Cars In Barns

[60FlatTop]

A want ad is like an invitation the way I figure it.

[John348]

9 hours ago, TAKerry said:

2018-07-05_09-19-58 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

These tags would fit right in with that car. MD issued a one year only Bicentennial plate in '76. Mom had them on her car in the day. I was lucky to find a really nice set at Carlisle. When I registered them with the state the girl at the DMV had no idea what they were, I had to explain them. Of course this was when states typically issued one style plate across the board, none of the dozens of different designs for every cause under the sun like is around today. Ironically, I had to have the YOM plate inspected but yet MD requires no inspection for an antique car.

 

That is a pretty cool plate, you are right they would look good on my car. I hunted down that Chevrolet USA 1 plate for the front. My wife calls it Marlboro car, looks like a prize you would get saved enough of cigarette coupons (that another 70's thing) When the Mirage came out the country was all bicentennialed out. 

 

7 hours ago, padgett said:

a) dozens Meh. Florida has more than dozens, even many different license plates. LEO (law enforcement officer) just looks for a current sticker.

b) 4k Mirages. High production. Pontiac made 63 Notchback and 66 Fastback 1978 Sunbirds with V8 & 4-speed. Also an H-body.

 

 

I never said it was rare or low production car. I am puzzled by your comment. and if you think 4,000 cars out of a 80,000 cars are high production you are entitled to your opinion, being my Mirage is such a high production car, how many have you seen in the last 30 years? ,,, for that matter 40 years? Lets talk about members barn finds or even your barn finds 

I don't know where you are getting your numbers from but my info differs from yours,  they made 481 V-8 Pontiac H Body cars and there were no other body styles and overall 22,786 four speeds

Edited March 11, 2021 by John348 (see edit history)

[Ed Luddy]

On 3/9/2021 at 1:25 PM, Matt Harwood said:

This was a pretty exciting day for me:

 

     

 

Yes, that's a triple black 1966 Impala SS427 convertible with 28,000 original miles. Here's what we did to it:

 

Not quite a barn but not a regular garage, either. And that first photo is after we did a lot of digging to uncover the cars. There was a ton of garden equipment piled all around them.

 

Man, I want that car back...

You have the curse of the classic car dealer......, "Man, I want that car back..." 

Happens to me all the time.

[Ed Luddy]

Here's today's "garage pick" 1965 Buick Electra deuce n' a quarter soft top. Solid car, ran and drove good for a 35 minute run to buddy's place.

[Ed Luddy]

This was just north of Toronto Ontario today. perfect for a cruise on the 407 Turnpike

[Ed Luddy]

1966 VW Kombi from a few weeks back.

[Yolanda Rays]

On 3/9/2021 at 9:47 AM, edinmass said:

This was a decent barn........rebuilt in the 70’s when the car was parked.

I liiiiike this one!

[edinmass]

2 minutes ago, Yolanda Rays said:

I liiiiike this one!

 

I agree......there are only five of this series eight in the world, and a I have owned two of them. There are three of the V-12’s still in existence........and I have owned one of them. They seem to find me. 

[jensenracing77]

On 3/9/2021 at 12:44 PM, edinmass said:

Now, for the BIg question...........did you get the Trump sign?

I tried but he was not letting it go

 

[Morgansdad]

On 3/9/2021 at 7:09 PM, John348 said:

I ran a wanted ad in Antique Automobile, not expecting that anyone would reply, once I saw this picture I wired the money. I posted this photo before on another thread

This is a really sweet looking car ! I can just barely remember one here in our hometown way back in the day. Never got the chance to see it up close tho. We had a couple of Gulf stations and I was into all kinds of cars. Got the chance to be around some really nice and fast cars and trucks. Great find !

[Digger914]

I built this little barn just so I could put a car in it.

[BucketofBolts]

Nice barn but the wrong car. 

[AHa]

Now you can go out and "find" the car every morning. It's the ultimate barn find experience!

[Digger914]

5 hours ago, BucketofBolts said:

Nice barn but the wrong car. 

This car is one of the limited production, ultra rare and highly collectible,  Edsel by  Iacocca, AKA the Chrysler TC by Maserati.

Edited March 15, 2021 by Digger914 (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

8 hours ago, Digger914 said:

This car is one of the limited production, ultra rare and highly collectible,  Edsel by  Iacocca, AKA the Chrysler TC by Maserati.

There was a real estate developer that lived down the road from me, bought one of these new. I always thought it was a nice looking car. Even up to a few years ago I would see it on the road. He either moved to FLA or passed away or both, no idea what happened to the car.

