Author Topic: cars you kick yourself for not buying  (Read 716 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18262
cars you kick yourself for not buying
« on: January 21, 2022, 02:28:39 AM »
I think everyone here knows im into muscle cars so this pick will surprise you. My first car was a plymouth 440 gtx but it almost wasnt. When i was sixteen i had saved about 900 bucks pealing pulp wood in the woods. That was a decent amount to buy a good used car in the early 70s. My dad had a buddy who had a car lot. Dad told me that he had a good deal going on a camaro. I was real excited. It was right at the top of my list. Well we got there and i found out what dad didnt tell me. It was a 6cyl power glide auto that was even column shifted. Odd thing is it had about every option you could buy then. Front disc brakes, ralley rims wood grained dash sport mirrors. If i remember the only option other then drive train options that wasnt checked was ac. It was pretty too. A burgandy color with those ralleys and there chrome trim rings looked sharp. But i sure didnt want a column shifted 6 cyl camaro. That would be about like taking your sister to the prom!! But i sure wish i had that little bugger today to cruise around in. Whens the last time you saw a 6 cyl camaro. I think 99.9 percent of them that are still on the road had a small block put in them over 20 years ago. Then to be a column shifted camaro. That was one of the only two i personaly ever seen.
blue lives matter

Offline Dee

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 23870
  • Gender: Male
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2022, 02:35:47 AM »
I had a 1972 K5 Blazer with the CST trim, 350 4 barrel carb, lockout front hubs.
It's the one vehicle I wish I had back.
You may all go to hell, I will go to Texas. Davy Crockett

Online Bob Riebe

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7474
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2022, 05:07:34 AM »
My first job was stock-boy at Walgreens in 1970, I had a great boss who treated me like a son.
They went on a 1 week vacation, and he left me his three-speed manual, on the floor six banger Camaro, plus I had shovel snow off of the roof of his house. (We had real winters back then.)

Well one week later , he got back the Camaro with an extra 1000 miles on the odometer and in one piece undamaged; the later was by the grace of God, literally as I was going way to fast up to a stop sign, where another car was waiting to turn, and due to ice had NO BRAKES.

A heavy snow storm that week had left large , high , windrows along the roads and one of those is wha stopped me when I drove into it length wise.
A friend who was standing on the side walk , and saw the whole thing, helped get it unstuck and said he thought I was going destroy both cars, while saying he never would have thought of hitting the snow windrow at that angle.

I told my Boss I really liked the Camaro, and he said , "I see -- It has a thousand more miles on it." and gave me a snarky grin. 8)

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18262
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2022, 07:59:18 AM »
ive got a whole list of those id like back. I was more asking about ones you passed on and regretted it. Heck i would love a 72 blazer today. Only blazer i ever owned was a used 77 that was pretty ripe with rust. I traded a guy a snow blower for it. the 72s were much better looking though. Espeically one of those fancy cst's. I dont miss locking hubs though. Even in the 70s i prefered the full time 4x4s. They were just so much better in ice and snow. Sucked some gas though. I remember comming back from the bar one dear season night many years ago with my brother in law. We were 3 sheets to the wind. The road to camp that year was terrible and one bad muddy stretch i took to slow and got stuck. We had to get out and lock the hubs. Did it and got out and back to camp and the brother in law had one boot on. He lost his boot in the mud and didnt even realize it.
I had a 1972 K5 Blazer with the CST trim, 350 4 barrel carb, lockout front hubs.
It's the one vehicle I wish I had back.
blue lives matter

Offline Graybeard

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (69)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 26944
  • Gender: Male
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2022, 11:20:56 AM »
I guess there are two I didn't get I really wished I had.

One was a Pontiac Tempest I think it was called. It was a plain jane version with not all that many accessories but was brand new. The guy at the credit union who took my loan application refused to finance it for me.

He had a car lot of his own and after turning me down on the new car he suggested I look at a '65 Mustang 2+2 of his with a four in the floor. I did look, did like and did buy it from him. Naturally he approved the loan on it even tho I financed more money on the used car than I was going to on the new one.

He later finally got caught for such antics and was fired.

The other is a Lincoln Town Car.

When I was working at Kroger grocery store bagging groceries and making more on tips than salary I said when I finally start making $100 a week I'm gonna buy one a Town Car. I just couldn't afford it at the time I said that. Turned out when I began making $100 a week I was no closer to being able to afford it.

Time rolled along and I never was able to afford one. I did drive a Ford Crown Vic for a good long while and had to settle for that. It was as close as I ever came to owning a Town Car.

These days honestly there aren't many cars I'd take if you offered to give them to me. I'm a truck guy and it has to be a pickup or a full size SUV for me. The full size Bronco is what fit and would still fit me better than any other. Wish I had money to have a '95 or '96 fully restored, but sadly like the Town Car, I'll never have the money to do that.


