Got a story of a car you "loved and lost" or sold? Or found ... years later?

[jeffg1010]

#96 on my bucket list (yep, I have an official one) is to write a book. But, when I first put it on there, I had no idea where the content would come from. But I am moving forward with it now.

I grew up in WV when coal mining was taking a dive. So, needless to say, we saw some tough economic times.

My dad was a car guy and he was always hauling home some rusty worn out car to build. As I grew up I learned a lot about car restoration and I saw many beautiful transformations in our driveway. However, it never failed, every couple of years, my dads company would close, or lay off. And the dreaded "For Sale" sign would come out in an effort to pay for a trip to Myrtle Beach, or Christmas.

This was something that happened all through my life. I sat down one day and tried to determine what it was that doomed each car. I am starting to put these together and my dad is getting me the exact dates and "stories", but I will share a few here:
Around 1978:
-1957 Chevy 2 door non-post - Sold after Westmoreland Coal shut down leaving my dad unemployed.
Around 1983:
-1956 Chevy 4 door - Sold to get better house near my grandparents after my mom had surgery
Around 1985
-1964 Nova SS - Sold to pay for Christmas
I still hear the stories of how I stood in the driveway and cried when the '56 and the Nova drove off with the new owner.
Around 1989 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo - Sold after my dads company transferred us to Lexington, KY
Around 1991
1956 Chevrolet Nomad - Sold to buy my sister's first car, my truck (a year later) was bought with a small $2,000 inheritance given my a death of a family member. Otherwise, the new project Impala SS would've gone to the chopping block.
Around 1994
1962 Chevrolet Impala SS - Sold to help pay for my sister and I to go to college

The sad thing is... this isn't all. These are just a few of the ones he got on the road. Sometimes, the project never even made it to paint before he would make the decision to sell it. I hate to sound too sarcastic, but it's sad knowing that he sold a collectable car to pay for MY Christmas toys that have been resting in a landfill for 20+ years. But, it made US (my sister and I) happy at the time and my dad was willing to make the sacrifice.

Unfortunately for my dad, we have no clue as to the fate of his old cars. They have disappeared into our memories and the only remaining artifact is a few Polaroid photos.

So... tell me some of your stories. I have put in for an ISBN with a publisher to author a book titled "The Ones That Got Away". The project draft is already registered and my first draft is due by November 1st.

The book will be a compilation of stories from folks who had classic cars that "got away". I am looking for unique twists, and even stories from folks who were able to find them years later.

Share them with me here on the forum or at jeffg1010@yahoo.com. Please send me a description of the story and give as much detail as possible. I will be especially interested in stories with unique twists, or searches to uncover the mystery of "where it is now" These don't have to be Chevy truck stories. And if you know someone with a good story, feel free to refer this to them to follow up.