Ever sell anything and regret it down the road?

[alsancle]

We have a thread way back on selling your first car.   I was happy to see mine go.   This is different and came to me when John Bloom asked if I regretted selling one of my mustangs.   I told him I didn't,  because I could go by the same exact car if wanted to spend the money on it.    Sometimes you can't buy something back because there was only one or few,  or it has become too expensive over the years.

 

I've has a bunch of different cars over the years,  some pretty nice,  others not so much.   I had to think hard and this is the only one I have a tinge of regret over.   Mostly  because you never see them for sale, ever, and if you do hold on to your wallet.

 

My 68 Cougar 427 GTE.   Original paint,  zero rust, and a 2 inch pile of documentation going back to the day it was new.   The original engine was taken years before to power a Cobra POS replica.    I had found the correct block (all were cast on the same day for all the cars) and an original set of unobtainium heads.    I accumulated all the other parts.   It still had its VIN stamped special C6 transmission.

 

I sold it for 3 reasons:

 

1.  I needed some money (but not that bad).

 

2.  It was an automatic.

 

3.  It bugged me that the original motor was gone.

 

In retrospect,  I should have kept it.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by alsancle (see edit history)

[a griffin]

hey thats got the truck stance thats popular these days

 

 

 

Seriously, though, you weren't happy with it because it was an auto. If you still had it, you would probably still be unhappy with it. As long as you didn't waste the money.

[John Bloom]

I love those cougars, I think they are under appreciated, but I do get why you sold it. I have a few regrets on selling. I sold a 1973 Alfa Spider that grates on me when I see another early one.  I think I sold it for 1,800. I sold a 1973- 914.  I want that back too.  I hope you can tell me a story about “how you used the money to buy a Stutz Roadster that some desperate guy needed to move”.....  then I can breath a sigh of relief and be happy for you.  
 

I have a ton of regrets about cars I looked at and didn’t pull the trigger!  Timing and finances have been a show stopper on multiple occasions through the years. 
 

any thoughts about another Cougar?  Do you still have that block and heads?

[TerryB]

I’m more unhappy with the things I didn’t buy when I had the chance.  For the ones I let go, it was their time to go.  For the ones I bypassed because of being too conservative or not trusting the brand, shame on me for the missed opportunity. For example there was this Robin’s egg blue 1960 Triumph TR-3 I passed going to work each day and it needed a little mechanical help and the price was right and.....I’ll never know the rest of the story because I backed out of buying it.  Those are the regrets.

[60FlatTop]

Same here, cars got sold for a reason. It's the ones I didn't buy that haunt me today.

 

And I have just sold three over the past 6 weeks. One more to sell. Then the two left will be like Pebble Beachers and the garage like the Taj Mahal. In my view anyway, already got some vinyl flooring down in the back of the garage where the jacks don't go.

[alsancle]

16 minutes ago, John Bloom said:

any thoughts about another Cougar?  Do you still have that block and heads?

 

The GTE was pretty special as it is the only Ford road car to get the 427 Side Oiler.   Most people don't know what it is.   They only made 357 total cars so they are hard to come by.

 

The block and heads went in the trunk when the car was sold and I got 37k for it like that.

 

http://home.townisp.com/~alsancle/GTE.html

[1912Staver]

Regret selling two, a 1953 Chevy 210 Convertible project. Canadian car , very few produced , only a handful remaining.  New owner totally stripped it down and threw away almost everything except the body shell. Big plans , aftermarket frame , big v8 , Mustang 2 susp . etc. About 2 years later he had done nothing further with it than the tear apart and throw away and asked if I wanted to buy it back { he knew I was very torn about selling it in the first place } or at least what still remained of it, for double what I had sold it to him for. I didn't bite

 My " interim " model 1972  TVR Vixen , one of 96 built. A TVR Vixen that used up the last of the non federal bumper body's , but featured the new and substantially improved " M " chassis. I was back in Uni, broke and owned the TVR and a Lotus Europa. Something had to go, put them both up for sale and a co worker bit on the TVR instantly. Been chasing it ever since. Every later owner always says they don't want to sell and even if they did it would be for a lot of money. It has sold at least 3  times after my ownership, but always for a lot of money. The guy 2 owners after I owned it had it at the local British car show. I walked up to him and said  " how is 2426 T running these days ? " He looked at me in a very strange way and asked how I could possibly know the serial number of his car ? I explained I was a previous owner and yes I would like to buy it back.  NOT FOR SALE !

