Abandoned cars and barn finds picture thread!!!!!

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Cano

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Cephiro
2012 EDIT: YES, we can still discuss abandoned cars and such, but lets post more pics, ok?


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As some of you know (mainly people that follow the DYSAGT thread), I freaking love rusted abandoned hulk and I’m an avid searcher myself, even in my urban context; recently I’ve been into a heavy spree of abandoned, neglected, and barn-find-esque websites that I thought were worth sharing with GTP, some of them maybe you know, some of them may be new, but all of them require strong stomachs because you may see your dream car decaying with bushes growing out of it. Others have incredible stories of barn finds that you will find hard to even swallow. Here we go. Click on the pictures to go to the website and be sure to read the stuff, its what legends are made of.


First off, this thing some of you may have already seen, the collection of some guy in Portugal who had stored in a barn (with welded-shut doors, mind you) about 190 assorted collectible cars. Feast your eyes and extra points for how many can you ID.


Next something similar but with American stuff , the full story is there but suffice it to say, I’d kill to have that 56 Cadillac. Give it a read and cough up some cash if you want something in there, it’s all for sale.


This is the one that gives me the most goosebumps, mainly because it’s muscle car heaven and my mind races only of imagining this place. Just read. It would seem impossible that such a place exists. I’d so pay to be there.
Not as many pictures but the read is good enough, and get this, the guy was auctioning it all off!!! Check the links bellow the image. Unfortunately, the e-bay auction is down -_- if anyone finds it relisted, please post it.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/retro/a-mi...er-for-vermont-muscle-car-junkheap-224135.php

Then this, a Vermont 40 acre household filled to the woods with rotting cars of the utmost variety, many of these are way beyond rescue but they make for beautiful sights; read this one also and if someone has the balls to rescue one, please do.


This one is new even for me, I found it while searching for stuff to fill this in, just check out the kind of cars that came off this place in Maryland. I mean, a 1937 Packard V12 Roadster, that alone should tell you everything you need to know. There should be a good 10-15 millions there. Incredible. ¿Even better? There are vids. Go now.




Then, the ever favorite, the eternal, the site I don’t get tired of telling people to go visit. Click for Cars in Barns, the most incredible collection of american muscle cars, some very rare ones included, just abandoned in barns and garages across the world. If you like these cars, you’ll spend days in this place. Days. No image link to this because it is righ click and source code protected and I’m too lazy to do something else, but believe me it is the best site I’m posting.
www.carsinbarns.com

Also, the Canadian version of Cars in Barns featuring some incredibly rare Mopar muscle cars, but only Mopar products, the previous one has even an AMC section!


A pictures-only site, it’s a virtual tour of the largest classic car scrap yard in America or so they say, incredibly rusted and picked out cars, LOTS of cars, very cool pictures, some of them have been my wallpaper for quite some time.


Now this one wich is german and is in the proper language, and I cant understand a thing of what reads there (google translator, please), I could use some help from german GTPers to get some history of this place, but the pictures are A-MA-ZING, if your thin are euro cars, you’ll faint.


This one is more of a photography site but a big section alsoc enters on abandoned classic cars, but I’m saying photography because it is Lost America, the site of night photographer Troy Paiva who plays with abandoned rusted hulks that he light-paints and then shoots at night. Night. Just go check out this stuff, it’s killer, and if you happen to like photography, you’ll also faint. If there is one website you have to check out, its this one. Why? Even if you don’t like to see abandoned cars, the photography is stunning.

His Flickr, go there too, some unpublished work in his website is there.
http://flickr.com/photos/lostamerica/

This guy tells us how he has found such cars as a 57 Cadoo ragtop, a pristine all original XKE, a ex-Ricardo Montalban Jag, and a 1943 Alfa, all California cars, all dug out of garages, and he has the pictures to prove it. The Alfa is way, way neat. And the stories about many of the cars are awesome, especially of the Alfa.


A cool blog dedicated sorely to barn and garage finds, some of the cars shown there are pretty damn cool, and the stories that go with them are equally great.