[rodneybeauchamp]

On 3/10/2021 at 7:12 AM, padgett said:

When did they begin allowing importing cars to Oz without a RHD conversion ?

I hope I can clarify here. In South Australia LHD cars were road registered up until the early ‘60s provided they carried “CAUTION - LHD” notice on the rear of the vehicle. Other states may have allowed road registration later than that as I saw a ‘67 /68 Buick wagon from ACT ( Canberra ) with the faded LHD sign on the tailgate. I remember seeing LHD Volkswagen, Mercedes and Citroen in that era here, but do not remember much else. 
 

GMH imported a few LHD cars for evaluation and road registered them including a 1961 Pontiac Tempest sedan and wagon and a 1961 Oldsmobile F85 sedan ( these are ones I have seen ). No doubt Ford and Chrysler did similar.

 

Wealthy Australians imported new US cars in the early sixties. Some would be road registered LHD others converted to RHD. A large Sydney GMH dealership imported several Buick Riviera in the mid ‘60s and possibly earlier however these were converted to RHD.  
 

US citizens working temporarily in Australia could bring in their own LHD vehicles and road register them. These were often in military bases such as Pine Gap, Woomera and in the Northern Territory. These were often sold here when they went back home.
 

From that time on until just before 1990, everything in South Australia had to be converted to RHD. Exceptions were  some Heavy Vehicles such as fire trucks, street sweepers or mining trucks and some military and industrial vehicles (aircraft tow vehicles)

 

As a result of negotiations between Government and the automotive industry and car clubs the law was changed to allow conditional LHD road registration. This may have been due to safety concerns over poor conversions and other reasons I am unaware of. Not sure why but I became aware of this in 1989 or very early 1990.

Road registration for LHD was conditional in that owners of LHD vehicles could apply for a LHD Dispensation after it passed a vehicle inspection. Dispensation was dependant on the the LHD vehicle being original, in good condition without modification or changes to bodywork, engine, wheels, driveline or suspension. The inspection covered all safety items including glass, wheels and tyres, exhaust, steering and suspension, brake hoses and lines including a braking test, all lighting, oil leaks and rust.
 

Headlamps had to dip to the left, front had to show white park lamps, white or orange turn lamps. Rear had to show orange turn lamps, two outside mirrors had to be fitted. If washers, heater-demister or other safety item was fitted, they had to work.

 

If US made seat belts were fitted, they did not comply so had to be removed prior to inspection on vehicles made before 1966 or be fitted with Australian Standard compliant belts after.
 

Once LHD Dispensation was given, they were eligible to be road registered provided they were thirty years or older. The thirty year age limit was rolling so next year allowed a new group to be road registered as LHD vehicles. Owners of LHD vehicles less than 30 years old that had passed inspection and granted dispensation were able to apply for short term, restrictive permits for club runs, repairs or disposal. These were three days or less and not easy to obtain. At that time, if driven interstate, the vehicle was technically unregistered. 😢😢😢😢 In my own case, I rarely applied as it became more and more difficult just to get three days use!
 

The law relaxed only recently whereby modifications could be made to LHD vehicles provided they were available on that vehicle in that year. Changes such as upgrading to disc brakes or putting in an optional engine size, transmission or carburettor were allowed, especially as many improved the vehicle safety. Aftermarket wheels and tyres, lowering and other minor modifications were also allowed. Extensive modifications to chassis and body relegated it to a modified vehicle class, so different rulings and regulations applied.

 

In my case, in 1990 I bought a 1964 Buick Skylark sports coupe while on holiday in California. It was such a good reliable original Buick that took it home with me as cabin baggage. ( Actually I imported it to Australia and hence began my love affairs with Buick )

 

After removing the orange park/turn signal insert lenses up front, putting in Australian Standard 5 3/4” outer sealed beams and horrible orange trailer flasher lamps on the rear it met the standards. And as if that was not enough, used a round FORD MIRROR on the RHS door to match the remote Buick one on the left. 😩😩😩😩 The lap belts were removed as they did not comply ( go figure 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 ) but it passed our safety inspection with a LHD dispensation approval letter given in mid 1990. 
 

