A big thank you to reader Mike N. for sending us this find! I’ve noticed over the last 15 years or so that a lot of classic cars end up surfacing in Montana, and most of them aren’t very rusty. Now Mike found this craigslist ad in Santa Barbara, California, but if you look, the cars are actually in Montana. And, unlike a typical craigslist ad, not only are the photographs clear, they are actually very well taken–to the point where they would make a nice classic car find calendar in their own right! Not only that, but there are cars and trucks for pretty much everyone included.
Take this International pickup for example. I think it’s around a 1953, but I’m sure you readers will chime in if I’m wrong. Sure looks solid, doesn’t it? And pretty complete, too, even down to the glass.
I think this one is a 1962 Ford Galaxie, but again, you can correct me in the comments. It’s flanked by two 1964 Chevrolets, if I’m correct. I’m not sure what the green lump is in the front, and you can see some other cars in the back. What do you think they are?
I’m pretty sure this solid looking sedan is a 1955 De Soto, but I really have no idea what’s on the left. Do you?
Here we have what I think is a 1959 Ford. Almost looks like you could jump it off, doesn’t it. Any ideas on the pickup in the background?
Here’s some of the pickups that are available. All makes!
And some more of the cars as well. Now we don’t have prices for any of these, but I’ll bet some of the images have wet your appetite for project work! Which one of these vehicles looks the most interesting to you–and which one wouldn’t you touch with a ten foot pole? I’d love to know! By the way, I want the 1956 Ford Wagon on the bottom row!
OMG, is that a 1973 Massey-Ferguson 510 combine next to that DeSoto???
Now THIS is more like it, not that disaster of a junkyard a while back, matter of fact, tis’ no junk at all, mostly cool stuff ( kidding on the combine) I’ve GOT to get out to geomech’s place, so we can take his private plane and go find these places. I like the older green IH, 30’s “C” series, and the older one yet, a late 20’s 6 speed (?) I see “Pa” ( with suspenders) out standing in his field in the 6th picture, as if to say, “Beat it, punks”. If it’s in Montana, I’d have to think this Dick and Mikes HotRod garage will snap up all the trucks. One by one these collections are disappearing. Some cool projects, but again, most will probably get crushed. Junkyard cars are just that. Used to be, if you wanted a classic, this was the only way to find one. Now, with the internet, you can find just about every vehicle here in better condition. Be fun to walk around though,,,if Pa is cool, that is.
I think Pa has a shotgun.
Hi Howard. A 510 is possible but it might be a 410 too; they both had dual spreaders. Pretty hard to tell the year; they came out in the early 60s and were virtually unchanged till the 70s.
Hi Howard you should check out a site called desert classics I think it is inactive now but it has hunderds of Montana cars like this all for sale.
Why the heck not? Why not take a look at finds like these over the year, chose your favorites and have calendars made? Great idea Jamie!
I’ve been wishing Barn Finds would make a calendar for a while now. I’d buy one.
Did anyone else notice how solid most of these cars seem to be? Neat stuff. I recall this yard being featured in one of those books about salvage yards some time back. It may have been “Junkyard Treasures?”
Edsel in the background 64 cad. I like Edsel’s There cool.
Stipulating that I don’t know how all these cars and trucks came to be there, its clear that some have been picked over. Maybe it was a back 40 junkyard. Nonetheless a damn shame as I see so many worthy restoration candidates from the COE to the what looks like a Lincoln Premier (?) to a 2 door fastback Plymouth to a Reo (?) truck, the green one. great find.
Calendar is a great idea!
I see a cab forward ford but I am not seeing a COE (cab over engine) truck is it behind something I am not seeing. Cab forwards are cool but I really like COE rigs. Thank You.
Hi Rick, pretty sure Woodie Man means the ’48-50 Ford. ( cut off behind the cab). We’ve beaten this topic to death, but I’ve finally agreed, this is considered a cab over. The LCF’s ( Low Cab Forward) came a little later, mid 50’s I think, and mostly GM. LIke geomechs sez, it depended where you were. Some called them COE’s, some LCF’s.
The vehicles are typical solid Montana cars. No salt and low humidity. The Montana roads have always been rough on under car parts. I suspect the seller wants top retail for everything……Why else would he advertise in Santa Barbera?
In Montana these are just old Lumps,,, In Santa Barbara this is patina GOLD! I was just making fun of a CL ad here in Portland where a advertiser up in Seattle has an old Iron head sportster chopper for sale and its IN his clothing store! Ahhh,,, these hipsters! Another styling accessory! Saw another ad while looking for Biker leathers. (Langlitz leathers best ever made here in Portland Oregon) so, LOTS of hipsters and trendy shops looking for vintage clothing,. I looked at some ads and some of the cheesy stuff from the 60s and 70s is in big demand. Especially anything they cal “BOHO”. (Think hippy style bohemian apparently) The bad thing is I remember back when people wore that stuff!
Whats old is new again!
Many years back a young couple from upstate NY rented a cabin near my place. They were AMAZED at all the old cars here in Oregon. It was fun to see how much they got a big thrill out of seeing even the most pedestrian type of vehicles.
They eventually moved back to Buffalo, But they bought an old ugly ass IH cornbinderTruck,, I thought it was God-awful but to them, it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen. They hauled it back east and it was a big hit back there I am told.
So, one mans junk is anothers treasure
I have never seen that body style Plymouth in image 10
If I knew where this treasure trove was I could drive over and have a look at them. I’d guess it to be in the north central region, northeast of Great Falls, or maybe east of Shelby, (Chester?) along US-2. But the Big Sky is a big state and these gems could be hiding anywhere.
I’d guess that beige colored Binder to be a late ’54 model as it has graduated to the large single rear window from the two slits that were the norm from ’50 to early ’54. So-equipped, it’s a rare beast as that type of window was mostly available in the S-series.
That one old Binder looks like a ’34 to ’36 C-30 while the older one looks more like a ’26 or ’27, possibly a six-speed like Howard suggested. I’ll have to check the old reference books when I get home later tonight.
26 license plates in Montana are Pondera County, Conrad is the county seat.
Image 4 of the patinaed green truck is just beautiful. I don’t think you could artistically stage this any more perfectly.
Image 12 of the old Ford with the spray rig in the bed rig is interesting too. It looks like it was running not that long ago.
I was a aerial fire pilot in Montana, have quite a few GPS coordinates of amazing old cars that I would spot on low level flights. One day I hoped to visit on the ground. Alas, time is slipping by too fast.
This should have been sold like the Lambrecht auction. There is a lot of good material.
Surprised none of your car/truck savvy readers, didn’t answer your question about the pickup in the background. If your referring to the red and white truck, I believe it is a 1958-1960 Ford with the not-so-common wrap around but very cool,rear window. Also the red Galaxie appears to be a 62, could be an XL with bucket seats console and floor-shift.
Hi Snotty, good call. You are right, that is a rare truck. Looked it up, it is a ’58-’60 Custom Cab “StyleSide” with that window and paint scheme. If it is a 4 wheel drive ( it does seem to be higher than most) that would probably triple it’s value. http://www.ford-trucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/1958-Ford-Truck-Ad-640a.jpg
The green lump is a sunbeam alpine or tiger, and it’s still in Montana
I think the green lump is a 50’s Lincoln Capri.