  I posted about it a week or so ago in another thread . It went through Bring a Trailer about 3 years ago and was bid up to $30,000.00 USD but reserve not met. { I sold it in 1986 for $3,000.00 CDN }. I doubt I will ever own it again.

To put things in perspective , when I bought the TVR in 1982 I was working as a Mechanic in a British car Shop. Then went back to school to complete my Shop Teachers Degree.  My per hour wage as a mechanic at that time was roughly 1/2 of what my current retirement pension income would be if worked out at a 40 hours / week rate. Needless to say I won't be buying the TVR back at would have to be something in the order of  $50,000.00 CDN. that the current owner wanted during the BAT auction.

Edited May 5, 2021 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

This was last week and it hit me pretty hard--I didn't think I'd feel as lousy as I did when it finally left. There are a lot of memories in that big, green car. My son Riley couldn't even watch as we put it on the trailer. It really made him sad to see it go (he was hoping that it would be his someday). 

 

 

In terms of cars that I now realize were a mistake to sell, this is easily #1. Boy, do I want it back!

[alsancle]

39 minutes ago, John Bloom said:

any thoughts about another Cougar?

 

 

I forgot for a second,  but I owned this one too.  One of 31 428CJ Four speeds built in 1969.    It was identical to my Shelby in every way except it was a Cougar.  Color, options, engine, transmission, rear end, etc.    Well,  that and it was a HUGE project.   Guy I sold it to restored it beautifully himself.    No regrets.  I would have had 200k in it.

[trimacar]

Sheesh, where do I start...the 47 Davis three wheel, the 35 Pierce coupe, the 34 Pierce V12 production Silver Arrow, the 55 Chevy convertible with factory 6 cylinder and three on the tree, the 28 443 Packard coupe, the1902 Olds, the 1907 Franklin touring....sorry, my list of regrets is very long, but happy to have what I do now...

[alsancle]

19 minutes ago, trimacar said:

Sheesh, where do I start...the 47 Davis three wheel, the 35 Pierce coupe, the 34 Pierce V12 production Silver Arrow, the 55 Chevy convertible with factory 6 cylinder and three on the tree, the 28 443 Packard coupe, the1902 Olds, the 1907 Franklin touring....sorry, my list of regrets is very long, but happy to have what I do now...

 

Did that Green Davis that was up for auction ever sell?   I was going to bid on it and Ed yelled at me.

[padgett]

Have had many many cars. Only one I'd buy again was the deep green FIAT 124 Spyder.

 

 

[John S.]

I had a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible with a 6, Powerglide back in 1974. Great running car. I had a kidney operation, and was side lined for awhile, and the car was sold. The fellow who bought it, was a local kid in Southern Fla., so I knew where the Chevy was. Unfortunately, a year later, he was shot and killed  in a freak accident. I have no idea what happened to the car. The car was  located in the South Miami, Cutler Ridge area. It was Tropical Turquoise with a white top. I always wondered what happened to it. It was the only 6 cyl. 57 Chevy Convertible that I have seen. Love to have it back. John

[car crazy]

Had a 1961 Fiat Jolly 500 ( 2 cylinder, air-cooled) in the early 2000's that was similar to the first car pictured. A client repeatedly inquired about selling it,and after several years, I finally relented and sold the car to him. I regretted selling it pretty much right away, and decided that I HAD to replace it. As I started my search for a replacement, the prices of Jollys spiked to record highs.

After a two-year search, I was lucky enough to find an all-original 1961 Fiat Jolly 600 (4 cylinder, water-cooled) that had been stashed away in a garage for about 20 years (the second car pictured). I bought it sight unseen, and I was fortunate enough to have dealt with an honest seller, as it was just as he had described. Happy I had finally replaced my Fiat Jolly, I searched the car and found a copy of a Mechanix Illustrated magazine from June, 1960 (3rd picture), with a picture of a Jolly on the cover that I'd never seen before. Reading on, I learned the car gracing the cover was a Renault Jolly. The next quest was on!.

