1982 Chevy Malibu Station Wagon. Bought it used with 66K on it. We needed a bigger car with 2 kids.
It had a 4bbl 305 V8 (like 180hp tops). Prior owner blew the 200 transmission and replaced it with a Turbo 350 with a shift kit. I added rims and tires, new dual exhaust system and a receiver hitch. Sold it with 166K miles on it and it still ran like a champ! Rock solid dependable, but ugly according to my wife. ;-)
Only think I had to do to it while I owned it was oil changes every 3K miles, tune-ups, brakes a couple of times and replace the intake manifold when corrosion caused a coolant leak. Easy fix, and I was back on the road driving again!
My kids still remember it!
Needed a daily driver that could tow a VW drag car, and found this rough ‘64 El Camino. It had been abused. Prior own (likely drunk) drove it between two polls and crushed the side bed panels in. He rear ended someone so the entire front clip was replaced. It was a labor love, or something like that. Paid $600 for it. Made my own interior for it, did the body work, front end work, made it run good, and drove the crap out of it. I later sold the car for $3400.
Quirky? drum brakes, 2-sp power glide transmission, wiring and electrical issues, and a tacky louvered rear tail gate that the prior own did (never could find a replacement tailgate).
Back then it ran American 5-spoke rims that nobody wanted. Today they'd be like gold to the 50-year old hot rod guys!