[blue71ta]

Great stuff, Matt. I'm sure there are many more stories like that you could tell.

[lhi1]

Back in 1984 I saw '67 GTO convert for sale in a guy's front yard. 85,000 miles. Originally Cameo white w/ black top, but it had been repainted red, blue and then white by amateurs. All colors showed up, paint cans still in trunk. A total beater, rusted out floors and trunk, top was shot, upholstery used up.

I paid $1800 for it, which was twice what it was worth, but I had always admired the style. It was supposed to be a father-son bonding project, but that did not work out.

Many years and many $$ later it is nearly ready to return to the road.

--- LHI

[7072]

In 1976 bought a 70 Judge RAIII 4 Speed 3:90 rear. $1,000. Was my only car for years. Drove it everywhere. Lot of memories in that car. Still have it. Wouldn't sell it for anything.

[necdb3]

I paid $2300.00 for a 72 formula 455HO 4spd with air in 1979. My uncle sold his 66 2+2 conv Barrier blue/white/white in 1973 for $600.00

[Rocky 389]

In '72 I found a decrepid 57 super chief 2 door hardtop on the back row of the local chevy dealer. The sales man said it was a trade in and he wanted $50 for it. I couldn't believe my luck and knowing my check would come in the mail the following Monday, I showed the car to my step brother that Saturday night.
I slept in on Monday and at 10 am I was down at the chevy dealer to get my 57...........it was gone! Turned out my step brother showed it to his drinkin buddy, Joe on Sunday and Monday morning at 8AM he bought it.
I chased Joe down that afternoon and read him the riot act. He totally confessed and said he and his wife needed a cheap car just until she had her baby and he could get enough time to find a 4X4 pickup he could afford as he lived 8 miles from town...said he was sorry and he'd make it right...........and he did.
Three months later he found me and offered me the car for $10. I jumped on it.
This car was so filthy and run-down I didn't know if it had carpet or not and I thought it was painted green. I cleaned that car for a MONTH [unemployed at the time] and it had a perfect interior and the green paint rubbed out to be silver metallic.
I put new wheels/tires on it and a new dual exhaust system and timing chain and many hours of elbow grease. Was one of the best cars I ever owned and for ten bucks!

[chuckha62]

Pulled my '67 Barracuda Fastback from under a tree. People just wanted it gone. This was in '75. Bought a wrecked '71 340 Duster for $150 and put the drive train and interior in the 'cuda. Man, what a runner!

Bought a '67 Mustang (six cyl, automatic) for $75.00 in 1979. Guy was strung out and needed a fix, I think. He couldn't get it to run right. I repoked the distributor and drove it home.

Bought my '70 Roadrunner 383, auto and posi from the original owner for $1000 in 1981.

I bought my '69 300 Hp, 4 speed, convert. 'vette (both tops) from the original owner for $4200 in 1982.

My '72 Landcruiser cost me $1500 in 1988.

My '69 Landcruiser cost me $1300 in 1991.

My '63 Nova SS was $4000 in 2004 (sold it in 2010 for $11.5) and I bought...

The GTO and it cost me $10K five years ago... Stole it!

Chuck

[Rocky 389]

$1400 in late 72...327/350 HP, muncie 4 speed, 4.10 posi with Hurst linkage. Was a true BEAST!

[Rocky 389]

1968 GTO....$300 when the sellers got this car mixed up with another they bought the same day with a blown motor.........this one ran great with a 400/4 speed..3.55 posi
I had to straighten the front end out a bit.

[OCMDGTO]

Bought my first GTO in the late 80's for $1900. It was a 70, originally green but painted white. 400/350 horse car, auto trans, & 3.23 one wheel peel. The guy was asking $2200, but nobody wanted it because it had an exhaust manifold leak that sounded like engine damage. The car ran great, I drove it everywhere year round here in Md. I ran a foundation crew out of the trunk for a short time, transit, saws, sledge hammers, shovels, & bolt cutters until I got a company truck. I also took it hunting & had many deer in the trunk over the years. Great car, never saw it again after I sold it in the mid 90's. I always consider it the love of my life that got away!

[po65to]

1977 - first car was a free 64 Tempest sitting in fenced in area behind the school shop for auto mechanics. Was a four door, so decided it was not cool, so put a sign on it for sale. Was given $100.00 for it to be used as a parts car for a 64 GTO. Bumpers were perfect original chrome.

