Hot Rods Cars Dug From The Ground

I've been thinking about this topic for awhile now and sense we've been ordered to stay put for at least another week why not post it now. I know I've seen Falconegorge dig up an old car on some tropical beach on vacation somewhere and that some others have dug up cars as well. I've also heard some states have used old cars as flood control. So who's dug up an old car to use as a project car? How far did you get with it? Show Before and After pictures if you've got them.

 

No pics but my Dad bought some land and while excavating found a buried 1958 Chevy with a 348 in up .

 

I dug this T up years ago. It was buried in a bank with just this side, the good side! lol of it showing.

 

Back in the late 80's at a boneyard near the 91 and 215 intersection (Riverside County Ca.) there was a 59 Chevy that was buried along the wash. I was told there was a lot more in the earth the eye couldn't see.

 

There was a thread on here about a 30s body dug out of a lake or river side and floated with a blow up raft or something. It was probably 10 years ago

 

Hippo boat would have been much funnier.

 

That was an epic adventure.

 

I think it was a hippo boat actually haha

 

Used to be a ravine locally, with a trickle of a creek in the bottom of it, that had several older cars pushed in it. Then one day, in my usual checking things out adventures, I found a 57 Chevrolet 2 door sedan, model 210, with the Del Ray option. Thing was, it was a parts car I had bought, and then sold after I removed what I needed (the engine, bellhousing/clutch, and 3 speed trans/shifter). Then I started sweating it, because I had no idea if the title had been changed, and whether or not I'd be getting a visit from the police or our state's DOT. That never happened. But, it was originally a California car, and had a seamless frame (somewhat desirable), and some good body panels still; the rockers were rusted badly, and repaired with fiberglass and bondo. I'd bought it from a neighborhood friend, and his parents had bought the car new. I forget why the guy who bought it from me bought it, and I did't know him, so hunting him down was't an option. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/low-tide-muddy-find-what-is-it.442552/page-3

 

Great topic, lets see some pics.

 

There is a levee that runs along the Wisconsin River through Portage and the story goes that back in the 40's the river was rising above flood stage and that they drug car after car from a long gone salvage yard and stacked them up and covered them with tons and tons of dirt and stone. The DNR and Army Corp of Engineers rebuilt and raise the levee years ago but never remove the original structure. And although they would all be rotted beyond belief. Those cars are still there! lol Larry

 

I would LIVE in that Hippo boat if I owned it.

 

I know there was a thread here a few years ago with a fella going out west finding cars buried along dried river beds and off cliffs and such. Don't know what became of it though. I don't know why I'm so attracted to pure junkyard garbage but it is just so intriguing.

 

I found a couple cars on the beach on Nantucket. thread here:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ed-on-the-beach-excavation-has-begun.1067402/

 

When I was a kid in the late fifties, there was a ravine nearby that had a bunch of cars dumped into it. No attempt at flood control, just some of the locals getting rid of junk. The only one I remember specifically was a Crosley station wagon.

 

I also found this in the Bahamas while diving. thread here:
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/found-another-car-in-the-sand.1115514/

 

this was the original question

 

Friend of mine in Alexandria AL, Gary Key, has a '27 Model T roadster pickup he built from the front half of a touring car that he dug out of a ravine.

 

My 33 was Bulldozed into a Northern Nevada ravine sometime in the 50's - 60's . all the small towns up here used to have voluntary cleanup campaigns , where they would haul off any old unwanted junkers . the dozer ripped the doors off the passenger side , it was deposited along with 6-8 other cars, sat there through winters , summers , sage brush fires .I hauled it to my body shop in 1981 . the wood in my car was scorched but I was able to use most of it for patterns . I had been working for a 32-33-34 collector , so had connections for parts . I had the car close to being finished by 1986 , when my Ex decided she wanted a divorce . long story short . judge gave her the house she sold it and gave me my kids , so 1n january 1999 my kids moved out and I decided to do something I'd been dreaming about . when I cut my 33 up friends and family thought I'd lost it. " WTF are you doing ? " the pics here show#1= what came out of the ravine in 81 #2 = how it looked in 86 #3 =when I started the cuts #4 Almost Finished #5 & 6 = as it is now .

 

I Had not seen that before.

 

When I was in high school in the 80s I would buy stuff I liked and take them to my grandfathers farm. I had 8 or 10 cars there. Went there one day and they were all gone, 55 and 56 f-100, 55 Chevy ht, a Hudson hornet, and a few Chevelles. Grandfather said the road washed out from the creek across the driveway and needed fill. To this day I have never went there to see if any of them were visible. Someone else owns it now, hope they go digging some day. I still have the titles.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

if you go to the " Build Index " on the 1st page , scroll down to 33's , there is a more complete explanation = 3 pages of pics and comments . D Mc

 

@Dave Mc

Is that your Indian?

 

No , It belongs to a customer= 1948 , I have done a lot of restoration work on antique Indian Motorcycles , also with older H-D's as I do Metal work with lead , the older Indian tanks were soldered together ,I heat them up and take them apart ,repair the metal and solder them back together , same with cars , my 33 is all metal no bondo .The Moderators here don't like motorcycles , but My 33 is in this pic along with the finished Sheetmetal of a 30 Indian 4 cylinder .hopefully it will not be tossed out .

 

WOW !!! I always thought your car was cool but after learning the history of it I am blown away at your persistence and abilities. Thumbs up big time !

 

Not so much as dug up out of the ground but it started out with 227 bullet holes in it.

 

Wow, nice work to be able to fix that many holes and damage and then get it straight enough to paint black!

 

Very cool. I'd take an old Indian motocycle over that other brand, any day.