Project Cars

Bubble Car: 1958 BMW Isetta Moto Coupé Deluxe

The Isetta was an unusual microcar built mostly by BMW in the 1950s. Designed in Italy, the egg-shaped automobile was produced under license in a variety of countries, including Germany. It became known as the “bubble car” for its… more»

Magazine Car: 1980 Studebaker Avanti II

The premise of a car being a former magazine feature is a hallmark of vehicles from a certain era. Certainly, in the 1970s and 80s it was considered a milestone event for the owner to find out an editor… more»

Coffin Nose Custom: 1937 Cord 812 Project

Choosing an appropriate candidate for a project build can be challenging, especially for enthusiasts who march to the beat of a different drummer. A custom or hot rod often provides the best solution, but there is still a danger… more»

Coach Built 1969 Pontiac Catalina Six-Door Wagon

Stretched wagons like this Armbruster Stageway-built 1969 Pontiac Catalina were not an uncommon sighting back in the day.  These were known for performing a variety of tasks, such as limousine services, funeral home duties, and even airport transporters.  If… more»

Running Project! 1956 Panhard Dyna Z1

Today we’re bringing you another oddball, this one from France and doesn’t that just figure. Anyway, here on facebook Marketplace is a 1956 Panhard Dyna Z1 project, with an asking price of $1500; take a trailer to Elverta, California… more»

New Interior: 1963 Ford Fairlane 500

The Fairlane, named after Henry Ford’s estate in Michigan, was Ford’s primary car in the late 1950s. By the beginning of the 1960s, it played second-fiddle to the new Galaxie series, and in 1962 Ford moved the name to… more»

Luxurious Finned Project: 1959 Dodge Custom Royal

Tail fins were all the rage in the auto world during the mid to late fifties, so it’s not surprising that Dodge added them to the Custom Royal about halfway through the car’s life cycle for the 1957 model. … more»

Factory 4-Speed Project: 1963 Ford Ranchero

There’s much to like about light trucks, such as the Ford Ranchero. They offer the comfort of a sedan, coupled with greater load-carrying capacity and versatility than a station wagon. Domestic production ended years ago, and while the rumor… more»

Super Solid: 1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Bubble Top

General Motors warmly embraced the “Bubble Top” look in the early 1960s, producing cars across its various marques that appeared remarkably light and elegant for their size. One of these was the 1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Coupe, and our… more»

Plain Jane 30k-Mile Survivor: 1970 Ford Mustang

By 1970, sales of the popular “pony car”, the Ford Mustang, were down by two-thirds from the peak in 1966. Competition was to blame – and the market was well saturated with sporty cars by that time. This 1970… more»

V6 Power Survivor: 1964 Buick Skylark

Before 1964, the Skylark was a trim option on the Buick Special. But that year, it became a series of its own when it and the Special were promoted from compact to intermediate-size status. Unusual by Detroit standards at… more»

Can It Be Saved? 1962 DKW Junior Deluxe

The 1950s were awash in three-cylinder cars. For instance, the Wartburg 311 hid a 0.9 liter in-line three in its engine compartment. Ditto several contemporaneous Saabs. The Berkeley SE492 of course. The Polish FSO Syrena. And over in Germany,… more»

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»

Beefy 390 V8: 1965 Mercury Monterey Marauder

The Marauder name was used by Mercury in the mid-1960s to denote a full-size performance car with a touch of luxury. A 390 cubic inch V8 was standard equipment, so they meant business. In 1965, the Marauder came as… more»

454 V8 Included: 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

Chevrolet brought back the Monte Carlo SS in 1983 – 12 years after the last edition was available. The last time around, a 454 cubic inch V8 was offered, while a souped-up 305 would have to suffice a decade… more»

Rare First Year: 1954 Mercury Monterey Sun Valley

Gauging the relative rarity of some classics can be challenging, although the frequency with which they cross our desks at Barn Finds seems to be a reasonable guide for domestic models. That brings me to this 1954 Mercury Monterey… more»

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