Another one along the same lines.
http://projectcarbarnfinds.blogspot.com/

Another massive barn find, this time in the UK, all of them will be auctioned off. 40 years hauling in cars.. that should feel awesome.


And yet ANOTHER one! In Australia, this. Almost 300 cars. 300, people. And check out the stash of parts. The hubcaps hanging from the roof are awesome.


Now, lets get to the one-car stories, in here you’ll find lone cars that have been in barns for a while. As you can imagine, they are al pretty extraordinary…

First, a feature and drive test of an original, barn fresh 289 Cobra… dig the patina.


Now a stunning one, the last 1961 Chrysler 300F built, a Convertible, unearthed from a Barn in a shape that defies description. You just cant believe this car has been so well preserved.


A very favorite of mine, this 1962 Dodge wagon drag car was recently found just as it was raced back in the day, with a big 413 inch beast under hood and 12 second capabilities. Check out those slicks and read on to discover the price!


By now, I’m almost sure everyone here is aware of this car, the 38 Bugatti Atalante found inside a barn, tucked there for decades, then going out and starring a BJ auction in where it sold for almost a million, as is, but its soooo awesome I just had to put it here. Greatest barn find ever?

More pics of the car here, as well as finals ale price, remember, as is:
http://www.classiccar.com/garage/blog/index.php?/archives/289-Update-Barn-Find-Bugatti-Sold.html

OK, now for a unique Lambo, a long-lost prototype that surfaced in no less than Spain, the holly grail of Lambos came out of a barn. Read on.


As cool as the others are, this one might be the most extraordinary, mainly because the guy had no idea of what he had in his hands and put it on e-bay thinking it was only a normal Pontiac. Turns out it was a factory super stock drag war Pontiac Catalina Super Duty. People realized that and the price reflects it. Read on.


Ebay link. I would have loved to see the face of the guy when he realized he had won the lottery. This is why you have to check e-bay as often.


OK, more serious stuff, what about a Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta? Yeah, THAT one. Read on, this may be the most expensive barn car ever.


Enough already? What? You want more? OK. Go buy these, I’ll order mine coming January. Both by tom cotter, a very, very good tin finder:




As if that is not enough, check out these Flickr pools and accounts that are chockfull of abandoned cars and truck pictures, some of them pretty good.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cupdegrave/sets/72157603290548410/
http://flickr.com/photos/improbcat/sets/72157594354839455/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/784941@N24/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/499700@N21/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdmcfish/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/349087@N25/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/98378256@N00/pool/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/abandoned__neglected__weathered__rusty/pool/page3/
http://flickr.com/groups/deadmetal/pool/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/rotsquad/pool/
http://flickr.com/groups/rusty_old_cars/pool/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/backintime/pool/page4/


There it goes. I’ve given you months of reading and picture watching worth of rust and dust, all you have to do now is enjoy, and of course, if you have any stuff along these lines that is worth sharing, please please do so, I know I have left out a number of notorious cars and stashes, so if you know any, of better yet, if you have found something like this, tell us!!!!!!
 
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Some of those pictures make me sad because I hate to see so much wasted potential. I have my own version I pass every day - a once-nice Ford Model A coupe that is parked next to someone's house mouldering away. The F150 next to it gets driven every day, so I know the person is around. 10 years ago the A was nice and original and shiny, and drove occasionally. Now it's decaying into a pile for want of a $300 carport shed over it.

I like www.bringatrailer.com much better! So much more upbeat.
 
Excellent post/thread. I've spent most of my life in rural northeastern US, I have spent more time than I care to think roaming around unofficial "junkyards" like those pictured, although I've never been to the one above in Pownal, VT.

Duke, I sympathize, greatly. My family seems genetically predisposed to finding unique mechanical objects and either letting them rot uncovered outside or selling them for far less than they are worth. My eldest brother is most frequently guilty of the former, and my dad has serious problems with the latter. I'm still seething from his sale of our 1978 Saab 99 EMS, just months before I got my drivers license in the mid-late 1980's. All it needed was an alternator, and he sold it for nothing.
 
