What did you pay for some of your cars?

[63impalass409]

My first car was a 1965 plain impala with power windows for 200$ in 1987 and I drove it home and it came with free methadone lol, got it from some sketchy druggy. One of my 63 super sportsI have now I paid 4500 for it with an ss parts car matching # 409 340hp car and it was 2004. Many impala's in between .

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

$200 for a 1961 Belair 4 door in 1967 (Dad sold it without telling me for $50 in 1968)
$150 for a 1961 Pontiac StarChief in 1968 (Dad's make up purchase)
$ 50 for a 1963 Nova 2 door post in 1970 (got it from Grandpa)
$400 for a 1964 GTO tripower 4 speed in 1970 (bought it off my nerdy Physics Professor)
$100 for a 1963 Buick Skylark with the aluminum block (Earl Shieb painted it for $35) circa 1971
$ 75 for a 1963 Falcon Sprint convertible circa 1972
$ 85 for a 1965 Rambler turd in 1972 (was my painting car for the summer of '72)
$350 for a 1966 VW bus from my College Professor 1973
$ 35 for a 1963 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible in 1973 (painted Lime Green with Black buckets)

When a car gave itself up, we just took the plates off and went looking for another one that ran. I don't ever remember getting insurance on most of these, and a lot of times we just bolted on a set of plates and took off. We weren't real picky about manufacturers back then, just price...

 

[Blk61409]

$75
View attachment 89969

First car, 51 Ford, free my Dad gave it to me at 14 when my older brother put a rod through the block, 6 cyl. I got a wrecking yard flathead v8 and sold it when it was running. $125. 1959-60

51 Olds, $110 1960-61

56 Chevy $300, had been 265 w factory 2x4’s, now 1 4bbl.

61 Chevy 4 door hardtop, factory 348, 4 speed car. $1200 I think.

1961 Black 348 3x2’s 4 speed. Later a 62 409/409.
1963-4. Paid I think $1500.



1961 white Corvette 283 2x4’s 4 speed. $1700, only the hard top, when it rained I ducted into car washes or under passes.

1956 Chevy Red/white, 1966 cheap driver, about $750, 283, 3 speed on column.

1967 Nova SS 327 4 speed, 1967, about $2000 I think, was about 25% of what my Dad paid for our house!!

Lots more, I sold used cars out of my parents house with newspaper ads. They weren’t too happy, but I was making a little money on the side.

 

[Quickshift409]

63 Biscayne 409 ordered in Feb of 1963 from Gates Chevrolet with 4 speed and 4:56 gear $2984.

 

[La Hot Rods]

First car, $127.97 for a 65 VW bug at closed bid auction when I was 15 had a dropped valve in #3 cylinder, fixed it and got my first ticket before I had a license

 

[Tooth]

63 Biscayne 409 ordered in Feb of 1963 from Gates Chevrolet with 4 speed and 4:56 gear $2984.

Shan, Do you still have it? Is that the car we ( James and I) helped you get running at Dragway 42 and you then killed the drive shaft?

 

[our1962]

Around 1965:10.00 dollars it was a 57 Plymouth station wagon. It was a neighborhood car meaning who ever in the neighborhood got too it first was driving it for that day. All of us kids owned it and we parked it on a side street of a large property owners yard.

Too many cars from that date too list before going into the military mostly GM's all motors (mostly 409's 4 speeds) and combinations 50.00 - 500.00.

When I went into the military I had a 68 GTX hemi car 4 speed, sold it too the auto graveyard out on US 92 for 400.00 and shipped out.

Got married had kids and a career, didn't get back into 409's until 2005, the red 62 paid 18K for the car 6K for the 409/409 and another 6K installing the 409/409 into the car that was just parts suspension etc., no labor a buddy and I installed it.

What a difference in prices from when we we're 17 years old until too 2005 and beyond

 

[MRHP]

Well Tooth, I sold that truck to fund my 53 chev 2 door sedan project. When your a kid you can’t keep them all.

