As of 13-Feb . . . I’ve owned 1059 6 years
Time so flies
Thinking back now on what was going through my mind, Back Then . . . apart from actually finding the car, lining-up a Mechanic then going thru the whole PPI business --- all cross-country . . . my biggest concern at the time was --- what else? . . .
. . . money
This was/still is the most that I’ve ever spent on anything --- except a house . . . and definitely the most I’ve ever spent on a stupid car, and, at that time, I’d had several long/hard conversations w/ myself about WtF I was doing. Fun’s fun but $50k --- my original ‘all in’ budget . . . for something w/ needs? What would my Grandfather ‘ve said? I had about $20k of my own to commit, and my original plan was to purchase something outright --- find a ‘rat,’ get it running/registered, then fix+ fluff as I drove it . . . one month at a time + keeping my out-o’-pocket to a minimum. But after lurking/researching/shopping that Summer (’08 ) + tracking some o’ the cars/values . . . it was pretty clear that I had to either . . .
..1). . . forget about an Early 911 . . .
..2) . . . lower my expectations --- a LOT . . .
..3) . . . or get some pretty-serious help to pull-off a purchase --- ie. financing . . .
I’d already found an outfit that financed ‘collector-type’ cars, here in SoCal, so --- I put in an application + was all set to go . . . even had the go-ahead for a GT3 (Plan B). And then? --- well . . .
. . . Things Changed
The Great Recession arrived that Fall, and with it? --- went my loan approval for an Early 911 . . . right around the holidays, too. (Uh --- you know that loan that you’ve been approved for? Well, as for buying any Old Kooky Kars goes, um . . . ‘at’s just not happening. Merry Christmas!)
I tell myself that Old Cars Like This are for fun . . . but Another Truth is that there’s nothing fun about the sometimes large/uncomfortable risk associated w/ finding/buying/fixing something that's four decades old + probably played with hard. I mean, just because I think some stupid car is fun/worth it . . . doesn’t necessarily mean that The Next Guy will feel the same. Or, more importantly . . . as much. And it’s one thing blowing my own money on some stupid car. But blowing 'borrowed' money? --- like, from a bank? . . .
. . . = Different Deal
Short Version = no ‘back door.’ If things went South + I had to sell on short-notice? . . . gulp!
Like I said . . . several long/hard conversations
Along w/ some sleepless nights
And then I saw this notice for a 70 ‘S’ in Hemming’s --- out in North Carolina . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...102#post398102
I posted that notice here, saw IceT’s pics --- and, well? . . .
. . . here I am . . .
. . . 6 years later
I guess I could’ve expected that the car would turn out OK. Did a proper PPI --- and had some idea of what needed to get done to make the car decent. And this wasn't my 1st rodeo. But I had some good advice, too --- + Good People to help me. You've seen some of their names in this thread, all along --- Tony + Marco, John, Uli, Rolly, Karim . . . and some that you haven't --- like Henk
And This Site has been a huge resource, too. Really. Almost everything that I’ve bought for or done to --- or found out about (--- Karim!) . . . the Nasty Car, I’ve done w/ the help of the members on our board
I’m not religious . . .
. . . or superstitious
But I believe in luck
And I’ve been very-very lucky . . .
. . . especially for a Guy who bought his car --- on a Friday . . . .
. . . Friday-the-13th
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