Barn find stories needed

[Adam Wright]

I was reading over the answers to the Registry survey and several people asked to see barn find stories that aren't mine. I agree, please help me with stories that aren't mine! I have asked several times for people to share their stories. We did a great story on Registry Brother Spencer Harris finding two cabs in Norcal, but so far he is the only one to share a story. I would love to interview folks about their barn find stories and the twists and turns it took to get their cars.

So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me the stories with pictures and we can do some great barn find stories in my column. If not I'm going have to start getting like reality TV and give Big John a script so I can get some good stories.

Other than that people seem to like the column, I enjoy writing it, but would rather not write about my finds all the time, so please, I know some of you guys have stories, I'm not the only one out there doing this.

I look forward to hearing from you guys.

[Joshua Skog]

Where would you like these stories sent? Mine wasn't found in a barn but the story is quite interesting.

[Dan Epperly]

I have a patio story if that works. Where do I send it? PM's you, too...

[Adam Wright]

Both those stories sound great, please send me a couple paragraph synopsis to adam@unobtanium-inc.com
Once I have that I can generate some really good questions and get the great quotes, also, start digging out the pictures, people love to see it.

Thanks guys!!!!!!!

[Jay Wiener]

Last time I stumbled into a barn I stepped in horse $hiza! Unfortunately no Porsche

[steverestelli]

My last barn find was an 1880's one horse sleigh, buried in hay with plenty of barn swallow white paint. I found it on the back roads of Vermont last year, and the price was right.........FREE!

[neil blaber]

i thought my barn find looked pretty good to be honest adam especially seeing a trailer with 3 wheels piled up with a 356 and other parts. but you were there... lol

i enjoy your column but i imagine the vast majority of finds come from guys like yourself

[Jim Neil]

This isn't really a barn find story, but a couple years ago I drove down the hill from my home, I stopped when I saw a 356 on a trailer, and spoke with the buyer (Adam's competitor, I guess, from NorCal). I think this must have been sitting in a garage for decades, old guy finally selling. I was in a big hurry so wasn't paying attention, thought it was a Cab, and realized later it was a pretty pristine original Convertible D bought for ~$30K. Sure as hell wish I had known about that "barn find".

[Ned Gorski]

Adam i your interested pm me

[James Watters]

Just found this last weekend. I decided not to buy it. Has rust, needs everything, checked the sn's and engine is in the right range, couldn't get a price out of the owner. Owned by present owner since 2001. Parked outside.

[James Watters]

I now have a few minutes to tell the story of the 62 dirt find. I had a doctors appointment last week and the weather was nice so I decided to drive my 64. After my visit I exited the building and saw a large 4 wheel drive sitting next to my car. I walked up and this guy rolls down his window and says "nice car". I tell him thanks and he tells me his mom has a 62 that she's been driving for about 15 years. He says she's dying of cancer, has 6 months to live and they are thinking of selling the car. The family want's to send her on a final fling to Europe. I tell him sorry for his mom's illness. He proceeds to give me his fathers card and it happens that he's a mechanic in Bayfield Co. That's only about 25 minutes from my house so I said I might be interested in the car.
The next day I call his dad. He tells me the car is at the house, needs a battery, interior and has no rust. This is now sounding like a real find. I get the home address which happens to be on a dirt county road and my friend Mike and I move out. The owner couldn't be there so he told us it would be outside and feel free to have a look. We arrive, walk up to the car and can see the rear wheels are about 6 inches into the mud. The interior looks like a bomb went off but what the heck, supposedly no rust according to the owner. We open the rear deck lid check the engine serial numbers and they appear to be in the range for a 62. We then open the hood and I pull out the spare to check the chassis number to see if it matches the door post number. It does and the car was originally grey not red. As I pulled out the spare I could see the ground. Rust holes. I checked the front fender wells and there was rust pin holes on both sides. We started to do a rough estimate and I decided to pass. I called the owner to let him know and when he asked me why, I responded with what I observed needed to be done to the car. As it turns out he hadn't looked in the car in 6 years and it just sat outside in the elements. I asked him for a price on the car and he wouldn't give me one. I think he was a little disappointed that I had no interest in the car.
Oh well. You never know when these cars will pop up so keep an open mind and take a look at everything that comes along.
Best
Jim

[paul vantol]

I have an "abandoned garage find" story for you, having found a car that had been left 23 years ago in a very bad part of Detroit..... Garage was open to whoever wanted to walk into it and cats had very conveniently left about an inch of cat skeet on the floor of the car. Owner had been shot and killed in a drive by and his brother parked the car and left it.

Paul VanTol

[Thomas VanTol]

Well my brother is not the only one with a barn story. I was in Oregon visiting a friend and spent our spare time driving around in an old VW bus looking for old 356's. What else do you do when you are on vacation? My wife calls and says she bought a house contingent on my approval. Upon my return, I meet the realtor and find a 58 cab sitting in the garage. I spent 45 minutes climbing in over and around the car. The realtor is getting mad and wants to know if I am going to look at the house. I told him I had seen everything I needed to see.

Turns out the car had been parked 25 years ago when the 2nd owner of 50 years had died. His widow lived in the house solo until she moved to a retirement home last year. He had bought the car in 1961 from the original owner.

The funny thing is, a BIL of a friend had hinted that he knew where one was parked but he would not tell me where. He said he wanted to buy it. The look on his face was priceless when I told him I bought a 356 from Mr W.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 878c391db9

[Brad Ripley]

For you guys with Barn Finds, why not enter the Stoddard NLA "We CAN save them all Contest. http://www.stoddard.com/Werkstatte/cat/ ... vethemall/

Or even better, buy one of Adam's wonderful rare 356's and enter the contest with a presentation in the Projects category to win $7500 worth of parts to get a good start on your restoration.

[Adam Wright]

Brad, I think we are looking at this all wrong, just have Paul D. and Per drive the Stoddard truck full of metal over to Ravena, we'll break out the welders and invite everyone over for a couple of weeks and weld away, it was be like a 356 love-in!
If we get really ambitious we can venture into the cab garden!!!