Costliest Mistakes

[General_01]

I did not install a transmission correctly and broke a pump or something like that. Had to do it twice. Make sure that torque Coverter is in and lined up folks.  Don't make the same mistake I did.  Also, I sold parts I ended up needing down the road and had to pay twice the price to get something half ass.

Did the same thing myself. Funny thing is that I hooked up a 727 to this 440 about 9 years ago. I pulled the 440 out of my 71, rebuilt the motor and bought a new tranny for the 69. I hooked the tranny up outside the car and dropped the whole thing into the 69. Drove it about two months sparingly and it was leaking oil like crazy. Seems I took the pump out. Awesome! So it was $900 for the tranny, $400 for the tourque converter and $1,000 for the rebuild. Live and learn i guess.

[GTX]

second I got married

Same here, Soon after I met my wife these got sold:
'74 Roadrunner
'69 Roadrunner convertible
'70 Charger 383
and after the new house(and this hurts)
'69 B5 Charger 383 4-speed console

Now, Her,the house and the Charger are gone

I've seen this many times. I will not allow anyone to tell me that I have to buy or sell anything. Big red flags and whistles go off in my head!
Fortunately for me, mine supports most of my hobbies and actually told me to buy another Mopar although she wants a 'Cuda or Challenger.
The only thing she's done was she told me once that nearly 100 video arcade machines was a bit much.

Now on the other hand, I'd say that letting her know what I spend on the cars is a costly mistake!
( I quit telling her)

[Old Moparz]

On this Charger, it's been none.

No, I'm not bragging & I'm not perfect, but I have a master's degree in "Costly Auto Repairs & Restoration History - 101" that had me spending as much, or more, than my college tuition. In the past, I found out that you can't restore your daily driver the way you really want to, you need two cars. Every repair or phase of the resto costs more than expected, & parts other than the one you are working on, will need to be replaced too. Getting stiffed by a body shop for both shoddy work (on a different car) & unpaid carpentry services all totalling over $12,000 will teach you well too. 

Patience, as well as looking at things carefully, are the best things to have & use to keep the costs down. It'll give you the chance to be in the right place at the right time when I deal pops up, & also It'll keep you from jumping into something based on your emotions.

[mally69]

i realize i could change this at any time jut dont want to,,, but i wished i would have bought a set of eddy heads for my 440 when i had it all torn apart,,,     now i want more power   so i simply bought  another charger and building a 512  stroker defintly not going to skip anything this time   

[Highbanked Hauler]

  Working my 500 hard when I got it new and not taking better care of it when I quit running it or when it quit running.

[41husk]

I would have to say my most exspensive mistake was telling my wife what I paid for used parts

[GTX]

Should have seen the look I got when my '67 Mustang went away and a blower suddenly appeared.
I thought I was a dead man for about a month!

[Bandit4142]

Paying someone upfront for new custom interior, without checking references first....   

[Doright]

Buying a car that needed to be restored

[Mike DC]

     
Should have built 2 Chargers from the beginning instead of just the one. 

Comfy nice street cars are very different animals from fast/fun beaters.  It's frustrating to try and make one car be so good at both jobs.