Cherished rides you no longer have
#41
One of the cars I miss the most, was the first car I really ever bought, a 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I bought it used in 1995.
I was in need of a car at the time and I got a call from a buddy that worked at a local car lot. He said you will not believe what this guy just traded in for a Dodge Mini Van. It was a race ready Eclipse. Long story but I got a good deal. As far as what was done with the car, there was $15,000 worth of receipts in the glove box. Everything from suspension, tranny, engine, seats, dash and rims had been redone or replaced. The engine was not stock. It was fitted with a V-6 VR4 engine (no receipt in the glove box for that though). I know it should not be possible but it was in there.
The car had a 0-60 time of about 4.5 seconds. Being young and not really knowing what I had. I drove the car as a daily driver. I put about 60,000 miles on it in 3 years. When it came time to work on it, it was impossible. For example, the spark plugs could not be changed unless the car was disassembled and engine removed. Believe it or not, I had a Sears Auto do it since they charged a flat rate for that service at the time. It took them two days.
When the custom made turbo went out, I was done. I could have had it rebuilt but I had put to much in it already. I simply could not afford it. I sold it for next to nothing.
It was a great car. I will never forget dusting a friends new $70,000 1995 Corvette ZR1 over and over again. The look of disbelief on his face will never fade.
I was in need of a car at the time and I got a call from a buddy that worked at a local car lot. He said you will not believe what this guy just traded in for a Dodge Mini Van. It was a race ready Eclipse. Long story but I got a good deal. As far as what was done with the car, there was $15,000 worth of receipts in the glove box. Everything from suspension, tranny, engine, seats, dash and rims had been redone or replaced. The engine was not stock. It was fitted with a V-6 VR4 engine (no receipt in the glove box for that though). I know it should not be possible but it was in there.
The car had a 0-60 time of about 4.5 seconds. Being young and not really knowing what I had. I drove the car as a daily driver. I put about 60,000 miles on it in 3 years. When it came time to work on it, it was impossible. For example, the spark plugs could not be changed unless the car was disassembled and engine removed. Believe it or not, I had a Sears Auto do it since they charged a flat rate for that service at the time. It took them two days.
When the custom made turbo went out, I was done. I could have had it rebuilt but I had put to much in it already. I simply could not afford it. I sold it for next to nothing.
It was a great car. I will never forget dusting a friends new $70,000 1995 Corvette ZR1 over and over again. The look of disbelief on his face will never fade.
#47
Crap I suppose I can put my X-Type in here now...
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/p...zerland-83405/
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/p...zerland-83405/
#49
Cars I had, but now miss? Oddly as much as I feel like I should, I dont really miss my first car, a 71 LeSabre Rustbucket Special. .... A couple I do Miss? My 67 Land Rover 109 Pickup, and my 80 Mercedes 240D. But I traded that in on Roger, so I guess I dont really feel Too guilty. I guess I just have a different (read Lower) set of vehicular requirements than some.... Ah Well, Theyre mine and i only have myself to argue with.
#50
1969 Camaro Z28 Silver with black stripes. 10" Ansens on back and 8"s on the front. 11sec 1/4 mile off the floor. ( selling that car back before what they're worth now....HURTS! Also miss a rare 1970 Porsche 914-6 with 2.0 liter 911 engine I had and sold when I upgraded later. Salmon metallic/ black interior with 7" polished 911 alloys on back and 6's on the front. Was extremely fast. Another selling mistake!
#51
#52
#53
Last of the affordable hand built cars
1961 Lancia Flaminia Coupe.
All aluminum V6 driving a 4 speed transaxle.
Front disc brakes.
Rear inboard disc brakes.
This car had grease fittings on just about everything that moves.
The ride was better than my 220 Mercedes by far, yet it handled like a sports car.
And last but not least, it had a 45 RPM record player.
Bill
All aluminum V6 driving a 4 speed transaxle.
Front disc brakes.
Rear inboard disc brakes.
This car had grease fittings on just about everything that moves.
The ride was better than my 220 Mercedes by far, yet it handled like a sports car.
And last but not least, it had a 45 RPM record player.
