They're all coming home

Blaze

Blaze

The Jeeper Reaper
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Location
Wake Forest, NC
So those of you who know me know that I am a hoarder of cars. Those who don't know me can identify with me. :lol:

Last year my wife and I were talking about my 60 Catalina and plans for it and I told her that it was in good shape, but needed more work to restore than I was willing to put into it compared to how much I liked it. If that makes any sense. I said that I'm just got get it running good and drive it. She said why don't I stop screwing around with cars that I only marginally like and get cars that I actually want to fix up nice and keep? She asked which cars I would get that I would keep forever. So I thought about it and I said my 98 TA that I currently have, my 92 Firebird that I sold a long time ago and a car like my old 76 Trans Am that I sold a very long time ago.

Well, I knew who owned my 92 and have been friends with him for a while. I sold it to him about 15 years ago. A couple months back he texted me and asked if I wanted to buy my 92 back. He gave me a smoking deal of some parts trade and mechanic work on his Firehawk in exchange for the Firebird. I've been fixing it up and have it road worthy again.

I sold the 76 about 20 years ago. I've kept in touch with the guy off and on since I sold it to him. Well, years back I asked him if he still had the car and he said he sold it, but couldn't remember to who. Well, two days ago he randomly texts me and says he found the guy's number. I get in touch with the guy and he said he still had it and it is just sitting in his building and would sell it to me. Best thing, got it for $1k, although it is completely disassembled and missing the drivetrain now. Still a great price for a solid 76 TA with a title.

I gotta sell off some of my other cars, but finally got my stuff back home. I was about to put up my 04 S10 Blazer that was my former DD before I started working from home and my buddy wants my 88 GMC RCLB Sierra once I fix the cracked flexplate. Then I'll probably enjoy my 60 Catalina for the summer and then sell it and put the money into rebuilding my 76.

Damn, I'm excited. Can't believe I got my regret cars back. :cool:
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That's awesome!

My mom and dad bought an FJ40 right after they were married in '73. He sold it in '99(??) and I would LOVE to find out what happened to it.
 
That's cool !
I can't imagine having more than 1 project car. I already spend too much money and time with just the upkeep of it.
 
Bebop said:
That's cool !
I can't imagine having more than 1 project car. I already spend too much money and time with just the upkeep of it.
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The 76 might sit for a while as I finish some other stuff, but I don't care, I got it back finally!
 
Iā€™ve done this exact same thing twice now..... awesome story
 
What wheels are those on the 92? I like them a lot . look like a replica of some sort but bigger.
 
Really dig the 92, you see less and less 3rd gens in any kind of shape that is decent.
With an upcoming move my wife asked if I was going to sell of my very first car (which unknown to me, my parents held onto for me and shipped down to NC years ago). The car isn't worth anything, and I will sink a pile of money into it at some point..... because it is my first car!). She doesn't get it, but she also didn't push the issue.....so win?
 
Ive been looking for a mustang for 5 years.
Hit dead ends at every turn.
Wish I could find the old VIn and start record searching but it was lost to time
 
CasterTroy said:
PM me when you're sick of the 92 sitting there šŸ˜Ž
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Never! I lost it once. It sat in a garage for years only getting piddled with, I saved it. Here's what it was when I got it back.
View attachment 345395
DonYukon said:
What wheels are those on the 92? I like them a lot . look like a replica of some sort but bigger.
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They are XXR 531 18x9.5 wheels

shelby27604 said:
Really dig the 92, you see less and less 3rd gens in any kind of shape that is decent.
With an upcoming move my wife asked if I was going to sell of my very first car (which unknown to me, my parents held onto for me and shipped down to NC years ago). The car isn't worth anything, and I will sink a pile of money into it at some point..... because it is my first car!). She doesn't get it, but she also didn't push the issue.....so win?
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One reason that I wanted to get it back, and the 76. They are getting tougher and tougher to find in good shape and I knew this one I could save. The 76 is rough, but for the price I paid I can justify paying for it. Any more and I wouldn't have gotten it through my shop manager, aka Kelly. :lol:
 
Fun story, thanks for sharing! My only regret vehicle I sold was the 2006 Dodge 2500 CCLB that I bought of lease from my company. I drove every mile it had at the time and it ran great. I sold it to my yard care guy about three months later and watched him destroy it over a fairly short period of time.
 
