Vehicle dilemma

[Dave Rifkin]

This is going to sound crazy but, way back around 1983 I purchased a red 1968 SS/RS Camaro at the Carlisle swap meet; I paid $8,000 for it back then and sunk quite a bit into it. I held onto the car, using it as my daily driver, for approximately 6 years before I sold it.
I went through a few cars before I ran into the guy I sold the car to, sometime around 1993; I asked about the car and he told me it was now in Florida and for sale. Like an idiot I went to Florida and bought the car back; the owner had taken the car apart and threw some good parts away but, I guess the sentimental value was too much and I bought it anyway.
I put the car back together and enjoyed it for another 4 years before my wife and I bought our first house and we needed money for stuff, so I sold the car again.
I always thought I'd get another collector car when we got settled and our finances permitted but, as we all know, the collector car market took off and I could not afford the cars that I would have wanted; hell I couldn't afford the Camaro I just sold the way the market was going.
Anyway, I "settled" for a factory black 1969 L46 Corvette that is equipped with all of it's original mechanical components minus the smog equipment. I have owned this car for 3 years (I think, getting old sucks) and did some things to it including re-doing the interior.

Today, just for the heck of it, I was browsing the internet looking at Camaros and what did I find; my old Camaro for sale. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif
I sent an email to the seller to see if it was, in fact, my old car and sure enough it is and the guy who I sold it to still owns it. I asked if he'd be interested in a trade for my Corvette but, he isn't interested in trades.

The reason for the long post is this; I am looking for some advice from you guys. Do I try and sell my Corvette so I can buy the Camaro back for the third time or do I keep the 'Vette?
The Camaro isn't even close to being original but, it has the look that I always loved and my wife misses the car. On the flip side, the Corvette is rare, being a factory black car and has all of it's born with components so I am sure that it would hold it's value better than the Camaro.
This is all based upon the notion that I could even sell the Corvette in time to make the purchase; for all I know the Camaro could be long gone by the time the Corvette sells and then I'm out the Camaro and the Corvette.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[92646]

My first reaction is to keep both. If you really want the Camaro and you really do not want the Corvette then borrow the money to buy the Camaro against the Corvette then sell the Corvette. The worst that can happen is that you may have to pay car payments till you sell the car. Having your wife missing the Camaro and being ok with getting it back makes all the difference in the world. There is a car from my past that I would pay a premium to get back if I could ever find it so go for it.

[x Baldwin Motion]

"the look that I always loved and my wife misses the car"


that sounds like reason enough (War Dept. Approval) to buy the car NOW and then sell the Corvette as soon as you can.

[ssl78396]

Hmmm..
Well if you can get what you feel is good money for the
corvette compared what your in it.Do it.
First do you have that preverbial knot in your stomach?
Second your already thinking about it!
Third and most important the wife misses it http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Good Luck.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[budnate]

2 cents more, inspect the car carefully, I did this once and was really bummed after getting my old car home, it was no where near as nice as I recalled or something along those lines guy was working on it for years and messed stuff up...anyway dont get thinking about the old days while there inspect it like a new find, you may not want it back. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Salvatore]

Like Bud said, research it good! Then proceed with caution. There are alot of camaros and vettes out there but NOT the one you really want which is the one in question. If the vette is rare and desirable than it should sell pretty quickly. If getting the camaro back makes you and the wife happy than DO IT! That is what this hobby and life is about. If you get it back maybe you should keep it for good then. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[skierkaj]

[ QUOTE ]
There is a car from my past that I would pay a premium to get back if I could ever find it so go for it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second that. I spotted my dad's '79 Camaro back in high school. The car had been gone for at least 17 years and finally surfaced back in my home town of all places. I went through the trouble of tracking down all the history on it, only to be let down when the kid didn't want to sell it.

Someday he'll get rid of it, and I'll be here waiting. Even if it isn't really a valuable car per se, It's valuable to me.

Look over the car, and if you can get it back, do it, but hang on to it this time!

[Mr70]

I say go for it,heeding the good advice all are giving.
It's not everyday,we get a shot at a car we once owned in our past..http://www.bodybuildingdungeon.com/forums/images/smilies/heelclick2.gif

[69RSZ]

click on this link to my story about a camaro that I bought back,my opinion,yes get it back and keep it!! > http://superchevy.automotive.com/118157/sucp-0910-1967-chevy-camaro/index.html

[Mopar471]

I am in the process of working out a deal to get my 1971 roadrunner back. Sold it 14 yrs ago

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
click on this link to my story about a camaro that I bought back,my opinion,yes get it back and keep it!! > http://superchevy.automotive.com/118157/sucp-0910-1967-chevy-camaro/index.html

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a great article Ron! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Dave Rifkin]

I have plans to go see the car this Wednesday; I have my Corvette listed for sale on the Corvette Forum. I may regret selling the Corvette but, I have always missed this Camaro.

[Salvatore]

Well then you made the right decision. Don't look back! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[69RSZ]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
click on this link to my story about a camaro that I bought back,my opinion,yes get it back and keep it!! > http://superchevy.automotive.com/118157/sucp-0910-1967-chevy-camaro/index.html

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a great article Ron! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks I will not sell that car again,too many memories restoring and enjoying the car.And I am not a corvette person,I bleed camaro LOL.Go get that camaro back Dave!!

