Barn Finds

Author: Aaron Toth

  • Factory 421/4-Speed: 1965 Pontiac 2+2 Project

    Factory 421/4-Speed: 1965 Pontiac 2+2 Project

    What does it take to find a 1965 Pontiac 2+2 for under ten grand? It’s going to need to look a little like the car pictured above, which Barn Finds reader Curvette spotted on craigslist in Bremerton, Washington. While the asking price just makes it under our $10,000 standard at $9,500, the car was used as a daily driver for 20 years, has had three engine rebuilds (and at least three engines), one transmission rebuild, and a rear axle rebuild at least once; the mileage is listed as 300,000. Additionally, there is rust – not salt-belt rust – but rust nonetheless. Well, as they say in the business, pay now or pay later. If you like doing your own work, however, this is a reasonably inexpensive down payment on an eventually-nice 2+2.

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  • Grabber Blue 1970 Mustang Grabber

    Grabber Blue 1970 Mustang Grabber

    You could be forgiven if you mistook the 1970 Mustang Sportsroof above for a Boss 302. But something isn’t quite right. Weren’t those side stripes used on the ’69 Boss? Shouldn’t the ’70 Boss have stripes on the hood? As you’ve probably surmised, this is not a Boss 302, but instead the similarly rare but not quite as valuable Mustang Grabber. The Grabber was a “Special Value Package” intended to promote not only Ford’s bright “Grabber” colors but also to sell a few Mustangs. Only 5,120 Grabbers were built, according to Kevin Marti, and Grabber Blue was the most popular color (1,384 sold). What does this do for the value of this otherwise base Sportsroof? Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. found this beauty on craigslist in Butler, Pennsylvania, and considering the ad has been posted for 17 days, the asking price of $48,500 may be a little more than what Mustang fans are willing to spend.

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  • One Of 3,235: 1967 Imperial Crown Coupe

    One Of 3,235: 1967 Imperial Crown Coupe

    Any fans of classic movies here at Barn Finds? If so, you may have noticed that Chrysler Corporation provided cars to many old movies; after all, it was an inexpensive and effective way to promote your lineup. Invariably, movie stars and starlets drove Imperials, far more than you’d expect given their relatively modest sales. Barn Finds reader Barney found this 1967 Imperial Crown Coupe on craigslist in the San Francisco Bay area with an asking price of $9,950, and it immediately brought John Boorman’s Point Blank to mind. A moody, surreal revenge movie starring Lee Marvin, Point Blank has a rather famous scene involving a doomed ’67 Imperial Convertible and a shady car salesman. Luckily for Imperial fans everywhere, this coupe has had a much happier fate over the last 58 years, and it looks like a fairly clean original with a couple immediate needs.

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  • Rebuilt Engine And More: 1955 Buick Century

    Rebuilt Engine And More: 1955 Buick Century

    During the first half of the 1950s, Buick had the world on a string, as Frank Sinatra and other crooners so memorably sang. It produced 738,814 units for the model year, enough for third place in the industry. Unfortunately, production capacity may not have been quite up to the task, and as a result, there were some quality issues that sullied Buick’s hard-earned reputation. Whether it was that, Buick’s styling as the ’50s progressed, or something else is hard to say, but Buick had a hard time matching their 1955 heyday as 1960 approached. If the 1955 had teething issues when new, any car that has survived the past 70 years has certainly had them ironed out, and potential buyers should have no qualms about buying this beautiful Century, which was found on craigslist in Port Orchard, Washington, by Barn Finds reader Curvette. The owner’s asking $16,000, so it’s priced right, too.

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  • BF Auction: 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible

    BF Auction: 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 Convertible

    Bid to: $12,000View Result

    • Seller: Thomas L abuszewski (Contact)
    • Location: Centennial, Colorado
    • Mileage: 71,457 Shown
    • Chassis #: 4G65X131666
    • Title Status: Clean
    • Engine: 390 cui V8 with 4 bbl
    • Transmission: 4-Speed Manual Borg Warner

    The current owner of this 1964 Galaxie 500 Convertible has had a long journey with his car since he bought it in Long Beach, California, back in 1984. He’s the third owner, but with a caveat: The second owner had it for a mere month. It spent the first 20 years of its life in the high California desert north of Edwards Air Force Base before finding its way to Long Beach, and today, there’s hardly a part on the car that hasn’t been personalized to meet the owner’s tastes. We here at Barn Finds Auctions think you’ll like it, too. It’s being listed in Centennial, Colorado, where the seller is remodeling his house and no longer has a garage space in which to park the big, red Ford. Maybe you’d like to park it in yours.