Bill
#54
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Delaneys Creek,Qld. Australia
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two I wish I never sold
1978 Ford XC Fairmont GXL Hardtop, 351C/FMX/9" Diff. Sold it to gather the deposit for our first house.
1966 Holden(GMH) HR ute, 186ci/3 speed floor change(converted from 3 on column). Twin strombergs. LPG. No carpet,just a rubber mat,no heat or air just vent open or shut. No temp gauge. It was my work car,the wife had a late model Volvo at the time.
I drove 120km a day,6 days a week for 7 years and it only failed to get me home once,fixed on side of road though(loose earth wire in LPG). I did 302k miles in it.
It leaked 250ml of oil a week.
During the 7 years I had it, I replaced.
4 sets of tyres
1 steering wheel
1 tail gate skin
1 uni joint
2 sets of brakes(front pads and rear shoes)
1 set wheel bearings
1 clutch plate
1 speedo cable
Nolathane front suspension bush set
rear shocks.
And the standard tuning items as required.
Cheap motoring I reckon. Bought it for $2500 and sold it for $3200.
And I miss every one of the bikes.
1966 Holden(GMH) HR ute, 186ci/3 speed floor change(converted from 3 on column). Twin strombergs. LPG. No carpet,just a rubber mat,no heat or air just vent open or shut. No temp gauge. It was my work car,the wife had a late model Volvo at the time.
I drove 120km a day,6 days a week for 7 years and it only failed to get me home once,fixed on side of road though(loose earth wire in LPG). I did 302k miles in it.
It leaked 250ml of oil a week.
During the 7 years I had it, I replaced.
4 sets of tyres
1 steering wheel
1 tail gate skin
1 uni joint
2 sets of brakes(front pads and rear shoes)
1 set wheel bearings
1 clutch plate
1 speedo cable
Nolathane front suspension bush set
rear shocks.
And the standard tuning items as required.
Cheap motoring I reckon. Bought it for $2500 and sold it for $3200.
And I miss every one of the bikes.
Last edited by o1xjr; 05-23-2014 at 03:07 AM.
#55
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Tehama County, California, USA
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I had a 1969 Datsun SPL-311 when I first came to this part of the world, and I loved it. It was a true Sports Car in Every sense of the word.
It had few a amenities, the heater worked (fat lot of good in a drafty convertible) the radio worked sort of (ya can't hear a radio in a convertible with the top down!). It was NOT intended for modern open roads. It had that Classic Sports Car Ride; you felt Every bump in the road including if you ran over a grasshopper. I liked that actually, because it wasn't like driving a modern cocoon.
The seats were made to hold people in place. It was the most secure I've ever felt in a car seat, and that includes my Jaguar.
It came with a soft top, and we made it a removable hard top, but after the first Winter I Never had the top on at all. It looked so good topless that I only kept the soft top ribs in case a subsequent owner might want them some day. I bought a metal storage shed specifically as a Datsun Garage. It *Just* fit! I could even open both doors while it was in the shed!
When I moved out here in the Stix where the roads are Terrible and there is no Town to run around, I put it up for sale so as not to watch it sit and rot in the shed. I'm not exactly sorry I sold it for that reason, but I do miss it sometimes.
I sold it to a member of my husband's Datsun forum. He paid me a lot of money, and therefore it was his to do with as he pleased, but still...
What the buyer did to it was a Travesty! He turned a cute little car into a Cheap Tart! Or maybe a Trollop! I get angry every time I think about it.
(';')
It had few a amenities, the heater worked (fat lot of good in a drafty convertible) the radio worked sort of (ya can't hear a radio in a convertible with the top down!). It was NOT intended for modern open roads. It had that Classic Sports Car Ride; you felt Every bump in the road including if you ran over a grasshopper. I liked that actually, because it wasn't like driving a modern cocoon.
The seats were made to hold people in place. It was the most secure I've ever felt in a car seat, and that includes my Jaguar.
It came with a soft top, and we made it a removable hard top, but after the first Winter I Never had the top on at all. It looked so good topless that I only kept the soft top ribs in case a subsequent owner might want them some day. I bought a metal storage shed specifically as a Datsun Garage. It *Just* fit! I could even open both doors while it was in the shed!
When I moved out here in the Stix where the roads are Terrible and there is no Town to run around, I put it up for sale so as not to watch it sit and rot in the shed. I'm not exactly sorry I sold it for that reason, but I do miss it sometimes.
