The one that got away

[Fabrux]

I'm sure we all have one of those vehicles that, looking back, we wish we had never sold and still had. Most times it is something impractical or we now only see those good times and forget about all the hassles and troubles the vehicle gave us. So, my question for you is: what is yours?

I'll start:

I had a 1996 F-150 that I wish I had never sold. It was a stripped-down work truck, formerly owned by a roofing company but was in surprisingly good shape. It was a regular cab, long box, single rear tank, 4.9L six-cylinder with a 5-speed transmission and rear-wheel drive. Out of all the vehicles I had before and since, it was the most solid and had the least mileage. I replaced the clutch in it but stupidly didn't change the slave cylinder while I had the transmission out; that was a dumb move as it started to leak shortly after. Add to that a fuel problem with it sputtering and not running sometimes (found out from the fellow I bought it from it was a bad fuel rail) and finally a broken spring hanger I had had enough and sold it. Wish I hadn't! I only saw it around town once afterwards and haven't since. If I managed to find it again and it wasn't abused I'd be seriously tempted to buy it back!

[cobraman]

Mine would have to be the 1978 King Cobra I bought brand new off the delivery truck at a Ford dealer in California. It was a cool car. Had the 302 like they all had but of coarse the hp was way down from what a 302 had or could have. Still it was a car you just did not see coming and going. Only kept it about a year due to gas going up and up and getting hard to get. I had a fairly long drive to work and needed something with better gas mileage. In hindsight I wish I would have kept it and just bought a beater for work. I often wonder what happened to that car.

[Craig Irwin]

Several. A 56 Belair 2 door sedan, a 57 Belair 2 door hardtop, a 67 Camaro SS convertible, a 69 Camaro hardtop, a 72 Corvette 454 4 speed with air and leather, and a 65 VW sundial camper bus. I want them all back, but the 69 Camaro is THE one.

[slusher]

I had a 77 dodge long wheel base truck I bought in 86 with two tone green paint. it had 70 thousand miles and a 318 auto and air. it had all the chrome so I worked a full time job and did odd jobs got it painted,new wheels and tires. I also had a ne cloth seat and carpet put in it. Traded it off for a almost new small pick up and I have never got over it. I had it as nice as any truck on the road and it had never rusted or been used to haul anything. I think all of us guys have regretted getting rid of at least one special car or truck in our lifetime.

[Scuderia]

When I bought my Lincoln in 2010 I had enough cash to buy it AND fix my escort but I got rid of the escort. I miss that zippy lil thing.

[my80malibu]

1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, 383 magnum, with four speed, Bench seat. Lemon Twist Yellow white interior Black carpeting.

Two 1966 Pontiac GTO's. one Midnite Blue, white interior.The other Black on Black

1955 Belair Two door sedan 327, 4bbl Holley with Edelbrock intake, 4 Speed Borg Warner super T-10 Two tone paint Maroon, and White. With Flames, Crager S/S wheels.

1971 Ford F-100 1/2 ton Longbed, 302 Engine, 3 speed on the column, White with chrome Spoke wheels.

1968 Chevelle SS 396, 4 bbl Quadrojet, White with Black interior, Automatic transmission, Bucket Seats, Console.

1980 Chevy Malibu 305 eng, A/T, Tan on Tan interior with SS dash Cluster, Power windows,& locks. Tilt steering, Cold A/C 4 bbl carter carb with Edelbrock intake. Police Car package, Centerline Auto Drag 3 1/2 Front runners, with Centerline 15/8 Auto Drag rear wheels and tires.

[hgbben]

I had this '97 Z28. Originally was a low mileage automatic, converted it to factory 6-speed, headers, exhaust, 4:10 gears, tune, etc. Was in the process of more upgrades but has to sell due to lack of wife's ins. covering maternity leave when my son was born. Guess you have to keep bread on the table, eh?

[disabled modeler]

I miss my old 75 Pontiac Trans Am the most...had to sell her off to pay bills after my accident in 1996....still hurts today. I also had to sell my 27 Ford Model T coupe hot rod project car at the time....

[Agent G]

My 1996 Ford F150 XLT Lariat. I found her in '05 by accident while chauffering my mom around. Mom's Saturn needed servicing and there on the used car lot sat the truck. Knowing it had to be cherry, as it was not immediately wholesaled, I took her for a spin. Brought her home a few days later.

The truck was used but not abused, everything worked and she was my favorite color combo from that year, red and silver. 5.0, AOD, typical Ford PU.

Sold her when I moved to Las Vegas two years later as I was unsure when I'd be purchasing a home.

I miss that one for sure.

G

[cobraman]

Sounds like we gave up some pretty cool vehicles.

[lordairgtar]

A 1969 Buick Special DeLuxe 2 door cpe.(Skylark body with posts) Bought this car for $50. Drove it from Milwaukee to Santa Barbara California. Had it for a few years and acquired more cars, a 73 caddy Eldo ragtop and a 54 Chevy Bel Air 4 door. The Buick had one of those after market steering wheels with the thick padded foam rim from Cal Custom or Grant. A lady I knew that volunteered in our Thrift Store for the non profit I worked at needed to go to LA for a coup,e of days and asked if she could borrow the Buick. Anyway, she comes back from LA raving about how comfortable the car was and how much power it had and how she could easily drive the car because of the steering wheel. She had a condition with her skin that caused it to tighten up and make her fingers curl up into a kind of hook like grip. The wheel was very easy for her to grip and manipulate. I asked if she truly liked the car and she said yes she did. I said "It's yours". I just gave her the car. This was in the late 70s. After she passed away (during which time I was back in Wisconsin) her son had the car for a while. I miss that car.

