Volkswagens
Back in the early 1980s, before I could drive, one of my uncles gave me pile of Volks Wagen related magazines that he was throwing out. I was amazed at the range of things you could buy for maintaining and modify a VW Beetle. The idea that I'd like to get one to 'play with' stayed in the back of my mind for an awful long time before circumstances made it viable, and I finally bought my 1969 Beetle a quarter of a century later in April 2007!
The odd thing is that although VW vans never had much of an appeal before, while doing research prior to buying the ol' bug, I began to notice and lust after a Bay van as well. Consequently when my bug ended up being off the road for a bit longer then anticipated, I went out and bought a 1971 Bay van as well.
Also the bug it turned out that the bug needed much more work than I'd originally thought and though I intended to do it, a change of circumstances in 2009 meant I had to let it go. I still have my van though and have no intention of parting with it.