Cars you now regret not buying!

BradXR8 · 18-11-2011, 11:56 PM

Hi Guys,

About 10 years ago I bought a rough around the edges XD Falcon for a project car as it had a reasonably healthy stage 3 clevo in it with a freshly rebuilt toploader. After.driving it round until one day it spat the tailshaft out the back while I was giving it a bootfull. I then decided to find a decent bodied car for this good running gear.. I came across a guy selling an XA coupe less running gear but otherwise complete, even had an XA GT dash in it for only $500 ! So I went to take a look at the car and it had a hell of alot of rust in the boot and some around the back window but otherwise it was straight and rust free.. It was too much work for me at the time and I didn't.really posses the skills to weld up the rust in the boot and ended up finding a.virtually rust free 302 XD ghia with a bodykit which I purchased and put my running gear into.. I am seriously kicking myself now as I see what rust bucket rolling shell coupes are selling for now and this one was complete and not that bad.. Has anyone else got stories of cars they could of had for a bargain and are now worth good $ that they are kicking themselves over now.

BPXR6T · 19-11-2011, 12:01 AM

XA GT coupe advertised in Canberra for $3000 that I procrastinated over for weeks. By the time I called it was gone. Although I ended up buying an XB GT Sedan off the same guy for $3000, so not all was lost.

BradXR8 · 19-11-2011, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPXR6T

XA GT coupe advertised in Canberra for $3000 that I procrastinated over for weeks. By the time I called it was gone. Although I ended up buying an XB GT Sedan off the same guy for $3000, so not all was lost.

How long ago was this??

BPXR6T · 19-11-2011, 12:39 AM

24-10-2003. I have the receipt for the XB here next to me. Will never see a GT for those $$$ again.

smally289 · 19-11-2011, 12:41 AM

jcxr's XR!!!! Still kicking myself!

OffRoadFalcon · 19-11-2011, 12:45 AM

Any fantastic condition 71 XY GT HO Phase 3 in 1991 for around $70 grand. Could sell it for over $600,000 today. Or keep it and wait for it to be worth even more.

Too bad I was born in 1996, and couldn't afford one.

BradXR8 · 19-11-2011, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPXR6T

24-10-2003. I have the receipt for the XB here next to me. Will never see a GT for those $$$ again.

Your not wrong! What condition was it in? do you still own it?

BradXR8 · 19-11-2011, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarsAreMyLife

Any fantastic condition 71 XY GT HO Phase 3 in 1991 for around $70 grand. Could sell it for over $600,000 today. Or keep it and wait for it to be worth even more.

Too bad I was born in 1996, and couldn't afford one.

LOL.. But $70k in 1991 would have been a considerable amount of money back then.. My next door neighbour when I was growing up In the 80s had an XY GT phase 3, he still owns it too this day.. I remember.as a Young kid going over to his garage and looking at it in awe for hrs.. That and my dads near new Monza red XD Spac with a black bathurst rear wing started my love of fords..

-RADICAL-POSTURE- · 19-11-2011, 02:06 AM

Back in the mid 90's my bro inlaw had a 71 mack1 mustang with a real healthy 351c throttle body injection(a big deal in those days) noisy fuel pumps,bigish cam, nice zorst ,original and complete interior although rhd. It was dog shlong red with black stripes, a real head turner... He was selling it the week I lost my job, it sold after a few weeks for $25000. The week it sold I got a new well paying job, but it was all too late...
At least I got to drive it a fair bit while he owned it as he was a bit of a drinker back then, I was his driver.
I just hate to wonder how much this beast would be worth now... It really was in top condition at the time.

mik · 19-11-2011, 02:27 AM

a recently put out of service XC interceptor, low k`s, all bone stock , chaser yellow complete with rubber floor mats in very good order, i could`nt raise the cash as a young apprentice, and dear step dad would`nt go guarantor, he said it was too fast and i`d put it into a tree( probably a wise move),

i was really looking forward to a 351 clevo/fmx auto and 4w discs and 9`incher, funnily enough not long after i ended up with an xr 289( that i financed myself ) which ended up quicker than the xc and considerably more dangerous