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18262
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2022, 10:50:06 PM »
ive got a tempest story. My grandpa was a pontiac man. He didnt know cars though and was talking about getting a new car in 1970 He knew i was about adicted to cars so he asked me what would be a good choice for him. I told him the tempest was about the smallest pontiac and the cheapest. He called back a few days later and said he had bought a new tempest. Said "ill tell you one thing, this things got some power" I figured hed have bought a 6 cyl and when he said that i thought he probably bought a 350 tempest. I asked him what motor it had and he said all he knew was it was a v8. He lived 200 miles from me so the following weekend i took a ride. Got there and he had bought a t-37 tempest with a 400 4 barrel. Basicaly they were gtos without the the gto badge on them. It made grampa about the coolest old man in town to all the guys there my age. Sad thing is about 6 years later he traded it on a dodge omni!!!!
I guess there are two I didn't get I really wished I had.

One was a Pontiac Tempest I think it was called. It was a plain jane version with not all that many accessories but was brand new. The guy at the credit union who took my loan application refused to finance it for me.

He had a car lot of his own and after turning me down on the new car he suggested I look at a '65 Mustang 2+2 of his with a four in the floor. I did look, did like and did buy it from him. Naturally he approved the loan on it even tho I financed more money on the used car than I was going to on the new one.

He later finally got caught for such antics and was fired.

The other is a Lincoln Town Car.

When I was working at Kroger grocery store bagging groceries and making more on tips than salary I said when I finally start making $100 a week I'm gonna buy one a Town Car. I just couldn't afford it at the time I said that. Turned out when I began making $100 a week I was no closer to being able to afford it.

Time rolled along and I never was able to afford one. I did drive a Ford Crown Vic for a good long while and had to settle for that. It was as close as I ever came to owning a Town Car.

These days honestly there aren't many cars I'd take if you offered to give them to me. I'm a truck guy and it has to be a pickup or a full size SUV for me. The full size Bronco is what fit and would still fit me better than any other. Wish I had money to have a '95 or '96 fully restored, but sadly like the Town Car, I'll never have the money to do that.
blue lives matter

Offline 30calflash

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 128
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2022, 08:42:13 AM »
 Several, first one to recall was a 64 Impala 327 4 speed, valve job done, new exhaust and clutch. Either 200 or 400 $. The good ole days!
Hold still while I overthink this.

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18262
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2022, 09:08:12 AM »
ill take 20 of them!!
Several, first one to recall was a 64 Impala 327 4 speed, valve job done, new exhaust and clutch. Either 200 or 400 $. The good ole days!
blue lives matter

Offline 30calflash

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 128
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2022, 02:05:07 PM »
ill take 20 of them!!
Several, first one to recall was a 64 Impala 327 4 speed, valve job done, new exhaust and clutch. Either 200 or 400 $. The good ole days!
Yeah me too!

 I remember the T-37, a friend's dad owned a salvage yard and they ended up with one. It was kept inside, don't know the CID of it as it was in a corner of the building that wasn't very accessible. You know like 1800 tires piled up in front of it. They were supposed to have it repaired but another time I was there it was gone, prolly parted out.

 Down the road from there a guy had a motorcycle/car dealership, one man band. He had a 64 Grand Prix, black on black, 421 with 3 2's and a 4 speed. I lusted after that one big time! Friends talked me out of that one also.
Hold still while I overthink this.

Offline Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18262
Re: cars you kick yourself for not buying
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2022, 09:41:57 PM »
they were offered with anything from a 6 cyl to a ram air gto motor. That said the 400s were rare and id bet 90 precent of them came with 350 2 and 4 barrels. I think most who could afford to buck up to the ram air gto motor could afford the trim. There were some 400s obviously because grandpa had one but he didnt order it and didnt know a 350 from a 400. He would have probably bought it if it had a 6cyl. Buddy in school whos dad was an air force pilot had a gp 421 4 speed. It was a beautiful but HUGE car. His dad would let him drive it to school occasionaly and we all drewled over it. A luxury boat with a 4 speed and some snort was way cool.
ill take 20 of them!!
Several, first one to recall was a 64 Impala 327 4 speed, valve job done, new exhaust and clutch. Either 200 or 400 $. The good ole days!
Yeah me too!

 I remember the T-37, a friend's dad owned a salvage yard and they ended up with one. It was kept inside, don't know the CID of it as it was in a corner of the building that wasn't very accessible. You know like 1800 tires piled up in front of it. They were supposed to have it repaired but another time I was there it was gone, prolly parted out.

 Down the road from there a guy had a motorcycle/car dealership, one man band. He had a 64 Grand Prix, black on black, 421 with 3 2's and a 4 speed. I lusted after that one big time! Friends talked me out of that one also.
blue lives matter