Not British car but still automobile related and such a compelling story. It is impossible to describe the feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I see these cars and read stories like this. With every fiber of my being I want to be that guy that pulls open the door on a true unique barn find car.
I guess I have been there a couple times with the Austin Atlantic garage full and the Bond Equipe both here in Saint John and even the Austin Cambridge I pulled out of a barn in Nova Scotia 10 years ago. Not as exciting as a Maserati or Facel Vega but still exhilarating.
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/03/22/those-60-vintage-cars-found-on-a-french-farm-are-worth-over-12-million
- Ralph
9 comments:
The guy that owns World Class Auto pulled at 1960 BMW out of a barn in Harvey a couple of months ago. He had it for sale on ebay last week. Good find.
This sort of negligent, ego driven hoarding should be illegal. Joe and I found an E-Type, an XK-140, a bunch of Austins and many MGBs rotting under the trees up near Silverwood. The owner swears he's gonna restore them but has neither the time or money to touch even one of them. His ego precludes his selling any of them to folks who WILL give them the attention they deserve. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Bob E.
)...still dealing with more issues than Vogue magazine but coming along nicely.)
The Bond Equipe I chased in 2014 was the same sort of thing. Fellow parked his car in his basement 17 years earlier had back surgery that winter and never took it back out. The second one is still wrapped up under a half dozen tarps in the yard. Oh and now the driveway has been removed the door boarded up and the car will have to be lifted out of the back yard. But he is going to restore it any day and be back on the road.
Ralph
"...But he is going to restore it any day and be back on the road."
Surrrrre he is, they all say that. I wonder what percentage of restorations actually get finished. I read somewhere that only 20% of kit cars are finished by the original buyer. Restorations probably have a lower completion rate since there's so much more involved.
By the way Joe...how's your summer tires?...and how long did it take you to dig out your snowblower?
Bob chuckles as he puts his snowblower back into the garage ready for the next surprise dump.
Bob E.
\yeah, my seasonally affected depression has caused me to want to stay in bed the last few days, but after shoveling a path out of the baby barn yesterday and removing the lawn tractor to get at the snow blower, I did the driveway. I then worked on my scooter. I'm trying to up that 20% of restorations that never get finished. Ralph, my scooter is kind of a barn find that I found in a hanger. 67 Lambretta. I'm going to be the coolest guy around at the first motorcycle rally I can find. :-)
and then there is the very early XK 120S ALLOY parked in a Saint John Garage for years I caught a glimpse of it when the always closed garage door was opened for some tradesmen working on the house. I was shocked to see it and asked around town. A couple guys knew it existed but lost track of the location. I was told to steer well clear of the owner as he had a habit of running nosy parkers off with a gun. But a friend had not heard that part so went to the door and bought it. Hauled it home cleaned it up realized what he had and documented it. he quickly sold it off to Montreal collector ( I assume for big $$$$) as this was a very desirable model.
1954 XK 120 s (Sport option = rare) and in Aluminium (= Very very rare) making it a Holy Grail car.
Ralph
I spoke to the gent in the Silverwood area 30 years ago,not surprised to hear the same story againn
MexBob
I heard the BMW out of the barn in Harvey is being shipped to Lebanon.
I just happen to wander into the garage/barn on our property the other day, and to my amazement there was:
- a 1976 Triumph TR6 that appeared to be in pretty good condition
- a red 1962 Morgan +4 four seater that appears to only need some interior work
- a BRG 1968 Morgan +4 Super Sport that is rarer than hen's teeth
I've got to contact the owner and tell him to get his ass in gear. ;-D
Post a Comment