Let's hear your stories about the one that got away.

[70cst]

I hear stories about the big one that got away. I want to hear your story of a killer deal that you was a day late and a dollar short.

[68Stepbed]

When I was 18, I had an 83 ElCamino at the time, and didn't need another car. But, a local body shop was also selling used cars. They had a 79 Firebird "Formula" It had a 455 and TH400 trans. and T-tops. It was white with navy blue on bottom with "FORMULA" written inside the blue. They were asking $1800 for it, but I could have picked it up for $1500-1600. I talked to my dad about it, who advised me that it probably wasn't anything very special and not to get it unless it was a Trans Am. I took his advice and didn't buy it, but never stopped thinking about it. A couple years later I was telling someone about it, who told me it was actually more valuable than a T/A because they only made the Formula versions for a couple years, and that they were the only versions of the Firebird with the 455 option.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

When I was 18, I had an 83 ElCamino at the time, and didn't need another car. But, a local body shop was also selling used cars. They had a 79 Firebird "Formula" It had a 455 and TH400 trans. and T-tops. It was white with navy blue on bottom with "FORMULA" written inside the blue. They were asking $1800 for it, but I could have picked it up for $1500-1600. I talked to my dad about it, who advised me that it probably wasn't anything very special and not to get it unless it was a Trans Am. I took his advice and didn't buy it, but never stopped thinking about it. A couple years later I was telling someone about it, who told me it was actually more valuable than a T/A because they only made the Formula versions for a couple years, and that they were the only versions of the Firebird with the 455 option.

Just a few clarifications to your Firebird story. In 1979 the biggest engine in a Firebird was a 403 Olds. You got a 403 Olds with an automatic transmission. If you got a 4-speed you got a 400 Pontiac. The 455 was last available in 1976 and 1979 was the last year for a real Pontiac engine (purists mostly discount the 301 available in 1980-81 which looked like a Pontiac but was not the same block dimensions as the 350-455). The Formula was indeed a rare beast in 1979. But if it had a 455 and TH400 it did not come that way factory.

[MattPSU]

About a year after we started dating, I was talking with my girlfriends (now my wife) grandfather about cars & trucks. He said, I have something you might be interested in. He was over 90 at the time, and I’m thinking , no way. We slowly walked out to this shed/garage on the side of his house. He opened the doors and that “Halleluiah” song played in my head. It was a 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle, 396, 5 speed convertible. Red with black top & black leather. It was dusty, but immaculate.

He says, “Let’s see if she’ll start. It’s been about 2 years.” I’m thinking, no way is this thing going to start. It fired up on the first try. It just rumbled in this little block garage. I nearly lost it.

I ask if he’d be interested in selling it and if so, what he’d want. He says that they want to put AC in the house, and if he could get enough to pay for that, he’d be happy selling it to me. That would keep the car in the family – everyone knew we were pretty serious – and he knew I’d take care of it. I ask how much that would be and he says $3-4k. I say I’ll take it. I have no idea where I’m going to get $4k, but I’ll figure that out later. He tells me that he needs to run it by his son, my wife’s uncle, since the car was originally bought for him. Rick was never into cars, and hadn’t shown interest in the car in years. We go in to call Rick and he leaves him a message. I’ll have to wait to hear back. Fine with me, I have no way to get it home anyway, and I need a couple days to find the money (aka – beg my dad to loan it to me).

A few days go by and I hear from my girlfriend/wife that Rick doesn’t want him to sell it yet. I’m devastated. Over the next few years, I ask about it on a regular basis and the answers always the same, Rick wants me to keep it. Eventually, her grandfather passes away and Rick inherits the car. Rick and my father in law have a falling out and the car moves farther out of my grasp. Rick moves it to his place where, as far as I know, it’s now sitting under a tarp outside, rotting away. I said numerous times that I can understand that he doesn’t want to sell it to me because of some bad blood (even though it has nothing to do with me or my wife), but that car deserves to be fixed up and driven.