[russosborne]

Oh, gosh.

Most of the cars I have owned fit in this group.

1965 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88. Very first car I ever owned. Never ran, but had a lot of fun learning about cars with it.

1969 Mustang Hardtop (Coupe). Senior year in high school car. Took my drivers license test in it. Got into a race on Central Ave. in Phoenix the night I got my driver's license (Sept. 1977)

1969 Ford Torino Cobra Jet. Traded the Mustang for this. Neither car was running at that point. Sold it a couple of months later when I went to boot camp.

1972 Ford Ranchero. 351 Cleveland engine. I love Rancheros.

1975 Mustang II Mach I. Had a V6, hatchback. A friend on my sub didn't have a driver's license, but bought this planning on getting one. So he had it put in my name, I ended up buying it from him. Fun little car.

1970 Pontiac GTO. Bought it from a friend who had just gotten divorced and didn't want it anymore. I sold it 5 years later in 1988. :-( Can't buy the front sheet metal today for what I sold it for then.

Of these, the Mustang and the GTO are the cars I have dreams at night about having again. Although I would really like to have the Olds again, that would have made a great car.

Russ

[JollySipper]

About 10 years ago, I owned a '71 Dodge Sweptline truck. It was a short bed and the last year for that body style. Had a 318 with headers, a cam, and a Quadrajet carb... yes, a Chevy carburetor! (and the Mopar guys cringe.....) Auto trans and a 3.91 rear.... It wasn't safe to drive too fast because of the drum brakes, but it was a fun truck!

[Ramfins59]

I've also had several over the years that I really loved and wouldn't mind still having if I was still driving......

'67 Ford Galaxie (My first car)

'71 Plymouth Satellite (the body was falling apart but the 318 engine and the tranny were indestructible)

'74 Chrysler Newport (I got my first speeding ticket in that car)

'86 Chevy Caprice (the car burned to the ground in front of my house from a gas line leak on the engine)

and last, but not least, my baby... '59 Dodge Coronet.

[Dragfreak]

I sure miss this one, the second vega I bought to flip and make cash for my '71, it was a '76 that I picked up for $200 and I forget what I sold it for but the cragers cleaned up well and more than paid for the car. It was a mild 327 but it liked to light em up, I miss it, shag seat covers and all. note, not our house, found it in a rather low standard neighborhood

Edited March 17, 2014 by Dragfreak

[kitbash1]

1976 Triumph Spitfire. English Racing Green, with over-drive. Oh, and Sally Roberts.

[Dave Ambrose]

One of the few regrets in my life was selling my 1962 MGA, Mk II. Loved that car. Haven't seen another one I could afford.

[Greg Myers]

Wow! My second car,'58 MGA, worked on the most (two engines,Carbs- stinkin' S.U.'s) but hands down most fun to drive. Broke almost all the "U" bolts on the rear axle, couldn't figure out why it got so squirrelly all of a sudden.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Greg Myers]

There she goes. my college ride, 1966-1968

Edited March 17, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Dave Ambrose]

There she goes. my college ride, 1966-1968

LOL - I had a '62 MGA when I was in college. Never shoulda sold that car.

[ZTony8]

I had :

1)A 1971 Firebird Formula 455 H.O. 4 speed.Sold for $900 before my daughter was born.

2)A 1979 Malibu 305 4V factory 4 speed.Sold it to dimbulb brother in law who took out 4 speed parts to make a drag racing automatic car.

Almost had:

1) A rust free '57 Chevy Bel Air post coupe from Colorado for $400.A friend was selling his house where his brother in law was storing it and it had to be moved.I had no storage space so I had to let it pass.

2)A '65 G.T O. convertible for $900.It had just had some accident repair done to it but the front end still had a strong pull.I offered less because of the unknown expenses neede to make it right but the owner wouldn't budge on the price.

[Draggon]

1976 Triumph Spitfire. English Racing Green, with over-drive. Oh, and Sally Roberts.

A 1972 Pantera new from the dealer. Oh, and Carole Stern.

[A.R.C.]

My first car was a butter yellow 67 Coronet 440 with a 318, power steering, power brakes, and steelies with hubcap. Bought it for $1000 in 1984, drove the hell out it for a year and sold it for $1500.

Car number two was a 70 340 Duster with a 4 speed. It ran like a scalded cat in a straight line and was absolutely useless in the corners. I couldnt afford insurance so I would take the plates off of my moms car when she wasnt looking and head downtown to fry the tires off it. Bought that one for $600 and sold it 2 months later for $1800 with half the tire tread depth of when i bought it. Man could that car light up a set!!

I dont miss the Duster at all but there are still days I wish I never got rid of the Coronet. I really liked that car. It was the first car I hit 100 Mph in.