I suppose my story is very similar to Red Cross. I've always been a car nut too. My Father was a new car salesman for the first 27 years of my life, so it was very common for him to drive 2 or 3 different new cars every model year. That fact must have "ingrained itself into me at a very early age, and I guess that's why I felt comfortable with the "fleet mentality" I developed. My brother was 6 years older, and of course very much into cars also, so I never really had much of a chance to break free of the "automotive addiction, monkey on my back" thing. (Not that I wanted to).
Getting my drivers license in Jan. 1967 put me right in the middle of the "Muscle Car Wars", so it was kind of like a sink or swim situation for a car guy. You either had a nice, fast car, or you got no respect on the street. I realize how silly all of this sounds to some of you, but it truly is the way it was 40 years ago (or at least how a car guy perceived it). On Fri. and Sat. nights in the summer, every dozen stop lights or so, you had to prove yourself, and your cars ability to the guy who pulled up beside you. Hey, they didn't raise the car insurance rates in the fall of 1969 for nothing.
Since I never drank, smoked, gambled, or used recreational drugs, I always had a little extra cash to splurge on toys, so I did. I bought my first house when I was 24, and I didn't get married until I was 32, so I never had a wife or kids to worry about, and that allowed me to indulge myself all the more. When I finally met the "right" woman and got married, she turned out to be someone who enjoyed cars too. So the cycle continued. Even when my daughter was born in 1986, we continued to enjoy a number of sporty cars. But 2 seaters have always been my cars of choice, and probably always will.
Actually, if you subtract all the "winter" cars, and Vans from my list, the number drops to 74. The winter cars were usually bought and sold at little or no loss or gain. Lots of other cars I actually turned a profit on because I was able to buy them "wholesale" thanks to my Dad. But of course over the years I probably lost $1,000s on all the New cars I bought. But since the new ones are the ones you really, really want, the enjoyment that you get out of them is hard to put a price on.
Right now I own 9 cars. 2 are projects, 3 are our everyday vehicles, and the AMX, Viper, Miata, and Crossfire are the "toys". I can honestly say there isn't any other cars out there that I currently want. Oh sure I'd love a Ford GT, or a Porsche Cayman, but not enough to give up any of the toys that I now have. The only car that I ever wanted, and never got was a mid 60's Jaguar XK-E coupe. When ever I was in the financial position to actually buy one, I chickened out because of all the electrical, and mechanical nightmare "horror" stories I had heard about. Still, I feel it's got to be one of the most beautiful designs ever.
I suppose I simply feel "variety" truly is the spice of life, and since we're only on this planet for a very short time, you might as well surround yourself with God, family, friends, pets, hobbies, and toys that you enjoy. And everything else sort of works itself out.



"Sorry for the long post".