This is what I bought for $700 in 1972. I got it from "26 roadster" here on the HAMB. Long before the HAMB ever existed. It was a radio, heater delete car that took me from coast to coast. Hugh and I both regret selling it. She still survives but not as we both knew her. She has been restored to her factory glory. Hey, "Smokey2" do you know "26 roadster"? He's from Knoxville too!
Found a 1970 Dodge Cornet 500 convertible 318 auto siting in a yard. Knocked on the door and asked if they wanted to sell it. I was told it didn't run, and they would take $200 for it. We towed it back to the shop, went to Sears and bought a die-hard for it, dumped some gas in the tank, and sprayed some starting fluid in the carb. It fired right up. Drove it around the block sitting on a milk crate (it had no front seats) The next day went to the junkyard, and found a pair of bucket seats out of a Chevelle (they almost fit) We installed them by drilling a couple of extra holes in the floor. The car ran great, but the top was shreaded, so I just left it down all the time. If it rained, I pulled into a bank drive thru, or stopped under a overpass. I traded the car even up for a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T 440 4 speed. That Cornet was the best cheap car I ever owned, wish I still had it.
I have made some made some major blunders and missed opportunities with cars over the last 50 years. In 1963, some of my friends and I tipped a '40 Deluxe sedan delivery (very solid) on it's side, so I could remove the front suspension for a "T" that I was building, and left the rest for the scrapper! In '68 my brother in law, offered me his '65 GT 350 Mustang (Competition version) for $1400. and I bought a '65 Olds 442 instead. I turned down a '65 AC Cobra (289) for $3500. in 1972. In '74, I did buy a '63 1/2 (406-4speed) Galaxie for $50.00 (it needed a clutch), and parted it out. I sold a 67-390 GTA Mustang (black on black) fastback, for $1800. back in '81. However I did buy a '65 Falcon (289-4 speed) in '71 for $700. and still own it today, still wearing it's original paint.
One more cheap car story. When I was 15, I bought a 71 Vega GT with a seized up motor for $25 from a friend. My dad had a 1964 4 door Impala sitting in the driveway that he no longer drove due to the cost of gas ($1.00 per gallon if I remember). He picked up a 70 Maverick with a 170 in it. Anyway my plan was to pull the 283 out of the Impala, and with the help of a V-8 Vega kit from Motion drop it in the Vega. If I remember at the time, the kit was about $400. I was making $2.00 per hour working part time after school. Needless to say, the V-8 Vega project never happened. But there is a upside to the story, I had saved about $250.00 by the time I got my license, and it was enough for a down payment on a 1970 Cuda 340. The car was $1200 and my parents agreed to co-sign the loan, IF I got rid of the Vega sitting in the driveway. I sold it for $50 and never looked back until now. That Vega was a great buy. I doubled my money and my parents co-signed a loan for me, just to get it out of the driveway.
There's a '59 Caddy I'm worried I shouldn't pass up right now, but besides that can't really say there's anything I strongly regret selling or passing up. Ford hot rods will stick around, but more of the stockers are likely to be rodded.
I've bought all kinds of cars for under $1000 and drove them. The one I drive now was a $700 beater. It's now 23 years old. I wouldn't have anything else, I don't think.
Ill buy your avatar car for 1500. lol Im a young shit so I dont know when cars were that cheap... But I did keep an 81 bronco from being crushed since the rearend and the frontend were tore out... Messed with it for 5 minutes... transfer case was in neutral... Drive it alot now in the salt... O and $300...
