The one that got away
- Thread starter toddr124
- Start date
MikeHynes
True Classic
Bittersweet memories...
These aren't pics of my cars, but other than the fender mounted turn signal lights, mine looked just like them.
My first AAR looked just like this - 2 diffrent size Polyglass tires and all. Cosmetically it was stock, but the engine and trans were very much modified! It was my daily driver in central Illinois. What memories...
My second AAR looked just like this one. I see it from time to time. Sold it (and LOTS of very nice Mopar parts) to pay a downpayment on my first house. Shoulda lived in the car...
My '72 240Z was a darker shade of brown. Very common color that year. I bought it to put a small block Chevy in it. Never got around to it...
These aren't pics of my cars, but other than the fender mounted turn signal lights, mine looked just like them.
My first AAR looked just like this - 2 diffrent size Polyglass tires and all. Cosmetically it was stock, but the engine and trans were very much modified! It was my daily driver in central Illinois. What memories...
My second AAR looked just like this one. I see it from time to time. Sold it (and LOTS of very nice Mopar parts) to pay a downpayment on my first house. Shoulda lived in the car...
My '72 240Z was a darker shade of brown. Very common color that year. I bought it to put a small block Chevy in it. Never got around to it...
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Two cars...
One is my first car, a '75 Scirocco. I owned it for 13 years and sold it when I got my first Fiat. You don't see them on the road any more. I learned a lot owning that car, and sold it for 4x what it cost when I got it.
Second is an '89 Peugeot 505sti. Black, grey leather, alloy wheels, super comfy and just nice. Got it for cheap, sold it to Ulix's brother when I lived in Seattle. I liquidated my car "collection" to raise money for buying our land in Olympia. But it was a nice freeway car.
One is my first car, a '75 Scirocco. I owned it for 13 years and sold it when I got my first Fiat. You don't see them on the road any more. I learned a lot owning that car, and sold it for 4x what it cost when I got it.
Second is an '89 Peugeot 505sti. Black, grey leather, alloy wheels, super comfy and just nice. Got it for cheap, sold it to Ulix's brother when I lived in Seattle. I liquidated my car "collection" to raise money for buying our land in Olympia. But it was a nice freeway car.
myronx19
True Classic
Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5
My Alfa Romeo Milano - I loved it...
oh, and my X1/9 race car.. it wasn't pretty, but it was fast - and one memory will always stick out -
accelerating up the back straight at Mosport during a warm up lap - the crisp morning air being inhaled into the 45DCOE's and the noise bouncing off the Armco barriers on either side of the straight... WOW! That noise was spectacular.
I can't sell the car I have right now. I've owned her for far too long to let her go, but she WILL get a stable mate again..
My Alfa Romeo Milano - I loved it...
oh, and my X1/9 race car.. it wasn't pretty, but it was fast - and one memory will always stick out -
accelerating up the back straight at Mosport during a warm up lap - the crisp morning air being inhaled into the 45DCOE's and the noise bouncing off the Armco barriers on either side of the straight... WOW! That noise was spectacular.
I can't sell the car I have right now. I've owned her for far too long to let her go, but she WILL get a stable mate again..
avusblue98
True Classic
Those first generation Camaros......
among Detroit's very, very best looking cars. Half the reason I watch Diners Drive Ins and Dives. I've always been a foreign car snob, but if I had money, I'd have one.
among Detroit's very, very best looking cars. Half the reason I watch Diners Drive Ins and Dives. I've always been a foreign car snob, but if I had money, I'd have one.
geekdaddy
X1/9 Learner's Permit...
My 1968 Camaro SS
She was a beauty. Numbers didn't match and wasn't a "real" SS. But solid as a rock, no rust, no issues, really fast and a chick-magnet. 396 with a hurst shifter, 4:10 rear-end, chrome mags, and (yes -- for real) a confederate flag embroidered into the back site by the PO. Averaged 10-11 MPG.