Some of those pictures make me sad because I hate to see so much wasted potential. I have my own version I pass every day - a once-nice Ford Model A coupe that is parked next to someone's house mouldering away. The F150 next to it gets driven every day, so I know the person is around. 10 years ago the A was nice and original and shiny, and drove occasionally. Now it's decaying into a pile for want of a $300 carport shed over it.

I like www.bringatrailer.com much better! So much more upbeat.

Man, and why haven't you taken pictures of the A and put them right here??? can I formally ask you to do so? As are awesome (:

And yeah, bring a trailer is also awesome!!! As I said, I knew I had left out a couple of cool thingies. Thanks!!!
 
Excellent post/thread. I've spent most of my life in rural northeastern US, I have spent more time than I care to think roaming around unofficial "junkyards" like those pictured, although I've never been to the one above in Pownal, VT.

Man, do you have pictures of those yards? if so, please post them!!! more junkyard crawls will always be good (:
 
First off, this thing some of you may have already seen, the collection of some guy in Portugal who had stored in a barn (with welded-shut doors, mind you) about 190 assorted collectible cars. Feast your eyes and extra points for how many can you ID.

*ahem*

I'm guessing a lot of "barn finds" are a lot like that.
 
*ahem*

I'm guessing a lot of "barn finds" are a lot like that.


Yeah, I knew that, I've known about that for a while, the guy who found out about it was Tom Cotter, the author of the two books I reccomend. If you read my post, I never mentioned the suposed NY guy that bought the land, I just said the Portugal guy stashed lotsa cars in the barn (:
 
Great idea for a thread Cano 👍, I enjoy seeing these finds, especially when combined with great photography. Abandoned, rusting cars make good subjects for it.

Enough already? What? You want more? OK. Go buy these, I’ll order mine coming January. Both by tom cotter, a very, very good tin finder:

I have this book. Saw it in a bookshop and just had to buy it. It's a good read. I'm just trying to find "The Hemi in the Barn" now....

I like www.bringatrailer.com much better! So much more upbeat.

I discovered Bringatrailer a while ago and check it most days to see the interesting auction and internet finds. Excellent site.
 
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Good work Cano for starting a very interesting thread! 👍

You are right, Im from Portugal, this story is 100% true, apparently nobody wanted to buy the property because it was abandoned several years.
The property was sold very cheaply, and the (stupid) sellers never saw the contents warehouse!

The lucky NY buyer has win the lottery!

:crazy:
 
I have this book. Saw it in a bookshop and just had to buy it. It's a good read. I'm just trying to find "The Hemi in the Barn" now....



Aaah is it good? I've been ordering the thing forever and for one reason or another, have not been able to, and now I'll order both coming this january, I read some amazing reviews about it but some first hand insight is always good (:
 
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afa20_thm.jpg


Good work Cano for starting a very interesting thread! 👍

You are right, Im from Portugal, this story is 100% true, apparently nobody wanted to buy the property because it was abandoned several years.
The property was sold very cheaply, and the (stupid) sellers never saw the contents warehouse!

The lucky NY buyer has win the lottery!

:crazy:

You sure about that? Cotter has confirmed that the collection belongs to a Portugal guy who contacted a photog to document his collection, and the photog later met Cotter and said the NY guy story was untrue.
 
Massive Secret Mustang Junkyard Found In Rhode Island Forest.


Imagine a secret junkyard frozen in time somewhere around the 70's with every bit of vintage hardware stretching for hundreds of acres. Classic Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, Hemis; you name it, it's here. But not for long: The law man's saying to crush 'em. Massive mega-gallery below along with the location and what you can do to save them.

Forest of Rusty Dreams

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Rhode Island authorities have ordered this illicit junkyard crushed immediately, but such an undertaking takes time. Word says that these cars are slowly marching towards the fateful crusher, but there is hope. The owner goes by the name of JR and he's willing to make a deal. For the address, you've gotta swear to not go trampling around this guy's backyard without his permission. That's uncool to start, but what's more, you might be on the receiving end of a rock salt salvo. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Now that we've got that out of the way, this dream junkyard can be found here, which is in the forests of Rhode Island. If any readers decide to purchase some vintage iron from said junkyard, drop us a few pictures at tips@jalopnik.com. Happy hunting. Hat tip to Zack!