 

[63 dream'n]

16 years old 1963 impala super sport 283 powerglide $300

31 years old 1963 impala bench seat 4 speed posi 340 horse 409 $4000

53 years old (same car as when I was 31) bought it back from my divorce another $4000

 

[Iowa 409 Guy]

Drove a bunch of old beaters until 1966. Bought them for $35 to $50. Usually just changed plates around. Had insurance cuz Dad would've kicked my ass if i didn't. 49 Chev, 50 Chev 58 Chev, 50 Dodge, 57 Plymouth Savoy(had been rear ended)57 De Soto. Former owner lied to me about the car. It had cracked heads when I bought it from the dealer. I also bought a 60 Buick 4 door hardtop from a guy for $125 that had a noise in the engine. Got out the trusty screwdriver stethoscope and determined it was coming from the driver's side. Took off the valve cover and the rocker arm shaft was dry as a bone. Took it off, cleaned out the oil holes in the head, started it up, and of course when the oil hit the shaft it quieted down.

I spent some time off roading and drinking beer at a couple of State parks. Following the many paths around and generally just having a good time. One time I'd been tearing around and when I went back out on the highway the front end had a hell of a shimmy to it. So, I went back into the park and drove crossways on the corn stalks about 40 MPH....worked great when I got back on the highway...missed my calling as an alignment man.....

Bought a real nice 63 Chev Convertible in 66, don't remember the cost, and traded it in in 68 for the new Nova I couldn't afford. Got married in 72 and it was a long time before any new cars came into our life.

 

[W Head]

11th grade in HS, new 1959 Chevy 2 door HT 348-purchased for just under $1,800.00.

W Head

59 Impala 409-2,4s

 

[heddrik]

Fantastic stories! We should make a forum scrapbook! Pat, my dad's early car was a 51 Olds 88, ran like a raped ape! My 1st, 65 Fairlane 289 factory 4 speed. Bought green 62 SS for $500? in 1981, rebuilt the drive train and drove it to work. Bought red 62 SS convertible shell for $600 in 85. Sold both for $1750 in 86. Still looking for a 62. Paid $1500 for a 61 Lesabre for the bubbletop last july.

 

[heddrik]

First car, $127.97 for a 65 VW bug at closed bid auction when I was 15 had a dropped valve in #3 cylinder, fixed it and got my first ticket before I had a license

Wow James, why am I not surprised?

 

[409newby]

First car 58 belair 2 dr ht 283 3 speed bought in 1970 $125. Nice car Dad let me drag race it that summer n fall in the pits at PIR I backed into another car put a small dent in his car Dad made me sell it to pay for damages

 

[heddrik]

Ouch!!! That sucked big time.

 

[Fathead Racing]

I paid $35.00 for this one in 1968. Needed a clutch, thats all, ran great 283 powerpak. Three on tree.

 

[hfpjr76]

First car, $127.97 for a 65 VW bug at closed bid auction when I was 15 had a dropped valve in #3 cylinder, fixed it and got my first ticket before I had a license

Sounds like me, after putting a new carb on my 73 chevelle smoked the tires around a corner and cop was sitting right there! I told him the linkage stuck on the carb he wrote me my first careless driving ticket & impounded my car!

 

[bobs409]

63 Impala $750
66 Impala $700
66 Chevelle $1500
69 Chevelle $300
69 Wrecker $1000
69 Stepside $1000
71 Cheyenne $50
71 Chevelle $1250
72 Chevelle $500
87 Jeep $3000

That was a good memory test. (hope I got them right!)

 

[409gang]

First car, $127.97 for a 65 VW bug at closed bid auction when I was 15 had a dropped valve in #3 cylinder, fixed it and got my first ticket before I had a license

I wonder how many on this forum got a ticket before they were old enough to have a license, I got mine at 14 on a Fox mini bike while riding it on the street. The cop not only gave me one ticket but 2, 1 for no license plate and 1 for no operators license. Needless to say my dad was not happy, I remember sitting in my room when he came home and listening to my mom telling him.

 

[Tooth]

Wow James, why am I not surprised?

See if he left the dropped valve in it and the busted piston and he would’ve been able to go fast enough to speed and it would have saved the headache, but no he’s got to make it work perfect and go fast enough to get a ticket.