1979 - Bought a 66 GTO with no engine or transmission for $150.00, that last had a big block Chevy in it. Briefly put a 72 400 in it out of a Grand Prix. Pulled the engine and transmission, and sold it for $175.00

1983 - Bought a 66 GTO for $1400.00 that was supposed to have the original 389. Found it to have a later 400 in it. Took person to small claims and won back $750.00 due to the ad listing it as all original. He quit his job so that he would not have to pay, and I got his last paycheck.

1983 bought a 66 GTO convertible for $175.00. Was in a junkyard, and had been stacked up hard in the front, and the doghouse was gone. Drivers side frame rail was pushed back under the firewall, and the firewall looked like a wadded up piece of paper where the engine was pushed into it. Knew of another 66 GTO convertible in another junkyard with a good frame. Paid $75.00 for the frame. Used the above 66 GTO as a parts car, stripped it out, and sent the shell to the junkyard.

1983 bought a 67 GTO 400 HO, Turbo 400 with Hurst His and Hers, Rally 1 wheels. Guy at work had it, and I inquired about it as I had not seen it for awhile. Went to his apartment, and it had flat tires, and someone had stolen one of the center caps before he pulled the rest off. He was hurting for money, and I offered him $100.00 for it, and he took it. Car was actually pretty decent shape, and only had a little rust in the tail panel, and was faded out red. Ran fine and the interior was perfect. Pulled the heavy duty radiator and rally wheels, and sold it for $100.00. These parts were to be used to put my 66 GTO convertible back together.

[dlloyd]

In 1976 I paid $400.00 for my 1965 GTO It had a 389 tri-power with headers it was a 4 speed with 411 rear end. It had ladder bar traction bars. I sure can kick myself for selling it in 1980

[BubbleTops]

In 93 or 94 My dad bought a straight all original rust free 61 Catalina 2 dr from a co workers parents for $500.00 It belonged to their other son who was at that time serving a long sentence in the penitentiary. That car was my inspiration for my user name. I think the prettiest big Pontiac ever made.

When I was around 18 back in 2000-2001 I traded a beatup 63 VW ragtop for a very solid 67 Firebird equipped with a 350 and T10 4 speed. I had $2500 invested in the VW. The guy made the trade because his wife insisted she HAD to have the VW..

[muscle_collector]

I know this one will kill everyone, but my 70 trans am ra4 4 speed sold new here in Tulsa and i drooled on it since it was new and then I started bugging the original owner of it to sell it to me when it was about 4 years old. in 1979 he parked it and I talked him out of it but had to pay his full asking price. it was a bunch of money back then. $2000.00

[lugnutx2]

1977 bought a 1 owner 1970 mach I, 351 C, automatic, rust free for $1,000 sold in 1986 for $2500. 1979 bought friends 1970 GTO for $200,it had been sideswiped on drivers side, but still ran great 400, 4 speed, 3:90 open rear, hood tach, dark green with light tan interior, sold in 1983 for $200, this is the only car I wish I still had! 1984 bought a 1 owner 1970 SS 454 chevelle for $1,200, LS 5, auto, 3:73, red with white stripes, functional cowl hood, white vinyl top, light tan interior, good running car with usual chevelle rust, engine blew and parted it out.

[71GP76TA]

A more recent deal...... 3 years ago I picked up this '69 SS396 for $12,500 off a drunk guy. Car has 107,000 original miles and has all of its original #'s matching(born with) running gear. I bought it and drove it 350 miles home that day... I still have the car...its a keeper even though I could make 10 grand on it.

[71GP76TA]

About 9-10 years ago I picked up this '74 Formula 455...nice clean unmolested original paint car.... paid $3,000 for it... Shoulda kept it...

[71GP76TA]

'71 Formula 350 4speed... bought it out of a tow yard in 2005 for $800.... car was pretty rough.... I put the rallys on it and cleaned it up....but it was still a POS....

[rlfonad]

Back in 1968 I purchased a 1966 GTO, tri-power with a three speed in Sheboygan Wisconsin.

It was red with a painted black top.

I still have the purchase sheets and paid $1,400 plus a very tired '57, 4-door chevy in trade.

Never got pics of the car, but was told the original owner raced it. It did have an electric fuel pump with a toggle-switch under the dash.

Had to trade it in for a '66 Dodge charger, 318 with automatic ... insurance reasons!!

Tried to "buy my youth back" and bought another one about 12 years ago.

Ron

[The Boss]

Last month I paid $3,000 for this 1985 56,000 mile Trans Am, LB9, WS6 and three weeks ago I paid $1,500 for this 89 77,000 mile Firebird.

They both cleaned up real nice - Third Gen's are hot right now!

[GTO JOHN]

Nice score on both of those Chris!