car. A 350 hp car with a four speed and 3:36
gears. Drop the top in thirty seconds and all was right with the
world. I didn't need to sell it, there wasn't another car waiting
in the wings. As the saying goes, I cut off my nose to spite my
face. I won't go into the story but I'll always have a bit of
resentment towards my (still) wife concerning the sale of the car.

I wish I was allowed to post a pic or two of it.

 

This one I had one just like this in 1965

 

my avatar pic

 

My first hot rod was a 36 five window, rumble seat coupe that I sold 30+ years ago. I regret selling it not because I wish I still owned it but because someone out there owns a horribly street rodded 36.

Embarrassing really when I think about it. I added a glass moon roof which hatched open that I cut out of a mustang II, Enkei 5 spoke wheels painted the same 1984 corvette red as the car, grey velour interior, oak gauge panel, TA's, SBC with dual 4's, Monte Carlo posi 10 bolt, T-350, pioneer car stereo and tinted windows.

If one of you owns it, sorry about that. What can I say? I was young, married to my high school sweetheart and had a mullet. Lots of mistakes back then.

 

All of them I had three 57 chevies. Shoulda kept one. Recently sold my 27 T RPU.

 

This one, sold it to fund my 39, should have kept it

 

This had been my daily driver. It had a 396 with Turbo 350 and 4:11 gears. When they repealed the 55mph speed limit for freeways it was just wound up too tight driving at 60-65. Bought another truck to drive daily (the red Ranger behind it). After a few years of limited driving, I hated to have it just sit outside and sold it. My Dad still tells me "I wish you'd never sold that, you could have stored it at my place".


The second one was a 1958 BMW Isetta 600. Got it for free, it was like driving a big go-cart. Gave it away to somebody who wanted it more than me. Now the dang things are worth $30-40K.
This picture is off the web, but it was like this.

 

52 Chevy pickup. My first vehicle. Rebuilt a 235 and drove it to college. 64 impala convert, 34 Plymouth coupe, 34 Ford panel delivery. The last 3 were projects.

Not mine but got to drive some of my dad's cars. 49 Ford convertible. 56 Chevy convert, 64 Olds 442, 65 Tempest, 72 Firebird. Wish I had the 442 and the tempest

 

All of them but I am not capable of keeping them all. Have to sell for space and money for the next one.

 

This helped pay my kids way through college debt free. But if I had to do it over I would have got a loan. He did graduate and has a great job that he loves so it was worth it.

HPIM3705 by Hotrod1959 posted Apr 9, 2011 at 10:13 PM

 

My 65 GTO bought new, ordered to my liking.