1955 GMC missed opportunity

[Foot Stomper]

I am mourning the lost opportunity for a 1955 GMC short box step side.
It had already begun it's restoration and the owner lost interest. The 235 and 3 speed had been machine shop rebuilt, new springs, new drum brakes, cab sheet metal replaced but not finished.
Sold for 2000$! I was scheduled to see it same day but the first guy to see it bought it....I was next!
That truck had been already started with a blasted and painted frame and would have been perfect to get a jump start on my 59... I'll never find a deal like that again. It was only an hour away from my home too!
I begged the seller to share the buyer contact info but he's not cooperative.
I'm thinking who ever bought it likely won't keep the motor or brakes or suspension. Hopefully I get a chance somehow to find the new owner. ...

[Foot Stomper]

139 reads and not a single reply?

I thought this was a community....

[DransportGarage]

Almost all of us who care about the hobby have lost at least one or two. But don't give up. The next one may be just around the corner or shortly down the road. It is amazing how much losing a buy can be like that girl in our past that took the wrong fork in the road...

[Rude Dude]

Ever heard the saying

"You snooze you loose. money talk BS walks"

When ever I car shop I am always prepared to go over the price if I really want the vehicle

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by DransportGarage

Almost all of us who care about the hobby have lost at least one or two. But don't give up. The next one may be just around the corner or shortly down the road. It is amazing how much losing a buy can be like that girl in our past that took the wrong fork in the road...

Good point!

[Foot Stomper]

Originally Posted by Rude Dude

Ever heard the saying

"You snooze you loose. money talk BS walks"

When ever I car shop I am always prepared to go over the price if I really want the vehicle

Yup heard that one before. except I didn't snooze on it.

[joedoh]

when I get put in a line, I force the order. I spotted a perfect school car for my daughter and was the second to call. the first guy was coming at 8am the next day, I drove out there (57 miles) at 11 oclock at night. The other guy gave that as his first available time, the seller said "sure I am home" so I went.

if the seller is holding it for someone who hasnt given them cash or a promise to buy, thats a tough one. That really speaks to the loyalty of the seller to his beliefs. but usually, if you ask, they will acquiesce to the first guy to show up with cash and not the first caller who might buy it.

my advice is, be the first to call. I have all my craigslist searches saved and I guarantee I see every potential purchase within a couple minutes of listing and usually buy within the first hour if its the item and the price I am looking for. even if its not the right price, I still call and get the info, sometimes a deal gets sweeter just by talking.

[OrrieG]

I think most of us that read the thread and moved on had the same thought, "been there done that". If I had every car I looked at and passed on, or bought then flipped, or had bought out from under me; I could sell them an be on permanent vacation.

[Foot Stomper]

Since posting I've learned more about listings.
The auto alerts don't run the minute the ad posts.... I'm getting emails at 3:00 AM ... as much as 18 hours AFTER the ad gets posted.

The one thing I'd like to add is that many times I've missed out on something because my timing was bad... that's life and I don't care about those so called lost opportunities. The issue with this particular loss was that it was EXACTLY what I needed, very close to home, a very reasonable price and I was 2nd caller and was scheduled to go look at it in 3 hours.... tell me you wouldn't be a little pissed.

[joedoh]

are you using the craigslist "save my search"? or an app? an app depends on your settings to retrieve listings. if you have it set low it will take a loooong time to know.

I use the craigslist site "save my search". I get notified the instant the ad hits the viewable listings. usually that is 1-2 hours from when they make the ad.

[01spirit750]

Yeah, been there. But sometime luck is a big factor.

Here are two stories
#1
I had gone out drinking one night with our roommates boyfriend. I am not a real bar hopper type but I went anyway. At the bar the roommates boyfriend starts talking to some guy who mentions he has this old 57 truck he was going to make into a show truck. Of course I join in and ask some questions. He is not sure if it is a custom cab or a big back window but I get the address and go take a look. It was exactly what I wanted. We made the deal for a great price.

#2
I was looking for a dirt bike (motorcycle) for my daughter and was having a real hard time finding one within my price range, most did not have a title or had fees due to registration issues.
I was working late one evening from home and before I powered down my PC I did a quick search and an add had just been posted for exactly what I wanted and he had listed his phone number. I called to see if I could come by asap but the seller wanted to do it the next evening. He called me the next morning to confirm my interest and setup a noon meeting. I am sure he was getting a lot of calls, they sell real fast around here. So I left work, got my trailer and the cash and made the deal. I was back at work by 1pm. Luckily the seller was only 5 miles from where I lived.

[1project2many]

I am happy the seller honored the offer to wait. I've made arrangements to view a vehicle two states away only to arrive and find an embarrassed seller who let the vehicle go after promising to wait. When you offer to pay asking price if the vehicle is what's advertised and the seller offers to hold and wait, then it's really the seller's character that makes them hold the vehicle.

Sometimes when you think you've found the perfect deal, you haven't. The vehicle has more problems than expected, or maybe there's a title issue that wasn't disclosed. It's happened to me more than once. How many CL ads promise a perfect widget? They can't all be the best out there.

And when you think about it, what have you really got to be pissed at? All the money you started with and the opportunity to keep looking for a truck that you like? Nothing lost there...

I've been "this close" over and over. What about the picture I passed up at a small antiques store in Montana in the early '90s? It showed several people standing outside a building in the old west. On the back were inked the names of several outlaws including John Hardin. $35. I told my wife I was going to buy it, because we lived in Hardin, MT and it was cool. Then realized I had no idea if it was authentic. I thought they might have a pile of those photos. They just stuffed a new one into an old frame for the next fool from out of town to buy. So I left it there. Years later a guy from CA on Antiques Roadshow had the same picture, bought from that little store in MT. The appraiser said "$35,000." Well, I'll be! Ok, so I didn't get rich. At least I got this story.

So don't sweat the small stuff. In my experience a better, or "more right" deal will come along. I'm looking for a commercial mower on CL right now. The ones I want go for thousands of dollars but I don't have that much. With timing, persistence, and luck, I'll find one. If I miss a deal then I'll be frustrated but I won't stop looking. Sometimes it takes years for all the pieces to fall into place.

[bobinbc]

I know exactly how you feel, deals like that don't come along often especially advertised where a thousand people can see them in a day.

Recently I was looking for a 78-88 G-body monte etc.for a donor car. Found one locally that was perfect, low miles great condition 305 auto rusty frame in the back, perfect. Only trouble was they couldn't start it dead battery so it hadn't sold asking $800! I went over on my lunch and met the lady spent most of an hour getting it started. Ran ok but a little ticky, I said how about 500? She says I have to ask my husband, ok let me know. 2 hrs later I get a text someone else just looked at it and will pay 500, if I want it I have to make a better offer! After I got it running! Had been for sale for 2 weeks no interest now it's running and she sells it to the next guy!

But.....it all worked out, look what I picked up for a donor car a couple weeks later for jut slightly more....http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...45#post7626545

Keep looking for a 55 GMC or Chev in the right places ( go to a swap meet with a sign) and you'll be surprised what you'll find. (That's how I got the Vette)

[MiraclePieCo]

I'm still speechless: $2000??? That's a ridiculous deal. Rusty hulks go for that around here. No wonder you're flogging yourself.

[Hblee]

There's not a single person here who has been messing with old cars and trucks for any period that hasn't done this. I had a thing for early Camaros as a young guy (still do), I missed a chance to get a 68 RS Z/28 back in the 70s.