A problem we should all have

[BigRed Beast]

Bear with me on this...

I bought a '72 a few years back for my then 14 year old son. He was a little luke warm in the beginning, then heard the 350 crank up the cherry bombs, top off, and it was love. Been working on it here and there for the past two years, lurking on this forum just about every day. He gets his license in January, so we're cranking up our efforts.

The ride is in okay shape, but needed a back bed and rear quarters in addition to the rockers. Bodyman advised me to get to work chasing down a donor for the back bed and anything else I could scavange. I started to hit Craigslist morning, noon and night. Last week, an ad showed up for a complete ochre '72 about 25 miles away...for $400. Seized 350 ci, 4 spd, no front seats, stock back seat, good top. Went out to see it and it was love. Wrote the guy a check and said I'd be back...and yes, the guy was good for it, so that's not my point.

Neglected to tell you that I did this without the wife's approval, and money's been ridiculously tight...as in there ain't any. So, I'm sweating the how and why of telling her...day one, day two...working it over in my head, what can I sell, how it'll be a great deal, blah, blah, blah. Five days later, I crack, the guilt is killing me. I tell her, she gives me a look, that look, a sigh and I brace myself for...nothing. She asks how much, hears me out and it's over...

I show up the next day with the donor on a trailer and drop it in the front yard.

"I like the color."

"I like the wheels."

"Can you fix the engine?"

"I don't like the tinted windows...can you take that off?"

"What parts are you going to take?"

"Can you put seats in it?"

Guys...she wants my donor car!