Back in the late 60's early 70's one of my best friend's, dad had a 30-31 Model A tudor sedan sitting in the back yard. He lived in my home town Cheney, Ks A small farming town 24 miles west of Wichita. We used to go sit in that car and talk about how cool it would be to get it running. Hot rod it. Were pre legal driving age. 13-14. The car was all there. His dad said a set of plugs and wires would probably get it running. About the time I got a car and started driving legally the "A" was sold to Randy's uncle....75.00 I think was what they got for it... Dang!! Guess we've all been there at least once..If only....
Funny how things in life screw up priorities. If I had stayed lonely and focused, I'd have it made now.
My neighbor had a 31 Chevy tudor in their garage on blocks. It belonged to their son who lived in Texas. The car came from Texas and was absolutely rust free, just needed paint. They had a nephew who was around my brothers and I age, when he visited we were allowed to sit in the car. When the neighbor retired and was ready to move to Georgia, the car was sold to the brother who had first dibs. I was in high school (late 70's) and helped get it running, it was cool driving up and down the driveway, after sitting in it years before. Later I heard the brother had the paint stripped and it sat outside for some time in bare metal.
When I was 13 (25 years ago) my dad and I went to a yard that had a bunch of vehicles for sale and I spotted a 40-41 willys. I wanted it bad but Dad said he didn't want to drag home such "junk" and we left empty handed.....I still cry..... He's been educated now.
I had saved up $200,1957 when I was 16,I had made a deal to get a 1935 Cord 812 that was not running cus the tranny didn't shift[motor did run] and the inside looked like a tiger had lived there,tires flat,but it was $125 if I towed it away,but my Dad would not sign for me,I ended up getting a Henry J for $75 that needed a tranny anyway.
The wife and I were buying old bodies and slamming motors in them then selling them back in the very early '70s to help pay for formula and diapers. The average cost for a later '50 to mid '60s GM was 30 bucks. I norally had an engine laying sround from someone elses engine swap. Most of those old cars would end up costing us around 70-80 dollars to get on the road and would sell for around 120-140. A couple of those a month bought a lot of formula. We bought a '39 Hudson Opera coupe once from the wrecking yard for 30 bucks. it had already had an SBC in it at one time. We had a pretty hot 283 in the shed. It was still in original paint, had the mohair upholstery, and had the bud vase in the back. We stuffed a 283 power slip combo in it, drove it around for a couple of weeks and sold it for 150. Thought we did good. My girl saw it at a car show about 10 years ago with a 150k price tag on it. the fella we sold it to syill owned it, said he never did anything to it but keep it tuned and tires brakes etc. Damn I wish we had that car.
200 dollars was my magic number. I didnot plan it that way it just worked out somehow. I bought a 1957 corvette from the third owner for $200 sans motor. A 55 chevy 2dr. sedan $200, a 27 dodge sedan $200, a 55ford 2dr sedan $200, a 37 chevy pickup $200. I also missed many many great deals that were less than a $1000 because that sum was unreachable to me at the time. I missed out on Paul Candies first fiberglass dart funny car for $600 after it changed hands from a few guys in my neighborhood. In the years between 1965 and 1975 for about $20,000 or maybe less one could have bought well over a million dollars worth of cars. This fact applies to many things in life, real estate being one that comes to mind.
Back in the late 70's, early 80's (before my time) my dad had a '76 Trans Am. One day the local Chevy dealer wanted to trade him strit up for a '57 Vette. He figured, 'trade in a 2 year old car for one over 20 years old? No way!' He's still kicking himself voer that one . . . and so am I. Then when I was one or 2 years my mom wasdriving a nice '67 Mustang, but because she's an idiot we had to get rid of that. She saw a mouse in it and refused to dirve it any more, so dad sold it. Apparently the mouse "had huge fangs and growled at her". A were-mouse, apparently. Dad says he shoulda kept the car and got rid of her.
Was picking up exhaust tubing from Mitchell's Muffers in Pasadena in the early '60s when I worked at Blair's. I noticed the remains of Dave Mitchell's 29 roadster pickup rotting behind the shop, and asked if it was for sale...."not sure," came the answer from the counter guy, and I left without following up....wish I had been more persistent and had some money to buy it.......(fortunately for us and for the roadster, Flathead Fever on this site found it after it had been butchered by a couple of R*% Rodders and brought it back to its Mitchell condition.)
I remember my dad passing on a 55 T-Bird, went with him on the test drive at the used car lot, it was 1500 bucks. This was about '75 '76 bought a 73 LTD wagon instead I now understand my sister was on the way but damn 1500 bucks! I think he took it out just because I think the sales guy knew too, it was cool that he took me. The wagon got totaled that winter by a semi truck. Good thing mom had that wagon 'cause had she been in that T-Bird that truck would've drove right over the back of her and she most likely would not be with us today.
bought a 1930 ford a 2 door sedan in high school run good had a sheared axle key and i did a misdiagnosis that one was about $16? and bought a 1930A coupe w no engine for $7 and later put the other engine in it, then sold it for $50 and thought I was rich, bought a 1947 chev and pounded that to death killed a lot of cars before i went to nam and a few after seems hard to believe those cars were only 30 years old then, now they are 80 plus years old of course most would not understand we had no technology , skills or MONEY THERE WAS NEVER ANY new parts to fix anything, i was a farm boy so i got no $$ but bought quite a few 25 cent spotlite books, mostly on credit!!!
We had my uncles 1938 Willys coupe in the garage with a Flat head Merc engine in it.. after he died in a Fighter jet crash I saw it on the back of a wrecker going to a junkyard!
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