We love to see what our readers have parked in their barns and garages… and living rooms. Today we wanted to feature a shot of BF reader Chuck M’s garage and let everyone guess what all is in there. Hopefully Chuck will chime in later and let us know which ones we have right. His collection is rather eclectic with over 300 years of motoring history between them all. He also has something interesting sitting in his living room that you may want to see…
Only a true car guy could appreciate this. Just think, you could wrench a little after dinner right in front of the TV! We bet a few of you will instantly recognize this fully restored chassis, but please let the rest of us guess a little while before giving it away. Thanks for sharing Chuck! Everyone else, be sure to send in photos of the inside of your barn so we can all take a look!
This feature was brought to you by Ross Vasse and his book about making money by finding, buying, and selling old cars.
That looks like the chassis for the red Isetta, but at first I thought it was something else with the engine placed so high. Then I started to realize it really is not so high, it’s the chassis which is so short. It’s all relative.
For most of us, the photo of the frame and it’s surrounds would equate to a divorce. How, exactly, do you get motor oil stains outta the carpet?
I have motorcycles parked in my family room. In order to keep the peace, I found the best way to remove motor oil stains from the carpet is to replace the carpet. Cheaper than a divorce.
I like it! The new carpet is cheaper than building a garage! My wife would never go for it though! I’m not even gonna mention it…
I got it easy,
no M/cs in the spare bedroom,
no stains in the carpet,
BUT most of all: NO wife to b*tch about anything….
The trick was to be very careful about not getting anything on the carpet. We were moving it around when I took this picture. Normally the floor below it was very well protected.
I see a black 57 t bird
And a vw beetle
Black MG
Model A coupe
I am going to guess that the chassis is a Daf, mostly because it looks like a belt drive CVT drivetrain.
Has to be for the Isetta. Easier to ID the BMW motor from the other side though.
the Isetta’s red and white body is in the top pic on a dolly…
MG TD
BMW Isetta
Ford Thunderbird
Volkswagen Bug
And…it looks like when it comes to pre-war cars, we are pretty rusty.
The Isetta frame is instantly recognizable unto itself. However, even if it isn’t, I would say that the pic of the Isetta body sitting on rollers would be a good indicator. (No, the wheel that can be seen under the rear of the Isetta is not part of the car!) :)
See I would have something along the lines of that in my living room but I like my balls too much, SHE would be handing me them if I did. It was bad enough when I had my Alfa engine & gearbox sitting for years in my parents basement on an antique table, now a fully restored (solid walnut with inlays) entry table in my foyer sans the engine.
At some point, I saw an article about a guy who had a couple of restored classics (of european breed, but I can’t remember what) inside his office. He said his work prevented him from enjoying them until the idea struck him to have them in his office so he could at least enjoy looking at them and sit in them. Sounds like good job stress relief to me. I always though it would be fun to work at Hemming, when things get tough, just head down to the basement garage and de-compress!!
I don’t know what the old coupe is, but it is not a Model A nor any other Ford for that matter. It’s a 3 window so that rules out an A, wrong bumpers for a 32. Not curvy enough for a 33/34. I’m guessing Chevy or Pontiac. Around 30/31.
The MG is either a TD or TF. I can’t narrow it down any further without seeing the front.
The chassis was reassembled in the living room and stayed there with my wife’s blessing until the new garage was ready. She didn’t want it to get dirty in the old garage. Since these pictures it has now joined the other cars and is out of the living room. You’re doing a great job identifying the cars. Probably not the best view of the coupe for getting that one.
Everything has been id’d correctly except the old ford in the background.. That looks like ’32 3 window coupe, probably a 4 cylinder model b, but could well be the first of the flathead v8’s
And the chassis in the house is obviously the bottom half of the red isetta body in the shop picture
Coupe looks more like early 30s Chevy- check the spare’s hubcap and I think I see an oval tail light. The Model A color of the wheels threw you. We are planning to paint our 35 Chevy wheels Apple Green too…..
VW Cabriolet is 66 or older.
57 T-bird is the gimme in this photo.
MG- is it a TD?
Next barn, please, not enough cars here …
8^}
You pretty much have them all. Here is the official list:
61 VW Beetle Convertible
57 BMW Isetta (chassis and body)
57 Ford Thunderbird
51 MG TD
31 Chevy 3 window coupe
My Isetta departed to a new owner recently after 30 years of my custodianship.
The motor in mine had been previously replaced by a BMW industrial version of same when still an everyday car and hence had a pull start. Original motor I had inside passenger compartment. Good to see what a rolling chassis looks like all new.
I had a messerscmitt in my kitchen and morris minor doors in the toilet but i was single then and the floors had no carpet nor coverings hee hee.
sounds like you have a nice family that is involved in the hobby with you, which is great. very nice garage and selection of cars. thanks for sharing.
make that “are involved” not ” is “.
there’s only ONE family which is involved. Or some members of which are involved.
The VW is a convertible, I’m guessing 1962.
MG looks like a TF.
Agree the Bird is a ’57.
Good call on the ’31 Chevy. Just curious but wnc? Are you also in . Western North Carolina? I’m in Bryson City so like I say , just wondering.
yes, we are near Asheville……
Being a nearly 40 year old virgin has it’s advantages. For me it means no one can tell me what to do in my own home (except code enforcement!). So, I have a bedroom that until recently was dedicated to interior parts. A Geo Metro in the back yard, AMC Spirit in the garage, and 3 other cars in the driveway. It also means my front porch has become a workshop with the shop press and compressor stored out there as there is no room left in my little one car garage. My dining room table is used for electronics projects and, on rare occasion, to eat off of. Likewise I can work on rebuilding a transmission, engine or rear axle at 3AM with no other people to contend with and that I get odd looks when I walk in to the local Wal Mart around that time to get basic supplies I have run out of. However, my house has nothing in it that is as cool as an Isetta chassis!