Ever get a car back?

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

I got my old 1987 944 back. It was my first Porsche, I got engaged in that car, my experience with the Porsche marque began there and has continued for the past 19 years.

My brother gave it back to me today and my plan is to give it to my son for his 11th birthday this weekend. Unlike the beetle and the cop car, he won’t be allowed to drive it around the farm. The plan is to fix it up with him (it was damaged in a hail storm 3 years ago and has been sitting since).

It needs some sorting and some body work. I think it will be a great first car. He has 3 years until he gets his learners license, it’s up to him if he goes street car or track car. At 14, he can get an SCCA license.

Bill Douglas · 06-21-2021, 11:39 PM

Not me, but my uncle owned an AC Aceca as a teen ager. He got phoned up by someone when he was in his late fifes and asked if he wanted it back.

It had been dumped at a farm and was riddled with bullet holes, but he got it back on the road, bigger better than before. So that was something like 40 years later.

He had plenty of money so I wish he'd been into Porsches instead of stupid English cars, Fiats and Ferraris.

ZOO · 06-22-2021, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclebilly

I got my old 1987 944 back. It was my first Porsche, I got engaged in that car, my experience with the Porsche marque began there and has continued for the past 19 years.

My brother gave it back to me today and my plan is to give it to my son for his 11th birthday this weekend. Unlike the beetle and the cop car, he won’t be allowed to drive it around the farm. The plan is to fix it up with him (it was damaged in a hail storm 3 years ago and has been sitting since).

It needs some sorting and some body work. I think it will be a great first car. He has 3 years until he gets his learners license, it’s up to him if he goes street car or track car. At 14, he can get an SCCA license.

This is a perfect story! The memories you will create will be the best gift of all.

I've tried to buy my E46 M3 back twice now. No dice. And it was a driver-quality car with needs.

onewhippedpuppy · 06-22-2021, 03:19 AM

That’s a pretty cool story. Honestly there’s only a handful that I would really want that. Most that I’ve sold allowed me to scratch an itch and I was ready to move on.

id10t · 06-22-2021, 03:49 AM

No, but if I win the lottery Shaun and I will be having a talk ....

Seahawk · 06-22-2021, 03:54 AM

Great story and project.

I tried to get one back.

The guy laughed at me

Shaun @ Tru6 · 06-22-2021, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

No, but if I win the lottery Shaun and I will be having a talk ....

You'll have to wait until it's fully restored Steve.

jhynesrockmtn · 06-22-2021, 06:14 AM

I got a call from the WA state patrol in college. My 67 6 cyl Mustang coupe had been abandoned on a highway near Olympia and pretty much stripped. The lady I sold it to to fund my freshman year had never changed the title over. It was still mine and I needed to deal with it. I was 300 miles away. My Dad had it hauled to a wrecking yard. I think he got like $100 for it.

I did buy an 83SC back after 10+ year with a 3.2 in it a few years ago. Drove it back to the west coast from Philly. Mine son now owns it. We went for a drive and changed the oil on it on Father's day.

Zeke · 06-22-2021, 06:25 AM

I got my Honda 90cc back after a year, CHP called and said they did a sweep of dirt bikes out in Riverside, CA and my VIN came up as stolen. It was stripped to dirt bike bare when I saw it after making the drive out there to retrieve it.

I rode the bike to college, before it was taken from my driveway, as parking was a btich. It was useless to me as a dirt bike so I sold it for pennies. I had bought it new. I think it was a '69 or '70. Not the trail model. It would probably do 55 MPH tops.

gregpark · 06-22-2021, 06:34 AM

I bought this 2002 in 77 and traded it to a buddy in 81 for a 64 El Camino which I restored. He restored the bmw, body off nut and bolt. 19 years later I bought it back, it was like getting a lost child back. I did a bunch of fun performance mods and it will stay in the family now.

ben parrish · 06-22-2021, 06:51 AM

No but I have tried to find my first car, a 74 914 Bumblebee. If you know where one is, let me know...it just may be my old one. I added a rear spoiler to the decklid so that may give it away.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I’d like to have my bug back, but I haven’t seen it around any of the Vw circles in town. No clue where it’s gone.

Bill Douglas · 06-22-2021, 10:29 AM

The only car I would like to get back would be my mid 70's Ford Escort. I loved that car. There are almost none left in this country as the rally car drivers and the wannabe rally car drivers crashed all the two door ones - mine included I can only assume.

porsche930dude · porsche930dude's Garage

No but i sold a guy his car back after i fixed it. It was an 80s nissan pulsar I think. It had a bad clutch he sold it to me for 200. i fixed it and got a letter from the town because it didnt have plates on it. He bout it back for 600. He also had a civic hatch with a broken windshield for 200. i wish i bought

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

No but i sold a guy his car back after i fixed it. It was an 80s nissan pulsar I think. It had a bad clutch he sold it to me for 200. i fixed it and got a letter from the town because it didnt have plates on it. He bout it back for 600. He also had a civic hatch with a broken windshield for 200. i wish i bought

That’s sorta how I got the 944 in the first place. A realtor got drunk and went driving in his Jaguar XJ 12 saloon. He hit a parked truck. I had 2 jag parts cars. I bought the Jag from the realtor for $600. I repaired it and repainted it and it looked and ran really great.

Some of the realtor’s personal stuff was in the trunk so I called him and asked if he wanted it. We agreed to meet at his place and I drove the Jag. He was amazed with the repair, and had to have it back.

We agreed to trade straight across for his Porsche 944… the rest is history.

rfuerst911sc · 06-27-2021, 02:53 PM

I wish I could get back my 73 Mercury Capri . Red over black V6 and four speed . I really liked that car .

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

I've been told that if you can play a Country Western album backwards you'll get your truck back, your dog back, your girlfriend back...

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

This is how it went…

I gave him a new oil pan gasket from his uncle.

He was like, what the heck is that gasket for?

I said, well it’s from uncle David.

He said for what.

I had him Google the part number to see what it fit.

Then I had him close his eyes and hold out his hands. I put the key in his hands.

He said, what are these for… I told him that I guess they are for your car.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 06-28-2021, 02:22 AM

That's pretty adorable.

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

So far he has replaced a faulty injector, done lots of cleaning, changed the air filter, and is making a list of the stuff it needs. We drove it 40 miles tonight, filled it up with Shell premium, washed it, and it’s running better and better the more miles we put on it (sitting a long time). He is super proud of it and I’m glad he is taking an interest in working on it.