Most regretted mod?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 16,475
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From: Kingman AZ
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Most regretted mod?
It was 1967 and I had been drafted into the US Army. My first duty station was Ft McNair in Washington DC on the Potomac River.
I brought my 65 black 300 hp 4 speed convertible with me.
I had a part time job at night in an auto parts store and was able to purchase a used set of Goodyear Blue Streak tires and new Torque Thrust D wheels to mount them on.
The Blue Streaks were slippery as snot in the rain but my big regret is when I had the tires mounted to the mag wheels I threw the hubcaps in the dumpster.
When I bought the car at a used Corvette dealer in Grand Rapids, MI it came with the 65 OEM hub caps which I thought were ugly. I had the dealer swap those for 1966 Corvette hubcaps.
Later in life I came to regret that as someone could really have used those if I had stashed them away along with the fact that they had become quite valuable!
I brought my 65 black 300 hp 4 speed convertible with me.
I had a part time job at night in an auto parts store and was able to purchase a used set of Goodyear Blue Streak tires and new Torque Thrust D wheels to mount them on.
The Blue Streaks were slippery as snot in the rain but my big regret is when I had the tires mounted to the mag wheels I threw the hubcaps in the dumpster.
When I bought the car at a used Corvette dealer in Grand Rapids, MI it came with the 65 OEM hub caps which I thought were ugly. I had the dealer swap those for 1966 Corvette hubcaps.
Later in life I came to regret that as someone could really have used those if I had stashed them away along with the fact that they had become quite valuable!
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 176
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From: near Perth, Scotland
It was 1967 and I had been drafted into the US Army. My first duty station was Ft McNair in Washington DC on the Potomac River.
I brought my 65 black 300 hp 4 speed convertible with me.
I had a part time job at night in an auto parts store and was able to purchase a used set of Goodyear Blue Streak tires and new Torque Thrust D wheels to mount them on.
The Blue Streaks were slippery as snot in the rain but my big regret is when I had the tires mounted to the mag wheels I threw the hubcaps in the dumpster.
When I bought the car at a used Corvette dealer in Grand Rapids, MI it came with the 65 OEM hub caps which I thought were ugly. I had the dealer swap those for 1966 Corvette hubcaps.
Later in life I came to regret that as someone could really have used those if I had stashed them away along with the fact that they had become quite valuable!
I brought my 65 black 300 hp 4 speed convertible with me.
I had a part time job at night in an auto parts store and was able to purchase a used set of Goodyear Blue Streak tires and new Torque Thrust D wheels to mount them on.
The Blue Streaks were slippery as snot in the rain but my big regret is when I had the tires mounted to the mag wheels I threw the hubcaps in the dumpster.
When I bought the car at a used Corvette dealer in Grand Rapids, MI it came with the 65 OEM hub caps which I thought were ugly. I had the dealer swap those for 1966 Corvette hubcaps.
Later in life I came to regret that as someone could really have used those if I had stashed them away along with the fact that they had become quite valuable!
On a different magnitude, if you google the wiki page of Ronald Wayne, you'll see that he's most famous for selling 10% of Apple Corp in 1976 for $800. His shares would be worth 60 billion today...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 163
From: OP Kansas
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Everybody would do some things differently in hindsight... Don't dwell on it too much.
On a different magnitude, if you google the wiki page of Ronald Wayne, you'll see that he's most famous for selling 10% of Apple Corp in 1976 for $800. His shares would be worth 60 billion today...
On a different magnitude, if you google the wiki page of Ronald Wayne, you'll see that he's most famous for selling 10% of Apple Corp in 1976 for $800. His shares would be worth 60 billion today...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
So, we're supposed to get all fizzed up over what might have been ?
You could just as easily have had your life savings in Enron or with Bernard Madoff....nobody has a crystal ball...
My most regretted mod (dumb kid with first car) was taking the hubcaps off my '60 Impala and pounding those chrome plated spinner nut covers over each individual steel lug nut. First time I had a flat I found out how goofy a move THAT was !
You could just as easily have had your life savings in Enron or with Bernard Madoff....nobody has a crystal ball...
My most regretted mod (dumb kid with first car) was taking the hubcaps off my '60 Impala and pounding those chrome plated spinner nut covers over each individual steel lug nut. First time I had a flat I found out how goofy a move THAT was !
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 28, 2015 at 12:23 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Middle TN by way of KY, OH, VA, IL, CA, FL, NY, SC, HI
While I would be bummed about selling early Apple stock, I could be just as upset for not buying it in the first place.
But mostly, I am glad for the women I dated earlier that I did not get married to.
Where would I be today had I stuck with any of them.
Now coming up on 35 years married to Heather - the "right" one.
