From Rob S – During the spring of 2013 in Wainwright, Alberta a friend of mine received a call regarding an issue with plumbing out at a local acreage. He responded to the call like any other and completed the job to the customer’s satisfaction. When he was about to leave, the owner of the property asked if he would be interested in purchasing any old cars. He declined but called me soon after to pass on the information and directions. The next weekend I drove twenty minutes from town and arrived at a sandy lane way with multiple outbuildings, Quonset huts and a house in the middle. Behind this house was a large tree lined hill. As I pulled in there was no indication that there were any cars to be found only a generic silver Ford escape parked beside the home. I knocked on the door and was greeted by a man in his late sixties wearing a house coat and the large head of a black panther tattooed on his chest. I explained to him how I came to be knocking at his door and he pointed over the hill. He said to have a look around and come in to talk when you’re finished. It would be three hours before I returned from the other side of that hill.

I began my walk up the hill and noticed an open front storage shed halfway up. I went over to investigate sitting in the middle was a 1967 Mustang with a sunburned patina. As well inside the shed was a tarp covered 1940’s Packard sedan and two 1964 Thunderbirds one convertible and one hardtop. I tread lightly on this first visit only lifting the tarps high enough to identify the vehicles. Leaving the storage shed I made my way up to the tree line. Encompassed in trees were yet again more Thunderbirds I would later count a total of thirteen birds scattered across the property.

I crested the hill to see a valley of classics, rust buckets and wrecks spread out before me. In between the cars were hoarded piles of surplus ammunition casings, missile storage tubes, and scrap steel. Many of these items I would find out later were bought through government surplus auctions.

Rounding a pile of surplus items, a chromed fin of a ’57 Bel Air was revealed from under yet another tarp.

Two 47′ Dodge special deluxe sedans sat side by side. As the hours passed and the sun began to set I made the walk along the sandy trails back to the house occasionally kicking up spent ammunition casings. 

Once I reached the house I was invited inside to talk cars. The owner had been steadily growing the collection since ending his military career. He would purchase vehicles through classified ads in the Ontario based old autos newspaper and have them shipped sight unseen via rail. Take trips across the border with a trailer and bring back whatever he saw fit. The collection ranged from 1920 to present day. Though the stand out was the collection of T-birds, unfortunately none completed. I was assured that almost all the vehicles had been driven down the sandy trails under their own power.

I made three trips back to the property and bought three vehicles. Each subsequent visit more vehicles would reveal themselves.

This sure looks like a fun place to visit and I wonder what else is still hiding behind that hill! Special thanks to Rob for sharing! So do you see any projects here you’d love to have?