Whats the one car that " got away " and you still regret today.

[1969chargerrtse]

I was just watching Netflix about the 62 Impala 409's when it reminded me back around 1973 when I had the chance to buy a 1962 Roman red Impala SS 409 (409hp) conv for 300.00. It was rust free and garaged.  I took a friend ( X friend ) to go check it out. It was a dual quad 4 speed car and factory headers were still in the trunk in a box. We went to see it at night in the garage, mean while I was thinking where I would get the 300.00 from?  The next day my friend says to me in class " oh I bought the 409 conv ". I was so shocked I never let him know how it bothered  me. Whats worst is 3 months later he tells me he sold it for the same 300.00 he bought it for without letting me know it was up for sale. And to make things worst he says, oh the guy that bought it is gonna put it in a glass case.
That's my painful story that is still with me 35 years later. Yours?  

[jb666]

Mine?? My Skylark GS Convertible... Owned it when I was 16.. Cut off the rear 1/4's with a whiz wheel so that I could fit the 50's I "had to have" on there... Later sold it for $300.. 

That was one of my favorites out of the 60+ cars I've had..... And the one I regret letting get away....

[1969chargerrtse]

Mine?? My Skylark GS Convertible... Owned it when I was 16.. Cut off the rear 1/4's with a whiz wheel so that I could fit the 50's I "had to have" on there... Later sold it for $300.. 

That was one of my favorites out of the 60+ cars I've had..... And the one I regret letting get away....

Ever try to locate it?  I never got to own the SS 409 so there is no bond. Plus I couldn't afford that car today.

[jb666]

Mine?? My Skylark GS Convertible... Owned it when I was 16.. Cut off the rear 1/4's with a whiz wheel so that I could fit the 50's I "had to have" on there... Later sold it for $300.. 

That was one of my favorites out of the 60+ cars I've had..... And the one I regret letting get away....

Ever try to locate it?  I never got to own the SS 409 so there is no bond. Plus I couldn't afford that car today.

I tried a few years later.. Apparently someone bought it and began a restoration, and I lost track after that.. I'm sure THEY knew what it was worth.. I chalk it up to stupid things that stupid kids do...

[1969chargerrtse]

Not a huge Buick guy what's that compared to Mopar wise? 440 Cuda conv?
Or any SS GM midsize conv. Are they rare in numbers?

[jb666]

Not a huge Buick guy what's that compared to Mopar wise? 440 Cuda conv?
Or any SS GM midsize conv. Are they rare in numbers?

I'd say that's in the eye of the beholder.. they are considered "rare" cars these days.... But I don't think they pull in anywhere near the money of some of the REALLY rare cars that're out there..

[1969chargerrtse]

Not a huge Buick guy what's that compared to Mopar wise? 440 Cuda conv?
Or any SS GM midsize conv. Are they rare in numbers?

I'd say that's in the eye of the beholder.. they are considered "rare" cars these days.... But I don't think they pull in anywhere near the money of some of the REALLY rare cars that're out there..

My eyes say that is sharp.

[jb666]

Not a huge Buick guy what's that compared to Mopar wise? 440 Cuda conv?
Or any SS GM midsize conv. Are they rare in numbers?

I'd say that's in the eye of the beholder.. they are considered "rare" cars these days.... But I don't think they pull in anywhere near the money of some of the REALLY rare cars that're out there..

My eyes say that is sharp.

That's not my exact car, but it was it's clone... I LOVED that car... And it went like the wind....

[1969chargerrtse]

Mopar site or not those GM mid size muscle cars were built well. I always tell my buddie as I enter his GTO conv that his door weighs more than my entire Charger. 

[jb666]

Mopar site or not those GM mid size muscle cars were built well. I always tell my buddie as I enter his GTO conv that his door weighs more than my entire Charger. 

  That reminds me of my Camaro days.. Those doors weighed more than any other part of that car.. Yet it didn't stop me from buying 20 of them.. They went great with my mullet...

[1970Moparmann]

Many regrets.... My biggest one was a Superbird in 2002 that was in MN.  This was when the car was "reasonably" priced.   

I was just thinking today how I know someone that is a Mopar junky who has multiple birds, and see if he will take two of my cars for his white bird. 

There were others of course, but I always wanted a 'bird.