Two years and many dollars later, the search for a replacement for my original Jolly resulted in the ownership of two Jollys, a 1961 Fiat Jolly, as well as a 1961 Renault Jolly (4th picture). 

Expensive lesson learned by me -don't sell a car until you're truly ready!

Edited May 6, 2021 by car crazy (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Ok, I gotta ask............do you get your jollies driving it? 😎

 

For the record, your smarter than I am, with the recent price increases the Jolly’s have made, the return was better than most Duesenbergs on a percentage basis.

 

The other insane thing about the car........I bet it’s great to drive along the beach and hit on the ladies.

Edited May 6, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[car crazy]

4 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

 

The other insane thing about the car........I bet it’s great to drive along the beach and hit on the ladies.

That, it is!!

[1912Staver]

15 minutes ago, car crazy said:

Had a 1961 Fiat Jolly 500 ( 2 cylinder, air-cooled) in the early 2000's that was similar to the first car pictured. A client repeatedly inquired about selling it to him,and after several years, I finally relented and sold the car to him. I regretted selling it pretty much right away, and decided that I HAD to replace it. As I started my search for a replacement, the prices of Jollys spiked to record highs.

After a two-year search, I was lucky enough to find an all-original 1961 Fiat Jolly 600 (4 cylinder, water-cooled) that had been stashed away in a garage for about 20 years (the second car pictured). I bought it sight unseen, and I was fortunate enough to have dealt with an honest seller, as it was just as he had described. Happy I had finally replaced my Fiat Jolly, I searched the car and found a copy of a Mechanix Illustrated magazine from June, 1960 (3rd picture), with a picture of a Jolly on the cover that I'd never seen before. Reading on, I learned the car gracing the cover was a Renault Jolly. The next quest was on!.

Six months and many dollars later, the search for a replacement for my original Jolly resulted in the ownership of two Jollys, a 1961 Fiat Jolly, as well as a 1961 Renault Jolly (4th picture). 

Expensive lesson learned by me -don't sell a car until you're truly ready!

 

 

If we are talking odd , small, doorless cars I think I would skip Fiat and Renault and default to a early Lotus 7.  { I don't like Mini's so Mokes are out }

 

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

This Moke owner does look like he is having fun.  But Mini's are miserable little sods to work on.

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Gearheadengineer]

Interesting question.  I don't think I have any true regrets about cars I've sold.  I came close recently.

 

I've owned and sold several old cars.  '50s and up, domestic, European, Japanese.  Had my fun with each and sold when it was time to move on.

 

I do miss my 1956 Nash Metropolitan convertible.  It was my first "restoration" - I use the term loosely.  More of a refurbish to running condition and looking good.  Sold it back in the day to pay for my last semester of college.  I wouldn't call it regret - was definitely the right move at the time.  Oh, I don't know about jollies, but the young ladies loved that Met.

 

I regret a car I crashed.  1995 BMW 530iT.  Touring (wagon), 3 liter V-8.  Great car.  Poor driver.  

 

After 21 years, I recently decided to sell my Lincoln.  Pulled it out of the garage, washed off the winter storage dust, and went for the first drive of 2021.  Remembered how much I love that car.  Pulled it back in the garage and ended my plan to sell it and buy a late '20s-early '30s car.  Near miss.

 

- John

 

 

[Akstraw]

No regrets personally, but hard to go to a cruise-in or car show and not hear:  “I had an xxx once.  I should have kept that car.”    If you are deeply into the hobby, and fully understand the long-term costs of storage, restoration, insurance, maintenance, etc; then maybe you are less likely to feel that way.

[plymouthcranbrook]

Well I don’t miss any of the beat  up old little British sports cars I had.  Nor the two Fiats either. Not very many of the assembled multitudes of Fords, Chevys, Buicks etc.  Two exceptions I wouldn’t mind having back are the 1982 Mustang LX notchback I bought new.  And the 1979 Plymouth Arrow Sport pickup I traded in on the Mustang.  But the only one I really miss is the 1966 Plymouth Fury III two door hardtop with a 383 and a four speed.  It was giving me some troubles, was my only car as I was single and broke(a common position) and was lured into the afore mentioned British sports cars that my friends at that time were enamored with. A 1966 Sunbeam Alpine if I remember correctly. Then my troubles really began.  Now the price on those cars are prohibitive for a toy so that is not going to happen. Still miss it, outrunning jacked up Chevy II’s and others who thought they were fast.  The only thing better would have been a friend’s 1966 Sport Fury with a 440 and a four speed.

