Okay Barn Finders, here’s your chance to play detective, and to help out a fellow enthusiast. This person is trying to locate an old race car that has been missing in action for decades and is hoping that the wider community can come to his assistance. We have a few pictures of the car and a bit of information on it that might help you out. If you can shed some light on this, you will find this person’s contact details here on Craigslist.
The car in question is a hand-built post-war special. It is an SCCA race car that was quite popular, and it competed at the Allentown, Bridgehampton, and Convair Airport tracks roughly between 1950 and 1953. It was last seen in the late 1950s, before disappearing from the racing scene. The body was made from aluminum, with some fiberglass work on the nose. The car was powered by a 1.5-liter Lea-Francis engine, and it also featured Frazer Nash center-lock wheels. Judging by the photos, it appears that this was a nicely built car, and it would be nice to help this person to find it.
So, hopefully, someone can help this person to find this old classic. These sorts of cars are an integral part of our motor-sport heritage, and I have always been a fan of finding and preserving such cars. With so many enthusiastic and dedicated Barn Finders on the ground out there, hopefully, we can bring a happy end to this story.
Was this a car that he used to own? Or race?
This guy is fishing.
He’s advertised on and off for a couple of years. This ad was discussed on Bring a Trailer well over a year ago. He’s hoping the car is out there languishing in the hands of someone that doesn’t know what the have…
No luck from a year ago, eh?
https://barnfinds.com/help-solve-mystery-find-race-car/
Lots of interesting comments from that posting. Click on and read.
Contacting the NE SCCA regions for information couldn’t hurt. Huge amounts of car and race information keep popping up from the area. We’re members of both SCCA and the Austin Healey Club of America. Both organizations have amassed a whole lot of history by going out to their older members. Will get this information out to a couple of SCCA sites we work with. Also, information might be available through the history of the one or two primary sports car importers in the NE who helped start the whole sports car and racing scene.
The International Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen might be a starting point.
Reach out to the VSCCA. Someone there may know it.
It is not in my garage. There I helped by eliminating one location.
Given that it is a little north of NYC it would not surprise me that they use this type of ad to sniff out cars.
I get a call a couple a times a year from both GW and BH trying to either buy a car or find info on available ones. It doesn’t take long to figure out who they are. Their offer prices are ridiculously low and their selling prices are the same but on the high end of the spectrum.
Just a guess that this is a ploy
Not sure who GW and BH are. But, I know exactly where this car is (or one that’s a helluva lot like it). It’s located in an old shed on my grand-dads property in Essex, Massachusetts. He took the car as payment for some medical work he did back in 1962. Drove it 3 times and parked it. He told me that he’d give it to me ‘someday’ but I don’t want to pressure him.
Nice mystery cool
Car
Nate, I am the gentleman looking for this particular Post War Race Car, I have a great deal of information on this car as a late friend of mine was involved with the car. If your grandfather has the car, you folks have a very unique piece of North East Racing history, back in the early 50’s this is where it all started. I would love to talk with you about the car I can give you some of it’s history!! Thanks Heath 605-201-9563 or heath@imsturgis.com
Nate, I am the gentleman looking for this particular Post War Race Car, I have a great deal of information on this car as a late friend of mine was involved with the car. If your grandfather has the car, you folks have a very unique piece of North East Racing history, back in the early 50’s this is where it all started. I would love to talk with you about the car I would love to share some of this cars history with you!! Thanks Heath 605-201-9563 or heath@imsturgis.com
It’ll be finding a broken needle in twelve haystacks at this point…..the red flag in the ad is that the poster sites no connection to the car. Not his dad’s, grandfather’s. neighbor who turned him onto cars, a car he saw race or a car he once saw on a trailer, in a barn, etc, etc.
Thus I agree the ad is easily a fishing expedition from Gullwing (GW) or Beverly Hills BH).
Not GW or BH. This one appears to be a guy working at Vern Eide Specialty & Classics in Sioux Falls South Dakota. That phone number has been attached to dozens of ads for old cars at least back to 2010.
So.
Since it seems to be evident that the inquiry is dishonest, how about de-linking this BF listing from the CL ad?
Bah. Some people just can’t be honest about anything. And when it comes to money, that’s particularly true.
It is a sharp looking car, regardless of the reason it is being searched for. I’d be proud to own it myself.