I found her in the downriver area of Detroit during the winter of 1984 and paid $3,500 for her. Put a new top on for a few hundred buck and drove her for 18 months. But I had just purchased a new Fiero, graduated from engineering school, wanted to get out of debt, and felt one car was enough. Sold her for $5,200.
Man I wish I still had that car (my original "for sale" photo below:cry
...
She was a beauty. Numbers didn't match and wasn't a "real" SS. But solid as a rock, no rust, no issues, really fast and a chick-magnet. 396 with a hurst shifter, 4:10 rear-end, chrome mags, and (yes -- for real) a confederate flag embroidered into the back site by the PO. Averaged 10-11 MPG.
I found her in the downriver area of Detroit during the winter of 1984 and paid $3,500 for her. Put a new top on for a few hundred buck and drove her for 18 months. But I had just purchased a new Fiero, graduated from engineering school, wanted to get out of debt, and felt one car was enough. Sold her for $5,200.
Man I wish I still had that car (my original "for sale" photo below:cry
...
MikeHynes
True Classic
I know that memory
Yes Myron, I know what you're talking about with your Mosports memory. My favorite is very similar.
Late August. Backstretch of Road America. Warm-up for an 8am race. The air is still cool and damp. The sun is low. Long fingers of shadow color the track. The sun sneaks through the branches and past the leaves. No crowds. It seems you've got the track to yourself. The engine's shriek begins to reverberate as you near turn 5. The only observers are the trees hovering over the track. In less than ten minutes you'll be racing...
Yes Myron, I know what you're talking about with your Mosports memory. My favorite is very similar.
Late August. Backstretch of Road America. Warm-up for an 8am race. The air is still cool and damp. The sun is low. Long fingers of shadow color the track. The sun sneaks through the branches and past the leaves. No crowds. It seems you've got the track to yourself. The engine's shriek begins to reverberate as you near turn 5. The only observers are the trees hovering over the track. In less than ten minutes you'll be racing...
Brett
True Classic
My top 3
Guess I'll take a turn or three down memory lane...
1. 1970 Ford Maverick - 200hp in-line 6 from a Mustang, custom shift linkage floor shifter to convert from the 3-on-the-tree. Used to race in the high school drags in that car. Got a lot of attention for the big tires I ran on the back and the fact that I had the front brakes adjusted way tighter than the rears so I could pop the clutch in the burnout pit, stomp the brake and hold it rolling smoke for as long as I wanted.
wrecked it when the big rear tires hydroplaned in a curved tunnel and I hit the wall.
2. 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo (951) - First real sports car. Loved that car a lot! Just about the most trouble-free car I’ve ever owned too. Drove it from 118k miles to 165k miles and did nothing but change oil and tires, and drive it like it was meant to be driven
wrecked it going around a 35 mph corner at 35 mph a few hundred feet from my house. I missed the corner because I had my head turned talking to my son who was in the rear seat. SO STUPID!
3. 1957 Chevy 210 4 door sedan, with BelAir trim. Bought in 1986 for $800 with the original inline 6 knocking really badly. Rebuilt that engine on the floor of my folks garage, and thought I was being really careful, but 50 miles after getting it back in the car, driving home at night flames shot from under the hood and it just quit. Daylight showed the con-rod sticking out the side of the block. Probably a little dirt on a main bearing from an unclean work area. Replaced the I6 with a mildly warmed up 283 and a turbo350 trans. Used to smoke Camaro Z/28s who thought they could outrun the big lead sled. Built with no budget, I installed a Chrysler alternator and wired in a Ford voltage regulator, which had been sitting on shelving in the parent’s garage and available for free. Used to carry a roll of elec. wire with me and when I would smell smoke I would stop and test circuits to see what crispy wire needed replacing. Road tripped with my girlfriend (now my wife) from south of Portland to Seattle to see Madonna in concert at the King Dome. Wrecked it, but fixable in 1988. Traded it for a running vehicle so I could get around, later traded back for it with the idea I would properly restore it, but after storing it in my garage for over 20 years, I finally gave it up a couple of years ago, knowing that if I was really going to put that much work into a car, I’d rather it be a sports car (queue the X-1/9 projects) than a classic. Guy that bought it from my did a great job restoring it. Not the build I would have done, but still pretty. Most fun I’ve had in any car. Used to take my then-girlfriend and her friends for rides a lot, you can fit a fair number of high school girls in a big four door sedan, and the headers and pipes sounded sweet as we would blast down the country lanes. As much as I love my little sports cars, I do still miss this car...