Edited May 6, 2021 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[John348]

3 hours ago, Gearheadengineer said:

Interesting question.  I don't think I have any true regrets about cars I've sold.  I came close recently.

 

I've owned and sold several old cars.  '50s and up, domestic, European, Japanese.  Had my fun with each and sold when it was time to move on.

 

I agree totally, when it's time it time! Mostly all of my sales were driven by the need for space to make room for another car. 

[Pilgrim65]

This is difficult question to answer honestly 

as when you sell something you generally have a reason for doing same , raise cash or no space or upgrade etc However for me there is always sadness, because any car I have bought I bought because I loved it and to see it go for whatever the reason is double sided coin , glad , but sad .

just going back twenty years 

I regret 

jag Xjs v12 

bmw m3

cobra 427 replica  v8 , but sweet 

Mga 

buick special convertible especially.

cest la vie😊

[8E45E]

10 hours ago, car crazy said:

That, it is!!

Do the young Gen-X and Gen-Y girls go giddy over a vintage Jolly? 

 

It used to be the ONCE young girls who did, who were in their twenties when the Jolly was brand new!  I remember my mom telling me how much she loved (in her words) the 'Elvis Presley Jeeps', aka the Jeep Surrey with the striped fringe top in white & Tropical Rose.

 

Craig

[car crazy]

1 minute ago, 8E45E said:

Do the young Gen-X and Gen-Y girls go giddy over a vintage Jolly? 

 

It used to be the ONCE young girls who did, who were in their twenties when the Jolly was brand new!  I remember my mom telling me how much she loved (in her words) the 'Elvis Presley Jeeps', aka the Jeep Surrey with the striped fringe top in white & Tropical Rose.

 

Craig

yes,still...

[8E45E]

9 minutes ago, car crazy said:

yes,still...

Maybe there's hope for them yet!!

 

Craig

[Dandy Dave]

I kick back and forth selling the Dodge Sweptside truck I had. I had an auction a few years back and let it go as it still needed more work and I did not have inside storage for it as at the time as I was moving. I decided if I had to store one it would be the 1915 Buick Roadster. My mind say's I did the right thing. My heart say's other wise at times. It's a constant battle... I never regretted buying or keeping the Buick. Just letting go of the first vehicle I had on the road. Dandy Dave! 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[cxgvd]

No regrets selling cars, I do have regrets not buying some cars when I had the opportunity.

 

I have a chance to buy an '08 Buick I've known about for thirty years, I may have to raise my offer, maybe a dream is worth whatever it costs.  Life is too short or am I being overly poetic.

 

Regards, Gary

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Interesting thread.  Surprisingly some of the "better cars" I am ok with, little regret:

 

39 Packard 120, as a Packard fan, it was nice to own one but a 6 window 120 sedan is more like some of the other 30s sedans of the era I have owned.  And it was much bulkier without the power, pizazz. Etc. Of a CCCA car.  A great car cosmetically, it needed sorting and rather than be overinvested, we sold.  No regrets really, fun for a while though.  Nice to get out whole.

 

71 Corvette, simillarly needed a lot of work, I would buy another but cheaper to buy a pristine example.  So I would replace the model, but not with the exact car. Oh, and 3 pedals next time.

 

Cars I would have back, if I could might be:

 

56 Chevy 210 2 door, completed a decent, stock restoration on this unmolested car and swapped for the vette noted above.  Stupid on a few levels.  I like tri fives and wouldn't mind another.

 

73 Triumph TR-6, maybe the most fun hobby car we have had dollar for dollar.  In the late 80s, I couldn't get around the block without "what is that?, is it for sale?" Etc.  We belonged to the now defunct western ma triumph club which was a lot of fun.  That may be coloring the decision on this one, but arguably without the car those fun times wouldn't have occurred.

 

39 Chevy Sedan, not a hi dollar car by any stretch.  Found on a farm in nw CT, a 2 owner car where the original owner was a block from my house.  A real decent car, sold due to storage issues.  I always thought the local history nature was interesting and wish I tried a bit harder to keep that one.

