I havent owned a 40 since sometime in 2006. I had to sell it somewhat suddenly, not long after I was driving it home from the bar one night, 12/23/05 actually, and failed to yield to an oncoming car in an intersection. That car happened to be a Sheriffs Deputy. I happened to be quite drunk. 
And my insurance happened to have lapsed at the time, as it was a second vehicle. 
So I got the triple whammy. Luckily, the sheriffs deputy was ok, as was I. I cant say the same for the Crown Victoria driven by the deputy. Total loss. Paid by me out of pocket because, did I mention my insurance was not up to date? My 75 Cruiser faired pretty well. It was impounded. 
The Crown Vic was taken to the crusher, I assume. The State Trooper that arrived soon thereafter gave me a field sobriety test, which I passed somehow, and promptly took me to jail for DUI.
It was a sad ending for that chapter of that Cruisers life with me. But I sold it to someone who had plans for a full restoration, which is somewhat comforting. There is no doubt that I was drunk and I shouldnt have been driving. However, until my dying day, I will submit to you that that deputy was FLYING 
through that intersection, with no emergency lights on, at a dimly lit intersection at about 2:00 am. I do take some satisfaction in the fact that the Crown Vic hit my 75 Cruiser at a high rate of speed and totalled itself, while the 40 was still drivable.
My first 40, a '77 that I bought when I was 16, also met an untimely demise. At the behest of a friend, a Jeep owner nonetheless, I attempted a water crossing, that turned out to be much deeper than we thought. We had to swim out of the windows, and when we got back to shore I turned around and it was nowhere to be seen, completely submerged.
So fast forward to about a month ago, when I came across a '78 -40 on CL in Texas. It looked pretty solid and original in the few pics on CL so I called about it. The guy I spoke with said he had bought it in 09 from the original owner. That sounds good I thought. I told him I wanted to see some more pics, so he had an acquaintance who was familiar with computers send me some more pics. I liked what i saw so my plan was to sleep on it and call him back the next day and make an offer. I got restless that night and decided not to wait, and made an offer that night. He accepted and I was on my way to Texas the next day with my trailer in tow. Got there the day after that and here is what I got....
And my insurance happened to have lapsed at the time, as it was a second vehicle. So I got the triple whammy. Luckily, the sheriffs deputy was ok, as was I. I cant say the same for the Crown Victoria driven by the deputy. Total loss. Paid by me out of pocket because, did I mention my insurance was not up to date? My 75 Cruiser faired pretty well. It was impounded. The Crown Vic was taken to the crusher, I assume. The State Trooper that arrived soon thereafter gave me a field sobriety test, which I passed somehow, and promptly took me to jail for DUI. It was a sad ending for that chapter of that Cruisers life with me. But I sold it to someone who had plans for a full restoration, which is somewhat comforting. There is no doubt that I was drunk and I shouldnt have been driving. However, until my dying day, I will submit to you that that deputy was FLYING through that intersection, with no emergency lights on, at a dimly lit intersection at about 2:00 am. I do take some satisfaction in the fact that the Crown Vic hit my 75 Cruiser at a high rate of speed and totalled itself, while the 40 was still drivable. My first 40, a '77 that I bought when I was 16, also met an untimely demise. At the behest of a friend, a Jeep owner nonetheless, I attempted a water crossing, that turned out to be much deeper than we thought. We had to swim out of the windows, and when we got back to shore I turned around and it was nowhere to be seen, completely submerged.
So fast forward to about a month ago, when I came across a '78 -40 on CL in Texas. It looked pretty solid and original in the few pics on CL so I called about it. The guy I spoke with said he had bought it in 09 from the original owner. That sounds good I thought. I told him I wanted to see some more pics, so he had an acquaintance who was familiar with computers send me some more pics. I liked what i saw so my plan was to sleep on it and call him back the next day and make an offer. I got restless that night and decided not to wait, and made an offer that night. He accepted and I was on my way to Texas the next day with my trailer in tow. Got there the day after that and here is what I got....
Edit : ... Ooops. I see now that he's the PO.
and great story - except for the drunken part of it 
