As we continue our weekly series of junkyard finds (you can find the previous two entries here and here), I’m being a bit lazy this week and combining some remaining finds from the yard that yielded my prized dashboard along with some new discoveries from a yard in Maryland I visited last weekend. Next week’s will be the big unveiling, however, as I uncovered a bonanza in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country last week! For now, though, I’ve left a few more quizzes in store for you to identify some classics sinking back into the earth – and some collector cars that should be rescued instead of recycled.
This may look like an ordinary Triumph TR7, but closer inspection revealed it was a TR8! This eight-cylinder rarity was in very decent shape, with only some minor rust holding it back. The car had a Copart sticker on it, so it’s been out of the comfort of a caring owner’s garage for quite some time.
Volvo 544s are known for their durability and battle-tested competencies in rallies and other endurance events; unfortunately, this one lost the rust battle and has been sinking into the forest for many years.
Most enthusiasts would lose little sleep over the thought of an old Maserati Biturbo rotting away, but I’ve always had a thing for them. The boxy shape and bottle-cap style wheels were very 80s, and the interior always looked pretty comfortable. Resting in the junkyard is a fate for many of them, however, due to frightening unreliability.
This early Triumph Spitfire convertible has languished for so long that the brambles of Western Massachusetts have taken over the interior. Looks like there’s a still a decent chrome bumper and windshield frame waiting to be pulled if your example is pitted or rotten.
OK: time for our Barn Finds readers to start identifying some hidden classics! Any guesses as to the year and model of this very stripped Chevrolet? The blue paint was the only way you’d notice this old girl, as Mother Nature is currently providing excellent camouflage.
Portholes on the fender are a dead giveaway on vintage Buicks, but I didn’t get close enough to check out the VIN tag or other identifiers for the year of this Roadmaster. This looks like a 55-57 model to me, but I’ll leave it to our Buick experts to confirm.
Toyota FJs have been enjoying a significant price uptick on the collector market as of late, but this example wasn’t saved soon enough. Rust has always been a problem with vintage Japanese 4x4s, and this one is only good for parts at this point. If and when its components live on in other trucks is an unknown for now.
Our Mercedes-Benz fans will recognize the script of this badge, denoting the size of the V8 engine under the hood of a sedan that was spotted in the far corners of the yard. It had been there for many, many years, but we’ll need some eagle-eyes to pinpoint the year and model – my guess is a 280SE.
Family trucker efforts identified one of last week’s mysteries with ease! Let’s see if they can do it again, as I had difficulty confirming the make and model of this once aqua and white American wagon. Lodge your guesses below – let’s see how fast the mystery is solved!
And one more from one of three Maryland yards I visited last weekend – a common sight, unfortunately. This Jaguar XJS was just one of many I’ve spotted over the years, and coincidentally enough, it was parked directly across from the Maserati. Fitting, then, that these two 80s icons of luxury and wealth are keeping each other company as they count down the days to the shredder.
Keep your calendars marked for next week’s entry – it’s a step back in time! For now, let’s identify the mystery junkers in this latest installment of Jeff in the Junkyard. And if you have any yards I should visit, let me know in the comments below or email us at mail@barnfinds.com.
I love junkyards and have made a lot of money out of them. It is a bit more difficult today with the information available but it still can be done. I just bought a 1917 Packard truck that is complete and solid from a great old junkyard, we will be restoring it next year for the 100th anniversary of its birth and WW1. Not to mention my 1955 Porsche Speedster purchased for 100.00 out of a Pocatello junkyard in 1982. Some I bought to keep and restore, some to sell. I don’t do Fords…….but bought 3 clean early Mustang convertible stripped chassis from a yard near Salt Lake for 100.00 each and sold them in a week for 1000.00 each…….lots of fun. It is kind of a sport to me.
Dave – RE: the Packard truck. Are you familiar with Dave Lockard in PA? He’s “Mr Packard truck”, owning several. If you need his info, contact me back at Billmccoskey@aol.com
I was not familiar with him (you ) but a guy from New Zeland told me about you over the weekend. We will be in touch, I will have the truck home on Thursday or Friday and lots of photos. Argonaut110@yahoo.com
Hey Dave Wright & Bill McCoskey, the Dave Lockhard in PA is my cousin. Check out the picture attached, it’s me sometime around 1978-79 helping to remove the engine from his first Packard truck – the one that is his current pride & joy. This was before the Army truck, or the Goodyear Winged Express truck.