[b5blue]

I lost out on a early 70's Chevelle SS 396 when I was 18yr old the same way, asshole across the street wanted to come with me to look at it, whipped his checkbook out on the trunk and bought it while I was looking under the hood at the cowl induction. 4 speed, air, cherry....my buddy's dad's car. I'm still pissed off at that backstabber.  

[vancamp]

about 93 or so i had a chance at a Hemi Challenger convert. I was working out of town my dad called me to ask if i was interested, of course it sold right before he could get back in touch with the lady that owned it. it was a garage kept very nice car but the hemi went in her EX husbands race car and the Chally had a 383 in it when it sold for...................................$3600 by the way it was gold, white interior and a black top if any one has seen it i have always wondered where it went??

[elacruze]

A couple months before I bought my first Charger, (1979) I desperately wanted a '69 AMX 390/4/4speed car at the corner car lot. I'm sure the $1500 he wanted was a lot, but I never got to find out as my Dad nixxed the deal. He was to pay half of whatever I found that I could pay half of...I never let him see the Charger until it was at home.

[LeesRT]

I'm kicking myself on 2 cars I missed out on.  1970, Hemi, Charger R/T and the other was a 1969 Charger R/T, 440, 4-speed car for $5000.00 and numbers matching.

[Cooter]

Well, mine was a red/white interior, 4-speed, 440, '67 Dodge Coronet R/T..I had just turned 15 and 8 months and had my license. Went ot look at it sitting on the lot at a local gas station..It had been hit on the left front fender and hood area, but otherwise was in pretty good shape. Owner tells my Mom that it still had the original engine in it and only had a repaint. I tried and tried to drive it, but I just wasn't good enough with a 4 gear yet. So, long story short, dude sees I can't drive it all that well, and offers to "Take us round the block"...Bout the time he hit 2nd hear, tires sqealing, Momma says "Too much motor!" and I guess dude figured I was window shopping and sold it..I ended up with a '67 Ply. Belvy 2dr Hdtop with a 318/904 instead. Don't know where the car is today, but woulda loved to have cruised that thing to school...

[71ChallengeHer]

A friend of mine had a 71 Cuda, Plum Crazy 340, 4 speed , 3.91 rear, shaker hood. He offered it to me for $2000. It need painted because the primer had oxidized. So I didn't buy it.   His daughter slid in the rain , hit a pole and totaled it.  

[NHCharger]

1978. Friend's uncle was selling his Superbird. My Dad talked me out of buying that overpriced rustbucket.

[Magnumcharger]

Yes...these two, both in 1981: 1970 Superbird and 1968 Charger R/T.

Sixpack Superbird for $1500,
440 four speed Charger for $1995.

[Magnumcharger]

Oh...and then there's my old 1970 Challenger R/T.
Traded it for a shitty Road Runner, and immediately knew I'd made a big mistake.

24 years later, I found it. It's being restored, and the owner doesn't want to sell it!

Can't blame him either! Neither would I!

[1969chargerrtse]

Yes...these two, both in 1981: 1970 Superbird and 1968 Charger R/T.

Sixpack Superbird for $1500,
440 four speed Charger for $1995.

[Magnumcharger]

Yes...these two, both in 1981: 1970 Superbird and 1968 Charger R/T.

Sixpack Superbird for $1500,
440 four speed Charger for $1995.

Couldn't squeek a loan out of my Dad (Charger) or my brother (Superbird).

[Aero426]

Not me, but my dad passed on a '69 Savage Cuda back about 1981.    This was the car built kind of like Shelby would have done.    The car had a 440.    There were only a handful of these cars made.

[Aero426]

In 1996, I was offered this car, and although I have always been nuts about it, I was not brave enough to do what it would have taken to acquire it.  The photo was taken the year before in '95.   The older man with me is Ray Nichels whose company built the car originally.  When the car changed hands in 1997, I saw it as an opportunity lost, although the car went to a great home.



In 2009, I got a second chance.    I did not think I would be lucky enough to get a third whack at it down the road, so I went for it.   I am now older, fatter and have lost the need for a comb, but the car is still a beautiful machine.    



 

[1969chargerrtse]

Got away but you got it back, nice.

[bull]

Wow, there seems to be a lot of missed opportunities regarding Superbirds which is funny because I missed one too, twice.

