Barn finds are still out there, don't give up.

I have always heard people talk about this weird place to locate old, unmolested, classic cars. "Barn finds". Although I could never get the address to this show room, I just figured there wasn't such a place. Until after a swap meet I was vendoring, I met a person that said he had some cars he wanted to sell. After he gave me his number I called and drove an hour to his place out in the stixx. To my surprise I ended up purchacing a nice original 1953 Belair 2 door hardtop. So do not give up these cars are still out there. But have cash in hand.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Art

 

Yes, "barn finds" are still out there. We continue to see them come into our shop. I have always thought that eventually they will dry up but there is no sign of that happening anytime soon.

 

Good save Art , Keep us posted

 

The guy also has for sale
1939 Packard coupe
1937 ford fordoor suicicde
1958 belair two door sedan
1960Elcamino.

Cars are in fair too good shape.

Art

 

Cool find

 

Nice score.


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wonder if he has any photo(s) of the 39 packard ....

 

Good score Art! I think I've seen that stash, a tough one to find. It's nice to live in a place where time, money and ambition are all that's keeping us from any sort of hot rod parts you want! I've been scrounging this valley for over 40 years and there's still lots to be had if you do the leg work.

 

Don't even need to beat the bushes. I know three hoarders who recently went into retirement homes or TU and their stash sold. Just join some clubs, go to all the shows, make some contacts. Anyone under fifty very soon is going to be able to buy everything from projects to turnkey HAMB rods at dirt cheap prices. A majority of the owners are like me old farts and going-going-gone very soon. See one you like, just brag on it, give the owner and his wife your written contact info and the note, "If you ever decide to sell, I'd appreciate a call." Do it often enough and the phone will be ringing soon.

 

yes barn finds are out there! Just picked up this 59 hardtop retractable, well not really a barn but a garage. It's 60k original miles, y block, 3 speed. Fresh gas, battery, it fired right up! I was even able to drive it around the block a few times, the brakes are alittle questionable but easy enough to fix

 

Killer find on the chev by the way!

 

Here is the 39 Packard

 

Find me a usable 30 Model A coupe body

 

dang, cool packard... and you took the chevy over that?

 

The belair was more complete. Oh and I'm a Chevy guy.

 

Here are two I came across two weeks ago - a '54 Vette and a '34 Desoto Airflow. The '54 had been parked in the '60's, the Airflow had a 1963 service sticker and showed only 2000 additional miles.

 

Congrats on the Chevy.Looks like a good one.That Packard would be a cool ride as well.
I put a sign out at my swap space about 4 years back that I bought old cars.
Older guy walks up and says he has 16 cars he wants gone.Closed up the swap space and
went to look.Bought them all and am still selling parts.Couple of fellow HAMB'ers helped me haul them out.Sold 2 bodies to Hamb'ers as well.Good guy,sold them to me because he didnt want to see them crushed but didnt mind if I did it after parting them out.

 

Corvette and air flow are awesome.

 

Flatout, did you get the vette and airflow?

 

Damn man....nice find

 

That's a great find, good for you on the score!

 

My find...

 

this was found in a REAL BARN.

 

Just think, the car that you own and are not working on is a barn find in a couple years. Just add dust and mouse shit. We won't run out of barn finds cause people keep buying cars and not finishing them

 

No, I did not. I heard about the Airflow from a neighbor of the lady selling the car. I spoke with her that Thursday (Aug. 29) evening about it, and she mentioned that she also had a '54 Corvette for sale at 22K. She couldn't meet that night, so I made arraignments to meet her the next day, Friday, at 12:30 PM. I got there at noon, and two guys were already in the process of moving and loading the Corvette into an enclosed trailer. Being ever the polite gentleman, I took the seller aside, congratulated her on the quick sale, and asked if she'd gotten her price. She said they'd agreed on 20K, and that they were going to wire her the money tomorrow (Saturday). She then told me that her husband was in the hospital recovering cancer surgery and not doing that well. She was understandably quite upset, and had agreed to let them take the car without even a deposit - they hadn't even offered her one. She hadn't asked them where they were taking it! It wasn't my business, but I told her how the few wire transfers I've been involved in worked. I suggested that we have the buyer's bank immediately contact her bank, get the process started, and that under no circumstance was she to let the car leave until she had been paid. I was ready to call the police. At that point, her daughter arrived. We decided that the seller should go to her bank to make sure that everything was going properly. I agreed to wait with the daughter to make sure the car didn't leave. I took pictures of buyer's truck vin, license plate, trailer plate, both men, and the buyer's driver's license. At least they were agreeable. It was 4:00PM when the seller returned. The funds had been transfered and she let the car leave (she was retaining the title for a few days). Then the seller, her daughter and myself went across the street to a cafe to get an iced tea and, I hoped, to discuss the Airflow. It was only then that she told me that she'd also agreed to sell them the Airflow. Oh well.

 

finding them is one thing--buying another.

I know where there's a duece 5 window under a tarp in a guy's yard where it's been for 30 years. 2 57 vette's that the guy keeps grown up in weeds so people won't ask about them and a true "barn" 49 merc mild custom that was last driven about the time cobra came out. it can be bought, but the guy's dreaming on what it's really worth.

but I agree--they're still out there and I suspect we'll start seeing a lot more in the next decade or two as all those "stashed" cars come back on the market.

I know it sounds mercenary, but new market is coincides with a drop in popularity of these cars since most younger folks are into muscle cars or newer stuff. perhaps--one can hope--that prices will come down on this stuff.

 

I'd love to do something with a barn find before they all dry up and fly away or head south for the winter, whatever the case may be. I understand they are still out there, but I would have absolutely NO idea what something would be worth, if I were to run across something. Since my allowance doesn't allow me to spend too much money, I would be very interested in knowing what something like those pictured above go for in raw condition, or "As Found". Is there a NADA guide somewhere that can outline prices?

I realize that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but I would hate like hell to overpay for my find.

Suggestions?

 

Read.Read any and all forums,websites,whatever and anywhere else barn finds are discussed.Subscribe to Old Cars Weekly that publishes auction results from around the country. Often times restorable cars sold at auction can be a good indicator of current prices for projects found elsewhere.Talk to plenty of car guys.We all love to discuss cars we bought...should have bought.
Knowledge isnt something you can just look up and get a answer especially in the murky world of old car barn finds.Some guys wont pay $100 for stuff others would drop a G on.

 

Good on you.

 

wow, looks like some nice sheet metal on that