The One That Got Away - your version of the story.
Discussion
When I was about fifteen in the late sixties, and sufficiently interested in cars to read Exchange & Mart and buy, "do up" and sell cars (mostly for a resounding loss), an advert ran in E&M for several weeks for a complete but unroadworthy AC Ace for £100.
For just over forty years now I have tried to comfort myself with phrases like, "Where would you have stored it?" and "You'd probably have messed it up."
For just over forty years now I have tried to comfort myself with phrases like, "Where would you have stored it?" and "You'd probably have messed it up."
We, that is my mum, had a Metro 6R4 at home for months because it was impossible to sell. Probably because the noisy little bugger was fully decaled in ComputerVision livery.
The dealer, our boss, wanted it out of the showroom so a home was needed for it hence my mum said 'I'll look after it!'.
We pissed our neighbours off big time when we fired the engine up on an almost daily basis not to mention annoying the crap out of them when we blasted it down the road 'just to make sure it was still working'.......
So when the time came for it to go my mum was offered it for a good price - £13k iirc.
Did she buy the bloody thing? No. Why didn't she?
Because my dad said it was a heap of crap as it was 'just a Mini Metro!'
He didn't, & never has 'got' peoples fascination with cars.
So the 6R4 went off to auction.
What would it be worth now? Guess maybe £45/50k but who knows.
That is the one that got away & that is the one that I still get annoyed about.
The dealer, our boss, wanted it out of the showroom so a home was needed for it hence my mum said 'I'll look after it!'.
We pissed our neighbours off big time when we fired the engine up on an almost daily basis not to mention annoying the crap out of them when we blasted it down the road 'just to make sure it was still working'.......
So when the time came for it to go my mum was offered it for a good price - £13k iirc.
Did she buy the bloody thing? No. Why didn't she?
Because my dad said it was a heap of crap as it was 'just a Mini Metro!'
He didn't, & never has 'got' peoples fascination with cars.
So the 6R4 went off to auction.
What would it be worth now? Guess maybe £45/50k but who knows.
That is the one that got away & that is the one that I still get annoyed about.
LiamB said:
Not me, but my Uncle.
He came across a little workshop/dealership, and in there stood an immaculate Jag XK120 for.. wait for it.. £8,000.
In RHD as well.
Here it is;
Left it for a day, came back next day with the intention to buy it, and it was gone.
They are now worth in excess of £60,000.
Looks like he had a narrow escape. That's not an XK120. Looks like a kit/replica to me. Might still be a good car, but not an XK120.He came across a little workshop/dealership, and in there stood an immaculate Jag XK120 for.. wait for it.. £8,000.
In RHD as well.
Here it is;
Left it for a day, came back next day with the intention to buy it, and it was gone.
They are now worth in excess of £60,000.
Back in the day my mate and I used to entertain ourselves when money was short by going to the motor auctions at Kinross of a Friday evening.
One night a white Jag Series 3 caught my eye. Not immaculate but absolutely lovely.
It was ready to drive away with long MOT and I seem to remember a smidge of tax too but obviously we were skint so couldn't buy it right!
Well, 'those words' rolled off the auctioneer's tongue, "Here to sell". He started looking for bids of £400 but quickly reduced to under £100.
I sat and cursed myself for being skint at the end of the month and it eventually sold for £150. To say I was gutted was un understatement.
As we left my mate said that he had a bit of money stashed away and could've bought the Jag.
It didn't take too long for him to come round.
One night a white Jag Series 3 caught my eye. Not immaculate but absolutely lovely.
It was ready to drive away with long MOT and I seem to remember a smidge of tax too but obviously we were skint so couldn't buy it right!
Well, 'those words' rolled off the auctioneer's tongue, "Here to sell". He started looking for bids of £400 but quickly reduced to under £100.
I sat and cursed myself for being skint at the end of the month and it eventually sold for £150. To say I was gutted was un understatement.
As we left my mate said that he had a bit of money stashed away and could've bought the Jag.
It didn't take too long for him to come round.
LiamB said:
Not me, but my Uncle.
He came across a little workshop/dealership, and in there stood an immaculate Jag XK120 for.. wait for it.. £8,000.
In RHD as well.
Here it is;
Left it for a day, came back next day with the intention to buy it, and it was gone.
They are now worth in excess of £60,000.
Not even near an XK120. the grille is far too wide.He came across a little workshop/dealership, and in there stood an immaculate Jag XK120 for.. wait for it.. £8,000.
In RHD as well.
Here it is;
Left it for a day, came back next day with the intention to buy it, and it was gone.
They are now worth in excess of £60,000.
I was offered a Jensen Interceptor for £600. It was mint just needed the engine (supplied and just rebuilt) putting back in - I declined and bought a shagged out Mustang 302 with no boot floor instead (sob).
A year or two later I was offered a series three V12 "E" type for similar, silly money which just had a badly dented bonnet and again declined but this time because I was skint.
A year or two later I was offered a series three V12 "E" type for similar, silly money which just had a badly dented bonnet and again declined but this time because I was skint.
FarmerJim said:
LiamB said:
Looks like he had a narrow escape. That's not an XK120. Looks like a kit/replica to me. Might still be a good car, but not an XK120.Make ARISTOCAT XK 150 Year of Manufacture 1976
Number of Former Keepers 9
Engine Size 4235cc Start Date of Current Keeper 21/11/2007
Colour BLACK Previous Colour GREEN
Fuel Petrol Date Colour Changed 07/08/2007
Doorplan Unspecified Wheelplan 2 Axle Rigid Body
Engine Number -39479 Gross Vehicle Weight 0 (KG)
Transmission Exported Yes 03/04/2008
Date of 1st Registration in the UK 20/10/1976 Scrap Marker No
Number of Former Keepers 9
Engine Size 4235cc Start Date of Current Keeper 21/11/2007
Colour BLACK Previous Colour GREEN
Fuel Petrol Date Colour Changed 07/08/2007
Doorplan Unspecified Wheelplan 2 Axle Rigid Body
Engine Number -39479 Gross Vehicle Weight 0 (KG)
Transmission Exported Yes 03/04/2008
Date of 1st Registration in the UK 20/10/1976 Scrap Marker No
As a student I came across a Jag SS100 that had been stored since 1939 ( this was in 1970), The guy wanted 600 quid for it but I did not have it.
Much later in 1998 I was offered a 300SL Gullwing in original but utterly immaculate condition for $250,000 asking,probably could have bought it for $225,000. That one I really regret........
Much later in 1998 I was offered a 300SL Gullwing in original but utterly immaculate condition for $250,000 asking,probably could have bought it for $225,000. That one I really regret........
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