A kid in my home town had it for sale, a lime green one. I was fairly young at the time but was able to buy my '70 Charger shortly thereafter. Can't remember what the price was but I'm pretty sure it was under $2500. Apparently the guy that bought it wrecked it (assuming it ever sold) because the next time I saw it was in the wrecking yard in the neighboring town. Could have had it then too, or at least parts of it. Problem was I thought it was an ugly car and wanted nothing to do with it. I still kind of think they're ugly to be honest but their value now makes them look a lot better than they ever did back then.

[earthquake68]

I have two cars.

I ALMOST traded two Chevelles, (a '64 and a '70) for a '61 Impala bubble top with a 409 and dual quad automatic car. I was a dumb kid and said no.

The one I kick myself everyday when I wake up is a '70 Charger. I bought it from a guy at a garage that took the 340 out of it for his Challenger. I got a complete, (less engine and trans) car, 8 3/4" rear, Copper paint, column shift '70 Charger for $250. About four months later after I put an engine and trans in it, I had to sell it to pay the garage rent. I've been looking ever since for a replacement I could afford. One day, I'll have another one.

[Todd Wilson]

71 Charger   440 4 speed Trak Pak car for 2000$.



Todd

[cudajunction]

About 1992, I was offered a 1970 440-6 Cuda, not a 4 speed, not a convertible, rootbeer brown, nothing special For $1,500.  This was in Erie, PA so the rust issues were blooming.  This car sat across from my parent's house for years and years, I loved this car.  But as a college student, I thought I could not do the car justice and let the other intriqued party buy it.  *ugh* 

The wife part of cudajunction.....  The hubby part was not in the picture at the time.....

[fc7_plumcrazy]

Hi,

there was a LL1 coloured 68 Charger RT for sale with (tired) original paint back in 2006. I didn't buy it because I have a QQ1 coloured 4-speed car already in original paint. The LL1 car was an automatic. Today I regret not having bought it additionally

Carsten

[1969chargerrtse]

Wow, there seems to be a lot of missed opportunities regarding Superbirds which is funny because I missed one too, twice.

A kid in my home town had it for sale, a lime green one. I was fairly young at the time but was able to buy my '70 Charger shortly thereafter. Can't remember what the price was but I'm pretty sure it was under $2500. Apparently the guy that bought it wrecked it (assuming it ever sold) because the next time I saw it was in the wrecking yard in the neighboring town. Could have had it then too, or at least parts of it. Problem was I thought it was an ugly car and wanted nothing to do with it. I still kind of think they're ugly to be honest but their value now makes them look a lot better than they ever did back then.

That brings back this sad memory.  The T5 69 Charger SE my high school buddies raced around in, had swapped hands all over town.  It ended up behind one of my friends house many years later because the shock towers rotted.  I used to ride in it as a kid all the time.  I remember being at a light when this other hot rod car came along side my buddie.  When the light went green my buddie just sat there and spun the tires until the smoke went up and over the street light and then took off.  They came along side us and yelled " what do you have in that thing?" and my buddie lied and yelled 426 HEMI!  It was a hipo 383 but built.  I was in the back behind the driver.  I found it behind my buddies house many years later sitting in the woods.  The body was excellent as was the grille, I sat back in the rear seat for old memories, wiped a tear and moved on.  That was mid 80's.  I heard it was sold and most likely parted.  How I wish I bought it.

[doctor4766]

When I was 18 I saw a car just like this one pictured for sale out front of a mechanical workshop.
It's a 1971 GM Holden Monaro GTS with a 308 4 speed.
Stopped and spoke with the bloke who told me he'd rebuilt the car completely in secret for his son and was to give it to him on his 17th birthday.
Well that day rolled around and to the dad's dismay his boy cracked the shits and told him he wanted a Ford so it went up for sale at just $2000
Course that was $2000 more than I had at the time

[Iron Chef]

The first one really didn't "get away" as I owned a 1970 Challenger R/T with a 440 Magnum, auto, air, front discs, full gauges...a very nice car.  I got into an accident and totaled it (my fault, unfortunately).  The one that truly got away was when I was 18 and working as a porter and parts helper at a local Dodge Dealer in Los Angeles.  Some guy had brought in a Challenger T/A for service and never came to pick it up.  It needed some restoring and paint but overall a fairly solid car.  I called him after several months and he said he wanted $700 for the car.  Since my dad was still in charge of me at the time, I took him to see it.  "Ohhh that car looks like it has been in a fire."

  Thanks Dad.   

