The pages of automotive history books overflow with brands that are no longer with us. Some went out in a blaze of glory, while others created barely a ripple when they disappeared. Sadly, Mercury falls into the second category… more»
Survivor Cars
Not all barn finds are rusty! Here are the very best unrestored classics:
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 14 Comments
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»
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 27 Comments
Stupendous Silver Spur: 1985 Rolls-Royce
Now this is a dignified automobile! When I spy a new Rolls-Royce I see a brick with headlights and refrigerator door handles – hardly the case with this 1985 Silver Spur. Nope, I see understated, non-pretensious elegance. Unfortunately, the… more»
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 30 Comments
5.0-Liter/5-Speed: 1985 Ford Mustang GT
I’ve long been a fan of the Fox-Body Mustang and find cars like this 1985 GT particularly attractive. The styling remains almost European, but the facelift Ford performed for that year added a touch of aggression. This GT is… more»
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 16 Comments
Barn Find! 1960 MGA 1600 Roadster Project
Export, or perish. Here in the US, we forget the impact that two world wars and a depression wrought on Great Britain – and we forget that the UK government made exports to the US an imperative. Earning dollars… more»
Apr 16, 2024 • For Sale • 17 Comments
Rock-Solid Project: 1965 Ford Mustang
Releasing an entirely new model is a calculated risk, especially when the vehicle is essentially a niche model. It can sometimes lead to failure, but Ford proved it had the ability to produce the right car at the right… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 50 Comments
Classified Find: 1956 Continental Mark II
Today, very few manufacturers produce “money is no object” vehicles that record a financial loss on every car sold. Volkswagen is a notable exception with its Bugatti models, but Ford pursued that approach in the 1950s with the Continental… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 21 Comments
29K Mile Survivor: 1993 Cadillac DeVille
Well, the location is listed as San Francisco, California but this triple white 1993 Cadillac DeVille showboat screams Palm Beach, Florida. Padded vinyl top, gold grille and stand-up hood ornament, gold badging, undersized white stripe tires, yeah baby, this… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 38 Comments
8k Mile French Survivor: 1968 Simca 1100 SCV
The Simca 1100 Series was one of France’s biggest-selling autos, accounting for sales of two million units between 1967 and 1982. But not that many made their way to the U.S., sold through Plymouth’s network of dealers. This nice… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 32 Comments
Small-Block V8: 1979 Chevrolet Monza
Chevrolet first used the Monza nameplate as the more upscale version of its Corvair compact in the 1960s. They resurrected the moniker in 1975 and applied it to a sporty subcompact rooted in the ill-fated Vega. Although available as… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 20 Comments
5,000-lb. Survivor: 1976 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
The OPEC oil embargo of 1973 left most car buyers scrambling for more fuel-efficient alternatives. I say most because Cadillac was the exception. In 1976, they set a sales record of more than 309,000 automobiles, beating their own 1973… more»
Apr 15, 2024 • For Sale • 66 Comments
Twin-Stick 8-Speed: 1981 Dodge Colt
In the 1970s, Ford and Chevrolet countered the small car “invasion” led by Volkswagen by developing new products of their own. That led to the Pinto and Vega which combined for five million cars that decade. Chrysler went the… more»
Apr 14, 2024 • For Sale • 22 Comments
27k Mile Survivor: 1974 Buick Electra 225
Beginning in 1959 and lasting through the 1980s, the Electra was Buick’s largest and most luxurious automobile. The tag 225 was added to the name to indicate that the car was at least 225 inches long (231 by 1974)…. more»
Apr 14, 2024 • For Sale • 15 Comments
Cheap Wheels: 1978 Buick Skylark Custom
From its first outing as a top-of-the-line convertible in 1953, the Skylark name represented a range of Buick products over the years. In the late 1970s, it was a compact car, based on the X-body platform spawned by the… more»
Apr 14, 2024 • For Sale • 8 Comments
One Owner: 1970 Chevrolet Nova SS 350
As the muscle car movement of the 1960s moved forward, Detroit manufacturers found new success with compact performance cars. Because they were lighter than the mid-size competitors, they could move fast without needing monster engines. Such was the case… more»
Apr 14, 2024 • For Sale • 24 Comments
They All Can’t Be Winners: 1981 Moselle Roadster
Nostalgia can be a powerful drug. All of us who are either writing, editing, or reading Barn Finds have to confess that nostalgia is a powerful motivator for our love of older forms of transportation. However, is nostalgia a… more»