.
i loved the old xr even though i got into considerable mischief with it, but i still think how things may have been different had i got the xc.

pottery beige · 19-11-2011, 03:39 AM

Holden EJ, Norman Supercharged 138 grey motor, three on the tree crunch box.. unique timewarp car, old hotrod from the 70's.....
car was mentioned in a streetmachine mag, for getting around back in the day scaring GT's.....
early 90s and $2800 seemed a lot... look back now it was chicken feed for an awesome old hotty.....

302 XC · 19-11-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarsAreMyLife

Any fantastic condition 71 XY GT HO Phase 3 in 1991 for around $70 grand. Could sell it for over $600,000 today. Or keep it and wait for it to be worth even more.

Considering you could buy a brand new 3 beda brick home with a garage for around 100 grand in QLD in 1991
Cant really live in a car
90 K was alot then , as was the new price for the P3 of $4500 in 1971

2 cars i have been disappointed i never got
Both about the 5 years ago mark
1 was a genuine HG GTS 350 monaro 20 grand
Other a 1 owner XC Cobra 30 grand

myxr6 · 19-11-2011, 08:41 AM

There was an XE ESP 302 manual , red with chestnut interior at a car yard in Canberra for $1500.Couldn't afford to restore and I really didn't have anywhere to put it.

J.C. · 19-11-2011, 08:42 AM

Early eighties, my brother had an opportunity to purchase an XY GTHO from a teacher in the Mackay district. He liked it a lot but I think that was around when Ford dropped the V8, and Holden made bought out their four cylinder Commie.Think fuel prices were pretty high back then too.
Anyway, long story short, he was not a car nut like himself and both he and the old man decided no.
He still uppercuts himself now a days when I mention it.

davenl5l · 19-11-2011, 09:05 AM

passed on a phase 3 in the 70's with low k's for $4999.00 because the previous owner was a drag racer and i was young and dumb!! (now old and dumb)

nitro50th · 19-11-2011, 09:16 AM

Missed out on a XB GS in the mid 90's. Top nick, yellow, with top loader and 9 in rear end. That car got me hooked on V8's, sounded unbelievable. Two years after it was sold it was driven into a ditch and written off.

Also passed up an XE ESP. Was only a 302 with auto and was in pretty poor condition (interior was ok though) but could have doubled my money now.

Having owned an XD 351 at the time, an XE ESP 351 manual was my dream car (still is) so am still dissappointed i didnt grab it.

**SSD-85** · 19-11-2011, 09:19 AM

2 Big ones come to mind:

A 1974 Mercury Cougar XR7 for $5k. Perfect aside from a dent in front fender.

A 1998 EL XR8, drive away for $1200. Another

moment

Bushbasher · 19-11-2011, 09:27 AM

Back in the 80's I had a mate with a mint HT Monaro fitted with a 308 and 4 speed that I wanted to buy off of him. Told him if he ever wanted to sell it I would be first in line. Then I had to move away for a few months with work and when I got back he was driving around in something else. When I asked where the Monaro was he said he got sick of it and sold it while I was away. When I asked how much he sold it for I nearly cried when he told me $800.

Bushbasher

coupecouple04 · 19-11-2011, 09:43 AM

I only have to go back to just before I discovered this forum about 2 years ago my father in law said I could have his mint xe falcon .I thought what am I going to do with it and said no he sold it .this forum now has reignited my passion for cars and really sorry I let it go .though I did end with a factory xb 351 ex interceptor which I love but had to pay for.

