Barn Find...in MY BARN!

We moved to one of the families rental units back in Oct. Has a 3 car barn out back. Haven't had any time to start cleaning it out until this week in the nice weather. So I'm yanking out rotten wood from the floor to get down to dirt so we can get some crete poured and decided to try the other garage door. There's a divider wall between the 2 car side and the 1 so I didn't know what was there.

Door won't budge. So I fixed that problem by digging a hole a jamming my smaller 2-ton jack under it and pumping away. Got it loose, picked it up and found this Thunderbird half covered! For once in my life I had the luck of the draw!!!

Couldn't believe it. Interior is molded out and stinky, top is shot. But buddy, this thing is sweet. So I called Grandma and said, "what's in the garage?" She said she's not sure anymore, an old car that needs work. Who forgets about something like this! Wow!

Anyway, haven't popped the hood yet. Keys are in it, on the left side dash of the column. I don't have any experience with Thunderbirds. In fact, up till now I always poked fun at them and called them Thunderchickens...guess that's gonna change.

Anyone give me a year on this thing? And my project search is over!!! All this time it's been here! HA!

Attached are the step-by-step of this discovery with my cell camera so they're not that great. If you need better ones to help me with year I can, well, walk out back and get them!

Hershey? Has anyone told you there is a car show there in October?

I had no idea?lol. Yes, 1937, been going since I was a kid...well, a younger kid anyway. And O.C. Maryland has one coming up in May we go to. Not AACA idt, but still a blast. And Carlisle...we do the tri-state tour.

Hopefully I can have this there or at least drive it around and look special.

Chrome's a little pitted but will shine up

that is a nice looking 1956 Thunderbird, congratulations ...

Great car,please keep us to date

What a great find, they're fun cars....the '56 had cowl vents, that's a dead giveaway, and I think the wind wings were only on '56....fun cars......congrats....

Great story! How long was the car sitting there?

Neighbor said he remembers them putting 3 classics in there about 15 years ago (he judged the time-frame by what dogs he's had since, which I thought was amusing as well) and no ones opened the doors since. This is the only one left out there out of the 3.

Unfortunately, my Aaunt wants it, and she's on the list for stuff before me, but I am humbly permitted to put my tools to her and then cruise it. Just won't officially be mine.

But there's NO WAY I'm going to keep her hidden anymore. I just can't do that. She saw the sun today and I think I heard a 'thank God' eek out of her from her last running breath.

Going to be a fun, easy project and the best part is I'll be reimbursed for the parts. So I'm starting tomorrow via internet research. Gonna be a blast! And to top things off, literally, the hardtop is in a different garage down the street.

What a great find, they're fun cars....the '56 had cowl vents, that's a dead giveaway, and I think the wind wings were only on '56....fun cars......congrats....

It has pop out vents on the engine housing side and the scoop is actually functional, not just a decorative piece...real cool. Motor still had oil. I didn't know these had '?suicide hoods?'. Popped right open. No cats attacked me either, which I was actually fearing for a second!

What a great find, they're fun cars....the '56 had cowl vents, that's a dead giveaway, and I think the wind wings were only on '56....fun cars......congrats....

The easiest giveaway is the Thunderbird badge on the hood. 1955 'Birds had a Ford badge.

Awesome! :cool:

Way cool. Have fun with it.

The continental spare was only found on the 56 and the deep dish steering wheel on the carried over 55 dash.

Yep, I missed the spare in the one picture, whispering '56............

What a cool find! Enjoy putting her back together.

This young man comes from a storied antique car family and is lucky enough to have a wonderful grandmother who is a real "car guy". I wish I had a grandmother with a lot of cars (an lots of other stuff!). He visited our library the other day and nice to see someone who is young getting involved in the hobby!

This young man comes from a storied antique car family and is lucky enough to have a wonderful grandmother who is a real "car guy". I wish I had a grandmother with a lot of cars (an lots of other stuff!). He visited our library the other day and nice to see someone who is young getting involved in the hobby!

Hey, Steve...I know 32 is young to you guys, but remember when you were there? That's me right now. Young kids and 'free-time'. I'm just waiting for you to put a new friend of the library to work!

*picking up a 64 Corvair on Mon. or Tues....in MY NAME. She needs work but complete for $700? And with the Ranch right in Gettysburg I'll have her ready for fall.(fingers crossed)

dminer,

I'm surprised you haven't gotten a post yet saying 56 T-Birds aren't collectible......but call me immediately so I can make you an offer!

Congratulations on the great find! Sounds too good to be true. Does it actually have a motor?

jeff...here's the pictures. They tell it all. Like I said, I have to wait in line for 'ownership' , but I can get it back on the road and float it around when I'm done!

It has an 'everstart' battery and mud for oil, so I think someone must've been tooling around in the last 5yrs. Neighbor swears that garage doors been shut for "pert near 15 year now".

I'm not 100% on this, but I'm fairly certain this is the car my aunt used when she registered with the Hershey club...don't know why she picked this one. I mean, it is real and real nice, but I've gotta show you guys some storage garage pictures. You'd be angry mixed with happy mixed with 'are you kidding me?'.

well -- try us on the emotional mix up. You got me curious for sure!

Okay prs519, here's the iceberg tip for you. I went for my morning cigarette stroll and took some teasers for you. NONE OF THIS STUFF IS FOR SALE AND IT'S NOT MINE.(but I'm on the list somewhere, someday...)

The first car is in pieces out under a carport, looks to be all there but I don't know what the heck it is so I snapped a picture of where the hood emblem was. I'm sure someone will know.

Then inside the 2-car garage attached to the car port are 2 Henry J's. Both 51's. White one has a bunch of changes, obviously, and I had them posted about a month or so ago because I had and still have eventual plans for the black one. It's all original, including matching engine. And when I say all original, I mean it still has the original onyx factory paint job.

Then here's an 8 car garage, that probably has 10 cars in it, that I'll get the key for later as it's actually locked.

Neighbor said he remembers them putting 3 classics in there about 15 years ago (he judged the time-frame by what dogs he's had since, which I thought was amusing as well) and no ones opened the doors since. This is the only one left out there out of the 3.

Unfortunately, my Aaunt wants it, and she's on the list for stuff before me, but I am humbly permitted to put my tools to her and then cruise it. Just won't officially be mine.

Do you think your aunt will let it go to you or just let it sit and be forgotten again? I would hope you could talk her into letting it go since it isn't beneficial to let a car simply sit, as you can see with the interior.

The first car is in pieces out under a carport, looks to be all there but I don't know what the heck it is so I snapped a picture of where the hood emblem was. I'm sure someone will know.

the hood is from a early to mid 50s Cadillac, hard to tell about the rest - fascinating stuff!