Ahh, sweet memories...
Guess I'll take a turn or three down memory lane...
1. 1970 Ford Maverick - 200hp in-line 6 from a Mustang, custom shift linkage floor shifter to convert from the 3-on-the-tree. Used to race in the high school drags in that car. Got a lot of attention for the big tires I ran on the back and the fact that I had the front brakes adjusted way tighter than the rears so I could pop the clutch in the burnout pit, stomp the brake and hold it rolling smoke for as long as I wanted.
wrecked it when the big rear tires hydroplaned in a curved tunnel and I hit the wall.
2. 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo (951) - First real sports car. Loved that car a lot! Just about the most trouble-free car I’ve ever owned too. Drove it from 118k miles to 165k miles and did nothing but change oil and tires, and drive it like it was meant to be driven
wrecked it going around a 35 mph corner at 35 mph a few hundred feet from my house. I missed the corner because I had my head turned talking to my son who was in the rear seat. SO STUPID!
3. 1957 Chevy 210 4 door sedan, with BelAir trim. Bought in 1986 for $800 with the original inline 6 knocking really badly. Rebuilt that engine on the floor of my folks garage, and thought I was being really careful, but 50 miles after getting it back in the car, driving home at night flames shot from under the hood and it just quit. Daylight showed the con-rod sticking out the side of the block. Probably a little dirt on a main bearing from an unclean work area. Replaced the I6 with a mildly warmed up 283 and a turbo350 trans. Used to smoke Camaro Z/28s who thought they could outrun the big lead sled. Built with no budget, I installed a Chrysler alternator and wired in a Ford voltage regulator, which had been sitting on shelving in the parent’s garage and available for free. Used to carry a roll of elec. wire with me and when I would smell smoke I would stop and test circuits to see what crispy wire needed replacing. Road tripped with my girlfriend (now my wife) from south of Portland to Seattle to see Madonna in concert at the King Dome. Wrecked it, but fixable in 1988. Traded it for a running vehicle so I could get around, later traded back for it with the idea I would properly restore it, but after storing it in my garage for over 20 years, I finally gave it up a couple of years ago, knowing that if I was really going to put that much work into a car, I’d rather it be a sports car (queue the X-1/9 projects) than a classic. Guy that bought it from my did a great job restoring it. Not the build I would have done, but still pretty. Most fun I’ve had in any car. Used to take my then-girlfriend and her friends for rides a lot, you can fit a fair number of high school girls in a big four door sedan, and the headers and pipes sounded sweet as we would blast down the country lanes. As much as I love my little sports cars, I do still miss this car...
Ahh, sweet memories...
Brett
True Classic
My favorite / dream
Really belongs in the "ones we never had" thread, but since you mentioned them here... When I was in first or second grade, I had the good fortune to get some tutoring in Spanish from a retired diplomat who lived in our area and liked kids... He had a Duesenberg that looked a lot like this one, but was green.
This would have been in the mid-70s.
I think still just about the most beautiful car I have ever seen in person.
Really belongs in the "ones we never had" thread, but since you mentioned them here... When I was in first or second grade, I had the good fortune to get some tutoring in Spanish from a retired diplomat who lived in our area and liked kids... He had a Duesenberg that looked a lot like this one, but was green.
This would have been in the mid-70s.
I think still just about the most beautiful car I have ever seen in person.
