Barn Find
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
there is a 56, 2x4s, sitting near Mike Terry and I on the south side of Indy( mooresville/martinsville). Guy sometimes drives it around his pastures,but looks like it needs lots of love. I stop every year and ask, every year he says nope. A friend of mine has a 427,70 vette,not running,stored in his out building,up near chicago. Been there for ever,he wont sell it either,its a nice orange colored,coupe,.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 904
Likes: 8
From: Off the coast of somewhere beautiful
We are shooting for '08 also. The original owner is 77 and wants to come see the car at Bloomington when it is finished. Hope to see you there. Would love to see your '67. I love all the mid-years but I am a little partial to 67 since I was born that year. Hopefully there will be one in the garage in the future.
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
Barn finds
I know of a '66 conv. BB car that has a hard top. The lady that owns the car worked with my father for over 30 years and I have been trying to buy the car since I found out about it since the late '70's. Her husband was shot to death in the car in the late 70's and it has sat since. The car sat outside until about 1990 and then was finally moved inside a building. It still sits there today and she still won't sale.
I had a '69 firebird with perfect body and interior, less motor and trans. that my dad wanted out of his yard when I was in college. He sold the car for $50.00 without ever telling me. I found out the car was gone when I opened an envelope with the money. I never knew he wanted the car moved and things have never been right between us since!
I had a '69 firebird with perfect body and interior, less motor and trans. that my dad wanted out of his yard when I was in college. He sold the car for $50.00 without ever telling me. I found out the car was gone when I opened an envelope with the money. I never knew he wanted the car moved and things have never been right between us since!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 205
Likes: 1
From: West Bend WI
1972 / 1972 BB Coupe
Down the road from me is a 1971 / 72 BB coupe chrome bumper car 4 speed, I was not able to open the hood but was able to read the console, unfortunately it is the 365 hp car.
At first, I thought I had found my next project but after some investigation, I would not spend over $1500 for the car. It is either a 71 or 72 which to me is desirable since the car has chrome bumpers versus the plastic. Well for that year, 25% of the cars produced were BB, a low option small block is probably more "rare". The owner is the original owner, car has been sitting outside for 12+ years. When I inspected the frame, it is GONE under the doors - I mean GONE. When someone tries to get that car, it will turn into 2 pieces. What a shame.
The only worth to the car is the block / heads / tranny / tag.
Makes sense to someone that that has a clean SB car that wants a "numbers matching" BB.
I never thought I would turn down a free BB vette.
At first, I thought I had found my next project but after some investigation, I would not spend over $1500 for the car. It is either a 71 or 72 which to me is desirable since the car has chrome bumpers versus the plastic. Well for that year, 25% of the cars produced were BB, a low option small block is probably more "rare". The owner is the original owner, car has been sitting outside for 12+ years. When I inspected the frame, it is GONE under the doors - I mean GONE. When someone tries to get that car, it will turn into 2 pieces. What a shame.
The only worth to the car is the block / heads / tranny / tag.
Makes sense to someone that that has a clean SB car that wants a "numbers matching" BB.
I never thought I would turn down a free BB vette.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 768
Likes: 1
From: Round Rock Texas
I was hired to do inspections of a pipeline going in behind a subdivision near my house. One of the houses had a chain-link fence so I could see a black 69 coupe sitting in the weeds with fender damage. Two years later I knocked on his door to see if was interested in selling the grill and bumpers. He explained that he restored it for his son as gift because his son earned a scholership to college. His son wrecked it soon after and there it sits. He said "make me an offer for the whole car"
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 797
Likes: 11
I was hired to do inspections of a pipeline going in behind a subdivision near my house. One of the houses had a chain-link fence so I could see a black 69 coupe sitting in the weeds with fender damage. Two years later I knocked on his door to see if was interested in selling the grill and bumpers. He explained that he restored it for his son as gift because his son earned a scholership to college. His son wrecked it soon after and there it sits. He said "make me an offer for the whole car"
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Barn Finds
Thirty years ago a fellow car nut and I responded to a newspaper ad offering a 58 Caddy El Dorado for sale. We went to a trailer park in San Antonio and found the Eldo convertible with the original 2x4 setup but missing the tail fins. The owner told us the fins had been cut off because a previous owner imported it to Mexico as a 58 Chevy (less taxes). We noticed a large metal building in the back yard and talked the guy into letting us see the contents. The barn was full of cars dating from the thirties to a 70 Couger XR7 which he said he bought for his daughter, none for sale. I noticed a 57 Chev convertible partially covered by a tarp in the corner. The visible fender was aqua or robins egg blue and looked pristine. I asked him what he thought it was worth and his reply was " I don't know but I'll tell you right now I wouldn't take less than $5000 for it". Hind sight--------! I don't even think I could find that place again if I tried.