I sold it to a member of my husband's Datsun forum. He paid me a lot of money, and therefore it was his to do with as he pleased, but still...
What the buyer did to it was a Travesty! He turned a cute little car into a Cheap Tart! Or maybe a Trollop! I get angry every time I think about it.
(';')
Last edited by LnrB; 05-24-2014 at 09:29 PM.
#56
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Delaneys Creek,Qld. Australia
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Remember it your way
Elinor, you just got to think about it the way you remember it. The workmate I sold my hardtop to slid it across a traffic island the first weekend breaking the trans mounts off, then 2 weeks later destroyed the complete set of left panels on a fence when blind drunk. I think he sold to a wrecker for $500. I sold it to him In 1991 for $3800 because he was broke and I needed a house deposit. In 2007 these were fetching 20-30k.(I stopped looking at the prices then...too depressing)
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LnrB (05-25-2014)
#58
The car I miss the most of all my old cars is a 1995 Ford Thunderbird I drove in college. I named her Patsy the Amazing Thunderchicken. That was a car I just couldn't kill. She had 235,000 miles on her when I sold her.
I missed her so much, last December I went out and bought a 1996 that was almost identical. The new T-Bird (which I named Molly C. Underbird) needs paint, interior, brakes, tires, an alignment....It's going to take a lot to get her sorted out. Plus, I've already rebuilt the rear brakes and replaced the fuel pump & alternator. I was using her as a daily driver up until this week, but I'm not sure she's up to that kind of use. I'll fix her up as time and funds allow.
Of course, available time and funds will also be spent doing all the paint & body work on my 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis, as well as on my latest acquisition, a 2001 Jaguar S-Type I picked up on Monday.
I have too many cars!
I missed her so much, last December I went out and bought a 1996 that was almost identical. The new T-Bird (which I named Molly C. Underbird) needs paint, interior, brakes, tires, an alignment....It's going to take a lot to get her sorted out. Plus, I've already rebuilt the rear brakes and replaced the fuel pump & alternator. I was using her as a daily driver up until this week, but I'm not sure she's up to that kind of use. I'll fix her up as time and funds allow.
Of course, available time and funds will also be spent doing all the paint & body work on my 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis, as well as on my latest acquisition, a 2001 Jaguar S-Type I picked up on Monday.
I have too many cars!
#59
1965 Corvair Corsa Convertible 140 HP Nader was wrong great car
Left in my parents garage for two years after I holed a piston. They donated it to the city who then cut off the windshield, covered it in plywood and used
it as a float in the local parades. I still can't go to a parade.
1966 Mustang Fastback, traded in part for the '66 convertible
1966 Mustang GT Convertible, two tone interior, perfect car intended to keep it for life. Hit head on by a drunk driver, totaled
1967 Pontiac LeMans 400ci 4 speed, custom ordered by the original owner, a Pontiac dealer, basically a GTO without the badges. Stolen never recovered.
1972 MG Midget, my first British car, rusted back to dust, scrapped.
1966 Vw Bug, Had a 1600 Porsche 356 drive train, and disk brakes. a real sleeper. wife hated it, sold
1968 Triumph TR250, Sold when I went back to University
1972 Chevy C10 pickup, sold to my gardener in 1990, still going strong.
Out of the 30 or so cars I've owned those are the only ones I miss.
Left in my parents garage for two years after I holed a piston. They donated it to the city who then cut off the windshield, covered it in plywood and used
it as a float in the local parades. I still can't go to a parade.
1966 Mustang Fastback, traded in part for the '66 convertible
1966 Mustang GT Convertible, two tone interior, perfect car intended to keep it for life. Hit head on by a drunk driver, totaled
1967 Pontiac LeMans 400ci 4 speed, custom ordered by the original owner, a Pontiac dealer, basically a GTO without the badges. Stolen never recovered.
1972 MG Midget, my first British car, rusted back to dust, scrapped.
1966 Vw Bug, Had a 1600 Porsche 356 drive train, and disk brakes. a real sleeper. wife hated it, sold
1968 Triumph TR250, Sold when I went back to University
1972 Chevy C10 pickup, sold to my gardener in 1990, still going strong.
Out of the 30 or so cars I've owned those are the only ones I miss.
#60
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Tehama County, California, USA
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(';')