[mauve66]

Hi,

there was a LL1 coloured 68 Charger RT for sale with (tired) original paint back in 2006. I didn't buy it because I have a QQ1 coloured 4-speed car already in original paint. The LL1 car was an automatic. Today I regret not having bought it additionally

Carsten

i would love to have a set of fraternal twins, that would be really cool

[71charger_fan]

I've had several, including selling my '68 Barracuda convertible. However, I've always wished I bought the '68 Formula S that was on the lot instead of the convertible. If I'd bought the fastback, I'd still have it. Runner up would be a tie between a '71 Charger R/T with a spun bearing for $1200 (in 1989) and a '71 GTX Air Grabber car missing its engine for $600 (in the early '80s).

[Chad L. Magee]

Oh, I have had a few slip away from me over the years:

1970 Charger RT/SE 440 six pack, 4-speed, sold for $800 at an auction.
1969 GTX, 440, 4-speed, had damage from previous theft attempt (door locks punched, steering column broken), $2500 from correct owner.
1969 Cuda fastback, 383-4, 4-speed, $2500, but friend wanted it, got repoed later from him after he failed to pay (installment plan).
1967 Coronet RT, all black, 440-4, 4-speed, sitting since 1976, wanted $2000, same deal as above (someone else came up with the money first before my friend did).
1968 Biscane 2dr. red/white, 427-425hp, 4-speed, wanted $2000, but needed money for a 69 Charger I recently bought.
1966 Satellite Hemi, 4-speed, lost the contact information on it (owner had given me his card at a show), wanted $3000 for the body.  (would be nice to have two)
1968 Firebird, ram air 400, 4-speed, $2000.
1968 Camaro base model, 396 (375 hp with aluminum heads L78), 4-speed, body in white car for racing, wanted $6000, but did not have the cash in hand.
1968 Camaro SS 396, 4-speed body, $50 in paper (sold one minute before I called).
1969 Mustang 390 GT, rolled body, could have bought for $300, but waited too long (rarer than a 428 SCJ).
1966 Mustang convertible 289 hipo, 4-speed, $3000 (rusty but complete).
1964 1/2 Mustang convertible 260, manual, air conditioning, was a very low serial number car (built within first week of production), in light blue/white, sitting in a carport since 1972, $5000.
1965 Shelby GT 350 body, burned and damaged, was sold before I got there for $1000.
1955 Thunderbird in baby blue, been sitting since the 70s, guy changed his mind at the last moment, was asking $3000 for it.

[FJ5WING]

In 86 I wasnt able to get together all the necessary funds to buy a 69 HEMI Coronet R/T. I saw it a few weekends later at Englistown. 

[RECHRGD]

In '69 I almost traded in my '68 R/T (440) for a silver '69 Charger '500' (HEMI).  As I remember the out of pocket cost would have been a little under $3K.  That was a lot of money back then and I passed on it.  Besides, I thought the exposed headlights were kind of ugly.  A few months later I traded in the R/T for a VW bug.

[Magnumcharger]

In '69 I almost traded in my '68 R/T (440) for a silver '69 Charger '500' (HEMI).  As I remember the out of pocket cost would have been a little under $3K.  That was a lot of money back then and I passed on it.  Besides, I thought the exposed headlights were kind of ugly.  A few months later I traded in the R/T for a VW bug.

[mauve66]

 
and the chargers exposed headlights were ugly...................................
wait a minute, thats not really fair to you i guess










after thinking about it for a whole  .000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 milli seconds,       now i feel better   

[rick.d]

I have three and they are all Chargers....First one was when i was in the 6th grade walking to school, in Raymond NH. One day there was an orange 69 Charger R/T with the front end caved in....Keystone classic wheels, sidepipes, and some funky pinstripes that followed the door and hood scallops. 440 Magnun, automatic and A/C and it had Maine plates on it. I walked by this place everyday and this was the first time i had seen it...It was for sale for $1,000 and it was hit prety hard. Long story short a friends older brother got it (traded a dirtbike for it) and i then ended up with my friends older brothers charger, as my first Charger when i was 13 or 14 years old. Last i knew the car was sold to someone in Derry, NH and ive never seen it again.
Second one was a 68 Charger, 383 2bbl and four speed in Manchester NH. Dont know what happened to it but ive got pictures of it and it was real clean, no rust, not sure of the factory color name but was maroon with black top and interior...Very clean car.

