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I had just moved to Vegas after training for my first duty station when someone told me about craigslist. So about every three days I would look it up and just search for "gems" with pics so I could salivate and dream. One day I came across an ad with no pics. "1968 Olds 442, not running, $2300"
I realize I had never seen a 68 442 in person and thought it would be cool to go see. So I email the guy for some pics, he responds with tiny ones and his address, which just so happens to be just south of base. Right out the gate. So I set up to see him the next day during my lunch hour and roll down. I meet the current owner, good ole Kentucky boy, ex-Air Force, and a gearhead. So he tells me the story as we walk around, of how this car came into his posession. He had bought it off of his son's friend as a father/son project. His son's friend was apparently a big pothead and needed the money. Somewhere along the line this doper had sold the hood hinges, his gf had stolen the insignia after they broke up (devil-woman), RIVETED on new quarter panels, tried to make his own HEI wiring harness, effectively killing the engine, and also spun two bearings. So when he couldn't drive it anymore and needed money, the current owner offered to buy it. Him and his son rebuilt the engine and installed it, however, as time went on, the son fell into the trap that oh so many young people fall into now adays. The "I want to have fun and I want to NOW!" trap. So he bought a newer sports car and left the 442 to waste away in front of their house. So, the second natural thing happens, after 1.5 years, Mom says "get that @#$% out from in front of the house". So up it went for sale.
I didn't plan on buying it. In fact I thought it was one of the ugliest musclecars ever, but after a few days of looking over the pics, I caved. I called the owner and told him I was in, if it hadn't been sold. He says he does have another guy looking at it, hard enough to have sent a check already, sight unseen. He goes "son, do you want this car?". I responded with a solid affirmative statement to which he replies "I'm gonna tell him its yours and to #@$% off. Us military got to look after each other." I ran to the bank, grabbed $800 to lock it up and dropped it off. Paid the rest off a few weeks later and then suckered some friends into helping me get a "junker civic" home. Now the previous owner won't stop calling me and askin me when he can come over and help work on it. Which is great cause he's a welder of 25 years. So now I'm an adopted son in his family and his wife is trying to hook me up with their daughter. Maybe they just want the car back, haha. But it would be kinda fun to be out and about and when someone asks where I got my date I can say "She came with the car."
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