Barn Find Purchases, Regrets and Successes

[6PKRTSE]

I drug my Roached Runner out of a field for free. The license plates that was on it showed 1977. I am assuming that is when it was parked. I slapped it together with a bunch of left over race parts that I had leftover laying around. Now runs, drive, plated and insured. Have less than $3500 into it.

 

[Kern Dog]

That car is the Plymouth equivalent to my Charger, Jigsaw.

 

[khryslerkid]

Don't know where it might have been stored before I bought it. I saw it on ebay and I ended up being the highest bidder. It hadn't met the reserve so I contacted the seller and worked out some numbers that we both agreed on.

He stated that he was about to part it out but his friend talked him out of it when they noticed how rust free it was. So they put it on ebay. Plenty of pictures were posted in the add and the bottom edge of the car showed some rust. He assured me it was just surface rust. The car was in Texas and it had Oregon tags on it, last registered in 1980. I'd never buy a car without seeing it in person but I took a gamble and sealed the deal. Had it shipped from Texas to my door in Maryland.

It arrived on an open car carrier, on top of all places and the first thing I looked at was the windshield for any tree limb damage. All was good. The driver backed it off the top and down the long ramps with quite the speed. I signed the invoice and off he went. I got in the car and started down to the house, about a quarter mile away, and found out quickly there wasn't any brakes! Had my hands full for a minute or two getting it slowed down before pulling into my driveway. No wonder the driver came off the trailer the way he did.

The rust was just surface as when they were hand painted in '62 they didn't get the coverage down low. I kept it in storage for several year's before I had the place and the funds to get it road worthy. I was very surprised just how well the metal was on this car and the main reason I continued with the resurrection. It's been a fun project and a fun car.

Check out my showcase or build thread for more details.

 

[440 4 speed]

Don't know where it might have been stored before I bought it. I saw it on ebay and I ended up being the highest bidder. It hadn't met the reserve so I contacted the seller and worked out some numbers that we both agreed on.

He stated that he was about to part it out but his friend talked him out of it when they noticed how rust free it was. So they put it on ebay. Plenty of pictures were posted in the add and the bottom edge of the car showed some rust. He assured me it was just surface rust. The car was in Texas and it had Oregon tags on it, last registered in 1980. I'd never buy a car without seeing it in person but I took a gamble and sealed the deal. Had it shipped from Texas to my door in Maryland.

It arrived on an open car carrier, on top of all places and the first thing I looked at was the windshield for any tree limb damage. All was good. The driver backed it off the top and down the long ramps with quite the speed. I signed the invoice and off he went. I got in the car and started down to the house, about a quarter mile away, and found out quickly there wasn't any brakes! Had my hands full for a minute or two getting it slowed down before pulling into my driveway. No wonder the driver came off the trailer the way he did.
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The rust was just surface as when they were hand painted in '62 they didn't get the coverage down low. I kept it in storage for several year's before I had the place and the funds to get it road worthy. I was very surprised just how well the metal was on this car and the main reason I continued with the resurrection. It's been a fun project and a fun car.
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Check out my showcase or build thread for more details.
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[JackR]

This is a mighty broad brush I'm welding, but here goes anyway:

Cars advertised on Facebook Marketplace are to be avoided; and especially those touted as barn finds, yard finds, or the like. The terms honesty and Facebook are mutually exclusive. Lots of nutty people. I'll leave it at that...I am not going to write an epistle on this matter.

Almost every car advertised on Craigslist is to be avoided. Occasionally, there will be a "pearl" like a car that has been squirreled away for decades and now the heirs are selling it off as an estate sale. If it's an estate sale, then maybe some forgiveness if they use the term barn find. Otherwise, no way. Some Craigslist car listings actually contain an honest description, but caveat emptor...do your homework. Lots of nutty people though.

Craigslist...sigh...I still can't get that 1972 Sherwood Green, 4 speed, Plymouth Roadrunner GTX out of my mind.

Anyway, search estate sales. You might find something nice for a good price before the flippers find it. Don't hesitate.

My roadrunner was a find but it was missing the barn. Took over 20 years to get it. But a couple decades ago 1967 Shelby GT500 S/N 289 and a 65 mustang GT convertible.

 

[#41]

As for buying tips, you HAVE to wade through FB and CL. The idiots you encounter are no different than the ones you used to call in the classifieds or Auto Trader. These are the go-to sales venues for local cars in today's world.

I second all the great advice from Detective D. Search FB and CL every day. Have your trailer ready, cash stashed in the coffee can, and be ready to call in sick or you'll miss out on a lot of good deals. They go fast, but they do happen. I have scored some smoking deals off both FB and CL, but you have to put the work in.

Outside of this, cruise small towns and rural areas in your hot rod on the weekend. Stop for gas, or a soda, snack, meal, etc. People come out of the woodwork and tell you about hidden cars to follow up on.

A far as "garage finds" the only one I ever scored was an all-original, low mile 61 Chrysler Hardtop for cheap. When they are hidden away like this, they are far and few between. Most scores will be found in driveways and fields, behind the house or shop, but not inside.

 

[moparedtn]

14 years in a box...
View attachment 1658411

Kinda cruel, making her stay in that car in that box for 14 years don't you think?