Third was a copper metallic 70 Charger R/T four speed for $700 sitting on the side of rte 125 in Kingston/Brentwood NH around 1985...I had just picked up a 72 Charger and really had no more cash at the time....i was 15 years old.

[69 OUR/TEA]

In 2003 at a cruise night there was a guy selling an 87 Buick GNX,9K orig miles,had the money but was building an addition on my house so decided not to spend,hindsight,should have bought it and dealt with recouping the money later as the GNX's have went up almost triple vs. what I could have gotten it for.Oh well.

[The70RT]

Could of had a 69 Road Runner that was rolled for a grand back in the late 80's i said no I got a 440 so 

[rp23g7]

a 73 340 Duster.  One of you California guys may have it too.

I lived in Anaheim from 90-94, worked for McDonnell Douglas.  On a rainy saturday afternoon i was cruising down Beach Blvd and stopped at a light.  Over on the left was a car dealer with a yellow Duster on a car stand.

I pulled in and checked it out.  A 73 340 Lemon Twist Duster with a Automatic on the column and a factory hood black out.  $1500.00  I was driving my 78 Chrysler LeBaron and told the guy i would trade it in, but "had' to go clean the crap out of it.  He said hurry back.

30 min later it was gone.

[charge69]

A few weeks before my brother found my Charger I was looking at a '69 Roadrunner , 383-4spd , white w/black interior and N96 fresh-air package that was pristine. Really well cares for and a nice ride as I drove it in So. Houston , gave him a down payment check and was to come back the next day with the rest of the money.

Came back the next day after a day shift and he had DRIVEN the car one last time and was hit in the left front quarter and destroyed the aesthetics of the car for me. I was sick and mad at the time and just said give me the check back for the  down payment and told him I bought an unwrecked car , not one that had been wrecked and while he gave me my check back , I wanted to kick his azz for being so stupid as to drive it when it was sold.

It was a really nice Roadrunner for $1500.00 and I was sick. (this was late'70's). Later when I was telling my brother about my frustrations of finding a decent MOPAR is when he told me about the friend who owned the '69 HEMI R/T Charger. Needless to say , I bought it (for considerably less than the RR) and that is on the long road to restoration now. I guess fate has a way of working things out eventually.

[gtx6970]

2 actually,

1st was a 1969 GTX convertible, B5 blue with blue and white int, column auto. as far as I know it's in the Vegas area

2nd  was a 99 code Rallye green 1969 Hemi road Runner, I was told ( after I sold it ) it is  the only known 4 spd Hemi runner in that green, last i heard it's still in Wisc

[triple_green]

year was 1978 (Federal Way, WA)

1968 Charger R/T 426 hemi 4-speed 65,000 orignal miles tan on black 14" slot mags. Very original; owner had used it to pull his boat. $1500.

Sold almost before it came out in the Seattle Times classified ads. I got there 2 hours too late.

[SBBob]

Sad to think of all the ones that got away.  The one I kick myself about is a 1968 Charger Convertible.  Now you say they never made that car and you are right.  The one I had was made by Richard Sias the FATHER of the 68 Charger.  I got the car in 1999 and sold it in 2004 to do the Superbird.  Still it would have been special with his name and that he designed the tunnel back window into the convertible top.

[stripedelete]

No cars.  A couple of women though....

[chargergirl]

My first car a '70's Challenger, My friends car "Jethro" square bodied GTO, and the GTO I saw in the field for sale...red with white rag top for $2500. Came back since ex wouldn't stop to look and it was already gone. All the cars were in great shape except my first...it needed work on the carb and probably a fuel filter to run right. Great car on the curves all over Maui!

[BigBlockSam]

i've missed out on a bunch of superbirds. always a dolor short or a minute to late 

[KS71owner]

Right after my parents bought my Charger for me, the same lot had a 1968 Fury police car for sale for about 2 grand less than they paid for the Charger. It was an original cop car, still black and white with the cage in the back. If only I had another couple grand back then.....

[41husk]

It was 1989 or 90, my first year back at Monster Mopar after I got out of the Navy.  There was a yellow Superbird and the guy had it jacked up trying to fix the tranny linkage I believe.  He said 20k and it's yours.  I went home as fast as I could after getting the #.  I was going to see about financing and just couldn't get it done.  I also had a chance to fet a 70 383 convertible Cuda, but my wife had a fit and said it looked the same as my convertible Challenger.  Why would I want 2 cars that looked the same.  I had him at 5k for a local show winner and nice cruizer