I think about that Chevelle all the time. Every time I see a ’66 Chevy, a red Chevelle, a 396 badge, etc. I remember that day and think about what could have been. - Matt

[54blackhornet]

In 1973 fresh out of High School, I bought a 67 Sunbeam Alpine for $275.00 from the owner of a small Import repair shop in Florida. Part of the sale was that he would help rebuild the little 4 cyl in it. During the rebuild at his shop I would have to sweep floors and run and get parts for him in return for free labor on his part. One afternoon while in the rear of the small shop I lifted the cover off a car, it was covered in a inch or two of dust, underneath was a 200Si Maserati last raced at Sebring in 58 or 59. He had blown up the engine and parked it. I asked what he was going to do with it ? Sell he said, How much I asked $5000.00. Well after the $275.00 outlaw for the Alpine I was broke. Shortly afterwards he did sell it to a guy in Texas. It was recently displayed at Pebble Beach on the 18th green. Last week it's sister car a 300Si, same car larger engine brought over 6 million at auction in Europe.
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[Lee H]

About a year ago I let this get away, If it had AC I would have gotten it. 72 C20, Ochre with white top original paint in very, very nice condition, 350, THM400, PS, PB, Parchment interior, Radio, HD radiator, HD springs, Original wheels & caps, Original mirrors, wood bed in soso condition, dealer installed saddle tanks, two owner, zero rust. $5,500 firm.

[lap15]

In 1979 my uncle bought a new van to make deliveries for his business- A tu-tone Drk blue/Lt blue short wheel base Chevy Sport Van with a 350, auto, A/C, factory mag wheels painted Lt blue w-raised white letter tires, hi back bucket seats and factory plywood cargo area. I absolutely fell in love with it and told him if he ever wanted to sell it to let me know. Over the next several years I kept bugging him about it and he kept saying he was not ready to sell it yet. Then one day in 1983, he shows up with a brand new yellow Chevy 1/2 ton work truck with a six cylinder and 3 on the tree. I said "where's the van?" and he said "I traded it in because I needed a work truck". With my voice cracking I said "but I told you I wanted it and to tell me when you were going to sell it!" His final words were "I didn't think you were serious". To this day I have never seen another one like it.

[brad_man_72]

Guy at work just told me his dad had a 66 vette 427 tanker in 1969 and traded it for a new ls6 chevelle in 1970.
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[Palf70Step]

When I lived in northern Japan in the 70s/early 80s I had a 55 Chevy 210 2dr sedan. Loved the car, but it was hard to deal with getting parts and all I needed for it over there in teh days before the Internet. I sold it to another GI to please the now ex-wife. should have kept the car instead of trying to keep the wife.

The only pictures I have of it are when I first got it.

It was painted the traditional black with flames like the picture shown.

It was a 350/4 speed. Power nothing.

[kowboy63]

When my wife & I were dating in the early 80's her dad had a 72 Cheyenne parked out behind his shed, a year or so passed and the truck was still sitting so I asked if he was interested in selling, he promptly told me no that all it needed was a transmission & he was going to replace it and start back driving it. This truck was in excellent condition at the time, he never fixed it or moved it from that spot, eventually you couldn't tell what color it was it was so rusty. He had some timber cut & one of the guys asked him about it & he sold it to him. I asked him about it later and all he said is that "you didn't want that old truck, it would have just cost you money fixing up". I would have loved to had that truck.

[Hawghauler]

I rebuild wrecked Harleys for a hobby, and I live on an island. I'd take my 14' flatbed trailer to pick up the bikes, and pay $60 just to cross the ferry. I decided I needed a longbed instead. I sold my wonderful 4runner ltd, and started looking. I found a '67 longbed on the other side of the water, and he only wanted $2500 for it. But I decided a straight 6 with a powerglide wasn't good enough. Another guy was selling a '68 with rebuilt drivetrain that had been rearended, he only wanted $1800. Put together it would have been sweet. But $4500, Ha, that was too much money. Wrong!

1967 longbed, one owner, pale yellow, no trim, "always garaged", no dents, no dings, "no scratches" he said, sm window, no rust!, excellent interior. I finally realized what I was seeing, and called him about it.
"Sold it this morning." It had been on cl for at least 2 months.