 

[440 4 speed]

Makes me think of high school. One fellow’s Dad bought a 2dr like yours brand new 318. Another guy drove his father’s 1960 Meteor V8.
Before the summer school break in 63 both Father’s put on new Co-op tires.
After 2 months when school started, both fathers went to the Co-op and complained about the crappy back tires losing their tread.a

As for buying tips, you HAVE to wade through FB and CL. The idiots you encounter are no different than the ones you used to call in the classifieds or Auto Trader. These are the go-to sales venues for local cars in today's world.

I second all the great advice from Detective D. Search FB and CL every day. Have your trailer ready, cash stashed in the coffee can, and be ready to call in sick or you'll miss out on a lot of good deals. They go fast, but they do happen. I have scored some smoking deals off both FB and CL, but you have to put the work in.

Outside of this, cruise small towns and rural areas in your hot rod on the weekend. Stop for gas, or a soda, snack, meal, etc. People come out of the woodwork and tell you about hidden cars to follow up on.

A far as "garage finds" the only one I ever scored was an all-original, low mile 61 Chrysler Hardtop for cheap. When they are hidden away like this, they are far and few between. Most scores will be found in driveways and fields, behind the house or shop, but not inside.

It’s refreshing to read about a posting about garage finds.

 

[gdrill]

I was never lucky enough to find anything indoors!

Plenty of field finds though.

 

[matthon]

Bought multiple cars out of barns, still have a few.

62 Dart, love/hate relationship.
Total rust bucket, probably overpaid, money pit.
I did everything, most for the first time, learned a ton, did you know you can replace a firewall? I didn't even know how to weld.
Love it now.

58 Coronet. Had to buy it sunk in the mud, whether it came out in 1 or 2 pieces.
Guy owned it for 30+ years, never had it running.
Came out in 1 piece, and ran with a carb and battery.

Be smarter than me, but also listen to your stupid brain and take chances.

I went back and bought the Valiant in the background, it's an illness, be careful.

 

[440 4 speed]

I was never lucky enough to find anything indoors!

Plenty of field finds though.

In 1995 we bought a fully loaded 1968 300 that had been stored in a garage since 1972. It was taken out maybe a couple of times per year just to run and lubricate things. Had 53,000 miles on it. 440 TNT 2 door hard top. Drove it home 200 miles, changed 3 fuel filters on the way. Tires were at least 23 years old. Did get a 14.98@94 at the strip. Sold it in 2006 57000 miles. I was the second registered owner, original owner traded it back in to the original dealer who had bought it as a demo for his wife. I knew them all. Paid 6300.00 Can. Sold for 7200.00 in 2006.
The guy rented a trailer and drove 400 miles to get it. Heard it run, and told me to drive it on to the trailer. Became his wife’s car, summer driver. She didn’t like the light green, so they went a shade darker, it came with a white vinyl roof. They still had it 6 years ago.
They have a gorgeous gold 69 Charger R/T that was done a few years later. It won a few awards.

Bought a few other cars that were inside cars.
I know of a 66 Charger that was parked in a garage in 1974, has never been further than the front street since. Has been used as a shelving unit forever. No interest in selling. He bought it from a fellow he new in 1969.

 

[68BabyBlue]

In 1995 we bought a fully loaded 1968 300 that had been stored in a garage since 1972. It was taken out maybe a couple of times per year just to run and lubricate things. Had 53,000 miles on it. 440 TNT 2 door hard top. Drove it home 200 miles, changed 3 fuel filters on the way. Tires were at least 23 years old. Did get a 14.98@94 at the strip. Sold it in 2004 57000 miles.
Bought a few other cars that were inside cars.
I know of a 66 Charger that was parked in a garage in 1974, has never been further than the front street since. Has been used as a shelving unit forever. No interest in selling. He bought it from a fellow he new in 1969.

In 1996, I bought an Imperial that was somewhat similar. Saw the car advertised in Hemmings, had a business conference a month later that took me to San Diego, checked the car out in person, but never test drove it. An upscale flipper had picked it up in an estate sale. Garaged all its life, repainted once, 90,000 miles. Perfect original interior, everything worked but the A/C, four new tires. I flew out a month later, with $4500, drove it back to Chicago without incident, car was my daily driver for the next four years, 60,000 miles.

 

[Richard Davis]

As for buying tips, you HAVE to wade through FB and CL. The idiots you encounter are no different than the ones you used to call in the classifieds or Auto Trader. These are the go-to sales venues for local cars in today's world.

I second all the great advice from Detective D. Search FB and CL every day. Have your trailer ready, cash stashed in the coffee can, and be ready to call in sick or you'll miss out on a lot of good deals. They go fast, but they do happen. I have scored some smoking deals off both FB and CL, but you have to put the work in.

Outside of this, cruise small towns and rural areas in your hot rod on the weekend. Stop for gas, or a soda, snack, meal, etc. People come out of the woodwork and tell you about hidden cars to follow up on.

A far as "garage finds" the only one I ever scored was an all-original, low mile 61 Chrysler Hardtop for cheap. When they are hidden away like this, they are far and few between. Most scores will be found in driveways and fields, behind the house or shop, but not inside.

I just left a honey hole of Mopars and parts and the guy had 2 '61 Chryslers, one 2 door, one 4 door. Both stored indoors under cover. Doubt they can be bought cheap but I got a fair deal on my purchase (more on that in a later post). The guy is selling everything.