[MustangForum]
 
Damn! '56 Ford panel truck. That thing would fetch decent money considering its condition.
 
Haha don't let the outside appearance fool you, the interior is pretty trashed (my grandparents used to have it set up as a sort of duck nest).

Interesting story though, back when I was little (maybe 10-12 years ago), my uncle and grandpa attempted to get the wheels rolling by pulling it up and down the road behind my grandpa's tractor. Boy was that hilarious (we have video of it), two of the wheels were locked up and screeching as they pulled it. They never did get them rolling, so they just put it in the woods where it sits now. :D
 
Aaah is it good? I've been ordering the thing forever and for one reason or another, have not been able to, and now I'll order both coming this january, I read some amazing reviews about it but some first hand insight is always good (:

I liked it, as opposed to the pictorial books of abandoned cars that you see, it focuses more on the people who find the cars and their stories of tracking them down and discovering their history. I'm definately keeping my eyes open for "Hemi".
 
I've got two finds I'd love to do something with.

My aunt has a farm, and thus a barn. Inside, sits a 1955 or '56 Ford Fairlane Crown Vic. It's got a few dents, some rust in the quarters, and a ratsnest inside. But it's remarkably intact. I'd love to get it running and make the drive home with it one day...

A little closer to where I live, I used to walk by a TR6 every day coming home from school. For years, it sat under a cover in the winter, and open in the summer. I talked to the owner for a few minutes, once. She said she would restore it, but I never did see anything done. I moved a couple years ago, and have driven by a few times since then. Still, it sits. It was pretty far gone a few years ago, badly rusted around the headlights and in the quarter panels. I'm sure it'll never move.
 
There's a nice almost rust-free TR6 sitting at a gas station near work. I've asked if I can buy it and got a firm "Not For Sale" from the woman behind the counter... but there it sits with the top down and the tonneau not quite buttoned up all the way.

It really pisses you off. Some people do it with houses, too.
 
Hahaha, the Range Rover I can see why, but come on, not even I World take pics of an abandoned Golf, and I’ve seen a few.

There seems to be one abandoned car or another in the life of everyone. I have seen so many I’d like to rescue I have lost count. Heck if I had money I would not buy Porsches and Ferraris and the like, I’d just rescue rust buckets, all of them from Mexico, no imported junk.
And don’t think people I’ve abandoned this post, I worked too much for it to go down, but I have way too much work to update it properly; alas, I already have a bunch of link I’ll be sharing with you.
 
The closest thing to a barn find I've ever witnessed happened one day when my Uncle, who was visiting NC (he lives in Florida) was riding around with my dad and I one day. We're driving my a local used car place and something catches our eyes - a 67 Fairlane 289. We immediately pull over and look at it. It's in great shape. And in a time where SHELLS of Fairlanes go for ridiculous amounts of money, the $4600 price tag was a shock. Took the car for a test drive, and other than the obvious age/wear stuff, everything was in good mechanical shape. My dad has always had a soft spot for Fairlanes, since his hot rod when he was a teenager was a 67, so dad told my Uncle that if he didn't buy it, he (dad) would.

My uncle ended up buying it, and they immediately took it into the garage for a closer inspection. This car was 100% original, even down to the BATTERY cables. It was completely untouched from the day it left the factory. Body was in great shape for its age too. Also, after doing some research, we found out that the exterior/interior color combination wasn't even offered, so it might have been a dealership car or something. I know it's not really a barn find, but the pricing and the fact it was so untouched along with the unique color combo still makes it pretty cool. The car is still in my Uncle's hands. A few years ago, it was idling in the driveway when the transmission went into reverse (its an automatic) and sent the car across the street into a house. It was heartbreaking to hear about, but nobody was hurt and the car is now doing better than ever.

petes_hot_rod.jpg
 
We have this old jeep willys that we took the front end out of and put in a newer jeep willys. sorry no idea how to spell willys

also my whole shpeel is based on the idea that a jeep willys is a jeep truck thing. I helped transfer the front across when I was like 4 or 5 but i don't remember the model. just that one was like a 70's and the newer one was still rather shiny.
 

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