Barn Finds reader Forrest S. just sent in this photo of a car he is currently digging out. He is going to send more photos soon, but we wanted to post this to see if any of you can tell what’s under that tarp! Leave your guesses in the comments and then we will run an update once he gets it out. Thanks for sharing Forrest!
there is something funny up front that I think is a red herring.
The tall windshield makes me guess a later Dataun Roadster.
1972 triumph TR6
Whiskey Barrels? Old Vet?
Forgot to subscribe!
Based on fender humps and hint of bumper, im going with jag or cheetah. And I’m guessing the hood is off causing the sag.
I was thinking an early AH Sprite
Jag…XKE …DROP TOP
Xk1## without a hood
Austin Healey 3000 maybe?
Not much really to clear off, but only thing I can say is ‘convertible’
Alfa Romeo or Fiat
Jag
I think we are looking at the back. TR 3
I’m thinking an MGA or possibly an Austin Healy 3000….
I think we are looking at the rear of the car. The cover indicates a dip at the door belt line making me think of an imported roadster! maybe there is a clue in the (back) bumper! The size of the things on top of the tarp indicate a small car.
MGA from what few bumper overrider details and rear fender curve that I can see. Looks like the rear tail-lights location and shape.
See the similarities?
yes i think you are right. good eye.
You nailed it Mark and Zackman it looks very much to me like an MGA as well.
Nice, Marc. We have a winner, folks.
I think Marc has it figured out.
Great, an MG-A looks correct, and I was about to add it might be a chopped roof Sabra.
ok more photos and the rest of the story please. thanks for sharing.
Well……I know Forrest and have some unfair advantage but would like to see how this plays out.
The trunk is too low for the MGA. The hugely round rear fender and tall windshield and extended rear got me thinking.
It’s not common but continental kits were available for the MGA maybe explaining the bump in the cover between the tail lights. I’m still on the MGA plan. Just think the spare is gone and the bracket is sticking up – plus the bumper seems to be sticking out a bit further.
another view…
Can a Jupiter Jowett have a continental on it?
I don’t think so – even if what we are seeing is not a continental kit, the stock license plate light sits pretty darn high on the rear of the MGA – enough to appear as it does in the photo under the cover.
My guess would be a ’73 Studebaker Golden Hawk convertible!!
So I’m the only one that thinks we’re looking at the front of the car?
I agree bob ,if that is the rear end , I wouldn’t want to drive pushing the air with the angle of that windsheild !
I have migrated to the school of, this is the front we are looking at, no idea the kind of car.
Daimler Conquest Roadster
I agree with Steve, TR 3.
Fiat Dino spider ?
As utterly cool as Fiat Dino Spiders are that is not one…
I’m still sticking with my original assessment of it as an MGA. That’s the body line and taillight shape….. that other thing sticking up, however, is not a continental kit. It sticks out too far… I’m thinking that is probably some sort of aftermarket bicycle rack….. a very European idea I do believe….
the tarp seems to show the lip of the wheel well rolled, or perhaps fender trim. i’m still looking.
MGA by the rear fender line and the posts sticking up at the corners of the windscreen and the straight front fender line
Could it be an MGA
Its a cut-down ’40 Ford! Want proof? It is in the barrels!
From the picture I would definitely say that is a rear shot and I agree with a few others on the MGA with a continental kit or rear plate bracket.
I too believe this is the rear of the car. The, what appears to be, upside-down ersuctions are present on MGAs. MGA.
You front end guys seem to be in the minority. And I’ll be joining the rear view crew. I think that the MGA guess is as good as any, so I’ll go along.
What distracts the eye is the angle of the photograph. If it were more to the side, I think that the windshield tilt would be more obvious. I’m guessing that the car is wearing a tonneau cover over the cockpit, leading the “nose first” adherents to believe that they see the junk piled onto the hood. But that stuff does not look heavy, so it could easily be supported by the cover.
How’s that for over-analysis?
Wait….
Copy/Paste to Paint, enlarge to 150%, and… Look! Is that a TAILPIPE protruding from under the blanket, just a bit to right of frame center in the photo? And the placement seems to be identical to the spot shown in Marc’s photos. Hmmm… Anyone still think this is a front end nearest the camera?
I think I’ll even join the “Continental Tire Holder” proponents. Hehehehe
Something with a roll bar?
tr3
Looks like an MGA roadster. The bumper guard is MGA and the pins sticking up at the windscreen end is MGA.
Tr3s don’t have a rear bumper and the MGAs overrides don’t look like that. I know this rear end….I just can’t remember her name….
Even though the tailights of the MGA should be bumping up more and the overrides might be bent down a little , my money is on the MG through default. To good of a match with the empty continental kit.
With the empty whiskey barrels it’s no wonder it sits.
mga
I’m not buying the continental kit. For one there (obviously?) is no wheel which is fine but how does that explain the protrusion both upwards and outwards (toward the camera).
The possible tailpipe is a good catch but again seems to protrude awfully far from the car and awfully close to the covered over rider to be plausible.
I still think the apparent angle of the windshield evokes a front view but concede that the angle of the shot could be playing tricks on the eye.
Sticking with the front of the car vein, could the protrusion be a rally light and/or a badge bar?
The windshield says Austin Healey…. but the front not so much.. Jensen?
I’m troubled by that rear fender shape, and the length of the tail. Makes me think it’s either rear-engined, like a Karmann Ghia, or something older with a very swoopy back end like a 1950-ish Studebaker or Buick, or even older with separate fenders. The rear bumper is also a problem. It does not have a concave middle (top to bottom) like a Jag, double bar like so many 1930’s cars and the over-riders are a very subtle shape with their slight rearward lean at the top. Is that a badge on the top edge of that over-rider or just a reflection? Also, look at the flat top of the bumper disappearing round the body corner – is that an ‘s’ profile in the upper bead? That’s more reminiscent of 1940’s-50’s Americana than European isn’t it?
The bumper guard, tail pipe, and the pins at the ends of the windshield frame that secure the top frame are right for 1960-61 MGA 1600. I’ll go with that and asume that bulge at the middle of the rear bumper is the bracket for the continental tire kit, as mentioned already.
Looks like an MGA to me!
bug eye sprite
A conclusion would make this a lot more fun!
Sorry Bob’s, I get it; I haven’t been back out there to finish the dig-it-out. Soon…
I promise a happy ending.
:)
Maybe another hint first?
Not a Spitfire. ;-)
“Front or rear?”
Talk about a slow reveal!
Two weeks is an eternity in Internet terms.
So I’ll push the subject a bit. If it posts from my phone, saw this on the road Monday.
Oooo… success! Getting better at this smartphone thing, lol.
Niiice!!
Usually see those things headed east from here in August with a few Harleys aboard and a can of spray-on road grime in the trunk.
Good guess.
Rev Rory,
Assuming you’re referring to Sturgis, along with the can of road grime they need their Hollywood-style glue-on ZZ Top beards and wash-off-in-a-week removable tats. You can’t be a wannabe bad-ass biker for a few days without tats a Duck Dynasty whiskers…