We love to hear barn find stories from our readers. Good local finds are still out there and you guys are making them everyday. Scott M. just sent us his unexpected discovery and we think it will inspire everyone here to keep looking because you never know where you might come across your own barn find. Here is the tale in his own words:
Hi, I just found your site and am really enjoying it! A few years ago I went to a local lawnmower repair shop to order some parts, the man behind the counter said he might have my exact model out behind the barn and I could get the parts used if I wanted! I said “sure lets take a look” as we get to the barn I see a Mustang fastback and start asking about it and then he shows me more barns on the property with several other classic cars and motors and parts etc.. there where storage containers and other buildings all stuffed with Mustangs and parts. the place was amazing but as you can guess… “no not for sale”.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago in December 2012, my buddy calls me and says “hey the Mustang guy is cleaning out his property and there loading the cars and parts on trailers and hauling them off!” I jump in my truck and drive up there and sure enough, they’re tearing down and stripping buildings, loading and moving all the cars and parts etc. I ask a guy they what’s going on “he says they have until Tuesday at 5:00 to be off the property because the bank was taking it back. I ask for the owner and he says he’s not here but he gave me directions to go find him and talk to him about buying the cars.
I finally find the place and the guy is on an old tractor mowing grass that’s about 4 feet tall. I introduce myself and show him all the cash in my pocket and ask if he’ll sell any of the Mustangs? He says, “no I need them right now but maybe someday?”. I gave him my number and was on my way. I took some pictures and wanted to share my barn find experience!
Wow Scott, that had to quite a surprise to stumble across all this. We hope you can convince the owner to sell you one of those Mustangs so you can be save it from its current predicament. Please keep us updated. And to the rest of you, keep hunting!
whomever this person was they seemed to like fords, nice collection for someone to restore.
Apparently, this site does not divulge locations and names of barn finds?
We do Jerry, when they are for sale.
I love those old and dusty pictures… but can’t help wondering when the owner said he would not sell because he may need them some day…wouldnt the bank foreclosure be a suitable need to let one go?? …just wondering??
Doug, I was wondering the same thing! What else is amazing is that while he has a crew clearing the property of all his possessions, he’s off somewhere else mowing grass??? While its nice this guy has created a time capsule for these great cars, its seems to be obvious he’s doesn’t have both oars in the water.
Easy for you to say.
Maybe he has a family , a business and other things to tend to,
‘The crew’ might be relatives, and the grass he’s mowing is the spot where the inventory will be stored (??).
Unless you have been in the situation, where the ‘bank’ is throwing out of a house you’ve been in for decades, it’ would be better not to pass judgement.
And maybe he doesn’t need oars in the water, when he’s paddling just to keep his head above water.
He is saving the cars and that’s the only sensible thing to do, since selling them would probably not even put a dent into his real estate problems !!
~ you guys are being too kind. this crazy ol’ fart needs his noggin examined. maybe he’s just torturing his next-of-kin. heartbreaking.
~ @ Horse Radish,
lest i stir your ire i should say my comment was something less than half-serious. i don’t mean to point fingers or hurl insults in ignorance of the facts. i’ve known people in similar situations and there is seldom anything someone can do to be of help.
Just a guess here I think it is the owner moving the vehicles, not the bank, and on a tractor mowing 4 ft weeds…perhaps the new home for all his “must haves”
I think that’s what I said , but thanks for agreeing.
Mustang schmustang, I want that perfectly surface rusted stepside ford!
I’m with you! A 63 Galaxie, possibly an XL! It’s calling to me!
That 63 1/2 Galaxie looks like the one we had when I was a little girl. Sure wish they told the location. I think ours had a 390 in it and would fly.
He could have sold one Mustang back when it all started with the bank.Sounds to me like it’s the old “pig at the trough” or “dog in the manger” thing to me.
Guys like you provide cool stuff. It’s hard to find cool on the internet.
that RustandGrease too !
when you guys find out he is ready to sell let me know my wife is a big mustang fan and i would love to get one for her!! i would like the old ford truck for myself,ha ha
I’m with Shawn..The best looking Galaxie made..Ever! That said,The schmustang’s would bring three times as much as that perforated pig of a stepside..There’s more than surface rust @ the seam between the fender sections..That means the underside of the cab’s in as bad’a shape as well!
