My soon to be '65 Belvedere I (real) barn find!

[Ltlgto]

So the barn mate to my '65 Belvedere II hardtop is finally for sale. I've made the call and hope to have it by this weekend at the latest! This Belvedere I has been sitting in the barn for at least the last 10-15 and maybe longer. The owner died years ago and it's now in the sisters name. I bought my hardtop from her last year.

The sister says it's a 360 but another brother told me when we picked up the Belvedere II that this one was a 413, and dig the push buttons in the plastic file box wedged between the dash and floor. According to the brother, the brother that owned it used to race it. The tires are like slicks if I remember right. Hopefully a posi. The body is straight as an arrow.

 

[moparsteve636]

A couple of great barn finds!What are your plans for the sedan?

 

[Photon440]

Now that is a nice straight body. What a great find.

Hmmm, a thermoquad. Wonder what sort of exhaust and rear end, if it was raced?

 

[roadrunnerman]

looks like you scored a good one (twice)

 

[Dako]

Not a 360LA, but could be a 361B. They were put into cars through `66...trucks, RV, bus's even longer (early `70s according to some).

 

[Ltlgto]

Woohoo, I'm picking it up on Saturday! I can't wait.

A couple of great barn finds!What are your plans for the sedan?

I'm not sure yet but probably cop wheels, haven't picked a color. If I keep both, I might paint to match and I do like the gold/white/black combo on my hardtop.

Now that is a nice straight body. What a great find.

Hmmm, a thermoquad. Wonder what sort of exhaust and rear end, if it was raced?

Yeah the body is really good. I'm looking forward to picking it up so I can find out what's in it. Thermoquad, power brakes, they've made some changes to it but I don't know what.

looks like you scored a good one (twice)

I was pretty pumped when I saw this up on Craigslist. The owner said she lost my phone number and was hoping I would see the ad. I'm trying to talk them into a few 50's hemi's in the back of a pickup bed in the barn too!

Not a 360LA, but could be a 361B. They were put into cars through `66...trucks, RV, bus's even longer (early `70s according to some).

The one brother that was there when I picked up the gold one said it was a 413. I'll find out on Saturday when I pick it up. I'm guessing it's pre '65 since it has the push button tranny and that ended in '64. Think I may try to mount the push buttons into the radio hole some how.

 

[mrkinger]

Nice find,thats no 360

 

[hendo0601]

That is no 360, or even poly 318....the distributor is up front which screams BIG BLOCK! Could be a 361, 383, 413, or a 440 even....only way to tell is to check the ID pad either behind the distributor (361 or 383) and immediately to the right of the thermostat housing (413 or 440). Either way, great find and I cant wait to see more pictures!

 

[Basket case]

great finds!

 

[Ron 73]

Sounds like a real nice find!! Good luck with it hope you'll post those ever popular pictures when you get it home.. Cool find.

hendo great catch... Cant wait to hear more on this Ltlgto...

 

[charger360]

hmm that tach looks like a mechaniacal drive one, that looks to have some pretty cool vintage race stuff on it. you should have a good haul of cool old parts on this car. really nice find!

 

[Ltlgto]

Sounds like a real nice find!! Good luck with it hope you'll post those ever popular pictures when you get it home.. Cool find.

hendo great catch... Cant wait to hear more on this Ltlgto...

Thanks Ron, and here it is...
In the barn, same as I remember it 1 year ago...

After we dragged it with the tractor about 75 feet through the barn and wrestled it side way and out the entrance it emerges into the light for the first time in 20 years...

We couldn't roll it because the left rear wheel was locked up...or so we thought. An hour after struggling to get it out of the barn, we decided to go through the push button shifter again. Says neutral. :angryfire: WTF? Son looks down, pulls the emergency brake release and wah lah! It rolls much better now:hello2:

Yeah...on the trailer and ready to head home!

On the way. I hope the rain doesn't wash all of the green and brown patina off of it. :toothy5:

Yeah we made it home, got it off the trailer and parked next to it's old barn mate. :upside down:

 

[Ltlgto]

So...it's a 1964 413. The rest i don't know? Nov 6 64 build date? HP block? what is the 'S' over the HP? anyone, anyone, Bueller...

 

[Ron 73]

That long and the emergency brake released worked.. Sounds like you got a good thing going here, sitting that long with the EB on, i read that part twice, lol. you would think after 20 years it just wouldn't work if it sat in the same place never moved.. You may have freed it up some trying to get it thru there for an hour, regardless sounds good so far.

 

[Ltlgto]

So I get a call yesterday (day after I purchased car) from the lady I bought it from. It seems that her mom and brother are so upset that she sold the car that belonged to her other brother that died 11 years ago, that she's been kicked out of the house (along with her 3 year old daughter). She was also told to sell or move her other two cars in the shop. One is a '69 Roadrunner and the other is a '68 Super Bee.

I felt terrible and told her if she wanted to come get the car and refund my money thay could have them back. She said she did not want to do that as her late father gave her the car and said she could sell it if she needed to. Her mom also agreed she could sell the car (it's in her name).

She emailed me late last night offering to trade me her Roadrunner straight across for the Belvedere. Now I don't know what to do. The Roadrunner is probably worth 3 times what I paid for the Belvedere but I don't want to take advantage of her situation. I think I may offer her both Belvederes back for the Roadrunner.

What would you do? :confused5:

 

[Basket case]

well if she had the title in her name, and Mom
s OK, then you should have a clear mind set. as far as traded one for the runner,
i'd take the runner. but you have to do what you feel right doing. funny thast the other kids showed NO interest untill $$ changed hands.........

 

[Ltlgto]

Basket Case, the title is in her name. I told her that honoring the brother by letting the Belvedere sit in the barn to rot is not right. You're right that they thought nothing of it until it was gone. I offered to give her the Belvedere I and Belvedere II back (I bought the Belvedere II from her a year ago).

So here is how the Belvedere I turned out after a day and 1/2 of cleaning (it needs a lot more):


This is the Roadrunner she's talking about swapping for. All I know is it's a 383 automatic:


Just found out that it's a bucket seat, console auto, hardtop. Looks like we will be making a swap.

 

[tpodwdog]

i come from the land of..." a deal is a deal". i just bought a 66 Belvy this past saturday and i dont think i could give it back to the owner if they wanted it back.

youre right...they had 11 years to think about it,,,and they want to change their minds after its gone?....not good business if ya ask me....and a good way to make an enemy.

does she want it back so it can rot away to nothing and end up in " cars in barns "? you do what you think is right...but sounds to me like she may have had a bigger offer on it.....because well.....face it.....thats just how women think ! ....lol

i could be totally off track here but something is amiss with this situation. who would kick out a 3 year old child by the childs grandmother? (if i got that right )....dont sound right to me dude. my guess is theres dollar signs someplace.......once again i could be totally wrong.....but i learn to go with what my gut tells me....and it tells me someone may be trying to take advantge of you ! it has been my experience that women think about 2 things and 2 things only.....money, and THEMSELVES! (Im sure ill take a beating for that one )

 

[Basket case]

it's not just the women that think about the $$. It's amazing how dollars peak intrest in something when no one cared before. But I agree with you.
I'd check out the runner if you're going to trade. I'd say it's had a repaint, and maybe bodywork? the door decal is in the wrong spot. But it looks decent in the pics. sure like to have one of those big air cleaners..:grin:

 

[detmatt1]

I like the `65's a lot but a trade for the `69 wiuld be tempting and it appears to be Q5! I want a closer look at the RR, maybe an N96 car too.