I was able to apply for temporary 3 day permits until it went on full registration in January 1994. However as mentioned, it was so difficult to apply for three day permits, I rarely did. During this  time the seat belts were back in, rear turn lamps were back in the tail lamps and the orange park lamps up front returned. I had to have a round dispensation sticker on the windscreen and the letter of approval carried in the Buick. But the Ford mirror stayed until 1999 😢😢😢😢
 

The situation had changed little by the time the Riviera was imported in 2015. Red rear turn signals were allowed, but now photos were taken of the exterior, interior including odometer, engine bay and copies provided with the dispensation for LHD. I like taking photos too but none of them were scenic ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️. It too went through vehicle inspection after headlamps were changed and seat belts removed. Everything else complied. The inspector must have been  pleased to see the Riviera as he said to me, “Nice to see something different come through and not another bloody Mustang!” ( his words, not mine )

 

If I was a member of a car club at the time, then the stamp duty would be waived, however I chose to place it on full registration and pay the money. When the rules changed to allow modifications I joined a club.  It is currently on Club Registration which gives 90 days of unrestricted use per year as well as being able to drive up to 500metres from home when shifting cars around.

 

However, the big problem South Australia has at the moment is the attitude the authorities have to the importation of asbestos and items that have asbestos such as brake and clutch linings, trim and undercoating products, gaskets and auto transmission parts. This came about only a few years ago but has meant that imports of older US vehicles has dwindled as these asbestos items need to be removed and proof provided that they are removed to avoid hefty fines and other costs if asbestos is found.

 

I have heard that the registration laws may be relaxed to allow newer LHD vehicles to be registered ( perhaps only 20- 25 years old rather than 30 years currently) but have not seen anything official. 

 

Hope I have answered the question through my interpretation of my own personal experiences. And if some things are not correct, please chime in. There endeth the lesson! 
Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

 

[lump]

On 3/8/2021 at 9:30 PM, jensenracing77 said:

I have been lucky enough to drag many cars from many barns over the past 12 years. Even had Ryan Brutt come document one of them I drug out of a barn in Iowa. I know of others still that are not for sale. There are still cars out there to be found but not nearly as many as there use to be. 

What IS that car? I'm sure I should recognize it, but I don't. Maybe it's the dust...or maybe the photo angle? I note the 4-lug wheels, like a Falcon or Chevy II. But that front fender is neither of those, I think. 

[padgett]

Looks like an early Chevy II or Nova (4 lug wheels) 1962 ?

Edited March 15, 2021 by padgett (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

  In 2010 Tom Cotter published the book "Cobra in the Barn" 

  The lead story (That I wrote) was about a 15 year old boy who found a 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup in a barn and

   for 50 years tried to buy it.   At his age 65 he finally bought it and rescue it from the barn.   Getting it out was

  a project, but restoring it was to big a project and he then sold it.

  https://www.bing.com/search?q=the+cobra+in+the+barn+great+stories+of+automotive+archaeology+tom+cotter&

  He sold it to friend of mine who restored it.   Here it is next to my unrestored 1935 Ford pickup after a good bath.  

  

   The 1932 Roadster pickup is now restored, but my 35 is still being driven.   Originally sold a fleet truck for

   Borden's Dairy as a Model B Ford.  (You could still read Borden's on the doors.  The restoerer read about

   Ford Motor Co.  retrofitting Model B trucks with the new Ford V8 engines in late 1932 and the truck now has

   a genuine 1932 Ford V8 engine.

   Note, the rear fenders were off and in the bed when found.   Amazing what a little assembly and soap & water

   can do.   Tires that held air was were also provided after rescue.   For the story in the book, I was able to borrow

   the original pictures of the rescue, which are now in the book.  50 years is a long time to chase a car!

 

[AHa]

I had an acquaintance in Texas that tried for years to buy a Haynes car from a guy who had the car stored in a barn. He pestered the poor man to death until he finally relented and agreed to sale. My acquaintance owned the car a couple of weeks before he turned around and sold it. It turned out he never really wanted the car. For him, it was the thrill of the chase.

[keiser31]

6 hours ago, lump said:

What IS that car? I'm sure I should recognize it, but I don't. Maybe it's the dust...or maybe the photo angle? I note the 4-lug wheels, like a Falcon or Chevy II. But that front fender is neither of those, I think. 

Looks like a 1963 Oldsmobile.

Edited March 15, 2021 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Ozstatman]

13 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

I hope I can clarify here.

Rodney,

 

Thanks for the comprehensive information on LHD, and LHD to RHD, in Australia. I've learnt quite a lot!

[jensenracing77]

On 3/15/2021 at 10:37 AM, lump said:

What IS that car? I'm sure I should recognize it, but I don't. Maybe it's the dust...or maybe the photo angle? I note the 4-lug wheels, like a Falcon or Chevy II. But that front fender is neither of those, I think. 

