I'm one of the lucky ones. 15 April 1970 I bought HLS30-00721. Sold her in 1977. Bought her back this spring. In the process of falling in love all over again.

Frank

Well, as long as you don't complain about the IPO prior to the IPO.....

E

Man, I used to think I had a pretty low VIN # (2126) but, when I see VIN #s of 26, 27, and 721 I just have to say WOW!!!

Tom

I'm one of the lucky ones. 15 April 1970 I bought HLS30-00721. Sold her in 1977. Bought her back this spring. In the process of falling in love all over again.

Nice. How did you find the car after all that time?

A club member and friend of mine has #95 at his Z shop.

Well, Brian, it wasn't so much me finding him as it was he finding me.

When I sold the car, he agreed that should he ever decide to sell it I would have the right of first refusal. He decided to sell and, true to his word, looked me up. I don't know how he found me (probably google or phonebook) but he did.

Another part of our 1977 agreement was that when/if I was offered the opportunity to repurchase 721, I would only pay what I was paid in 1977. Now that's a bargain in anybody's coupon file.

Thus far, the car has been re-bushed from stem to stern, the Mikunis cleaned and synched, engine bay stripped and painted, head skimmed and re-torqued, new clutch, brake master and booster, Tokiko Illuminas, etcetera. Fresh color goes on the body Tuesday (it is the 920 gold that I'm jazzin' a little with some metallic). I'm also adding a 3-piece rear IMSA spoiler and front air dam. The suspension was dropped when I owned it before. And the BRE 3/4 race cam, headers, remote oil filter mount with oil cooler make the stock bottom-end dish out something approaching 250 HP (175-180 at the wheels). Still have the original 4-speed and R180 but a 5-speed will go in shortly and I'm looking for an economical LSD conversion w/3.7-3.9 gearing.

What amazes me the most about this whole chapter is the integrity of one man keeping his 30-year-old word (not a vow or oath, just his word). This has resulted in a ying-yang thing for me....joy with the car (good) and depletion of retirement reserves (bad). But I'll get over it.

Regards,

Frank

good karma will follow the seller.

by the way, how much did u buy it back for??

u don't have to answer if u don't want to. i'll understand

I'd rather not say, but I got only slightly less than the sticker price I paid in 1970 when I sold it in 1977.

Needless to say, I've got far more in it today than I ever put into it when I had it the first time. But back then I was young and couldn't appreciate what I had, otherwise I wouldn't have sold it.

G'Day Frank,

Congratulations on rediscovering your long lost love. You were very fortunate that he's old fashioned enough to be "A man of his word".

"A man's reputation is only as good as his word" was drilled into me from a very early age by my grandfather and I still abide by that rule. It's always held me in good stead. SOME, I say SOME, young blokes wouldn't agree in this day and age. Unfortunately.

Rick.

:devious::devious:

Neat story - I'ld like to get my 71 back, but the guy I sold it to was rear ended by a frontend loader - unsalvageable. Boo Hoo.