Bud
Bud
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 12
From: Woonsocket Rhode Island
I nick named my '71 Vette the "Divorcer” as it was supposedly the last car I would buy after seeing my wife leave the sellers yard burning rubber than taking a corner on two wheels; and that was in our GMC Suburban! Seller asked if she drove like that often…"first time I ever saw it". There was enough room to park several cars between the wife an myself for a long time after that. Then, when I sold my ’73 to try to make up, she complained that it was the only automatic classic we owned that she would feel comfortable driving. Can’t live with ‘em, not worth having them leave. There has been several other purchases since that day and the wife has been quiet and very understanding, or she must be on drugs! Maybe a bf hidding somewhere?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 674
Likes: 0
From: Pleasant Hill,CA,USA
About four years ago I was doing some work for some elderly people. They had a 1970 Vitamin C orange AAR Cuda with every thing intact and wearing period correct Cragar S/S mags sitting in there driveway in need of a restoration. I had inquired about it and they said it was there sons and he would be around later in the day. When he arrived I got to talk to him about the car, and his story was as follows... Got out of Vietnam and wanted a green 440 Cuda but the dealership didn't have any left and all they had was the AAR, with his combat pay burning a hole in his pocket he went for it. He said he drag raced it through out the 70s and then parked it in the mid 80s were it sat.
He wouldn't sell it was planning on restoring it. He said guy offered him $20k and he didn't take it it. As far as I know the car is still there rotting away.
He wouldn't sell it was planning on restoring it. He said guy offered him $20k and he didn't take it it. As far as I know the car is still there rotting away.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 12,913
Likes: 60
From: Twin Cities, MN
We are shooting for '08 also. The original owner is 77 and wants to come see the car at Bloomington when it is finished. Hope to see you there. Would love to see your '67. I love all the mid-years but I am a little partial to 67 since I was born that year. Hopefully there will be one in the garage in the future.
http://www.vetteaction.com/modules/m...cat.php?cid=26
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
About four years ago I was doing some work for some elderly people. They had a 1970 Vitamin C orange AAR Cuda with every thing intact and wearing period correct Cragar S/S mags sitting in there driveway in need of a restoration. I had inquired about it and they said it was there sons and he would be around later in the day. When he arrived I got to talk to him about the car, and his story was as follows... Got out of Vietnam and wanted a green 440 Cuda but the dealership didn't have any left and all they had was the AAR, with his combat pay burning a hole in his pocket he went for it. He said he drag raced it through out the 70s and then parked it in the mid 80s were it sat.
He wouldn't sell it was planning on restoring it. He said guy offered him $20k and he didn't take it it. As far as I know the car is still there rotting away.
He wouldn't sell it was planning on restoring it. He said guy offered him $20k and he didn't take it it. As far as I know the car is still there rotting away.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 904
Likes: 8
From: Off the coast of somewhere beautiful
Sunset, you can follow along in the restoration, just click here.
http://www.vetteaction.com/modules/m...cat.php?cid=26
http://www.vetteaction.com/modules/m...cat.php?cid=26
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 93
Likes: 28
From: Wherever
This story is about a "driveway find." In the early 1980's, I noticed a car covered with a tarp sitting in a driveway several blocks from where I live. In about 1985, I happened to be walking by and noticed what looked like a Corvette front fender poking out from beneath the tarp. I knocked on the door and the owner pulled back the tarp and showed me the car. It turned out to be a low mileage 1965 365 HP Roadster that had been stolen from his garage, driven to a rural area and set afire, and then had spent the next ten years under the tarp in his driveway. It was a true burned out basket case. The owner said he was not interested in selling it because he planned to restore it for his son. A few years later I noticed it was still sitting there, so I asked him again if he wanted to sell it. After some discussion, I ended up buying the car and an extra engine for $2,000 and dragged it home to my garage and driveway. The pictures at the following link show what I started with and the end result after 16 months of restoration. Note that there are two pages of pictures. Except for pressing new bushings in the suspension members, my wife and I did 100% of the restoration work, including body work, interior, convertible top, engine work, and painting.
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrow...der_id=1783227
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrow...der_id=1783227
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,354
Likes: 2,726
From: Close to DC
C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified 2020
Restovette, that is the most extreme project I have ever seen and a true resurrection. Hats off to you and your wife. Drive the wheels of of it. 
Dennis
Dennis