 

It is a 1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire 4 speed car. One of roughly six 4 speed 63's known to exist. These were the turbocharged model based off the f-85 line. Here are a couple more pictures of it. The one from under the hood is another one, I don't have a picture on this computer from under the hood of this exact car. 

[alsancle]

On 3/9/2021 at 12:17 PM, Restorer32 said:

Then there is the collection of maybe 200 cars in northern Maryland stuffed in sheds and storage buildings, There are at least 80 Nash Healeys and at least one Spohn bodied car. Long story but a client of ours made a "name your price" offer and was willing and able to pay just about whatever it took for one car and was turned down.  The owner just will not sell anything even though he had four examples of the car our client was after.  All unrestored.  Will be a heck of an auction some day.

 

Which car did he want?  The spohn bodied one?  Those are hit or miss on the looks.

[alsancle]

On 3/14/2021 at 5:52 PM, Digger914 said:

I built this little barn just so I could put a car in it.

 

 

I've been talking about building a barn for 30 years.   I mentioned to my friend the other day that I was putting over in a certain spot.   He started laughing at me and said "You are never building a barn".   He is probably right.

 

[auburnseeker]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

 

 

I've been talking about building a barn for 30 years.   I mentioned to my friend the other day that I was putting over in a certain spot.   He started laughing at me and said "You are never building a barn".   He is probably right.

 

Planning is the fun easy part.  Actually building  and paying for it,  not so much.  Doesn't hurt to keep on planning.  Just like looking at the classifieds for cars we will never buy.  Doesn't cost much if anything to dream. 

[Restorer32]

2 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

Which car did he want?  The spohn bodied one?  Those are hit or miss on the looks.

He wanted one of the 4 Nash Healeys the fellow has that ran at Lemans in '54 ?  He lives in France and wanted us to restore the car and run it in the Lemans historic races. 4 virtually identical cars, all with the numbers still on the doors, all deteriorated and needing resto but the fellow would not part with one at apparently any price.

[padgett]

Part of the GM history is their production turbo cars in the early 60's. Many know about the 150 and 180hp turbo Corvairs but not many the 215hp 215 cid aluminum V8 shown above in the F-85. (a SOHC variant of the aluminum V8 won the F-1 championship in 1966).

[Digger914]

3 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

 

I've been talking about building a barn for 30 years.   I mentioned to my friend the other day that I was putting over in a certain spot.   He started laughing at me and said "You are never building a barn".   He is probably right.

 

 

For 25 years I had been talking about moving the cheap, small, leaky steel shed from the flat spot next to the garage to some other part of the yard. Now that I have finally cut down the big tree, built the retaining wall, brought in the fill, poured the cement and built the barn, I can estimate that I probably spent as much, or more time over the years talking about the all the work as I did doing the actual work.

 

Talk was a lot cheaper, but for less than 10 grand and a couple hundred hours spread out over two summers, I got an easy to push the boat into flat spot next to the garage, a shed that doesn't try to rip my head open when I walk through it, an enclosed storage space for another car and more parking space.  So if you already have a spot picked out and you add in all the talk time, you're more than half way done and summer hasn't even started.

[padgett]

When I had my house built in 1984 interest rates were over 12% so had the house offset in the lot so would be room for "more". When interest rates dropped could refinance and added "more". Now have a 3% mortgage (mainly as a hedge) and as much garage as house. Even approved by the HOA.

 

Of course many here have swimming pools. I don't.

[SC38dls]

Swimming pools are just wet holes to throw money at, kind of like old cars but the cars are more fun!!

[lump]

7 hours ago, jensenracing77 said:

 

It is a 1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire 4 speed car. One of roughly six 4 speed 63's known to exist. These were the turbocharged model based off the f-85 line. Here are a couple more pictures of it. The one from under the hood is another one, I don't have a picture on this computer from under the hood of this exact car. 

 

 

Wow, awesome early muscle! I've never even heard of one of these with a 4-speed. I'll bet these things were real sleepers. Thanks so much for sharing, and for the bonus information! 

[1935Packard]

Here's my '34 Packard Eight in 1998, where it had been stored in a barn after the owner stopped driving it in the 1950s.   Sold by the daughter of the owner using an ad in Hemmings after he passed away. Then restored from '99 to '05, long before I bought it.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by 1935Packard (see edit history)

[padgett]

Back then could get almost anything with a manual transmission. 215cid aluminum Buick was a great engine for sports racers connected to a Corvair transaxle. Friend blew one in practise so built him a crash box on the end of a trailer and he won the ASR feature. Those were the days my friend.