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  • Semi-Survivor: 1970 Plymouth GTX

    Semi-Survivor: 1970 Plymouth GTX

    Spartanburg, South Carolina, might have been the home of NASCAR hero David Pearson, one of the best to ever turn a wheel, but someone back in 1970 might have been a Richard Petty fan (for those who don’t know, he was a longtime Plymouth wheelman), because they walked into Marion Burnside Motors in Spartanburg and signed for this Deep Burnt Orange Metallic GTX. And it looks pretty much as good now as it did back then. The seller is presenting it as a “semi-survivor” that was treated to one lacquer repaint in its original “FK5” color; it’s still holding up well, but it has the fine cracks and crazing one might expect from a nearly 50-year-old paint job. Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. found it on eBay in Maiden, North Carolina, and it’s a well-documented example with no rust.

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  • Storage Shed Find: 1954 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe

    Storage Shed Find: 1954 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe

    This 1954 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe is down-to-earth in more ways than one. First, it’s a sturdy and reliable piece of transportation, an unassuming two-door sedan that will never raise the eyebrows of the local constabulary or give pause to your girlfriend’s dad. Second, it literally spent 12 years on a hoist in a storage shed. These days, it “runs and drives down the road” and is ready for a new owner who appreciates the finer points of a smooth idle. (It’s a straight-eight car with a video of the engine idling as proof.) Our friend T.J. has branched out to shed finds and pulled this one from Marketplace in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It’s been for sale for about a week, and the seller has thus lowered the price from $6,500 to $6,200. That’s not too bad for a seemingly solid old Pontiac that may help you slow down and enjoy a more relaxed mode of driving.

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  • Your Next Daily Driver? 1955 Chevrolet 210 Sedan

    Your Next Daily Driver? 1955 Chevrolet 210 Sedan

    Recent evidence at Barn Finds suggests that 1955 Chevrolets come in threes, as this is the third one this week that has turned up for sale. Of those three, this Two-Ten might be the best candidate for a non-salt-state daily driver; it’s nice, but not so nice that you’d feel bad about subjecting it to the road’s whimsies. It has a reasonably powerful and economical six, a Powerglide to keep your left leg rested in those pesky traffic jams, and a new set of tires so you aren’t fretting about blowouts. Yes, it might be the perfect daily driver, and it’s currently being auctioned on eBay in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Its current high bid of $1,325 is clearly nowhere near reserve, but it also has a “Buy It Now” option of $11,500.

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  • 74k Miles: One-Owner 1965 Ford Mustang

    74k Miles: One-Owner 1965 Ford Mustang

    Few will argue that the 1965 Mustang doesn’t deserve its place as one of the most popular American collector cars; after all, it has sheer numbers on its side. With almost 700,000 being built during that long first model year, there are still enough Mustangs around that you’ll always see at least one at your local car event. You wouldn’t know by looking at this one that it’s a little bit special; on the surface, it’s just a garden-variety coupe. (Indeed, there’s one almost exactly like it sitting in my garage that my grandpa bought for my mom back in 1968.) This Mustang was sold new to the current owner, who was 19-years-old when her dad “took her to the local Ford dealer to buy a popular and sporty Mustang.” With 74,330 miles on it today, it’s now being sold here on eBay in Missouri City, Texas. Its high bid of $10,100 has not yet met its “reasonable” reserve.

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  • Mostly Original: 1976 Jeep CJ7 Renegade Levi’s Edition

    Mostly Original: 1976 Jeep CJ7 Renegade Levi’s Edition

    You know what the automotive industry is missing these days? Wild model names. Yes, this new-for-1976 Jeep CJ-7 used the alphanumerical nomenclature that we can find on so many Cadillacs and Kias today, but it was a CJ-7 RENEGADE! A renegade is an outlaw, a vagabond. A renegade doesn’t do what they’re told to do; they’re equal parts danger and intrigue. But then, to add a little whimsy, Jeep threw in Levi’s upholstery with every Renegade. Yep, 1976 was a different time in the auto industry, and you can relive it with this fun-looking CJ-7, which offered buyers an extra ten inches of wheelbase over the diminutive CJ-5. It’s here on eBay in Grand Junction, Colorado, and bidding has been brisk, with the current high bid of $15,000 certain to be eclipsed come Sunday when the auction ends.

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  • Only 42k Miles? 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan

    Only 42k Miles? 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan

    How startling must the 1955 Chevrolet been when it was unveiled on showroom floors in late October 1954? Some Chevy buyers were certainly taken aback, and anecdotes from those who worked on the car say that the 1956 Chevrolet front end was the result of slow(ish) initial sales that were attributed to the Ferrari-like eggcrate grille that the 1955 model so stylishly wore. They may have jumped the gun, because once everyone realized how great the new Chevrolet was, all was right in the land of the bowtie. While fans of Shoebox Chevrolets flock to the two-door hardtops and post coupes, a good number of them, even in top-line Bel Air trim, were sedans with the old 235-cubic-inch six, like this 42,000-mile example in West Seattle, Washington. Barn Finder T.J. spotted it on craigslist with a price tag of $16,500, and it has a long list of maintenance and repairs to make it a reliable driver.