That Volvo looks like a 444 with the split windshield.
You’re right. It’s a 444
’57 Chevrolet and ’58 Chevrolet wagon.
The mystery wagon looks like a 1958 Chevrolet, but a lower model that the Bel Air as witnessed by the single tail lamp on each side.
Good series Jeff,
Are there more pics of the Mercedes 4.5 to work with?…whether 280 SEL. 280 SE or 300 SEL is as easy as checking the opposite side of the trunk lid. (Left) for the badge. If that’s gone and you are allowed to touch the car, open the drivers door and check the B pillar halfway down and photograph the VIN plate, if that is impossible get the hood open and one simple photo of the engine room drivers side will tell immediate 280 or 300.
Thanks for all your effort ….am sure you are enjoying the “work” wish I was there. .
Generally, all you would have to do is look at the suspension, most of the 300’s (like mine….Thankyou Rev Roary) had air suspension, most 280’s had conventional suspension. All the 4.5’s were American spec cars made in 1972, mine is licenced as a 73.
Could always crawl under the car or simply a side on photo will usually tell you a”down on its bags” 300…my suggestion were made with keeping Jeff off the late spring NE USA ground…I mean after all the first people I met crawling around underneath cars in remote junkyards in the spring besides parts hunters were snake hunters…
Yes……Snake hunting for sure. I remember being under a WW2 vintage power wagon in a yard near Angel’s Camp California, going eye to eye with a big rattler. I have seen many in junk yards but that one was memorable…………….
RE: 4.5 so jeff are you saying it is a 280 or maybe a 280?? as asked before any chance of more pics or a location?
It is either a 280SE, SEL or a 300SEL. 108 or 109 bodies with a 4.5 liter overhead cam fuel injected V8
The 58′ Chevy wagon appears to be a yeoman.
Jeff…I want the TR8. Badly. :-) We want to go faster than the Marina can in LeMons. Seriously.
I immediately thought of you when we found it. My brother noticed the extra cylinders. It’s in a yard near Baltimore if you’ve got connections who could grab it…decent interior, too!
Can’t wait to see your next week’s finds in Amish country. Keep wishing one day to run across my HS car, ’46 Mercury convertible. Wishful thinking.
yes the TR8 needs to be saved either as a whole car, race car or as parts. snakes, bees, other wildlife and ivy are just some of the extra fun in a junk yard! love the series, keep them coming.
I believe Jamie is on the case….;-)
that is very good news.
Where is the yard near Baltimore with the TR8 located? I’m not far from Baltimore.
1958 Chevrolet Brookwood Station Wagon
The mystery Blue Chevy is a 57. Notice in the accompanying pic the “missing” rubber bullets. I have an 83k mile original of my own, and it came from the factory without them. We used to call the one’s with rubber bullets, California bumpers.
Here’s a blue model without rubber bullets.
Gary, thanks for clarifying – does the car int the weeds look like it might be a desirable model, or would it depend on if it were a sedan vs. a coupe?
The one rough stripped blue Chevy is a ’57 model, the Buick Roadmaster is definitely a ’55 hardtop, (I would be all over that if restorable), the ’58 Chevy wagon is most likely the Yeoman model, all ’58 wagon’s had only one taillight each side. They also made a Brookwood and Nomad model in ’58 both were 4 dr as well. Nice finds, would like to spend a day strolling thru that gold, er old rusty iron mine…
Jeff, if you’re asking me about the values of any car, all I can say is, it’s worth what ever an individual ‘thinks’ it’s worth. After all, isn’t that why everyone has their own favorite make & model? If you’re asking only because of the rubber bullets not being there, I’ve never heard, or been aware of, that one thing influencing the 57’s value.
What is with the video interuptus??????? Starting to PISS ME OFF
Cannot make a comment without being dragged back to the video AGAIN AND AGAIN nice you can sell air time BUT it is going t cost u in lost commenters Starting with ME
Junkman – not sure what’s happening on your end, but there’s no video component to this feature. Email us – mail@barnfinds.com if you’re having difficulties. Thanks!
That’s a Nissan Patrol, not a FJ
Rob – better eye than mine and even more unexpected to find one of those! Thanks for the clarification.
Jeff, When I shut down my PC yesterday the security badge flashed for an upgrade which I did and it appears to have been corrected. Thank for checking up,
Cheers,
Jeff
That aqua and white wagon looks like a ’58 Chev.