[AHa]

2 minutes ago, padgett said:

built him a crash box on the end of a trailer

Boy yall have a funny way of talking.

[padgett]

You prefer "reassembed the bits with all of the synchromesh rings (which were shredded anyway) left out so he had a four speed transaxle and no synchromesh." No shop so the trailer was the only flat/clean/well lit spot we had. Hard part was keeping track of all the loose bearings. Used axle grease to stack them. Back then we called a transmission with no synchros a "crash box". What were they supposed to be called ?

[Warbrew]

So this is my first post, and I have a car in a barn that I need to sell.  TBH it was a garage next to a barn, so better shape but anyway, I need to sell it.  Not sure which forum to go to?  It's a 54 Bel Air with a minor restore done in 92,  90% stock, sport coupe with every option including the 53 Corvette blue fire 125 straight six.  Runs, drives, insured and licensed just not sure what to do with it.  Thanks!

 

[auburnseeker]

8 minutes ago, Warbrew said:

So this is my first post, and I have a car in a barn that I need to sell.  TBH it was a garage next to a barn, so better shape but anyway, I need to sell it.  Not sure which forum to go to?  It's a 54 Bel Air with a minor restore done in 92,  90% stock, sport coupe with every option including the 53 Corvette blue fire 125 straight six.  Runs, drives, insured and licensed just not sure what to do with it.  Thanks!

 

Post some photos and a location here.  You might get some interest. 

[Digger914]

2 hours ago, Warbrew said:

So this is my first post, and I have a car in a barn that I need to sell.  TBH it was a garage next to a barn, so better shape but anyway, I need to sell it.  Not sure which forum to go to?  It's a 54 Bel Air with a minor restore done in 92,  90% stock, sport coupe with every option including the 53 Corvette blue fire 125 straight six.  Runs, drives, insured and licensed just not sure what to do with it.  Thanks!

 

Post this in the for sale section with pictures, price and location. 

[Pfeil]

5 hours ago, lump said:

Wow, awesome early muscle! I've never even heard of one of these with a 4-speed. I'll bet these things were real sleepers. Thanks so much for sharing, and for the bonus information! 

 A comparison of two contemporaries. Note the there was no spec. for the 4BBL Tempest and the one tested isn't a 4 speed and it's a 2bbl.  BTW the Tempest doesn't have a traction problem because it's got a Transaxle out back for better weight distribution.

Specs datasheet with technical data and performance data plus an analysis of the direct market competition of Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire Hardtop Coupe 4-speed (man. 4) in 1963 the model with 2-door hardtop coupe body and V-8 3532 cm3 / 215.5 cui engine size, 160 kW / 218 PS / 215 hp (SAE gross) offered since October 1962 for North America . Specifications listing with the outside and inside dimensions, fuel economy, top speed, performance factory data and ProfessCars™ estimation: this Oldsmobile would accelerate 0-60 mph in 7.4 sec, 0-100 km/h in 7.8 sec and quarter mile time is 15.7 sec.

• Pontiac Tempest Coupe 326 V-8 (man. 3) , model year 1963, version for North America (up to September)
• manufactured by Pontiac in United States
• 2-door coupe body type
• RWD (rear- wheel drive), manual 3-speed gearbox
• gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 5343 cm3 / 326.1 cui, advertised power: 194 kW / 260 hp / 264 PS ( SAE gross ), torque: 477 Nm / 352 lb-ft, more data: 1963 Pontiac Tempest Coupe 326 V-8 (man. 3) Horsepower/Torque Curve
• characteristic dimensions: outside length: 4935 mm / 194.3 in, width: 1885 mm / 74.2 in, wheelbase: 2845 mm / 112 in
• reference weights: shipping weight 1325 kg / 2920 lbs base curb weight: 1374 kg / 3029 lbs
• how fast is this car ? top speed: 205 km/h (127 mph) (©theoretical);
• accelerations: 0- 60 mph 6.7© s; 0- 100 km/h 7.1© s (simulation ©automobile-catalog.com); 1/4 mile drag time (402 m) 15.2© s (simulation ©automobile-catalog.com) 1963 Pontiac Tempest Coupe 326 V-8 (man. 3) Detailed Performance Review

Edited March 23, 2021 by Pfeil (see edit history)