[beater68427]

If you can get it and you want it and it doesnt put your family out, GET IT! I have a BIG regreat I sold a very nice 69 Z28 that I had bought from my friends mom, YES MOM! I had known the car since I was 17 I sold it to another friend of mine in the late 90's who destroyed it in my eye, When I have time I will post a story on the car very interesting story of money and no taste and taking a survivor Z28 and making a Pro Touring car out of it and taking all the original parts to the dump... This is when it was real.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd132/1972cutlass/my69z.jpg

[Salvatore]

Well, lets here the story! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Dave Rifkin]

Went to see, and drive, the car this evening and decided to pass on the car. While it was nice to see it and drive it again the car had changed so much from when I had owned it that my feelings for it had changed.

I took some pictures and made a lame attempt at a video with my camera. I will try to upload them later.

[njsteve]

Dave,
I guess it's kind of like going back to your 40th high school reunion and seeing that the hot cheerleader you had a crush on is now a contestant on The Biggest Loser. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[Steve Shauger]

[ QUOTE ]
Went to see, and drive, the car this evening and decided to pass on the car. While it was nice to see it and drive it again the car had changed so much from when I had owned it that my feelings for it had changed.

I took some pictures and made a lame attempt at a video with my camera. I will try to upload them later.

[/ QUOTE ]


I can speak from recent experience regarding the purchase of my old 69 Z. I had actively tried to buy it back since 1986. I flew down to look at the car and it looked nice from afar. Once I started inspecting it, I kept hearing a little voice saying do you really need another project.
I made an offer, and flew home the next day without a deal. The owner called me a couple of times and made the decision to ultimately to purchase the car because as I reflected back I had pursued the car for 24 years and that was reason enough.

Slowly I am rebuilding different aspects of the car and very much enjoying the journey. Absolutely no regrets and feel very satisfied returning the car back to its former glory.

[Dave Rifkin]

[ QUOTE ]
Dave,
I guess it's kind of like going back to your 40th high school reunion and seeing that the hot cheerleader you had a crush on is now a contestant on The Biggest Loser. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, Steve it wasn't quite that bad; what had happened was the owner had considered racing the car and had started down that path. He installed drag shocks, an extremely stiff clutch, extremely short throw shifter, removed the multi-leaf spings to install mono-leaf springs with Cal-Tracs. From the outside, except for the rims/tires and stance, the car looked just as I remembered. However, once I got behind the wheel the car was a completely different animal. While it was a thrill to see my old friend again, I could not justify selling my all original, numbers matching '69 Corvette just so I could buy a completely un-original Camaro that would have needed some TLC to bring it back to a condition that would make it enjoyable for me.

I did take some pictures and have a lame video of it running that I'd like to share with everyone here but, I can't figure out how to post a video.

[beater68427]

Dave, I understand where your coming from, My very clean original Z28 pictured above. The new owner dicided the new fad was protouring, so he sent it to a buddy of his who stripped the car down took the original black delux interior out for some repo white stuff the original trans and engine were sold original shifter gone, complete brake assembly gone. Now sporting a 406 richmond trans and willwood brakes and master cyl. and a new coat of blue paint with very incorrect stripes, what looks like a 10 inch sand car steering wheel, Killer tunes....... and some 18 inch wheels from Big-O by the cheap look of them.. nice aluminum air cleaner and valve covers so on so on..... I actually got sick when I saw the car a few months after selling it, The person I sold it to sold it again now in Phoenix area, I saw it a Good Guys and the pain started all over again.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

[Dave Rifkin]

[ QUOTE ]
Dave, I understand where your coming from, My very clean original Z28 pictured above. The new owner dicided the new fad was protouring, so he sent it to a buddy of his who stripped the car down took the original black delux interior out for some repo white stuff the original trans and engine were sold original shifter gone, complete brake assembly gone. Now sporting a 406 richmond trans and willwood brakes and master cyl. and a new coat of blue paint with very incorrect stripes, what looks like a 10 inch sand car steering wheel, Killer tunes....... and some 18 inch wheels from Big-O by the cheap look of them.. nice aluminum air cleaner and valve covers so on so on..... I actually got sick when I saw the car a few months after selling it, The person I sold it to sold it again now in Phoenix area, I saw it a Good Guys and the pain started all over again.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Makes you wonder what some people are thinking. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[beater68427]

I had known that car so many years and bought it from a friend it just gets me sick everytime I think of it. But I would never want it back.

[Dave Rifkin]

A few pictures of my old '68 SS/RS 396 that I went to look at earlier this week.

The car is an original SS/RS 396/325 car that was originally Matador red with a white vinyl roof, pearl parchment deluxe interior and full hubcaps.
The car now has an M22, 468 and is not a Chrysler color called 'Flash Red".

I took some videos of it idling (my first attempts at video) but I'm not sure how to post them.

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/oneida100/DSC00445.jpg


http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/oneida100/DSC00443.jpg

http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss146/oneida100/DSC00446.jpg

[Salvatore]

WOW Dave, the car stil looks pretty nice in the pictures anyway. Yea a little de-chroming and some under hood re-painting looks necessary. People love to overchrome and paint firwalls and inner fenders the wrong color around here. They seem to win the car shows though. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif