Hooniverse Asks- What Car Do You Wish You'd Bought When They Were Cheap'?

Robert Emslie
62

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You know what, there’s a lot of cool cars out there that you once could buy cheap, but are now pretty friggin’ expensive. Big Healeys and Mercedes Benz pagoda roof SLs once were just used cars. Panteras were so unloved by collectors and speculators that the people who did buy them on the cheap – meaning $10K- $12K – felt no compunction against modifying the hell out of them, typically a no-no for appreciable automotive assets.
Even Jag XKs – the 120,140 and 150 – at one time were dirt cheap, filling used car lots because they were not only just old cars, but old cars that required tall expensive tires and lacked many of the conveniences of the era two decades on. In my own experience, there’s ben the aforementioned Panteras, MGB-GTs and Loti that were sold, like an immature wine, far before their time.
But worse than the ones that got away are the cars that you never even thought to buy because you never thought they’d take off. Sixties sedans? You used to not be able to give them away until the hipsters discovered them as being ‘ironic.’ Now a drivable ’68 Olds 88 will set you back some real cash. Original Rabbit-based GTI pocket rockets used to be about as common, and as valuable as, well, pocket lint. But find one today with its plaid sport buckets and whiffle ball shift knob in good shape and prepare for a financial caning.
So what car do you wish you’d have jumped on back before everybody else decided they also wanted to jump it? Is there a white whale in your past that still occasionally looms on your fiscal horizon?
Image source: [fwallpapers.com]

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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62 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What Car Do You Wish You'd Bought When They Were Cheap'?”

  1. Fodder650 Avatar
    Fodder650

    Im watching the prices of Triumph Spitfires creeping upwards and wished i had gotten in a few years ago. I think the bigger ones are how i owned a Monte Carlo for $300 and remember even the bigger engined Novas going for that same kind of money in the early 90s.

    Reply
  2. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    <img src="http://www.swaqvalley.com/Blueprints/1968_AMC_AMX.jpg&quot; width=500>
    I wish my dad would have actually kept his.

    Reply
    1. Fodder650 Avatar
      Fodder650

      Back in 1998 the General Manager of the dealership i worked for was selling his for $10,000. It was full restored and in mint condition. At the time that looked like all the money in the world. Now i realize he was giving it away

      Reply
      1. muthalovin Avatar
        muthalovin

        Man, that would have been a smokin' deal. I have no idea what my parents sold/traded theirs for, but it certainly was not worth it.

        Reply
    2. Black Steelies Avatar
      Black Steelies

      I'm fortunate that the coolest car my dad can claim is a 1971 Luxury Lemans, forest green with white vinyl top and interior. Cool but I'm not too bummed he totaled it. Mom on the other hand had a nifty Dart 'Hang Ten', but still no AMX.

      Reply
      1. muthalovin Avatar
        muthalovin

        I have always liked the Darts. My dad's AMX was sold right before I was born, so I only have pictures of it, and stories of how my mom used it to drag race. I so wish they would have kept it until I was at least old enough to drag race it myself.

        Reply
  3. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Unfortunately I came aware of cars and got to the age where I could buy one right at the height of the collector car boom of the late 1980s, so not much was cheap. A few that I can think of would be:
    -Continental Mk II
    -1963-1967 Corvettes (these were pricey, but it was still possible to find a driver for under $20k)
    – 2nd gen F-body, especially Trans-Ams. These things were under $5k until just a few years ago, maybe a little more for a
    4-speed Bandit car, but the nicest ones didn't break $20k.
    – Seems a few years ago nice Ferrari 308GT4s were under $20k, now they are closer to $30k.
    – Pretty much any non-top spec muscle cars. A few years ago nobody cared about a Chevelle or Nova if it wasn't at least an SS.
    Now the clones go for good money.

    Reply
  4. Black Steelies Avatar
    Black Steelies

    I'm too young to have ever been able to buy a car for reals. In fact I only just started making enough to consider putting money towards a car, but I still feel I should pick something that was cheaper in my lifetime. For example, a '57 Nomad used to be only $20k, now it's $50k. I really should have bought one when I started walking. If anything, then I could sell it so someone could put some garish wheels on it and the $30k profit might almost pay for one year of college!
    <img src="http://assets.speedtv.com/images/easy_gallery/1041055/1957_chevrolet_nomad_custom_wagon_m.jpg&quot; width="500">

    Reply
  5. west_coaster Avatar
    west_coaster

    I was told that the '70 Plymouth Superbirds (the homologation cars with the huge wings and sloped fronts) were so unappealing to most every car shopper that many of them still languished on dealers' lots in 1971. Deep incentives finally moved the last of them at discounted prices. ("And throw in an extra set of those Goodyear Polyglas tires.")
    Yeah, I was only a little kid then, but as soon as I invent that time machine…

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      Some dealers removed the wings and changed the front sheetmetal to convert them "back" into Road Runners. Years ago a friend spotted one of these in very weathered condition, identifiable by the shape of the original back window and the "U" in the VIN.

      Reply
    2. Smells_Homeless Avatar
      Smells_Homeless

      It totally depends on where you were. My neighbor has a 69 Daytona that he had to wait six months to get because the dealership wanted to keep it on the floor to drive traffic.
      Interesting footnote: it was originally blue with a black stripe and wing, but he wasted no time painting it black with a white stripe and wing.

      Reply
  6. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    Around 1980, I had a chance to buy a mint-condition '66 T-bird convertible for $3,000. Baby blue with a white interior and white top – absolutely wonderful looking. I couldn't afford it. Sigh.
    I also kind of wished I scooped an '86-'87 CRX Si around ten years ago.

    Reply
  7. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    An ex-boss bought a 427 Cobra in 1967. He sold it a year later for something like $6800, thrilled that he could make a $100 profit on a used car. When I worked for him in the 90's, he was still kicking himself over it.
    I passed on an numbers matching $8800 Hemi Challenger because it had been in a minor collision and repaired. I figured, for that kind of money I should get something more untouched.
    A friend had another car he paid $4K for, then traded away after a year or two. A few years ago, at the peak of the market, I saw it on Hemmings for $275K

    Reply
  8. Maxichamp Avatar
    Maxichamp

    Not a car for me, but I've been thinking about that brand new 2010 Carrera that's selling for 10-15k below MSRP at the local dealership.

    Reply
  9. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    Pre-1973 Porsche 911's (good 912's aren't so cheap either), E9 BMW CS Coupes, Mercedes-Benz W113 Pagodas and W109 6.3's……the values of all four have shot through the roof in the last 3 to 5 years.

    Reply
    1. scroggzilla Avatar
      scroggzilla

      Oh, 105 series Alfa Romeo's have gone ballistic too.

      Reply
      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        I've always wanted one … and they've always been just a bit more expensive that what I could justify for a "hobby" purchase.

        Reply
    2. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
      BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

      The E9 Cs were dirt cheap around the early eighties, so were Escort Mk1 (Mexico and GT) and the Citroen DS line-up, that was almost given away.

      Reply
  10. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Mopar muscle. Somewhere along the line they went from being the least desirable of the Big 3 to commanding 6-figure prices. They're on their way back down, but I could be retired today.

    Reply
  11. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    Back when I was in high school (about ten years ago), 5.0 Mustangs were plentiful under 5 grand. They've risen a fair bit since then. I'm also fairly certain that if E30s aren't on the upswing, they're about to get there (although it feels like they've gotten generally more rare in the past couple years anyways).

    Reply
  12. Jeremy Wilson Avatar
    Jeremy Wilson

    One thing this sort of “What if” question doesn’t address is inflation. Even though that awesome car was only X dollars at the time, your buying power was equally limited.
    A $1000 car twenty years ago is the same as a $50,000 car now in terms of my buying power.

    Reply
    1. njhoon Avatar
      njhoon

      Yes, but that would not allow us the oppurtunity to wax poetically about some of the 'Ones We Should Have Bought'.
      Copy and pasted from original below.

      Reply
    2. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      Actually a $1000 car from 20 years ago would be a $1,640.73 car in 2011. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
      Even $1,000 in 1913 only equals $22,572 in 2011 dollars.
      Inflation does need to be taken into account, but it isn't quite as much as your calculations.

      Reply
      1. Jeremy Wilson Avatar
        Jeremy Wilson

        I meant “buying power” in that 20 years ago, when I was a teenager, $1,000 might as well have been a million dollars.
        The point is, waxing nostalgic about cars I couldn’t have bought anyway is silly.

        Reply
  13. njhoon Avatar
    njhoon

    Yes, but that would not allow us the oppurtunity to wax poetically about some of the 'Ones We Should Have Bought'.
    – Darn Hoon Nibbles, this should have gone under Mr Wilsons post above.

    Reply
  14. oldcarjunkie Avatar
    oldcarjunkie

    Lotus Elan +2 – almost bought one when they where worth half of what a MGB is worth. Values seem to have flipped and they are out of my price range now.

    Reply
  15. raphaelinberlin Avatar
    raphaelinberlin

    I still have an old picture on my hard drive of a late 60s Rambler in a low-rent housing parking lot, lacking any pomp or presentation. Behind is an old Dart that I didn't even bother to take a picture of, so ordinary was a car like that. Indeed, times change.

    Reply
  16. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    Have you priced these things lately?
    <img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/21/29837122_747c805b55.jpg&quot; width="300">
    Sure missed the boat on that one.

    Reply
    1. njhoon Avatar
      njhoon

      I see what you did there.

      Reply
    2. alcology Avatar
      alcology

      Someone will float you a loan to get one if you're willing to get on board.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        No, it'd be way too easy for me to get in over my head. They're buoyant now, but if there's a sea change I'd hate to end up underwater.

        Reply
        1. Alff Avatar
          Alff

          Due to their rarity and unique appeal, Amphicar values have risen steadily since they were launched.

          Reply
          1. ZomBee Racer Avatar
            ZomBee Racer

            You nearly sank the boat joke.

        2. alcology Avatar
          alcology

          Now you just jumped the shark.

          Reply
          1. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            What do you get when your Amphicar jumps the shark?
            <img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5644858956_f5ab22e95c.jpg&quot; width="350">

          2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
            ZomBee Racer

            LSHMSFOAIDMT!!!

    3. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      The value sinks with the car.

      Reply
  17. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Yeah, personal income over time is a whole 'nother matter. Yesteryear's $1,500 project car that was barely out of reach is today's $5,000 project car that is barely out of reach.

    Reply
  18. avengingtn Avatar
    avengingtn

    In the year 2008, you could have gotten a 2008 Dodge Ram for $9000 + T/T/TL & Dealer Prep. So for around $10k you could have a brand new truck.

    Reply
  19. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    Boss. Good for him. My dad is restoring at '67 Cuda. There is not a lot of enthusiasm for it, because its been "being restored" for the past 4 years.

    Reply
  20. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    Indeed. Man, why did our folks get rid of all the cool stuff?

    Reply
    1. Dillon Valesko Avatar
      Dillon Valesko

      When your parents had kids, they went looking for a boring sedan…it's totally inevitable.

      Reply
      1. muthalovin Avatar
        muthalovin

        Your mom is a boring sedan!
        Just kidding. My dad actually got a gold Trans Am.

        Reply
  21. njhoon Avatar
    njhoon

    Back when I was in high school in the early eighties, Muscle cars were sort of cheap, the larger Impalas etc were a dime a dozen and Caddys, Buick & Lincolns land yachts were just throw away cars. What really gets me were the early 60's cars were all over the place and CHEAP. I could have had a few Starliners, Galaxies and Grand Prix's for under a grand. Bubble top GMs too.

    Reply
  22. dolo54 Avatar
    dolo54

    In CA they're a dime a dozen. I bought a z32 on the east coast and drove it out here. Was surprised to find that the car I paid 8k for was worth about 5k here. On the east coast I could go for months without seeing another one on the road. Here I see another one almost every day.

    Reply
    1. facelvega Avatar
      facelvega

      Yeah, it's called rust. Plenty of Datsuns still in the northeast, it's just that you can see the sunlight through most of them when they're up on a lift. Or you could if your garage had no roof. Anyway, rusty.

      Reply
  23. ZomBee Racer Avatar
    ZomBee Racer

    So many to choose from. My problem is I've bought a bunch of cheap cars over the last 20 years that are STILL cheap.
    But if I had to choose the ones that hurt the most I would have to go with these….
    <img src="http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1960-1969/1964-Ford-Galaxie-500XL-Red-Convt-le.jpg&quot; width="500" />
    <img src="http://fwallpapers.com/files/images/pontiac-gto-judge-convertible-1970.jpg&quot; width="500" />
    <img src="http://www.autotraderclassics.com/images/a/2009/04/09/1661256/90335471_1239303269169.jpg&quot; width="500" />

    Reply
  24. joshuman Avatar
    joshuman

    It looks wonderful in brown.

    Reply
  25. longrooffan Avatar
    longrooffan

    Write the name of every 50's-60's longroof on the wall, throw a dart at said wall and I'll take whatever you hit.

    Reply
  26. facelvega Avatar
    facelvega

    Oh, man, the Pantera was the perfect car for the lead image. What was once the cheap way to have an Italian supercar is now pricier than a Ferrari 308gt4 or 400i, or even an Espada.
    Let's see, Facel Vegas and Gordon Keebles have doubled since I started looking; people would practically give you an XJ-S or XJ6 ten years ago, now only the handful that were actually maintained still remain; I saw someone listing s Jensen 541 for six figures recently and crossed that off my wish list, you used to be able to find them for $30k. It's getting hard to find solid Jeep Wagoneers or Toyota FJ60s for anything under six grand.
    You can still get a cheap 635csi, 944, 924, 280zx, z31 300zx, or early RX-7 if you know how to turn a wrench. You can get a cheap 928 if you dare. A beautifully-maintained 528e is easy to find now and dead cheap, if you don't mind a slow-ish BMW. The rise in prices of the English roadsters has not been matched by the Fiat and Alfa spiders or the X1/9, which can all still be found in workable condition quite cheap. Oddly Sunbeam Alpines also seem to be exempt from inflation so far. AMC cars other than the AMX are still cheap relative to comparably interesting offerings from the big 3. Reattas and Allantes seem to be bottomed out and are bound to appreciate. L98 C4 Corvettes are probably now as cheap as they'll get.

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      I haven't priced the early Jensens in about 10 years, when a decent one could be had for $15K.
      If you're looking for another soon to be hit, you could do worse than to buy early Japanese imports.

      Reply
      1. facelvega Avatar
        facelvega

        I'm more interested in driving than investment, so when I recently bought a new project car I considered every single option I listed in the second paragraph above except the 928, as I'm not a masochist. I ended up with a pristine slicktop 280zx coupe with many new parts and completely intact frame and underbody for $3400. Parts are plentiful and cheap, driving manners modern and a delight, reliability solid. And it looks like northern roads are just about salt free now, knock on wood.
        Of course I still want an X1/9 (got to have a Gandini sometime in your life) and a 528e. At first I really wanted a 93 Allante or a Reatta, but now I think if I go Detroit I'll just take a C4 and treat it as if it were a Jensen. I tried squinting at pictures of the three as if I had never seen them before, and this made the vette seem the obvious choice. The huge engine didn't hurt either.

        Reply
    2. Adem Avatar
      Adem

      Hell, I recently bought a running, kinda-rough-but-rust-free X1/9 for $600.

      Reply
      1. facelvega Avatar
        facelvega

        Hope you have $3000 more and a few hundred free hours to get it into decent order! Personally from your description, my urge would be to strip it down completely, cure the body of any tiny spots, and then do an engine swap. Maybe a little honda engine. Which is why I didn't get an X1/9 myself, when would I do all that?

        Reply
  27. dragon951 Avatar
    dragon951

    1958-59 356 A Speedster. They would have been anxious to get them off the lot to make room for the new Convertible D. Granted, I wasn't alive then, but all the more reason not to kick myself for missing it.
    <img src="http://www.excellence-mag.com/model_illustrations/0000/0013/1957_356_Speedster_standard.jpg?1274155753&quot; />

    Reply
  28. Tony240Z Avatar
    Tony240Z

    Porsche 928. Good ones sold for less than half of what they go for these days, and it won't be long before prices for mint examples will skyrocket.

    Reply
  29. earlofhalflight Avatar
    earlofhalflight

    I wasn't even born when these could be had for peanuts. Doesn't make me feel any better when I see them advertised in old magazines for a couple of hundred quid.
    <img src="http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/1706/728590.jpg&quot; width="500/">

    Reply
  30. ZomBee Racer Avatar
    ZomBee Racer

    "..sold his Cobra for a Citroen DS21 convertible…"
    I'm not sure how I feel about this. Half my brain recoils and thinks it is an utter tragedy, the other thinks it's the coolest thing I've ever heard.

    Reply
  31. citroen67 Avatar
    citroen67

    I would have loved to get a 1957 Chevy Bel Air when they were a little cheaper and more plentiful in the "Swapper" mags. I remember when I was ten years old, I would look through 'The Auto Swapper' and dog-ear every page that had one or more for sale. By the time I was done, I usually had a dozen or more by the time I got done reading it. Back then(1986-ish), they were selling for right around $2500-5000 for an original looking two door post car…which is a Hell of a lot cheaper than they would run you now.

    Reply
    1. craymor Avatar
      craymor

      My Dad had a couple of 57's; the one he remebers the bumper came off (it was the model with the post) and he had someone weld a peice of railroad track in it's place. He always told me how great it was, he could run down just about anything, mailboxes weren't even a challenge; and even at the age of five, all I could think was "he did what to a 57?"

      Reply
  32. kah Avatar
    kah

    euro Escort Mark II RS1800

    Reply
  33. sparky II Avatar
    sparky II

    1985. I went to look at an early seventies Plymouth Barracuda, factory 340 4-barrel, 4 speed stick, bright orange with black stripes, shaker hood, black interior. Solid body (a rarity in the rust belt where I was living at the time), not too bad of an interior. Stupid fast. $1,200. I passed it up because the front suspension was a little hinky (in hindsight, it probably just needed ball joints and some tie rod ends). I've kicked myself ever since then.
    To add insult to injury, I had to watch some other guy drive it around town for several years after that!

    Reply
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