Nigel Mckimm was in high school during the early 1990s when he purchased his first car, a very important moment for every car guy.
The big difference is Nigel sold his first car, bought it back, sold his first car again, and finally bought it back for good in 2023.
The result is a car guy story with a very happy ending–one that needed to be told to our MyStarCollectorCar readers.
Jim Sutherland
The car in question is a 1968 Dodge Dart two-door sedan that left the factory with Mopar’s famous Slant Six engine and was a reliable car for a teenaged Nigel when he initially owned it. Nigel said the Dart “was in great shape” when he bought it but “got neglected over the years and then sold”.
Most car guys have a special attachment to their first cars but are unable to reconnect with their milestone vehicles because their first cars usually have a final appointment with a crusher. However, Nigel knew his ’68 Dart was still around and reacquired it when he traded a 1986 Pontiac Firefly for his first car.
Nigel’s first car story did not end because he sold his Dart (along with his future bride’s 1973 Valiant) to a buddy who gutted the cars before he sold them back to Nigel. Nigel and his wife owned a rural property, so the two cars were stored until the Mckimms sold the property and moved the vehicles to their new property.
Unfortunately, the cars sat outside on their new property and the Valiant was heavily damaged by a falling tree. Nigel was not happy watching his Dart deteriorate in outdoor storage over the years so, once again, he made another tough decision to sell the car.
The new owner made some significant changes to the Dart, including a Mopar 360 small block under its hood coupled to a Torqueflite 3-speed automatic and a Ford 8-inch rear end. Other improvements were a new windshield, rear shackles and gas tank, along with wiring repairs that brought Nigel’s first car back on the road.
Nigel sold the ’68 Dart to the previous owner under one condition: he would get the first opportunity to buy back the car if the former owner decided to sell it. “I bugged him a couple of times over the next couple of years and he showed me the progress he made”, in Nigel’s words.
Nigel added, “Finally he messaged me one day and said I’m selling the Dart”. The buyer and seller were able to negotiate a price so, in 2023, Nigel became the proud owner of a 1968 Dodge Dart for the third time in roughly 25 years, spanning over three separate decades.
Nigel has no plans to sell his first car ever again. Now he has a well-equipped shop, along with the right tools and skills to transform his Dart into his dream car.
In our opinion, Nigel is already living every car guy’s perfect dream because he got back his first car.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
- CLICK HERE to Sign Up for the Newsletter
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