 

But none keep me up at night.  Some of the ones I might have bought but missed on do though.  30 Lincoln, a couple MGTDs, and so on.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

11 hours ago, Gearheadengineer said:

After 21 years, I recently decided to sell my Lincoln.  Pulled it out of the garage, washed off the winter storage dust, and went for the first drive of 2021.  Remembered how much I love that car.  Pulled it back in the garage and ended my plan to sell it and buy a late '20s-early '30s car.  Near miss.

 

- John

 

 

John I know the feeling.  10 years with our 107 560 SL.  Every time I drive it after sitting a while I am reminded how much I like it.  If a car does that for you it should be kept.  If you lose that feeling, time to sell!

[alsancle]

The thing I regret selling most is not an entire car.  In fact it is just a small part of a car,  but since there are only 5 or 6 known ones in the world I doubt I'm getting another.

 

What do you do when you have a friend that is really bugging you for something that you don't want to sell,  but you know you are years away from doing anything constructive with it?

 

This is my original Stutz supercharger.   It was bought from a junk yard in Chicago in 1938 and placed in a wooden shipping box in 1940 which is how it came to me.  Along with lots of paper work from the original sales invoice to letters back and forth with what was left of Stutz discussing the blowers.

[edinmass]

AJ- you were smart to sell it. It needed 100k worth of engineering to make it work correctly, and it's not the money that is at issue. It's the engineering ability and time to devote to the project. The joy of ownership is often ten times better than the joy of driving it.

[SC38dls]

My first car. A 57 Desoto 2 door with a small hemi in it. I worked Saturday’s in a junk yard when not playing football that had 3 on them in the back to keep it running. My pay was parts and all the gas I could siphon from cars they brought in as junk. No pics as my folks thru them all out when they moved while I was overseas in the army. I could lay down pretty comfortably in the back seat with my head on one arm rest and my feet on the other. Had a lot of good times in that car especially back there. 

[JV Puleo]

This...

 

 

 

It is what remained of a very early Panhard chassis. We were never sure of the date - these very early cars are often hard to date accurately but probably between 1897 and 1900. It went to Europe more than 30 years ago. When I sold it I'd lost my storage and, though ever the optimist, didn't have the skills or equipment to bring it back. Today I do but I doubt I will ever have a chance to get even the wreck of such an early car.

Edited May 6, 2021 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[alsancle]

42 minutes ago, edinmass said:

AJ- you were smart to sell it. It needed 100k worth of engineering to make it work correctly, and it's not the money that is at issue. It's the engineering ability and time to devote to the project. The joy of ownership is often ten times better than the joy of driving it.

You are right. I figured it was gonna be 250-300k to bolt a car on to the back of it.  It found its way to a worthy place so hopefully we see it in action soon.

[1937hd45]

The Tony Luther car shown here on the way up Mt. Equinox in Vermont on the 1953 SCCA Hill Climb. I had the remains of the frame and body. Sold it, bought it back, Sold it again! Take a good look, it did get a so so restoration, I want to buy it back, but need to find it first. Bob 

Edited May 6, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

22 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

The Tony Luther car shown here on the way up Mt. Equinox in Vermont on the 1953 SCCA Hill Climb. I had the remains of the frame and body. Sold it, bought it back, Sold it again! Take a good look, it did get a so so restoration, I want to buy it back, but need to find it first. Bob 

Best part of this thread, Bob is back!

[TexRiv_63]

I have bought and sold a lot of cars in my life and I don't truly regret selling any of them. I have always had a short attention span regarding cars - Initial infatuation, obsessive research, refurbish and repair, enjoy for awhile, get tired of and look for the next replacement. Luckily cars are the only part of my life subject to this insanity. Now I do miss many of the cars on occasion and in a few cases I have bought similar cars to relive past experiences. I do not recommend this, the only time it worked was with my recently departed 1963 Olds Starfire which I kept for 9 years, a record.

[46 woodie]

Yes, my 1960 fuel injected Corvette. I'm still searching for the car but can't seem to locate it. About once a year I get some of my policeman friends to run the numbers, but it seems to have disappeared.

[jpage]

Yeah, My '28 Model A RP. It was a dream come true that I started at 17. My wife was against it but I sold it anyway! Big mistake!