Kryton · 19-11-2011, 09:53 AM

Not me, but my dad.
In 1975 he was tossing up between a brand new 1975 XB GS Panelvan or a secondhand GT-HO P3 that was sitting next to it in the lot.
He couldnt justify spending the extra $1000 that was being asked for a secondhand car so bought the pano instead.
The pano was sold in the late 80's for $900.
If only you could see into the future.

OzJavelin · 19-11-2011, 09:56 AM

XB GT sedan in Tango Orange with 4-speed for $6k in 1999 .. I wouldn't buy it cos it didn't have a/c ...???

65 Pontiac Bonneville convertible, RHD, 421 Super Duty tri-power engine, Kelsey-Hayes 8 lug aluminum drums .. Mate sold for about $9K in late nineties

..and last week .. 69 Chrysler Imperial hardtop with 440 .. Didn't buy cos I'm married and wife would kill me.

HenryFordJr · 19-11-2011, 09:57 AM

66 Mustang hardtop from Mustang Magic on the Gold Coast.

They used to import a lot of Mustangs, they would keep the convertibles for hire cars and sell off the hardtops for a great price, I missed out on a LHD in great condition for $6,000..

BPXR6T · 19-11-2011, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradXR8

Your not wrong! What condition was it in? do you still own it?

Yep, I still own the XB GT. Its sitting in a storage shed alongside a low kay Porsche Boxster S in country Victoria about 400km from the nearest ocean. The XB was a show car in a previous life so has dead straight panels, no rust anywhere. I built up a mild motor for it with weiand xcellerator, lumpy cam, roller rockers, ported 2V heads, pacemakers, and a 750 holley.

BPXR6T · 19-11-2011, 10:05 AM

Another car I regret was an LC GTR advertised in a car yard in Frankston Victoria for $800 as is. I went down for a look with my brother in law and it turns out he knew the cars history and it had hidden rust issues. I still wanted to buy it but was talked out of it. Shouldn't have listened to him. This is the same brother in law that parted out a perfect LJ XU1 after the original JP block was damaged by his engine builder.

XT3VCruiser · 19-11-2011, 10:15 AM

XB fairmont GS sedan in a beige colour with factory sunroof clean as body for $2200.
I had just turned 18 & my old man wouldn't let me buy it as he reckoned the 6 in it was too powerful, pfffft.

If I had bought that car I reckon I would still have it today as I ended up with an XC rust bucket instead

rag top · 19-11-2011, 10:17 AM

1969 mustang convertible V8 RHD, $16500 (1995); 1968 California Special, $14000; VL Brock Director, $26,000 (1994), didn't want to finance it. L34 Torana (2001) - $10,000 - moved too slow;

Then there is the list of cars I should not have bought...

buickman · 19-11-2011, 10:41 AM

XC Cobra 351cu auto 1 owner from Woodend in Vic for $9,500 in 1991.

A US trip in 1996 in Grants New Mexico a 1973 (351cu) Fastback Mustang for around the $1,000 US dollars a bit of work needed on the body but rust free and clean interior with all parts to complete the resto in the boot. I just could not be botherd to check freight and shipping costs back to Australia then and in a wrecking yard the same year a 1970 Buick GSX for $6,500 I was regretting not buying at least one of these cars.

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TZENU · 19-11-2011, 11:21 AM

Brett's Customline
Fairmont GT complete and clean as a whistle for 18k
Fairmont GS factory wild violet, toploader K code for 12k

Pedro · 19-11-2011, 11:43 AM

Quite a few years back I was thinking about buying the Bill Bourke 428 Falcon. It was in Unique Cars for $30k or so and as it had been listed for a few months, I deduced that it wasn't collectable and didn't proceed.

klawsterfobik · 19-11-2011, 12:25 PM

The one that always sticks in my mind was a 2 owner 302, auto, XY GS Fairmont Wagon. It was offered to me when I was 19 for $10k and maybe 5 years after for $15k. I drove it the second time, but couldn't raise the cash.

The second time it had come back to the 2nd owner with a RRS front end fitted, would have been a fantastic daily.