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tigeravg
True Classic
Bye,bye
1) Miss the 81 DeLorean... Fun, reasonably solid * 100+
Couldn't put gas without some dork asking me about the "Flux-Capacitor" though.
2) 1971 Datsun 240Z East African Safri Rally car. Just plain fun.
3) 65 Corvair coupe. Fat little meats on her. Lowered only because the suspension was wore out. Original "Smith Surfboards" decal crisping away in the rear window with the ancient board rack on the roof petrifying. T-shirts stretched over the seats.
Slow, 2 speed auto with a lever on the dash. Dodgy steering. Easily the coolest car to drive slow with all the windows down. Sounded like a Cub taxiing.
1) Miss the 81 DeLorean... Fun, reasonably solid * 100+
Couldn't put gas without some dork asking me about the "Flux-Capacitor" though.
2) 1971 Datsun 240Z East African Safri Rally car. Just plain fun.
3) 65 Corvair coupe. Fat little meats on her. Lowered only because the suspension was wore out. Original "Smith Surfboards" decal crisping away in the rear window with the ancient board rack on the roof petrifying. T-shirts stretched over the seats.
Slow, 2 speed auto with a lever on the dash. Dodgy steering. Easily the coolest car to drive slow with all the windows down. Sounded like a Cub taxiing.
1. Not mine, but my Dad's 1st new car. 67 Plymouth Belvedere GTX 440. He used to ride me around the neighborhood with the dual exhaust rumbling to put me to sleep.
2. 69 Mustang Mach 1, 351 4v, 4spd toploader, posi. Deep Jade Green Metallic over black vinyl.
4. 72 Fiat 128 Sedan. 1300, shaved 1100 head with bog valves. 40/80 cam, 45DCOE, straight pipe exhaust. Way faster than it should have been , and a total sleeper in fridge white over red vinyl.
2. 69 Mustang Mach 1, 351 4v, 4spd toploader, posi. Deep Jade Green Metallic over black vinyl.
4. 72 Fiat 128 Sedan. 1300, shaved 1100 head with bog valves. 40/80 cam, 45DCOE, straight pipe exhaust. Way faster than it should have been , and a total sleeper in fridge white over red vinyl.
Rooster
piccole ma cattive
Only really one that got away
1971 AMC Javelin SST. 304CI V8, w/ 3spd stick. Had 360 heads, full cam and a holley 750 double pumper on it. G60 tires up front and L60's on the rear. I could get get the car sideways at 45mph just by hitting the skinny pedal. Took leave after I completed Infantry school and was permanent party at Ft. Polk and picker her up. Drove from Vermont to Louisiana and averaged 6.5mpg on the highway. Also dropped a starter (as in FELL off the car) somewhere south of Knoxville, TN. Drove the rest of the way by coasting up/down hills and hot fueling it at gas stations. Sold it fro $500 that I never got because the arse that bought it was discharged dishonorably and had me fill out a bill of sale w/o being paid.
She wasn't pretty, but she was solid.
1971 AMC Javelin SST. 304CI V8, w/ 3spd stick. Had 360 heads, full cam and a holley 750 double pumper on it. G60 tires up front and L60's on the rear. I could get get the car sideways at 45mph just by hitting the skinny pedal. Took leave after I completed Infantry school and was permanent party at Ft. Polk and picker her up. Drove from Vermont to Louisiana and averaged 6.5mpg on the highway. Also dropped a starter (as in FELL off the car) somewhere south of Knoxville, TN. Drove the rest of the way by coasting up/down hills and hot fueling it at gas stations. Sold it fro $500 that I never got because the arse that bought it was discharged dishonorably and had me fill out a bill of sale w/o being paid.
She wasn't pretty, but she was solid.
turbo2256b
True Classic
My 69 GT350 Shelby Mustang. Purchased it new. Built and installed a Boss 351C dynoed over 650 HP at the rear wheels. Engine was built like a NASCR motor but the engine wouldnt have been leage to run in NASCAR.