But mostly, I am glad for the women I dated earlier that I did not get married to.
Where would I be today had I stuck with any of them.Now coming up on 35 years married to Heather - the "right" one.
Le Mans Master
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From: Poway CA
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Careful Frankie.... those can be the MOST regretted mods! 
Pro
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From: Lower Jefferson
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mines all stock and original, except some body removed her gallbladder and threw it away. She has a nice patina. I'll keep her.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Texas
Hmmmm..
I find it quite interesting that "very few" have done things to heir cars that they regret...or anything they will talk about...lol! (...theres a ton of work done to these cars on this forum too!)
Maybe because those kinds of gremlins could possibly hurt the sale of the cars down the road someday.... if it was common knowledge. ???
I find it quite interesting that "very few" have done things to heir cars that they regret...or anything they will talk about...lol! (...theres a ton of work done to these cars on this forum too!)
Maybe because those kinds of gremlins could possibly hurt the sale of the cars down the road someday.... if it was common knowledge. ???
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From: Mustang OK
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All the damn chrome plating I did to the 56!
When I was in college I worked at a chrome shop. I bought the 56 a few years after college and the owner of the chrome shop would let me come in at night and do my own parts---------------so I went crazy, ALLLLLLLLL the suspension parts, front cross member, drive shaft, springs, axle housing, etc, etc, etc------------I even disassembled the soft top frame and chromed it. DAMN, what an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT, I do not regret "upgrading" it like a 57 with the 579D option-----------I like that!
When I was in college I worked at a chrome shop. I bought the 56 a few years after college and the owner of the chrome shop would let me come in at night and do my own parts---------------so I went crazy, ALLLLLLLLL the suspension parts, front cross member, drive shaft, springs, axle housing, etc, etc, etc------------I even disassembled the soft top frame and chromed it. DAMN, what an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT, I do not regret "upgrading" it like a 57 with the 579D option-----------I like that!
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Rochester NY
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
I can think of a mod I ALMOST did that I'm glad I did not. In the late 60's I had a '67 427, yellow with black hood. At the time, metalflake paint was the rage, and the local Corvette shop had some bright green that I thought would look great instead of the black. Plus, he would scrape the back of a mirror or something, make tiny reflective flakes, and shoot it in a clear coat over the color. It looked like diamonds as the sun caught it.
For some reason I thought that would be the coolest look, but just didn't have the money to go for it. I may have sold the car 45 years ago, but I'm STILL glad I never followed through on that!
For some reason I thought that would be the coolest look, but just didn't have the money to go for it. I may have sold the car 45 years ago, but I'm STILL glad I never followed through on that!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Williamsburg Virginia
Crazy things we do.
Around 1961 my Dad and I purchased a one owner '55 Bel-Air convertible for $500.00. Car was bone stock 265 with overdrive, color was Gypsy Red/Shoreline Beige. I immediately removed both upper and lower paint dividers and painted it a Dodge Red. Pulled the engine and replaced it with a '56 engine bored .030 over. Why you ask? Because the '56 has a block mounted oil filter. Re-upholstered the seats and door panels in white rolled and pleat. I also changed the top from beige to white. I threw away the full wheel covers and replaced them with '60 dog food dish stlye. Last but not least I cut a big azz hole in the floor for that Hurst shifter.
In 1975 my Dad sold it for $800 after it had sat in my Grandfather garage since 1964. Such is life.
Earl
In 1975 my Dad sold it for $800 after it had sat in my Grandfather garage since 1964. Such is life.
Earl
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Clayton NC
Around 1961 my Dad and I purchased a one owner '55 Bel-Air convertible for $500.00. Car was bone stock 265 with overdrive, color was Gypsy Red/Shoreline Beige. I immediately removed both upper and lower paint dividers and painted it a Dodge Red. Pulled the engine and replaced it with a '56 engine bored .030 over. Why you ask? Because the '56 has a block mounted oil filter. Re-upholstered the seats and door panels in white rolled and pleat. I also changed the top from beige to white. I threw away the full wheel covers and replaced them with '60 dog food dish stlye. Last but not least I cut a big azz hole in the floor for that Hurst shifter.
In 1975 my Dad sold it for $800 after it had sat in my Grandfather garage since 1964. Such is life.
Earl
In 1975 my Dad sold it for $800 after it had sat in my Grandfather garage since 1964. Such is life.
Earl
Hitch
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Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Sarver Pa
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I cut the trunk out of my 59 Vette to put 14x32 slicks on it, along w a Jegs chassis and a narrowed 9" ford. The body WAS in beautiful shape. I still have it and don't know what to do about it. It just sets in storage along with a 540" BB engine. Wish I had never cut it!
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