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  • 53k Miles: 1955 Hudson Hornet Custom

    53k Miles: 1955 Hudson Hornet Custom

    The decline of famous independent Hudson was swift. While racking up three NASCAR national manufacturers’ championships (1952, 1953, and 1954 – a number that is tied for third most all-time behind Chevy and Ford), Hudson was flailing on the street. The same “step-down” design that helped to make the Hudson Hornet so successful on the track was looking a bit stale by 1954, and a price war between Ford and Chevy signaled the beginning of the end for most of the surviving independents. Therefore, Nash and Hudson merged into American Motors, and the 1955 Hudson looked significantly different from those race winners. Fundamentally a rebadged Nash with a twist (derisively called a “Hash”), the 1955 Hornet was nonetheless a neat car that still carried over some Hudson DNA. Barn Finds reader T.J. found this one on craigslist in Calimesa, California, and with a “believed to be accurate” 53,000 miles on the odometer, the asking price of $11,900 might be do-able for those who love a good independent mashup.

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  • Same Family For 64 Years: 1953 Buick Super Riviera

    Same Family For 64 Years: 1953 Buick Super Riviera

    Buick celebrated their fiftieth anniversary in 1953 with an all-new 322 cubic-inch V8 that was standard equipment in all Supers and Roadmasters (Specials hung on with the 263-cubic-inch straight eight for one more year). With the new V8, a grille that was possibly even bolder, and headlight surrounds that were inspired by the Buick XP-300 concept car, Buick sales increased from 303,745 in 1952 to 488,814 for their Golden Anniversary, and the Model 56R Super Riviera was one of their best sellers. With 91,298 sold, the 56R trailed only the Special Sedan in popularity, and while the seller’s father didn’t buy this car brand new in 1953, he did buy it as an 18-year-old kid in 1961. It’s been in the family ever since. Barn Finds reader Mike F. spotted this original-paint Super on craigslist in Thornton, Colorado, with an asking price of $17,000.  (more…)

  • Droptop Driver: 1962 Studebaker Lark Regal Convertible

    Droptop Driver: 1962 Studebaker Lark Regal Convertible

    It’s a good problem to have, but there are simply too many cars in the world that I like. In idle conversation with my lovely bride, I’ve often floated the idea of keeping one car “in rotation,” or in other words, buying it at the beginning of driving season and selling it at the end. That would be to the detriment of the rest of my fleet, because I’d feel the need to spend as much time as I could with that car before I passed it on. I’m simply too sentimental to foster cars. If I had a completely different personality void of any attachment to machinery, this ’62 Lark Convertible would be high on my list of fun summer classics. Reader Tony Primo found it listed for $12,500 on craigslist near Chicago, but there’s a much more detailed ad on the website for the local chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club, as a member is posting it for the owner, who is selling it due to illness. It’s a well-maintained driver with a well-documented ownership history.

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  • BF Auction: No Reserve 1958 Edsel Pacer Convertible

    BF Auction: No Reserve 1958 Edsel Pacer Convertible

    Sold for $11,101View Result

    I think it’s safe to say that the Edsel has gotten its revenge for all those years of jokes; after all, I can guarantee that at least a handful of Barn Finds readers are calculating costs and planning garage sales to clear out space for this long-dormant but California-solid 1958 Pacer Convertible. It belonged to the seller’s late husband, who was the third owner and clearly a bit of a fan of the 1958 line of Ford Motor Company convertibles; we recently sold his ’58 Fairlane Sunliner. Like the Fairlane, the Edsel is being listed as a no reserve Barn Finds Auction in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and even though it doesn’t run and will need dollies to winch it onto a trailer, it looks like a fun “get it running” project or an excellent start for a restoration. (more…)

  • Mechanic’s Special: 1991 Cadillac Brougham

    Mechanic’s Special: 1991 Cadillac Brougham

    Do you like Cadillac luxury at a convenient price? Are you familiar with the intricacies of an early 1990s Chevy V8 with Throttle-Body Injection? If so, this 1991 Cadillac Brougham may be your next hobby car/luxo boat/daily driver. Barn Finds reader Barney found it on craigslist near Portland with a clean title and an expired Washington registration. Priced at a very reasonable $3,000, there has to be a catch, right? There is – the engine dies at idle once it warms up. A mechanic hit it with the parts cannon to no avail, but maybe you will have better luck and grab a deal as a result.

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