Turned 9.36 in the quarter. Would hit over 200 MPH top end. only did that about 3 times. But often ran 160 cruses and 190 or so stints.
My Moms 63 Plymouth waggon trashed the 318 in it and purchased from the insurance company a friends 3 month old 440 6 Pack car he rolled and installed it in the waggon. After that my mom would make it home from the grocey without the ice cream melting. Sister wrecked it.
Have a lot of tossups for the third vehicle
Turned 9.36 in the quarter. Would hit over 200 MPH top end. only did that about 3 times. But often ran 160 cruses and 190 or so stints.
My Moms 63 Plymouth waggon trashed the 318 in it and purchased from the insurance company a friends 3 month old 440 6 Pack car he rolled and installed it in the waggon. After that my mom would make it home from the grocey without the ice cream melting. Sister wrecked it.
Have a lot of tossups for the third vehicle
Black-Tooth
Tony Natoli
WHAT? Was this a TWO DOOR wagon?
I remember seeing ONE - TWO DOOR Nomad that was a '58 and I didn't believe my eyes. This was in the late 60's before anyone ever thought of converting a 4-door. The B-pillars were vertical though, not canted like the '55 - '57 Nomads. Similar to the "Handyman" 2-door wagons in the past.
It sure looked "factory" to me, but hell, I was 16 or so, so what did I know. Never saw another...
But a 1969 Nomad??? Do you have any photos? Love to see this!
OH... was this a CANADA thing like many of the Pontiac/Chevy hybrids?
I remember seeing ONE - TWO DOOR Nomad that was a '58 and I didn't believe my eyes. This was in the late 60's before anyone ever thought of converting a 4-door. The B-pillars were vertical though, not canted like the '55 - '57 Nomads. Similar to the "Handyman" 2-door wagons in the past.
It sure looked "factory" to me, but hell, I was 16 or so, so what did I know. Never saw another...
But a 1969 Nomad??? Do you have any photos? Love to see this!
OH... was this a CANADA thing like many of the Pontiac/Chevy hybrids?
aircavscout
Daily Driver
Only 2 cars I regret selling.
The first was my 1981 X1/9. Sold it right before going off to basic training. Have since replaced with the exact same year, color. So no problem there.
Second car was a 1972 Trans Am super duty 455. My wife sold it while i was deployed over in Bosnia in 1995. Divorced now.
Kept every car I loved since. Probably why I have 9 cars now....
Favorite is my Porsche GT3RS... Although I love ragging out the X and pushing it, goes back to that driving a slow car fast i guess. The RS really is fantastic on the track so makes the X feel fairly dated. However, the X is my favorite car to trash around country roads in Kentucky. Stuck one of Matt's cams in there and modified the exhaust... It really is sweet on back Kentucky roads...
The first was my 1981 X1/9. Sold it right before going off to basic training. Have since replaced with the exact same year, color. So no problem there.
Second car was a 1972 Trans Am super duty 455. My wife sold it while i was deployed over in Bosnia in 1995. Divorced now.
Kept every car I loved since. Probably why I have 9 cars now....
Favorite is my Porsche GT3RS... Although I love ragging out the X and pushing it, goes back to that driving a slow car fast i guess. The RS really is fantastic on the track so makes the X feel fairly dated. However, the X is my favorite car to trash around country roads in Kentucky. Stuck one of Matt's cams in there and modified the exhaust... It really is sweet on back Kentucky roads...
Todd,
The only car I ever regretted selling was my 1974 X19 which I purchased in Feb 1974. I had it for three years and drove and all over the country in it (even the 76 Olympics in Montreal). As bucket list item I picked up a 1981 X two years ago and drive it from Phoenix to Detroit in two days will start restoring it this winter.
The only car I ever regretted selling was my 1974 X19 which I purchased in Feb 1974. I had it for three years and drove and all over the country in it (even the 76 Olympics in Montreal). As bucket list item I picked up a 1981 X two years ago and drive it from Phoenix to Detroit in two days will start restoring it this winter.