About Scotty Gilbertson

I've always been a car nut. I drove my parents crazy by calling out cars from the backseat of our '56 Pontiac as a kid, and I never grew out of that. I still do that when I'm in the car by myself now, which I am for 40,000 miles a year as a former architect and now architectural photographer. I love a good road trip and I'm usually on one about 150-200 days a year. I've gravitated toward unusual vehicles in the last decade or so. I love everything related to all vehicles old, new, big, and small, cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, motorhomes, and boats powered by gas, diesel, hybrid, EV, pedal, etc. Any vehicle that's small and unusual catches my eye, like the CitiCar or Elcar Zagato, but I've recently switched from cars to motorcycles for the most part. I'm of the school of thought that any real car guy or gal can appreciate any vehicle, even if they personally have no interest in it at all.

Ex-Fire-Department 4×4: 1954 Dodge M37

I say this too often, but it’s been a while since I’ve wanted a vehicle on Barn Finds more than I want this 1954 Dodge M37. We’ve seen many examples here, but I recently read an article in Hemmings… more»

Steal Of A Deal? 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7

Although at the end of the leisure suit era, you could and should dig yours out of the attic for car shows when you arrive in this beautiful 1979 Mercury Cougar XR-7. This one can be found here on… more»

Millionth Vega Edition: 1973 Chevrolet Vega GT

Available from September of 1970 for the 1971 model year until the end of 1977, the Chevy Vega is a great-looking car that came in two body styles and initially sold in pretty high numbers. In fact, so many… more»

Slightly Updated: 1991 Geo Metro LSi Convertible

The first thing you probably noticed about this 1991 Geo Metro LSi Convertible are the 15″ OZ Racing wheels in place of the stock 14″ steel wheels and wheel covers that would have been on this car. Luckily for… more»

Parked In A Garage For Years: 1980 Ford Pinto

There are nice Pintos and there are nice Pintos. This four-speed, 100% original 1980 Ford Pinto is on the higher end of the “nice” scale, in my opinion. It was in Washington State its whole life and that probably… more»

Triple-White 1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV

There’s something about a Lincoln Continental Mark IV that gets to me. It could be the era that I grew up in or just the look and the luxury. Or maybe it’s the Frank Cannon connection or all of… more»

5-Speed Survivor: 1993 Toyota Pickup

Are there any really basic, small pickups anymore? Maybe in other countries, but I mean ones that would be street-legal in the U.S. without having to be 25 years old? That rule doesn’t matter here as this 1993 Toyota… more»

Parked 20 Years: 22k Mile 1986 Toyota Corolla

Having a slightly less awkward profile than I do, this 1986 Toyota Corolla Liftback is a car that’s rarely seen today and that makes no sense, they were really good cars. Made in California alongside the Chevrolet Nova, this… more»

Two-Stroke Survivor: 1966 Yamaha YL-1 Twin Jet

For being such a small displacement motorcycle, Yamaha’s new YL-1 Twin Jet 100 was one reliable and fun bike. This is my personal holy grail model as a Twin Jet 100 was my first bike as a kid, the… more»

Good Buy? 43K-Mile 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Over the decades, it’s more normal than not to pack on some pounds and some of us could stand to lose some weight. Maybe not half a ton, which is about what this 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille lost over… more»

1974 Rokon Trail-Breaker Mark IV Automatic

We have seen a few Rokon 2WD motorcycles here on Barn Finds over the last few years, but no Trail-Breaker Mark IV models. These are the old-school Rokons, yet they had an important difference in having an automatic transmission…. more»

1972 Rupp Ruppster Baja 230 Mini-DuneBuggy

“Fun Machines For Fun People” was one of Rupp’s mottos in the early-1970s and they sure made a wide variety of fun machines. I’m partial to two-wheelers and their mini-bikes were and still are great, but something like this… more»

Bumper Filler Needed: 1976 Cadillac Eldorado

There aren’t many big, luxurious two-door cars being made anymore, but at the time, we didn’t think a thing about a car like this 1976 Cadillac Eldorado being unusual. Out of reach yes, unusual, no. Of course, I wasn’t… more»

Droptop Project: 1990 Dodge Dakota Convertible

Technically a Dodge Dakota Sport, reportedly only 909 examples of this unique convertible pickup were made for the 1990 model year. We’ve seen a few examples here on Barn Finds over the years and this may be the one… more»

Silver Survivor: 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis LS

“Elegant Style. Supreme comfort. Perfectly balanced. Whether the evening is a casual get-together with friends or a formal engagement at the theater, the Grand Marquis LS helps you arrive feeling relaxed and refreshed.” So says a brochure showing the… more»

Two-Stroke Popcorn Popper Project: 1967 Saab 96

“If they ever give an award to a car for not looking like all the rest . . . for retaining individualism in the face of look-alike styling trends . . . for sticking to the sound engineering principle… more»