One owner 69 Camaro RS/SS 396 4 speed car that had been tapped on every corner by drunk owner over the years but totally stock for $600 in 1984. Dad wouldnt loan me the cash becuase " that big block would be a gas hog " Ha Ha
I scored a 64 Buick Le Sabre for $35.00. My Mom's bowling partner had bought a new to her big Chrysler. I think it was an Imperial or something anyway she was going to junk the Buick because it wouldn't stay running. My Mom was on the phone with her when she asked me if I would be interested in the Buick? I could buy it for what the junk man offered $35.00 if I wanted it! Well me and the Schwinn Orange Crate couldn't pedal over there fast enough! Went to the garage and she handed me the key's fired right up ran for like 5 minutes and died wouldn't start back up just cranked like crazy. She say's it does that then in a few days it will start and run for a bit and die. I popped the hood looking for who knows what removed the air cleaner looking for any sign of a gas leak or whatever when I spotted the distributor cap was soaked! Seems there was a pin hole in a heater hose when the the pressure would build up it would spit directly on the coil wire and kill the car! I was so happy (LUCKY) to find the problem I couldn't pay her fast enough! Rode home (Orange Crate) grabbed Dad's electrical tape and some WD 40 and rags went back plugged the hose with the tape cleaned the cap and wiped it out drove her home! Orange Crate in the trunk with the lid closed! Drove that car for two years trouble free. Later traded it in on a 68 442 I still own. Best cheap car story of my life!
My friends an I bought this '34 three-window for $65.00 in 1965 with no engine or trans. It is shown here with a 270 hp SBC . Eventually we swapped in a '62 409/409 that we purchased for $75.00!
My first car was a 1961 Belair 4 door purchased in 1967 for $200. That was a lot of dinero back then, I worked at McDonald's for 90 cents an hour (minimum wage was $1.25 but McD's somehow skirted that). So I made $36 a week while in high school. We used to volunteer to check the oil and pump gas at the local station, just to be able to use the lift and his tools. Those were fine times! Interestingly enough about ten years ago I located and purchased a 1961 Belair Sport Coupe (the so called "bubbletop") that was originally a 348 car (engine was long gone) from the original owner for $200. It's a long term restoration project . My best deal was a 1964 Mercury Caliente convertible with a 289 and a four speed for $75. That was in the early 70s. One could buy a heck of a car back then for less than $250. A little more would get you something special. In 1970, just after the Kent State fiasco, I purchased a 1964 GTO from my Physics Professor for $400. Drove it all summer and sold it for $600 and I was in tall cotton! Tom Kochtanek
I also bought a very clean 60 Chevy 4 door hardtop with the big vista rear glass for $15 in 1972. The trans was stuck in high only but I could drive it anywhere if I didn't park anywhere where I needed to back up
Times change folks. Remember the 100.00 car? You bought for a hundred ,drove it a while , then sold for a hundred.,then the next person did thesame. Nowadays buy it for 10,000 drive and pay to have it towed away.
I walked away from a 65 Vette convertible, 327 4 speed for $3500 in 1978. Just married, making about $100 a week, bank said it was too old to loan any money on. Missed out on a 35 Ford sedan, again, no money. Guy sold a rough Anglia that had been a drag car but converted back to street, no interior except two racing buckets and a roll cage, for $800 while I was gone to get the money. It had a SBC with a Muncie 4 speed, he priced it to me for $675, other guy offered more while I was gone. Lost out on a 36 Chevy sedan, made a down payment, then got laid off. Guy needed to sell it real bad, so I told him to sell it to somebody else. Missed out on a couple of 71-72 Chevelle SS's, a 69 Camaro pace car convertible, a 67 Mustang fastback with a 390, a 40 Ford pickup, and probably several others I can't remember just because I couldn't come up with enough money at the time. Seems things never change, I know a guy who has a 40 Ford coupe I'd love to have, but don't have enough money......
HEY NOW guys, these deals still exist. i got my first car, a NICE 1990 chevy beretta (OT, but still a fairly rare preformance car, like the lovechild of a corvette and a camaro.) from my cousin for 500$. ive only seen about three other berettas besides mine and not a single one was nearly as nice as mine. i drive that car every single day these deals are still out there, see the cars you bought back then had the same status as the car i buy now: a used car. yeah there were preformance cars like corvettes and such but then again after some searching you could find a 90's corvette for around the same price. the only difference is the car now are enormously GAY and terribly built. so theyre usually ragged out by the time they reach that price.
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