OK, so now I need some advice. I am going to pick up the 76 tomorrow. I am not going to start on it till the new engine is in the 98 and it is running good. When I start I'll be going heavy on it till it is on the road.

I wanted to enjoy my 60 Catalina for the summer but my wife asked when I would drive the Catalina over one of my Birds. The Cat still needs work to get on the road, so that would take time and money away from the 76. She's probably right, I should just sell it. Now, my dad was over hanging out and he thinks I should pull the 462 and new ST-10 4-spd out of the Cat and save it for my 76. It would be a perfect drivetrain for that. As much as I'd like to sell the Cat as a runner, that drivetrain is awesome and I did build it right so would hate to just let it go. Hell, the transmission setup is worth over $2k alone. I could always include another 400 and ST-10 in the deal, just not installed.

Need advice here, gents.
 
Blaze said:
OK, so now I need some advice. .....

Need advice here, gents.
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Sell everything, invest in crypto, and quit wasting money on cars. Then you can play online games and go to axe throwing bars and whatever else it is the kids are doing these days.
 
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How much does the drivetrain affect the value of the Catalina?
 
Blaze said:
OK, so now I need some advice. I am going to pick up the 76 tomorrow. I am not going to start on it till the new engine is in the 98 and it is running good. When I start I'll be going heavy on it till it is on the road.

I wanted to enjoy my 60 Catalina for the summer but my wife asked when I would drive the Catalina over one of my Birds. The Cat still needs work to get on the road, so that would take time and money away from the 76. She's probably right, I should just sell it. Now, my dad was over hanging out and he thinks I should pull the 462 and new ST-10 4-spd out of the Cat and save it for my 76. It would be a perfect drivetrain for that. As much as I'd like to sell the Cat as a runner, that drivetrain is awesome and I did build it right so would hate to just let it go. Hell, the transmission setup is worth over $2k alone. I could always include another 400 and ST-10 in the deal, just not installed.

Need advice here, gents.
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I think it really depends if you want to sell the Cat faster, or get top dollar out of it. Having it running will sell it faster, but the right price for a roller will too.

I agree with your dad. Part of me also thinks its wild to have $2k in a ST10. I understand why you would, but also remember when they were the cheap 4 spd that people threw away.
 
jeepinmatt said:
Sell everything, invest in crypto, and quit wasting money on cars. Then you can play online games and go to axe throwing bars and whatever else it is the kids are doing these days.
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I actually paid for both the 92 and the 76 with profits from my crypto investments. :lol:
paradisePWoffrd said:
I think it really depends if you want to sell the Cat faster, or get top dollar out of it. Having it running will sell it faster, but the right price for a roller will too.

I agree with your dad. Part of me also thinks its wild to have $2k in a ST10. I understand why you would, but also remember when they were the cheap 4 spd that people threw away.
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I mean, I'm not hurting for cash or space, I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to sell the Cat. I think the cost of building a new drivetrain for the 76 would be more than the cost difference in selling the Cat complete.

Also, that is $2k in the whole setup. It was going to go into a gasser so it has a nice blowproof bellhousing which aren't cheap for BOP stuff, new shifter assembly, and the trans has new internals and all in it. It's not $2k all in just the trans, it's including the whole setup. The engine is a stroker crank, forged rods, Edelbrock intake, mild Comp cam. It's a great setup.
 
Blaze said:
I actually paid for both the 92 and the 76 with profits from my crypto investments. :lol:

I mean, I'm not hurting for cash or space, I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to sell the Cat. I think the cost of building a new drivetrain for the 76 would be more than the cost difference in selling the Cat complete.

Also, that is $2k in the whole setup. It was going to go into a gasser so it has a nice blowproof bellhousing which aren't cheap for BOP stuff, new shifter assembly, and the trans has new internals and all in it. It's not $2k all in just the trans, it's including the whole setup. The engine is a stroker crank, forged rods, Edelbrock intake, mild Comp cam. It's a great setup.
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Yeah, i figured all of that. But any of those old 4spds are bringing good prices, these days. All of that older drivetrain stuff seems to be getting harder to find.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
Yeah, i figured all of that. But any of those old 4spds are bringing good prices, these days. All of that older drivetrain stuff seems to be getting harder to find.
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Yeah, I stockpile them when I find them cheap. I think I have 4 or 5 in a rack I made for them in the corner. Also a stack of 5 Pontiac engines torn down. :lol:
 
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