Horse Radish, You are right on. I agree with you 100% We do not know the whole story so do not pass judgement.
HI I submitted the pictures and I was at the new location yesterday to see the rest of them. He still is not ready to sell but let me look around and was very nice. he has 7 fastbacks from 65-69, several old ford trucks,4 early 70’s broncos, a 1940 ford farm truck owned by Henry Ford that came from the Ford Plantation, even the tires have the Ford logo on them? One of the mustangs is a 1965 shelby sitting outside right now. The gallaxy was a big block. he has a stack of engines including one Hemi that I saw.I have some recent more pictures if the website wants an update I can send them in.
The guy is really nice, older and retired, his family and friends helped him clean up and move from the property. The story is, he thought he had the property sold to a large retail chain store, and he cashed out the equity then the sale never happened due to the economy colapse years ago… was upside down and couldn’t make payments. lost the property to the bank, He moved everything onto old family land now.
Scot M thanks for the up date, bad things happen to good people when dealing with large companies
I suppose all those cars will sit outside now and pretty soon that will be the end of that. Pity!
All really great stories, I wish him good luck . Sad about the land deal, unfortunately a product of the times & he is not the only one, I hope that he does something with selling them off before they decay & become worthless, or get some protection from the elements.
Those two junk mustangs are DOA. The Galaxie has more class. It did then and does now. Mustangs were cheap cars with rear ends not properly matched to the transmission and power plants. Today’s mustangs are huge and lack any class. No wonder people who know class buy euro cars. Ford can’t even build a decent T-Bird anymore. That last bird was pretty, except for the stupid port hole, but my scooter is faster than the old clunker.
I KNOW WHAT THIS POOR GUY IS GOING THRU. I TOO LOST MY HOME WHEN THE ECONOMY TOOK A DUMP. I DID NOT HAVE A COLLECTION OF CARS LIKE THAT BUT IT WAS MY RETIREMENT HOME I BUILT ON A LAKEFRONT PROPERTY. I FEEL BAD FOR THE MAN AND I HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR HIM.
Thats a tough story but those major chains are ruthless. Surprised they haven’t bought the land from the bank for less $$$.
Probably a legal reason he isn’t selling them. Maybe the bank would come after the cash.
Sorry but a hoarder is a hoarder and old, retired and not ready to sell means his family will be the ones left to deal with the rusted hulks with no titles, no keys, missing documents, etc. Oh, and since gramps said,” one day these will be worth a fortune” they’ll all continue to rot away with asking prices that make us all laugh.
Its a shame that so many older folks hoard as they do and let things go to rot. Worse still is in another 20-30 years not only will cars like these be relatively worthless (due to the many surviving cars) but few will have interest and fewer still the funds to restore them.
so, do you just hate old people or just old people, who have cars that they won’t sell to you at your price ?
Can you not tell that this is a car website, and not flippin’ Oprah?
stop getting caught up trying to upset people, and look at the CARS.
Bryan……….spot on. Here is my take. This guy lost his property………but wouldn’t sell the cars? to perhaps get himself out of a jam?……really?…….
Blame a corporation…………for not spending money on property they deemed not necessary……….really?
Deals fall through all the time, houses, commercial buildings, land etc.
Guess I would rather keep my house……..than own a bunch of old cars…….but hey…..that’s just me.
indeed, that is your opinion and not everyone has the same priorities in life. Personally myself, while owning 11 old fords including a 69 mach 1 428scj car, 3 other 69’s, and other 50’s and 60’s cars that are not restored would keep my cars rather most properties. Be it sentimental value, or the value of the cars (and parts, there IS a hemi there, perhaps the others are 427SO, etc..we just dont know)…or if the house is only worth burning down…its not our place to judge. Still sad however, but they are HIS to do with what he wants.
Who is sitting in the truck in the picture?
I would like to see pictures of the other ford trucks.
Alright folks time to give the owner a break.
Hopefully we’ll all get a crack at the cars when the owner is ready
His fine cars , his financial problems ! His choice . In saying that
I spent yesterday pulling a nice model A roadster out of a farm here in WA
Australia , old man died & a friend grabed it an auction for farm equipment.
His kids didn’t realy know what they had but at least it’s going to
Be fixed up “hot rod” . Some you get & some you remember forever,
The ones lost to time ;(